Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So

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?

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.

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.

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

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!

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.

D. Glo

Last fall, Dodie Davis Glover and I celebrated our "10 Year Friendship Anniversary" without much pomp or circumstance. We laughed and joked about throwing a party and inviting all of our mutual friends, those who've been most directly blessed by our fabulousness. ;-) But, of course, life happens and the time slips by, and now, we're more than six months down the road from that opportunity -- guess we'll have to wait for the 20 year celebration!
However, this blog isn't about me and Dodidra. It's just about Dodidra. When I was a senior in high school, preparing to leave home and head out to Abilene to attend Hardin-Simmons University, I prayed about a lot of things. One of those prayers was for a roommate, someone I would be friends with, someone who would love Jesus and help me continue to grow in my faith by getting involved in a local church. You know that verse about God being able to do more than we could ask or imagine? Dodidra is example number one in my life of how true that verse is. I could go on and on about all of the ways she (and our friendship) have exceeded any expectation I could have ever dreamed up in those early prayers. She wasn't just my freshman roommate. She was my next door neighbor sophmore year, my office mate at PDBC our junior and senior years, my housemate the summer before our senior year, and my roommate again for a year during seminary before she married Jacob. She's been a friend, someone I have laughed with until we cried. She's been a prayer partner, a woman who encourages me with the Word of God when all other words have failed. She's been a champion, sticking up for me when others sought to tear me down. She's been a sister of my heart.
Yesterday, I held her new born daughter. I sat in a chair with that bundle of sweetness and looked across at my precious friend resting from her labor, and there were no words. I thought back to the night we met as seniors in high school, to the letters we exchanged, to the day her mom almost made us go to HPU because our housing assignment had been confused, to crazy pledging memories, to silly college crushes and a few broken hearts, to the day we accidently wore matching outfits to chapel, to dances and dressups, roadtrips, and Christmas parties, Bible studies, prayer meetings, even funerals, losses, and of course, a wedding. Dodie is not perfect, I know that, and I'd never want to put that pressure on her. But, from someone who's observed her life up close for a long time now, trust me. She is a living example of how God honors obedience, and it is a joy to celebrate with her.

Praying for Healing

I have a friend who has been in chronic pain for a very long time. She's seen doctors, specialists even, and attempted a variety of treatments. Currently, she is at a crossroads. The specialist believes it is time to begin a new round of treatments that will cost thousands of dollars and may still lead to surgery. Earlier this week she called me. She said that after talking it over with her husband, she had decided to speak with her pastor and request that a team of elders in her church gather to pray with her and for her, for her healing, and she'd asked them to invite me because she knew I believed in healing, too.
I told her I would be there. And, then, I began to tremble.
Did I believe in healing? Of course, I believed in healing? What did it mean to believe in healing? What it immediately boiled down to was that I did believe God could heal, especially those who had the faith to ask believing, but I wasn't sure that I believed He would -- or that I had the faith to ask with confidence. Wow, that was so hard to admit.
Honestly, I kept picturing myself gathered in a room full of faith giants and prayer warriors in a scene out of the exorcist, only they had to stop the procedings and ask me to leave the room because one of them discerned my lack of faith which was hindering the healing. When I confessed this fear to my friend, she said, "Kristen! This is not a seance, for Pete's sake!" Even I had to laugh at myself that time.
In preparing for this adventure in prayer, I did two things. 1) I prayed. I asked God to remove my doubts and help my unbelief. 2) I read. I love me some www.biblegateway.com, and I wasted no time doing a couple of word searches on healing in scripture. I read many passages about God's healing, but the one that I kept coming back to was in James.
James 5:13-16 says, "Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
Was my friend in trouble? Yes. She should pray. Was she happy? Sometimes, and when she was she loved to sing songs of praise, but more often than not recently, the chronic pain she experienced hindered the happiness of other areas of life. Was she sick? Definitely. She should call the elders of her chruch to pray over her and anoint her with oil in the name of the Lord. So, she did. It was just that simple. Not magical or mystical, simple obedience that prompted this plan. I could handle that, couldn't I?
The gathering took place much like any other prayer meeting. We met, we heard about the need, we read the scripture -- wouldn't you know the pastor turned to James 5! And, we began to pray. Nobody prayed anything wacky or weird. Nobody hooped, hollared, or called out in a language I couldn't understand. They referenced familiar passages of scripture and prayed accordingly. They repeated the words of beloved praise hymns. They confessed confidence in God's sovereign goodness, his unchanging, unfailing character. They prayed for wholeness -- not just in her physical body, but in her spirit, in her mind, in her heart. They prayed that Jesus be glorified. We prayed. Although I began as a curious observer, it was not long before I recognized like-minded believers and entered into their fellowship before the throne of God Himself, and He was so kind and gracious to welcome us there, to offer us a sense of His presence among us, to direct and guide our prayers in line with His Word.
Many things about that evening cannot be described appropriately. Some times the presence of the Lord is too sweet to capture with words, and I would not want to take away from it by failing to do it justice. But, one lesson from the experience stands out clearly in my mind. As we began our time of prayer, the pastor said this. "Father, we don't know what you'll choose to do, and we leave all things up to your sovereign will. We don't know if you'll heal our sister in the way that we're asking you to, but we do know that we have not if we ask not, so we're asking." How many times do I wish for God to move in a certain way, but fail to ask Him for it? How much more might we see Him move if we faithfully gathered as His children and agreed together in His name for the desires He's placed on our hearts?

