Father of all...

⁸ 

In honor of our ultimate Father, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I wanted to just focus our thoughts on Him this Fathers Day!  Here are some verses about who we are in God and who God is always.  May you be encouraged and inspired to be thankful to our all-powerful Father today and always:

"But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand." - Isaiah 64:8

Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us..." - Malachi 2:10

"So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 

I and the Father are one.”

- John 10:24-30

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

- 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

"one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

- Ephesians 4:5-6

Happy Fathers Day!  Praying blessings over all the men in my life who have been called to be Dads.  May you each be inspired and be led by The Lord as you lay down your lives each day: as you worship our Living God, by parenting your children, loving your wives, and serving others as Jesus did!

A Hard Teaching...

Notes, quotes, and paraphrases from a sermon by John Piper entitled: "Don't Waste Your Life"

"When horrific events take place we need to ask: What would Jesus want us to learn from this, about not wasting our lives?  I think Jesus would say, just as in Luke 13:2-5: '... Unless you repent you will all likewise perish...'  Jesus is compassionate and kind, He weeps," and He comes to display Gods love and salvation, "but His goal is not to make everyone happy!  He doesnt need to make excuses for Gods actions.  Are you astonished at the magnitude of this calamity, don't be. You should be astonished that you are not among the ones who died- for we all deserve to die and perish!  If we are alive, we should question what it is that The Lord desires of us."

John Piper went on to mention Job and his reaction to the destruction of his children: "Blessed be the name of The Lord, He has given and He has taken away."  He went on to mention Hannah, who desperately wanted a child and she acknowledge God as thenone who holds life and death in his hands.  And so he concludes: If any of us lives through the night, or if I do, it is only by grace!

"Your life is in God's hands.  He never does anyone wrong.  Whether he takes your life or lets you live: you belong to God!  Therefore He knows what life is for- and the only way not to waste your life is to key off of the Almighty and to know what he would have you be."

"Jesus has something to say about this because He is really jealous that you don't waste your life today.  Jesus is jealous for you!  I think He would say to you: 'a person's life does not exist in the abundance of his possessions.'"

"Who knows when God will say: "this night your soul will be required from you."  Your life is not about accumulating things!  No sane person on his deathbed ever comforted himself with his possessions that his life was well spent."

Matthew 16:24-25, "If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."

"It is possible to waste your life.  Few things make me tremble more than wasting my life.  As a child I would wake up and run into the kitchen and see this sign: "Only one life, twil soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last."  And it communicated to me very early on that a life could be wasted.  Don't waste it!  I decided early on that I did not want to waste my life, and I cried out to God about it."

"What a tragedy in America that billions of dollars are invested every year to waste the rest of our lives: it's called retirement. For some it goes like this: "you worked for it, enjoy it" and so they live in relaxation, comfort, and ease.  While so many are still in need," not just physical need but spiritual need.  "We are going to join them, and be sucked in, unless we decide that our treasure is Christ- it will take a massive measure of grace to rescue us from this culture!"

"So now the question is: what is an unwasted life?  What would that be?  How can I not waste my life, this text is the answer: Philippians 1:20-21."

"The unwasted life is one that puts Christ on display as supremely valuable" -because He is!  "How does Paul make Christ look great?  He counts everything else in comparison to Jesus Christ as a loss...  Because of the treasure Christ has become to him." 

"Make Christ look great, that's why you exist.  This is Paul's all consuming passion.  My expectation and hope is that Christ will be shown great in me and in my body whether in life or in death."

Philippians 3:7-8.  How does Paul make Christ look great?  By experiencing Christ as such a treasure that every thing else in His life was as loss compared to knowing Jesus Christ."

"How do you make Christ great in your life?  Money, food, clothes, friends, and family are given to you so that you may live in such a way that it will be plain to the world these are not your treasures- Jesus Christ is!  Use all that you have been give to show the world that you treasure Jesus Christ above all things!  Get it- and if you dont get it yet, then pray!  Pray that you would treasure Jesus Christ above everything else in life!"

