If you're planning to attend Awakening in a couple of weeks, don't read this -- it'll spoil the fun! Or, read it, then skip my conference and learn from someone else on that day! ;-)
The title and theme of the conference I'll be leading comes from Psalm 107, where verse 2 commands, "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!" I've heard that phrase in church life for as long as I can remember, but I don't know that I really ever gave it much thought until the idea for this conference began brewing a few months ago. What does it mean to be redeemed? And how does one say so? These are some of the questions we'll be dealing with at Awakening. Today, I just want to share with you a couple of the lists I've gleaned from this passage so far. See, the general idea of the conference is that if God has redeemed you, then you have a responsibility (a joy and a delight) to declare that to others who need to hear that message of hope and victory through Him. So, I began searching the passage for two things: From what kinds of things has God redeemed His people? And, what has He done for them?
Just check this list out, all of these are found in Psalm 107. See how many of these you can identify with. God's people are redeemed from:
enemies
wandering
hunger
thirst
trouble
darkness
shadow of death
being downhearted
fallenness
distress
chains, gates, bars of iron
sin
affliction
destruction
depths
melting souls
reeling, staggering
their wits' end
storm-tossed seas
having been diminished and brought low
oppression
sorrow
poverty
It gets better! Check out what God's done for His people:
redeems
gathers
delivers
leads
satisfies
fills
saves
brings out of darkness
breaks chains, gates, and bars
sends His Word
heals
commands seas
brings out of distress
calms storms
guides to safety
takes power over rivers, wilderness, springs, dry ground, barrenness, famine, fields, plants, and vineyards
establishes dwelling places
yields a fruitful harvest
blesses
multiplies
sets the poor on high and increases their family
shuts up iniquity
Anybody wanna shout "Glory!"??? Friends, if God's been gracious to you, thank Him, tell others about it, proclaim His goodness. Who are we to keep silent about all His wonders?
Monday, July 16, 2007
Friday, July 13, 2007
July 13, 1985
Happy Birthday to you!
Only one will not do,
Born again means salvation!
How many have you?
This was the song we sang in Sunday School whenever someone made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ when I was a little girl. It reminded us that birthdays were important, but celebrating being born again in Jesus was even more important.
Today marks the 22nd anniversary of my new birth in Jesus. I've been thinking a lot about that day of salvation and the grace of life in Christ this week. Wanna hear the story? You're not a captive audience, so I'll tell it. Read along if you like.
We'd been having revival services at the church that week where we talked a lot about the return of Christ. My babysitter and her family had been talking about something they'd seen on the freaky Jesus channel where some image of the Lord had appeared on the back wall of a church during a healing service and everyone was convinced His return was imminent. The most upsetting song in the world to me at that time was "Soon and Very Soon." You know how it goes ...
Soon and very soon
We are going to see the King!
Soon and very soon
We are going to see the King!
Soon and very soon
We are going to see the King!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
We're going to see the King!
I can remember standing in church, listening to that song, looking around the room for any signs of Christ splitting the roof and taking everyone with Him, knowing that I'd never invited Him into my heart and was not prepared for eternity. I remember being on my bicycle the next day in our cul-de-sac looking at the blue sky and checking the clouds for any resemblence to that picture of Jesus in my Sunday School classroom in case He was planning His return for that day.
That night as my daddy tucked me into bed, he walked to the door of my room and flipped off the switch. I can't honestly tell you what I said, but I remember I began to cry, I asked him not to turn off the light, and I told him Jesus was coming back and I was not ready. He called my mom into the room and together, they sat by my bed, talked to me about recognizing my need for a Savior and prayed with me as I invited Jesus to come into my heart, to be my Savior and my Lord.
July 13, 1985.
Only one will not do,
Born again means salvation!
How many have you?
This was the song we sang in Sunday School whenever someone made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ when I was a little girl. It reminded us that birthdays were important, but celebrating being born again in Jesus was even more important.
Today marks the 22nd anniversary of my new birth in Jesus. I've been thinking a lot about that day of salvation and the grace of life in Christ this week. Wanna hear the story? You're not a captive audience, so I'll tell it. Read along if you like.
We'd been having revival services at the church that week where we talked a lot about the return of Christ. My babysitter and her family had been talking about something they'd seen on the freaky Jesus channel where some image of the Lord had appeared on the back wall of a church during a healing service and everyone was convinced His return was imminent. The most upsetting song in the world to me at that time was "Soon and Very Soon." You know how it goes ...