All Aboard

I've known for at least a week now that I needed to blog, maybe longer. I don't know why it's so hard to get started sometimes. The picture I carry of how things work in my head looks like an old train yard. There are multiple tracks and my ability to focus or speak intelligibly often has a lot to do with how many trains are moving at any given time. It's tough to pick one and ride with it when it comes to blogging. However, there is one train that's been blowing its horn louder than the others this week, so I figured we'd hope on that one today and see where it takes us.
I'm going to steal the title for this train from an article released by Relevant Magazine today called "Party Theology." It's been over a year ago that the idea for a ministry called "Overflow" first became a recurring theme in my life. I'd attended a concert with a friend who's coworker was playing in the band on a backyard patio at a bar near downtown Fort Worth. The bar scene was completely foreign to me, and I felt as though I stuck out like a sore thumb, and I fully expected to be pointed at and made to feel stupid for venturing so far out of my comfort zone. But, that's not at all what happened. I was completely facinated. In the hour we stood there, I had one woman strike up a conversation with me about the bracelet I was wearing, another offer to show me what was on her camera that was making her table laugh so loudly, and still another scoot her chair over so that we'd have more room to stand. On top of all that, I happend to be watching my friend's coworker when he spotted us in the crowd. The way his face lit up left little doubt in my mind that our presence that day was of great value and encouragement to him.
A few months later, I met with others from our singles ministry and we began working on "Overflow," an intentional plan to spend time in bars and other places we might have opportunity to encounter lost people. I freely admit, I was extremely excited, nervous, and naive. We calendared about three different "Overflow" activities, and while it definitely generated some interesting discussion in our group, the original idea never really took off.
A couple of weekends ago, I had several opportunities to hang out with my friends in a variety of places around town, including one of the karoke bars we'd originally marked as a target for "Overflow." As I sat with my Bible and journal that Monday morning, reading from the gospel of Luke, and presenting my prayers before the Lord, something strange occurred to me. I felt no guilt. I felt no conviction. What I did feel was a continued desire for the presence and voice of the Lord in my life. My time with Him was sweet, and His grace in my life clear. How could that be? :-\ I mean, it's not like I had been on a church retreat or anything.
As I continued to ponder these things, I was reminded of something that had happened the night before at the karoke place. Toward the end of the evening, one of the bar regulars was at the mic. (I know he was a regular because he was there the last time I was there for Overflow.) He had a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other, and he glanced back at our table and declared, "these people know how to have a good time." We cheered and laughed, and my mind raced. What would he say if he knew who we were? Knew that we were Christians from a church just down the street? That our one common bond around the table was our love for Jesus Christ? Would he not be interested in our God? Would that not at least peak his curiousity? As the next song played, I continued thinking about the possibilities. I hadn't gone there to be intentional, wasn't planning to "witness" to anyone, but when I was there, celebrating with my friends, Jesus was there with us. I confess, I was more than a little surprised to find Him there, but so excited to recognize Him.
Today, I read Luke 15, the parables of the lost things found. And, I read about how Jesus went to the home of tax collectors and sinners and was numbered among them because he came to heal the sick, to rescue the lost, to save the sinner. I have pretty much spent my whole life avoiding places like that, country bars (that's a double whammy with dancing and drinking!), karoke bars, anything that might appear evil. And, all the while, people were lost and dying and going to hell while I refused to get close to them because I might be confused as one of them. Oh, how I must continually repent of that attitude.
I am not saying that all church members should run out and find a favorite local bar. I'm not saying that you should abandon any conviction the Holy Spirit may have put on your heart about alcohol or dancing or any combination of the two. I am saying that our salvation is by grace through faith, not by any works of our own. It is not earned by the things that we don't do anymore than it is earned by the things we do. The only thing good in me is Jesus, and if Jesus sat among thieves and tax collectors, who am I to shun them?
Going back to the term "party theology" which refers to the idea of partying with sinners, it's increasingly odd to me that we make evangelism a task or activity. For those of you who have ever been in love, did you ever have to schedule time in your calendar to tell your friends about your beloved? Of course you didn't! It was the most natural thing in the world to talk effusively about him or her. Evangelism, witnessing, sharing about Jesus is the most natural overflow of a life completely abandoned to Him. If you're finding it difficult to talk to others about Him, if nothing in you feels driven to seek opportunities to tell someone who hasn't yet heard the story of what He's been up to in your life, maybe you're not yet fully convinced for yourself that He is truly your very great reward. Can I encourage you to ask Him to show you how to find utter satisfaction in all that He is and to give you a story to share with anyone who will listen? I promise, it's a prayer He'll delight to answer. ;-)