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." -Philippians 1:21

"If death is to be gain, Christ must be more precious to you than everything you leave behind.  Then when the world looks on, they will be able to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is valuable!  Life and death are given to you- they are gifts- in order that you may display the supreme glory of Jesus Christ."

"This treasuring of Him... is most clearly seen in what you are willing gladly to risk and sacrifice, if He calls, in order to have more of Him!  "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  Do you want more and more, is He your treasure?  Labor in prayer for authenticity!"

"'Magnifying Christ by being satisfied in Him' was the passion in Paul's life- it was not the American dream of escaping hardship.  He wanted to make Christ's life more vivid for all to see!  Are you going to buy into the American dream or live by the cross, and treasure Jesus beyond all else?!"

"'Always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in you.'  - 1 Peter 3:15.  Has anyone asked you about your hope lately?  Maybe it's because it looks like your hope is in the same thing as everyone else, worldly goods and possesions and not Jesus Christ."

"Embrace Christ, embrace suffering, and embrace the reward of knowing Him!  If your passion is to display Christ then my prayer is that, your life will have the words 'this life was not wasted for Jesus' written all over it.  May you hear the words at the end of your life: 'well done good and faithful servant.'"

Led by the Holy Spirit versus Grasping for Control...

What a week!  As with many other weeks really, there have been many blessings and many hardships.  This week has seemed especially taxing on my emotions though.  I feel like I've been on a roller coaster and it all seemed to start last Saturday with my family's humbling news about my husbands journeyman program.

Then, there was Sunday, we all were sick with colds and exhausted...  I thought we had our babies area covered with leaders at church that morning but all our main leaders and their families were sick too!  A crazy thing that hasn't really happened before, and really, God had it covered anyway because a couple of other lovely women stepped in instead.  It was just a morning full of surprises!

Then Monday rolled along, groceries, cleaning, meal making, getting better still, and playing as much as I could with Nico...  Not too crazy, but busy enough.

Tuesday morning was another wild ride though, our friend Ezekiel came over at 4:30 in the morning while his parents raced off to the hospital because his mom had gone into labor with baby number two!  So my little guy and I enjoyed a day with our friend Ezekiel and went to visit with and meet our new baby friend, Asher, on Wednesday.  My grandfather in Texas had a huge heart surgery that day too!  And then my father in law went in for a more minor surgery right after that.  Wednesday was a day of many prayers and much rejoicing!

After those exciting two days, we decided to lay low on Thursday.  A few bills and letters to write and some shopping to do, but then we took it easy.

Mostly because we knew Friday was going to continue in adventures.  Nico and I planned to drive with my aunt to Seattle for the day, in order to visit another homeschooling mom!  It was a good thing- a stretch for my little Nico, as far as traveling in one day is concerned, but he survived- and I was encouraged as I listened in on and observed two godly women most of the day.  Which brings me to today and my inspiration for this post...

We all had a discussion about what it looks like, feels like, is like...  To be led by the Holy Spirit.  Something we all agreed on as being an often overwhelming way to live!  And, as we also agreed, whenever we are overwhelmed it is easy to just cry.  In other words, it can just be emotionally exhausting to live by the Holy Spirit- he asks things of us that we feel are crazy sometimes and he wants us to obey Him even when we don't get the results we want from doing so.  The key is to listen and obey!

Oh to listen and obey...  What an almost ironic thing to have to learn daily from my lord and Savior, as though I am a toddler in training!  That is, I am training my toddler to listen and obey right now ;) and so it's funny to be teaching something to my little guy that I am only learning how to do myself.

"For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law." - Galatians 5:17-18

Whoo!  What an amazing truth- and what an incredible freedom we have in jesus christ!  Writing out this crazy week is such a release.  It is good to remember that my life is in Gods hands!

Wouldn't you agree that it is good to know God grasps you firmly in his loving hold? 