Soon and very soon
We are going to see the King!
Soon and very soon
We are going to see the King!
Soon and very soon
We are going to see the King!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
We're going to see the King!
I can remember standing in church, listening to that song, looking around the room for any signs of Christ splitting the roof and taking everyone with Him, knowing that I'd never invited Him into my heart and was not prepared for eternity. I remember being on my bicycle the next day in our cul-de-sac looking at the blue sky and checking the clouds for any resemblence to that picture of Jesus in my Sunday School classroom in case He was planning His return for that day.
That night as my daddy tucked me into bed, he walked to the door of my room and flipped off the switch. I can't honestly tell you what I said, but I remember I began to cry, I asked him not to turn off the light, and I told him Jesus was coming back and I was not ready. He called my mom into the room and together, they sat by my bed, talked to me about recognizing my need for a Savior and prayed with me as I invited Jesus to come into my heart, to be my Savior and my Lord.
July 13, 1985.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Gettin the Glory
My great grandmother was fond of reminding me that it never mattered who got the credit for something as long as God gets the glory. It was one of my earliest lessons in living all of life as unto the Lord.
This past week, my friend Jeremy and his family have been on quite the roller coaster as he battled a life-threatening bacterial infection. To read their story, go here. Jeremy's on his way home from the hospital now. He's been cleared by most of his doctors, and just a week after being admitted with a 108 degree temperature, he is going home to continue his recovery in familiar surroundings. The fact that he is going home at all is testimony of God's power over all things.
I've been thinking about and praying for Jeremy and Jodi a lot lately. Watching their lives lived out in this trial, wondering how such a young family can endure so many difficulties, - did I mention their house flooded a couple of months ago and is in the process of being refloored and repainted? - and thinking about how God works in and through it all, what purpose He has for them in these things.
Someone told me once that jewlers place diamonds against black cloths in order to display their brilliance most radiantly. In Jeremy and Jodi's life, these trials have been a black cloth, but the brilliant radiance of Jesus Christ at work in them and through them has shone all the more brightly against this backdrop. Not just their family, friends, and church, or even my family, friends, and church, but also doctors and nurses and specialists, and medical personnel around the country are hearing the story of this man and the things he's survived, and whenever the story is told, Jeremy and Jodi offer one explantion. God is BIG. He's so BIG. He is being made famous through their insistance that He get the credit AND the glory.
John chapter 9 tells the story of a man who was blind from birth, and the religious rulers of the day ask Jesus if the man's blindness was caused by his sin or the sin of his parents. In verse 3 Jesus answers and says, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life." What a beautiful display Jeremy and Jodi are of the glory of God at work.
This past week, my friend Jeremy and his family have been on quite the roller coaster as he battled a life-threatening bacterial infection. To read their story, go here. Jeremy's on his way home from the hospital now. He's been cleared by most of his doctors, and just a week after being admitted with a 108 degree temperature, he is going home to continue his recovery in familiar surroundings. The fact that he is going home at all is testimony of God's power over all things.
I've been thinking about and praying for Jeremy and Jodi a lot lately. Watching their lives lived out in this trial, wondering how such a young family can endure so many difficulties, - did I mention their house flooded a couple of months ago and is in the process of being refloored and repainted? - and thinking about how God works in and through it all, what purpose He has for them in these things.
Someone told me once that jewlers place diamonds against black cloths in order to display their brilliance most radiantly. In Jeremy and Jodi's life, these trials have been a black cloth, but the brilliant radiance of Jesus Christ at work in them and through them has shone all the more brightly against this backdrop. Not just their family, friends, and church, or even my family, friends, and church, but also doctors and nurses and specialists, and medical personnel around the country are hearing the story of this man and the things he's survived, and whenever the story is told, Jeremy and Jodi offer one explantion. God is BIG. He's so BIG. He is being made famous through their insistance that He get the credit AND the glory.
