The New Leg of Our Journey: Crystal Laine

For anyone that has read my blogs throughout the years, you may not know that my writing extends beyond this website.  I have been writing music and lyrics for over ten years now, and praying for every line to be used in some way.  For an artist, to reveal artwork is a huge risk, because we make ourselves vulnerable to the world's interpretation of it in addition to our intention behind it.   At the same time, this risk is what makes artwork so beautiful and vibrant:  every perspective brings a new light to the artwork.

Without "too much, too soon," I'll share with you that I've ventured into this new journey with you of singing and songwriting.  I specifically titled this post as "Our" instead of "My" because - without a doubt - no artist does it alone.  This is so much more than "all about me".  There are countless people that fall into the category of musician, producer, encourager, promoter, listener, and prayer partner (to name a few).  All play a pivotal role in ensuring a message reaches the ears, eyes, and hearts of people worldwide and throughout the generations to come.

In the next few months, I'll be working with some local musicians (including Phillip Gonzales) and distant musicians (including my cousin, Zack Leffew) to polish and record songs.  I need your help in these ways:

• Pray - For me, every administrative aspect of this dream's goal, people to be blessed by it, and for the people who *get* to deal with me ;)
• Write - Send me a note to encourage me, ask specific questions about the music, or to let me know of the best calorie-free chocolate recipe you can find
• Share - With your friends, family, online community, the doorman, the taxicab driver, and the neighbor's pets (to name a few)

Below I have just a couple links to my new social media sites where people can "follow" or "like".  Please pass them on, have no shame in sharing, and help me stay accountable on this journey.  I'm excited.  I'm challenged to new levels.  I think you will like taking this trip with me.  ;)

Facebook | CrystalLaineSings

Twitter | @CrystalLaine28

One final note: don't give up on dreams God has placed in your heart.  Trust Him and His timing, walk closely with Him even when you don't see fruition, and enjoy His presence every step of the way.

Soli Deo Gloria

Love Comes to You

My analytical mind gets so overloaded with details sometimes that it's so hard to sift out the facts that are needed versus he facts that are not. On the day I'm writing this, I'm reminded of the truth that whatever debris is swirling around inside of my mind, I can depend on the truth that God is constant. He's the anchor in the storm, He's the unshifting rock I can rest on. 

There's a song that Kari Jobe sings called "Love Came Down" and I'm going to share the lyrics here because of their powerful truth that I am focusing on today: though I may be overwhelmed, I will trust in Him still, because his Love comes down to rescue me every time. 

Like waves on the shore, God's love consistently flows to us.

If my heart is overwhelmed, and I cannot hear Your voice 

I hold on to what is true, though I cannot see 

If the storms of life they come, and the road ahead gets steep 

I will lift these hands in faith, I will believe 

I'll remind myself of all that You've done 

And the life I have because of Your son 

Love came down and rescued me 

Love came down and set me free 

I am Yours 

Lord, I'm forever Yours 

Mountains high or valley low 

I sing out and remind my soul 

I am Yours 

I am forever Yours 

When my heart is filled with hope: every promise comes my way 

When I feel Your hands of grace rest upon me 

Staying desperate for You, God; staying humble at Your feet 

I will lift these hands in praise, I will believe 

I'll remind myself of all that You've done 

And the life I have because of Your son 

Love came down and rescued me 

Love came down and set me free 

I am Yours 

I am forever Yours 

Mountains high or valley low 

I sing out and remind my soul 

I am Yours 

I am forever Yours 

Transformation (Scripture Notes: Psalm 30)

“Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” 

-Psalm 30:4-5 (NLT)

I find it refreshing to know that, while God has a time for everything, He gives little of it to anger and weeping. Rather, He dwells on the good: favor and joy. Favor for a lifetime and joy in the morning.

Notice that He doesn't promise to shelter us from His anger or from the weeping that this world brings, but He does bring favor and joy that far outlast the time spent in anger or weeping. And not only that, but He transforms us by the bad into something good. His anger becomes the action that leads to Him disciplining us because He loves us. Our weeping and mourning become joyful dancing.

Why does He do this?

So that, out of our great thankfulness, we will finally see a bigger piece of His great love for us.

vs. 11-12
“You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!”

God Knows Your Need

I needed an escape.  

I needed to feel the wind in my hair and feel free from the stress of the world.  Just for an afternoon.  Just for a little while.  I just needed an escape.

So I grabbed my headphones (after a frustratingly long search), hopped on my bike, and headed out for an adventure.  I had some ideas of where I could go but I just knew I needed to ride.  I planned to bike to a friend’s house and just decompress there for a few minutes.  I didn't hear back from my friend in time to make the turn to her house, though, so I sat at the intersection for a moment, trying to decide on my course of action. 

