Sunday's Coming, but Today is Friday

I know Sunday is coming.

But today is Friday.

Even though my lips would rather sing and rejoice, my soul must mourn and grieve.

I remember Jesus.

Eating His last meal.
Breaking the bread.
Pouring the wine.
Instructing them to remember Him.
Washing their feet.
Being betrayed.
Agonizing in prayer.
Arrested in the night.
Accused, beaten, bloodied.

Before I can celebrate His resurrection, I have to consider His death.

His brutal, necessary death.  On that infamous cross.

Every morning I wake up, I see this on my bedroom wall.

Every morning it reminds me I live because Jesus died. 
For me, for you.  To save us sinners from ourselves.

Not on a fancy, scrolly, ornate cross, but a massive, splintered tool of execution.

The encompassing darkness of death. Then...the illuminating light of eternal life.
Temporary, hushed hopelessness.  Then...the resounding promise of forever.
Significant, remarkable loss.  Then...triumphant, victorious gain.
The weight of unbearable agony.  Then...the weight of unparalleled glory.

Don't run ahead.  Go there. 
Sit in the horror-filled, blackness of Friday. 

Ponder the Lamb led to slaughter. 
Marvel at the humble obedience to His Father. 
Be engulfed.  Be overwhelmed by His relentless, persistent love.

Yes! Praise the Father that Sunday's coming. 

 

But today... 

Today is Friday.

As We Go Along

It was one intentional week to make a huge impact within our community.

Serving food to employees in our local schools, local Sheriff's department, hospitals, etc....
Paying for someone's groceries...
Filling up someone's tank with gas...
Purchasing Christmas presents...
Filling bags with food items to be given away at the local food pantry...
Hosting a block party at the local Boys/Girls club...
Sponsoring a community-wide Christmas event at the town pavilion...
Etc., etc., etc.

It's official name was, "Walk Thru Bethlehem", because well, we did most of it in the little town of Bethlehem where our church is located.

The mission of the week: serve others, love others. 
Not because we had to, but because we could. 
Not with a "come and see" what our church is all about mentality, but rather a "go and show" the love of Christ.

A week ago, on the kickoff night of Walk Thru Bethlehem, all Sunday evening small groups met to eat dinner at the church and to receive assignments to serve.  Our small group (the rockin', most awesome group in the church...) had eight families show up ready to go.  We broke into pairs, took our $50 Visa gift cards and headed to our destination--Wal-Mart.

On the way, I assumed we would be the only small group wandering around looking for people to randomly bless, but I quickly found out my assumptions were wrong.  Within a few minutes, this unsuspecting Wal-Mart was flooded with tons of our church peeps.

At first I was a little concerned, thinking it would make it too awkward or too difficult with all of us in the building at the exact same time for the exact same reason.

I even said something to my husband about the saturation of us crazy church people and he so wisely said, "It's okay.  There are plenty of people here who have needs."  Point taken.

I believe the hardest part for all of us was just getting started.  Someone even asked, "So...what's our plan here?"  My reply: "We watch and we wait."

You see, there were many ways to be a blessing to someone that night.  Some chose to stand at the cash registers and offer to pay for someone's items in their cart.  Others chose to go to the back of the store and secretly pay off layaway accounts. And others chose the same approach we did.

At first the ten of us (yes, ten...four adults & six children ranging in ages 3-13) in our group wandered up and down aisles, no shopping cart, no items in hand to purchase.  In one word, stalking.  And looking very conspicuous while we did it.

Then my husband suggested taking the three youngest kiddos to the toy department while the three oldest kiddos stay with my friend, Terri, and me. 

Divide and conquer was our new strategy.  We also got a shopping cart, threw in some Christmas lights and tried to blend in with our surroundings. 

After a few minutes of trying to decide, we approached a young couple with their baby looking at Christmas decorations.  We introduced ourselves and I asked if they'd be okay with us helping with their purchase.  They kindly declined, saying they had all they really needed and suggested that we look for someone else who needed the blessing more than they did.

So...we did. 

Then I noticed a woman coming through the lawn and garden area, pushing her cart, interacting with her baby.  I watched her for a few minutes, and then suggested we approach her.  Terri offered to take care of the few groceries in her cart for her.  Once I overheard she was willing to let us do that, I rounded the corner to meet her and all I saw was her cute little dark-haired baby all bundled up. 

After introducing myself, I asked if her little girl had all her Christmas presents already.  To that the mother, replied, "No, no, she doesn't.  We can't this year."  I asked her if she'd rather us take care of her groceries or walk back to the toy department and shop for her little girl.  Her eyes lit up and she humbly said, "Oh, yes.  The toys." 

