Same Sex Marriage Supreme Court Ruling Okay with this Christian

     My blog has primarily been about the love I find in Christ and my experiences. I have not shared much or really anything at all in the way of what may be cultural or political controversies, and I don’t intend to do that here. Rather I seek to again share what my seeking after the Lord and falling in love with him has taught me.

     Many of my Christian friends who I know love Christ have reacted today as though America has just signed some proclamation as through no one will ever be blessed with knowing the love of Christ again. 

Dear friends,

Have you met my Jesus? When was the last time you talked, really talked, heart to heart with him?

     See, the Jesus I know loves every single heart that has fought so hard to earn an equal stance in the eyes of the law (United States law, not God’s law.) He loves the heart of every Judge who made the ruling. I would even venture to say that he loves them more for making the ruling to declare same sex marriages legal.  In fact, that choice is more after the heart of God than the act to make it illegal in the first place. See it was God who started this thinking; that EVERY man and woman has the choice to live the life they want. God did not and has not eliminated the ability for same sex couples to marry. God clearly defines that such an action is death, but he did not eliminate the act. I have not heard once that a same sex couple walked down the isle and suddenly they were frozen in place or burned to ash because God banned the act and made it so that they could not sign a piece of paper made by the USA for rights/privileges also designed and carried out by the USA. If God does not force our actions, why are we so arrogant to try that on others? 

     NEVER in the ministry of Christ did I learn that he spent even one minute lobbying the government or prosecuting a case in the judicial system to force people to behave according to his guidance. No, actually he declared it was impossible to achieve perfection. He said we would only follow him when we truly love him. Jesus didn’t get the Judge to order us to love him. He accepted us exactly where we were, loved on us, and taught us without even letting on that he was changing us. See, he didn’t get up in our faces and call us dirty names or point out that we were worthless. On the contrary, he proved that we were, and remain, priceless, beloved, the betrothed, cherished, perfect through him sons and daughters that he still sees today.

My heart sinks as I read Christians (Those following after and becoming like Christ) post things like “this is the darkest day for America.” When I read that I am shocked and my soul aches as I realize that the darkest day for America happened long ago and we missed it….when those who claim to desire nothing more than to follow Christ, stopped following his blueprint for showing and proving Christ’s love in order to gain love and rather got lazy and expected the government to enforce “Biblical Marriage.”

     Biblical marriage is meant to be another piece of our journey to help us better understand Christ’s love for us. No one can change that definition. It was set by God. The Supreme Court did not change that today. The Supreme Court changed the ability of the United States to penalize a group of people. Unfortunately the United States has made marriage about something it has nothing to do with. The USA has made marriage about tax incentives, the ability to talk to a doctor about a loved one’s needs, to be afforded time off to care for someone, to make a medical decision on their behalf, or to be forced to testify against them. I would have much rather have seen the Supreme Court eliminate the ability of ANY law to be made concerning marriage.      However, if that could not be done today, progress was still made. Perhaps now there is one less distraction the enemy can use to keep the ears of people God loves so dearly filled with sounds of hatred and inequality.

     My, how Christ like we could sound if we all would be willing to agree this is progress. This is more God given freedom for a person to choose their life and much more clear path for honest falling in love with God. Now, there is less ability for a person to half love God, to be caught in confusion or a life that is lived because they felt they did not have the freedom to pursue their wants and were merely left with the alternative of trying to be an “accepted” person. That is not the love God desires.

     May all know they truly are accepted, may we do as we were commissioned and love and accept ALL and leave the pursuit, heart change, and judgment to God.

Shout out to:

http://narrowed.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-soapbox-derby.html?m=1

also a good read related to this.  

Page 84

I talked to someone Sunday and explained how if you count up the total of things in my life I want most I currently have, the sum (by world’s standards) should be depressing, but as I follow the Lord, get settled in him and trust, I am more deeply satisfied now in my life than I ever have been.

