Monday, September 14, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Forget Me ... How about 25 things about GOD! ~ Randy Krueger
1. It is His kindness that leads me to repentance.
2. When I was his enemy He sent his Son to die for me.
3. He gives strength to the weak.
4. He lifted me from the muck and mire and placed my feet on a rock.
5. He has given me a heart of flesh for my heart of stone.
6. He has a plan for me.
7. He is sovereign over all things.
8. He is the one who appoints kings and rulers.
9. He works all things together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose.
10. He is not contained in time ... in fact he created time and sees all of it
11. He hold all thing together
12. He is holy
13. He poured out the extent of his wrath on His son - allowing him to take the punishment of death that I deserved.
14. He is everwhere
15. He is all powerful.
16. He always has perfect timing.
17. He is the author and finisher of my faith.
18. He knows all things.
19. His ways are higher than my ways.
20. He gives grace - what we do not deserve.
21. He gives mercy - withholding what we do deserve.
22. He is perfect
23. He deserves worship
24. He is superior to all things.
25. Best of all He loves me!
2. When I was his enemy He sent his Son to die for me.
3. He gives strength to the weak.
4. He lifted me from the muck and mire and placed my feet on a rock.
5. He has given me a heart of flesh for my heart of stone.
6. He has a plan for me.
7. He is sovereign over all things.
8. He is the one who appoints kings and rulers.
9. He works all things together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose.
10. He is not contained in time ... in fact he created time and sees all of it
11. He hold all thing together
12. He is holy
13. He poured out the extent of his wrath on His son - allowing him to take the punishment of death that I deserved.
14. He is everwhere
15. He is all powerful.
16. He always has perfect timing.
17. He is the author and finisher of my faith.
18. He knows all things.
19. His ways are higher than my ways.
20. He gives grace - what we do not deserve.
21. He gives mercy - withholding what we do deserve.
22. He is perfect
23. He deserves worship
24. He is superior to all things.
25. Best of all He loves me!
Monday, February 9, 2009
When I Am Afraid I Will Trust in You ~ Words of Life
When I am afraid
I will trust in you,
I will trust in you,
I will trust in you.
When I am afraid
I will trust in you,
in God whose word I praise.
In God I trust, when I am afraid.
In God I trust, in God whose word I praise
(Steve Green)
This scripture in Psalm 56 does not say IF I am afraid, but WHEN I am afraid. Trusting God is a ACTION. Something we have to actively work to do. We have to PUT our trust in Him. We have to THINK on Him, PRAISE Him, TRUST Him! When I am afraid, sometimes the most I can get out is to sing these simple two verses from Scripture that Steve Green put to music. I am reminding myself of WHO my God is & reminding myself how small whatever the circumstance is in comparison to the POWER of my God!!!
Praise always seems to be an antidote for anxiety. When I was younger and would sing the song, about bringing a sacrifice of praise, I really am not sure that I understood that praising God, at times, would be a sacrifice. But it is! I am called to praise Him. A lot of times I may not “feel” like praising Him. But when I turn my heart towards His and I begin to praise Him, He is glorified and I am reminded over and over again of the character of God!
There are so many self help groups, books and counselors. This world is searching for peace, searching for hope, searching for who they can find shelter under when they are afraid. I have found that the scripture is FULL of TRUTH that brings life to my soul when I am afraid. After my grandmother died in my arms three years ago my heart ached so bad I did not know how I was going to make it another step. The grief I felt was deeper than I even knew my heart was able to grieve. I ached to the deepest core of my soul.
It was then that I realized that the only words that were not empty and meaningless were those that I found in Scripture. I got a journal and as I read God’s Word, I would write down those Scriptures that began to breathe life back into my broken heart. The act of writing them out, was for me, a sacrifice of praise. Then that same journal during moments when I was afraid I could not take another step reminded me of the God I served, the God I loved, the God who had changed my heart, the God who had been the God of my grandmother, the God who I knew was preparing me in the midst of my grief to be able to comfort others who were grieving.
In this journal I didn’t write any of my own words, with the exception of the date I read a certain verse. I wanted God's Word to speak to me without the clutter of my thoughts.
Words of Life ~ I hope these Words of Life will speak to you and that you may be able to add to these more verses that speak life to your soul! This is only scratching the surface of the Scripture I have written out. It would be awesome if you added scripture that has been helpful to you as you fight against fear ~ put the verse and the reference as a comment to encourage others….
The Word of the Lord does not return void! May we be daughters of Sarah, who do was is right & do not give way to fear!
2 Corinthians 3:4-5 And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God!
Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to that which you were also ye were called in one body, and be thankful.
Colossians 4:5-6 Conduct yourself wisely toward outsiders making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious seasoned with salt.
Deuteronomy 10:12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul…”
Deuteronomy 31:8 “It is the Lord who goes before you, He will be with you; He will not fail you, or let your go or forsake you; fear not, neither become broken in spirit.”
Ephesians 3:20 “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”
Galatians 4:7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir!
Genesis 15:1 “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”
Genesis 5:20 “….you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good…”
Haggai 2:4-5 “Be strong all you people of the land, declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you. And My spirit remains among you. Do not fear.”
Hebrews 5:7-10 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and He was heard because of his reverent submission. Although He was a son, He learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him.
I John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Isaiah 26:12 Lord, You establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us!
Isaiah 26:3-4 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord is the rock eternal.
Isaiah 30:15 In quietness and confidence shall be your strength!
Isaiah 41:10 “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand!”
Isaiah 43:1 “Fear not for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name, you are Mine!”
Isaiah 43:2-3,5 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Hold One of Israel, your Savior. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east and from the west I will gather you.”
Isaiah 59:1 Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save nor His ear too dull to hear.
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, ‘ declares the Lord,’ plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future!”
Jeremiah 32:27 “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for Me?”
John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in my you may have beach. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!
Matthew 22:37 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor ass yourself.
Philippians 3:13-14 I concentrate on this: I leave the past behind and with hands outstretched to whatever lies ahead. I go straight for the goal ~ my reward ~ the honor of being called by God in Christ!
