Advice to a Bride

We're going to a wedding this weekend. I can't wait. I love weddings. I love the romance, the attention to detail that has been invested, the joy, the friends we get to spend time with, the music, the laughter, the dancing that makes me feel old and yet so young in love, the couple that I cannot stop taking my eyes off of. I see them, I see their hope, I see the challenges and adventures they have yet to share. I see the Gospel. Yeah - I do. We - the church - get to be the bride of Christ! And I can't wait to celebrate my face off because then - THEN - OH YES! YES! THEN! I'm drinking a full cup of whatever Jesus is pouring! Was I a little to enthusiastic there? Sorry. I am ALWAYS and forever a party girl, just a redeemed one. Long story - another day. WEDDINGS! Best date night for a thousand reminiscent reasons.

SO - here's my advice, beautiful bride!!! All that Victoria Secret, sexy, swanky, gorgeous stuff that you get to wear for your prince...Girlfriend - that is for YOU! Yes! That stuff - so for us. We need to feel...desirable. But I have great news for you...YOU ARE DESIRED! He can't wait to get his arms around you, and that gorgeous silky, lacy, wrapping around the glory that is ALL of you - heart, soul, and mind - THAT is going to wind up on the floor. HE already desires you...Hear me out on this because I need this reminder, so I wanna share it with you...We can't let that "feeling" of being desirable - stymie us in our marriage. You may not know what I am saying right now - but you so will. You won't feel desirable so you won't want to be desired. You may push him away because of your big - fat - lie of a feeling that is grippin' your heart. You don't have to put on - dress up - perfume - light candles - all that jazzy jazz we do - to be desired by your husband. YOU SO SO SO ARE! Test me on this one. Baseball hat - t-shirt - lounge pants - and no makeup. Ask him - when you're married of course - if he wants you - right there and right then. Watch his response! Do it! So fun!

We - our ideas about what makes us wanted and desired - can stifle that HOT love that our husbands have brewing ALL. THE. TIME. I pray DAILY! God - let me stir his desires and not stifle them. Broken perspectives harmed my heart - but God has poured wisdom over all of it...And so, I just had to share it with you...

You know I have to go back to Jesus on this thought - cuz I don't ever want to share anything with you that is not grounded in our God. Did you do anything - ANY ONE LITTLE THING - to deserve the love, mercy, salvation, and grace of our God? LOUD RESOUNDING - NO! WE did nothing to be swept up in the arms of our God. His love was poured out for us - while we were YET sinners - rejecting, rebelling, mocking and spitting in His face. Romans 5:8.Can you even believe it? Yeah - I'm with you! Tears! How great is our God?!?!? We didn't clean up and then come to Christ, right? We might have tried...What a joke! But then we realized - only HE can fix our heart. Only He can change us. Only He can make us clean. AND in that realization - we loved Him...for the first time, we loved Him. GOSPEL!!! oh the GOSPEL!!!

Back to you and your hubby...Remember you are HOT, little mama. YOU are desired by the man God has blessed you to do this life with... WALK daily in that "comin' at him down the aisle - can't get the grin off his face or the tear out of his eye" - DESIRE!!!! Walk in it, bride. YOU are spectacular! You truly are.

Now - if you want his attention... Walk around the house with a hammer and nails...That's what I do! I was going to hang a picture right now...and all I could hear was the sound of my husband's voice..."Hey, where you going?" I love when he says that!

LOVE!!!

Devotions

Have you had your "devotions" today? How do you like that question? It either puts a twist in your gut or it gets you all excited for a great conversation. Right?

Devotions. We, as believers define our time with God in His Word as our "Devotions". But - as you may or may not know - our religion is not the only religion honking the Devo horn. Other religions have their devotional time to align their hearts with what they believe and want to live by. Uh huh. What does that do in your gut?

What are they reading? What are they thinking? But even more than that - how is their study time affecting them, and the world around them...not just today - for every day...for eternity.

I WOULD LOVE to sit down and chat with these people about their devotions. I would. Not in a heated discussion. YUK! I hate confrontation. What I do love is to hear someone's heart. What makes you tick? What makes you ok in the midst of heartache, in the midst of uncertainty? What gives you joy?