While I am humbled and blessed at the hands of God in my life filling those desires of my heart, it doesn't mean it is easy or that doubt doesn't come. It does mean that when the doubt comes, my God comes with a vengeance, passion, and fierce devotion – like a thief in the night- to steal my attention back to him and sustain me.

Here is my example: I found it on page 84.

A couple of my desires, I believe are wrapped up in one. I would like someone to share my life with and come home to….this slightly implies I would also have a home where I enjoy having it.

There is someone where I am now, that I see only every so often when our paths cross through mutual assignments. This person is smart, funny, hard working, has an admirable passion, strong, and very easy to look at. I have to be truthful and admit that there has been flirting between the two of us when we do see each other.  However, I know full well that I would have to compromise the most important things to me for that life. We do not have the same beliefs and I know that I am called to a different life. For a moment though I thought through the option. How nice it would be to have that person to come home to, someone who understood my life on this side of the river, someone who would fight for me and defend me, someone who would be my champion. For a split second I thought about if I could give up all the things important to me, my values, to have those things I want now. This is my confession.

Then I opened a book I had been reading but got interrupted several weeks ago. I opened to page 84 where I read about all these examples in the bible about people who acted on impulse and satisfied the immediate at the cost of the long term blessing God had been so diligently placing in their life. I will not be David in loneliness, I will not be Sarah, I will not be Esau.  I will not be Eve and take the fruit placed in front of me. Instead I look over the waves and keep my eyes on Jesus. I remain settled in him and trust his handcrafted restoration of my heart, my worshiper’s heart is the amazing perfect precious gift God calls it for his perfect Son. He will place me in the hands of his son one day. We will be iron sharpening iron as we celebrate our calling here on earth racing towards the arms and image of Christ together.

It is worth it. I will not be taken by temptation. He has overcome the World!   

Starbucks

     As a commitment (and cash savings) to financial freedom to do what God has planned for me, I gave up my Starbucks habit in October. This was not easy and I missed my coffee treats very much. The word says seek first the kingdom of God and your needs shall be added to you (Matthew 6:33). Actually Matthew 6:31 even says not to worry about what you will drink! God is such a faithful deliverer of promises and a generous dad! I had a free Starbucks for my Birthday in December. Then, in January, I was gifted a $15 gift card to Starbucks for Christmas.
   

 I have trusted in the Lord and have been faithful to cultivate my faithfulness. I have been diligent using my finances to seek first the kingdom of God and he is giving me the desires of my heart (and tummy,) see Psalms 37:3-4. Only about a week after my Christmas gift card ran out, a $25 gift card to Starbucks was left in my seat at church! What is even more amazing about this is that God is asking his other children to be faithful in blessing his daughter (me!) This means that there will be showers of blessings on those people for their obedience!!  I can not begin to explain the Joy this has been bringing me let alone the encouragement that dedication to my King would result in anything other than being treated like a Princess!

Get Into Shape

We all have a dream or many dreams. We have a dream job, a dream house, dream spouse, a dream to get healthy or lose weight, The American Dream, a dream to be someone, encourage someone, a dream to help, serve, know. The list could go on and on. We dream for others. We dream for our family, our friends, or children. At a minimum, if we are followers of Christ, we dream to introduce others to Christ so they know what we know. No matter what the dream is, or how many we have, chasing those dreams requires getting into shape.

Dreams require training, endurance, wisdom, good judgments, and stewardship in their beginnings and certainly their success.

If you dream of running a marathon, you will need training in running, pacing, breathing, and many other things. If you dream of a great marriage, you need training in good communication, compromise, dedication, commitment, leadership, following, sharing, service, and many other things. If you have a dream house you will need training in diligence with finances, architecture, real estate, construction, and many other things. If you dream of introducing others to Christ, you first need to know him and kindle your relationship with him on a regular basis. Most of us don’t argue with training for a marathon, but we rarely sign up or even recognize the training we need before saying “I do” or launching a mega church before we have even served at the one we grew up in.