John chapter 9 tells the story of a man who was blind from birth, and the religious rulers of the day ask Jesus if the man's blindness was caused by his sin or the sin of his parents. In verse 3 Jesus answers and says, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life." What a beautiful display Jeremy and Jodi are of the glory of God at work.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Please Pray For My Friend
I was exhausted when I went to bed last night, so you can imagine my surprise and frustration when I woke up an hour before my alarm this morning. I lay there a minute before realizing that something deep inside was calling me to pray. I began running through the people on my prayer list, but never could identify what was so urgent. I got out of bed and began my daily routine, and for some reason, I picked up my cell phone and looked to see if I had new messages. Sure enough, there was a text message from Jodi sent sometime after midnight last night saying simply, "Just realized you don't know. Jeremy's in ICU. Call tomorrow." Yeah, that'll get your heartrate going.
I quickly finished getting ready, then jumped in the car and called Jodi.
I asked Jodi how we should pray and these are the things she told me.
Pray for Jodi to rest. She knows that she's going to need plenty of energy to care for Jeremy over the next few days/weeks, but sleeping in a hospital is very difficult. Her phone rings almost incessantly.
Pray for Jeremy's doctors to have wisdom, to get to the source of the problem and correct it quickly.
Pray for Jeremy's healing.
She also offered these praises.
Praise the Lord for the friends who have surrounded Jeremy and Jodi both, arriving at the hospital at almost the same time they did, caring for Emma, and looking after Jodi, too.
Praise the Lord for a small hospital with a very attentive staff who located an infectious disease specialist familiar with Jeremy's particular disease.
Praise the Lord that even though Jeremy's temperature spiked to 108 at one point, neurological exams report no brain damage.
Praise the Lord that even before they knew this trial was coming, God was working things out for them in ways they couldn't anticipate.
Many of you who read this blog will know how important these friends are to me. Others of you might not have been introduced to them, but hang with me a while, and you will be, it's inevitable.
Thanks for praying. For updates, visit www.meadowridgechurch.org and click on the link called Updates on Jeremy.
Kristen
I quickly finished getting ready, then jumped in the car and called Jodi.
I asked Jodi how we should pray and these are the things she told me.
Pray for Jodi to rest. She knows that she's going to need plenty of energy to care for Jeremy over the next few days/weeks, but sleeping in a hospital is very difficult. Her phone rings almost incessantly.
Pray for Jeremy's doctors to have wisdom, to get to the source of the problem and correct it quickly.
Pray for Jeremy's healing.
She also offered these praises.
Praise the Lord for the friends who have surrounded Jeremy and Jodi both, arriving at the hospital at almost the same time they did, caring for Emma, and looking after Jodi, too.
Praise the Lord for a small hospital with a very attentive staff who located an infectious disease specialist familiar with Jeremy's particular disease.
Praise the Lord that even though Jeremy's temperature spiked to 108 at one point, neurological exams report no brain damage.
Praise the Lord that even before they knew this trial was coming, God was working things out for them in ways they couldn't anticipate.
Many of you who read this blog will know how important these friends are to me. Others of you might not have been introduced to them, but hang with me a while, and you will be, it's inevitable.
Thanks for praying. For updates, visit www.meadowridgechurch.org and click on the link called Updates on Jeremy.
Kristen
Monday, July 02, 2007
My Spastic Adventures
Anyone reading this who knows me won't really be surprised, just amused by yet another shining example of the genius I am. The rest of you who think you know me but are really just finding out, get ready. I'm brilliant, I tell ya.
Our water bill was due last Friday. On Thursday evening, seeing that I was out late and had not put a check in the envelope alongside my other roommates, Christy left me a gentle reminder note asking me to do just that, so that she could walk it into the Water Department the next morning. Friday morning, I had a later than usual appointment before going into the office, and awoke well after Christy had left for work. Oops.
I quickly wrote my portion of the bill, put it in the envelope and scooped it up to take to work with me, hoping to catch Christy on our lunch breaks and get the bill paid. No such luck. She was stuck in court all day but assured me it could be paid on Monday morning without penalty. I felt bad, but there wasn't much I could do about it. Nothing else was said about the matter until Sunday night.
Again, I was out late, and she text messaged me on her way to bed. "Please set the water bill on the kitchen table, so I can take it in tomorrow." Doh! The water bill was laying on my desk, in my office, downtown, where I wasn't going to be until after 10:00 Monday morning. I don't know how Christy was feeling at this point, but I was completely annoyed by me. She tells me that she'll meet me between dockets on Monday and take the bill. Deal.
I get to the office on Monday morning only to realize that the bill was laying on the backseat of my car all weekend. For some reason, I carry it upstairs into the office with me. Christy calls and asks me to meet her at the courthouse at 11:30. I jump up and make it down the stairs before realizing the bill is still laying on my desk. Fortunately, I wasn't already in my car or at the courthouse.