I could take the risky road – the one I hadn't biked before – and see what new places I could find.  Or, I could turn around and go back from the direction I came.  I needed an escape.  Adventure. I took the new road.

In my defense, I have driven this road often, but I had never biked this road.  I could tell you major landmarks, but I could not tell you details about the shops that lined it or the sights that surrounded it.  I needed to see a different perspective.  While praying for protection and direction, I was also praying for God to speak to my soul this day.  Lord, I desperately need You right now to show me things I would not normally see.

Butterflies and wildflowers lined my trail - there were so many
butterflies that I was afraid I was going to run over them as I
breezed past them! But what a beautiful sight - the fluttering
white all around me!  

That day, I had the best bike ride I have had in a long time.  I took the time to get off my bike and bend down close to the flowers, to notice the little details of the path, to explore shops and diners I had never known were so close to home.  I found a park! I drank a fruit smoothie.  I took pictures of the water. I joked with the fishermen on the bridge.  This was “me”.  This is me. 

Most importantly from that day, God whispered into my heart life. This was the "life" I needed to see, hear, taste, touch, and smell.

Let’s face it: there are some people in life that speak to you in a way that nobody else can.  These people know how to speak love and truth to you, and you can receive it knowing you’re safe with them.  Their words may sting but they do not cut.  Their presence may compel, but it does not overwhelm. 

This is how God spoke to me that day: 

as the One who knows me. 

My stresses.

My heartache.

My joy and delight.

My questions.

My dreams.

My need.

God knows what I need.  God knows what you need.  I was desperate enough to run away with Him to a place where He could speak to me.  And He did.  He glided with me down a path of a thousand butterflies, all the while orchestrating that a beautiful song of life would be playing in my ears. 

Are you desperate enough to push away the things that are holding you back and to run away with Him like you might a lover?  Are you that desperate?  Because He can speak life to you in that desperation.  Run to Him.  Run with Him.  Look for the butterflies on your path and listen to His promises that He sings over you.  

He knows your need.

"For I am about to do something new.  See, I have already begun!   Do you not see it?  I will make a pathway through the wilderness.  I will create rivers in the dry wasteland."

-Isaiah 43:19 (NLT)

Not-So-Secret Agents (A Reflective Entry on Nehemiah 03)

In accounting, we have a theory called "Agency Theory".  This theory is related to the legal term "Agent", which basically means "representative".  In Agency Theory, specifically, you have two parties: a principal and an agent.  The principal grants the agent the right to make decisions and perform actions on their behalf.  Like any other mutual relationship, the fact that you have two human beings with their own mind, will, and emotions, can cause conflicts.  Agency theory sets up guidelines on how to deal with these conflicts.  

It's not hard to see where thinkers in the past came up with this idea.   After all, when we are working with God to make His plans happen, we are agents of Him.  His Word, the Bible, is our guidelines on how to deal with conflict when we want to do something that may not align with His plan.  (See this idea here.)

Where we see an agency in Nehemiah

This week, we learned how God-centered prayer (communication) produces God-centered plans (action), and that God-centered plans succeed. Nehemiah gave us an example in this passage of how he was granted rights to make decisions and start a movement toward rebuilding the walls of his ancestor's city.  God was his principal, and Nehemiah was the agent.  But there is another principal in this story.  Rather, a psudo-principal.  King Artaxerxes played this role.  WorkTalk is an international workplace consulting website that I believe explains this relationship best:  

Don’t miss the symmetry here – every day Nehemiah went to work, the King also trusted his life into his hands – perhaps three times per day. The King had the power of life and death over all his subjects, but Nehemiah held the King’s life in his cup all the time. (WorkTalk)

Wow!  Talk about an agency.  There was a mutual dependence on each other to protect and look out for the well being of each other.  With this relationship, it seems hard to understand how Nehemiah could have any failure with his request.  However, the King was human too, and was subject to emotions and bad decision making just like any one of us. Nehemiah knew this and took time to plan and prepare for the possibility that the King would grant his request.

Sometimes, when an agent is representing a principal, they have to make decisions on how to act without consulting with the principal in real-time.  This is why there is such an emphasis on a good relationship.  This is also the situation Nehemiah found himself in when the King abruptly asks "What do you want?".  He has little time to consult his real Principal (God), and so offers up a quick prayer.  Nehemiah acted with tact and laid out his plans.  Wesley's Explanatory Notes tells us that the fact that the queen was present may have been to Nehemiah's advantage.  According to the commentary, " commonly, the kings of Persia dined alone, and perhaps because the queen expressed some kindness to him, [this] promoted his request."

