heart on your sleeve

I read a friends' Facebook quote of another friend today ... "How I behave reflects what I believe. That's true everywhere; in church, in traffic, at work, and at home." - J. Kochheiser quoting J. Varner.

Joshua commanding the sun to stand still.
John Martin, 1816

 Over the past 26 hours, any time I can, I've held a new book that challenges me to have audacious faith in God. Pastor Steven Furtick's Sun Stand Still: What Happens When You Dare to Ask God for the Impossible is a call for Christians to realize that God can do the impossible if we have wild enough faith to believe that he can, and we have the willingness to pray Sun Stand Still prayers. (Read the book for a definition of a Sun Stand Still prayer. Better yet, look up the book of Joshua in your Bible and see how he audaciously asked God to make the sun stand still.)

Considering the amazing God we serve - the God who created the heavens, every star in the sky, every creature of the earth, and us, his masterpiece creation - how can we not have a radical faith in him? He knows all, can do all, sees all ... We must get over ourselves and the urge to plan the life that we believe is ahead of us. Or, go ahead and make your plans, but always keep this fact in the back of your mind: TOMORROW IS NOT GUARANTEED.

I'm not suggesting that you live for today and for yourself. I am suggesting that you live for today with the purpose of doing good for others. Make your life count for something. Why be a mediocre Christian? You are a child of God! He will give you every provision required to do his work. Know that if you fall, he will catch you. If he doesn't, then your fall is part of something bigger. I'm okay with that and I have a story of my own to tell one day. We exist to serve him and we should all be so proud, so humbled to do and give for the one who repeatedly does for and gives to us.

Yes, it is true that our actions speak louder than our words and that how we behave reflects what's really in our hearts. As my husband likes to remind me, "we're not all in the same place in our walk with God." So true, and it's evident in our behavior and the faith (or lack thereof) that we demonstrate on a daily basis.

Right now, it's impressed upon my heart that I invite you to leave a comment for prayer. It will be my honor to pray over you, whether it's something specific or you just want to say hi. Someone somewhere needs these words and needs the extra lift and encouragement. What an honor to love you with a prayer to our almighty God on your behalf.

Loving you because HE first loved me,

audacious faith

My pre-order copy of Sun Stand Still: What Happens When You Dare to Ask God for the Impossible was backordered. Today is the release day. So after running an errand this morning, I checked out Family Christian Bookstore. Yep, they have 10. In a box. Somewhere in the back. Don't know when it'll be unpacked.
Okay.

How about Barnes & Noble? Sure, they have ONE copy. It's around here somewhere. Look high, look low. Look in the Christian Inspiration section. Look in the New Non-Fiction section. Look in the other Christian sections, just to be sure it wasn't misplaced. Not to be found. Hold on, let's call another B&N. Nope, they have three copies but haven't found them yet either.

How can my search for this book not pan out? Why is it so unattainable?

I gave in, came home, and logged in to Amazon to order with two-day shipping. It'll be here Thursday, but I really, really wanted it today.

To tide me over and prep my soul, I'm listening to author and Pastor Steven Furtick preach for 24 hours. God must have something for me to hear before I can start the book.

Are you reading it? You should. Let's find out together what audacious faith looks like, and then let's stretch ourselves into fostering audacious faith. Let's see what God can do when we dare to ask the impossible. Join me.

daniel's smile

Today we "adopted" a child. Daniel is 3 - not quite three months older than my Jackson - and from Ecuador. His smile is infectious and I am anxious to receive our packet all about him.

Daniel is a Compassion child and there are many more children just like him who are in need. While he does have the support of his mother and grandmother, Daniel does not have a father figure at home, and the earnings in Ecuador are meager.

You may be asking yourself why we chose to sponsor a child when our pennies are already being pinched. The answer is simple. Our life as Christians is about doing for others, especially the less fortunate. Who better to receive the blessings of healthcare, education, food and clothing than a child?

Being a sponsor is easy and you can choose your own child. Search by gender, age, country, and even birthdate to pick a child in need. The cost is $38/month. That's several days' worth of venti fresh-brewed Starbucks. I think giving up your coffee in exchange for a better life for a child is do-able.

For a real glimpse of Compassion children, read Ann Voskamp's blog about her recent trip to Guatemala where she was able to visit the child she sponsors. This was all it took for me.

Loving children for Jesus,

Help a Child

loving the least

Do you saunter down the street with your designer purse, criss-crossing to avoid the homeless (or those who look like they might be)? Shamefully, I'll admit that I have.

While I do still tote a designer purse from time to time, I no longer go out of my way to avoid anyone. My biggest fear? That someone will actually ask me if I can spare a dollar and I realize that I don't have one to give since I rarely carry cash.

It's become real to me that Jesus was among the least. Having the awesome following that he did, he could have been a real rock star. But he wasn't. He could've lived with kings and been showered with riches. But he didn't. Jesus lived with the poor, healed the lepers that others avoided, brought a four-days' dead Lazarus back to life, and made his life among those who had the least.

What an amazing life.

Here we are trying to get ahead. Aiming for the stars. Padding our pockets and pampering our babies. The good ol' American Dream. We suck.

I've started downsizing in the past months. We'd been doing that all along, but we're really serious about it now. What do we need and what can we live without? What are the things that we'd like to have and what can we actually afford? Is there something that our money can be put toward instead of the next size of  oversized TVs?

In preparation of a coming revival at our church, I'm fasting one meal a day. Also during this time, I'll fast from my nighttime addiction ... my daughter's Nintendo DS. Won't you join me in giving up at least one thing for the next 10 days? Let's take our morning coffee money and add it to the offering plate this Sunday as an extra missions offering. Give up something you love to show your love.

pondering tonight ...

What must it feel like to hold the hand of God while holding hers? Is there strife? Torn emotion for which to cling tighter to?

What must it feel like to see heaven's awesome rays while a living angel stands next to you? Do you fight for heaven on earth or the true paradise that awaits?

What must if feel like to hear harps playing your entrance song while others sing your praises in life? Which chords are you more drawn to?

What must it feel like to know you completed the race in more ways than one? Do you wish you would have stopped mid-way or are you rejoicing for the beauty you saw en route?

What must it feel like to grasp your true love knowing he's headed to the angelic life we all long for? Do you feel selfish and beg him to stay or are you thankful for the time you had and bid him farewell?

What must it feel like to wrap yourself in his shirt, breathing in his scent? Are you afraid the fragrance will be lost and breathe it in that much harder or do you preserve it forevermore?

What must it feel like to touch his pillow, his wallet with you in it, his favorite pen? Will your house become a museum dedicated to his legacy or will you box it away to help the hurt?

What must it feel like to read his name, forever archived with that fateful day? Will September 5th be blacked off your calendar for years to come or is it a day of celebration for a life well lived?

These things I ponder and pray I don't find the answers to for a very long time. Rest ever peacefully, Sean. Cling tight to God and those who love you, Jen. Praying for you and for those of us seeking understanding. May God bring about a peace and heal the open wound we're left with.