Here's the thing though...devotionally - you ready for this? Devotionally - regardless of what they are reading - they are being inspired, re-wired, and charged for the day. Sure they are! These people are not being left without a surge of "feel good" from their devotions. They read and study and focus on something that will empower them. We can ALL find a source of "feel good" when we want it, right? I see these religious power statements on facebook often. Don't you? We may even quote them ourselves...

So what then is the difference between our devotions and the devotions of another religion? Is it in fact our source of study? Is that what you were thinking? The Bible? - sure. Ok - I'll give us that. We have the Bible. We go to The Word of God for the way, the truth and the life. And we believe - unwaveringly - that it is The BREATHED Word of God that He has protected and dispersed over time and distances  -.... But can I tell you what has my gears turning this morning?  The BOOK of all books - that is our focus and foundation for devotions - is not  meant to be a "feel good" book. Please don't get me wrong...I know it brings us deep soul gratification. I'm with you. I feel good in having spent time with God and being fed by Him, but consider this with me...Our devotions - time we spend with our Almighty God - if this time is always about reading until we feel good...we are missing the depth and power of our SOURCE of truth - that no other religion has.

Any religion offers a feel good source to their followers. Do you and I know - realize - study - equip our minds and hearts with the ROCK SOLID foundational truths that is the BIBLE - that defines our faith - that is the reason we pick it up at all? DO WE KNOW - why that verse we read actually...ACTUALLY...makes us feel good - or makes us rewire - reboot our lives??? Cause there is SO MUCH DEPTH to it - more than just our own soul stirring depth. It is the Word of The LIVING one true GOD.

AND in 2012 He has not left us without resources to study - and know it - to dig deep into it - and be grounded in why THE WORD of GOD is worth living by - and dying by.

Do you know why that verse you read changed your life? It is different than any other feel good saying you can repeat, or post, or tattoo, tweet, talk about, sing about - think about - and 180 your life to.  We NEED to know. We do - we sooooo so do. For those we love, for the God who has given us grace to live this undeserved love life with Him - for those we have yet to love in this life - and in our eternity...we need to know why we believe - WHAT - we believe. THAT - will set apart your mind and heart in your devotional time - from every religion in the world. AND God willing, He will give us the opportunity to share that difference - with love - with boldness - and with great certainty.

I Peter 2:15 " But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear...."

One study resource I have benefited from as a learner, and one that I keep on my shelf close by as a reference is Know Why You Believe by Paul E. Little. It's a small book - easy to devour, but it must be devoured slowly. Lots of meat. Lots of rock.

The other book - that change my LIFE! - oh my soul changed my life! -  How to Study Your Bible by Kay Arthur

I love this Jesus lovin -' followin' - studyin' - life with you. I so do. You spur me on. So, THANK YOU! I hope I do the same for you.
LOVE!

So why do you think that way?

Did you grow up being told this is what you should believe, and so that's why you hold the beliefs you do? Or, did you grow up being told this is what you should believe and so NOW you are going to determine the beliefs you hold apart from your upbringing?

Your beliefs - or World View - influences everything about you. Everything. From where you live, to how you treat others,  your decision making, your friends, your enemies, your loves, the things you hate, the places you go, what determines right and wrong for you, if there even is right and wrong at all for you or others,  the things you invest in, the things you teach your children, or the things you won't teach your children, your identity, the way you view your worth, others' worth, your eternity...the very manner by which you determine what is true and what is not - is influenced by your World View.

So, with so much WEIGHT, on the filter of your life - have you ever considered WHY you believe what you believe? I mean, most people will tell you quite passionately what they believe, myself included. Passion about our beliefs is easy - but the reasoning behind that passion...well, truthfully - many will fumble for articulate words that define exactly why they hold to the beliefs that shape life as they live it. Try it. Ask someone - anyone - about something like...."How do you determine what is right and what is wrong for you - for your family?" Then ask - "Why do you believe that?" or ask it another way - ask.. "Why do you think that is right?" I bet they will pause and have to pull their thoughts together very carefully. We don't press one another for reasons behind who we are - and what we believe...it's too uncomfortable, isn't it?  - or it's just not fun, right? Can't we just talk about the Bills game (yeah, I'm not good at that topic), the weather, work, the kids, our husband's, a sale at the grocery store, our personal junk, or someone else's personal junk? It's too hard to get specific - for a lot of reasons. But I'm goin' there with you... I mean - it's just you and I, right? And you don't even have to answer me...You can even just shut down this ranting I'm in the midst of right now... I hope you don't, though. I hope you'll stay with me. Stay with me for a minute - even if it's just to see if I'm more wacked then you originally thought. You look great today, by the way. Love your hair! Please, stay with me for this...