Trista noted two very important things about the King's relationship with Nehemiah:

• The King may have been more compliant because of the Persian government's way of quickly adopting the customs, religions, and economies of a conquered nation.
• Clean running water wasn't as prevalent as it is today, and probably was not something that the King drank as frequently as we drink water.  This being the case, the King would have needed a pretty constant cup-bearer by his side.  This may not always have been Nehemiah, as a king could have more than one cup-bearer  but it stands to reason that Nehemiah was not just present only at meal times.

Manipulation

Some really good conversation was sparked by the quote that Nehemiah was wise in knowing how to "get the king's sympathy" before he presented his request.  This choice of words almost implies that Nehemiah was manipulative.  The historian Herodotus tells us that the Persians buried their fathers, and thus the appeal to the King was not to be misunderstood as manipulative, but it was personal. 

If I am speaking to a child, I may not effectively teach them about an economy by talking economics.  Rather, I would need to talk to them about addition and subtraction with use of toys or treats.  When communicating, our choice of subject matter depends on the audience, not just on the jargon of the subject.  Nehemiah was speaking on a subject the King understood; not to deceive, but to inform.   The King would understand that a city where Nehemiah's father's were buried was sacred, as this was the Persian custom as well.

Just like any situation we deal with, our words can be manipulative or we can stick to the truth.  Nehemiah showed he was not trying to be manipulative by the very fact that he answered the King honestly.  This sad countenance was punishable by death!  His honesty with the King, and the King's acceptance of Nehemiah as a confidant, not just a servant, showed the great respect the King had for him.  Nehemiah had proven himself through years of service: he demonstrated respect to the King, and the King was being respectful back to Nehemiah. However, the King still had the choice to sentence Nehemiah to death because of his countenance.  I like how this commentary puts it: "Nehemiah understood it was not his place to change the king’s heart. He prayed and left it up to the LORD, instead of dropping hints and trying to manipulate the situation. Then one day, four months later, the king’s heart was different. Are we making the mistake of trying to change someone else’s heart, instead of leaving it up to the LORD to do it?" 

Four months is a short time to pray for something.  Trista reminded us of this truth.  Historically, people would pray for years for an answer before God answered their prayers. Sometimes this is true for us as well. While Nehemiah prayed for only four months, generations before him had been praying for Israel's deliverance.  In the context of King Artaxerxes, four months was a relatively short time for a heart to be changed.  As much as we want to be molded into righteousness, even Christians have a hard time with heart-change.  This is our human condition, and why we are constantly depending on God for His power to change our hearts.

Why the Letters were Important

Nehemiah knew this same King had ordered earlier to not allow Jews back into Jerusalem to rebuild the city.  Ezra 4 (read it HERE - it really helps understand the severity of the situation!) explains this situation to us, and we see in verse 21 where it records the King's command to have the work stopped except at his express command. This is why Nehemiah needed the letters! It wasn't just to let him through the route to get to Jerusalem, it was his proof to any opposition that he was authorized to do the work.  It was his Agent's orders.  

Why the date given was important

Pastor David Guzik shares a neat relationship with the date quoted in Nehemiah and earlier Bible prophecy 

The date is also important, because it establishes the date given to restore Jerusalem and its walls. Daniel 9:25 says that exactly 173,880 days from this day - which was March 14, 445 B.C. - Messiah the prince would be presented to Israel. Sir Robert Anderson, the eminent British astronomer and mathematician, makes a strong case that Jesus fulfilled this prophecy exactly, to the day, entering Jerusalem on April 6, 32 A.D., precisely 173,880 days from Nehemiah 2:1.

The account of Nehemiah in this week's study kept bringing us back to the truth that we are all agents of Christ to see His kingdom established here on earth.  Our work and our efforts are not thwarted  by corrupt leaders or bad economic situations, because even our leaders are set in place by God (Daniel 2:20-23).  On the same note, we serve those in authority out of respect for God (Colossians 3:23). Our attitudes at work, toward our parents, pastors, community or government leaders are all truly our attitudes toward God.  (Gulp)  Yep.  It's a tough pill to swallow, but it's truth.  And truth always fertilizes the soil of our hearts to grow new, incredible things.  

Questions for Reflection

• What decisions have you made in haste that were good ideas, but should have been restrained because the timing was off?
• Nehemiah prayed and prepared fervently for four months.  What thing have you been praying and preparing for - for a long time - that you're still praying and preparing for?  
• Can you recall a time when you made a successful appeal to someone in authority over you? Did you give yourself credit for being persuasive or for making a good case for what you wanted? Did you see God at work in your situation? (From Bible.org)
• What dream have you had in the past that you have literally burned or buried in your heart?  Was it a God-dream? If so, what would it take to resurrect that dream?

Places to Hide

Looking out from a not-so-conspicuous cave in the
oasis of Ein Gedi, Israel.
Photo taken May 2012

Some days I just want to crawl in a cave and hide. 