"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry,“Abba! Father!”" - Romans 8:14-15

May you continue into this next week with the security of His Love and the faith to walk in His steps- even when it feels crazy ;)

Be aware- when you pray for humility...

This is a two-fold entry: serious and humorous, because lets face it, life is a mixture of both of these attributes; thankfully our God is a God of balance!

("A false balance is an abomination to The Lord, but a just weight is his delight." Proverbs 11:1).  I recently prayed for humility and patience as I was waiting for The Lord to answer some specific prayers. 

("The fear of The Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor." - Proverbs 15:33)

 Many of you may have heard to watch out when you pray for patience, because God will make you exercise it ;p well, the same is true when you pray for humility- and I managed to squish both virtues into one little prayer...  You may imagine what happened next...  

Yes, humility has been my bread and butter these past few days.  Between being misunderstood in the way I communicate or failing at different things altogether, I feel like I have had a good portion of humble pie.  And then, God decided to take me up on exercising some patience too!  One prayer I was specifically asking God to give favor towards, has been postponed and was not granted favor the first go around, and yet, He has not said no...  He has just very clearly said, not yet.  So, I will continue to wait and pray, by the Lord's strength, in His humility ;)

God indeed is a good God and answers our prayers when they are aligned with His will: may I remind you, as I seemed to have forgotten, humility and patience are definitely within His character and therefore His will!  "Ask and you shall receive..." is exactly what happened- yes His Words are true.  See for yourself, ask wholeheartedly, and He will reveal Himself to you, for He wants us to know Him!

So, while I feel like I may be in the same boat as when I first started praying, I happen to have a new view.  Life is more beautiful after every humbling experience we encounter, for it is part of the way Christ helps us die to ourselves and live more fully in Him.  Praise The Lord again for His perfect example of enduring humility... patiently... and while I may have been too afraid to consciously pray this before now, may He give me the grace to do the same!

"I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." - Ephesians 4:1-3

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.  Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.  In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him." - 1 John 4:7-9

In the end...

 "For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.  And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." - Romans 8:32-33

"Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!" - Psalm 31:24

The call and response of Scripture!  I love how God knows exactly how I feel and then He shares the words that I need to hear, just in time to refocus my thoughts on Him.  Emotions are so strong and real, they can be all consuming, and oftentimes when I least expect them to be.  And yet, they will change and fade as emotions always seem to do!  This is why my faith cannot be based solely on how I feel.  Faith requires steadfastness...  Patient hope...  Faithful endurance...  Consistent focus on what lies ahead!  

The ultimate answer is, of course, Jesus. Simply and overwhelmingly, the awe-inspiring presence of my wonderful Creator for eternity.  My hopeful end, and also my new beginning, rests in my Savior's Love!

"Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit." - Ecclesiastes 7:8

In thankful memory and blessed hope I write this...

"Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." - Hebrews 12:28-29

This spiritual kingdom, which is real and inhabited, is an inspiration for my American freedom today!  I cannot say that everyone in America holds this view, but I can say that real freedom is only found in Jesus Christ.  This is why, the Kingdom of God is forefront on my mind as I remember today on Memorial Day!  I am so thankful that I have been overwhelmingly blessed to share in Gods kingdom and the nation of America, Jesus is our ultimate example of sacrifice as he: "laid down His life for His friends," and by His example we are able to recognize the love and the sacrifice others have given for our American freedom.

"By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.  As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.  If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.  These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.  This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:8-13

Laying down my life for another, truly there is no greater love than this!  What an incredible example Jesus is to us all.  How often do I lay down my life for someone else?  I think of this last verse in two ways: literally giving up the entirety of my life (unto death) for another and also sharing my life daily as a benefit for another as I live day to day.  The reality is that God has called me to do both: as a Christian I am called to give up my life in its entirety to follow my Savior God, and as I do that my life should naturally be a blessing to others everyday that I am alive on earth (and Lord Willing my life will continue to be a blessing even after I die in this body).