On the way, she mentioned her husband and two other little girls were walking around the store, too.  I leaned over to Terri and said, "We may need more gift cards."  Terri took off to round up any remaining gift cards from our group so we could take care of the other daughters' Christmas as well.

As we got to the toy department, we ran into our new friend's husband and their other beautiful daughters: a seven year old and their three year old.

I introduced myself to her husband, summarized the conversation we'd just had with his wife and asked his permission to assist in purchasing Christmas for their girls.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes sir, we are."

"Wow (tears in his eyes).  Really?  Well...whatever my wife says."

"She said, 'Yes'.  So, is it okay with you if we start shopping?"

With his wife's suggestions, we picked out gifts for their little ones.  When they left us to finish shopping for their groceries, we took the opportunity to add a few more surprises into the cart and head to check out.  Noisy toys, baby dolls and Barbies.  Such fun surprises for three little girls to find on Christmas morning!

After we'd paid and packaged all the gifts up for them, all ten of us met the sweet family at Customer Service.  Our husbands introduced themselves to our new friend's husband who was quite overwhelmed with emotion by this time.  We said our "good-byes" and "Merry Christmases", but not before our new friend hugged us over and over again.

We all left the store feeling a euphoric high.  Not because we'd done anything huge.  But because we'd done something so small.  But we believe that something small made a huge impact on a small family who needed it in a huge way this Christmas.

This is our family's fourth year participating in Walk Thru Bethlehem.  And more than anything, this is the lesson I've learned this year.  It comes from these six words:

"As He went along, He saw..."

John 9:1a



Usually when I'm out doing my grocery shopping, running errands, etc., I have my eyes on my list, kids in tow, trying to get in and out of wherever as quickly as possible.  No interruptions.  No observations.  Just do what I have to do as quickly as I can possibly do it.

This year's Walk Thru Bethlehem opportunity reminded me to look up and to look out.  I was reminded to really see people as I'm going along.  Not necessarily making a special trip somewhere to do something, but as I'm just doing my thing, notice others doing theirs.  Lift up a prayer for them, smile, interact, or possibly assist in something more tangible.  Whatever.

It's exactly what Jesus did.  As He walked, as He journeyed, He took notice of people.  He was never too preoccupied to stop and meet a need.  He was always on mission and it's possible for me to be, too. 

Sure, it's uncomfortable as first.  Don't think for a minute any of us were really cool with the whole process at the beginning.  It took some dying to ourselves for us to truly see someone else.  We had to step out of our self-centered comfort zones and be intentional. 

The other amazing thing about last week was knowing so many others were doing similar things at the same time and at the same place and for the same reason.  There was camaraderie.  The more, the merrier the Christmas we could give to others.  Two...or tons...are definitely better than one.  There is strength in numbers, particularly unified numbers.

I think that's one of the main reasons I love the church, the body of Christ.  We all have the same objective, making Christ known; it just manifests itself in different ways.  And when we do it all together, as we go along, so much more is accomplished. 

Lord, help us to see as we're going along.  To look up and look around us at those who are in need.  Because you first loved us, we can love.  Because You first served us, we can serve.  Because You first gave to us, we can give.  We'll wait upon You, watching, together...as we go along.

Make Room

I've spent the last few weeks doing something I seem to do every year at this time of year.  Some prefer to do it in the spring.  I prefer right before Christmas.

I initiate an all-out clean-out.  No closet, no drawer, no cabinet, no space under any bed is ignored.  

Trash bags in hand, we conquer the clutter.  We release what we have no use for any longer.  We toss what needs to be thrown away, and we organize what we want to keep.

Because I know more is coming in the next few weeks in the form of gifts, some of the old has to go in order to make room for the new.  If we don't, there's no room for the new.

And since I'm naturally a lover of all things organized and all things tidy, this makes my heart very happy to purge out the old, the unnecessary and seldom used.  Unfortunately, the process is not often met with the same zeal by my oldest daughter, who would be perfectly content to keep every nook and cranny just as it is.  

But as her most wise, most discerning mama, I know there is work to be done.  So this year, in an attempt to avoid any (& all) emotional drama, I told her an intervention would take place on a particular day and she, the occupant, would be responsible for accomplishing the task.  

Cue the pouting, sulking, and tears.  

A few hours into it, little progress was being made.  So an intervention did take place.  I intervened and helped her sort through her mess. Though I thought letting her handle her stuff all by herself was the way to go this year, it was not.  Through tears, she admitted, "I still need your help; it's just too hard to do by myself."  It was too much for her to handle and she was overwhelmed by it all.