I just want to go somewhere deep with you today, ok? I want you and I to take a moment to think...Do we know why we believe what we believe? I get we're passionate about our beliefs. Ask a vegetarian about the whole meat processing deal...woooweee - passion! Ask a homosexual about why she is the way she is....yup. Passion. Ask a mom about how she disciplines her babes...PASSION! Passion is a huge window into who we are - our ticking mechanism, but passion for our "issues" does not get to the core of why we believe the things we do.

SO I gotta ask you - just for a second - will you think with me about...why do you believe what you believe? Did some religious fanatic convince you that religion is weird? Did a family member tell you that if you reject what you have been told, you will in turn be rejected? Did you have some moment of "enlightenment", or did you read some text recommended by Oprah's Book Club that made you feel better about your circumstances? Maybe you did what I did at the age of 20, and out of some devastating moment determined - "I will believe what works for me..."

WHATEVER your reasons for embracing the beliefs you hold...can I just challenge you to consider your source of truth very critically. Because if it is TRUTH, it will indeed stand the test of fire. If your belief system cannot handle scrutiny - then you have just learned something very important about the source by which you base your life and your eternity.

Ask yourself these questions...come on! It will be interesting for you! Just think about these things...Certainty is nothing to be afraid of...right? If you're certain you're source of truth is right - ASK some hard questions.

1. What actually is your source of truth? You? A book? Is this book or your ideas based on one person's "enlightenment", or experience? Your own perhaps? How do you know this enlightenment is true? Why do you believe the book/ idea you have chosen to believe as true? What do you know about it's author(s) - it's validity? Here's a hard one...how do you actually define TRUE? what works? what is it that "works" about your belief? Will it always work? How can you be sure?

2. Is your belief system limited to only those who "get it"? Can anyone "get it" - or is your belief system only for those who are "enlightened". How do you treat those who don't believe what you believe? For example, is there just a community for "believers" that you get along with - or do your beliefs welcome everyone? Would I - a Christian - be welcome among you?

3.How is justice determined? How is right or wrong determined according to your belief system? What protects you - society - from evil? Do you even acknowledge evil, and if not - why not? Is it not prevalent? How do you explain the "bad things" that happen in this world? If you do acknowledge evil, how according to your belief system should it be dealt with? If you don't acknowledge evil, what do you do with the bad things that threaten you - your family - society - the world...including disease?

4. How do you view eternity? Is God distant or personal?  Does your God have any concern for where you are - who you are - and where you will be one day? What makes you think so? WhoWhat shaped this view of God for you? A book? Who wrote it? An experience? How is it that  your experience/idea is correct about God?

5. Let's talk eternity...According to your beliefs, is there hope for your peace? For the world's peace? Is there a circular reasoning that keeps people coming and going in a loop of pass/fail until we get it right? Or is there a final destination for all souls? What is that destination and how does one get there? Is it seemingly possible, or is it a never ending effort of trying to achieve it?

6. What is the purpose for "good deeds" in your belief system? What defines a selfless act toward humanity verses a selfish deed that determines your "good standing"? If your belief system is all about earning favor, or good standing with God and humanity - or even possibly earning heaven - how does your belief system determine what is actually an unselfish deed? Wouldn't all deeds be selfish? What is your motivation apart from self?

7. What does your belief system do with Jesus - the Biblical God, the self proclaimed Savior of the World - the self proclaimed "way, truth, and life? He is a pivotal point in ALL belief systems. Either your belief system acknowledges Him  -as a prophet, or a teacher - who provides sign posts toward "good living", or you believe He is who He claimed to be and you follow Him, or you believe He is who He claimed to be, but you don't think He knows you, or maybe - you think He was a lunatic, or you are just not sure what to make of Him.What does your belief system say of Jesus and who- WHAT PERSON- determined this opinion of the God of the Bible that you now hold? What do you know about the person who has influenced your thinking, their credibility?  Who is telling you who God is?