Maybe today?

This morning, my Bible reading was from Matthew 23 and 24. There are several things about the "signs of the times" that interested me in Matthew 24, but I've just chosen the following passage as an example. I find it interesting that we all claim to believe that the return of Christ is near, that these are "last days" and that time on this earth is short, but I rarely, if ever, feel like I'm living that way. I feel like I'm shouting, "Hey, the robber's coming!" but I haven't even locked my own house down, so why would anyone take me seriously.

Matthew 24:37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."

I guess my discussion question for today is this: How do our daily lives reflect our convictions that hell is real, time on earth is brief, and people I see every day are in danger of spending eternity separated from Christ?

Facing The Giants

So, I finally got around to watching the movie half my family is raving about, Facing the Giants. I expected it to be fully of cheesy acting and a predictable story line. And, it was. BUT, none of that stopped me from being completely moved to tears as the plot climaxed. You see, this movie isn't about a coach or a football team. It's about God, the invisible actor in the drama of all our lives, and the reason I think this movie works is that God plays Himself. The story is way too unbelieveable unless magnificent, sovereign God is the story writer, unless He truly is over and above all things, and the lessons of our lives: the football games, parental confrontations, opportunities for moral failure, longings to have children, and anything else that crosses our paths in a didactic manner are ultimately about our relationship with Him, His glory manifest in our lives. Then, and only then, is this one of the best films I've given my time to in a very long time.
My favorite scene takes place between Coach Taylor and the man who comes by the school each week to pray for the students by walking the halls and running his hand over their lockers, Mr. Bridges. Mr. Bridges tells Coach Taylor the story of two farmers who are both praying for rain. Even though both have prayed for rain, only one farmer goes out and prepares his land to receive the rain.
A couple of weeks ago, my attention was focused on I John 5:14-15 which says, "And this is the confidence we have in approaching God, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked of Him." So, as I look at my prayer list, at the things I most long to see the Lord accomplish in my life as well as in the lives of my loved ones, I ask myself, "If I know this is request is according to God's will, then how am I 'preparing for rain?'" How am I waiting, not just in anticipation, but with expectation?

A Few Things I Learned Last Night

2 Peter 1:3-5

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge ...

~> Faith is the foundation of godly character.
~> Until, I believe that God is who He says He is, and that He can and will do what He says He will do, I will never consistently choose goodnesss (moral excellence).
~> Faith is living in such a way that God is the greatest reality in my life. His voice is louder than any other contradicting temptation. When there is a choice to be made, I choose Him, His way, believing that He sees what is done in secret and rewards what nobody else even knows.

