Along the way I’ve struggled with the balance between confidence and ego; the swing has been dramatic from timid uncertainty to egocentric confidence. Finding a comfortable middle ground has been a challenge—knowing who I am and what my skills are without being proud or arrogant. I endeavor to recognize others for who they really are (looking beyond what they know, what position they hold, how intelligent they are, how much they earn) while striving to see them as equals—recognizing their humanity and their place in the cosmos and acknowledging that it is the same as mine.
In order to come to this place of comfortable equality, I’ve discovered that I must acknowledge my smallness, viewing honestly the tiny blip in time that is my life, recognizing my insignificance when compared to God and eternity; and, at the same time, recognizing my greatness—my ability to bend the ear of the God of the universe and realizing that I have a part in His timeless plan.
Everyone human being is small and great in equal parts when viewed in the context of God. And it is only with this eternal viewpoint—the recognizing and acknowledging my smallness and greatness—that I am able to view everyone as equal. It is only in this picture of humanity that I am able to boldly and humbly approach the throne of God. It is only in this context that I’m able to view everyone I meet in the proper perspective. It is only with this viewpoint that I can push aside my ego, yet retain my quiet confidence—assured of my place in the family of God.
So join me as I look to God, instead of this world, to measure the value of myself and others. Join me as I allow these truths to be the driving force in my relationship with God and my fellow man. Join me as I embrace God’s truth, allowing Him to change my small, earthly thoughts into thoughts that reflect His perfect love.
Final Thought: It is only in the acceptance of my humanity that I can see others in their proper context.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
True Love (Loving Like Jesus)
Along the way I’ve discovered that following Jesus’ command in John 13:34, “You must love each other as I have loved you,” is an enormous challenge. The love Jesus showed while on this earth was not the type of love promoted by this world—a lazy, easy-come-easy-go kind of love; instead, this God-love is the type of love that requires me to be a servant, challenging me to view love differently—as uncompromising, unrelenting, unwearied, unshakable, and unselfish.
When I consider what love should look like, I use two reference points: The perfect life of Christ and the picture of love painted by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 13. These pictures of love challenge me to put my love into action and to allow God’s perfect love to guide my every step.
These pictures of love are a call to action, a call to put others first, to be on their side—to be their cheerleader. It calls me to set aside my biases, my pride, my anger, my frustration—myself—and to focus instead on the other person and their needs. It calls me to be relentless in my pursuit of their wellbeing.
Looking at these requirements for love, I could easily be overwhelmed by the enormity of this command from Jesus, but, thankfully, God never leaves me alone. When He asks me to do something, He also shows me the way to follow through with that command.
As Jesus promised in John 16:7, He sends us the Holy Spirit to guide us in truth. And the truth is that we cannot follow this command, or any God-given command, of our own strength. Of ourselves, we are incapable of showing this kind of love; however, God has promised to transform us: “…Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” Romans 12:2 (NLT).
So join me as I ask God to transform the way I think and the way I live so that everyone will know that I am a disciple of Christ.
Final Thought: On my own I am weak, but with the power of God living in me I can do all things.
When I consider what love should look like, I use two reference points: The perfect life of Christ and the picture of love painted by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 13. These pictures of love challenge me to put my love into action and to allow God’s perfect love to guide my every step.
These pictures of love are a call to action, a call to put others first, to be on their side—to be their cheerleader. It calls me to set aside my biases, my pride, my anger, my frustration—myself—and to focus instead on the other person and their needs. It calls me to be relentless in my pursuit of their wellbeing.
Looking at these requirements for love, I could easily be overwhelmed by the enormity of this command from Jesus, but, thankfully, God never leaves me alone. When He asks me to do something, He also shows me the way to follow through with that command.
As Jesus promised in John 16:7, He sends us the Holy Spirit to guide us in truth. And the truth is that we cannot follow this command, or any God-given command, of our own strength. Of ourselves, we are incapable of showing this kind of love; however, God has promised to transform us: “…Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” Romans 12:2 (NLT).
So join me as I ask God to transform the way I think and the way I live so that everyone will know that I am a disciple of Christ.
Final Thought: On my own I am weak, but with the power of God living in me I can do all things.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Beauty from Pain (Embracing Brokenness)
Along the way I’ve discovered that we all bear the scars of this world’s brokenness—scars that only God can heal.
Recognizing this pain and suffering in the world around me has opened my eyes, allowing me to see the hurt in others as the source of their anger and hate, giving me the opportunity to acknowledge that my own damage often clouds my judgment. In... my moments of deepest pain I’ve experienced profound truths and found common ground that creates opportunities to build connections from shared experiences of pain.
We have all experienced brokenness: Broken dreams, broken homes, broken relationships, broken love—broken lives. This brokenness is one of the things that make us human; it is one of the things that link us together, giving us the ability to empathize. Unfortunately, it’s also an excuse I’ve used for lashing out in anger, hurting those around me.
