They'll Know We are Christians By Our Love... I think...

{They Will  Know We are Christians By Our Love} 

Peter R. Scholtes, 1968

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored 
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love

We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we'll guard each one's dignity and save each one's pride 
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love

By our love, by our love
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand
And together we'll spread the news that God is in our land 
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love

By our love, by our love
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love

Love is patient, love is kind
Never boasts, not full of pride
Always hopes, always trusts
The evidence of Christ in us

As I pray my guts out to seek what God has for me and how He wants to use me in His kingdom two words keep resurfacing ... UNITE and IGNITE. How can I be a part of a revival call to UNITE when I am leading the charge to tear others down... with jealousy, hate, and cynicism?

I have been hurt and felt some of the worse pain in my life because of other Christians... and I have also been the one to hurt and judge and criticize... I have been the one who gossips in the name of  seeking "prayer"... I have been the one to crush other sisters because I felt "entitled"... because they were wrong... because I thought my sin was somehow less disgusting than theirs. Who would know I was a christian by my love? Certainly not other believers.

"Love prospers when a fault is forgiven,

but dwelling on it separates close friends." 

-Proverbs 17:9

I have been a splinter in God's Kingdom... I confess having been jealous of other people's callings ... I confess being bitter and hosting deep hatred and judgement . Not only hosting it in my mind and heart... but shouting it from the roof tops in the name of being a victim of their ugliness. When will it stop? When will the cycle of Christians tearing God's Kingdom apart end? 

When will we recognize this as the enemy having a foothold within Christ's church?? When will we stand up and fight against it? Maybe when I stop pointing fingers at others and realize the problem starts and stops with me.

I don't know when or how it will end for you, but the only way it can end for me is to fight day and night, minute by minute, rebuking the enemy in my thoughts and words. I have to stand up and declare "His love covers me so MY LOVE must cover you." I can sit here and be offended all day... I can sit here and be jealous and tear a sister down by patronizing her calling with a smile on my face because I'm too scared to step out and own my calling. OR I can be an encourager, I can have GRACE and LOVE even when others, maybe even unknowingly, do the same to me. I can cover another's sin with an expectant prayer of deliverance (See Circuit Rider's Podcast #24 by Brian Brennt) instead of writing them off and discounting their role in the Kingdom.

"And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows."

-1 Thessalonians 3:12

He wants us to live UNITED, the enemy doesn't. Where God wants us to seek love and grace the enemy reminds us of how we have been hurt and wronged. I am calling the enemy out today. In the name of Jesus I rebuke his attempts to divide God's kingdom through me... I will no longer be a tool for satan... 

Lord Jesus I proclaim your victory over the strongholds of jealousy, cynicism and hate... and I am declaring ownership of love grace and mercy in their place...

Because I know when I stand up and say I CHOOSE to be known for my love and grace like Jesus... others will want that too... I know when my life and my actions can reflect what these words are saying it will be POWERFUL. What would it look like if we all chose this path? What if we chose to be so secure in our callings that we could truly truly raise our sisters up in love and encouragement? What if we were sooo secure in Christ's power dwelling within us that offensive words ricocheted off of us leaving only marks that remind us to pray for the offender. 

I write this because I want this, and I know I have to have it before I can move forward into the depth of the plan that God has for my life. And no matter what we are called to... before we can answer and live  the revival inside of us... we have to recognize we all play a part in the "Great Division"... and then we have to decide what we want to do about it.

Surrender vs. Grudging Acceptance... Round One

In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:6

I guess I really should use the word submission when in my discussion here, but surrender is the word that God keeps bringing back to my heart. Even if I manage to surrender something that I have held onto (or to do something I know God has put in front of me to do), it’s a challenge to stay in surrender mode. Often what I have done in my life looks a whole lot more like grudgingly accepting “whatever God allows” in my life. Even that is most likely half hearted most of the time. I want to feel good about my level of submission to the Lord that I truly love, so sometimes I guess I can put a rosy tint on how I am doing.

God doesn’t use a lovely pink filter…He sees it all for what it is. He sees my desire to stand before Him unashamed, but He also sees my efforts for what they are and when I justify things within my own mind so that I can make myself feel like I’m surrendering when I really not. He also knows how much I want my paths straightened, as the verse above says and He knows when my submission is pure or if it is “to get something”, like straightened paths. 