Phillipians 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Proverbs 16:9 “The heart of the man plans his ways, but the Lord establishes his steps.”
Psalm 107:29-30 He makes the storm a calm, so that the waves there of are still. Then are they glad because the waters were quiet.
Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me.”
Psalm 23:6 “Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever!”
Psalm 29:11 The Lord will give strength unto His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.
Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God!
Psalm 56:3 “When I am afraid I put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; in
shall not be afraid!”
Psalm 59:16 Thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble.
Psalm 62:8 Trusts in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your hearts before Him; God is a refuge for us.
Psalm 73:26 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
Psalm 79:13 From generation to generation we will recount your praise.
Psalm 94:18-19 “When I said, ‘My foot is slipping; your love, O Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.”
Romans 8:15 “For you did nor receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, Abba Father!”
Romans 8:38-39 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor heights, nor depths, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
I will trust in you,
I will trust in you,
I will trust in you.
When I am afraid
I will trust in you,
in God whose word I praise.
In God I trust, when I am afraid.
In God I trust, in God whose word I praise
(Steve Green)
This scripture in Psalm 56 does not say IF I am afraid, but WHEN I am afraid. Trusting God is a ACTION. Something we have to actively work to do. We have to PUT our trust in Him. We have to THINK on Him, PRAISE Him, TRUST Him! When I am afraid, sometimes the most I can get out is to sing these simple two verses from Scripture that Steve Green put to music. I am reminding myself of WHO my God is & reminding myself how small whatever the circumstance is in comparison to the POWER of my God!!!
Praise always seems to be an antidote for anxiety. When I was younger and would sing the song, about bringing a sacrifice of praise, I really am not sure that I understood that praising God, at times, would be a sacrifice. But it is! I am called to praise Him. A lot of times I may not “feel” like praising Him. But when I turn my heart towards His and I begin to praise Him, He is glorified and I am reminded over and over again of the character of God!
There are so many self help groups, books and counselors. This world is searching for peace, searching for hope, searching for who they can find shelter under when they are afraid. I have found that the scripture is FULL of TRUTH that brings life to my soul when I am afraid. After my grandmother died in my arms three years ago my heart ached so bad I did not know how I was going to make it another step. The grief I felt was deeper than I even knew my heart was able to grieve. I ached to the deepest core of my soul.
It was then that I realized that the only words that were not empty and meaningless were those that I found in Scripture. I got a journal and as I read God’s Word, I would write down those Scriptures that began to breathe life back into my broken heart. The act of writing them out, was for me, a sacrifice of praise. Then that same journal during moments when I was afraid I could not take another step reminded me of the God I served, the God I loved, the God who had changed my heart, the God who had been the God of my grandmother, the God who I knew was preparing me in the midst of my grief to be able to comfort others who were grieving.
In this journal I didn’t write any of my own words, with the exception of the date I read a certain verse. I wanted God's Word to speak to me without the clutter of my thoughts.
Words of Life ~ I hope these Words of Life will speak to you and that you may be able to add to these more verses that speak life to your soul! This is only scratching the surface of the Scripture I have written out. It would be awesome if you added scripture that has been helpful to you as you fight against fear ~ put the verse and the reference as a comment to encourage others….
The Word of the Lord does not return void! May we be daughters of Sarah, who do was is right & do not give way to fear!
2 Corinthians 3:4-5 And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God!
Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to that which you were also ye were called in one body, and be thankful.
Colossians 4:5-6 Conduct yourself wisely toward outsiders making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious seasoned with salt.
Deuteronomy 10:12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul…”
Deuteronomy 31:8 “It is the Lord who goes before you, He will be with you; He will not fail you, or let your go or forsake you; fear not, neither become broken in spirit.”
Ephesians 3:20 “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”
Galatians 4:7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir!
Genesis 15:1 “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”
Genesis 5:20 “….you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good…”
Haggai 2:4-5 “Be strong all you people of the land, declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you. And My spirit remains among you. Do not fear.”
Hebrews 5:7-10 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and He was heard because of his reverent submission. Although He was a son, He learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him.
I John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Isaiah 26:12 Lord, You establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us!
Isaiah 26:3-4 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord is the rock eternal.
Isaiah 30:15 In quietness and confidence shall be your strength!
Isaiah 41:10 “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand!”
Isaiah 43:1 “Fear not for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name, you are Mine!”
Isaiah 43:2-3,5 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Hold One of Israel, your Savior. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east and from the west I will gather you.”
Isaiah 59:1 Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save nor His ear too dull to hear.
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, ‘ declares the Lord,’ plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future!”
Jeremiah 32:27 “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for Me?”
John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in my you may have beach. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!
Matthew 22:37 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor ass yourself.
Philippians 3:13-14 I concentrate on this: I leave the past behind and with hands outstretched to whatever lies ahead. I go straight for the goal ~ my reward ~ the honor of being called by God in Christ!
Phillipians 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Proverbs 16:9 “The heart of the man plans his ways, but the Lord establishes his steps.”
Psalm 107:29-30 He makes the storm a calm, so that the waves there of are still. Then are they glad because the waters were quiet.
Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me.”
Psalm 23:6 “Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever!”
Psalm 29:11 The Lord will give strength unto His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.
Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God!
Psalm 56:3 “When I am afraid I put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; in
shall not be afraid!”
Psalm 59:16 Thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble.
Psalm 62:8 Trusts in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your hearts before Him; God is a refuge for us.
Psalm 73:26 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
Psalm 79:13 From generation to generation we will recount your praise.
Psalm 94:18-19 “When I said, ‘My foot is slipping; your love, O Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.”
Romans 8:15 “For you did nor receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, Abba Father!”
Romans 8:38-39 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor heights, nor depths, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Sunday, February 8, 2009
My thoughts on the Inauguration 2009 ~
Our adventure to the Inauguration began well before the Elections in November 2008. We called Senator Sessions office and requested to be put on the list to receive tickets to the swearing in ceremonies in January 2009. We did not know the outcome of the elections but because we had the privilege of attending the Inauguration in 2005 we knew what an incredible opportunity it would be to go again in 2009.
