In His Presence

Well, well, well. I'm back. I haven't written in quite a while. The busy back to school life has returned, and I hardly have time to catch my breath by the end of the day. Yes, I know I'm not in school anymore. That's contrary to the belief of some students who saw me at the high school last week... pushing my baby in her stroller. Not completely sure it was meant as a compliment, but hey, I'll take it.

So there has been the busy schedule thing, but I also haven't written because I have been waiting for some profound revelation to write about. Just waiting. And waiting. And waiting...

But, then I remembered. That was never my intention with this blog. My heart was to share what was going on. The good, the bad, and the ugly. So, I apologize. I'm sorry for waiting around until I had something "great" to write about. For not sharing because I don't think I have something good to bring to the table.

This is the mentality I struggle with between God and me. The enemy lies and tells me that God doesn't want to spend time with me until I have something good to bring to the table. Or that I need to clean myself up before I can spend time in His presence. I hate those lies. And yet I live like I believe them.

The truth is, when Jesus paid the penalty for my sin through His death on the cross, He made me clean enough to be in God's Holy presence. I've been washed as white as snow. Not because of anything I brought to the table. Simply because of His love, grace, and mercy. So, if God loved me enough to make a way for me to spend eternity with Him, why do I act like He doesn't want to spend time with me everyday? Because He so does! It's me who chooses otherwise.

It's in His presence where I am made whole. Surprise! He knows I'm broken already! In Matthew 11:28, He invites the "weary and burdened" to come to Him. Not the perfect and complete. He knows I will never have anything good to bring to the table. 
And He still delights in ME. 
And He delights in YOU!

So let's stop with the guilt trips and shameful glances at our Bibles that have remained untouched for weeks. He's waiting for you. Not with a furrowed brow, and not with a list of the time you've missed. But He waits with more love and grace than we could ever fathom. 

The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17 NIV84)

I hope this leaves you encouraged. I'm praying for you a renewed energy and excitement in your time with the Lord. 

There is peace and abund joy in His presence!

Taking the Leap

I hope your week has been as enjoyable as our family's has. We spent some time at the beach with family for Rob's grandfather's birthday. It has been a very special time for everyone. We have enjoyed talking, laughing and just spending time together. Our entertainment has mainly been the seven great-grandchildren under the age of four. They are hilarious! It's so funny to watch the older ones interact, trying to figure each other out. Their biggest trials of the week have included learning to share their toys and their mommies while they hold other babies.

One of my favorite parts has been watching them try scary, new things. For example: jumping off the side of the pool. All by themselves.

It's kind of a big deal.

When one brave soul would take a step off the edge into the unknown below, it was almost as if it added a little bit of courage to the others' tanks. 

A couple days of seeing the others complete the mission, and my sweet little niece was ready for her turn. She stepped up, put her toes right up to the edge, and JUMPED! The look on that tiny wet face was one filled with victory and freedom. She conquered her fear and was free to jump whenever she wanted.

Here's my brave niece, Campbell.

Even as big kids, we benefit from watching others take the first leap. I've been learning a lot about how important it is for me as a follower of Christ to share what the Lord is doing in my life. Hence, this blog. Through messages and conversations with some of you, God's showing me how He loves to use fellow believers - their struggles and triumphs, trials and victories - to build up one another. 

In Acts chapter 2, we read about the fellowship of the believers. 

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (verses 42-47)

Wow! I want to be a part of a church like that! A tiny bit because of all the bread they were eating, but mostly because of the openness and freedom that I feel when I imagine myself in those surroundings.

What if we did that? Let's start to live like God intended the church to live. I don't imagine that those believers we just read about worried too much about what others thought of them. They probably didn't mind being honest about their weaknesses, because it wasn't about them. It was about Jesus. And only Jesus.

But we can't just sit around and wish for this to happen. We have to act. Be the one to take the first step off the ledge. Tell a sister about what you read yesterday when you opened the Bible. Or share with a brother a difficult situation you're facing with your family. It will be uncomfortable at first. The enemy will try his best to steer us away from it. But the moment you invite the Lord to be a part of your conversation, the awkwardness is gone and you'll feel free to fellowship with edifying and loving words.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)

You be the one to jump first! Add some courage to those around you. Maybe it means writing about it like my friend Ryan King is doing here. Maybe it means having more meaningful conversations over coffee or riding in the car. Whatever you need to do to "spur one another on," DO IT. 


We could all take a lesson from the little ones at the pool.