¹sur·ren·der,transitive verb

1a: to yield to the power, control, or possession of another upon compulsion or demand <surrendered the fort> b: to give up completely or agree to forgo especially in favor of another

2a: to give (oneself) up into the power of another especially as a prisoner b: to give (oneself) over to something (as an influence)

intransitive verb: to give oneself up into the power of another : yield

I know that my loving Father doesn’t want the first definition in my surrender, where I feel a demand to let go. He’s not like that; He doesn’t put demands on us. The second, even though it uses the word “prisoner” as an example is where I want to be and where I am designed to be…in a state of yielding to the One who made me and knows me best. He knows what will give me true fulfillment and help me to have a lot fewer regrets one day, were I too fast forward 50 years.

I don’t want to waste my life and spend it on things that don’t matter. It’s my biggest “good fear”, if there is such a thing. Again, I am faced with how much more my trust in Him needs to grow bigger. 

 I think that when I don’t fully surrender, it’s because I am lacking in the full measure of trust. 

Lately, I am even more enthralled than usual with nebulas. If you Google nebula, and have any admiration for starry skies at all, you will be enthralled, too. There are so many colors and configurations, all different, and all beautiful. This is what I think, now, when I look at the images: the God who created that magnificence that fills me with so much wonder and awe, also…made me. I can trust Him and my trials (and issues) are not too big for Him. It puts me in my place in half a heartbeat. He is awesome, me…not so much. Left to my own devices and “wisdom” (tee hee), I am a wreck. I have proven it over and over in the seasons of my life that I was not in a place of surrender to God. I make a thorough mess of things on my own, apart from Him. There may be a shining, shallow moment here and there when I try to call the shots, but all in all, that is not the life I want. Any good things are still because of Him, even if I’m rebelling. The God of the universe, who made galaxies and all that they contain, also made me and I want to be fully His, because I love Him so much. I want to surrender.

It’s like Lu’s workouts, though, I can’t do them just once and say I did! It’s a constant thing. If I want to consistently walk in the Holy Spirit’s power, I must surrender all my “wants” each day. 

There is nothing like the first week of home schooling a teenager on the autism spectrum to show me the truth of that statement. I think surrender is like breathing, to benefit from it, I have to keep doing it…and I would love for it to become that automatic!

Perfect Love... He is enough...

“Everyone longs to give themselves to someone. To have a deep soul relationship with another, to be loved thoroughly and exclusively. But God to a Christian says, “no, not until you’re satisfied and fulfilled and content with living, loved by Me alone and giving yourself totally and unreservedly to Me, to have a intensely personal and unique relationship with Me alone. I love you My child, and until you discover that only in Me is your satisfaction to be found, you will not be capable of the perfect human relationship that I have planned for you. You will never be united with another until you are united with me…exclusive of anyone or anything else, exclusive of any other desires or longings. I want you to stop planning, stop wishing and allow me to have the most thrilling plan existing, one that you cannot imagine. I want you to have the best. Please allow me to bring it to you. You just keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things. Keep that satisfaction knowing that I AM. Keep learning and listening to the things I tell you. You must wait.”

“Don’t be anxious and don’t worry. Don’t look around at the things you think you want. Just keep looking off and away up to Me or you’ll miss what I have to show you.”

“And then when you’re ready, I’ll surprise you with a love far more wonderful than any you would ever dream. You see, until you are ready and until the one I have for is ready, I am working this minute to have both of you ready at the same time, and until you are both satisfied exclusively with me and the life I’ve prepared for you, you won’t be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me, and this is the perfect love.”

“And dear one, I want you to have the most wonderful love. I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with Me, and to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of beauty and perfection and love that I offer you with Myself.

Know I love you.
I am God Almighty.
Believe and be satisfied.”

3 Week With Jesus...

I spent three weeks with Jesus. Face to face. Hand to hand. Heart to heart. But I didn’t know it was Him. The first time He spoke, it was in through my husband. He pulled me into the bedroom and said, “My family is going to be staying with us.”

It had all started two weeks before, when my little family came down with a horrendous flu. Grandma, who lived next door, caught the same thing and ended up in the hospital. That week was hard, and more than once, my dear husband thought that she was dying in his arms. She hung in there long enough for all of her kids and grandkids to fly in from all over the country.

She came home, and all the visiting family moved next door into our house. What did I do? I panicked. Jesus opened my door and invited them in and I sounded the alarm.

The Son of God looked down on my little home and said, “That one. That is where I will send my hurting.” 

And all I could do was count my own shortcomings. How will I do this? How will I feed them all? Where will they all sleep?

