The Christian Woman Blog

Praying in the Spirit

noreply@blogger.com (Gwenn M.) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:39:00 +0000

I am researching a potential article about "praying in the Spirit." Have you ever wondered what that means? See Ephesians 6:18 and Jude 1:20-21.

I decided to research this after I had the most wonderful prayer session the other day. I was sitting in my prayer chair, and, as often happens, I felt this delicious tingling course through my body. I have come to recognize this as the presence of the Holy Spirit, and I always welcome the knowledge that He is alive and well within me.

But this particular prayer session was different, because the tingling did not stop. As I continued to pray, the tingling went on and on. My prayer sessions in my prayer chair can go from half an hour to an hour, and since the tingling did not start at the beginning of my prayer, I'm not sure how long I experienced it, but it went on until I concluded my prayer. When I was done, I was so thrilled, I asked the Lord to let me always pray like that.

I wondered: is this what "praying in the Spirit" is? Of course, the writer in me immediately sensed a wonderful new topic to dive into, and today I literally went through every single verse that alluded to "praying in the Spirit" or "in the Spirit." Why did Paul and Jude specifically instruct the church to "pray in the Spirit"? They seemed very emphatic about it--could this signify that more power would accompany their prayers? And how would they know if they were doing so or not?

My M.O. with writing articles is to research first, and then pray and chew on it for a few days, because the Holy Spirit always gives me insights that I did not have when I was first reading. I haven't heard from the Holy Spirit yet, but I will talk about my first impressions upon recording the 25 verses which I feel relate to "praying in the Spirit."

First of all, whenever the Spirit is present, power always accompanies Him. And when the Spirit falls upon someone, His presence is usually manifested by some outward sign. Another thing I find fascinating is that when people in the Bible were "in the Spirit," they knew. Take a look at Isaiah 61:1: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me..." How did he know? I think it's because the experience was unearthly. And in Ezekiel's visions (Ezekiel 2:2 and 3:24), he knew when the Spirit entered him.

It's important to note the difference in semantics here. Having the Holy Spirit and being in the Spirit are two different things. The apostle John who clearly had the Holy Spirit, said that he was "in the Spirit on the Lord's day..." (Rev. 1:10) just before our Lord Jesus appeared to him in all His glory.

It seems that being "in the Spirit" and thus, "praying in the Spirit" is an intentional thing. John knew that it was the Lord's day (sabbath), and was praying in the Spirit. It seems that we can intentionally pray in the Spirit, and the Spirit will respond and give us a manifestation of His presence and His power.

Did I intentionally pray in the Spirit when I experienced the tingling sensation that went on for some time? Maybe not intentionally, but I did ask for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon me.

As Christians, we have the wonder and power of the Holy Spirit available to us, yet how many of us call upon Him to fall upon us afresh? How many of us ask for His power expectantly? How many of us intentionally "pray in the Spirit"? (This is not a judgment call, because I'm 51 and I'm just now getting it.)

I hope you earnestly seek to "pray in the Spirit." This is not something you can do in traffic or in the shower. Set some time aside, focus on the object of your affection (our Lord Jesus Christ), and ask to "pray in the Spirit." He will not disappoint you.

Blessings,
Gwenn

Hope floats....

sockrma18@yahoo.com (Sockrma18) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:11:00 +0000

Like most of us, I struggle with hope. Hope in God, hope in the good things to come and hope in others. By definition, hope is:

A wish or desire accompanied by confident expectation of its fulfillment.
In Christianity, the theological virtue defined as the desire and search for a future good, difficult but not impossible to attain with God's help.

The book of Job is full of hope....Job's hope that he will be healed and his heart will be restored. Job is ever so faithful and he cannot be broken....no matter what is done to his heart, his land, his fortune, his health. He BELIEVES that God is what He says He is, only faltering from that faith for a split second. Job trusts God. He just does.

Do you? Do I?

I have often wondered where my faith and hope truly rest. Do I believe that God is who He says He is? Do I have FAITH that He will get me through any and all situations with the ultimate goal of showing His glory and my heart for Him growing deeper? I don't know. I just don't.

In my recent days I have seen, over and over again, how quick I am to just take the ball I am given and run with it. Starting a business while raising three kids and working full time is not easy. You just learn to do everything yourself for fear that something might not get done. If it doesn't, uh-oh. If it does, whew. That's it. No big fan fare for a job well done, no big "HOORAY! You did it!" Just....done.

With this taking the ball and running mentality comes FEAR. Big time fear. You start playing "what ifs".....What if I don't get it all done? What if my child doesn't take a bath and have a clean pair of jeans to wear to school tomorrow? What if I can't get my orders filled quickly enough or I'm so tired from being up late that I can't do my "paying job" well enough anymore? Or what if I forget to send lunch money to school? What if one can't go to an event because another has something else more important to attend? Unfortunately, I can't be in more than one place at a time (and actually....now that I think about it....I'm glad I can't. I'm tired enough as it is!).

So I've been looking for an answer. An answer to why my hope isn't fully in God. And you guessed it. Yep....God whacked me upside the head and gave me my answer. I love it when He does that. :) My answer is in Jeremiah 29:11-13.

"For I know the plans I have for you,"
declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future. Then you
will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen
to you. You will seek me and find me when
you seek me with all your heart."

I love this verse. Probably in my top 10 favs. But...and yes there is a but....I MISSED this part. Verse 13. The part where God says "SEEK ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND YOU WILL FIND ME". That's what I have been missing. My lack of faith has lead to fear, which lead to lack of seeking Him with all my heart, which lead to having only partial hope in God and putting the rest of my hope in my own limited abilities.

DUH. DUH. DUH.

Now what? Now what. Well....I seek Him. With all that I am and all that I have. I open my heart to His direction and in that openness is where I find Him. I stop being so hard on myself, stop wearing myself out and give God the chance to take care of things for me. I let Him have control of the reins and steer me down His path where I can only hope is more peace and less stress. That will not be easy but as my favorite line from my favorite movie of all time "Hope Floats" goes...."Just give hope a chance to float up. And it will...."

HOPE....I'M GIVIN' YOU A CHANCE. SO FLOAT ALREADY! :)

A Sad Day for My Country

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 11:38:00 +0000

Yesterday was a sad day. I didn’t stay up on Tuesday evening to see the results of the election but I knew when I went to bed that things didn’t look promising. When I awoke in the morning and turned on the radio my fears were confirmed. Barak Obama had won the election.

Over the last few weeks my husband had talked to our six-year daughter about the candidates, who we stood for and why. When I told her on Tuesday that everyone was voting she said she hoped John McCain would win. I told her that may not happen but she told me not to worry, God would let the “good man” win.

Unfortunately that isn’t true. I explained to my daughter than Israel had many bad kings and that sometimes God gives us bad leaders to teach us or to judge us. In way though she is right. Our sovereign God does choose our leaders and we can still rest in his choice even when we suspect the outcome won’t be easy for us.

But this is still a sad time for me because our nation has chosen a leader who does not support Godly values. A man who fully supports partial-birth abortion is a candidate that no Christian should be comfortable with. I can only expect that with a liberal President and a liberal Congress our nation will slide further into ungodly practices and incur God’s judgment. That is not a place I want to be.

I am also scaried as a parent. If our nation lurches more and more toward darkness I will have to fight harder and harder to keep my children in the light. As things like “alternative lifestyles” become more acceptable I have to worry that my kids will see things at our local mall that I don’t care to explain to them at a young age. Sheltering my children from ungodly practices may become impossible.

But despite my sadness and fears, I know that God “in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Rom 8:28). The darkness around us may grow but it will never overcome the light.

But I do hope this time will be a wake-up call for Christians. I think too many Christians today have become too comfortable with the world and it is time for us to set ourselves apart and be different. As children of God we are a holy nation – let’s start living that way and show the darkness what is light.

I Won't Compromise

contact@janross.org (Jan Ross) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 03:45:00 +0000

We are on the eve of the most evil days on our calendar. Sadly, most who read this will think I'm going a bit overboard. I'm not … I promise you!

This past Sunday, I had the privilege of presenting a sermon I entitled, Deliver Us From Evil, based on the phrase from the Lord's Prayer. It has occurred to me that most of us pray amiss when we pray those words, especially if we willingly participate in the evils of things such as Halloween. Yes … I said evil.

It is understandable that the "world" celebrates this day since they have no relationship with the Holy One of Israel. But, it is NOT understandable that Christians celebrate Halloween … not in any shape, form, or fashion. I found a quote that sums up what I'm trying to say and really puts the controversy into perspective: "For a Christian to celebrate Halloween is as bizarre as a Holocaust survivor celebrating Hitler's birthday." Stop a moment and re-read that. There's no difference.