Tribute

So, I’m headed to a funeral in a couple of hours for a man who touched more lives than I think we could accurately count. Tom is one of the first people I remember meeting at PBC when we first started visiting there my 7th grade year. He had gray hair pulled back in a long ponytail, bright blue eyes that always seemed to twinkle with a secret, and a very mischievous laugh. He played the guitar and sang Rock ‘n Roll songs with Jesus lyrics. I thought he was crazy. Then, I met his wife, Brenda. She is sweet and kind, not easily flustered, and very wise. Their son and I were in the same class from 7th grade through 12th. Brenda discipled me when I was in the 8th grade, Tom taught a Bible study in their home and when their daughter, got to junior high, I discipled her. Our lives were inextricably intertwined for a time, and the memories are buried deep inside of me.

I didn’t see them much after high school. I left most of PBC behind me when I moved to Abilene, or, at least I tried to. However, anytime there was a bridal shower or a baby shower to be hosted, you could guarantee Tom and Brenda would be at the center of it, continuing to celebrate life with the hundreds of kids that had come through their home over the years. I laughed a few years ago when I found out that the guys from my parents young marrieds’ class were attending a guys’ Bible study at their house. I don’t think Tom could have stopped investing in young lives if his life had depended on it.

But, there’s more to the story. Tom used to drive me nuts. He was rowdy and unpredictable. He said whatever was on his mind and seemed to take pleasure in embarrassing me by calling me out to pray or quote scripture in front of large audiences. If he heard I’d been on a date, those twinkling eyes would dance with glee as I sat in his livingroom, and, without regard to who was present, he’d ask for all the juicy details. Tom seemed to always be in trouble at church, too. He was forever ruffling feathers over some issue or another, being asked to step away from this ministry or that until things died down. People, including myself at times, weren't always ready for Tom's insistence on calling things like he saw them.

Monday morning, my best friend since junior high, Lauren, called at 7:30 a.m. Even though I was awake and studying my Bible at the time, I still consider that an ungodly hour, and I know she agrees, so I could only assume she had something important to tell me. Her voice sounded really confused as she told me what she’d just heard. Tom was dead. He died at home on Sunday afternoon, very unexpectedly. 52 years old. Dead. Bryan had called Kelly who called Amber who called Lauren. It was a long chain, but a tight one, and a reliable one. Still, it was too unbelievable. I called another friend with a close Prestonwood tie. She answered the phone with the words, “Yes, Kristen, it’s true. Tom's gone.” Evidently, he was working in the backyard and suffered a massive heart attack. The medical examiner who performed the autopsy says he shouldn’t have lived as long as he did based on the damage to his arteries.

It feels so surreal. Even today. But, the last few days of this week, I’ve had a good opportunity to reflect on his life. I expected to remember all of the things that drove me nuts. But, I didn’t. I could only remember the good things. You see, Tom Bailey is a part of my testimony. Three things stand out to me specifically when I recall his impact on my own life.

1) Tom never let a Bible study go by that he didn’t tell us repeatedly, “God always honors obedience.” And, I swear, everytime I’m tempted to take an easy way out, to willfully disobey, I hear Tom saying that over and over again. God always honors obedience. I hear myself saying it to others when I’m teaching or counseling. And, you know what I’ve discovered? God always honors obedience.

2) When I was 17, I began to seriously doubt my salvation. I was six years old when I committed my life to the Lord. How in the world could I have known what I was doing? I was a mess. I sat with Tom and Brenda at their kitchen table, distraught, confessing my worst fears. Tom just smiled at me and sent me home with instructions to pray, to ask the Lord to reveal to me if I was truly His. That night, I’ll never forget. The memories were so clear. I could see the afternoon before I was saved. I could remember how lost I felt, how convinced I was that Jesus was returning soon and I was not prepared to go with him. I could remember the night that my dad was tucking me into bed, and I cried out to him not to turn the lights out because I needed to know Jesus. Tom didn’t try to convince me of my salvation, he pointed me back to Jesus.

3) Finally, Tom was the man with the puzzles in my previous blog.