I came to some of you and vented my anxieties. Jesus came to my door the next day. It was through a friend. She brought dinner and goodies and snacks to feed all of the visiting family.

I washed and cleaned and cooked and scrubbed and pleaded with God to help me be a light. I looked for those opportunities, but no one asked me for prayer or advice. They just asked for a place to sleep, some food to eat, a living room to rest in. As one week turned into two, I spoke less, I grew more weary. These people were in need, and I didn’t know how to help them. So I cooked some more, and prayed that God would use me. I made more beds, and asked God to use me.

More meals came. There didn’t seem to be enough clean towels, but there was enough to eat. This family wasn’t one to spend much time together, and yet here they were living, sleeping, eating, and grieving in close quarters. And every night, we all gathered and ate a meal together.

One day, I found myself in the kitchen scrubbing away at the mess that I couldn’t seem to get on top of. I was weary and my heart hurt. It was a rainy day and so all the kids were confined in doors and arguing over the Wii. We knew grandma wasn’t going to make it through the day. The tension was thick. I just can’t do it anymore, I told my Savior.

And He spoke again. I have dirty feet, He reminded me. 

Instantly, I saw Him taking a handful of dirt and spit and placing the mud on the blind man’s eyes. I heard Him greet the lepers that society had cast away. I was aware of the freedom the crazed man felt as the evil spirit was cast into a herd of pigs, and I heard the sin fall into the ocean waves, never to return again. I felt the thunder as the sky turned black and my Savior was crucified. His body bloodied and murdered by my sin.

He whispered gently in my ear that day, All I’ve asked of you is to have dirty feet. 

My thoughts were not pure. In fact, I had spent very little time thinking on what was good and true and right and holy. I had gone into survival mode, grief mode, just-get-through-it mode . . . and yet somehow my feet had still gotten dirty. Somehow, He had placed me right where He wanted me, despite my fears. He had used me just how He wanted to, even though my heart was unaware.

Jesus showed His unfailing love and kindness when He gave us all one last day with Grandma. She was awake and laughing and smiling and surrounded by her entire family, her legacy upon this earth. Jesus stayed, tarrying among us all that next day, through the tension and the rain and fear and the weariness. And when March 31st dawned upon us, He took grandma’s hand and led her home.

The craziness continued despite everyone’s grief. More family came. There were services, receptions to be had. Jesus came to my door again. It was my dad’s wife. Having only recently lost my mom, this is still a hard situation for me. But this woman cooked and cleaned my home preparing for the reception following the service. While we gathered in church, she served, doing what I could no longer do.

After three weeks of waiting for God to use me (and not really seeing that He was), God let me speak. Or rather, sing. I stood before the family and friends of this precious woman, and I sang about the Father’s deep love for us. Jesus was there while some wept. He was there as they gazed upon her picture on the projector screen.

In the middle of the song, the city experienced a power major outage. The lights and sound went out up and down the street and in the church where we all sat. So there I was in a darkened sanctuary singing while God spoke loudly:

“How deep the Father’s love for us. How vast and beyond measure. That He should give His only Son, to make a wretch His treasure. I will not boast in anything. No gifts, no power, no wisdom. But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer. But this I know with all my heart, His wounds have paid my ransom.” 

I have been humbled by His grace. I have been seeped in His presence. I have been surrounded by His mission all month long. It wasn’t pretty. It was messy. Tense.

Sometimes, the Kingdom of God brings about unrest as the earth encounters something holy. 

I wish with all my heart that I had done better for my Lord, that I hadn’t had a breakdown in the Food 4 Less parking lot, or that I hadn’t vented so much on my hurting husband and friends. But mostly, I am relieved and grateful beyond words that He was there with us, walking among us, embracing us in our lows, and comforting grandma in her pain.

I spent three weeks with Jesus and I wish I could say that I am changed. But the truth is that I still feel like a mess. Honestly, I just feel treasured in spite of myself. I feel blessed though I am too weak, and I feel unworthy and special as I hear him whisper even now,

“My grace is sufficient. . .” 

Katie... was raised in northern California to a Jesus-loving family. God was ever present in her family from the way her parents loved her to the miracles she saw daily. She witnessed her crippled father walk and dance again, and her mother's barren womb healed after thriteen years. At home she helped raise her little sisters, and in the church she was encouraged as a worship leader. She married her college sweetheart, and together they continue in youth ministry. Last year they left her hometown and moved with their two daughters to Southern Oregon to start a young adult ministry at Table Rock Fellowship. They are finally living their dreams of he being a youth pastor and and her, a worship leader; however, the best part of her life is being a wife to her man and a mommy to her daughters. It has taken them seven long years to get to this point , and she had to say goodbye to her beloved mother this year as she lost her short battle with cancer, she can honestly say with all certainty that the melody of her life is that of God's unfathomable love and never-changing faithfulness.

