Six 13yo reminders of self

I have six 12-13 year old girls. God led me to step into a leadership role with a junior high small group last fall and I'm so glad I did. These girls are amazing.

This morning, early, God woke me with thoughts of them. And I began to see how He is ministering to me through them. I understand how He wants me to lead them, to speak into their lives in love and discipleship. Each one of these girls reminds me of my own 13yo self in some way, and some in so many ways. As I watch them, grow with them, and lead them I know He has plans to use my life and choices I made based on some of those reminder qualities.

My girls:
KD-independent, unique and marching to her own drummer. Could've been born in the 60s with her hippie tendencies. Gets lost in books. I wasn't quite that obsessive about books, but loved leaving my everyday existence to go somewhere else.

NR-the baby of our group. Immature in some areas, but wise beyond her years in others. Afer not adjusting to jr.high life very well, she made the decision to go back to 6th grade last fall. She basically held herself back because she knew she wasn't ready.

AB-athletic, fun-loving, strong and so family oriented. A natural beauty and comfortable in who she is.

AP-funny, caring, sensitive, and encouraging to others. Beautiful and sometimes suprisingly confident. Other times struggling to find where she fits or is reserved in sharing herself. But when she shares - she just glows.

SJ-Our quiet one, until she gets in the right surroundings. Reserved, but a follower and will break out of her shell when led by our stronger ones. The quietness is a hold as she waits for approval or acceptance, and then she blossoms.

LC-firecracker.The opposite of all the other girls! Loud, demanding at times, dramatic, insecure. Keeps her real self and feelings hidden. Puts on a tough exterior, but inside is absolutely craving acceptance for the simple things about herself.

I love these girls. Literally my heart swells when I think about them. Thoughts of leading them well are always on my mind. Thoughts of teaching them how not to learn lessons the hard way - how to keep the qualities of themselves that shine for God and not allow them to get trampled out by the world and its expectations or desires.

God..
This age is such a transition time - changes, opportunities, growth. Keep my heart in tune with yours, my words in align with yours, and my ear to your leading and promptings always at the forefront.

The Five Pillars of Success

The five pillars of success

1. See (really see) what's possible
2. Know specifically what you want to achieve
3. Make good decisions
4. Understand the tactics to get things done and to change minds
5. Earn the trust and respect of the people around you

A good friend posted this on his facebook. I really enjoyed the perspective and thought he put into writing it. Just some food for thought.

a heavenly court

Job 1:6-7
One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan,[b] came with them. “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.”

What happened when members of the heavenly court came to present themselves? And how interesting that satan was able to come and present himself with them.

Interesting traditions

Genesis 47:29
Put your hand under my thigh and swear that you will treat me with unfailing love by honoring this last request

What was the significance of placing his hand under his thigh? Just interesting.

Hungry Kids, Stuffed Church

My friend Audrey posted this on her blog and it's so powerful, so important, and so relevant that I feel a need to post as well. America's church needs to be awakened, and prompted to action. Christ asks for it, expects it, requires it.

Aromatic Worship

Genesis 35:14
14 Jacob set up a stone pillar to mark the place where God had spoken to him. Then he poured wine over it as an offering to God and anointed the pillar with olive oil.

I offer God so little. A few minutes of prayer, quick devotion or time in Scripture, a tithe, financial offerings. But the Old Testament is filled with gifts of animal sacrifice (as required in the Old Testament), incense, oil, and here of Jacob offering wine. Think of the aromas of these sacrifices: olive oil and herbs, sweet wine, even the smell of the sacrificial fires. I think this gives us insight into God and what makes Him smile.

I found a sermon online that had this to say about offerings:
So, I ask the question, what kind of offerings does God want? What kinds of offerings does God desire? What kind of offerings does the true God, who created the heavens and the earth, the true God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the true God who raised Jesus from the dead, what kind of offerings does this true God want from you and me?

That is what today’s Scripture is all about. The Apostle Paul writes, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God which is spiritual worship.”

I don't know exactly what role this variety of offerings should play in my worship of the Lord, but I think I'm missing the mark when they aren't diverse, aren't aromatic, or become so routine that they cease to be a time of special worship between me and my Lord.

Meeting God where He meets me

Genesis 28:22
And this memorial pillar I have set up will become a place for worshiping God, and I will present to God a tenth of everything he gives me.

Traditions. Something our culture, overall, lacks. Traditions in the Old Testament included God in so many ways. As simple as this gesture by Jacob - setting up a memorial where God came to him in a dream, to remember what he had been told/promised. We don't do enough of this. We don't keep a history of where God shows up. We don't create places to meet Him where He has met us.