I still can’t believe I’m going to Tom’s funeral today. It seems so wrong. But, more than I’m sad that he’s gone, I’m so glad that he lived. I seriously doubt whether Tom or Brenda would remember any of those encounters, but they were life changing for me. God’s economy is so different from ours, isn’t it?

Lessons from a Puzzle

Did I ever tell you the story about the puzzle? I was in high school. My friend Becchi and I were visiting with a couple who had been very influential in our youth ministry at church. We were sitting at the kitchen table talking, when he pulled out a couple of puzzles. He placed one in front of each of us and told us we had three minutes to finish the puzzle, and we could ask him anything we wanted. The timer started, we both huddled over our respective puzzles, trying so hard to figure it out. The three minutes passed quickly, and I don't think either of us came close to solving the puzzle. We looked up in frustration and sighed. He looked at us with a smirk, and that ever present twinkle in his eye as though he always knew a secret. "Why didn't you ask me how to work it?" "I made the puzzle. I told you that you could ask me anything. Why didn't you ask me how to work it?" It was a powerful lesson in prayer. I hadn't thought about that day in many years before coming to my current job. I was sitting before the Lord one afternoon, completely frustrated and overwhelmed by the task before me. I cried out to him, whining really, "Lord, it's like a giant puzzle, and I don't know how the pieces fit!" In a flash, I was taken back to that day, sitting at that kitchen table, learning that God made the puzzle of life and that we are not just welcome, but invited, to ask Him for the solution.

Lessons In Faith

I've told you before that one day I will write a book called "These Prayers I've Prayed." It will be an account of the suprising and mysterious and infinitely faithful ways that God has answered prayer in my life.
Last night, the women who come to my home each week for Bible study decided to take a night off from our regular study in favor of spending time recounting God's faithfulness. We went through our group journal together to look at the prayer requests He's heard and answered during our 8 months together. We took turns sharing the verses He's been encouraging or challenging us with in our personal times with Him. And, we prayed with one another and for one another. It was refreshment like jumping into a swimming pool after mowing the yard in July!
There is an issue in my life that I've been praying through for a couple of weeks now. God's given me an incredible sense of peace about it, but rather than grab onto that peace and glide atop the stormy sea with my hand in His, I've chosen to doubt and be tossed about like a wave on the shore (James 1). Right before the girls arrived last night, I was fretfully telling a friend on the phone that I just didn't know what to do with myself anymore. I couldn't seem to pray in one direction on the issue, and I was somehow fearful of the peace God had provided, unwilling to believe it could really be that simple.
Enter share time.
Ginger says, Hebrews 11:6, "Without faith, it is impossible to please God, but he who comes to Him must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him diligently."
Didn't I just teach on the shield of faith at that retreat a couple of weeks ago? What was it that I told those women? Oh yeah, faith is the only maneuverable portion of our godly armor. Our confident belief that God is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do is our defense against the enemy's flaming arrows. Whew! Wish someone had told me that! Oh wait ...
Erin shares. Romans 4:20-21 says this about Abraham, "Yet, he did not waver in unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God was able to do all that He had promised." Two years ago, right before things went completely dark in life for a season, a friend from one of my classes at seminary called me at home one night to share those verses with me. She said she was reading them and felt the strongest urge to share them with me, that God wanted me to hear them. I took them to heart and made Abraham's testimony the goal of my own life, especially when the lights went out. I didn't always do a great job, but a little more removed from that season, and I can see that God did indeed remain faithful even when I was faithless, and He has blessed every time I've chosen to believe Him and believe in His goodness over and above any evidence to the contrary. :-)
As I listened to more sharing, James 1:2-6 kept coming back to mind. "Consider it pure joys, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance and perseverance must finish its work so that you will be mature and complete, not lacking in anything. But, if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault. But he who asks must believe and not doubt for he who doubts is like a wave on the shore, tossed to and fro by the wind." Woah. For years, I've practiced asking God for wisdom, but I've ignored the consequences of asking without believing. Storm tossed. That's a picturesque word, an accurate description of my state of mind when I let myself lose sight of God's constant faithfulness, that everything He does is for my good.
In closing, there are three more verses that I just have to share.
Luke 1:45 says, "Blessed is she who has believed what the Lord has promised will be accomplished in her."
Romans 8:32 says, "He who did not spare His own Son, but graciously gave Him up for us all -- will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?"
I John 5:14-15 says, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God. We know that whatever we ask according to His will, He hears us. And, if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have whatever we have asked of Him according to His will."
So, what's the point? Just this. Pray boldly, with utter confidence that a loving God is listening, and desires to graciously give to you all the good things stored in His heart for those who are His own.