Before Election Night 2008 Randy & I began discussing what we would do if “our guy” didn’t win the election. When November 4th was over it was time to make our decision. We had hoped to be going for the Inauguration of John McCain and Sarah Palin but the outcome was different, Barack Obama and Joe Biden won the race for President and Vice President Elect of the United States. There were two main reasons why we decided we would make plans to attend the Inauguration on January 20, 2009. Most importantly, we acknowledge that God is Sovereign. We know that He is in control of all things. We know that He alone raises and tears down Kings (leaders). We are called to honor our leaders and to pray for them. Going to the Inauguration was our way to honor the new administration and to demonstrate that act of honor to both our girls and others that might be watching. President Obama is our President and we will pray for him as he seeks to lead this country. Secondly, this Inauguration will be extremely historical. As parents and educators what an amazing opportunity for our girls to witness this incredibly historical day!
We were able to make arrangements to leave on Friday, January the 16th to head to Washington. We arrived early Friday morning, made our way to the Russell Senate Building to pick up our tickets to the Inauguration. We had the privilege of speaking to Sen. Sessions, as well as many of his staffers. The next week was filled with trips to museums, monuments, the National Zoo, the Portrait Gallery, walks on the National Mall, a tour of the Capitol, visits to both the House & Senate Galleries, as well as surprise tickets to the Kids Inaugural Concert.
During these first days we met so many amazing people from all over the country, actually from across the world. They travelled from near and far to be here in Washington DC for Tuesday’s Inauguration. I watched as a group of older black women were moved to tears as they saw Barack Obama’s photograph displayed with all the other Presidents of the United States in a traveling Portrait Exhibit. Their emotion caused me to contemplate for a moment what they must have been feeling ~ feelings of pride, relief, sadness that their parents did not live to see this day, mostly I saw deep joy – they see hope in this man that on Tuesday would become our President. The tone of all the people we encountered those first few days was one of celebration, excitement, elation. Although, we did not agree with most of them politically, we were ALL American’s, all here for this historic day, all a part of the fabric of this amazing Nation ~ home of the free and the brave!
Tuesday came before we knew it; we were as prepared as we possibly could have been. We knew we needed many layers after our experience at the Inauguration four years ago where the temperature never rose above 16. We also knew that we needed to leave VERY early in order to make our way to our check point to be screened by security before entering the Silver Ticketed Area. Our friends, the Loggins’, would be meeting us at the Marta subway stop in Alexandria, VA. We met at the Braddock Road stop at 5:30am. We rode the Yellow Line across the Potomac River to the L’Enfant Plaza Station where we changed to the Blue Line which took us to the Federal Center station. This was the stop we were to take to get to the security check point for our ticketed area.
The crowds were as we had expected at the first two stations, but on arriving at Federal Center we were stunned. The train doors opened. We began to exit. There honestly was not enough room on the platform for us to exit, but we squeezed off the train with the rest of the riders. The platform, which was about 30 to 40 feet wide, was completely packed with people, shoulder to shoulder. There was little movement. The security officers attempted to keep people from getting too close to the edge of the platform, trying to prevent someone from getting hit by a train. The trains continued to move in and out of the station, adding more and more people to this already full subway station. We moved at a snail’s pace, slowly but surely making our way down the platform and up the escalator. Finally, the authorities opened the gates so that each person did not have to scan their card to get out of the station. This did not improved the time by much but it did help! From the time our train pulled into the station to the time we arrived at street level was over an hour! We were just thankful to make it safely out of the tunnel and into the fresh COLD air!
Once on the street, 3rd Street NW, we followed the signs and the crowds toward our Gate entry point. The streets were completely blocked to vehicles and were totally packed with people from one side of the street to the other. The time is now around 6:45am. This is where our experience with the people attending the Inauguration changed. There were several times when the crowd got riled up. They became angry because there was no movement towards the Gate. They began pushing, ignoring the direction of the FBI, Police and Washington Mall Security. Some would push around the barricades running across Independence Avenue SW toward the front of the line. Many in the crowd would say, “Go ahead… push through, they can’t arrest us all!” This was not an isolated comment. We heard this comment over and over throughout the morning as we pressed on through the crowd towards the security check point. At one point, when the mass of people shifted, we found ourselves at the corner of 3rd Street NW and Independence Avenue SW against the security fencing. The crowd began to push again, pushing all of us, but especially Emma, our youngest daughter, against the metal security barrier. They refused to stop pushing with a simple request; I had to raise my voice, asking them to please stop pushing, telling them that there was a child against the fence that was going to get hurt if they didn’t stop pushing. This was scary. Thankfully within a few minutes we were over to the other side of the street where we were not quite so compressed. We worked our way through the funnel and into security. By now it was close to 9:00am. We all went through security. Compared to the last Inauguration the security screening was far less thorough. The most surprising things, they NEVER checked our tickets, my camera was not taken apart, to verify that it was really a camera and several of our bags were not checked! We made our way from there across 3rd Street NW onto the Capitol Grounds into the front of the Silver ticket section. The area was filling up, we went first up to the edge of the Reflecting Pool, although closer to the Capitol the view was not so clear, so we decided to go back about 20 yards to an area dead center of the Capitol just out from under the trees right alongside the area blocked off for emergency vehicles to come and go as well as those needing handicap accessibility.
From our spot on the National Mall we became a handful of people among a sea of millions! It was truly incredible. We received many text messages and a few phone calls during the morning hours ~ with questions like: “Where are you?”, “What is it like?”, “Are you surviving the crowds and the cold?”, “Can you eat?”, most importantly, “Praying for you!”. My dear friend, Nancy, in Oklahoma asked me in a text message, “What is it like, how are you feeling about it all?” At that point, we were listening to the band playing God Bless America. I told Nancy, “It is incredible, to be here, singing God Bless America with all these other people, no matter who you voted for this is America and to witness the transfer of power so peacefully is truly amazing!” Standing there you are reminded of how faithful God has been to you and to your family. It was a beautiful time!