But God has shown me a better way, a way to reach out with His healing hands instead of with my fists of furry.
So join me as I determine to allow God to heal the brokenness in my life, letting Him use these opportunities to create something beautiful from the painful experiences in my life. Join me as I reach out with hands of healing rather than fists of furry.
Final Thought: Brokenness can be the chains that imprison us or the bond that holds us together—the choice is yours.
Recognizing this pain and suffering in the world around me has opened my eyes, allowing me to see the hurt in others as the source of their anger and hate, giving me the opportunity to acknowledge that my own damage often clouds my judgment. In... my moments of deepest pain I’ve experienced profound truths and found common ground that creates opportunities to build connections from shared experiences of pain.
We have all experienced brokenness: Broken dreams, broken homes, broken relationships, broken love—broken lives. This brokenness is one of the things that make us human; it is one of the things that link us together, giving us the ability to empathize. Unfortunately, it’s also an excuse I’ve used for lashing out in anger, hurting those around me.
But God has shown me a better way, a way to reach out with His healing hands instead of with my fists of furry.
So join me as I determine to allow God to heal the brokenness in my life, letting Him use these opportunities to create something beautiful from the painful experiences in my life. Join me as I reach out with hands of healing rather than fists of furry.
Final Thought: Brokenness can be the chains that imprison us or the bond that holds us together—the choice is yours.
Joy-filled Living (One Woman’s Gratitude Journal)
Along the way I’ve discovered that living a life of gratitude produces in me a joyful contentment with the things I have instead of the endless discontentment that arises from constantly seeking something to satisfy an insatiable desire for worldly gain.
I have learned that if I don’t keep a watchful eye, blessings can slip in and out of my life ...unnoticed; however, when I intentionally look for these blessings they are around every corner, in ever cupboard, and lurking in every nook and cranny of my life. Sometimes they’re simple blessings—ones I’ve previously overlooked—and sometimes they’re enormous blessings—ones I’ve stubbornly refused to recognize.
Last August, I embarked on a month of gratitude; I called it a month of graphic gratefulness. Each day I sought out things to be thankful for and photographed them. There wasn’t a single day during that entire month when I wasn’t flooded with a multitude of things to be thankful for. Each day I would carefully sort through my blessings to determine which one I wanted to photograph—things like: a morning bike ride in the country, summer sunshine and sunflowers, family that makes me laugh, zucchini and yellow squash sandwiches, garden-grown vegetables, and clean laundry, to but name a few.
During my month of gratitude I found myself singing praises to God with every grateful breath. Never before have I been more acutely aware of the multitude of blessings in my life as I was that month.
So, I asked myself: Why let that euphoric feeling slip away under the burden of the daily grind? Why allow myself to slip back into the complaining mode? Why waste my time focusing on the dull, dreadful side of life? Why not celebrate the bright, cheerful side of life instead? The short answer is: I refuse to return to my default mode! Instead, I have determined to keep that grateful spirit alive and to continue seeking God’s abundant blessings.
So join me on my new page, Joy-Filled Living (One Woman’s Gratitude Journal), as I determine to live a life filled with gratitude, focusing on the blessings and praising God for the things He continually does in my life. Join me as I embark on a lifetime of gratitude.
Final Thought: Intentionally seeking out God’s abundant blessings helps me focus on the beauty and prepares me for the coming onslaught of blessings God dispenses daily.
I have learned that if I don’t keep a watchful eye, blessings can slip in and out of my life ...unnoticed; however, when I intentionally look for these blessings they are around every corner, in ever cupboard, and lurking in every nook and cranny of my life. Sometimes they’re simple blessings—ones I’ve previously overlooked—and sometimes they’re enormous blessings—ones I’ve stubbornly refused to recognize.
Last August, I embarked on a month of gratitude; I called it a month of graphic gratefulness. Each day I sought out things to be thankful for and photographed them. There wasn’t a single day during that entire month when I wasn’t flooded with a multitude of things to be thankful for. Each day I would carefully sort through my blessings to determine which one I wanted to photograph—things like: a morning bike ride in the country, summer sunshine and sunflowers, family that makes me laugh, zucchini and yellow squash sandwiches, garden-grown vegetables, and clean laundry, to but name a few.
During my month of gratitude I found myself singing praises to God with every grateful breath. Never before have I been more acutely aware of the multitude of blessings in my life as I was that month.
So, I asked myself: Why let that euphoric feeling slip away under the burden of the daily grind? Why allow myself to slip back into the complaining mode? Why waste my time focusing on the dull, dreadful side of life? Why not celebrate the bright, cheerful side of life instead? The short answer is: I refuse to return to my default mode! Instead, I have determined to keep that grateful spirit alive and to continue seeking God’s abundant blessings.