Our plan:  divide the room into zones and tackle them one by one.  A couple days later and a couple trash bags later, she hugged me and said, "This feels awesome! Thank you for helping me, Mama."

Crisis (& clutter) averted.  Mission accomplished. Everybody's happy, happy, happy.

Until the the Holy Spirit pressed into my heart.

You see, I'm really good at taking care of business with my physical surroundings. Preparing our home for all the new gifts.  But what about my spiritual surroundings?  What about preparing my very own heart, the wellspring of life?  

So the last couple of weeks I've been thinking about just that.  Christmas will be here soon.  I've been doing so many things to get ready.  Shopping. Decorating.  Planning.  All good things preparing for one great day.  

But is there room? 

Have I intentionally cleaned out what's been piling up for some time?

Am I making room, turning my affection toward the most precious Gift ever given?  

The other stuff is just that, stuff.  I, too, need an intervention from time to time.  I need Jesus to intervene, to guide me in releasing what needs to go: unnecessary expectations, disappointments, judgments, unforgiveness, distractions, selfishness, etc., etc., etc.  

The main way I find to do that is by recognizing Advent, acknowledging that Christ has come, is coming again one day, and is present with us now. Last night was the first night of Advent this calendar year. 

As I sat with my family and read from Bartholomew's Passage, our Advent story this year, I could feel some shifting, some rearranging and some purging happening as the Holy Spirit began to take care of business.  

No pouting, no sulking and no tears on my part.  

Happy to oblige.  

Happy to have Someone helping me with the process.  

Happy to be making room.

"While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.  

She wrapped Him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."  

Luke 2:6-7

Help, Lord.  Help us clean out all the clutter, all that has hidden You.  You are the child that was born. You are the Son that was given. You are the Warrior King who's coming again.  You are Emmanuel, here with us now. Forgive us for unknowingly crowding You out as those did in Bethlehem the night You came. Make room in our hearts for You.  Amen.

Spilled

She didn't mean to do it.  It was an accident.

I could feel her excitement.  I could see her nervousness.  Her little hands struggled to stop the shaking.  Balancing the tiny, plastic cup filled to the brim with the dark juice was so much harder than it looked, particularly for a five year old.

It was her first communion in "big church".  With her sister, with us and with everyone else.  It was the first time she'd been able to participate since coming into God's family.  The first time she could walk up to the table, take the bread and the juice and remember...just as He said to do.

..."This is my body, broken for you. 
Do this to remember me...

This cup is my blood, my new covenant with you. 

Each time you drink this cup, remember me."

1 Corinthians 11:24-25 (The Message)

As soon as our family of four returned to our seats and attempted to sit down with our cups and crackers, I felt it.  The splashing wetness landing on my knee and trickling down my leg. 

And then I noticed the effects on her.  Looking down, I saw the consequences of what had just spilled onto her lacy white socks.  A bright red stain.

Instead of huffing during such a holy moment, the Lord halted me with this thought:

What my daughter spilled...her juice...

completely accidental.

What my Savior spilled...His blood...

completely intentional.

 

He meant to do it. It was no accident.

 

Because His precious, perfect blood spilled from His body, because it poured down from the tip of His head and trickled to the bottom of His feet, we are stained.  And amazingly, His stain makes us clean.

 

"...without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."

Hebrews 9:22b (NIV)

He wants us in His family.  He wants us to have eternal life.  He wants to forgive our sins.

And I am grateful.  Forever grateful that because of His lavish love, the blood He shed on the cross He did so willingly and purposefully.

It was no accident.  He meant every drop spilled.

Joy, Oh Joy! Celebrating Baptism Day!

 

"Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name,

He gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12

One morning last September, six years of prayers were answered when our baby girl's life was changed.  Forever.

During our time in the Word that day, the girls and I began discussing two contrasting groups of people in the world: those who accept the message of Christ and those who reject it.  Those who say "yes" to His amazingly free, underserved gift of salvation and those who don't.  Those who have been adopted into the family of God and those who have not.

At one point in the conversation, Gloria looked at me, concerned, and stated, "I don't know whose family I'm in."

My simple response: "Whose family do you want to be in?"

Her reply:  "God's family."

We talked.  We prayed.  And then my daughter came to Him just as a child should, in complete and total faith.

In faith, she believed Jesus, God's sinless Son, died on the cross for her. 
In faith, she asked Jesus to take away her sin. 
In faith, she said "yes" to Jesus as her Savior and "yes" to following Him.