Jesus shed His most precious, pure, spotless, and holy blood so we can be FREE from evil, FREE from the penalty of sin and death, FREE from the chains that bind us to the grave. Yet, so many in the Body of Christ willingly celebrate the "lord of death" every October.

Halloween isn't a cute, innocent excuse to have a party. It's not even a fun time to do something strange by dressing up and parading around the neighborhood with a bag expecting strangers to fill it up with candy. And, anyone who thinks so is blinded by the father of lies himself.

If you're a parent or grandparent, please … don't allow your children or grandchildren to participate in the "high holy day" of the occult world. Don't allow them to partner together with the archenemy of God and call it cute or innocent. Any celebration on this day is falling into the trap of the enemy—he lures us by making it fun and all about the kids.

I have put together what I've called an 'INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING' about the origin and the dangers of Halloween. Please feel free to download the .pdf file, share it with others, pass it around to friends and family. Then, please … pray protection over your children and your grandchildren. Pray for their minds and hearts and souls to be protected from seeds of evil and lies and deception from taking root and growing in them. Take some time and do some research … become informed and stop allowing the enemy's tactics prevail.

Paul gives us the answer to the bombardments of evil being shot at us as firey darts by the enemy of our souls. Ephesians 6 gives us clear explanation about how to fight against the spiritual forces of darkness ruling this world. But the Armor of God is absolutely no good to us unless we put it on and use it. The 'INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING' covers this as well.

I pray this year, the eyes of many will be opened and the malicious deception of the enemy will be exposed. I pray that you, a blood-bought Christian, won't become another one of the multitudes of people who contribute over $2.4 Billion to the Halloween profiteers. The only two more popular reasons for partying on our calendar are New Years Eve and the Super Bowl.

Take a stand … make a determination in your heart and say with me, "I Won't Compromise!"

Stepping up to the Plate

noreply@blogger.com (Gwenn M.) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 17:54:00 +0000

I know when I first became a blogger on this site, I said that I would talk about the challenges of a marriage that had hit the wall. My purpose was to encourage other women who may be going through the same challenges, and to give them hope.

What I have found, however, is that some of the things we are experiencing are so deeply personal, that it's hard to share them without opening up a door into our relationship that really is not for anyone to see beyond except us.

But I will try to share something that happened a few nights ago, without filling in all the blanks, because God really did some amazing stuff.

Two months ago, due to certain events, I decided that I was done with the marriage. Finished. After spending a week with my younger daughter at our cabin in the woods (my older daughter was at a Christian camp), and being sick to my stomach the entire time as I prayed about what to do, I came back to inform my husband that I was moving out.

That conversation went on for four hours. My husband and I had never talked like that at any time during our 22 years of marriage. It wasn't pretty--it was actually very painful. Still, when we were through, I wasn't so sure I was moving out. This is not to say that he asked me to stay. Both of us were sitting on the fence, wildly uncomfortable in our present position--even feeling trapped--yet afraid of following through with divorce. We knew the carnage that would follow.

Over the next month or so, I prayed and prayed and prayed. Eventually God's voice came through to me. He told me that I had been "talking the talk" all my life. Now I needed to "walk the walk." It's easy to say that with God, all things are possible. But did I really believe it? Did I believe that He is who He says He is? That He can do what He says He can do? Even with MY marriage?

With some reluctance, I climbed down off the fence. I had this sense that God expected me to be the one to do it--to believe Him and take a stand for the marriage, because I am the "Jesus freak" of the house. My husband calls me a zealot. (It could be worse, you know?) My oldest daughter says that I turn everything (conversations, yada yada) into a "God thing." (Don't be fooled--my oldest daughter is showing signs of Jesus freakness, too, but she doesn't realize it. When viewing the big ghost hanging from our neighbors' tree, she said something like, "Goodness, why invite Satan in?") God led me to step up to the plate and take a stand.

I decided that I was not leaving. Not ever. I was going to believe God; believe that He could resurrect a dead marriage. Period. When I did that, two things happened. First, I knew that the devil was furious. I mean furious. I won't tell you about some of the weird stuff that happened around our house. Secondly, I learned that when God calls you to the plate, He doesn't leave you standing there without the right equipment. He began to teach me how to love my husband in a way that I never have.

He has given me a servant heart for my husband that was never there before. He has taken every ounce of fight out of me. He has given me a new humility that my husband doesn't quite know what to do with. For the first time in my life, I am now learning what REAL love is--unconditional, expecting nothing in return.

But let me also make it clear that this new behavior of mine is not "mine." It is the Holy Spirit working through me. I am really not all that wonderful. I know that it is the Holy Spirit, because it has been two months since I climbed off the fence, and if I was still trying to do this in my own power, I would have had 18 knee-jerk reactions by now, several tirades before God, and three or four in-your-face confrontations with my husband. And incidentally, that was life before I stepped up to the plate--before God honored my faith, and equipped me.

Now, about the other night. My husband told me he wanted to talk to me. We sat behind closed doors and he told me about how he was feeling. Without divulging what he said, suffice it to say that he is still on the fence and very uncomfortable.

But you know what? A miracle actually occurred, because the words he said to me should have knocked me flat. They weren't mean-spirited, but they were honest. Maybe some of the most honest things he has ever said to me. And that is a very good thing--that he can feel safe enough to say such things. But they were the last thing I wanted to hear. Strangely though, as I listened to him, I felt no pain. God held my heart in His warm hands, and I was really OK. I was actually astounded that I was OK.

I told him that I was going to stay in the marriage, and I was going to love him, no matter what. He wasn't quite sure what to do with that information, or me.

Afterward, I went out for a walk like I often do. It was 9:30 p.m., but I have my faithful Jessie dog (who sleeps beside me as I write), and my God, and both enable me to walk comfortably in the dark in our neighborhood. As soon as I got past our driveway, this amazing, unearthly joy took hold of me. I can't describe it. All I could do was smile. But I knew first of all, that God had been there in the midst of that conversation, and that He had used me, and that He had held me and kept my heart safe. And something told me that the joy was a precursor to what will come with time. All I could do throughout that 45-minute walk was praise God.

The next day, the Lord brought my dearest friends to "fill my cup" (unbeknownst to them). I called one friend, and two others just happened to call--which almost never happens. I was on the phone for a total of almost three hours that day (an all-time record because I am not a phone talker).

The day after that, I was at Bible study and chatting with a friend of mine who has been praying for our marriage, and who has been an encouragement. As she listened to the latest events, she told me, "Three years ago, my husband was you, and I was your husband. The same thing happened almost exactly. I gave my husband every reason to leave me. In fact, I tried to make him mad enough to leave me. But he refused to leave, and insisted on loving me. Then, one day, I woke up, and I wasn't angry anymore. I couldn't even summon up anger toward him. I went and apologized to him. And now, look at us."

Wow. When God calls us to the plate, He gives us the right equipment. And a wonderful team that supports us, and prays alongside of us.

We just have to be brave enough to get off the fence, and step up to the plate. Even if it looks like the odds are against us. Because God is for us. And that is all we need.

Blessings,

Gwenn

Face Time with God

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 11:06:00 +0000

I was reading 1 Corinthians last night and was struck by the following verses:

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.” 1 Cor 15:3-5

Remember Peter? As one of Jesus’ disciples, he had listened to Jesus’ teachings and saw him perform many miracles. Peter had walked on water, witnessed the Transfiguration, and claimed he would follow Jesus to death. Yet when Jesus was captured and put on trial, Peter vehemently denied his relationship with him three times just as the Lord had predicted.

“Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.” Luke 20:60-62

From there the Lord was crucified and Peter was left to his own thoughts. I can’t even imagine what Peter must have felt for those days following the crucifixion. At this point he looks like a complete failure. When the “going got tough”, Peter folded.

But look at what happened according to 1 Corinthians. The Lord appeared to Peter alone before appearing to the rest. We know that all of the disciples had scattered like sheep during Jesus’ capture, but it was Peter who openly denied the Lord and was confronted with his own failure by the rooster’s crow (and Jesus’ gaze). If anyone needed face-time with the Risen Lord, it surely was Peter. And that is what he got.

We don’t know what the Jesus said to Peter when he appeared to him, but we know that Peter went from cowardly denier to bold proclaimer. In the second chapter of Acts it is Peter that addresses the crowd with the truth of Jesus’ crucifixion and converts 3000 to “the way”. Peter’s failure was no obstacle to God.

And so it is for us. We have a Savior who is willing to meet with us personally, even when we have failed him. He can lift us back up and continue to use us despite our failures. How lucky we are to serve such a loving and merciful Lord!

Credit Where Credit is Due

noreply@blogger.com (Gwenn M.) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 05:03:00 +0000

This is going to be a quick entry, but I just had to tell you how God is working in my life.

