First Encounters and Photo Opportunities

I love visiting with international students in our community. They are so kind and polite. They are always positive and very thankful when you cook a meal or give them a ride. One of the things I enjoy the most though is watching them play with our kids. They love family and miss being away from their family so they seem drawn to our rag tag crew.

It’s always fun to watch the interactions between Stella and the students the first time they meet her. For most, she is the first American baby they have ever held. They take pictures with her, coo at her, and try to get her to talk. They ask questions about her age and her development while they tell me how beautiful and precious she is. They are delighted to meet her and every time I have one of these encounters I am amazed by the attention and love my sweet girl receives. I see and hold many babies in our community but for our international friends, Stella is the first and that makes her special. That makes their candid meeting a photo opportunity and they ask if I can take their picture while they hold her and smile at the camera. 

I woke up this morning with this imagery on my mind and began to ponder the love of my Heavenly Father. It hit me very hard and strong as I remembered the excitement and joy Stella gave our new friends. You see our Heavenly Father loves us as if we were the only one. God would have sent Jesus to pay the price for my sins if I were the only one in need of being saved. He greets me everyday with an intensity only given to a first encounter because the Bible says His love and mercies are made new every morning.

God loves us all with a depth that cannot be measured and desires to give us love and attention to fill the void left by sin and abandonment. Those who embrace the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross become part of an eternal family, Christ’s beautiful and precious bride the church. So they will always have community and be loved in a real and valuable way.

As I watch sweet Stella sleep in her bassinet, I celebrate the intense love God has for us. I celebrate the sacrifice that was made so I could have an encounter with my Creator. I delight in His love and the family I am part of in Christ Jesus. Our God came down from heaven in the form of a man to meet us in our shame and restore our brokenness. There was nothing candid about this plan to save humanity and that makes Him special.

God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning. How great is your faithfulness! I’m sticking with God. He’s all I’ve got left.

~Lamentations 3:22-24

Some Things Are Not Easily Replaced

I wouldn’t consider myself a sentimentalist. I develop attachments to people not possessions but the few items I treasure are irreplaceable and have a deep meaning and impact on my life. When Nick and I first got married we were in ministry at a small country church. Sheri and Larry attended this small church and we instantly connected with them and their children. They always strive to put God first in their lives and instill Godly principles and values into their home. They served, loved, and cared for others and Sheri always knew how to make you laugh and bake a mean cheesecake. I love this family dearly and it’s been almost 15 years but we are still connected, consider them role models and esteem them greatly. God placed them in our lives when we were young and in need of mentorship. They showed us with their words and actions Christ’s love, grace, and forgiveness to mankind.

When Lucas was born Sheri gave our children the first edition to a Hallmark ornament series. She told me how she gave each of her children an ornament every year to hang on the Christmas tree and she wanted to start a collection for my children as well. I was grateful for her generosity and every year Sheri would give the kids the next edition in their ornament series. My children became attached to their ornaments and as the years went on, they treasured this keepsake as much as I did.

Time passed, children grew, people changed, and our ministry at the church came to an end. We kept in contact through an occasional text or conversation with their children but we did not visit as often with one another. As the years passed, during the Christmas season we would receive a visit or a package from this family with the ornaments for our children. We would visit for a few minutes or exchange a thoughtful text and the kids would put their ornaments on the tree. When Lily was born, they started her an ornament series as well and as the ornaments multiplied my appreciation for their kindness over the years swelled inside me, as this simple act became my family’s most treasured Christmas tradition. These ornaments are precious to me and one of the only possessions we have that I truly cherish.

Sheri in her wisdom knew something almost 15 years ago because of her life experience and wisdom gained by her growing children. She knew time could not be replaced and as the years passed the ornaments would become a treasured memory of each Christmas season for my family. Every Christmas I take time to celebrate this thoughtful gesture demonstrated to us by a Godly family. Each year when we decorate the tree, my children reminisce on Christmas' past and carefully, with thoughtfulness and love, hang their ornaments on the tree. My children are so proud of their ornament series and get so excited every year to see open the Hallmark box and hold their new ornament.

This is Stella’s first Christmas and I wasn’t sure if Sheri was going to start her a series. I hadn’t talked to them much this year and we have grown even farther apart because of distance and busy schedules. I think and pray for their family often but in my humanness, have not made time to reconnect. Last week a box came in the mail and inside was a Christmas ornament for each child including sweet Stella. A simple note enclosed said “Surprise!” and I was flooded with memories of their family and the kindness they have shown to us.