And by grace, at that moment, she was adopted into the family of God, forever belonging with Him.  (Click here to read a previous post about the wonder and privilege of our own spiritual adoption.)

Five months later Gloria told us she wanted to get baptized.  Though once quite timid about the whole thing, now she was SUPER excited to show everyone else what Jesus had done in her and for her. 

Last Sunday, my husband had the privilege of baptizing his second daughter in front of our family, our sweet church family, and our dear friends.  It was one of the most joyful experiences for all of us!

Here are a few pictures of our celebration:

 

One happy girl right there!

 

Mama about to pray...

 

 

 

Nothing but joy and peace. :)

We will continue to celebrate!  Not because of anything we have done, but because of everything He has done for us. 

 

And most of all, we will continue to pray, pray, pray for both of our daughters. 

Pray they will keep saying "yes" to Jesus as they seek Him and the paths He has planned for their lives. 

Pray they will be warrior-princesses for His kingdom. 

Pray they know and rely on their Father's lavish love and the security of their eternal family. 

Forever. 

Amen.

 

"Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name,

He gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12

 

Adoption's Heartbeat

Last weekend Derek and I went to the national "Together for Adoption" Conference in Atlanta. 

Between the two of us, we've attended our share of conferences in years past:  marriage, women's, men's, youth, youth leaders, education, technology, and homeschool, just to name a few.

Suffice to say, we're seasoned experts in the conference arena.  Been there.  Done that.  (And yes, we even have a few t-shirts to prove it.)

But this conference was so different.  And so timely.  And so beneficial for us.

Beforehand, we read the descriptions for each breakout session and mapped out which ones we most wanted to attend and most needed for our family.  We donned the name tags, wandered the exhibit hall and took in a deep breath--full of expectation and hope.

Each speaker, each song, each session reiterated our call to this journey of adoption.  It was confirmation upon confirmation upon confirmation.  And our thirsty souls drank it all in.

But the loudest, yet most gentle clamor, was the sound of our own adoption reverberating in our ears from start to finish. 

Have you heard it?  Have you heard how you dearly loved you are?  No?  Then read on, my friend. 

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves.

Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. 

Now we call him, “Abba, Father."

For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.  Rom. 8:14-16 (NLT)

Adoption is the heartbeat of the gospel.  It's the highest privilege--all because of our close relationship with the Father as His child, because of the sacrifice of His Son.  Jesus is the natural, eternal son, but we are adopted into His family through grace. 

Adoption is the message from a loving Father, saying, "Come home with me."

All of us, spiritually speaking, were born outside the family of God.  Apart from Him, we were isolated, rebellious, soiled and in great need.  But before the foundation of the world, God chose us.  He was busy, designing His family, preparing to become a Father.

Similarly, we are busy planning and preparing to become parents once again.  This time to an orphan, temporarily outside our family.   We have made the choice to fill out the applications and open our hearts and our home to our daughter.  We want her here, with us.

Once the judge declares the adoption is official, she becomes our honored daughter.  She has a place in our family.  She will gain a new identity, no longer being known as she once was in the past.  She will bear a new name; she will be a Fort.  And she will belong with us.

The same thing is true for us spiritually.  The moment we believe, the moment we say, "Yes" to Jesus, our family dynamics change entirely.  We have a place in the family of God, not by anything we did for ourselves, but because of what was done for us. 

We possess a new name and a new identity.  We belong.  And nothing we can do will ever change that.  Because family is forever.

Thank You, Abba Father, for the Spirit of adoption who confirms who we are: 

wanted, chosen, lavishly loved, adopted sons and daughters. 

Thank You for leaving Your home to enter into the spiritual orphanages

of this world with one goal in mind: bringing us home with You.

Adoption.  Most beautiful display of the gospel.  Ever.

I Have to Do This

For the last two months, we have been knee-deep in checking off items on our adoption agency's home study checklist.

By home study, we mean the first official stage of the adoption process involving a heap of paperwork required by both Georgia and the United States.

For those curious ones, here is a sample of our checklist:

*Autobiographies for Each Prospective Parent (four pages)                                       

            *Reading agreement (read 5 or more books about adoption)

 *Medical Reports for All Adults and Children Living in the Home (physicals, as well as, TB tests)

 *Residential History

 *Consent and Request for Criminal Background Check for Each Applicant and Adult in the Home (Both GBI and FBI fingerprinting done)

 *Child Abuse Clearances for Each Applicant and Adult in the Home

 *HIPPA Release Form for Sex Offender Registry

  *Photographs

 *Birth Certificates for You and Your Children

 *Marriage Certificate

 *Most Recent Income Tax Return

 *Copy of health insurance card

 *Statement of Net Worth

 *Verification of Employment

 *Four Letters of Reference

 *Septic Tank Letter & Well Water Test (had to have our septic tank pumped)

Working down our list, my husband and I dutifully made appointments to have physicals done for our medical reports last month.  Following the routine checkup, each of us had to have a tuberculosis test as well. 