Blessed are those who are disciplined by God:

“Trust GOD from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for GOD’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to GOD! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health; your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor GOD with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst; your wine vats will brim over. But don’t, dear friend, resent GOD’s discipline; don’t sulk under his loving correction. It’s the child he loves that GOD corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this.” Proverbs 3:5-12

Proverbs 22:15 says “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.” Folly is defined as the lack of good sense or judgment. Rejoice. Rejoice!! Rejoice that God drives away the folly from us! The bad judgment to marry someone because “it seems like the next step” or to launch a mega church because they seem to have cool graphics when you know nothing about graphic design may fool you into thinking these things are good choices at the time, but it wouldn't be very long before you found yourself and any friends you had at the start, miserable and defeated.

What if you waited for God’s training to get you to the place where you were ready for those dreams? What if you knew that the girl or guy you met was the iron to sharpen you? What if you had spent several years practicing graphic design at the church you are in now? What if God had built up your strength and endurance so that once you finally had your hands on your dreams you wouldn't get fatigued and drop all you had? Where would David have been if he had been made King the day he was first told he would be King? What if he hadn't learned how to Sheppard a flock like a king would manage a kingdom, or face several giants/fears like a king would defend a kingdom?

Reading the message version of Hebrews 12 there was literally the phrase “No extra spiritual fat” Allow the time, energy, and devotion God is calling you to and through to get you ready for your dream, HIS dream!

Reading on in Hebrews 12: “My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn't punishment; it’s training!” Training often comes with discomfort as your heart, mind, soul, and body get into shape and become capable of endurance. Practice in a different, perhaps even new, way loving God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and body. God gave you these dreams; he will see them to completion. You do not want your dream to mimic 15 minutes of fame that flees from you. You want your dream to endure, which will require endurance. 

Prayers Answered Daily

May of you know that I very much would like to leave the job I am in at the moment. I would like to move back to Illinois to be closer to my family and friends, to step into a life with more time for a ministry. So many of you have been praying for God’s plans, clarity, doors to be open. I also know Many Many Many Many prayers have been said on my behalf that my current job would get better, easier. You have been praying I would have favor. You have prayed that the stress would decrease. You have prayed many wonderful things.

I need you to know that he has answered them and does so daily. Though I do not always get along with my new boss (the fourth in less than 2 years,) she works hard and supports me and our team in many ways. I was able to hire a supervisor who reports to me that has significantly decreased my work load. It has been so lovely. I have also had a lot of unexpected and unexplained favor with many people across the city in high positions. I have been allowed to train many other staff members on the on call rotations I serve on so I am on call every five weeks instead of two and only a half dozen times a year with the “bigger” on call phone which used to be every 2 or 3 weeks.

Many of the items I wished to accomplish to improve operations when I first took the job, are nearing completion and I could not be more proud of my staff and team for coming so far. Legislation I helped draft is finally in effect and being implemented.

I am in awe.

At first I didn’t want to talk about this, to say it out loud. If God is making my current job easier, more enjoyable…maybe he wouldn’t be moving me on. Maybe I wouldn’t be leaving and I so very much want to leave.

Thank you God that your mercies are new every morning and there is no condemnation or condescension for my having forgot who you are. Your promises.

See a couple years ago in the thick of things and facing losing my job and verbal assault for failure at unrealistic expectation (literally “no sleeping or eating 24/7”) when I was on call every two or three weeks for 7 days at a time answering a phone that on some nights rang every 30 minutes. In the most intense times of this job, God reminded me on a regular basis about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendego and many many times about Daniel in the Lion’s Den.  He promised me through scripture, tongues, his presence, and his assurance to shut the mouths of Lion’s and he DID many times!

Why now do I doubt that he could be shutting the moths of Lions, giving me favor with the kings (queens/managers) AND planning my escape?

Why do I think he is so small that he can’t do it all!?!