I can certainly relate to King David during these days.  Well, the future King David, who was, instead, running for his life and indeed hiding in caves.  Do you ever have days like this?  Days where you’re just ready to run away from the world? 

On days like this, I resist the urge to run away completely from challenges that come my way, but I do some serious internal interrogation (generally, in quiet places with just God and I).

Why are you feeling this way?  What is making you so anxious?  What is causing you stress?  What boundaries do you need to set to avoid these things?

If we’re honest, the daily challenges of life can feel like they are shoving us into a hole, whether we want to go there or not.  And sometimes the same challenges can feel like they are propelling us out into the world as a superhero to fix them all.  While it’s not healthy for us to constantly run away and hide, neither is it healthy for us to have an inkling of an idea that we can fix all the problems we’re dealt without the help of God.

So what did the mighty David do?  He hid.  But he hid in the shelter of the promises of God.  Look at these translations of David’s words in Psalm 62:5....

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. (NIV 84)

Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. (NLT) 

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. (ESV) 

My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. (KJV)

Waterfalls in the hills of Ein Gedi, Israel,
where David hid from Saul's pursuit and wrote
many of the Psalms.
Photo taken May 2012

Resting. 

Waiting. 

Hoping. 

Expecting. 

This is my remedy for the anxious feelings that come my way.  And though it takes a conscious effort to set aside my drive to “do” and simply “wait”, it’s where I find the most peace.

Sometimes, a short term cave-experience isn't so bad after all.  

Judging a Book by its Cover (A Reflective Entry on Nehemiah 02)

I grew up doing musicals.  

Without sharing my life story with you, let it suffice to say that memories involving music, drama, or arts, always seem to stick with me.  One of the musicals I was in at some point in my childhood was called “O Me, O My, O Nehemiah!”.  The first thing I thought of when I heard about this Bible study was one of the predominant memories that remains of this fun little children’s musical: Nehemiah rebuilt the wall (see what I mean here if you are unfamiliar with what wall I'm talking about).

I say all of this to tell you one thing: the book of Nehemiah is so much less about the rebuilding of a wall... 

In fact, in all the peripheral research I did in personal preparation for his week’s group study, almost every resource I came to primarily talked of Nehemiah’s focus on prayer.   Prayer.  He was no engineer, after all.  He was a trusted, faithful leader that relied heavily on prayer.  For this reason, when we study Nehemiah, we may have to throw away some of our cozy childhood memories of our Biblical expertise and look at what the book really says.  We’re only in week two of this study, and still on the brief chapter one, but already we see a foundation Nehemiah builds in his life that has little to do with cutting or moving stone and a lot to do with relying on his communication with our Creator.

There are some very distinct truths that we can pull out of these 11 verses about Nehemiah, about our lives, and about prayer. 

We can pray with confidence!

As a God-follower (specifically now, a Christ-follower), we can have confidence in prayer.  Nehemiah demonstrated this confidence in that he knew the God he was praying to when he made his requests.  Nehemiah had a respect for God’s wonderfulness, he had a trust in God’s faithfulness, and he had a righteousness that taught him God was approachable.  Our attitude about prayer is often shaped by our attitude about God.  Nehemiah would have grown up learning about the attitudes toward prayer of Kings in his heritage, and one of them was Hezekiah.

Hezekiah prayed confidently to God in the same manner that we see Nehemiah doing so.  (See 2 Kings 19:14-19).  Hezekiah’s confidence was not just a boldness with the intent to flatter or manipulate God, but was to demonstrate his reliance on God’s faithfulness to keep His promises. We were reminded that prayer is not an opportunity for us to align God’s plan with our wishes, but as we seek God, our wishes are aligned to God’s plan.

Prayer brings success!

Do you see?  This is the answer to success in every area of life!  Prayer changes our heart’s desires to God’s desires.  God’s desires always match His great plan and purpose, and His purposes never fail.  Therefore, prayer always leads to success when we are seeking to have the heart of God, rather than seeking to have our own way.

God’s answers are immediate!

When we are praying for the plans and purposes of God to pan out, we can be confident that He has already answered those prayers.  Here are some examples: In 2 Kings 20, the prophet Isaiah came to tell King Hezekiah that he was going to die.  The King prayed as soon as the prophet left, and before Isaiah had passed through the courtyard of the temple (which was not very far at all-perhaps from your house to two doors down), God gave him the answer to Hezekiah’s prayer: “I’m giving you 15 more years to live.”  

Wow!  That's pretty immediate!