11:28, I pull up in front of the courthouse. Finally, something I'd done right in this whole fiasco! 11:32, still no sign of Christy. I call. I say, "Hey, where are you?" She can't even hide the amusement in her voice at this point. She says, "I'm in front of the courthouse, where are you?" I say, bewildered, then with realization dawning on me, "I'm in front of the courthouse ... (long pause) ... but not the one where you work." She's not even trying to hide her laughter now. Fortunately, the two courthouses are just blocks from each other, and I was able to pass the bill off, finally! She just reached into the car, took the bill, and informed me, "Your new name is Spaz!"
When I'm on a roll, there's no stopping me!
Our water bill was due last Friday. On Thursday evening, seeing that I was out late and had not put a check in the envelope alongside my other roommates, Christy left me a gentle reminder note asking me to do just that, so that she could walk it into the Water Department the next morning. Friday morning, I had a later than usual appointment before going into the office, and awoke well after Christy had left for work. Oops.
I quickly wrote my portion of the bill, put it in the envelope and scooped it up to take to work with me, hoping to catch Christy on our lunch breaks and get the bill paid. No such luck. She was stuck in court all day but assured me it could be paid on Monday morning without penalty. I felt bad, but there wasn't much I could do about it. Nothing else was said about the matter until Sunday night.
Again, I was out late, and she text messaged me on her way to bed. "Please set the water bill on the kitchen table, so I can take it in tomorrow." Doh! The water bill was laying on my desk, in my office, downtown, where I wasn't going to be until after 10:00 Monday morning. I don't know how Christy was feeling at this point, but I was completely annoyed by me. She tells me that she'll meet me between dockets on Monday and take the bill. Deal.
I get to the office on Monday morning only to realize that the bill was laying on the backseat of my car all weekend. For some reason, I carry it upstairs into the office with me. Christy calls and asks me to meet her at the courthouse at 11:30. I jump up and make it down the stairs before realizing the bill is still laying on my desk. Fortunately, I wasn't already in my car or at the courthouse.
11:28, I pull up in front of the courthouse. Finally, something I'd done right in this whole fiasco! 11:32, still no sign of Christy. I call. I say, "Hey, where are you?" She can't even hide the amusement in her voice at this point. She says, "I'm in front of the courthouse, where are you?" I say, bewildered, then with realization dawning on me, "I'm in front of the courthouse ... (long pause) ... but not the one where you work." She's not even trying to hide her laughter now. Fortunately, the two courthouses are just blocks from each other, and I was able to pass the bill off, finally! She just reached into the car, took the bill, and informed me, "Your new name is Spaz!"
When I'm on a roll, there's no stopping me!
Walking In the Truth
This has been one of those times in my life when knowing the truth and walking in the truth are not synonymous. I know that I'm to worry about nothing and pray about everything (Philippians 4:6-7), so why does it seem so much easier to worry about it? As though I could fix it anyway! I know that I'm to bear with others, to forgive as Christ forgave me, to clothe myself with compassion, kindness, humility, and patience (Colossians 3:12-17), so why do I keep ending up at odds with another of God's chosen beloved? As if I'm always so loveable! I know that God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly beyond all that I ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20-21), so why am I so surprised when things work out way better than I planned or expected? As if He needed my help! I know that God will supply all my needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19), so why do I keep going to him over and over again with a laundry list of things I think I need as though He might forget or be hardpressed to provide? I know that my struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, powers, and principalities of this dark world (Ephesians 6:10-19), so why do I keep treating others and enemies? I know that through God we will do valiantly, it is He who will trample our enemies (Psalm 108:13, Exodus 14:14), I need only be still, so why do I spend so much effort and energy trying to fight for myself? As if I'd actually accomplish anything!
I've been thinking about that guy in James that looks in the mirror, sees what's wrong, then walks away without making corrections and wondering just how often I do the same thing. What good is it to know the truth if I don't live in it, let it change my life? I'm such a work in progress, so thankful that God is patient as he continues to shape me.
I've been thinking about that guy in James that looks in the mirror, sees what's wrong, then walks away without making corrections and wondering just how often I do the same thing. What good is it to know the truth if I don't live in it, let it change my life? I'm such a work in progress, so thankful that God is patient as he continues to shape me.
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