Answering the Question: Did God Create Sin

Answering the Question: Did God Create Sin?

Nothing like receiving an email from an honest inquirer wanting to know how to answer the question “Did God create sin?” first thing in the morning. I’ll tell you what I think first, based on my initial reaction and what I’ve had time to read up on this morning, and I’ll close by sharing what I found to be a helpful anecdote.

I’ve never been very good at articulating philosophical arguments, and therefore, strongly disliked the semester I spent in Philosophy of Religion class and frequently avoid philosophical discussions. However, I recognize that running from a discussion is not always the most God honoring response. When I first read the question this morning, I immediately thought, “Well, no, of course He didn’t create sin!” but, how am I going to prove it? Sin is very much a fact of this life. And, over and over again I’ve given God the credit for creating all things, sustaining all things, being sovereign over all things. So, did He in fact, create and sustain sin? No, He did not. God didn’t create sin. God created man. God created man in His image, but He gave man choices. God did not create sin, but He did allow for disobedience. God set up a standard of holiness by giving man the Law, but He did not create the transgression of that Law or the disobedience that brought it about.

It is extremely important to remember that all that God created in the Garden of Eden was good. Even Satan was created as Lucifer, an angel of light in heaven.

Here’s how another put it …

A college professor with a reputation for being tough on Christians often berated Christians for their belief in God mocking any statements of faith.
At the beginning of one semester, he asked if there were any professed Christians present. The first young man to raise his hand in response to his challenge was asked by the professor, "Did God make everything?"
"Yes he did, sir," the young man replied.
The professor responded, "If God made everything, then God made evil, and if we can only create from within ourselves, then God is evil."
The student didn't have a response and the professor was happy to have once again proved the Christian faith to be a myth. Another student raised his hand and asked the Professor , "May I ask a question sir?"
"Yes you may," nodded the professor. The young man stood up and asked, "Sir, is there such thing as cold?"
"Of course there is, what kind of a question is that? Haven't you ever been cold?"
The young man replied, "Actually, sir, cold does not exist. What we consider to be cold, is really only the absence of heat. Absolute zero is when there is absolutely no heat, but cold does not really exist. We have only created that term to describe how we feel when heat is not there."
The young man continued, "Sir, is there such thing as dark?" Once again, the professor responded "Of course there is."
Once again, the student replied "Actually, sir, darkness does not exist. Darkness is really only the absence of light. Darkness is only a term man developed to describe what happens when there is no light present."
Finally, the young man asked, "Sir, is there such thing as evil?" The professor responded, "Of course. We have rapes, and murders and violence everywhere in the world, those things are evil."
The student replied, "Actually, sir, evil does not exist. Evil is simply the absence of God. Evil is a term man developed to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. It isn't like truth, or love, which exist as virtues like heat and light. Evil is simply the state where God is not present, like cold without heat or darkness without light."

When Praises Overflow

This week is shaping up to be one of the busier weeks of my life. I began it yesterday with much fear and trepidation. However, yesterday afternoon, when a friend asked how I was coping so far, I stopped to take stock and give an honest answer. That's when I first noticed it. There was a strange feeling welling up inside of me that I did not recognize because it was the last thing I expected this week. It took me a minute to label it, but sure it enough, there it was. Hope. In the midst of all that was swiring around me, I had this unwaivering confidence that this week would provide innumerable opportunities for my loving heavenly Father to show me His uncompromising faithfulness. I don't know how or when He'll show up in the midst of my chaos but I am utterly certain He'll be there with a calming peace that passes all understanding.
This afternoon, I am listening to a mix of my favorite worship songs, including one with a line that never seems to be far from my lips. "I am empty, but you are holy. Come and fill this place with who you are ..."