Have you thought about these things? Maybe not at all...Too much work when you have too much else to think about...Or maybe you think only about the things you are passionate about that fall under the umbrella of your world view, because that's all that really matters???... Things like:

1. Homosexuality. -  God is a God of love. It can't be wrong to love whomever you choose.
2. Abortion - It is a woman's choice to do what she wants with her body.
3. Creation - However the world was created - the source of the universe was not a personal God.
4. Humanity - People are messed up, and religion has never fixed the issues of the world.
5. Eternity - No one can determine where a soul ends up or even if there is a soul.

All of these statements are rooted in passion, not in Truth. Follow any of your beliefs on any of these issues and you will only wander around a hoola-hoop of reasoning - a hoola-hoop that is around you. I'm not being mean - I'm just stating something you probably already know, right? What you believe, quite possibly, is for you - your benefit.

I just want you to know one thing before I let you go...Thank you for enduring my questions. I love deep stuff with you!!!

Man cannot disprove the God of The Bible. We can postulate, argue, and disagree on thousands upon thousands of issues....we can brainstorm and calculate as to what we believe is the cause of this life,what we believe is the source of life, and the hope for humanity, what we believe is right for us today, where we go, what we do, whom we love or don't, but  while we draw these defining lines with passion, we cannot escape one FACT...man has never been able to disprove the God of the Bible.

Any statement we make apart from God is rooted in one thing...SELF.

If you consider why you believe these things, at the very core of each issue you will find the pride of life that each of us are guilty of. "I believe it for me." This is not truth. This is passion.

Every belief that is rooted in The God of The Bible - HIS BOOK - is not rooted in self. NOT ONE.Think about it - Go ahead. Spend some time rummaging through what you know about the Bible, and then go and read it...I promise! Because it is true! not even our personal salvation, according to the Bible, is for "self" - but for the love of God - and the love of others. ANY situation of self that is told of in the Bible - is an example of self-destruction.

Every world view - but Christianity - is works based and geared toward self. ONLY the God of  The Bible - gave His Son so that we wouldn't have to work our way to Him for ourselves - ONLY THE GOD OF THE BIBLE - gave His Son - so that we could be in relationship to Him and so that we could but could live life through Him - not for our sakes - but for the world He loves....wow.

"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." I John 4:9-11

I'm fired up today. Fired up with passion based on TRUTH...truth that does not depend on my passion - but rather TRUTH  that can hold the weight of reality.

grace to be grace.

"The God of all grace." I Peter 5:10

That verse gives me comfort this morning. Grace. God is a God of grace. ALLLLL grace given. Undeserved - unmerited favor: that's grace. Our God...our God is a God of grace. Not the Hindu gods. No grace found there. Not the God of Islam. Yeah...no. No grace there. Buddah? How about grace from Buddah? No. Check him out. NO grace found there. Really. Check those gods - any gods for that matter. No god but THE GOD of The Bible offers grace. AND here's the kicker...we did nothing to deserve it. ALL other religions focus on deeds - what we must do to earn favor.

Not THE GOD - the author of grace: "By grace you have been save through faith, and that NOT OF YOURSELVES, it is the gift of GOD." Ephesians 2:8-9. And this grace that comes through Christ (John 1:17) is given to everybody. EVERY single body in the world is being extended this incredible favor from God right now. NO other god is as INCLUSIVE as THE GOD of grace. This God is the God of the Abraham, Isaac, to whom the promise was extended, to Jacob, his 12 sons who became the nation of Israel - through whom came King David, King Solomon, and King Jesus.The Son of God was given so that we might know the grace of God that did not demand we WORK to reach heaven, but that GRACE would come to us - even if we could care less. Through Jesus,- his life, death, and resurrection, we can know that our Creator has always been personally invested in us. He is not distant from us - nor has he ever been. He has always loved us, and will not ever relent in His love. He lets us choose Him, and He lets us reject Him - and in both decisions His love pervades. No other god is like our God.