Consider also, Daniel and his prayer (see Daniel 10:1-14).  Daniel started praying and immediately God sent out the answer.  The angel sent to deliver the answer was held up for three weeks, though, and so Daniel kept praying.  Come to find out, Daniel’s prayers weren't just for an answer from God – they were for the delivery of that answer.  Do you get it?  When we pray, God answers immediately!  If we don’t see or know the answer immediately, we keep praying for the delivery of the answer!  God’s ready to dish out answers to prayer.  They are not as few and far between as they may seem, but we have a responsibility: act.  Pray.  Ask for what we need and then pray for a clear delivery of your answer while you praise God for what you can confidently trust that He has already done.

Prayer is valuable!

In verse 11 of Nehemiah chapter 1, we read that Nehemiah was praying with other people.   His request of God was not just to hear his prayers, but to hear the prayers of all the faithful people who have been in prayer.  Nehemiah was the spokesperson for his people at this time, but he was not the only person interceding through prayer for the Israelites and for the city of Jerusalem.  Sometimes we are in a place in life where we are a “spokesperson” – we are in the position and have the ability to speak up for that which we and others are praying.  But sometimes, we are the silent warrior, praying with other believers, expecting from our faithful God, but not necessarily writing a book about it or leading a movement for it.  Each prayer is vital.  Each prayer is valuable.  And no prayer goes unheard.

That “circumstance” in your life is your divine opportunity!

In fact, Nehemiah’s mentioning that he was a cup-bearer to the king wasn't necessarily as out-of-placed as it seems, initially.  The assignment of cup-bearer was a high honor bestowed on people that were loyal leaders and whose character had been tested.  This testing of character would have taken years, perhaps Nehemiah’s entire lifetime up to this point, but certainly before Nehemiah knew how God was going to use him.  Instead, while this verse states a fact, it also states a history: God had been putting this plan into place for a very long time!  His statement (in 444 B.C.) resembles the heart of what Mordecai spoke to Queen Esther approximately 40 years earlier (in 473 B.C.) – God has placed Nehemiah (like Esther) in the position and with the express ability to carry out a divine plan “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). 

You can take heart from this, because it is a truth that runs like a thread through the entire Bible, through the ages, and into the timeline of your life today: God has placed you in a position, and has placed in you the ability, to carry out His plan “for such a time as this”.  Your job is not a coincidence, your neighbors are not a coincidence, and your car troubles are not a coincidence.  All these things that shape our lives – the “dailies” that we have to deal with – are all part of the plan that God has in mind – and they have been that way forever!  Trusting, honoring, and following God during whatever you’re dealing with is your opportunity to jump into a divine plan and see restoration happen in your life and in the lives of those with whom you come in contact. 

Logic can be our biggest ally or our biggest enemy!

Often, we fall into “logic traps”, leading us to believe that an answer from God was really not from God at all, but was because “that’s just the way things naturally happen”.  While this latter statement is true much of the time, the reasoning behind it is not true.

When you cut your finger and ask for healing, God may use a salve to heal your finger, but the salve was not the healer.  The salve may have been the resource, and your application of the salve was perhaps the obedience required, but God is the one who did the healing, not the salve.  This is what we mean by logic traps.

Nehemiah didn't succumb to these traps, though he was certainly a wise man.  He chose to bring the details to God and let God work those details out.  His prayer was desperate and brokenhearted for the heritage of which he had only heard stories.  Even with these disjointed burdens, Nehemiah knew that God was big enough to ease his burden, in whichever way was suitable to His plan.  Like the heart of Nehemiah, let’s be mindful to thank God for each and every answer to prayer – even those we don’t physically see.  And let’s remember that while logic has its value, nothing surpasses the power or value that is held in the very being of God.

Despite a busy week and a late, exciting night of preparation the night before our group meeting, I was stoked to share these truths with the ladies!  In choosing to dive in and figure out more about exactly what we are reading, we found that while historical records intrigue and stories themselves can delight, seeking out deeper truths helps us to re-cover our perspective on this book of Nehemiah and to recapture the essence of what Nehemiah was really about: drawing closer to the heart of God. 

Questions for Reflection:

• Have you ever had an event in your life that has caused you such great sorrow that you have wept for days or weeks?  What was it?  Did you take time to seriously pray about it?
• How would you evaluate your current prayer life?  Is there something you would want to change?
• Do you view prayer as a privilege, a job, or both?
• Knowing what we know about Nehemiah’s divine placement in history (like Esther, like Jesus, like Moses), can you see how God may be taking you through places and seasons that could bring Him glory and bring you long-term goodness?  We cannot know which way the hand of God will move, but working to see our “hard times” through the eyes of eternity can give us hope in the short-term.

Scripture Notes: Mark 7 (Check Yourself)

“Jesus replied, ‘You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’  For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.’  Then He said, ‘You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition.’”  -Mark 7:6-9

I had a friend tell me once that her husband was cheating on her.

Then another friend.

Then another.