Recently, my husband has put us on a tighter financial rein, both because we felt we weren't saving as much as we'd like, and because we were not being as responsible with our money as we should. Although this was his decision and not mine, I have been trying to abide by it. Since I'm the one who has paid the bills for many, many years, I was pretty stressed when I saw how much he chose to carve out of our budget.

I went to God and asked Him, as I have in the past, to be Lord of our finances. Interestingly, last month, I opened two bills (on the same day, no less), and found that I had significantly large credits on each. I had a $152.92 credit on one bill, and a $385.36 credit on our electric/gas bill! I have no idea where those credits came from. I don't know if I overpaid, and I haven't gone back to check.

Fast-forward to September 26 when I began my freefall into free lance writing--my ministry for the Lord. I knew I was putting even more stress on the budget, but I went again to the Lord and asked Him to provide. Only yesterday, while I was in prayer, I told the Lord that I was feeling frustrated, because even though I've been sending out lots of articles and queries to various Christian mags, I've heard nothing back. In this case, no news is good news, but still, no news means no pay. I told the Lord that I knew I shouldn't be worrying about money, but sometimes it's hard not to.

Then today, I opened up this month's electric/gas bill, and I still have some of the credit left over...I'd forgotten about last month's large credit. I still had $221.95 of credit sitting there, so this month we have another "free" electric/gas bill--and still with some money left over to apply to next month.

The point is, God always provides, and he ALWAYS provides in ways that we would not expect. No, I haven't gotten another check for my writing in the mail--yet--but I received something even more wonderful. I was given clear-cut evidence that my amazing Heavenly Father is taking care of us. That He hears my prayers. And that I should keep on falling...into this ministry...and having ruthless trust.

I just love being His child, because God is just a kick...don't you think?

Blessings,

Gwenn

Blow the Trumpet in Zion

contact@janross.org (Jan Ross) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 20:10:00 +0000

There are days when I close my eyes and try to imagine what it was like when God first commanded Israel to commemorate and keep the feasts and holy days. I imagine the people who are suddenly reminded of the season by the blast of a trumpet, the ten days of awe, and the call to solemn assembly.

There was a time when I thought all those scriptures were meaningless to us as believers in Christ. These scriptures were never brought up in our church as I was growing up. Neither were they referenced by our Sunday school teachers , and there were very few (if any) references to the holy days or festivals of the Lord in Bible studies I attended. It was assumed, though not specifically articulated, that these were historical events with no meaning for us.

Leviticus 23:31 tells us, "This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live." How wrong were my assumptions! I repented …

Today, the trumpet still blows calling us to solemn assembly. Although the High Priest has no temple in which to do service, there is no blood sacrifice to be offered on the altar, there is no atoning blood to sprinkle on the Mercy Seat, and there is no fire of God to consume the sacrifice, we can find profound revelation in the Atoning Sacrifice, Jesus Christ, Yeshua the Messiah.

There are set seasons in God's timeline; we see this referenced throughout the Word of God. God's times and seasons are perpetual … they never ceased. God's call to a season of repentance was not for a dispensation, but for all generations-"the generations to come". They were not for His people Israel only living in Israel, but for all generations wherever they live-"wherever you live" (ref Leviticus 23:31).

There is more than enough reason for us, as Christians, to heed the call to repentance and fasting, to enter into a season of solemn assembly, to honor God's times and seasons. We are truly living in the time of the harvest. The fields are ripe and ready, but the hearts of so many of God's people are far from ready simply because we, the Body of Christ, lack the attention to repentance.

True repentance includes Godly sorrow (ref 2 Corinthians 7:10). How often does the Church gather together to grieve over her own sins, to mourn the fact that we all miss God and fall so short of His glory (ref Romans 3:23)? Some way, down through history, we have forsaken God's call to seasonal and perpetual repentance (throughout all generations), somehow thinking we are blood-bought through Yeshua's incredible sacrifice and no longer need to set ourselves apart unto God for a season of mourning our sin.

The ancient Jews who feared God listened for the blast of the trumpet signaling a time of true repentance and fasting and seeking to right the wrongs in their lives. They feared God's judgment if they had unrepented sin in their lives. They used the Law-the Torah-as their plumb line and repented for the many ways they had failed God and their fellow man. It was a season of atoning for sins and wiping the slate clean for all sins committed against God in the past year, praying God would accept the sacrifice of the High Priest and the sprinkling of blood on the Mercy Seat and grant His people mercy rather than judgment.

We need the mercy of God now more than ever before. This nation has been reeling in natural disasters with increasing intensity for the past few years. Each time a disaster strikes we see a precursor to God's judgment being levied against all of mankind because humanity as a whole has strayed so far from Him. We need God's mercy!

So, let the trumpet be blown in Zion. Listen to the Spirit's call to solemn assembly, to join together with all the saints to repent on behalf of ourselves, our families, our communities, our churches, our States, our nation, and our world.

These are the days of Elijah,
Declaring the Word of the Lord
And these are the days of Your servant Moses,
Righteousness being restored.
And though these are days of great trial,
Of famine and darkness and sword,
Still, we are the voice in the desert crying
'Prepare ye the way of the Lord!'

Behold He comes riding on the clouds,
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call;
Lift your voice, it's the year of jubilee,
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes.

These are the days of Ezekiel,
The dry bones becoming as flesh;
And these are the days of Your servant David,
Rebuilding a temple of praise.
These are the days of the harvest,
The fields are as white in Your world,
And we are the laborers in Your vineyard,
Declaring the word of the Lord!

There's no God like Jehovah.
There's no God like Jehovah!*

____________
Copyright © 2008 Jan Ross
*Copyright © 1997 Daybreak Music Ltd.

A Free Fall of Faith

noreply@blogger.com (Gwenn M.) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:08:00 +0000

For those of you who read my last blog entry, titled, "U-turns Can Be Upturns if We Make Him Lord of Them," this is the sequel.

That wild, insane day was a Thursday, and on Friday, I made a big decision. I was sitting in my prayer chair that Friday morning, reflecting on the previous day, particularly the time spent in the classroom. I should have been working on Friday, too--I had committed to working at least two days a week, and Thursday was the first day I'd worked for the week. But a call to substitute had not come that morning, and I had silently thanked God for the time at home, but felt guilty I wasn't working.

So after I sat down for my favorite morning conversation with the Lord, He spoke to me about the previous day's events. "What are you doing there?" He said. "It's only causing you frustration and keeping you away from what you feel called to do. So why don't you just let go and trust me?"

I thought about my two friends who have done what I call a "free fall" and let go of their "normal" jobs and pursued their heart's call. One is my neighbor Kim, who lost her H.R. job about seven months ago within two weeks of her husband losing his job. After going through interview after interview for months, it occurred to her that God might have a different plan. As she thought about it, she realized that she loved to prepare food and feed people. That is what feeds her. So she decided to become a personal chef. She decided this even while her husband was still out of work. But when she did, she felt a huge weight drop off her shoulders, and a peace invade her heart. She knew she'd done the right thing, and she was living on trust.

That was a little over a month ago, and since then, her husband has secured a wonderful job, and Kim now has eight clients.

My friend Cheryl did something similar, but did it several months ago. She loves math, and after tutoring out of her home for a few years while maintaining a full-time computer job, she decided to leave her job and start an after-school computer-based math program for schools to help those kids who are struggling with the "new math." She's doing it with three other women, and they already have a handful of schools who have accepted the program.

So when I thought about "free falling" into my writing full-time, it wasn't such a terrifying leap from the plane. God had provided Cheryl and Kim's examples to give me encouragement, so on that Friday morning, Sept. 26, I decided to let go. I felt the same peace, and even a wonderful exhilaration.

It took me a week to find the courage, and the optimal time, to talk to my husband about it. He had been working the most ridiculous hours, literally coming home at 11:00 p.m. and later for nearly two weeks. He and his team were preparing for a huge presentation, so I rarely saw him.

When I did talk to him this last Friday, he was somewhat accepting. I talked about living on trust, and believing that God is calling me into a full-time writing ministry. After 22 years, my husband is used to my walking-by-faith lifestyle, although he hasn't always subscribed to it. So when my husband didn't overtly object, I took it as a "go" signal. I did do something a little chicken-ish--I told him that I'd like to "try" this for 3-4 months, to see how it goes, since we might have to supplement my previous small income with money from our savings. But I'm praying huge that the Lord will show him--my very pragmatic and concrete husband--that He will provide.