I am so caught up in grace this morning, caught up with the blazing realization that our God is living and active and that HE ALONE is God. There is none like Him. ALL roads do not lead to Him. Any other road but Jesus - the way, the truth the life" is a dead end. John 14:6-7

And you know what? This truth claim is not exclusive - THIS WAY is for the ENTIRE world. "For God so loved THE WORLD that WHOSOEVER believes in Him - not about Him, cuz He is historical fact - but IN HIM - which means your will and heart believe and live accordingly - SHALL NOT DIE - but have everlasting life. That's not reincarnation. Our everlasting life is not cyclical - but linear...we go on, and on, and on - with our God. Jesus said, "My Father's house has plenty of room; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?" We don't have to be relegated to the body of a bug for bad karma. We won't become apart of some essence of a god. We get to be with Jesus - in a personal, loving, intimate eye to eye relationship with Him and others who love Him - RIGHT where HE IS - with GOD. He is there RIGHT NOW!!!! AND one day...we get to be there too! I know...unbelievable, right? Yeah - but not by faith. It's not unbelievable when you put your faith in Christ and His Spirit comes in and opens your eyes to truth that is indeed BELIEVABLE! I Corinthians 1:27-31

I have never seen anything more exclusive than the religions and ideologies of our world. My eyes have been flooded with tears at the realization of what some believe is truth. How exhausting. Heart wrenching. Dark. Hopeless. Powerless. Impersonal. EMPTY. Just the thought that someone would say "All Roads Lead to One" is heartbreaking. How completely ignorant of who God has shown us that He is through His Word - through Jesus of Nazareth - His only Son. One idea planted by that Ancient Liar long ago keeps growing and spreading like a virus. "Did God really say...?" Genesis 3. All truth is realized in one fact. We can trust our God  - THE GOD of grace.

God loves the world. And He has paid for our rejection of Him. We are desperate for Him. We just need to realize who He is.

Confucianism, Shinto, Hindu, Sikhism, Kabbalah, Taoism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Zen Buddhism...the list goes on and is quite long; all  gods but our GOD require deeds to achieve an end result. ONLY the God of The Bible requires nothing of us - but to receive the free gift of Jesus, and HIM ALONE, as payment for our sin debt, and hope for our eternity. ANY OTHER god - offers no assurance of salvation apart from deeds - our gift to them...and! And! AND!!! even those deeds do not assure that  could we have done enough...well - unless of course you become a guru - or maybe a suicide bomber.

HOW I ache for the truth of God to pervade this city - and every city. Your city and my city need Jesus. We are not filled with the passion to proclaim him from our own efforts. Remember? We can do nothing apart from Him? John 15. He makes us able, because He knows we can't. No other god makes people able to live for him. THE GOD does. We have the power of God in us to pursue Him, and to be ambassadors for Him. You feel that excitement? That urgency? That is the Spirit of God in you! HUG ME! I love that about you!

So where do we begin? How do we accomplish so GREAT a task? I'm with you! I'm thinkin' it out and praying about it with you. Indeed - how do you? Begin with asking our GOD - THE GOD - who has positioned us here in 2012 to know HIM - and live this life for Him...(and again - that's not a list of to do's...that's the Spirit of God in us that makes us cry out to Him - I LOVE YOU SO MUCH I WANT TO LIVE FOR YOU!!!...you don't get that with other gods...This is a free benefit with THE GOD) Check out ..
Hebrews 10:16 " I will put my laws in their hearts and I will write them on their minds. Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."  We don't need a list of laws - a ritual, a mantra, a bracelet, an outfit ...we are indwelt by the Spirit of God, and daily He will teach us what we need for our good that brings Him glory. CRAZY! It's just so good and beautiful - it's crazy! How can people not be drawn to Jesus? Oh...yeah - that's right...other people.

Grace. We must learn grace and what it looks like to extend it as our Father has extended it to us. Grace is not extending a rule book, jamming a cross in someone's face, judging, forcing; it's Jesus. Grace is the undeserved, unmerited favor that is our Savior and King. What can you do to extend THAT? Ask God. He's good at it.  He didn't shove Himself down your throat, boldly proclaim your sins to the world, shun you, shame you, reject you... He loved you and waited for you to realize just how very much He does...allllll the while extending to you - GRACE.

