The Sweet Signs of Memories

Today was a day of longing and nostalgia.  The sun showed itself for a short time today and heated the area to a thick 80 degrees.  Once again I found myself complaining about something; this time it was the heat!  After I persisted in complaining for a little while in my heart, God put something else in place.  It was not a rebuke as I probably deserved but rather memories that reminded me of wonderful things that come with spring.  Walking outside I felt the heat beating on me (I did not dress for high temps) but then there was a wonderful light, not hair blowing, breeze that pushed away the humidity for a little while.  Immediately I thought of camp, a place that is like a home away from home.  A place where I feel so comfortable and close to my Heavenly Father.  I smiled.  Even though there was no one around, I smiled.  As it brightened my face and mood, I took a deep breath caught the faint smell of a campfire.  I don't understand why someone would be making a fire but it placed me even more in the land of camp.  Coming home today, we drove through a thunderstorm.  With camp on the mind, I began to think of the great bonding time and conversations I had during those restricting storms.  I can't wait to go back! 

These sweet signs pushed the ugly thoughts from my mind and heart.  To God be the glory! ... and I am so grateful that I will be there this summer once again for the campfires, breezes, thunderstorms, and a beautiful getaway to spend time learning more about my Father.

Rain, rain go away... or not

Rain, rain, go away... I found my self singing this catchy song this week as the rain persisted to pour down in my area.  I grumbled about how I had to walk here and there in the rain, run in the rain, drive in the rain.... and the list goes on!  For the entire week, the sun did not show its beautiful face and everyone, including myself, was a little grumpy and depressed.

About a year ago exactly, God showed me something amazing.  I was grumbling about the overflow of spring rain and then God brought the song 'Grace Like Rain' to my heart.  I couldn't stop singing it.  The song talks about God pouring down grace just like rain falls down.  It changed the rain's image in my mind to something wonderful and glorious.  GRACE!  I was struggling with other things at the same time this rain was persisting last spring and God very obviously poured out His overwhelming grace on me.  Forever I will remember the symbol of grace tied to rain.  This is where our blog name came from.  Both of us know that God will continue to pour out His grace on us (no matter if there is rain or drought) but the idea that we can remember God's grace ever time it rains is powerful; therefore we titled the blog: Rain Evermore!

I woke up this morning and once again it was raining.  But I've chosen to praise God for the rain, and I hope you will too.  If the rain just becomes a drag, starting singing 'Grace Like Rain' and praising God for His complete control of all things and abounding grace!

Set Apart

Have you ever been giddy over God?  That is how I would describe that last couple of weeks for me.  Although I can't say that life has been 'great', I almost haven't noticed.  Let me explain.  I was confused a few weeks ago; it seemed as if I was no different than those around me.  This is no entirely bad except that through Jesus Christ we are transformed (aka. making us different).  I want to look like a sheep and be a sheep among the goats.  So I prayed a scary prayer: "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24)  I prayed before I realized what I had just done. Suddenly God started bringing things to mind.  Things that I was letting stay in my life and heart that were not holy and pleasing to God.  Some were easy to get rid of in my life, I just never realized they were there.  But others, deeper down, I knew of and didn't want to touch.  When it came to these certain things, I honestly didn't want to obey God.  I began to hear the voice of Satan say, "Did God really say..."  However, God gave me strength beyond I could imagine to obey Him.  One of these hard things to get rid of was going to Prom.  Please don't get me wrong, I'm not condemning Prom, but in my own life God said it wasn't necessary.  He said to me: "If you truly want to know me more, why would you spend a night selfishly."  What?  What about having fun?  This might seem really strange, but God showed me that it is so much more fulfilling to spend the time with Him.  This decision has brought criticism towards me, even from those who are older and I believe wiser than me.  It really hurt, but I honestly became even more happy, purely from obeying God. 

These strange things that God was showing seemed to be perfect, but I was getting no confirmation from other places.  I know I didn't need this, but I was really confused that God was doing this in my heart and many other Christians were looking at me strange.  A great friend of mine shared a book with me before this happened but I hadn't had a chance to read it yet.  The crazy thing was that as I was coming up with these why questions, I started to read that book titled Set-Apart Femininity by Leslie Ludy.  In this book, she addressed that in order to live the way that our Father God designed we must be set apart women who have given everything up in order to live sold out for Christ.  I was the perfect confirmation.  What is even more special about this situation is that God taught me this first, humans did not.  So through obedience and striving to live a set apart life I have become giddy over my Heavenly Father!  Do you want to be set apart too?  God desires it.

Hosanna!

Yesterday was another glorious day in the land of Sunday School preschoolers.  The lesson's focus was on the Triumphal Entry of Jesus Christ, when He rode into Jerusalem on the donkey.  We began the morning coloring a picture and reading a story, both pertaining to Jesus' coming.

"When Jesus came into sight, the people started shouting, 'Hosanna! Hosanna!' and they laid down their coats and palm branches so He wouldn't have to walk on the dirt," the other teacher explained as she read the from the giant storybook.  "The people were so excited to see Jesus!"