The sad thing is how the attitude of the people turned so quickly. First, this was experienced by the rushing of the people through security fencing, ONTO the Reflecting Pool and into the Purple and Blue section that was in front of us. This is sad in many ways, 1) the disregard for property: they were climbing onto statues and monuments to get a better view. 2) The disregard for persons: their refusal to remain in the area designated for them caused other check points to be closed keeping people who did have tickets for the Purple and Blue sections out of the Ceremony all together because those who were not obeying the rules filled up that area. 3) the disregard of the event they were attending: this was a ceremony, an event that should have been witnessed with honor & dignity & self control. Other than those that were kept out because of this behavior, as far as I know no one was hurt during that first security breech.
Just a few minutes had passed; others saw that there was now room up ahead because so many people left the area. This knowledge immediately began riling up the people around us. They were arguing with the police about why he wouldn’t allow them to fill in the emergency area. That didn’t get them any closer to the Capitol so this group of a couple hundred people decided to just push over the security barricade & press in closer. Upon doing so, they trampled a woman. She had to be taken out by stretcher to an ambulance. The extent to which people are willing to go to fulfill their own wants and desires was becoming more and more sobering.
The time is now about 11:30am. All the dignitaries are being introduced. This is when my heart broke and began to weep for the condition of our country. There were three events that concluded our time at the Inauguration Ceremonies. The first happen with President Bush was announced. The booing from the entire area we were in was so loud you could no longer hear the announcer, even through the speaker system. It was at the same noise level that a cheer might erupt when the winning touchdown is made at the Super Bowl. This was very sad to me. Now, I understand that Bush is a Republican and most of those there on the 20th were Democrats, but this was a ceremony, a final moment as our President. Never before has the crowd been so disrespectful of a President from another party, never. Secondly, as we looked around at the reaction of the crowd to Bush we noticed that the area in which we had been for hours earlier in the morning, down 3rd Street SW & Independence Avenue SW, was completely packed with people, and those people were charging the 3 different security barriers running full force towards the Silver section where we were. This was frightening to say the least 1) these people had not been checked through security 2) because at this point the police literally threw up their hands and walked away! We knew at the point we had to leave in order to protect our girl’s safety. We waited until the crowded calmed and began moving out. We paused to pray with Rick Warren and again the depravity of the masses broke my heart even deeper still. Rather than quietly listening to the prayer, the made rude jokes and when he began saying the Lord’s Prayer there were actually people who spat on the ground in disgust.
Through our tears we began to leave the area in order to get somewhere safer. I was alarmed that the mass media did not cover this side of the Inauguration. I was disappointed to read reports from the Inauguration Committee that things went smoothly and that the Secret Service was please with the outcome of the day because no one had to be arrested. They turned their backs and walked away from utter disregard for the law. Now, Randy says, he thinks we actually were safer because they didn’t do anything, because if they were willing to push through all that they did and go past military, Secret Service & police with machine guns on their sides, there is no telling what they would have done if any resistance was put up against them. I know that if President Obama had been standing there with us, his heart would have been just as broken as ours was.
Please remember that I shared with you about many amazing people we met during our eight day visit to Washington. The attitude around us on Tuesday seemed to be a very different group of people. But the voices were loud and the cries of godlessness were almost deafening. I have to tell you that I am thankful that I witnessed what I did on that Tuesday just three weeks ago. If I had not witnessed it with my own eyes, I don’t believe I would have been able to conceive the reality of what happen. I know that because of being there I will be all the more fervent in my prayers, 1) that my God will revive my heart, 2) He would begin a revival in the hearts of those in my family, and 3) because of those transforming changes I am praying that the believers in my church and the Church across the world will be revived to a passion for Christ & for the lost. Because then and only then can we reach out and tell the lost about a Savior who loves us in spite of our sin, a Savior who took our place to pay the debt we could not pay, a Savior who is able to transform us into His imagine. My hope is that you too may be burdened for the spiritual condition of your heart and of the hearts of men around you. May God humble us, hear our prayers & save us!
Before Election Night 2008 Randy & I began discussing what we would do if “our guy” didn’t win the election. When November 4th was over it was time to make our decision. We had hoped to be going for the Inauguration of John McCain and Sarah Palin but the outcome was different, Barack Obama and Joe Biden won the race for President and Vice President Elect of the United States. There were two main reasons why we decided we would make plans to attend the Inauguration on January 20, 2009. Most importantly, we acknowledge that God is Sovereign. We know that He is in control of all things. We know that He alone raises and tears down Kings (leaders). We are called to honor our leaders and to pray for them. Going to the Inauguration was our way to honor the new administration and to demonstrate that act of honor to both our girls and others that might be watching. President Obama is our President and we will pray for him as he seeks to lead this country. Secondly, this Inauguration will be extremely historical. As parents and educators what an amazing opportunity for our girls to witness this incredibly historical day!
We were able to make arrangements to leave on Friday, January the 16th to head to Washington. We arrived early Friday morning, made our way to the Russell Senate Building to pick up our tickets to the Inauguration. We had the privilege of speaking to Sen. Sessions, as well as many of his staffers. The next week was filled with trips to museums, monuments, the National Zoo, the Portrait Gallery, walks on the National Mall, a tour of the Capitol, visits to both the House & Senate Galleries, as well as surprise tickets to the Kids Inaugural Concert.
During these first days we met so many amazing people from all over the country, actually from across the world. They travelled from near and far to be here in Washington DC for Tuesday’s Inauguration. I watched as a group of older black women were moved to tears as they saw Barack Obama’s photograph displayed with all the other Presidents of the United States in a traveling Portrait Exhibit. Their emotion caused me to contemplate for a moment what they must have been feeling ~ feelings of pride, relief, sadness that their parents did not live to see this day, mostly I saw deep joy – they see hope in this man that on Tuesday would become our President. The tone of all the people we encountered those first few days was one of celebration, excitement, elation. Although, we did not agree with most of them politically, we were ALL American’s, all here for this historic day, all a part of the fabric of this amazing Nation ~ home of the free and the brave!