Our girls were in the room watching as the nurse inserted the small needle into each of our arms and then pulled it out.  They saw us grimace and they saw the little amount of blood on our skin afterwards.

Naturally, they asked, “Do we have to do that, too?”

Fast forward to this past week.  It was our daughters' turn.  Time for their scheduled doctor’s appointments.  

We told them they were getting a check-up (which they were). 

We told them it was for the adoption (which it was). 

We told them we had to do this so we could bring their new sister home from India (which we do).  
But we purposely failed to relay the whole truth to them beforehand.  The truth that both of them would also have to get a TB test, just like us.

As we patiently waited for the doctor to come in, our youngest just happened to ask, “Do we have to get a shot today?”

My response, “No…not a shot, really.”

“What then?” she rebounded.

“Just a little poke.  Nothing to it.”  I replied nonchalantly.

Now any parent who has or has ever had young children, especially those terrified of needles, can guess what happened next inside that quiet room.

Just as the doorknob turned and the nurses took a step inside, my youngest and normally bravest daughter, began wailing at the top of her lungs, “NO-O-O-O-O!!!  I don’t want to be poked!  I don’t want to!  I don’t want to I tell you!  I’m not doing it!  I’m not!  Do you hear me?!?”

My husband scooped her up and tried to console her.  We both tried to reason with our five year old and help her accept the facts.  She was going to be poked, whether she liked it or not.

In the midst of all the commotion, I looked over at my oldest still quietly sitting on the table.  She had her head down, arms out and ready, tears silently streaming down her cheeks.

 
As I made my way to her I knew exactly what she was feeling in her small eight year old body.  I remember all too well, wrestling with her at her toddler and preschool doctor appointments, holding her legs down so the nurses could give the necessary vaccinations. 

I knew what turmoil she and I have faced together because of her stark, intense fear of pain (see previous post here.)  So my mother’s heart knew just how difficult it was for her to say these words when she looked up at me through her tears.

 “I want to get Pearl, Mommy.  So…I have to do this.”

I have to confess I have had many, many proud moments as a mother.  But few can compare to hearing my daughter say what she said, at the moment she said it.

She got it. 

Despite the momentary pain and the minor wound it would cause her, she would do it for someone else.  Someone she has yet to meet.  Someone she already loves.

And then I got it. 

We have One who did the same exact thing for us.  One who would have rather avoided the pain, the wounds, the blood. 

But through tears, He looked up at His Father and said,

"I want them to be free.  I want them to be with me. 

I want them in my family.  So...I have to do this."

And He did.  He carried our sorrows.  He endured the suffering.  He was pierced for our transgressions.  And by His wounds we are healed.

Throughout every stage of this adoption journey I see the gospel more clearly than I ever have in my life.  This journey will require sacrifice and suffering.  Not just for us, but for the daughter we've yet to meet.

"But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, 
this is commendable before God." 1 Peter 2:20b

Thankful for the reminder, I tell myself, no matter how painful, no matter how difficult the task, "I have to do this."

Our "Yes" is on the Table

Just about every Sunday morning, right before our pastor steps up to the podium to deliver the message to the church body, our worship pastor unashamedly and passionately prays these words over us: 

"God, we choose to put our 'Yes' on the table right now. 

Let us be doers of Your Word and not hearers only."

Translation:  Whatever the Lord tells us to do today, do it. 

No matter how hard it seems. 
No matter how afraid we are. 
No matter how much sacrifice it will take. 
No matter how we think it might inconvenience us.
No matter how it may interfere with our lives.
No matter what others might think. 
Just do it.  Just obey.

Over the last several months, Derek and I have sensed a very new and very profound plan for our family during this season in our lives.  Something neither my husband, nor I, would have ever dreamed or imagined or thought of by ourselves.

"No eye has seen, no ear as heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him, but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit." 1 Corinthians 2:9-10

A gentle, yet firm nudging upon our spirits.  
An unrelenting, overwhelming pressing in our gut.
An all-encompassing sensory onslaught within our minds and upon our hearts. 

Through confirmation upon confirmation, the Lord has unmistakably revealed His desire for our family and the new adventure He has set before us.