Wow. Enjoy that thought today as you look back at your life and where God has brought you - apart from Him - or with Him. He has been loving you. Waiting for you. And hoping for your very best...which will always be His Son, Jesus.

I'm so thankful for grace. Thanks for grace through you, my friend! Thank you for being the touch of God in my life as He THRIVES in you!!! GRATEFUL!!! Spread that goodness to everyone!!! It's so INCDREDIBLE! And we aLLLLL need grace. Don't we? Yeah. We surely do. We surely, surely do.

"Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen." 2 Peter 3:18

What a GOD!

The unbearable Lightness of a burden

My heart has been aching for a friend - who is hurting...You know that feeling? Jesus called us to bare one another's burdens. That's hard, isn't it?  Quite honestly - if it were not for His Spirit indwelling me - (yeah, that's a hard concept for me to understand, too - but I know He's in there!)...If the Spirit of God did not get inside this head and heart of mine, I know I would not give one hoot about my friend's heartache. Oh sure - I'd casually be concerned, and offer kindness when I could - but this is different. This is a BURDEN that wakes me up in the night. This is a BURDEN that is on my heart from the moment I wake up and it remains with me throughout the day. This burden has me ready - on the alert - and willing. This burden makes me pray and hope and look for what I can do to bring JOY and PEACE and HELP to my friend.

You know what I'm talking about, right? A burden is an urgency that makes you just cry out to God, "Tell me what to do - and I'll do it." AND you're praying this even EVEN though you know what God may call you to do could be really hard, really humiliating, really inconvenient, uncomfortable - or even seemingly COMPLETELY impossible. Regardless - you're praying and willing to be used.  And we didn't even ask for this burden, did we?

Is it not incredible that we who follow Christ are moved from the comfort of self - to the discomfort of someone else's heart - another person's life struggle...a dark place where we are not at home, often not welcome, not at ease, not reassured, not respected, not strong, not wise, not able ... just completely dependent on God. We are stirred in our hearts, with our minds, and with our lives - to act on the behalf of someone else. Why?

Why indeed.

I read something today that brought me to a soft place of quiet understanding. I'm not saying I completely understand why we WILL  and why we MUST - carry the burden of others.  What I am saying is that I have laid down my question of why - and I have begun to thank God for this burden and trust Him with it.

I wanted to invite you to read this story as well. It is a short piece written by a Hindu convert to Jesus - who became a missionary. That alone intrigued me..So you ready for this? It's not that long. I promise it will be worth your while.

Here it is:

Shortly after coming to Christ, Sadhu felt called to become a missionary to India. Late one afternoon Sadhu was traveling on foot through the Himalayas with a Buddhist monk. It was bitter cold and the wind felt like a cold blade slicing into Sadhu's skin. Night was fast approaching when the monk warned Sadhu that they were in danger of freezing to death if they did not reach the monastery before the darkness fell. 

Just as they were traversing a narrow path above a steep precipice, they heard a cry of help. Down the cliff lay a man, fallen and badly hurt. The monk looked at Sadhu and said, "Do not stop. God has brought  this man to his fate. He must work it out for himself." Then he quickly added while walking on, "Let us hurry on before we, too, perish." 

But Sadhu replied, "God has sent me here to help my brother, I cannot abandon him." 

The monk continued trudging off through the whirling snow, while the missionary clambered down the steep embankment. The man's leg was broken and he could not walk. So Sadhu took his blanket, made a sling of it, and tied the man on his back. then, bending under his burden, he began a body-torturing climb. By the time he reached the narrow path again, he was drenched with perspiration.

Doggedly, he made his way on through the deepening snow. It was dark now and it was all he could do to follow the path. But he persevered, though faint with fatigue and overheated from the exertion. Finally, he saw ahead the lights of the monastery.

Then, for the first time, Sadhu stumbled and nearly fell - but not from weakness. He had stumbled over some object lying in the snow-covered road. Slowly he bent down on one knee and brushed the snow off the object. It was the body of the monk, frozen to death.

Years later a disciple of Sadhu's asked him, "What is life's most difficult task?"

Without hesitation, Sadhu replied: "To have no burden to carry."

You and I have been given an immeasurable blessing. It is grace to us and grace to those we have been blessed to love.