Still, this free fall also feels a lot like walking out on the water toward Jesus. Sorry to mix metaphors, but I feel like stepping out on the water was relatively easy, but now that I'm on the water, it's not so easy not to look down and wonder what the heck I'm doing here. It's one thing to become a personal chef and get clients. Once you get clients, you just keep preparing food. And once you get schools on board with your program, you just administer the program. But when you're a writer, and the checks aren't nearly as consistent, it can get a little scary. This is faith in the fast lane, because nearly every weekday, I get up and say, "OK, Lord, what am I writing about today, and for whom?" I have to keep walking on the water, and keeping my eyes on Him, because otherwise, I feel sure I'm going to sink.

I was in the Christian bookstore a few days ago, and my eyes fell on a book which God surely meant for me to buy. It's called "Ruthless Trust" by Brennan Manning. I have been devouring it. I was amazed that within the first chapter, it spoke to me about exactly what I've been feeling. "We often presume that trust will dispel the confusion, illuminate the darkness, vanquish the uncertainty, and redeem the times. But the crowd of witnesses in Hebrews 11 testifies that this is not the case....Against insurmountable obstacles and without a clue as to the outcome, the trusting heart says, 'Abba, I surrender my will and my life to you without any reservation and with boundless confidence, for you are my loving Father.'"

That's what I'm living right now. At times, it's a flat-out rush. At other times, like in the middle of the night, it's a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. That's what free falling feels like. But you know what? I want to see what God is going to do. I know I'll have a soft landing--but where? Where will I land? That's the fun part. I'll let you know.

In his book, Brennan Manning quoted Paul de Jaegher, The Virtue of Trust: "Trust is that rare and priceless treasure that wins us the affection of our heavenly Father. For him it has both charm and fascination. Among his countless children, whom he so greatly loves and whom he heaps with tenderness and favors, there are few indeed, who truly entrusting themselves to him, live as veritable children of God....Such souls truly delight and give immense pleasure to the heart of their heavenly Father. There is nothing he is not prepared to give them."

Blessings,

Gwenn

Stockpiling for Winter

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 10:38:00 +0000

A few years ago PBS aired a show called Frontier House. The basic idea was to place three families out in Montana to live life as it would have been like in 1883 out on the frontier. At the end of the show, the families were judged by historical experts as to how well they had set up their homesteads to be able to survive through the winter. In 1883, if their homes weren’t sturdy and their provisions weren’t stockpiled, they wouldn’t live to see spring.

In the day of home heating and grocery stores, we don’t have to worry too much about surviving the winter. We rely on those amenities to keep us warm and fed. Unlike the frontiersman of 1883, we have tamed winter.

But we haven’t defeated winter. If we lost electrical power in this country, we would be exposed to the harshness of winter. Those amenities that we had relied on would no longer protect us and we would have to look for new ways to survive.

Never become too dependent on the material things of this world. In the blink of an eye, all of those things can be lost. The only thing that you can depend on no matter what is God.

The people on Frontier House were living a fictitious life. If they hadn’t succeeded well enough to make it through a Montana winter, it didn’t really matter – they were going back to their 21st century homes. But how we carve out our lives as Christians in this world does matter. Yes, we’ll ultimately return to our home in heaven. But like the people on the TV show, we will be judged on how well we do in the life God has placed us in for now.

Stockpile for yourself spiritual goods that will see you through the tough times and store up treasures in heaven. Study the Word, spend time with the Lord, and live for Him. Learn now to rely on Him completely. Don’t wait until you have no choice.

"Based On Your Visit Today ..."

contact@janross.org (Jan Ross) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:28:00 +0000

I have to laugh and I'm sure you will as well. Here's the short article:

The Associated Press
updated 6:23 p.m. ET, Fri., Sept. 26, 2008

PORTLAND, Ore. - A patient treated for agonizing abdominal pain received this surprising news in the hospital’s paperwork: “Based on your visit today, we know you are pregnant.”

Surprising indeed for 71-year-old John Grady Pippen.

The staff at Curry General Hospital in Gold Beach gave the retired mechanic and logger the ridiculously happy news this month, along with some pain pills.

Hospital administrator William McMillan says an errant keystroke caused the hospital’s computer to spit out the wrong discharge instructions for the grandfather.

© 2008 The Associated Press
All rights reserved.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26907144/

"An errant keystroke caused the hospital's computer to spit out the wrong discharge instructions..." Can you imagine? Think about the consequences if this had been a situation where the hospital staff treated him for an illness he didn't have, or gave him medication to which he was allergic simply because of "an errant keystroke"!

I'm so incredibly grateful we can trust God's input through His infallible Word. We don't need to worry about "an errant keystroke" leading us astray or giving us a false remedy for sin-sick souls. God's Word is COMPLETELY trustworthy! The problem is, we don't believe it or somehow we believe it doesn't pertain to us.

The Word of God is absolutely truth. No errancy. No misleading information. No wrong instruction. No hint of falibility.

Don't put your trust on any individual (even if they're a pastor or teacher) to replace the instruction and remedy for sin found in the Word of God.

Man fails. Computers fail. God never fails!

___________
© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Teenage Drama

noreply@blogger.com (cprice) — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 15:18:00 +0000

Sometimes I’m not as thankful as I should be for my children. I confess. God always shows me so gently that while my heart was in the right place, I should have handled such and such situation this way. Then He shows me where I went wrong. It’s not to bring about guilt because God doesn’t use that tactic. He allows me the beautiful freedom of making of making my own choices (even if they aren’t in His perfect will) and He still loves me. He waits patiently for me to make this mistake and come to Him so He can show me where I went wrong.

God lovingly allowed me to experience this with my son recently. It wasn’t any major issue but it was something that I wasn’t prepared to handle. It became a dramatic thing because I made it dramatic. Looking at it now, I realize that I didn’t even try to let God handle it nor did I trust Him with it.

My son had his first “girlfriend” and I interfered every way I could short of making him end the relationship. I saw myself becoming exactly what I didn’t want to become and I did it anyway. I think that’s commonly referred to as rebellion. Yes, I became frustrated over it, I cried over it. I even prayed over it. My next step should have been to let it go and trust God to handle it. Notice I said “should have”. I tried to convince my son to handle it the way I thought he should. Of course I’m older, more mature. He should listen to me. Not exactly.

What I learned (and will hopefully be willing to apply the next time) is that my son is a kind hearted young man who loves His Lord.

Just when I thought I had reached the end of my sanity with his relationship, I tried talking with my son (which was more of my trying to force him to do what I thought he should do). After I had run my mouth for as long as he could endure he asked if he could be alone for a little while and walked away. I just knew that he would go to his room and think about what I had said, only to emerge 20 minutes later, more wise and ready to put my “wisdom” into action. What God blessed me with instead was a picture that I will treasure for the rest of my life.

My son didn’t emerge as I thought he would. Twenty minutes passed. Thirty minutes passed. After 45 minutes I could no longer contain my anticipation and went to his room to receive his gratitude (in complete humility of course). As I approached his door I was surprised to not hear anything coming from inside. Could he have fallen asleep? What I found was much more beautiful than I could have imagined. He was on his knees in prayer. I left him alone but continued to wait anxiously for him to come and tell me that he believed it was time for the relationship to end.

Have you ever been so wrong that what you assume to be true isn’t even in the same universe as the actual truth?

My son came out of his room an hour and a half later and hugged me but went straight to his dad who hadn’t tried to tell him what to do. My husband had listened and advised our son only when he was asked. My heart was broken and yet more grateful than words can express. I’m grateful that God blessed me with a husband who is so rich with wisdom and for a son who is so much like his dad. I’m grateful that God chooses to bless me in spite of myself and that God’s handiwork is becoming more and more evident in the lives of my children.

He didn’t “break-up” with her that day or the next. He didn’t break up with her that week. He chose to trust her even when every piece of evidence said that he shouldn’t. He took his concerns to her and lovingly asked her to help him be a better friend to her and he only did this after seeking God’s guidance. What a marvelous friend he is and a true man of God he is becoming!

God’s mercy is defies description. He knows that we’re guilty and yet He chooses to pardon us? He has all the evidence that He needs to lock me up and throw away the key and yet He purchased the key that set me free from the bondage to sin eternally.

“Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.”
Psalm 25:4-7

U-turns can be Upturns, If We Make Him Lord of Them

noreply@blogger.com (Gwenn M.) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 01:58:00 +0000

What a day. You could stick a fork into me and tell that I am absolutely done.

I have a part-time job as a substitute educational assistant in the school district where I live. I do it because I get to choose when I work, how often, and where. That's the up side. The down side is that I get phone calls at 6:30 a.m. most mornings asking if I want to work, and I have to be coherent. And, I work at different schools and step into so many jobs that I usually feel like I'm no help at all. But it pays.