Dinner With Uncle Butch

Uncle Butch is the family member I wish you knew. Right after my Great Grandmother's 97 year old sister, Aunt Bea, he is by far the most interesting, entertaining member of my family. As we say around here, "He's got a heart big as Texas," ... and a mouth to match! Butch's visits are never dull, and tonight was no exception. He called last night, told us he'd made reservations at a local five star steak house, said he'd be here by five and to look pretty. We had about an hour to sit and visit with him before time to go to the restaurant, and, of course, the entire dining experience. Some of the things he said, I shouldn't repeat, especially in print, but I have decided to share a few of my new favorite quotes from Uncle Butch. First of all, he has a new found love for sarcastic t-shirts, and has purchased several recently. (He's very proud of his 10 for $100 bargain!) His personal favorites include sayings such as, "My anger management classes piss me off," and "I'll try to act nicer if you'll try to act smarter." He's also got one that reads, "I see dumb people." When discussing various subjects over dinner, if a subject came up he was unfamiliar with, he'd smile across the table and say, "I don't know much about it, but I've got an opinion on it." When discussing his current work situation and his relationships with coworkers, he claims to have to the men around him repeatedly, "don't mistake this smile for weakness." When the discussion turned to politics, he set his utensils down and declared, "I don't vote anymore ... it only encourages them." As we stood outside my grandmother's apartment to send him off, he demonstrated his personal diesel tank in the back of his truck with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth the entire time. Uncle Butch is known to be quite the health nut, so when asked about his cigarette, he declared, "these are all natural. I smoke them to fight cancer." What are you gonna do with him but sigh. My favorite line of the night came up numerous times, whether discussing policits, gun control, holidays, or the "coming revolution." Butch would look over at me and say, "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they ain't coming for you." oh! I did have one other favorite moment of the evening. Uncle Butch was telling us a story about some difficult tenants he had in one of his rental properties and how they'd had a disagreement that escalated until they called the police on him. My mom looked at her big brother and said, "Butch, just how many times have you had the cops called on you?" He grinned sweetly at her with a knowing look and said, "a few." Not to be out done, my dad got a good line in tonight, too. When Uncle Butch excused himself from the table toward the end of our meal after a lively discussion about politics, Daddy looked at the rest of us and said, "He ought to be on talk radio. He's radio gold!" As we left the restaurant, the young man who had been one of our servers wished us a Happy Easter, at which point Butch stated, "Don't worry with going to church tomorrow, son, He rose this afternoon," reflecting his opinion about the historical interpretation of scripture. I didn't care to learn more about Uncle Butch's view, but I did my best to catch the eye of the bewildered young man and smile and return his wishes for a Happy Easter. Oh Butch!

Maybe You Need This Today ... I Did

I see a mountain, You see a miracle
I see a wasteland, You see a garden
I see dry bones, You see an army
I see the impossible, You see everything

I see a seed, You see a harvest
I see the water, You see the wine
I see the broken, You see Your body
I see my enemy, You see Your footstool

You are, I am
But I've been so blind, all this time
My God, touch me
I want to see the way that You see

I see my sins, You see Your blood
I see a baby, You see my Saviour
I see my failures, You see redemption
I see a beggar, You see a son

I see a problem, You see a provision
I see a circus, You see an opportunity
I see the image, You see the heart
I see opposition, You see someone to love

I see the weary, You see the warriors
I see the restless, You see their peace
I see the doubting, You see their faith
I see the weak, You see their strength

I see my Father, You see Your daughter
I see my Shepherd, You see Your Lamb
I see my Saviour, You see Your joy
I see Your eyes, staring into mine

You are, I am
But I've been so blind, all this time
My God, touch me
I want to see the way that You see

Jonathan Helser

Shopping

I'm a pretty big fan of giving gift cards and online shopping. A) I'm not a good gift giver, so I'd rather know you're going to choose something you like. B) I don't love crowded places like shopping centers, so online shopping is easy and often included the option of having something delivered to your door. Love it! So, today, I found a new online place to shop that I think I'm going to enjoy frequenting. www.worldcraftsvillage.com is a WMU company that sells products made by artisans in impoverished countries around the world, helping support them as well as providing opportunities to share the Gospel of hope through Jesus Christ with them. Take a look!