"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends" John 15:13
"For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." Matthew 16:25

I think of so many people I know who are burdened for others. Some are even burdened for people they haven't even met - locally and around the world. They seek to bring them healing, joy, peace, help in any way possible. They are doing whatever they believe God has called them to do, and their efforts are gargantuan and not without struggle. I also think of you. Which is why I am writing. I hope to encourage you this very day. What God has called you to, dear reader - in bearing someone else's burden - is a gift that He will help you endure...and not only ENDURE..but! THE God of the Universe will help you accomplish what He has put before you to do on His behalf...HOW amazing is that?!?! God will bless you with this burden you carry! It will literally be a blessing. A burden is grace we often do not realize. Isn't that incredible? I'm amazed with you - to the point of humble, grateful tears.

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.—Hebrews 12:2

Picking it up, and moving on, and stumbling forward - with JOY.

Hey Jealousy

Hey - you know that woman in your life - we all have one.. THE ONE that you think is SO spectacular....(She is sumpthin', isn't she? I know - she totally is!) - the one that makes you think every now and then that annoying little irritant of a thought "What must it be like to be you?" Don't you just hate that feeling - ugh! and no matter what, you can't keep it from coming to a boil. Double ugh! Well -hold on - I'm getting to the BETTER feeling for you and I... you ready?...The next time you see her - (and I'm with you - I've been doing it and it's WORKING!) WHY don't you tell her why you think she is so incredible? Don't laugh! I'm serious! But, listen - hear me out...You're not going to tell her just because she might need to hear it from your lips (because really, she might - you never know what she thinks about herself or how she feels the moment you are there with her -) ... you aren't telling her so much for her - as you are for your heart need to tell her - YOU are going to tell her because YOU need to hear YOU telling her just why you think the fancy out of  her! And can I tell ya... the funny thing is - you CAN tell her with  sincerity and sweetness from your heart - because you already believe it! Right!?! uh-huh - yeah we do! we believe she is amazing!

Woman!!! let me tell ya....

FREEEEEDOM! Freeedom! FREEEEEE DOMM!

Try it. I know you'll like it. You so will! Curl your toes kinda good feeling happy!!!

"I run the way of your commands for you have set my heart free." Psalm 119:32

Love is kind. It does not envy. Run light.

LOVE!

when you wish upon a star. stupid star.

Have you been to Cinderella's castle? It's quite spectacular at a distance. Maybe you've never actually stood before it - looking up at all it's magnificence - but maybe you've been to it in your mind. It actually - is much better there, really. I'm not trying to be a party pooper, But it's true.Nothing - no reality - can compare to what we have made of that castle in our mind.

I remember the first time I saw Cinderella's majestic, fairy tale home. I was eight. Remember the world at eight?  I could not wait to get to see inside of it with my own eyes and wander through its rooms and hallways and dungeons and towers. I wanted to see her bed, her kitchen, and fireplace. I had pictured it all a thousand times, and so the thought of seeing it for real made my heart race.

We climbed up the bride hill - that overlooks water - you know the one? And then stood in the golden painted archway with so many other people - who snapped pictures and talked loudly. What were they doing there? This was my moment! Not expected...right?

"Can we go in?" I asked.
"No - you don't GO in," my mother replied. She had tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Why? Why can't we go in? And why are you crying?"
"It's a restaurant in there. You have to have reservations to go in there." She wiped her tears from her cheeks. My father was taking her picture. She finished answering me. "It's Cinderella's castle. I have always wanted to be in Cinderella's castle. That's why I'm crying."

Yeah. I wanted to cry, too! THIS was it!?! And what was the deal with the reservations? Why couldn't we have reservations? I didn't ask anymore questions. I was sorely disappointed, and my mom seemed to be somewhere else in tears and a far-away look toward the paintings and bricks that had now really ticked me off.

THAT WAS IT!?!