Sheri knew. She knew the impact these ornaments could have on our family and in her wisdom and love for Jesus she did for me what I did not have the wisdom to do for myself. I treasure these ornaments and the love they represent. Not only the love for my family but also the love for my neighbor and most of all the love we have for Jesus. This thoughtful gift given every year at Christmas time reminds me of God's love and their willingness to show it.

As I rock sweet Stella I think about my own life. Do I give in my wisdom and love for Jesus so others can have a treasured keepsake year after year? Have I impacted the life of someone with as much intensity with a repeated act of kindness? You see friends it is easy to give a gift but to remember a long lost friend each year and bless them with a reminder of His love and how much you care is a gift that is rarely given. One-time gifts are valuable but gifts given year after year to build a collection of memories that are loved, valued, and appreciated are irreplaceable.

I celebrate the Sheri’s of the world and their generosity to others. I celebrate the opportunities we have to help others build lasting memories and irreplaceable treasures when we are wise and generous. I pray God will give us wisdom on how we can bless with a small gift and begin a collection of memories in the repetition of giving year after year. I celebrate our God and His repeated gift of grace and mercy to a sinner like me. Thank you Jesus for seeing the value in a gift repeatedly given. May we each strive to love in a way that is not easily forgotten or replaced.

And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

~ 2 John 1:6

Celebrate Those Crazy Mornings Even If You Haven't Had Your Coffee Yet!

My days depend on the kind of morning I have. Some mornings I wake up on time and rested. The kids get ready quickly without complaining and they are waiting to leave for school by the front door. My clothes fit well and my hair looks nice so I am not trying to piece together something or self-conscious before I’ve had my morning coffee. I wish all days were like this but most days I am lucky if I brush my hair and wear clean clothes let alone clothes that are stylish. We scramble and in a frenzy rush around the apartment to make it out the door close to on time. The aftermath we leave in our wake frustrates me and I feel my blood pressure rising as my kids argue about who gets to sit upfront.

This morning was no different. I woke up 15 minutes late and in my world I might as well have slept till noon. We rush, we hurry and everyone makes it outside the house frazzled but mostly intact. I’m praying for peace and clarity when my husband calls me on the phone and the conversation we had gave me so much insight into my Heavenly Father that I have to stop and celebrate.

He began to share with me the morning our sweet Stella was having.  She started to rustle and whine so he went in to check on her. She peeked and saw Nick standing there ready to comfort her. She smiled at him and settled in peacefully knowing she was not alone but safe with her father. My Stella does that sometimes. She peeks her eyes open looking for a familiar face and when she sees us, she smiles and is comforted because she knows we are there. She settles in and rests peacefully as we watch over her and keep her safe.

After I hung up with Nick I began to ponder the contrast between my morning and Stella’s. She rustled in her sleep, unsettled and unsure if there was someone who loved her that would take care of her and provide for her. So she peeked her eyes open to see if she was alone and abandoned. Stella was unsure and frazzled but when she saw the face of her father all her anxiety faded and she was reassured by his presence. She finds comfort when she sees us and joyfully greets her day with smile because she knows she is provided and cared for.

Should we not greet our day in the same manner? Peek our eyes open looking for the familiar face of the One who gives us safety and provides us with peace. When we see Him through prayer and His word shouldn’t we be reassured by his presence and joyfully greet our morning because we know He is there? I wonder if I would peek my eyes open and see His face first if my morning routine would run a bit smoother and be filled with joy and reassurance as I settle into the truth that He is in control.

So I celebrate the comfort I find as a child of God. I celebrate each morning as a new opportunity to experience His love take joy in His promises. I celebrate that when I rustle and am unsettled by the unknown, I can settle in and know He is in control. May I remember to greet my Heavenly Father each morning and start each day reassured by His presence. 

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,

for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,

for to you I entrust my life.

~Psalm 143:8 

Celebrate Your Brokenness

There is a problem my friends. It is not easy to dwell in a world mutated by sin. This world is in distress, it is broken and there is nothing we can do to restore it and make it new again. Through Christ and His sacrifice there is an eternal restoration, but the temporary restoration is not promised. In John 16:33 Jesus says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” 

I came to a realization this week as I lived life and visited with people who were torn apart from the affects of a broken world. We will have trouble. Embrace it. We will sin or be affected by sin as long as we exist on earth. There will be sadness, morning, and death. There will be fights, trials, and pain. We will be misunderstood and taken advantage of. We will loose and not be able to find as long as we reside in this place. Jesus told us we will have troubles, life will not be easy but don’t despair I (Jesus) am with you and I can ultimately fix the brokenness. As I write and ponder this truth a peace swells inside my soul and I can't help but celebrate.

