Things that I have learned in 2009 and continue to grow in…
- It is good to be near to God.
- Choose not to know all the details but trust Jesus.
- He is my enduring hope!
- Laughing is important.
- He is all I need.
- He can do all things, no plan of His can be thwarted.
- When I exaggerated what is wrong, I ignore what is right.
- Don’t give up my dreams.
- I love running.
- God has all things in control.
- He is extending the Church to care for hurting people.
- Live with hope focused on eternity.
- Desire the approval of God.
- Every gift I have is from Him.
- Again, vitamins help.
- Defend the weak and fatherless.
- Rescue the poor and needy.
- Life is short, I only get one chance at it.
- I can do all things through Him, I ran a half marathon!
- Being a leader is hard and a huge responsiblity.
- Healthy leaders say no.
- I am betrothed to God.
- If grace is an ocean…I am sinking.
- Leading a mission team is hard work but at the same time rewarding.
- The greatest miracle is a changed life.
- He never forsakes.
- I really love sunshine.
- He turns darkness to light.
- I am nothing apart from Christ.
- Life is risky…no matter what!
- Just because somethings are unseen doesn’t mean He isn’t working.
- All things lead to His purpose when it is all about Him.
- Live called, make a difference.
- He always responds.
- Walking with Jesus isn’t about my success but His glory!
- God is more concerned about my character than my comfort.
- It’s about God’s Kingdom.
- Success is filtered through obedience.
- God does everything in His time.
- Ask, be healed!
- Don’t complicate things…follow God.
- Find strength in Him.
- His power is vast.
- That He would break my heart for what breaks His.
- Believing in His faithfulness despite the circumstance.
- Serving is a heart matter.
- I am blessed because my car ran another year!
- He has already set things into motion, I get to be apart.
- I love my family more.
- Just because I am a Christ follower doesn’t negate me from “Gethsemane” moments.”
- Compassion is beyond emotion and feeling, it compels me to cross the street.
- There is always more.
- I shouldn’t ever settle for less than God’s best!
- The small things matter.
- Everyone I encounter is God ordained.
- Everything I need, He has!
- His plan stands firm through all generations!
A few thoughts from Perry Noble on the Church….you can read the full blog post here.
“Church is not a place for “perfect people.” (And BEWARE of the church where you go and EVERYONE seems perfect!!!) It’s a place where the broken, the lonely, the addicted, and the struggling can go.”
“We are NOT a country club…we are a church!!!”
“When we get into the business of placing stipulations as to who can and cannot come to a service based on a morality code (OR a dress code) we have COMPLETELY lost sight of why Jesus came and died on a cross.”
There will be no darkness for those who were in trouble.…
On those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
Christ came as a child, from heaven to earth to expose the darkness…to be the Light!
He has shattered the yoke that burdens
He has removed the bar across their shoulders
He has broken the rod of their oppressor.
His government and its peace will have no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
Establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness ……forever
For to us a child is born,
A son is given,
And he will be called wonderful counselor, mighty God,
everlasting father, prince of peace
His ruling authority will grow,
And there will be no limits to the wholeness he brings!
The birth of John the Baptist is foretold to his dad Zechariah in the New Testament book of Luke. Both Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth had done everything right in life, they followed all the commandments of the Lord and were considered to be in right standing with God! Yet they could not have children, they prayed for years and still no child came. I find at this point of the story to be interesting, to be the real deal of walking with the Lord! That it’s not about what God can give me or do for me but rather what I can do for Him! Just when Zachariah and Elizabeth thought it was too late, they were too old, the Lord did the impossible!
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your pray has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.” Luke 1:11-15
So many times in this story the focus seems to be on John the Baptist, but when I read it today my thoughts shifted towards Zechariah and Elizabeth. The rush of both uncertainty and joy that they must have felt. The news was hardly believable. They were way too old to have children, yet God had answered their prayer! Finally, they would have a child and he would be a joy and delight to them!
They were faithful, they served the Lord with all their hearts, and God proved that His timing is always the best! That what we see as uncertain and impossible situations, God sees as an opportunity to prove He can do anything! That He never disregards our prayers but rather He sees the bigger picture and knows exactly what to do and when to do it! When we face uncertainty may we know that we serve a limitless God! That’s what Christmas is all about…Jesus breaking through all the uncertainty of this world and becoming the Prince of Peace…find joy in that!
4-5 For God’s Word is solid to the core;
everything he makes is sound inside and out.
He loves it when everything fits,
when his world is in plumb-line true.
Earth is drenched
in God’s affectionate satisfaction.
6-7 The skies were made by God’s command;
he breathed the word and the stars popped out.
He scooped Sea into his jug,
put Ocean in his keg.
8-9 Earth-creatures, bow before God;
world-dwellers—down on your knees!
Here’s why: he spoke and there it was,
in place the moment he said so. Psalm 33:4-9
Some promises…
- The Word of the Lord is right and true.
- The Lord loves righteousness and justice.
- He gathers the waters of the sea into jars.
- He spoke and it came to be.
- His plan stands firm…forever!
- He forms the hearts of all.
- His eyes are on those that fear Him.
Because of these promises…
20-22 We’re depending on God;
he’s everything we need.
What’s more, our hearts brim with joy
since we’ve taken for our own his holy name.
Love us, God, with all you’ve got—
that’s what we’re depending on. Psalm 33:20-22
Enough said!
My good friend Rick AKA; pastor Rick, Ricardo, PR, or Richard…whatever you call him, gave me this book a couple months ago. Yeah, I know a couple months ago…really! I guess I would consider myself a “multi-task” reader, I usually am reading more than one book at a time. But I decided to focus more and seriously finish this one! Read A Hole in Our Gospel this past summer and thought that it would be similar to Too Small to Ignore, but as I continue to read I am finding that both books are completely different perspectives but like all stories they direct me right back to His story and His heart for people! I usually try to read books to be challenged in my thinking, but reading books like these, really challenges the way I live life, the way I love, and it seems the Holy Spirit softens my heart more and more.
I have been praying that my heart would break for the things that break God’s heart, obviously I shouldn’t be surprised when it happens. Though I work in the Church full-time it still can become easy to not feel, to blow past people without realizing that they are broken, and miss the whole purpose of being a Christ follower…loving Him and loving people. Matthew 24:12 says; “because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” I sure don’t want to grow cold hearted and sure as heck don’t want to miss my purpose in Him.
At the moment of birth, all heaven stands in breathless anticipation and breaks into shouts of joy and praise. Each child is born into the world loved and full of potential to bring joy to the heart of God. A little flame flickers deep in the child’s being. It reflects a dignity and worth, made in the image of God Almighty.
Meanwhile Satan and his evil hosts stand ready to pounce and destroy that life as quickly and completely as possible, knowing how that will break the heart of God. All heaven and hell are present and focused on the newborn life- for vastly different reasons. Both have strategic designs for this little one. (Too Small to Ignore, pg. 9)