Check out Katie's personal blog at: www.ristowswife.wordpress.com

{My journey to worthiness} Rejecting The Lies in Accepting His Truth

"God uses ordinary people to accomplice extraordinary tasks" Do you believe that? 

Ever say these words to yourself? "How can God use me? I'm not a good speaker, I don't even know the bible very well", and the list goes on! I have prayed "God use me for your greatness" and in nearly the same moment, I ask myself "why would God choose me?" Doubting that he could/can ever use me.

In my mind God uses EXTRAORDINARY people to touch others. Ever here of a guy named Tim Tebow? If you are anything like me you may have not even heard that name until the last few years when he publicly stood out as a face of faith. In my head, that is who God uses, public people, beautiful people, outspoken people.

It wasn't until today when I asked God which direction he wanted me to go that I understood why "I" had not been chosen for greatness. After I asked God my question the answer was given to me. He said

"In order for me to use you, you have to believe you are important to me." 

That hit me like a punch in the gut, and still chokes me up just to think about it! Why? Because that is EXACTLY how I feel. Unimportant for his work.

I've always believed God loves me, died on the cross for me and rose again. He did it all for us. What I am still trying to wrap my head around is that he would do it all just for me! There is a song that says "I left the 99 to find the 1, and your'e the 1." That is heavy stuff! 

I totally believe you are the one, just hard to believe I am the one!

It makes me think of a time when I was praying for my nephew who was struggling. I hated that he was hurting, and I prayed "But God, I just love him so much!"As plain as day, his reply was "Imagine how much I love him?" Can we? I don't know? I love my kids so much at times it hurts! To fathom that God can top my love for my babies, and not only them, but me ... this is very hard for me to grasp, but I am going to try! Because "MY" God (I am saying these words out loud) wants to use "ME" for his greatness!

So this is the plan, I am going to verbally tell myself, DAILY that "I AM important" to Him! He wants to use me, little ole me! And he wants to use you too!

Kim... is a married mother of three very "active" children and is one of the original "Saucy Sisters". Saucy Sisters is a sauce and salad dressing company that produces fresh sauces with bold flavors.
[Editor's Note: Saucy Sisters' creamy pesto is my drug of choice... just sayin]

Visit their website at: www.saucy-sisters.com -or-
"Like" them on facebook

Answering His Call... Part 2

   

Sometimes I think that when something is exposed by God, then it has been dealt with in that very moment. And perhaps I even rationalize in my mind that I can spend about a week with the Lord over an issue and BAM, its as good as gone! Only it returns to me like a sucker-punch to the face!! One of those issues for me is intimacy. Ive seemed to re-visit it time and time again.
This all to familiar stirring accured a couple of weeks ago when I was sorta floating through the scriptures. I found myself trying to whisk by Song of Solomon for the umpteenth time. The Truth is I've never read this book in the Bible! We know according to 2 Timothy 3:16, that all scripture is inspired or breathed by God. It seems to me that I've been fairly closed off to the attributes of God revealed in this book...right? He is the lover of my soul, my romancer, the One whom woos me into the deep place of intimacy....I don't consciously want to avoid any of Gods amazing truth for me. I'm ready to be completely set free!!

Let me clarify by stating that I'm not talking about having a personal relationship with Jesus here...I would even go as far as to say I've experienced many fleeting moments of intimacy as well...I'm talking about a lifestyle change. Also, at first glance most would assume I'm pretty much a girlie-girl. My closest friends and family know that that couldn't be further from the truth....Total tomboy through and through. I just watched my first chick flick only a year ago..I've recently told my husband,  "I think the Lord is turning me into a girl! Ahhhhhh!!!" All of that to say, that if you give me the part of the bible where wars break out, victories are won (even a little shed blood) I'm there! How about in Acts where Peter and John are healing the sick, casting out demons and raising the dead!!! Whoo hoo! My adrenaline is pumping just writing about it..Hee hee. I know right? Its the warrior in me. So sure its easy for me to think of my Lord as my Abba Father who always takes care of me..Or my Lord of hosts who leads me into battle. He's defiantly my Lord and Savior who daily washes my feet when they are dirtied from the cares of this world.