Without keeping you in suspense a moment longer...

*(insert drum roll, please)*

God is leading our family toward adoption!  More specifically, to adopt a little girl from India. 

Our response:  "Yes, Lord!"

God is so good and so gracious and so patient as He has been preparing us for this commitment.  Over time He has opened our eyes to the world in which we live.  I'm ashamed to admit that even though we have taught and served and obeyed for much of our adult Christian lives, we have done so mostly for those within the confines of our own church building and mostly for ourselves. 

But God has been calling us to step out of the familiar and the comfortable and look for ways to honor others above ourselves, particularly children.  Particularly children living in extreme poverty.  Particularly children around the world with no mother, no father.  The homeless.  The loveless. Orphans.

In scripture, our heavenly Father is seen as a "Helper of the fatherless" (Ps. 10:14 - NIV) and an "Advocate for orphans" (Prov. 23:10 - The Message).

As it turns out, God's heart is for adoption, with the central gospel message serving as the epitome of adoption.  His love pursued us when we were alienated, unlovable, and all alone.

Because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and His unwillingness to think only of Himself, the good news is that we were not left alone.  In fact, as children of God, we have been adopted into God's family and are now co-heirs with Him, sharing in all the Father has given the Son. 

We've all been adopted! (Rom. 8:15-17)

What an amazing picture for us to emulate! 

So with overwhelming joy and excitement, our family is jumping in, feet first.

No cautious tip-toeing into these waters of uncertainty.  No ma'am.  No sir.

Just a giant cannon ball into the depths of the unknown.  But we're okay with that. 

Why?  Because we follow a God who walks upon the water.  And as long as we follow where He's leading, we're good.  Actually, I surmise we're better than good.

So humbly, we ask these things of you right now:
1. Please pray for us.  We need it. 
2. Please pray for our daughter on the other side of the world.  She needs it.

"Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes'..." Matthew 5:37

**(Yes, there are like a million other details as to how God initiated this journey and how He confirmed it, which I will try to share along the way.  But if you'd like the story first-hand, and a little sooner, invite us to dinner and we'd be glad to share our hearts with you. :)  We really enjoy eating what someone else took the time to prepare. :))**

Around the World in 180(+) Days

India.  Germany.  United Kingdom.  Latvia.  Russia.  Australia.  Malaysia.  Philippines.  Brazil.  Bangladesh.  Canada.  Spain.  New Zealand.  Hong Kong.  Netherlands.  China.  Greece.  Sweden.  South Africa. 

In the last seven months, I've traveled to each and every one of the countries in the list above.

Well.. not really in person.  And certainly not by train, plane, or even automobile.

Just a minute.  Let me clarify. 

Since I wrote my very first post, Holding Hands, on this little blog last June, I have had the privilege of journeying into a host of countries I'd only heard or read about in my lifetime.  According to the statistics from my blog, people from all over the globe have clicked to read my posts.  Crazy, huh?

Maybe they stumbled upon my blog accidentally. Maybe they found it on purpose. 

Maybe they linked to my blog via another organization or maybe someone shared my site with them.

Who knows how on earth they found this blog?  I'm not exactly sure, but it's pretty amazing, nonetheless.

I admit that at the beginning, I was a little unsettled about the thought of someone I don't know, clear across the ocean, or even in my own country, reading my thoughts, my stories.  I guess I didn't expect too much when I entered the blogging world.  I guess I also thought it would be a little more private.  I guess I didn't fully comprehend what I was embarking upon.  But it's okay.  In fact, it's more than okay.  The more I think about it, the happier it makes me. :)

Not from a standpoint of pride.  Not at all.  In fact, just the opposite.  Actually, I'm humbled.

I've come to the conclusion, that in my little world of blogging, I have the chance to be part of something much bigger.  Through this blog, I get to have a small, yet significant, role in participating in the great commission Christ gave His followers before leaving earth,

"Go into the world. Go everywhere and announce the Message of God's good news to one and all." Mark 16:16 (MSG)

As a stay-at-home mom, my most adventurous outings are sometimes limited to the weekly shopping trips to the supermarket.  At this stage in my life, it's just not meant for me to go into all the world.

But through this blog, I get to share the good news of God's great big love for us.  I get to encourage others with the hope of Christ through my experiences.  I get to show how real God is in our everyday lives.  It's both a huge blessing and a huge responsibility, one I don't take lightly.

"Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples." Psalm 96:3 (NIV)

Maybe one day, I'll get to hop on a plane and take off across the ocean to share Truth in a foreign country to those desperate to hear it. 