This morning, before I dashed out the door to try to get to a school I'd never been to, I checked my e-mail. I received a reply from a query I'd sent to a Christian magazine about an article I wanted to write for them. Assuming they would think my idea was wonderful, I'd already begun writing it. Well, they thought their audience was already well-acquainted with my topic, and therefore they weren't interested (in a very polite way, of course). Hmmm, I thought, as I bolted for my car. "Lord, I was quite sure this was the topic you suggested to me..."

As I drove, I considered what this meant...a door closing. Then...aha...perhaps you don't want me to keep going after the same publication. I need to get published in more than one venue... But if you're a freelance writer, you know that querying publications can take you to the end of your life. Publications, agents and editors are notorious for taking weeks and weeks to get back to you, although, thankfully, the one I heard from this morning took only about a week. "Lord, I'm not getting any younger."

I had to stop for a drink at Starbucks...I live in Starbucks country. It's a way of life. OK, I'll admit it, I NEEDED it this morning...I was headed to a special ed elementary classroom..."extra hot tall soy chai two pumps cinnamon dolce no foam no water." After I emerged, I looked at my watch, and thought I might not make it on time.

I got in the car and consulted the Google Map. You know when you look at a Google Map and KNOW that the directions are a little screwy?

-Take exit 13 toward Lakemont Blvd SE/SE Newport Way

- Sharp left at 180th Ave SE

- Continue on Lakemont Blvd SE

Say what?!! "Lord, please, don't let me get lost this morning. I know this is asking a lot, but can I please get there on time?"

Yep, I was right. There was no sharp left at 180th Ave SE. None at all. And I was still on track. Then, I passed my very next turn. Shoot!! OK, not much time lost, just make a quick correction. I followed the directions and made it exactly on time. Then the Lord spoke to me. "See how this happened this morning? You had to make a quick turnaround, but you still made it on time. It's the same with your ministry. You've been diverted, but only momentarily. Just trust me. I'll get you there on time."

Forty-five minutes later, I was dealing with a darling 7-year-old named Tyler who decided he didn't want to do his "work" with his plastic letter blocks. He wanted to throw them. And scream. Just across the way a little girl named Nikki threw a tantrum. "Lord, any possibility we could speed up the process?"

After a very challenging day, I ran for the car. I had to pick my youngest up from school early so that I could drive my oldest 45 min. up to the softball training facility for a practice at 4 p.m.

We arrived only to find out that it had been changed to 6 p.m.- -I had somehow missed the e-mail. After jumping through a number of hoops to get up there at the ridiculous time of 4 p.m., I was HOT. My daughter stuck her head out of the facility to inform me that we were two hours early, and I said, "That's it!" I jumped out of the car and stormed up to the unfortunate coach who happened to be standing there. (Remember, they have a Christian staff.) "I am really annoyed!" I announced. I went on a minor tirade about how hard it was to get up there by 4 p.m., and how Christian, who had to finish a huge project tonight, would be now be up until midnight or so finishing it. He looked at me and said, "Hey, how about if she just does a hitting lesson for an hour, then you guys can head home?"

I left my daughter there and drove away, placated, but still somewhat annoyed. Jillian and I were going to drive up to the nearby town--my favorite antiquing destination--to browse around while I calmed down. We pulled out into bumper-to-bumper traffic on the only highway that fed into the town, and spied the sign: "Accident Ahead." Aaarrrgggghhhh!!! I made another u-turn, and headed back to the facility.

When I walked into the facility, I could tell I had been the topic of conversation. I began to feel sheepish. Jose, the head of the facility, walked up to me and said, "Hey, praise God, this will work out even better for you. Christian's getting a semi-private hitting lesson, and you guys will get back home a lot sooner."

He was right. The Lord had worked it out beautifully. Even with the u-turns. And He humbled me in the process. Again.

Gwenn

Pink Fingertips

contact@janross.org (Jan Ross) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:51:00 +0000

I’ve learned to cherish pink fingertips, that’s all there is to it! But, I’m sure you’re wondering what on earth I’m talking about. Let me explain …

Two weeks ago, Dana and I left for Washington, DC to be with Andrew while he had surgery. We packed up the car, got little Ethan all settled in (he’s not fond of the car seat), got our maps and backed out of the driveway.

Only 427 miles to go … we were on our way.

We got down the road about six miles and I realized my foot was a bit heavy on the accelerator; I commented to Dana and immediately backed off to slow down just as I noticed a Highway Patrol car coming over the rise ahead. My stomach sunk. I knew … I just knew I got caught. I watched as the car passed me, the brake lights came on while the patrolwoman did a u-turn right past me, blue lights began flashing. I pulled over …

“Ma’am, may I have your license, registration, and proof of insurance? You were doing 65 in a 55.”

Of course, I was rattled. I fumbled around finding all the documentation and handed it to the patrolwoman with a smile. I knew I was wrong—no excuses here! When done, I thanked her and told her to have a nice day and apologized for not paying closer attention. She smiled and said it happens to everyone from time to time.
Only 421 miles to go … we were on our way—again!

I debated whether I should call my husband or not. Nope! I wanted to tell him in person since news like that over the phone isn’t always the best. After all, it was only a silly speeding ticket and he got one a few months back for going faster than me. His ticket was more expensive, so I felt somewhat justified. [ha ha]

We went on our trip and I mostly did better with my heavy foot. There were a couple times I thought I got caught again, but there were people around me with heavier foots! Again, I felt somewhat justified.

We had a wonderful trip and Andrew’s surgery went better than expected. We made it home the following week with a little blue slip in my purse. I set aside some money from the trip to pay my ticket before the court date—there was no sense in appearing in court since I was guilty and fully admitted it to the patrolwoman. Days passed and it remained in the back of my mind to go pay the ticket. But for some reason, I thought I remembered the patrolwoman telling me the court date was September 29th so I never checked.

Yesterday, I was cleaning up the kitchen and had that unmistakable nudge from the Lord … Go check the date on the ticket!

I remember answering audibly, “Ok, yes Sir!”

So, I walked over to my purse and unfolded the dreaded blue slip only to find the court date had already passed and I was in contempt of court. I panicked! What am I going to do? How will I explain this? How much will the penalties and court costs be? How can we afford it? Is there a bench warrant out for my arrest? Will they take me into custody and fingerprint me? Will I have a police record now?

Well, you can imagine how all these thoughts were bombarding me. Ron was at work; Dana was working in the living room. I told her about the situation and we both agreed to just be truthful and explain that I had the dates mixed up and pray for leniency.

I cautiously drove to City Hall (I couldn’t afford to get stopped knowing there may be a bench warrant out for my arrest). As I arrived, I noticed my friend’s van was there—she was working. Praise the Lord! So I parked and went on in and caught her attention. When she came out I had to fight back tears while telling her my story. “What’s going to happen to me? Am I going to be arrested?”

She explained that it was no big deal and I wasn’t in any trouble; the court here gives plenty of time for people to come in to pay their tickets. We walked to the desk and handed the clerk my ticket and cash, and before I could say thank her, I had a receipt in hand.

Praise the Lord! I mean, really … PRAISE THE LORD!

On the way out, I looked at my hands … my fingertips were still pink and not stained by ink from fingerprinting. I deserved so much worse. I was wrong. I broke the law and then I was late in paying my fine. I deserved the stain that comes from sin, but my hands were clean.

Mercy!

Forgiveness!

Cleansing!

Suddenly, I stopped and thanked the Lord for His mercy and forgiveness and cleansing. I so deserve to bear the stain of my own sin. But I stand before Him clean—not only with pink fingertips but my heart is cleansed by Jesus’ righteous blood that was shed for me.

“Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" (Mark 1:41)

__________
© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

I Love Fall!

contact@janross.org (Jan Ross) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:54:00 +0000

I just took Gracie outside for her afternoon walk. Oh my goodness! It’s incredibly beautiful today. The sun, though a bit hazy, is bright, the air smells of fall … drying leaves, fields ready for harvest, and the sound of geese overhead. The tips of the leaves on the trees are beginning to turn ever so slightly. The breeze seems to announce that it’s ushering in change … change we know to expect almost like clockwork, but still refreshingly new each year.

When I was a little girl, my Dad would take me down to the metropolitan park on the west side of Cleveland. We’d walk along the trails and look for beautifully colored leaves, peer at the clouds overhead through the towering trees, skip stones in Rocky River, wade through the water on the fjord across the river. I have amazing memories of our fall walks together. Father and daughter together where we could talk, laugh, and love. Such a picture! Such a precious time this daughter has cherished all her life.

Even though my Dad is gone, the seasons still change. Time goes on. The seasons come and go like clockwork, but still bring with them memories of a childhood that was a precious gift to me by God Himself.