In theory, I love the idea of journaling my prayers so that years from now I can come back to them and revisit how God answered them. But the reality is I find it very difficult to maintain a habit of journaling. The times I have - I love coming back to those books and reading what I wrote; reading how God was working in my life. So why is it so difficult to continue that process?

Blogging is my new outlet for what God is teaching me. It's a way for me to record what He is showing me and teaching me in an easily referrable format. It's also fun for me to get feedback from others as they read some of my thoughts to see how God is impacting them as well.

Another little nugget today: "Jacob was still talking with them when Rachel arrived with her father’s flock, for she was a shepherd." (Genesis 29:9) Did you catch it? Or was it just suprising to me? Rachel was a shepherd. I never knew that!

Faith and Obedience

1 Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called. “Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.” 2 “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

As a mom of an only son, I can only imagine the thoughts that Abraham had when God tested his obedience by calling for the sacrifice of his son. There was no arguing, no debating, no whining - God tested Abraham and Abraham was obedient. His obedience that called for the ultimate sacrifice, but Abraham was willing. He loved and feared God so much, that there wasn't a question about whether he would do what God had asked. To have such a faith! I wrestle at times with just the simple things God asks me to do - forgiving someone who has hurt me, stepping out when I'm not sure what comes next, or wrestling to have things my way. Not Abraham.

There's one common theme I'm taking away from Scripture as I read right now - the obedience of His people. Move here, drop this, don't wed these people - wed only from these, leave here and go there, sacrifice what you know for the unknown. The list goes on and on. Why is it so hard for me? I know I'm not the only one that struggles with this type of obedience - but picture for a moment what that kind of obedience might look like in our society today.

If God's people really listened for and to God - and actually did what He asked. I seriously have a hard time imaginging what that might look like. Just one simple statistic continues to blow my mind. Over Christmas our church played the following video. Watch it and think about how obedience could completely alter our world.




Obedience. It's not simple, but it's life-altering, barrier-shattering, God-honoring, and world-changing.

A reminder when I think we've gone downhill

Genesis 18-21
A reality check. There are times I am literally speechless over the degrading morals in our country. This morning as I drove into work, I was scanning stations for a song and ended up landing on a dj talk portion of the show on 104.7 (I think). This is a station I know my jr. high girls listen to all the time. This segment was called something "second date". Basic set-up - a guy and a girl have a great first date, but then the guy bails with no explanation as to why there was no second date. The girl calls in, gives her synopsis of the first date, then the dj's call the guy to find out what gives.

This young college girl from NAU was the caller this morning. She starts with this story about Christmas, going to a party, drinking and a guy she had no interest in during high school (because of how nerdy he was) is suddenly Mr Thing because he looks so good now. (By her mannerisms, I'm thinking all of a year has elapsed between high school and college life). She goes on and on about how they connected, drinking, left the party to have filiberto's, then went back to his house becuase his parents were gone. She continually eludes to "hooking up" which the dj is interpreting as kissing, but as I'm listening I'm thinking he's missing it. This girl has done more than some smooching. She talks about how she's hooked up with guys because she's been bored, but this is so much more than that. End of story - he doesn't come see her at NAU like he said he would. I was listening, a little stunned at the casualness of this conversation wih perfect strangers to her.

But what goes on to stun me more is the response she gets from these three djs (two guys, one gal). One is actually asking her what's wrong with her face because that's why the guy's not calling. He asks are about what she's insecure about when she looks in the mirror, etc. But the second dj sums it up with "so you're at a party with a guy where drinks are free, he buys you some filibertos, and he's rewarded with mattress mambo. So, for the price of free drinks, $6 dinner and 3 hours of time he gets mattress mambo." This girl is just not getting it! It's horrifying to listen to because dj one goes on to ask how strong was this connection. Girl's response "It was intense! I mean, I think I love him." Wow. My heart ached for the life this girl must lead and how she must feel - or if she doesn't feel it now, how she'll one day feel when she wakes up and realizes how she's treated herself. I turned off the radio, said a prayer for her and headed in to work, honestly still a little stunned over the whole on-air conversation.

But the story of the angels visiting Sodom and Gomorrah never ceases to amaze me more. These two angels go to a city as male visitors, where a stranger, Lot, befriends them and takes them into the protective walls of his home. He knows the city he's living in is brutally bad. Scripture goes on to tell us that every man, young and old, in the city comes and surounds Lot's house, demanding that he send out the two strangers so they can have sex with them. What?! As bad as I think this radio conversation was, this is so much more appalling. How does a town get so emeshed in sin that every male goes to a home to basically rape visitors? If this is just one example of what was going on in these places, it's really not shocking to see God's response of total destruction. This place needed to go.