Tuesday came before we knew it; we were as prepared as we possibly could have been. We knew we needed many layers after our experience at the Inauguration four years ago where the temperature never rose above 16. We also knew that we needed to leave VERY early in order to make our way to our check point to be screened by security before entering the Silver Ticketed Area. Our friends, the Loggins’, would be meeting us at the Marta subway stop in Alexandria, VA. We met at the Braddock Road stop at 5:30am. We rode the Yellow Line across the Potomac River to the L’Enfant Plaza Station where we changed to the Blue Line which took us to the Federal Center station. This was the stop we were to take to get to the security check point for our ticketed area.
The crowds were as we had expected at the first two stations, but on arriving at Federal Center we were stunned. The train doors opened. We began to exit. There honestly was not enough room on the platform for us to exit, but we squeezed off the train with the rest of the riders. The platform, which was about 30 to 40 feet wide, was completely packed with people, shoulder to shoulder. There was little movement. The security officers attempted to keep people from getting too close to the edge of the platform, trying to prevent someone from getting hit by a train. The trains continued to move in and out of the station, adding more and more people to this already full subway station. We moved at a snail’s pace, slowly but surely making our way down the platform and up the escalator. Finally, the authorities opened the gates so that each person did not have to scan their card to get out of the station. This did not improved the time by much but it did help! From the time our train pulled into the station to the time we arrived at street level was over an hour! We were just thankful to make it safely out of the tunnel and into the fresh COLD air!
Once on the street, 3rd Street NW, we followed the signs and the crowds toward our Gate entry point. The streets were completely blocked to vehicles and were totally packed with people from one side of the street to the other. The time is now around 6:45am. This is where our experience with the people attending the Inauguration changed. There were several times when the crowd got riled up. They became angry because there was no movement towards the Gate. They began pushing, ignoring the direction of the FBI, Police and Washington Mall Security. Some would push around the barricades running across Independence Avenue SW toward the front of the line. Many in the crowd would say, “Go ahead… push through, they can’t arrest us all!” This was not an isolated comment. We heard this comment over and over throughout the morning as we pressed on through the crowd towards the security check point. At one point, when the mass of people shifted, we found ourselves at the corner of 3rd Street NW and Independence Avenue SW against the security fencing. The crowd began to push again, pushing all of us, but especially Emma, our youngest daughter, against the metal security barrier. They refused to stop pushing with a simple request; I had to raise my voice, asking them to please stop pushing, telling them that there was a child against the fence that was going to get hurt if they didn’t stop pushing. This was scary. Thankfully within a few minutes we were over to the other side of the street where we were not quite so compressed. We worked our way through the funnel and into security. By now it was close to 9:00am. We all went through security. Compared to the last Inauguration the security screening was far less thorough. The most surprising things, they NEVER checked our tickets, my camera was not taken apart, to verify that it was really a camera and several of our bags were not checked! We made our way from there across 3rd Street NW onto the Capitol Grounds into the front of the Silver ticket section. The area was filling up, we went first up to the edge of the Reflecting Pool, although closer to the Capitol the view was not so clear, so we decided to go back about 20 yards to an area dead center of the Capitol just out from under the trees right alongside the area blocked off for emergency vehicles to come and go as well as those needing handicap accessibility.
From our spot on the National Mall we became a handful of people among a sea of millions! It was truly incredible. We received many text messages and a few phone calls during the morning hours ~ with questions like: “Where are you?”, “What is it like?”, “Are you surviving the crowds and the cold?”, “Can you eat?”, most importantly, “Praying for you!”. My dear friend, Nancy, in Oklahoma asked me in a text message, “What is it like, how are you feeling about it all?” At that point, we were listening to the band playing God Bless America. I told Nancy, “It is incredible, to be here, singing God Bless America with all these other people, no matter who you voted for this is America and to witness the transfer of power so peacefully is truly amazing!” Standing there you are reminded of how faithful God has been to you and to your family. It was a beautiful time!
The sad thing is how the attitude of the people turned so quickly. First, this was experienced by the rushing of the people through security fencing, ONTO the Reflecting Pool and into the Purple and Blue section that was in front of us. This is sad in many ways, 1) the disregard for property: they were climbing onto statues and monuments to get a better view. 2) The disregard for persons: their refusal to remain in the area designated for them caused other check points to be closed keeping people who did have tickets for the Purple and Blue sections out of the Ceremony all together because those who were not obeying the rules filled up that area. 3) the disregard of the event they were attending: this was a ceremony, an event that should have been witnessed with honor & dignity & self control. Other than those that were kept out because of this behavior, as far as I know no one was hurt during that first security breech.
Just a few minutes had passed; others saw that there was now room up ahead because so many people left the area. This knowledge immediately began riling up the people around us. They were arguing with the police about why he wouldn’t allow them to fill in the emergency area. That didn’t get them any closer to the Capitol so this group of a couple hundred people decided to just push over the security barricade & press in closer. Upon doing so, they trampled a woman. She had to be taken out by stretcher to an ambulance. The extent to which people are willing to go to fulfill their own wants and desires was becoming more and more sobering.
The time is now about 11:30am. All the dignitaries are being introduced. This is when my heart broke and began to weep for the condition of our country. There were three events that concluded our time at the Inauguration Ceremonies. The first happen with President Bush was announced. The booing from the entire area we were in was so loud you could no longer hear the announcer, even through the speaker system. It was at the same noise level that a cheer might erupt when the winning touchdown is made at the Super Bowl. This was very sad to me. Now, I understand that Bush is a Republican and most of those there on the 20th were Democrats, but this was a ceremony, a final moment as our President. Never before has the crowd been so disrespectful of a President from another party, never. Secondly, as we looked around at the reaction of the crowd to Bush we noticed that the area in which we had been for hours earlier in the morning, down 3rd Street SW & Independence Avenue SW, was completely packed with people, and those people were charging the 3 different security barriers running full force towards the Silver section where we were. This was frightening to say the least 1) these people had not been checked through security 2) because at this point the police literally threw up their hands and walked away! We knew at the point we had to leave in order to protect our girl’s safety. We waited until the crowded calmed and began moving out. We paused to pray with Rick Warren and again the depravity of the masses broke my heart even deeper still. Rather than quietly listening to the prayer, the made rude jokes and when he began saying the Lord’s Prayer there were actually people who spat on the ground in disgust.