There was little I could do but pray, and pray I did.  My initial response was to be defensive for my friends, because I want to protect.  But my God-sensor told me to beware of being judgmental.  You don’t see what I see, He would whisper to my heart.

But God (I should've known not to start a prayer this way…), he is spouting Your name and Your principles off everywhere He goes!  How can someone who is doing something so blatantly against Your Word (cheating) proclaim Your Word (to be faithful)?

Of course, my defensive prayer was not surprising to God.

And His response?

You don’t see what I see.  You weren't there when I told the donkey to speak to Balaam (Numbers 22), or when I blinded Saul and renamed Him Paul for my glory.  You know that I don’t need a perfect person to work for me.  You know this, because you know you.  Despite your flaws (I've had many conversations with God about these), you make yourself available and I use you. 

If I can insert a hash tag, #epiccomplaintfail

Okay, okay, so I won’t judge.

Judging the person makes me just as guilty as them at that point because of what Jesus said in these very verses: I will find a loophole in God’s law to justify my own perspective for my own benefit or “to hold on to my own tradition”!

My responsibility lies in the same place as it had before my conversation with God: pray for them.  My job is to be Judge, not yours, He says.  Your job is to be in love with Me.  I’ll lead you down the right paths. Besides, this case is too big for you to handle.  Don’t worry, I've got it.

When we finally choose to worship God with our actions and not just our words, we will find tremendous freedom from the need to judge and justify.  And when we choose to check our actions against what the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) should be producing, we will probably find the root issue of our surrounding problems.  As Jesus later said, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you.” (vs. 20)

Let’s fill our hearts and minds with the good fruit and uproot the bad that tries to defile us.  Let’s get back to the basics of Christ’s immense love for us and the sacrifice He made before we jump to the justification of our defenses.

Let’s practice a little more grace today.

From Vision to Reality: GCWS

Five months ago I sat in a hotel breakfast lounge on the west side of the Sea of Galilee.  We were getting ready to head out to a day of exploring the beautiful land of Israel near Tiberias.  My roommate and I were just enjoying our delicious breakfast when none other but our pastor, Pastor Dan Betzer, joined us at our table.  Wow!  What an honor!  To have someone you respect so much take the time to eat breakfast with you is something not soon forgotten.

We were glad to have him join us.  Not people to be shy, we included him in our conversation and enjoyed the humor he infused into it.  Then he hinted at a project he was working on, a vision, really.  Something that had been on his heart for a while but that God was just putting the finishing pieces together for it - and they were coming together quickly.  That was all.  He didn't share anything except that God was working out something big.

Now, if you know anything about Pastor Betzer, you know that God doesn't put small dreams in his heart. You also know that when God puts dreams in his heart, he doesn't see them as dreams, he sees them as goals.  The great lesson I've learned under Pastor Betzer's leadership throughout the years has been faith.  Faith, faith, faith.  Not that you can't have doubts, but that faith does not have to be swayed by doubts.

That being said, we didn't think much more of the conversation, and we enjoyed a magnificent day of touring on our dream trip.

Fast forward to now.  Much has happened, you understand, between then and now, to make now a reality.  But this was the work God was doing in Israel: The Great Commission World Summit.  It's like a huge fundraiser, yes: the goal is to raise $50 million in one night, November 2, 2012.

But that is just the tactical end of things.  $50 million represents millions of lives impacted by the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  It is not about the money.  It's about what will happen with the money.  It's about getting Jesus into the hands of people who have not yet heard of him.  A project like this has a ripple effect that will last for generations to come.

Consider Paul's challenge regarding sharing the good news about Jesus:

"But how can they call on him [Jesus] to save them unless they believe in him?  And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent?  That is why the scriptures say, 'How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!'" (Romans 10:14-15)

 You can be a part of lots of things that help spread the good news about Jesus, and I don't discount one over this one.  This is just another opportunity, and I encourage you to be a part of it, whether by coming to the event on Friday night, or by streaming it live, or by sharing it with people you know.

For information on the project, you can visit their website here.

The Great Commission World Summit from First Assembly of God on Vimeo.

Let's show the world the incredible gift of Jesus!

The Weak, the Fatherless, the Poor, and the Oppressed.... and My Response

Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. (Psalm 82:3)

The Team and I in Moldova, October 2010, working with Phillip and Chrissie Cameron at Stella's Voice

Tonight, some of my friends and I discussed the account of Israel in Judges 19.  It's a tough story.  It's the sin of the movie "Taken" in Bible times.  It's vulgar, painful, brutal, and ugly.  It's a modern day horror story.  

I have read it before, but life's twists and turns have given me a totally different perspective.  A big supporter and promoter of anti-trafficking movements and causes, I read the account last night and asked God: "What did this woman do to deserve that treatment?"