Jesus did not leave us here in our brokenness to despair and question why we have troubles. In His deep love for us He was proactive and He told us, not “if you have troubles” but “you will have troubles” so take heart I (Jesus) have overcome the world. My friend, you are not the first to suffer and you will not be the last. Your pain is great and as I write and pray over this post my heart is heavy with compassion and love for you in your brokenness. But we must remember, even though we are in great pain…. He is greater. Even though our relationships and loved ones are broken and lost… He can fix and find them. 

I love the story of Moses in the Bible. He was not a man’s man nor incredibly enthusiastic about His mission, but in the end He was willing and God used Him to do mighty things. God chose Him, an orphan who was outcast by society and not comfortable with leading or speaking. Moses was not ideal for this task and did not possess any of the skills necessary when God spoke to him. But our God does not make mistakes and He chose Moses to lead His people out of Egypt and through his brokenness, God made him strong. 

One of my favorite parts in his story is the conversation Moses has with God for the first time. Moses was doing his job and tending to the sheep his father-in-law had entrusted to him. He moved them to graze on the west end of the wilderness not for any profound reason, just because of the pasture. Moses did not know when he went into the fields that night he would have a glorious encounter with God, but God knew. He chose Moses, and God knew it was time to let Moses in on the plan. 

Moses looked. In the distance he saw a bush that was ablaze but did not burn up. Moses could have run away. He could have, in cowardice, left and moved his flock away from this strange sight. He could have played it safe and not succumb to the curiousness of this event. Moses did not have to inquire, but he did and we see a glimpse of his strength and courage as Moses goes to investigate. He unknowingly becomes a valuable player in God’s plan to restore the nation of Israel and ultimately, the world. Moses looked, then explored and God magnified this tiny act of courage and obedience through his brokenness. 

In this story, Moses doubts God’s choice five times. The bush that blazes but does not burn is speaking to him and he doubts? Some of us just want God to speak to us and show us a miracle. If our miracle comes, will we believe in His goodness? We will believe in His power? Would we really? If we were honest with ourselves, would a burning bush in our lives be enough? Could the true root of our problem not be the lack of “miracles” but the lack of faith in the one who performs them?

Here is where the story takes a turn my friends and where God speaks in a mighty way to the broken. Moses asks God what His name is. God says two words, “I AM”. He is whatever we need Him to be. What a great way for God to describe Himself to us! I AM all of it. You need to be healed? I AM a healer. You need to be comforted? I AM a comforter. You need strength? I AM able to make you strong. You need to mend broken relationships? I AM a counselor. You need provision? I AM a provider. Whatever shoe you have, I AM can wear them.

You are broken. You are hurt. Your pain is great and your life is in chaos. My friends, He is I AM. Let’s not make the mistake Moses made when he gave God excuse after excuse on why He could not be trusted. Let’s not doubt and lack faith in what we need but run to the One who can bring peace in times of trouble. The One who can restore the broken and give rest to the weary. We are broken. Embrace it, because I AM is everything we need to mend the pieces and become whole again. In our troubles we are reminded and convicted we cannot do this alone. Alone, we cannot fix our marriage or heal our child. We cannot be what we need to be. But, through Him, we can have peace in the promise that He has overcome our troubles and He can be what we need. 

When we accept this truth and faithfully trust in I AM, peace will resonate through our lives and relationships. When we abide in Him and allow Him to bring us rest, we feel rejuvenated and able to face whatever challenge is ahead for He is our true source of strength and provider of rest. When we accept and embrace what I AM is, we start to see light in the darkness and smile a little easier as we become joyous and celebrate the small victories. We trust in His plan and provision not in the world's false sense of security and molds for success. Things start to not look so desperate and the weight we carry seems to be lighter. Not because our troubles have disappeared, but because we are allowing Christ to do most of the lifting. We see His hand moving and working and we take courage from the Conqueror when He becomes what we need in our brokenness. 