But it makes me wonder. How did this place get so sinful? Did it start with conversations on a street corner that resembled the one I heard today? Or with boundaries of what's acceptable to talk about or see getting pushed every day? Sometimes I am literally amazed and what gets shown and/or said on tv. Amazed. Since when is that ok? In a professing "Christian" nation, how does God get removed? How does it get to where we are and where we continue to head? If true Christians found their voices and refused to bend to be "normal" in this culture - would things change? Or, like Sodom and Gomorrah, are the Lots of our society just waiting to get rescued?

The Wisteria Lane of Canaan

I don't watch Desperate Households, but I imagine that Abram and Sarai may have been part of their own little wisteria lane back in the day. At times, what a kooky couple! The plans these two come up with gives us, I think, a little glimpse into how far we humans will go to get our way, to achieve our desires, or to meet our timeframes, regardless of what God's timing may be or His plans may be. I know I've devised some not-so-sensible plans in my past to try to get things to work out the way I wanted them and in the timeframe I wanted them - this one just seems so out there every time I read it (Genesis 16)

Abram is the first with the devious scheme of pretending to be Sarai's brother instead of husband. At first glimpse, it seems sensible that he wouldn't want to be killed, so he says, let's pretend and they'll treat us well. But he goes so far as to give her away as a bride! He gets rich and Sarai was given in marriage to Pharaoh. God disapproves, sends some plagues and Pharaoh gives them the boot. It's curious - how long did this facade go on? What was Abram thinking all this time? Was it ok because he was able to build his herds and his wealth? Or was he suffering because of this decision he made to pretend?

Then we get to Sarai and her incredulous plan. I can't imagine offering another woman to my husband because of an inability to have children, but given the backdrop of the times, the culture, the importance of bearing children in those days, I can begin to imagine how Sarai felt and what prompted her to offer Hagar to her husband Abram. I am sure Sarai had to lay her pride aside in order to implement this plan. Imagine how she must've felt the night (or nights) she sent her husband to her maid. There were no insights or special equipment to get the timing just right. So what are the odds this wasn't a one shot deal? Scripture tells us that this arrangement was made ten years after Abram settled in Canaan. I couldn't find anything that indicated his age when he settled in this area, but he was 86 when Ishmael was born. So, makes you wonder if this went on for weeks, months or maybe even years?

Like Sarai, I've had plans backfire because I wasn't willing to listen and follow God's leading; or because I was impatient and wanted things my way and in my timing. But a life of pretend is such a foreign concept to me. Living day in and day out in a world that isn't true - I really can't even imagine.

Yet Abram was faithful to God and was rewarded for his faith and obedience. Which tells me, regardless of our scheming, our planning, and our failures - God is looking at our hearts. And He is willing to forgive. Even those times we try to take the reigns from Him - just as long as we give them back.

Another intriguing pattern hiding among the lists of descendants.

Genesis 10
-The descendants of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim. Their descendants became the seafaring peoples that spread out to various lands, each identified by its own language, clan, and national identity.
-These were the descendants of Ham, identified by clan, language, territory, and national identity. Eber had two sons. The first was named Peleg (which means “division”), for during his lifetime the people of the world were divided into different language groups.
-All the nations of the earth descended from these clans after the great flood.

Diversity
Thousands of races and languages. It fascinates me because when the ark landed on the top of Mount Ararat, there was just one family. A father and mother, their sons and their wives. Out of those individuals, scripture tells us all the nations of the earth were born. Fascinating! Oh to have been part of the watching heavenly realm as this process took place. Changes in language, appearance and color. Think about it. Over a relatively short period of time, the variety and changes that took place. Does God and his creativity ever cease to amaze?

But at the same time - why? Why were people divided into different appearnces, languages and cultures? Was it simply to show God's diversity? Since man was created in His image, was this simply a process to show God's multi facets? Or was this a pre-cursor to chapter 11 where we learn about the Tower of Babel and man's desires for power and control? Was this just setting the stage for that change to happen?

The Women

I was not so impressed by the re-release of The Women (starring Meg Ryan). It had big names, many that I have loved in other romantic comedies, so my hopes were high for this movie. Boy were those hopes obliterated. The funniest scene for me was the last - a baby delivery that had me rolling with Alex's (Jada Pinkett Smith) actions and reactions to being part of this birth. Other than that, I was left wanting more.

Maybe it's because the whole story hit too close to home. Or maybe it's because the characters didn't get developed enough. I'm not sure - but the comedy elements were weak and it just didn't live up to my expectations.