I wasn’t born to my parents—I was chosen by them. My biological parents’ rights were severed by the court systems when I was nearly two years old. My parents saw me and fell in love, took me home to raise me as their very own. I became their daughter and they became my parents – parents who spared me from a lifetime of pain and suffering that would have been mine if God had not intervened. You see, it was all God – I had no choice. I simply grew into my new family, bore their name, adopted their customs and behaviorisms, and became every wit there’s. As I grew to adulthood, there was never a question about whose daughter I was – I was my parent’s daughter.

This is such a perfect picture of how God becomes our Father. When we are born, we are abandoned and orphaned because of our sin—fatherless and illegitimate children. In His great love and mercy, God chooses us – not because we have anything to offer Him, but because He wants children upon whom He can lavish His love. He takes us as His own and spares us from a life of pain and agony that would have otherwise been our destiny if He had not intervened. It is all God – we have very little say in it. Our part – our only part in the entire equation is to make ourselves available to Him, to submit to His sovereign call, and to come to Him as broken vessels needing to be made new.

We are powerless to become His child on our own volition. The Spirit draws us, He calls us, He reaches down to rescue us, and we submit. Just like my Mom and Dad. I was too young to come to them and ask them to take me as their own. But when they reached out, I became part of their family just like we become part of God’s family, bearing His name, growing to resemble Him more and more as we mature, taking on His character as we spend more time with Him.

Isn’t it amazing how God calls us to be His own by drawing us and stirring in our hearts? Isn’t it amazing how He spends time with us—one on one—to nurture us and teach us and lavish His love on us? Isn’t it amazing how seasons come and go even in our relationship with Him … we have seasons of unexplainable joy as well as seasons of unbelievable pain. Yet, He’s right there with us through it all, being our Father in His steadfastness and committed way. Even when we mess us, He never abandons us, but He woos us back into right relationship with Him.

Oh, yes! I love fall because it reminds me of my Father’s love for me through the changing seasons of life. The fresh, fall winds lead me to yearn for the day I will be changed, in the twinkling of an eye, and forever be with my Father in His house, to bask in the Sonlight, and to walk along the streets of glory breathing in the winds of eternal life that have enraptured my soul.

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Unlikely Story of Redemption

noreply@blogger.com (cprice) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 18:47:00 +0000

Jody Foster gives a stellar performance in The Brave One with her role as Erica Bain, a talk radio host in New York City. Her show is called “Street Walk” and that’s exactly what she does. She walks the streets of what she called “the safest big city in the world” with a microphone and recorder in hand. She records sounds from all over the city and then broadcasts them across the radio waves.

The story line is that she and her fiance’ are walking their dog after dark and are attacked by four men. The perpetrators had stolen a video camera prior to the attack on the character played by Foster and record the entire attack. Her fiance’ is beaten to death. She is beaten nearly to death but recovers physically. Out of fear, rage and need for revenge, she decides to take the law into her own hands and when she is unwilling to wait the required time prescribed by law to purchase a gun, she buys one illegally. At this point, I thought I knew what was going to happen. “Typical vigilante movie”, right? Wrong.

The movie is violent, contains bad language and sexual content, but the story of redemption literally took my breath away.

The authorities seem to be doing nothing about her case against the “men” who attacked her and her fiance’. Like I said, she takes matters into her own hands. After the killing, she is brazen enough to visit the scene of the crime and even interviews homicide Detective Mercer (played by Terrence Howard) about who the perpetrator might be.

After Bain has committed a few murders, Detective Howard begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Through a series of events, the recorded evidence of the attack is sent to Bain’s cell phone. She then forwards it to Detective Howard along with the simple attached message “good-bye”. Knowing what she is going to do, he is able to obtain the address of the men who killed her fiance’. He goes to the location but finds that Bain has already killed three of the men. When Howard comes on the scene, Bain is being choked with a crowbar and is defenseless. Howard stops the attacker and has him on the ground at gunpoint as Bain is screaming at them both. Howard is able to convince her to give him her gun and follows is a remarkable story of redemption.

Detective Howard knows beyond any doubt that Bain is guilty. He is so desperate to save her, however, that he chooses to put the law aside. He gives her his gun and walks away, allowing her to murder the last of the four that took part in her own attack and the murder of her fiance’. Howard steps back onto the scene and tells Bain the story of an arrest gone wrong in which he was wounded and the perpetrator escaped. She accepts his gun and shoots him in the shoulder and is able to walk away from the scene of the crime. Detective Howard then cleans her gun and his and puts her gun in the hand of the man that Bain has just murdered. The story ends with her fleeing free.

No, this is not a typical story of redemption. It won’t fit into any theological box and it shouldn’t be seen within the walls of a church. What I see, however, more than the violence, language and sexual content is the gift that God has given us as His children.

God knew without a doubt that we were guilty of sin. We are murderers, liars, cheaters, adulterers, etc…..We deserve to be tried, convicted and persecuted for our crimes. I personally have never committed a crime that is punishable by law but I have many times, committed crimes against God. He catches me in sin every day because He is always with me. He knows even more than I what I deserve and it’s not a pretty picture. Out of His great love for me, He asks me to surrender my weapon to Him. Some of my weapons of choice have been slanderous words, backbiting, lying, not submitting to those in authority over me, etc….My rap sheet is long and grievous, but because of the Blood of the Lamb, I have a clean slate.

My Savior came onto the scene of my life. He knew my sin. He knew I was guilty. Instead of casting me from His Presence, He asked for my weapon and when I surrendered it to Him, He wiped it clean, removed my guilty stains and set me free. All that was required of me was the surrender of my weapon of sin.

Romans 3:23-25 (The Message)

God Has Set Things Right

21-24But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. 25-26God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear. God decided on this course of action in full view of the public—to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured. This is not only clear, but it’s now—this is current history! God sets things right. He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness.

Breaking Out of the Gate at 50

noreply@blogger.com (Gwenn M.) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 03:05:00 +0000

I turned 50 this year--actually last year. I'm staring at 51 in November.

And I finally have to admit, I don't look 29 anymore. This was definitely one of those milestones that felt more like a giant hailstone...on my head. Actually--my neck. What is this business about your neck going south when you age?

Anyway, during my 49th year, I did a lot of mental preparation. In fact, I spent my entire 49th year feeling 50, so I never got to be 49 at all. I'm serious. I've spent two years being 50. I am now so OK with 50, that it only just occurred to me a few weeks ago that...ackkkkk!...I'll be 51 soon.

As I geared up for the big 5-0 during my 49th year, I told the Lord that I wanted to hit 50 like a race horse. I wanted to be in the starting gate, and when the gates opened, I wanted to bust out and start running like the wind. I told Him I wanted a new career, or ministry. One of my fears is that when my kids are grown and leave the house, I'll be left standing here, wondering what the heck happened to my life. So, by the time they are ready to go, I want to have my new career/ministry ramped up and going strong.

I have to tell you what has happened so far this year. Several months ago, my girlfriend told me about a mini-triathlon that she was thinking about participating in. She wanted to do it as a 3-woman team, so that one person would do the biking portion, one the running portion, one the swimming portion. Although I've never been in a triathlon of any kind, I immediately volunteered to be the swimmer--I've always been half fish. So, in August, I swam a half mile in Lake Washington--further than I have ever swam in my entire life. I found out later that several brave women who were going to do the whole mini-triathlon looked at the swimming course, and burst into tears. It apparently is the least favorite part of the triathlon for a lot of people.

Then, the very next month (2 weeks ago, in fact), my husband decided to do a mini running triathlon. My 13-year-old daughter and I decided to do it with him--walking. We walked 12 miles--twice as far as I can remember ever walking in my life.

This is more significant than you think. About 4 years ago, I was diagnosed with anxiety/panic disorder. I had lost my mom and dad to death through ugly diseases, and I was falling apart. I had lost about 40 pounds in 3 months and had absolutely lost my appetite. Truly--I could not eat and managed to force about 500 calories into my body each day. I had no energy and for about 3 or 4 months, I spent most of the time in bed. I couldn't even make it on my own power through the grocery store. I was trembling 24/7.

God reached down and pulled me out of the pit. I had been put on medication and told to stay on it for a year, but after three months, He told me unequivocally to stop taking it, have faith, and start walking across the water toward Him. I did, one shaky step at a time. For the last three years, I have been completely healed--hence the rolls of fat that have now re-established themselves on my back.

And now one more wonderful thing to praise God about. You know that career/ministry I was talking about? My heart's desire is for the Lord to use my writing for His glory. I have a B.A. in Journalism, and I've been editor of two small trade mags, but I've never been published in the Christian genre. Until now. Discipleship Journal just accepted a feature article from me, titled, "The Tenderness of God." You cannot know how thrilled I am.