Then came the sounds of drums, rattles, bells, and clapping from down the hall.  All the children gathered around the door and anxiously peered outside.  A parade!  One of the other classes was going through the halls with musical instruments, marching and yelling, "Hosanna!" as loud as they possibly could.

"Can we go?  Can we?  Please?" came the pleads from nearly every one of my students.

"Yes, yes.  But you have to have instruments!"  I grabbed the box of instruments from the cupboard and let them choose which ones they wanted.  "Make sure you say 'Hosanna!' to everyone you see!"

I had barely finished my instructions when they ran out the door to jump into the group already proceeding.  The other teacher went out ahead of me to monitor our class.  I grabbed the few stragglers and brought them out.  We made two loops around the halls, and as we were embarking on the second a group of adults from the church came downstairs ahead of us.  They were dressed in robes and head coverings, to resemble those who had laid the palms in front of Jesus.

This made the kids ecstatic.  It suddenly became real to them!  After our parade, we went into what we call the Media Room.  Here, we watched a short video about the Triumphal Entry and then my fellow teacher and I did a skit.  Partway through the skit, the kids were jumping all around the toy horse and laying their paper palms down on the ground.

One little girl came up to me and, referring to the adults we'd seen in the halls, said, "I saw Hosanna!  I saw Hosanna!"  I have never seen her so excited.

It got me thinking.  This little girl had indeed gotten the Name of Jesus mixed up with the word that the people used to praise Him.  She called Him Hosanna instead of Jesus.  But what a precious thing, because she fully understood that He was deserving of her praise.  And at that moment there was nothing more that she wanted than to see Him.

Oh, to have the faith of a child!  To see and believe.  To understand that Jesus is Lord, and that He is the Lover of our souls.  He came into Jerusalem for a divine purpose--the purpose to die for the people He made.  He knew what He was going to face at Calvary.  He knew the very people He came to save would reject and persecute Him.  But He came.  He came!

We should sing.  We should rejoice!  He came for us--and for Him we should cry, Hosanna!

Beauty

I came to a realization the other day.

I realized that there is absolutely nothing inherently beautiful about me.  I was born a wretched, sinful person bound for Hell.  Isaiah 64:6 says, "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away."

We were born sinful.  There is nothing beautiful in sin.

And that's where the Gospel comes in.  Any single part of me that may be considered beautiful to God is because of Jesus Christ.  My actions?  Because Jesus Christ lives through me.  My words?  Because Jesus Christ speaks His words.  My heart?  Because Jesus Christ has taken me over.  That is how I can be beautiful.

When my actions and words and heart display attitudes contrary to my Lord, it's because I'm not letting Him work in me.  I'm not allowing Him in.  It just shows my wretchedness.

Charles Spurgeon once said, "If a soul has any beauty, it is because Christ has endowed that soul with His own, for in ourselves we are deformed and defiled!  There is no beauty in any of us but what our Lord has worked in us."

So how do I get authentic beauty?  By wholeheartedly seeking and following Christ.  By allowing Him to transform me.  By letting go of self and clinging fully to Him.  That is real beauty.

"You, then, why do you judge your brother?  Or why do you look down on your brother?  For we will all stand before God's judgement seat.  It is written: '"As surely as I live," says the Lord, "every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God."'  So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God."  Romans 14:10-11

I've heard this message a thousand and one times.  I will stand before God and give reason for everything I've ever done...  But this morning it hit me--I will stand before God and give reason for everything I've ever done.  That scares me.

I'll try not to be a Debbie Downer, but I wonder.  How many words and phrases have slipped out of my mouth and caused unnecessary pain?  What clothing have I worn that have caused people to stumble?  How many times has someone needed to talk to me but I decide I have more important things to do?

Too many.  Too many hurtful words, too many inappropriate clothes, too many times I've ignored a human being.  And God will judge me for that.

Now because God is a God of forgiveness and new beginnings, I will not dwell on the past.  What's been done has been done, and dwelling on it will only make things worse.  But I will make it a point not to continue in this way.  God loved me so much He died for me, and He calls me to show that unfailing love to every other person He died for.  Everyone.

I will aim to do this, even though it's hard, because I know that I will stand before God and give reason for everything I've ever done.

My God?

He made the place I temporarily call home.
He knows the cute little birds outside my window.
He sees the lies that can so easily infest my mind.
He understands the science behind this universe.
He listens to the prayers I lift up to Him.
He gives my family shelter no matter what.
He finds a way to penetrate deeply into my soul.
He brings His peace to me wherever I am.
He worries not, for He holds complete control.
He allows the squirrels to hop all over my yard.
He brings me joy through His beautiful world.
He makes me smile with all of His creations.
He holds my hands when I reach up to Him.
He lifts my face when I'm weary and lost.
He shows me His love in the most interesting ways.
He forgives me always and loves me just the same.

Is this the One in whom I believe?
Who is beyond all imagination?
Is this the One whom I serve?
Is this my God?

Yes, yes indeed.
He is so lovely and great.
This One--He is my God.