Through our tears we began to leave the area in order to get somewhere safer. I was alarmed that the mass media did not cover this side of the Inauguration. I was disappointed to read reports from the Inauguration Committee that things went smoothly and that the Secret Service was please with the outcome of the day because no one had to be arrested. They turned their backs and walked away from utter disregard for the law. Now, Randy says, he thinks we actually were safer because they didn’t do anything, because if they were willing to push through all that they did and go past military, Secret Service & police with machine guns on their sides, there is no telling what they would have done if any resistance was put up against them. I know that if President Obama had been standing there with us, his heart would have been just as broken as ours was.
Please remember that I shared with you about many amazing people we met during our eight day visit to Washington. The attitude around us on Tuesday seemed to be a very different group of people. But the voices were loud and the cries of godlessness were almost deafening. I have to tell you that I am thankful that I witnessed what I did on that Tuesday just three weeks ago. If I had not witnessed it with my own eyes, I don’t believe I would have been able to conceive the reality of what happen. I know that because of being there I will be all the more fervent in my prayers, 1) that my God will revive my heart, 2) He would begin a revival in the hearts of those in my family, and 3) because of those transforming changes I am praying that the believers in my church and the Church across the world will be revived to a passion for Christ & for the lost. Because then and only then can we reach out and tell the lost about a Savior who loves us in spite of our sin, a Savior who took our place to pay the debt we could not pay, a Savior who is able to transform us into His imagine. My hope is that you too may be burdened for the spiritual condition of your heart and of the hearts of men around you. May God humble us, hear our prayers & save us!
Friday, February 6, 2009
God is at work!
Never assume that what happens in your life is merely a matter of chance or coincidence. Remember: God is at work ~ divinely orchestrating events to bring about His purposes in your life!" ~ Chapter on Ruth from Women of the Bible by Ann Spangler & Jean E Syswerda
Leave Your Enemies in God's Hands by Max Lucado ~ Friday, December 19, 2008 at 3:26pm
This note came to my email today ~ it was just what I needed!!! God is so good to minister to my soul ~ at just the right time!!!! I am so thankful He is my God!!! ~ Rebecca
Some years ago a Rottweiler attacked our golden retriever puppy at a kennel. The worthless animal climbed out of its run and into Molly's and nearly killed her. He left her with dozens of gashes and a dangling ear. I wrote a letter to the dog's owner, urging him to put the dog to sleep.
But when I showed the letter to the kennel owner, she begged me to reconsider. "What that dog did was horrible, but I'm still training him. I'm not finished with him yet." God would say the same about the rottweiler who attacked you. "What he did was unthinkable, unacceptable, inexcusable, but I'm not finished yet."
Your enemies still figure into God's plan. Their pulse is proof: God hasn't given up on them. They may be out of God's will, but not out of his reach. You honor God when you see them, not as his failures, but as his projects. God occupies the only seat on the supreme court of heaven. He wears the robe and refuses to share the gavel. For this reason Paul wrote, "Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. 'I'll do the judging,' says God. 'I'll take care of it' " (Rom. 12:19 MSG).
Revenge removes God from the equation. Vigilantes displace and replace God. "I'm not sure you can handle this one, Lord. You may punish too little or too slowly. I'll take this matter into my hands, thank you." Is this what you want to say? Jesus didn't. No one had a clearer sense of right and wrong than the perfect Son of God. Yet, "when he suffered, he didn't make any threats but left everything to the one who judges fairly" (1 Pet. 2:23 GOD'S WORD).
Only God assesses accurate judgments. We impose punishments too slight or severe. God dispenses perfect justice. Vengeance is his job. Leave your enemies in God's hands. You're not endorsing their misbehavior when you do. You can hate what someone did without letting hatred consume you. Forgiveness is not excusing.
Nor is forgiveness pretending. David didn't gloss over or sidestep Saul's sin. He addressed it directly. He didn't avoid the issue, but he did avoid Saul.
Do the same. Give grace, but, if need be, keep your distance. You can forgive the abusive husband without living with him. Be quick to give mercy to the immoral pastor, but be slow to give him a pulpit. Society can dispense grace and prison terms at the same time. Offer the child molester a second chance, but keep him off the playgrounds.
Forgiveness is not foolishness.
Forgiveness is, at its core, choosing to see your offender with different eyes. You don't excuse him, endorse her, or embrace them. You just route thoughts about them through heaven. You see your enemy as God's child and revenge as God's job.
By the way, how can we grace-recipients do anything less? Dare we ask God for grace when we refuse to give it? This is a huge issue in Scripture. Jesus was tough on sinners who refused to forgive other sinners. In the final sum, we give grace because we've been given grace.
From
Facing Your Giants
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006) Max Lucado
Some years ago a Rottweiler attacked our golden retriever puppy at a kennel. The worthless animal climbed out of its run and into Molly's and nearly killed her. He left her with dozens of gashes and a dangling ear. I wrote a letter to the dog's owner, urging him to put the dog to sleep.
But when I showed the letter to the kennel owner, she begged me to reconsider. "What that dog did was horrible, but I'm still training him. I'm not finished with him yet." God would say the same about the rottweiler who attacked you. "What he did was unthinkable, unacceptable, inexcusable, but I'm not finished yet."
Your enemies still figure into God's plan. Their pulse is proof: God hasn't given up on them. They may be out of God's will, but not out of his reach. You honor God when you see them, not as his failures, but as his projects. God occupies the only seat on the supreme court of heaven. He wears the robe and refuses to share the gavel. For this reason Paul wrote, "Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. 'I'll do the judging,' says God. 'I'll take care of it' " (Rom. 12:19 MSG).