When the editor sent me the contract paperwork, she asked for some biographical information about me. She wrote, "you are becoming a teacher to more than 100,000 readers and they want to know more than a job title about you." I knew the magazine had a circulation of 100,000, but when I sat back and tried to visualize 100,000 people in a huge arena, I thought, wow. WOW. A teacher to all those people?

Father God, how wonderful you are. You have taken this broken child of yours, and placed her at the starting gate, and you have opened them, and now I am running like the wind.

Only You can make fifty fabulous. I can hardly wait to see what you do with 51.

Gwenn

In Perfect Array

contact@janross.org (Jan Ross) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 22:17:00 +0000

Row after row, in perfect array, the rolling hills bear the earmark of honor, patriotism, and sacrifice. Honor in life. Honor in death. Unsung heroes and high ranking military officials laid to rest side by side. White stones strategically erected in perfect military order. Line after line, row after row, section after section for as far as the eye can see. Each marker at Arlington National Cemetery represents freedom. Freedom of speech. Freedom of worship. Freedom to assemble. Freedom to bear arms. Freedom to exercise unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Rights enjoyed by all Americans.

The beauty and splendor of such perfection exudes a sublime sense of holiness, as if somehow there is more than meets the eye that beholds such hallowed ground.

Order—divine order. That’s what I saw. Not simply gravestones intricately spaced and precisely uprighted in uniformity, but order. As we drove through the Cemetery, I was amazed that not one headstone was skewed, not one marker misplaced, not even a weed blemishing the perfectly groomed grass on its 600+ acres. A place for everything and everything in its place, meticulously planned and organized generation after generation. The earmark of divine order.

Why would such a display move me so? I questioned this over and over again on our drive home. It was more than inspiring. The sight was more than awesome. There was a message woven through each headstone set in perfect array. But, what was the message? What was God speaking to me? What aspect of His character did He unveil?

Suddenly, it began to make sense. It was a picture of how one takes care to align his or her life perfectly to the standard of the Word of God. Each headstone is perfectly aligned. No deviation. If wind blows one out of alignment, it is immediately adjusted and realigned. What a lesson for us. What a lesson for me!

So often my own life needs alignment. Simple winds of affliction or hardship or unexpected challenge seem to knock me out of alignment. It’s so easy just remain misaligned, weak, out of sync with the Standard of the Word of God, resisting the work of the “Master Aligner” to realign my life. Oh, that I would be as meticulous about my heart’s alignment to the Standard as the keepers of Arlington National Cemetery are to keep every single gravestone perfectly straight.

Amos had a vision of the Lord holding a plumb line in his hand. The Lord said, “Behold I am about to put a plumb line in the midst of My people Israel.” This “plumb line” was a symbol of the testing Israel’s conduct. No more would the Lord tolerate Israel’s use of false gods, natural hills, or pagan influences to measure their uprightness. Now, God Himself would drop the plumb line and Israel would be measured accordingly.

The Lord has put a plumb line in the midst of His people: Yeshua Himself has become our “plumb line” as our lives are to be aligned to His example of righteousness and faith. We use His example to measure our conduct. No longer will the Lord tolerate our use of false gods or pagan influences to measure our goodness or uprightness. God Himself dropped the Plumb Line in our midst and we will all be measured accordingly.

How do I measure? How do you measure? Is Yeshua your Plumb Line? Or, do you measure your life against the standard of others’ lives?

The next time you see a picture of a national cemetery, take a close look at the rows and rows of white stones, in perfect array. Consider, then, how your life should be in perfect alignment to the Plumb Line we have in Yeshua.

Father, I repent. Those words simply do not convey what I feel in my heart. I have a desperate need to be realigned to the Plumb Line provided in Yeshua. Father, challenge each reader to take note of their own lives and remind them that You have dropped the Plumb Line into their midst (into OUR midst) and that we will ALL be measured accordingly. In Jesus’ name, amen.
_____________
© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

The Role of Women in the Bible

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:33:00 +0000

Pulpit Magazine has a good post on God’s High Call for Women which discusses God's design for women and their role in the church.

Here is an excerpt:

"God did not create the man and the woman at the same time, but rather He created Adam first and Eve later for the specific purpose of being Adam’s helper. Eve was equal to Adam, but she was given the role and duty of submitting to him. Although the word “helper” carries very positive connotations — even being used of God Himself as the helper of Israel (Deut. 33:7; Ps. 33:20) — it still describes someone in a relationship of service to another. The responsibility of wives to submit to their husbands, then, was part of the plan from creation, even before the curse. The first books of the Bible establish both the equality of men and women and also the support role of the wife (see Exod. 21:15, 17, 28–31; Num. 5:19–20, 29; 6:2; 30:1–16)."

A reminder...

sockrma18@yahoo.com (Sockrma18) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 18:14:00 +0000

I am never surprised when God sends me that gentle (and sometimes not so gentle) reminder that He is there....working for me, in me and through me. Here is the latest....

I love the story of Noah -- how God rid the earth of all the yuckiness (no, that is not the actual word used in the bible), spared Noah, his family and two of every animal on the earth. I love how at the end God gives Noah a rainbow and a covenant promise....a promise to never again flood the earth. Each time I see a rainbow I smile....knowing that God is there, has a plan and He wants me to know that He hears my prayers. A rainbow gives me hope. A hope that no matter what lies ahead of me or behind me, God is there as He promised He would be. I just need to remain faithful. I may be swimming in deep water during my "flood", feeling like I might not be able to stay afloat much longer, but God knows and will throw me a livesaver just in the knick of time.

Yesterday, as I was driving home I decided to stop along the road and take a few pictures of the soybean fields. For those of you not from the midwest, you may have no clue what soybeans even are....have no fear. Google it. :) Anyway, I'm not sure if this year they are prettier than normal as they turn and are getting ready for harvest or if my eyes see things in a different way these days.

Then there it was....a rainbow....placed right there just for me.

I know it was for me because as I was driving I was asking God to keep me on the right path...to show me where to go, what to do...I was praying that He give me a sign. I hadn't "heard" from Him in a while. I was shocked when that rainbow just fell out of the sky. I really do love it when He does that.

I know that I know that I know....that God knows my every thought and hears my every prayer. He is there....He is real....He is preparing a path for me that I cannot even yet imagine. He sent me the hope of a livesaver yesterday....to remind me that as I tread water and grow weary, He is preparing for my rescue in such a grand way that I will be humbled at what He has done for me, to me and through me...AGAIN. I thank God for His wisdom, His care and His patience with me as I tread water. From the top of my lungs, I praise God for the ability to stay afloat and wait for His livesaver.

Rainbow in the soybeans field!

Choosing to Believe Him

noreply@blogger.com (Gwenn M.) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:12:00 +0000

My daughter Christian came home from school yesterday and told me that her friend's parents recently got divorced. We know the family fairly well because our daughter and their daughter were on the same Little League softball team for a few years. Her friend's dad and my husband became pretty good friends.

Even when the two girls ended up on different teams, we still ran into them at various athletic events. Over time, we didn't see them as much anymore, and the two husbands lost touch. So when Christian informed me that they divorced this year, I was stunned. We'd never seen any problems between the two of them. They had been married about 15 years.

Now their kids are scuttling between two homes. Even the dog is going back and forth. The kids don't have one "main" home where they can hang their hats. And they're trying to cope.

This kind of news hit way too close to home. That was very nearly our story only a few months ago. We were within a hair's breadth of walking down the same road. I could almost hear Satan rubbing his hands together in excitement.

But then I chose to do something that has made all the difference: believe. I chose to believe that God is who He said He is, and that God can do what He said He can do. I asked Him not just to save our marriage, or to improve our marriage. I asked Him to make it new, because God makes all things new. (Rev. 21:5)

Paul also said that God is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think. (Eph. 3:20) That means that however wonderful I think our marriage could be, God could make it far better.

So, do I believe Him or not? I'm choosing to believe.

Believing is not easy. In fact, it's crazy hard, especially when you can't imagine your marriage ever being something beautiful and romantic and nurturing. And just because I've chosen to believe in God's promises doesn't mean He immediately waves a wand and exchanges our tattered marriage for a sparkling new one just in time for the ball.

It's quite the opposite. Believing in God's promises is usually a long and arduous process, where weeks and months can go by without any outward signs of progress. There have been times when I've shouted out to God, "Throw me a bone here, would you? Just a little something to encourage me?"

And then, two of my friends, within a month's time, said to me, "Wow, Gwenn, I can't believe how much you have changed from a year ago. Back then, it was all your husband's fault. Now, you are yielding so much more to God."

I didn't know that God's work within me was so obvious--I didn't even realize it was happening. But I have noticed subtle changes in my heart. I now have the God-given patience to endure--this has been the biggest change. It is certainly not from me--patience was never something anyone would have credited me with.