There was one part, however, that sticks with me. Mary Hanes (Meg Ryan) is having a conversation with her mother, Catherine Frazier (Candice Bergen) after learning her husband is having an affair with the "spritzer girl" at Saks. She feels alone and frustrated, feelings her mom can't possibly understand. But as she tries to explain how she's feeling, mom takes over...

Mary: You have no idea how this feels.
Mom: Well, let me try. It feels like someone kicked you in the stomach. It feels like your heart stopped beating. It feels like that dream - you know, the one where you're falling and you want so desperately to wake up before you hit the ground, but its all out of your control. You can't trust anything anymore. No one is who they say they are. Your life is changed forever and the only thing to come out of the whole ugly experience is that no one will ever be able to break your heart that like again."

This one phrase made the entire movie worth a watch for me because they captured it - they relayed perfectly the words I've been unable to express.

Sibling rivalry, disappearing ancestors and giants - oh my!

Just some thoughts from my chronological read today.

Genesis 4, 5, 6
God, speaking to Cain after his insufficient offering was given says, "You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master." Scripture tells us Cain offered the Lord "some of his crops". His brother, Abel, brought the "best of his firstborn lambs from his flock." Why was Abel's gift so good and Cain's not? Hebrews 11:4 offers a little more insight into their gifts. "By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings." The Lord's acceptance of their gifts boiled down to their attitudes, their hearts. Abel brought the Lord a gift in faith. The NIV says Abel brought "fat portions" and Cain "some of the fruit". Is that also an insight into their hearts? Abel brought his best. The NLT indicates the best of the firstborn. Abel believed God deserved the best off the top, probably believing it all came from Him. But Cain brought some. A random choosing? Or what was left? We don't really know - but God's response gives us insight into the attitude with which it was brought. The warning for Cain serves to warn us all: "Do what is right. Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you." How true! How easy it can be to fall into sin's traps. How easy it is to fall into the mundane, rut or routine and not examine if we are giving God our best. May I be on my guard, and you on yours- subduing those sinful tendencies that rear in our lives and becoming its master instead of being mastered. Lord, help us be aware of those spots in our life, lurking at the door, that desire to lead us away from You.

Genesis 4:26 At that time people first began to worship the Lord by name.
This popped out at me today - how did they address the Lord before addressing Him by name? And what name were they now proclaiming? Was it I AM? Jehovah? Or one of the other names scripture tells us about? Just interesting.

Genesis 5: 21 When Enoch was 65 years old, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 After the birth of Methuselah, Enoch lived in close fellowship with God for another 300 years, and he had other sons and daughters. 23 Enoch lived 365 years, 24 walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.
Do you ever just skim over those long lists of descendants. Who begat who - how old they were - etc? I know I have a tendency to gloss over them a bit, but tonight this little tidbit about Enoch popped out at me. One day he just disappears - because God took him! What? In a time when people were living to be 900+, this man, at the young age of 365 just disappears because God takes him. That's it - nothing else is said. Enoch lived in close fellowship with God. Did God just enjoy his company so much that he whisked Enoch to heaven to be with him? That's my guess but does this fascinate anyone else?

Gen 6:3
3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years.”
I think about how people moan and groan about getting older, bodies falthering, etc. Can you imagine listening to it for oh...900 years? Or watching us cave to all those sinful tendencies for centuries on end - can you imagine? No wonder God cut our lifespan short! Especially when you keep reading...

4 In those days, and for some time after, giant Nephilites lived on the earth, for whenever the sons of God had intercourse with women, they gave birth to children who became the heroes and famous warriors of ancient times.
The Hebrew meaning of Nephilim means fallen one. And typically in the Old Testament, the "sons of God' were referencing angels. Were these Nephilites fallen angels? Were they a race of giants? I haven't been able to find anything that can definitely answer, but what I found most interesting is the reference to their children that became the heroes and famous warriors of ancient times. Ever taken a mythology class? Ever think that maybe those legends and stories have some basis in reality? Good stuff!

And God rested

Genesis 2
1 So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. 2 On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. 3 And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.

What a fitting topic to start the new year with. A day of rest. The sabbath. A concept so foreign to our culture; our lifestyle. Even when I run into people observing a sabbath, it's typically a day to "veg out" and do nothing. But is that really what God intends for us to do during sabbath? If He is not a part of that day and that time, is it really a sabbath? One of my goals this year is to really dig into what, scripturally, a sabbath is and what it looks like to regularly observe one.

I've had a couple books recommended to me, but if you've come across a good read on the sabbath, please drop me a note or comment. I'd appreciate it!

I've started reading the One Year Chronological Bible. I've read so much of the bible over and over, but have never made a plan to read the whole thing over a specific period of time. So this year, my goal is to continue reading and studying, but doing so by reading the bible in its entirety.