The answer? Nothing.  She didn't deserve the treatment at all.  

Then why?  I want to ask God this question.  OK, I did ask God that question.  "Why did You allow her to be used and abused like that?"  

My friend Phillip Cameron feels the same way about the ugliness of trafficking.  When telling his account of a girl named Stella (read the full account here), he says "I just can’t come to terms with the callousness and systemic wickedness that permitted such an awful thing to happen to anyone..."

I don't have the answer to this "why" question whether it is regarding this unnamed concubine, a girl in Moldova named Stella, or any other people that are currently being used and abused in hell holes all around the world.  All I have is anger for the act.  All I can do is pray for protection for those who are not protected, mourn for the hurting,  and beg God, in His mercy, to shut down the evil hand that compels those acts.  

My meeting was difficult tonight, because I came away with another perspective, but my heart still hurts.  My throat was still swollen with choked-back tears as I read the story with my friends again and thought of the people I've heard first-hand stories of in Moldova, in Florida, and in Ecuador, all on the brink of death after similar encounters with this evil.  

I can be positive every day and search for good in everything, but there is no denying the fact that evil exists in this world in very real ways to people I see every day.  Don't mistake my search for joy in life with my realization that this pain is a very, very, real thing to many, and it is not fair.  

So I have a choice.  Where do I go from here?  What do I do with this burden?  Well, I tell you about it.  I make you aware of this hidden, yet common, brutality, and that there is no excuse for the behavior.  I continue supporting and promoting movements, causes, and organizations that fight trafficking (see some links below).  And I look for every opportunity I have to stand up for the weak and wounded, while trusting in the power of God to apply justice where justice is due.

And until heaven, I do what I can to see others find freedom that, truly, cannot be found except by a miracle of an All-Powerful God.  

Please, PLEASE, help fight the cause of the weak, the fatherless, the poor, and the oppressed of our generation.  

Useful Sites:

Humantrafficking.org

Kaleo Kids and Dunamis

New Hope Trust

One Way Out Ministries

Southwest Florida Human Trafficking Coalition

Stella's Voice

US Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP)

(Thanks to Pastor Phillip Gonzales for his insight on the story in Judges...)

Strength in Weakness

Do you ever have amazing days - like EPIC amazing - and the day after is a almost a let down?  Well if someone like me does (who works hard to find the good in every hard situation), I imagine many other people do to.  So let me share with you what God spoke to me a while back while I was dealing with this very issue on a sunshiney Florida afternoon...

Oh Lord
You have shown your favor,
your every word stands true
And I'm found
Safe within your harbor
Anchored deep in you
You washed away my tears
Gave me joy and freedom
Lifting me through the years
Your love is stronger than
The sound of heavens angels
Higher than
The lofty mountain peaks
Deeper than
The deepest ocean valley
Strong enough for me*

I need this strength today. I am empty and weak and frail. And I feel every bit of it in my whole being. Yesterday was an amazing day, and today, I'm empty again.  

It's good for me to remember this: when I am empty, I am available to be filled. When I am weak, I am available to be saved.

Well here I am, Lord. Empty and weak, but available.  

Here I am for You.

It's important to fall at the feet of Jesus FIRST - in whatever way this looks to you - when you're at this place.  No person on Earth will be able to meet the deep needs in your soul.  A person may be used by God to encourage and uplift you, but only God can fill that place with the sustaining strength you need.  

While it doesn't seem possible, go to God with confidence that He will show up, because He does delight to hear from you, weaknesses and all...

Each time he said, "My grace is all you need.  My power works best in weakness."  So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

*lyrics from "Stronger Than" by Hillsong United, Released 4/6/10

Perspective and Politics

Isn't it the hot topic?  I know it is in my corner of the world.  Yes, I've been watching the debates.  I see the ads.

I may take a bit of a different stand on politics than most.  I think a quiet voice is better heard than a loud one most of the time.  The banter, the bicker, the complaints, the (few) encouraging words.... none of that convinces me like the voice of God within me.

I don't mean to be cliche'.  I just look for truth and the only truth we can depend on is the proven truth of the Bible.  I listen, but I focus on the still, soft, quiet voice in my soul... the one that tells me right from wrong... the one that whispers truth in my dark moments and when beautiful lies are dangled in front of me.

Your own ears will hear him [God].  Right behind you a voice will say, "This is the way you should go," whether to the right or to the left.  Isaiah 30:21

I don't believe I could ever tell someone how to vote.  That would go against my nature in every sense.  God gave you a mind, body, soul, and spirit.  Listen to the facts.  Let God tell you what is right and what is wrong.  I believe He gave you the capacity to determine that when He created you.  At the same time, I would strongly encourage you to vote.  I believe God calls us to action, and when He convicts us of what to do, we are sinning when we do not do so.  If He has convicted you to vote for a candidate, vote for them.