So here's the deal. I'm not going to even try to assume that I know what a daily life of intimacy with Jesus or anyone else looks like.... but I sort of know what it doesn't look like...here's is an example. Meeting with my Lord in the same manner as Jesus did every day, requires a certain condition of privacy. Again referring to Jesus' example, I don't ever remember Him returning to His disciples saying, "You are not going to believe the revelation God just imparted to me!" No! He just put it into action. So why is it the first thing I do is run to my husband or friend. Come on!

My life with Jesus can be recognized by the fruit in my life. In fact that is what Gods word tells us. That we will know them by there fruit. Not, we will know others belong to Jesus by how much they talk about there fruit. LOL. 

For me that is easier said than done. Oddly enough you will seldom here me talk about my husbands and my relationship because we have something so amazingly special that I don't have to try and convince you with every detail of our life together. Hold on! I'm not saying that we don't reach out to one another for prayer. Or share amazing experiences we've had to build each others faith. I'm expressing that myself and our culture go a little bit beyond that (OK a lot beyond that). My desire is to go deeper with Jesus, My family, and other relationships the Lord may be cultivating. I'm laying down any self preservation which may result in my being overly ambitious, hostile and sarcastic (to only name a few). I'm locking myself in my beloveds chambers open and unashamed.

So today and many many more days to come, I will be drenching myself with the beautiful words in the book of Song of Solomon. I promise not to emerge out of my house wearing daisy's in my hair and skipping. But I do promise you this... I will be forever changed!

            But we all, beholding as in a mirror (the word of God) the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

 2 Corinthians 3:18 

Rollin in the Deep

This crazy feeling that overtakes me. I can't really even describe what happens. I just know I have to jump in. The captain said isn't it crazy to think we have 3,000 feet of water underneath us right now. I tear off my dress (there was a bathing suit underneath) asked the captain if I can jump in...didn't even think twice and JUMPED!!!! Everyone was like Lu you know we just saw a shark not far from here. I honestly didn't care.

I can hardly catch my breath. It almost feels like I'm having an anxiety attack. As fast as I jump in I want out. They put the ladder down...I'm in the boat. I have no idea what just happened...I still can't really catch my breath, the only thing I know is that I have had some sort of spiritual experience. I know I will need to ask the Lord about what happened.

As I sit just trying to get my wits about me, the guys get back in the boat. "Lu you have to get back in with the goggles and look under the water."

"There's nothing but water, what is there to see?"

"Just go back out there and look under the water."

I jump back in and put my face under the water...I can't even stay down long enough for the bubbles to subside, I'm again totally out of breath. My friend Daniel says Lu I totally know how you are feeling but try and catch your breath and relax underwater. You have to see this.

I've got my wits about me and I begin to float face down eyes wide open....AWWWWW BEAUTY!!!!

I again get out and know that something spiritual just happened.

It's one thing to stand in the ocean ankle deep as the waves lap over your feet. Then we move a little farther out where we are about waist deep...and we keep tiptoeing out until our shoulders are under. We then move a bit farther and then we can't touch...that always makes me a little scary. What if something comes to nibble on my toes?

3,000 feet of water under me, a vast horizon of an endless ocean. I jumped right in. It scared me but I knew I had to do it. I had a choice but I didn't really, I didn't want to miss this chance. And then to increase the experience I got back in...relaxed and looked under the water.

We get this opportunity everyday when we walk with the Lord. We have the choice to jump right in, to give him all that we are and trust He will keep us afloat. And we even get the chance to relax, take a deep breath and bask in His beauty. When I opened my eyes under the water it was the most beautiful blue I had ever seen and in the blue were these rays of sunlight that broke through the water and went as deep as I could see.

I want to be all in with the Lord, I don't want to hang out knee deep in the water. I want to be consumed by Him...ALL OF ME. I am very much in a season of asking the Lord where am I not all in? Where am I holding back parts of my heart from you? Where am I choosing to do things on my own? I want to give him all things, find him all things, because he's created all things. Search my heart Lord and give me the courage to jump right in, relax and see the light breaking through.

Sometimes we might not understand why we want to jump right in...but trust the Lord and jump on in. He's a really good God.

Death By Burpees

Minute 1..do 1 burpee...wait for minute 2 to start

Minute 2....do 2 burpees...wait for minute 3 to start

Minute 3...wait for mintue 4 to start

and on and on until you can no longer fit burpees into the minute. The first few rounds will be easy...but hold on tight, it gets good around round 6 or 7....

Have Fun, Train Hard.