Praise to the King of Kings, the maker of heaven and earth, my father!!

He answers prayers daily. He answered your prayers for me. He is answering my prayers. I am walking through his mercy, power, abundance, grace, love, patience daily and no one could ever satisfy me so.

Colossians 1 9-12 MSG: “……. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us.”

SO TRUE

His Harvest

I have suddenly remembered that the word harvest doesn't usually get defined in manner which relates it specifically to only one crop. There are many different crops which can be harvested. Not just corn or wheat. Perhaps not just souls. I then decided to look online for some “Webster’s” definitions. Two interesting findings: Harvest can mean a mature crop or productive result.

God is bringing me to a place where his harvest across the world is becoming more and more important, I think about it more, I want it more, I’m focused more. This only happened after a deep harvest he has sought inside me and as he continues the harvest in me. A mature crop. As his work continues, his harvest around me becomes more clear and impressed upon my heart. I want people to know him.

To know his goodness. To know his simplicity. To know his abundance. To know his sweetness. To know his jealousy over and for them.

To know the beauty of his presence, how he inhabits our praises.

I crave to see and experience moments where he not only receives a harvest of souls, but a harvest of deep, intimate, intentional, overflowing, invigorating, expressive praise pouring out from his people and all his creation. People jumping for him, shouting his goodness, dancing with delight, falling to their knees, and offering tender surrender and adoration with their tears. A productive result.

Dear Lord,

In whatever way you can, please use me to inspire the pouring out of our energy, time, focus, talents, joyful noise, and adoration onto you.

The daughter crazy in love with you.

In the name of Jesus.

I am forever and always yours!

Finding God in All Things

     The turn of the year has created a turn in my heart and mind. I have to say I am in love with it. God has placed a spark in me recently to passionately seek him in all things; to notice him and be reminded of his spirit and truth all around me. He has also made my heart, minds, eyes, ears, etc tuned to catch these things.

Childlike Faith/Following Christ

     A friend talked this morning about her very young child and they walk without any idea where they are going. Basically, as a mother attempting to safeguard and keep up, this was a concern as they are never looking for any dangers. Immediately all I could think about is what a cool visual that was for how we should follow Christ!  If, when Christ says go, we would take off walking and not worry about where our foot was going to land. To have such an innocent and lack of awareness of possible worries that we could remain focused on the action alone! We could stay focused on the go and not the terrain, directions, or the destination! Wow! Love it!

Defining Yourself (and others) Through the Word of God/Do Not Judge

     I was speaking with a wonderful woman who shared a simple story about a recent day she had. She described that she was running an errand and had to pick up a bottle of something from the store. She got to the aisle and studied carefully between two products and picked up the one she wanted, paid for it, and left. Only to later discover that somehow she had picked up a bottle of the other brand by mistake and bought the wrong one. While eating lunch with my grandparents, my grandparent started eating their pie and was quite surprised that they had a piece of peach pie. They looked at the label on the package and exclaimed “I thought sure I grabbed the apple pie.” All I could think of was how we so often take quick and rushed looks at circumstances and characteristics in ourselves and/or others and we place a definition on them/ourselves, we buy into it, purchase the lie. All the while we have failed to read the true description.  Our true description comes from the word of God. We are not defined forever by the action we did in the heat of a moment nor are we changed by the “size up” we got by someone else. When my grandparent said they had apple pie the pie didn’t turn into apple. It was peach. Your definition was laid out in the word of God long before anyone or even you have tried to speak any other definition. Likewise, the person you tend to have choice words to describe was described by God before you had the ability to even think. Oh how amazing would it by if we stopped purchasing the wrong things! We have already been paid for anyway.

Side note: I am convinced that this is also his way of giving me a little extra, sustaining me, and giving me a small glimpse of what it will be like to have my dreams and desires, which you may know, if you have been following along on my journey and other posts. He is such a generous God! I fall so much more in love with him every day!