So join me on my new page, Joy-Filled Living (One Woman’s Gratitude Journal), as I determine to live a life filled with gratitude, focusing on the blessings and praising God for the things He continually does in my life. Join me as I embark on a lifetime of gratitude.
Final Thought: Intentionally seeking out God’s abundant blessings helps me focus on the beauty and prepares me for the coming onslaught of blessings God dispenses daily.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Resolving to Resolve (Mapping the Journey)
Along the way I’ve experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly of New Year’s resolutions—I’ve made many, never started some, successfully completed few, and broken most.
Throughout the years I’ve discovered that the power of making New Year’s resolutions isn’t in the success or failure of my resolutions; instead, it’s in the honest inventory of the past and the continued assessment of future goals and dreams.
January 1st is a check point of sorts—a time to determine where I am and where I want to go; a time to pull out the map to be sure I’m still on the right road (or if I’m on a road at all). Sometimes wandering leads me to interesting places, but a trip taken without ever consulting a map is a meandering journey leading nowhere.
So, join me as I break out The Map (God’s Word) and determine where my joyful journey will lead in this new year.
Final Thought: Searching for direction in life without God’s Word is like using the back of a cereal box in place of an atlas.
Throughout the years I’ve discovered that the power of making New Year’s resolutions isn’t in the success or failure of my resolutions; instead, it’s in the honest inventory of the past and the continued assessment of future goals and dreams.
January 1st is a check point of sorts—a time to determine where I am and where I want to go; a time to pull out the map to be sure I’m still on the right road (or if I’m on a road at all). Sometimes wandering leads me to interesting places, but a trip taken without ever consulting a map is a meandering journey leading nowhere.
So, join me as I break out The Map (God’s Word) and determine where my joyful journey will lead in this new year.
Final Thought: Searching for direction in life without God’s Word is like using the back of a cereal box in place of an atlas.
No Room for Jesus (A Heart like Bethlehem)
Along the way I’ve discovered that when I squeeze God out of my life an empty void is left where He once reigned, and no matter how much stuff I cram into that empty space, no matter how many good deeds or activities I do in a vain attempt to fill that space, the emptiness persists.
When I contemplate the story of Christ’s birth there is always one piece of the story that disturbs me: No room in the inn. But sometimes my life becomes like Bethlehem on that night, filled and overflowing with worldly cares and concerns, so full that there is no room for the Creator of the universe.
I recognize the hustle and bustle of Bethlehem in my own life, the busy day to day activities that cause me to put my relationship with God in the shed behind the house, loudly declaring by my actions: God, there just isn’t room in my life for you. And I, just like most of Israel, miss out on the blessing, the joy, the hope, of Emmanuel—God with us. And, in the absence of Christ as the center of my life, a deep sorrow settles in and feelings of quiet despair stalks my every step. Sadly, I am too busy or too consumed by my own sorrow to recognize the truth—the void, the emptiness, the hopelessness is the absence of God in my life.
Thankfully, God never leaves me. When my despair and sorrow become too great a burden, I cry out to Him, and in the silence He whispers, “I am here. I am enough. I am the answer. I am the way; I am the truth; I am the life—the light of the world.” In the gloom that comes with my despair God reaches down and pulls me from the darkness into His glorious light.
So join me as I determine to return God to His rightful place in my life, as I bring Him out of the manger and give Him the place of honor—as King of my heart.
Final Thought: There is a vast void in each of us that can only be filled with the infinite love of God.
When I contemplate the story of Christ’s birth there is always one piece of the story that disturbs me: No room in the inn. But sometimes my life becomes like Bethlehem on that night, filled and overflowing with worldly cares and concerns, so full that there is no room for the Creator of the universe.
I recognize the hustle and bustle of Bethlehem in my own life, the busy day to day activities that cause me to put my relationship with God in the shed behind the house, loudly declaring by my actions: God, there just isn’t room in my life for you. And I, just like most of Israel, miss out on the blessing, the joy, the hope, of Emmanuel—God with us. And, in the absence of Christ as the center of my life, a deep sorrow settles in and feelings of quiet despair stalks my every step. Sadly, I am too busy or too consumed by my own sorrow to recognize the truth—the void, the emptiness, the hopelessness is the absence of God in my life.
Thankfully, God never leaves me. When my despair and sorrow become too great a burden, I cry out to Him, and in the silence He whispers, “I am here. I am enough. I am the answer. I am the way; I am the truth; I am the life—the light of the world.” In the gloom that comes with my despair God reaches down and pulls me from the darkness into His glorious light.
So join me as I determine to return God to His rightful place in my life, as I bring Him out of the manger and give Him the place of honor—as King of my heart.
Final Thought: There is a vast void in each of us that can only be filled with the infinite love of God.
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