Revenge removes God from the equation. Vigilantes displace and replace God. "I'm not sure you can handle this one, Lord. You may punish too little or too slowly. I'll take this matter into my hands, thank you." Is this what you want to say? Jesus didn't. No one had a clearer sense of right and wrong than the perfect Son of God. Yet, "when he suffered, he didn't make any threats but left everything to the one who judges fairly" (1 Pet. 2:23 GOD'S WORD).
Only God assesses accurate judgments. We impose punishments too slight or severe. God dispenses perfect justice. Vengeance is his job. Leave your enemies in God's hands. You're not endorsing their misbehavior when you do. You can hate what someone did without letting hatred consume you. Forgiveness is not excusing.
Nor is forgiveness pretending. David didn't gloss over or sidestep Saul's sin. He addressed it directly. He didn't avoid the issue, but he did avoid Saul.
Do the same. Give grace, but, if need be, keep your distance. You can forgive the abusive husband without living with him. Be quick to give mercy to the immoral pastor, but be slow to give him a pulpit. Society can dispense grace and prison terms at the same time. Offer the child molester a second chance, but keep him off the playgrounds.
Forgiveness is not foolishness.
Forgiveness is, at its core, choosing to see your offender with different eyes. You don't excuse him, endorse her, or embrace them. You just route thoughts about them through heaven. You see your enemy as God's child and revenge as God's job.
By the way, how can we grace-recipients do anything less? Dare we ask God for grace when we refuse to give it? This is a huge issue in Scripture. Jesus was tough on sinners who refused to forgive other sinners. In the final sum, we give grace because we've been given grace.
From
Facing Your Giants
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006) Max Lucado
Tornado ~ Sara Groves ~ Saturday, December 27, 2008 at 3:44pm
You live your life like a tornado.
Destruction follows everywhere you go.
And you have no plans to stop or slow (oh).
I will not let this bitter root grow in me.
I will not let you leave that legacy,
But it gets so hard when pain is all I see (oh).
And every time I find healing, you're making a new mess,
And I am learning the real meaning of forgiveness.
And I tried to remove myself from your path,
But I keep on waking up in the aftermath.
So I pick up again and say I won't look back (oh).
And I will not let this bitter root grow in me.
I will not let you leave that legacy,
But this constant fight is breaking me (oh).
And every time I find healing, you're making a new mess,
And I am learning the real meaning of forgiveness.
And it hurts when you hit at the hearts of the ones I love;
When everything you touch is rubble and dust.
And it gets so hard to know how to trust,
But I will not let that bitter root grow.
I will not let it, no no.
But it gets so hard (oh).
And every time I find healing you're making a new mess,
And I am learning the real meaning of forgiveness.
And I could move and never send you a forwarding address,
Or I could learn the real meaning of forgiveness.
Destruction follows everywhere you go.
And you have no plans to stop or slow (oh).
I will not let this bitter root grow in me.
I will not let you leave that legacy,
But it gets so hard when pain is all I see (oh).
And every time I find healing, you're making a new mess,
And I am learning the real meaning of forgiveness.
And I tried to remove myself from your path,
But I keep on waking up in the aftermath.
So I pick up again and say I won't look back (oh).
And I will not let this bitter root grow in me.
I will not let you leave that legacy,
But this constant fight is breaking me (oh).
And every time I find healing, you're making a new mess,
And I am learning the real meaning of forgiveness.
And it hurts when you hit at the hearts of the ones I love;
When everything you touch is rubble and dust.
And it gets so hard to know how to trust,
But I will not let that bitter root grow.
I will not let it, no no.
But it gets so hard (oh).
And every time I find healing you're making a new mess,
And I am learning the real meaning of forgiveness.
And I could move and never send you a forwarding address,
Or I could learn the real meaning of forgiveness.
Why we are going to the Inuauguration ~ Friday, January 16, 2009
We put our names on the list for tickets to the Inauguration before the election & had hopes of witnessing the swearing in of John McCain & Sarah Palin. But of course, God’s plans were different. We decided after the election that if we got the call from Sen. Sessions office & actually received tickets that we would attend. We feel like it is an important that we acknowledge God’s authority over our leaders & that it is He who puts them into authority over us ~ this is a way for us to demonstrated that honor, as well as the fact that even though it isn’t “our guy”, it will be a very historical day! We attended the Inauguration 4 years ago. It was amazing & although extremely cold (16 all day!!) It was an experience that we will always remember & know that our girls will learn many things from this trip as they did the last!
I would be lying if I didn’t say I am a bit nervous about the trip. We are going into this trip with our radar turned up! We know the quantity of people in the city will be even higher than it was 4 years ago. One of the most impactful things last time was when we left the Inauguration & went to watch the parade. Because we were inside the ticketed area for the Inauguration there were very few places left to watch the parade. Where we ended up was right next to the protesters. We were able to talk to our girls & help them understand that everyone doesn’t always believe the same way as we do & that it is so important to know WHAT you believe & WHY! So, with all that said ~ we see this is a great learning experience for our girls.
We sure would be grateful for your prayers! We leave in just about an hour & will be in DC for the next week!
I would be lying if I didn’t say I am a bit nervous about the trip. We are going into this trip with our radar turned up! We know the quantity of people in the city will be even higher than it was 4 years ago. One of the most impactful things last time was when we left the Inauguration & went to watch the parade. Because we were inside the ticketed area for the Inauguration there were very few places left to watch the parade. Where we ended up was right next to the protesters. We were able to talk to our girls & help them understand that everyone doesn’t always believe the same way as we do & that it is so important to know WHAT you believe & WHY! So, with all that said ~ we see this is a great learning experience for our girls.
We sure would be grateful for your prayers! We leave in just about an hour & will be in DC for the next week!