How many times is the idea of something better to you than the reality? For instance - how 'bout motherhood? Are you laughing or gasping that I would even say such a thing? Laura Lewis! Don't you love being a mother? Of course I do! I love life with my God-given babes!!! But - BUT- BUT!!! THIS - is not how I imagined it. At all! Especially when they were newborns. Remember that? Or maybe you're in it...Praying for you, new Mama. Praying for you!!! Cuz..who tells you you're going to be up at 2 a.m. feeding a baby for months on end? NO ONE! Who tells you that they cry and you can't figure it out? ummm... NO ONE!  Who tells you that they will have sickness - and pain - and needs beyond your touch or ability to repair them? Aren't moms supposed to be able to fix everything? Yeah. No. Who prepares you for the heartache of  their blatant "NO"? Right in your face - "NO"...I guess that's more the toddler days - but still! No one tells you that tiny thing you could step on is going to rip your heart out and challenge you like nothing else in this world!  AND THEN!  who tells you that you can become this vile, nasty person that you have never seen or heard or realized in alllll your ever livin' days on this earth! AND you saw Mommy Dearest, right? Who told you that could be YOU?  Did ANYONE ever tell you that you would look in the mirror and ask - WHO AM I? ... Who is this person I am becoming in the midst of motherhood, because you have no idea. Yeah - no one.

I remember one friend - ONE - who said to me in my 9th month of pregnancy - while she held her 9 month old on her hip..."Keep that baby inside of you." But she didn't tell me why. And you know what - I was afraid to ask.

I guess - to everyone's defense - the truth is - HOW can anyone prepare you to come to grips with your own fantasy crashing around at  your feet. It's not going to be what you think it is - and no one else knows just REALLY what you have imagined THAT  picture to be... EXCEPT - our God. He knows our thoughts - He alone searches the heart - and He alone is the one who will speak love, and truth, and grace - into the reality that is our life. Jeremiah 17:10, "I alone search the heart and examine the mind to give everyman according to his ways, And according to the fruit of his doings." I do not see this truth of God in a negative light - anymore that is...As I learn the love that is our God...I see a Father - who knows what lessons He must bring to His child to shape a life - a heart - that is a reflection of His own image. Romans 8:27-28 makes that even more clear as I ponder it this morning... Hoping in God - who is our life - is where we will find an image to embrace and walk into.

"Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mid of the Spirit is, because He makes intersession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

Are you standing under the archway of Cinderella's castle? With tears streaming down your face - are you realizing, "THIS IS NOT WHAT I HOPED FOR." Does it feel like you have been sold a lie for what should have been a dream come true?

What are you going to do with those tears streaming down your face? Are you going to wipe them away and shove that pain deep down in your heart, so that you can chalk this up to another disappointment - another reason someone else has a better deal than you do... STOP IT! Stop right now...and I'm saying this in love - YOU ARE IN THE MIDST OF A POWERFUL LESSON. One that you best not ignore. How do I know? I'm with you!!! I'm standing right there with you! See me? Hey - how ya doin'? Here's a Kleenex. WE MUST pay close attention to our tears, and go to God's Word with them. That is the best cure for that heartache. We have incorrectly placed our hope in something that is not reality. Misappropriated HOPE is the reason for those tears - and we affect others with our sorrow... ( you know that little one lookin' at you saying, "Why are you crying, Mommy?")  LOVE for them makes a choice to fully examine our broken thinking - and seek God, our Daddy, to make it right. In the archway of Cinderella's castle - whatever that is for you - our God is standing - waiting for us to go to HIM - His Word - that is timeless - and exact - and healing - and precisely what He knew we would need to embrace our broken dream - and HIM - in the reality that is our day - today.

Remember that verse? I just shared it up a few paragraphs...IT ALLLL works together for our good. We don't have to be afraid that the dream just shattered. The dream cannot compare to what is going to be...because YES! GOD is just that good.

So stop reading this stupid blog - and go get your Bible...Read Psalm 27:14, Isaiah 40:28-29, Isaiah 41:10, Isaiah 25:4, James 1:3-4, and Hebrews 10:35-36...

Take hold of the TRUTH of God...and move into today knowing full well - your dream that you have cherished and protected and lived for - was not for nothing. It wasn't. Don't get all poo-poo about the fact you had this dream and it just popped!  This dream of yours - that God knew you had - it ...-LISTEN...and don't just listen - examine it - see if I'm right - IT was for a powerful lesson of LIFE - that GOD has been patiently waiting to show you - from the time your dreaming heart began to beat.

LOVE this Jesus life with you! Love it! Wish you'd tell me what you're learning, too. I always look to hear from you. LOVE!