Until then, I'm content on my side of the world, sharing, encouraging, and making disciples of those near to me and those far away--in my home and in my community.  But also, and excitedly, with this blog.

So, if you happen to be one of those readers from the other side of the world, thank you so much for your numerous visits here.  I appreciate you.  Seriously, I do.

And if you are one of my American friends, thank you so much for your frequent stops here as well.  I really appreciate you.  No doubt about it.  I do.

Thanks for the journey so far, friends.  I've enjoyed my trip around the world--and back--in the last 180(+) days.   Can't wait to see where our travels take us next!

Coming Soon

For the last four weeks, our family has been participating in something we've never done before.  We've been observing Advent. 

Neither my husband, nor I, grew up celebrating Advent.  Neither of us were familiar with its traditions or meaning.  Though I'd read of other families who observed Advent and had even seen an Advent candle wreath in a church, I had no prior knowledge of what the season truly meant. 

This year I had to know.  I had to know its meanings and why so many observed it.  What I discovered and what I have experienced has changed me.  Forever. 

The word, "Advent" means "coming".  During the season of Advent, which typically begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve, we are reminded of our desperate need for a Savior. 

As we are celebrating His first "coming", as a baby in Bethlehem, we are also looking forward to His second "coming", as our Righteous King from heaven. 

Advent, as I am learning, is also all about waiting.  And nobody likes to wait.  We all want what we want when we want it.  Now.  Or maybe even yesterday.

Advent reminds us of how long the ancient Jews had to wait for their promised Messiah.  How they yearned for Someone to deliver them.  To heal them.  To redeem them.  To make all things new.

As they waited, they endured.  They endured even though they couldn't always see what God was doing.  They trusted.  They hoped.  They believed, all while they waited. 

It's the same thing for us today. 

We wait.  We endure.  We look ahead, and above, for the promise of Christ's return.  We wait with great expectation.  We hope for what we cannot see.  And in the waiting we are changed.  We become even more grateful for all gifts when they are finally received.

Focusing on the hope of Christ's coming is helping our family to slow down and remember how great His gift truly is. 

Each night as we come together to read the Advent devotions from Ann Voskamp's "Jesse Tree Journey", we are taken back through the holy scriptures.  We journey through Old Testament accounts and find significant meaning and prophetic connections to the One who came two thousand years ago. 

And because He came, we can come. 

We can come boldly and freely to His throne of grace.  (Heb. 4:16)
We can come to Him and never go hungry.  (John 6:35)
We can come, thirsty, and take the free gift of water of life.  (Rev. 22:17)
We can come take our inheritance, the kingdom which was promised for us since the creation of the world.  (Matt. 25:34)
We can come out of our boat as Peter did and walk on water.  (Matt. 14:28-29)
We can come and follow Him, becoming fishers of men.  (Mark 1:17)
We can come to Him when we are weary and burdened down with life.  (Matt. 11:28)
And our little children can come, too, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as them.
(Matt. 19:14)

He extends His invitation to us to come.  To come worship Him.  To come bow down Him.  To adore Him, Emmanuel, this Christmas.

If He never came, then we could not come.

Thank You, Jesus, for coming.  Thank You for Advent.  Thank You for the chance to focus on You.  Thank You for the chance to celebrate Christmas with more meaning and more depth.  I needed it.

"He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.' 

Amen.  Come, Lord Jesus." (Rev. 22:20)

Storytelling

Who doesn't love a good story?  Everyone does.  Right?  

It's why authors write novels.  It's why producers make movies.  It's why audiences buy tickets to Broadway shows.  It's why one generation recounts the past to the next. 

We all love a good story.  We all yearn to hear one.

Going to the library and returning with a huge stack of new books is one of my favorite things to do with my girls.  I love the feeling of having both of them nestled close to me on the couch or bed, eager to hear the first book read aloud to them.  These few, still moments together are a rich treasure--for them and for me.  As I open the cover and turn to read the first page, the magic unfolds as the story begins.  Characters are introduced.  Conflicts are identified.  The plot thickens.  A solution is found. 

Just last weekend, my husband and I went to see a newly-released movie at the theater.  After picking up the girls from their grandparents, they asked to hear all about the film we saw on the way home.  They clung to every word as I began narrating the details of the film.  Immediately, they were drawn into the characters' lives and the action that ensued.  They couldn't help it.  I was retelling a good story.

From the beginning of time, to the end of time, God has been telling us His story.  And He even used common, ordinary men to pen the words.  To record the details for all to read. 