I can't pretend to take the place of God or I immediately become in the wrong.  So I encourage you to let Him speak to you.  And that means action on your part, too: you have to seek Him on the matter.

Let me leave you with this: an old Irish hymn that is definitely classified as one of my favorites.  It is a great reminder to me on where to keep my focus when I (often) lose it...

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; 

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.

Thou my best thought, by day or by night, 

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

I would like to see this generation find perspective from the Truth.  This means (for most of us) a conscious perspective change.  Will you do it with me?

The Lie I Wish I Didn't Hear

I wish I didn't get stuck like this.  Almost every day I get in a rut of thinking I'm not good enough.  Something triggers it every day.  Something whispers to me and something steals my focus.  

This entry will be short because if there's one thing I've discovered its to dwell on truth and refute the lies to move on in any situation.  And this is something I also have to remind myself of daily.  

So today, in this moment, I know I am a precious gem, a treasure of heavenly worth.  My feet are beautiful because I bring the gospel of peace to people around me and my face shines with the glory of God living in me.  I am clothed with righteousness because of Jesus' sacrifice, and no, I'm not good enough on my own.  But, with Jesus as my Savior, I am fully competent to not only handle, but to excel in everything God puts in my path.  And today I will do that.  By the grace of God, I will do that.  

And even if I fail, I gain victory every time I depend on God to pick me up again.

Magic Tricks and God

Magically volcanic cranberry tarts last Thanksgiving.
They, miraculously, tasted amazing despite their disfigurement. ;)

Have you ever watched someone do magic tricks for children?  The children are skeptically expectant, hoping to be entertained while wanting to figure out how the trick was done.  There's so much anticipation, and often, disappointment, because no good magician tells their tricks.

Oh how I see myself as this expectant child when I've gone to God sometimes.  Instead of tricks, it's miracles; instead of a magician, the One True God.

How does He do it?  What am I missing?  How can I reproduce this?

Often, I've been just as disappointed as a child, too.  I've set my heart to figure it out and fool myself into thinking I can be God.  What a horrible mistake!

We can never be the magician, we can never reproduce the tricks.  We can, however, go to God, who knows all, and ask Him to perform a miracle for us. He still does them today, you know...

Hebrews 4:16
Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.  There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Copycats

Stray twins from a spring litter 2012 

I feel like it's so easy to fall into a pattern of believing life should be a certain way because it has been a custom of our own little world; of our generation; of our society.  We look at this in the physical sense most of the time (looks, tastes, feels), but what about the spiritual?  What about our thoughts?

Often, I've found, I've justified something or classified it as a character trait of God because of the way society tells me God is (or should be).  May I be a person that seeks truth above standards and that seeks to honor God above doing something simply because it's the custom.  

And may I also be a person humble enough to accept the customary when I find it to actually be an honor to God.

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but 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)

Sometimes My Heart is Heavy

I just do not know what to do.

I once heard my pastor say this: if you’re praying for an answer, and you just don’t know what to do, don’t do anything about it, except keep praying. 

So when I don’t know what to do, I just pray. 

When I sense something is up with a friend, I pray. 

When I have an idea but I’m not sure it’s the right time, I pray.

When I’m not confident about interfering in a situation, but there’s no mistaking what I know in my heart, I pray. 

Then, when I get answers, confirmations, and stories, of how God has “come through”, I laugh.  My laughter comes from a grateful heart, because the burdens that have weighed so heavily on me have been so easily answered, and all I did was pray. 

I know you probably have something you’re just not sure what to do about in this very moment.  I encourage you to just pray.  Put aside the temptation to fix the situation and set your heart on waiting for God to take care of it or give you the wisdom to know what to do.   We honor God when we trust Him.  When we honor God, we prove our thanks for all He is going to do.  

And He answers.

James 1:5
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

Retro Word

I'm curious: when was the last time you pulled out an old-fashioned leather or paperback Bible?

Devo Time :)

I'm a huge fan of the Bible applications that come on the fancy phones these days, but something special happens when I take time and effort to turn those thin pages. At least, for me it does.

Thank goodness for technology that reaches the un reached!! But what a privilege to hold something like a Bible, freely and openly, in my own hands.

Battlegrounds

I'm well aware that battlegrounds usually involve blood sweat and tears. So you may be surprised that this is one of my battlegrounds.

My office Battleground

When I've received devastating news, when I've thought my world was falling apart, when I've been weighed down with the burdens of coworkers or clients, this is where I've duked it out. This is where I met with God on my knees during my work day to receive victories won by Jesus. Not that all my answers came as I asked for, but I was given peace despite the unbearable weight.

This chair knows my tears and my elbows. Where is one of your battlegrounds? Do you have one?