We need to call upon I AM when we are tired, weary and broken. We must call upon Him for provision and strength, trust in His plan, and abide in His love and rest. Waves of peace will come over us and we will feel His strength and healing as he meets us where we are. So lets celebrate our brokenness and need for His mending. Lets celebrate that the same God who revealed Himself to Moses, reveals Himself today to all who call His name. He is I AM and that is more than enough to get us through anything. My friends, we cannot fix our problems alone so lets stop trying and start relying on I AM. 

Who gets the leftovers?

I want you to imagine a group of people who are committed to seeing each other multiple times a week. They learn and grow together and as they are taught, they teach others. They eat meals together and build relationships with each other. They don't always see eye to eye but they compromise and work it out because they are invested in each other. The leaders of this group work hard to train and serve. To pass on the knowledge and skills they possess to better the next generation. They take their responsibilities seriously and spend countless extra hours serving and teaching so those who struggle can receive support. Everyone understands their role and everyone understands why this group exists. They think outside the box to come up with ideas and activities to successfully complete the task before them with excellence. The group will never opt out, they are 100% committed at all costs and use whatever resources they have to support the group and help its people. They are focused on relationships and growth while they serve with a common purpose.

We all belong to a group of people that we invest extensive time, energy, resources, and effort into so we can better the collective. Maybe it's your job, school, social group, or sports team. Whatever it is we are all invested in something and do whatever we can to better the group.

I teach at a small country school in northwest Missouri. Our town takes a lot of pride in their little country school and invests in their children. Practically the whole town shows up for a ballgame or a pancake feed to support a school club. Our class sizes are small, 10-15 students, and we invest our resources in their success because we believe in them, genuinely care, and want them to have the best quality of life possible. It's a beautiful picture of a devoted group of people serving to better the community and to support one another because they value the individual success of its members. I am blessed to be part of this group and take a lot of pride in this small country school.

This imagery of a group of people highly invested in one another exists in every town, city, and state. Highly invested people serving joyfully for the betterment of others. What group comes to your mind? Maybe the group of people that comes to your mind is your local school or your high school football team. If so, these entities understand the importance of taking care of one individual so the whole team can be successful. Whether it is your school, job, sports team or club I hope the image that came to mind first is the church. 

The church should be a group of people who invest in one another. In Acts we see a pure and powerful example of what the church should be like. I want you to imagine a group of believers who were focused and had a common goal. They understood their purpose and what was truly important. They didn't think about themselves first, but thought about the needs of others. They craved scripture and Biblical teaching and devoted themselves to prayer and cultivating a relationship with Jesus. God was powerfully at work in them and because they were devoted to the design of the church, no one was in need. They brought everything they had all their resources, time, energy, and effort to be used for Christ through the church. They understood what was important and found their identity in being a Christ follower. The church accepted them, welcomed them in and began to teach and disciple each member so that they could teach and disciple others. The crazy thing about the early church is it started in a upper room with less than 150 members and by 70 AD the church had converted over 1 million people in the midst of extreme persecution.

I wonder. How does the church fit into our lives? If we looked at our week, what activities and relationships consume the bulk of our time? Do we crave scripture and devote ourselves to prayer? Do we give God the best of what we have or do we give Him what is left over? If I'm honest with myself, these questions make me uneasy. The more I serve and share community with the church, it seems like my desire and need for the church grows stronger and stronger.

The things of God work that way. When we allow the Spirit to work in our lives, study God's word, and pray throughout the day the things the world values, we tend to value less. Our priorities start to become centered on how we can serve others and less on how we can serve ourselves. The things we schedule in our day that are not focused on Christ and His plan for our lives, seem less important. We become uneasy with our daily routine and priorities so we find ways to evolve and change to make Christ the focus in everything we do. As we weave His love and desires into our day to day routines this beautiful image of a group of believers living, growing, and giving starts to become a spiritual force in the community. True change begins to take place when we allow God to work and we strive to portray Biblical community in our churches.

As I watch sweet Stella sleep and I think about my family and the community that I love. I celebrate the uneasy feeling I get because it convicts me to think and evaluate myself and my priorities. I celebrate the groups I belong to and the people I call friends. As I go about my day to day routine, I celebrate the opportunities it brings to show Christ to others. I celebrate the model God gave us in Acts 4 and I take comfort in knowing with Christ it is possible to grow a small group of devoted into millions of faithful Christ followers when seeds are planted and allowed to grow. May God cultivate His churches and build in our communities a spiritual force that can transform the nations one encounter at a time.  

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales  and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
~ Acts 4: 32-36