There is a problem.  There is a villain.  There is conflict.  There is a Hero.  There is a resolution.  There is a final outcome.

Not only are we privileged to get to tell of and celebrate God's story, the unparalleled story of Himself, but we also get to be a part of it.  While He is ultimately the Author, the Director and the Producer, He invites us to be a part of the cast through a relationship with Him.  We get to play a role in the grandest and most famous story of all time, with the greatest themes of all time. 

Of love.  Of restoration.  Of redemption. 

As a result, we have the joy and responsibility to invite others to be a part of the production as well.  We can be storytellers, too.  We can conversate and dialogue, sharing with others the greatest story ever written, by the most renown Author of all time.

Listen, dear friends, to God's truth,

bend your ears to what I tell you.
I'm chewing on the morsel of a proverb;
I'll let you in on the sweet old truths,
Stories we heard from our fathers,
counsel we learned at our mother's knee.
We're not keeping this to ourselves,
we're passing it along to the next generation—
God's fame and fortune,
the marvelous things he has done.

Psalm 78:1-4 (The Message)

In our home, I am the calendar keeper.  The list writer.  The note taker.  The journaler.  The photographer.  The scrapbooker.  The blogger.

I am the one who records the events of our family.  It's my role to preserve what we've done, where we've been, what we've seen and experienced.  In fulfilling this, I create tangible reminders of our life as a family. 

I tell the story of us.  God's story through us.  The good and the bad.  The hard and the easy.  The mountains and the valleys.  The obstacles and the victories.

Wherever we are and whatever we're doing, my husband and I are making the effort to be intentional in seizing opportunities to tell our girls the great story of God and His Son, Jesus.  

Who is He?  What has He done for us?  How can we know Him?  How can we live for Him? 

In the words of our pastor spoken last Sunday, 

"Your life is a story. Whose story are you telling?"

Cause and Effect

Classic elementary grammar.  Cause and effect. 

Lest we’ve all forgotten, let’s review with a quick mini-lesson:  

A cause is something that makes something else happen.  In other words, it’s WHY something happens.  To determine the cause, we ask ourselves, “Why did it happen?”  Of the two events, it’s the event that happens first.

An effect is WHAT happens as a result of the cause. To determine the effect, we ask ourselves, “What happened?”  Of the two related events, it’s the event that happens second or last.

Life is full of natural cause and effect relationships. 

You went to work.  As a result, you get paid.
You get paid.  Therefore, you get to eat.
You eat, so you live.

As parents, we use the same logical pattern with our children.

If you finish your dinner, then you will get dessert.
Because you practiced your spelling words, you earned a good grade on your test.
You chose not to obey.  Consequently, you lost your privileges.

You get the picture.  Cause and effect.  It’s everywhere; we can’t avoid it.

Our Sunday School class has been reading through a New York Times bestseller by David Platt, entitled, Radical.  In chapter four, “The Great Why of God”, the author pens one of the biggest cause and effect relationships I’ve ever heard or read to date. 

He asks the reader to consider why God formed us the first place, since as a self-sufficient God, He had no unmet need to fulfill.  He goes on to explain that according to scripture, we were created by God, in His image, to enjoy His grace.  We have the capacity to enjoy God by having a close relationship with Him.  And the Bible describes that relationship as a blessing.

The story does not end here. 

God follows His blessing with a command. 

In Genesis 1, after God blessed Adam and Eve, He tells them to ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth…’  Because we’ve been given His image, He wants us to multiply it throughout the world. 

In other words, “He created human beings, not only to enjoy His grace in a relationship with Him, but also to extend His glory to the ends of the earth.” (Radical, p. 65) God pours out His grace on His people for the sake of glory among all peoples.

Mr. Platt gives multiple biblical examples of how God, throughout history, has blessed His people so that salvation would be made known. 

Absorbing this scriptural truth, I am also reminded of some other simple, yet profound cause and effect relationships in the Word.

“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.  Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Joshua 1:8

“I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” John 12:46

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed…” James 5:16

“We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, (then) you will be saved.”  Romans 10:9

The Bible is filled with cause and effect promises and warnings.  Every now and then it may prove beneficial for us to review the most relevant, most truthful words in the greatest text of all.  Better yet, we may even consider writing them on the tablets of our hearts and minds.  You know, just in case an unexpected, unplanned pop quiz is announced. J

“God blesses His people with extravagant grace so that they might extend His extravagant glory to all peoples on the earth.” (Radical, p. 69)

It’s His global purpose.  It’s the great why of God.  It’s the ultimate cause and effect relationship.