I am also more willing to show love to my husband, even when I am not shown it in return.

If God is working so effectively and so diligently within me, I know He is working within my husband as well, even if the outward signs are not yet there.

I just have to wait. Be patient. Pray. And believe in His exceeding abundance.

Gwenn

The First and Greatest Commandment

rpmanigsaca@gmail.com (Rela Pantaleon-Manigsaca) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:48:00 +0000

"Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment." Matthew 22:37-38

I've heard that many, many times. And it is sooo easy to just let it glide by because you know it already. It might have even been a memory verse when you were a child. You might even have memorized it recently in one of your bible studies. Or you might even sang it in church last Sunday or sang with it on the radio yesterday.

But do you really, truly know it? Is it real in your life? Do you really love the Lord with ALL YOUR HEART? AND with ALL YOUR SOUL? AND with ALL YOUR MIND?

The Experiencing God study (Blackaby et al) has a powerful question related to this: If you were standing before God, could you describe your relationship with Him by saying "I love you with all my heart and all my sould and all my mind and all my strength"?

The first time I encountered the question in February, I was trying to be careful how to answer the question because I knew what it meant. To me, that meant... Do you love God enough to give your life for Him? Not that you need to, but are you willing? Do you love God enough to surrender your most cherished whatever-it-is? Just as God gave His son for us.

I am embarrased to say that I could not say "yes" resoundingly. Yes, I could sing it out these words mindlessly or even with such emotions you would think that it is true. But confronted with the question of "do you, really?", then I realize my pitiful answer.

This made me realize that with all that God was and is to me and what he has done for me, I was not loving him with all my being as what he has commanded! I searched myself deeply and I realized that I was rebelling from not getting what I have been desiring for a long time - a child of my own.

In between, I have had gone through a laparoscopic procedure and 3 medicated cycles of trying to concieve unsuccessfully. I have cried to the Lord and He has comforted me dearly and sweetly. I wanted the Lord to tell me or show me what the future held. I didn't get the answer I want, only what I needed.

He has assured me that everything is happening according to His plan and that He is always in control. As He has been in my life since I have become His daughter. Imagine the worrying and anxiety the Lord has saved me from! Once again, He has given me His peace that passes all understanding.

God also brought to my mind Hebrews "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance." (Hebrews 11:13) As if saying, "see I promised things of more importance to these people and they were faithful until death. How then do you choose to live?".

Such a powerful challenge.

So the second time I encountered the question this September, I could now heartily say yes, yes, yes! I do love the Lord with all my heart, soul and mind!

How about you? What's in your heart? Where is your soul? What's in your mind?

Is it God or is it in the things of the world?

Can you say with all conviction that you love the Lord our God with ALL your heart, and with ALL your soul, and with ALL your mind?

If not, be not dismayed, my sister. God loves you anyway even if you cannot declare your love for Him with all your being. God will draw you back in.

I'm Rela and I'm a Christian...

rpmanigsaca@gmail.com (Rela Pantaleon-Manigsaca) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 23:31:00 +0000

In the pattern of AA introduction, I hereby declare that this is how everyone should introduce themselves at The Christian Women (TCW). See, I even have the acronym already. :)

Joking aside, I'm one of the new contributors and perhaps the last one to introduce myself. I didn't want to introduce myself and then not post anything for a long time. So I decided to just introduce myself when I am ready to post something. So here I am...

Let's see, what can I say about myself?

I am from the Philippines - born and raised there. I immigrated to the US in 2003 and lived in Boise, ID for 4 years. My husband and I just recently relocated to Austin, TX (dodged the worst winter in the last 5 years...wooo...perfect timing!) and have been here for almost a year now (loving the warm weather...just know when to go out in the summer to avoid the heat!).

I started my Blogger blog in July 2007 but didn't really write a lot. In fact, I only wrote 13 posts in 10 months! My writing started picking up in May 2008. So technically, I'm just a newbie blogger.

Anyway, I was raised by a Catholic father and an Aglipayan mother. (Aglipay is a Philippine church which resulted from the Philippine revolution from Spain and Roman Catholicism.) They were not real church-goers though. So, I guess they just agreed that we should be raised as Aglipayan. What I knew about God and church was what I got from attending the Sunday mass and various church activities. I knew of God but I didn't really know God.

When I went to high school in the city, I lived in the on-campus dormitories. Being separated from my parents and being away from home at 12 years old was the opening that God used to introduce Himself to me. So, God adopted me into His family on my freshman year in high school. He used a Campus Crusade for Christ worker who faithfully came to our high school campus and who would gather interested children to hear about God. I understood what she explained (and what I now know as The Four Spiritual Laws). She used those 3x2 cartoon tracts with a yellow cover to illustrate how God loved me, how sin separated me from God, how only Christ can bridge that separation and how I can be reconciled with God. I still clearly remember the page showing ego on the throne versus the cross (representing Christ) on the throne.

I didn't grow much as a Christian after that. I do not remember anymore if the CCC lady stopped coming or if I didn't go back to her sessions (which was a definite possibility because I quickly learned how to play volleyball and I became "addicted" to it to the point of playing under the noontime sun (think 100F). But I do know that after that I was questioning, albeit silently in my heart and in my mind, my upbringing's religion and beliefs.

Fast forward to the mid-1990s... I was on a successful professional path in the technology industry - going to different countries meeting with colleagues, visiting customers, and presenting technical papers, being recognized, making good money, lots of material incentives, etc. My personal life though was a mess - breaking up with boyfriends, missing many family occassions, always with my geeky contraptions to be on top at work. Work, work, work was all that consumed me. But somehow I had this sense of emptiness and insecurity.

I started trying out different churches...

And along the way, am glad I found Him again. Or should I say He found me. He was always there, I just was too busy with my own life. I was the one sitting on the throne!

From that time on, He has taught me that He is my Father whom I can always depend on. And just like a child who asks of a father, the Father knows what is best for me.

He has taught me that He is my Friend whom I can go to anytime - whether in happiness or in sadness, in excitement or in boredom, in anticipation or in exasperation, in hopefulness or in discouragement. He is a loving friend by my side.

I am so grateful that He is a faithful God. He never let go of me from Day 1. The CCC worker planted the seed, not many watered though. But the seed? The seed grew miraculously, even if slowly for the lack of feeding and watering. Indeed, He is the ultimate grower! In Him, nothing is impossible!

I now know what it means to be "confident of this, that He who began a good work in you (me) will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6) I continue to be a work in progress but I rest on the Lord's faithfulness.

Now that I have introduced myself, I look forward to sharing my thoughts. And hearing back from you, of course! :)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rela blogs about her daily life at An Ordinary Life and her "secret" fertility journey in The Saga of Becoming Fruitful. So probably, you will hear from her once a week at the most. If you miss her, go visit her at her other blogs and tell her about your visit by leaving her a comment. She would absolutely love that!

Christian Business or Busyness?

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 01:34:00 +0000

Today I was adding some articles to the main website and had one of those moments where you stare at a word, wondering if the spelling is correct. Ever had that happen?

Anyway, the word that I stared at for a few seconds, convinced that it was misspelled, was the word “business”. Instead of believing the word was “biz-ness”, I saw the word as pronounced “busy-ness”. And then it struck me. My own struggle with working outside the home at a “business” was due to the resulting “busyness” it created in my life. I never noticed how appropriate the spelling of business was!

I realize nowadays everyone is busy regardless of whether both parents work or not. But being a Christian working mother has some extra obstacles that stay at home Christian mothers and non-believing working mothers don’t have to overcome.

First, if you are working outside the home you have schedule constraints (being at work at a certain time for so many hours, commuting time) that make managing the household a bit more challenging. And I do not mean for a second to imply that being a stay at home mom is easier (been there, done that, it was tough!), but when you work outside the home you are juggling household responsibilities around your work schedule. That can be stressful and leave little time to just relax with your family.

Second, when you are a Christian working mother you have obligations that the non-Christian working mother doesn’t have – God and church. Sundays are not a day to catch up on laundry but a day to worship God and fellowship with other believers. And that is just Sunday. There can also be bible studies, community groups, personal study, etc. So if you work with mostly unbelieving mothers (which is the norm), you won't find much support.

I think the main difficulty boils down to this - when you are a Christian wife/mother your role is the same whether you work outside the home or not.

“That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” Titus 2:4-5

"Keepers at home". Even if you work full-time outside the home, you still are responsible before God for keeping the home. In my mind, managing the household is a big job already, so working for a “business” ends up feeling like non-stop “busyness”.

Now, it is better to be busy than idle,

“She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” Proverbs 31:27

but it is not good to be so busy that your family or God are not getting your best. That is the struggle. And that is my struggle.