As I close, I just want to say thank you to all my dear friends and family who have served America and still serve in America's military for the freedom and the life that I have been blessed with today:

Robert Hunecke (Gave up his life in WW2)

Paul Hendricks (Marine)

Curtis Boland (Army)

Charles Boland (Army)

Mike Miller (Air Force)

Buddy Bewick (Air Force)

Jessica Larousse (Army)

Faith Sumpter (Army)

David Ameneyro (Army)

Megan Ameneyro (Army)

Your service and sacrifice are not overlooked! May the freedom we have in Jesus Christ first and foremost inspire us to be thankful for our freedom in America. And, may God Bless each of you and keep you close to Himself as you serve Him and share your lives with others.

And I just asked...

"Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!
    Tie them around your neck as a reminder.
    Write them deep within your heart.
⁴ Then you will find favor with both God and people,
    and you will earn a good reputation.

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
⁶ Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take.

⁷ Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
    Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
⁸ Then you will have healing for your body
    and strength for your bones."

- Proverbs 3:3-8 (NLT)

I just asked for some friends to pray for Gods favor over my husband and healing strength over my body...  Then God led me to chapter 3 in Proverbs- one I have read many times, but definitely needed to hear again.  This whole section encapsulates just what I had asked my friends to pray over me though- and more!  

Oh how I need loyalty and kindness to ever be written deeply on my heart.  Visible for all to see and lived out daily by Gods power and love in me.  Jeremy and I both need this!  And, praise The Lord, he has shown both loyalty and kindness to us all of our lives, and all of His life ;)  So we definitely have an example to look after.

Also, I thank God for his favor!  What a blessing that He gives grace to the humble and favor to those who are kind.  His righteousness is all we need to cover us and make us whole- thank you Jesus!

As my husband takes his final test tonight to become an electrician, I am refreshed to know God favors those who are loyal and kind.  Two qualities that my husband has been given in abundance!  So I pray over him that Gods good reputation in his life will go before him and that he will glorify The Lord with all the knowledge he has poured over himself and worked hard to learn.  Even so, my trust is in our Father God and not my own wisdom; this I pray over Jeremy too. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 is a classic, just as all of God's Words have an amazing ability to speak to the heart, this section seems to be especially direct: " Trust in The Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."  I love how wonderfully simple this command is, and yet how all encompassing!  God does not want just a piece of my heart- He wants it all, He wants all of me.  His promises are profound in these verses too!  As I lean on His understanding and acknowledge Him (seek Him out) in all that I do, He promises to make my path straight- to show me which direction to go.  Truly The Lord is my guide and without Him I am lost!

My body is healed from the inside out when I remember that He is the only One I should fear- He is the only One who has ultimate power- and He is my Love, my Father, and my Friend!

As I turn from evil (please show me areas, dear Lord, that I may have overlooked), Father may I turn to You in trust and awe. Please, fill my bones with Your strength- oh how I need my Savior's strength!

I feel very close right now to a dear friend who has struggled a lot with her breathing just recently- I too have been having a very hard time.  It is such an overwhelming feeling to not be able to breath, to wheeze and to strain with every breath taken.  This feeling is no stranger to me either, I have had to face it most of my life.  My friend and I also share the same faith in our lord, and as much as I know God can take this struggle from me and from her, He has not completely removed it from our lives.  This understanding of his power and our suffering before Him, can be very disheartening sometimes- but then I look to Jesus!  Even in the midst of his trials and surrounded by suffering, He prayed: 'not my will, Lord, but Yours be done.'  Honestly, I believe that my asthma is an ongoing reminder that I need Jesus in my life just as I need air to breathe.  Breathing isn't always easy for me and neither is following and trusting Jesus- but just as God gives me grace to live one more day, so I pray and rest in Jesus with His example of faith.  May my dear friend who struggles alongside me, physically and spiritually, be reminded of these truths and blessed with greater trust in our faithful Father too!

²⁵ "You need not be afraid of sudden disaster

    or the destruction that comes upon the wicked,
²⁶ for the Lord is your security.
    He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap."

- Proverbs 3:25-26