Press On ~ Selah.... first thoughts after the Inauguration 2009
When the valley is deep
When the mountain is steep
When the body is weary
When we stumble and fall
When the choices are hard
When we're battered and scarred
When we've spent our resources
When we've given our all
In Jesus' name, we press on
In Jesus' name, we press on
Dear Lord, with the prize
Clear before our eyes
We find the strength to press on
In Jesus' name, we press on
In Jesus' name, we press on
Dear Lord, with the prize
Clear before our eyes
We find the strength to press on
To press on
God is on the His throne, He is not surpirse by anything & He is a loving & merciful Father! We place our hope in the ONLY one who can give hope ~ Jesus Christ our Lord & Savior! May He cause us to be fervent in prayer, constant in our devotion to Him & that through that we may draw others to Him for this is the ONLY way our world will be CHANGED!!!!!
When the mountain is steep
When the body is weary
When we stumble and fall
When the choices are hard
When we're battered and scarred
When we've spent our resources
When we've given our all
In Jesus' name, we press on
In Jesus' name, we press on
Dear Lord, with the prize
Clear before our eyes
We find the strength to press on
In Jesus' name, we press on
In Jesus' name, we press on
Dear Lord, with the prize
Clear before our eyes
We find the strength to press on
To press on
God is on the His throne, He is not surpirse by anything & He is a loving & merciful Father! We place our hope in the ONLY one who can give hope ~ Jesus Christ our Lord & Savior! May He cause us to be fervent in prayer, constant in our devotion to Him & that through that we may draw others to Him for this is the ONLY way our world will be CHANGED!!!!!
Abortion ~ my letter to our President
I wrote this yesterday to President Obama. I hadn't thought of posting it on Facebook until I realized that one voice on this issue may not be heard but if all those who believe that each unborn child is a life, precious to our Creator would write to President Obama ~ maybe the Lord would use those words to convict him of his wrongthinking. The President's contact information is listed below. He is OUR President ~ write him & let him know your thoughts & your convictions ~ but PLEASE I beg you, do it with a spirit of love & of peace, one that would honor our Savior & not malign the Word of God!
The President, Barack Hussein Obama
White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave
Washington, DC 20500
Phone: 202-456-1414
or: 202-456-1111
Fax: 202-456-2461
E-Mail: The President, White House at comments@whitehouse.gov
1-27-2009
Dear Mr. President,
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5
"Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb. I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day."
Psalm 139: 13-16
Our family was among the other 1.8 million on the National Mall last Tuesday. What an amazing day that was! Although we did not vote for you, we recognize that you were appointed for this position by God. We honor you & will be praying for you as you lead our country. We are confident that God has a great plan in store for our Nation & for you as our President!
I know that you confess to be a believer. Because of that, I listed these scripture above. These and many others proclaim the Word of God & His deep love for His creation. From the moment of conception we are a treasured life to our Heavenly Father.
I beg you to reconsider your view on abortion. Abortion goes against all that is good and decent, and humane. That child has the basic right enjoyed by all Americans, the right to life.
Rebecca Krueger
Calera, AL
On Asking God Why ~ Elisabeth Elliot
One of the things I am no longer as good at as I used to be is sleeping through the night. I'm rather glad about that, for there is something pleasant about waking in the small hours and realizing that one is, in fact, in bed and need not get up. One can luxuriate.
Between two and three o'clock yesterday morning I luxuriated. I lay listening to the night sounds in a small house on the "stern and rockbound" coast of Massachusetts. The wind whistled and roared, wrapping itself around the house and shaking it. On the quarter hour the clock in the living room softly gave out Whittington's chime. I could hear the tiny click as the electric blanket cut off and on, the cracking of the cold in the walls, the expensive rumble of the oil burner beneath me, and the reassuring rumble of a snoring husband beside me. Underneath it all was the deep, drumming rhythm of the surf, synchronized with the distant bellow of "Mother Ann's Cow," the name given the sounding buoy that guards the entrance to Gloucester Harbor.
I was thinking, as I suppose I am always thinking, in one way or another, about mystery. An English magazine which contained an interview with me had just come in the mail, and of course I read it, not to find out what I'd said to the man last spring in Swanwick, but to find out what he said I'd said. He had asked me about some of the events in my life, and I had told him that because of them I had had to "come to terms with mystery.'' That was an accurate quotation, I'm sure, but as I lay in bed I knew that one never comes to any final terms with mystery--not in this life, anyway. We keep asking the same unanswerable questions and wondering why the explanations are not forthcoming. We doubt God. We are anxious about everything when we have been told quite clearly to be anxious about nothing. Instead of stewing we are supposed to pray and give thanks.
Well, I thought, I'll have a go at it. I prayed about several things for which I could not give thanks. But I gave thanks in the middle of each of those prayers because I was still sure (the noise of the wind and ocean were reminding me) that underneath are the everlasting arms.
My prayers embraced four things:
1. Somebody I love is gravely ill.
2. Something I wanted has been denied.
3. Something I worked very hard for failed.
4. Something I prized is lost.
I can be specific about three of the things. A letter from a friend of many years describes her cancer surgery and its aftermath--an incision that had to be scraped and cleaned daily for weeks.
"It was so painful that Diana, Jim, Monica, and I prayed while she cleaned it, three times and some days four times. Monica would wipe my tears. Yes, Jesus stands right there as the pain takes my breath away and my toes curl to keep from crying out loud. But I haven't asked, Why me, Lord? It is only now that I can pray for cancer patients and know how the flesh hurts and how relief, even for a moment, is blessed."
The second thing is a manuscript on which I have spent years. It is not, I believe, publishable now, and I can see no way to redeem it. It feels as though those years of work have gone down the drain. Have they? What ought I to do about this failure?
The other thing is my J.B. Phillips translation of the New Testament, given to me when I lived in the jungle in 1960 and containing nineteen years' worth of notes. I left this book on an airplane between Dallas and Atlanta several weeks ago. The stewardess brought my breakfast as I was reading it, so I laid it in my lap and spread my napkin on top of it. I suppose it slipped down beside the seat. (Stupid of me, of course, but on the same trip my husband did just as stupid a thing. He left his briefcase on the sidewalk outside the terminal. We prayed, and the prayers were almost instantly answered. Someone had picked the briefcase up and turned it in to the airline, and we had it back in a couple of hours.) I am lost without my Phillips. I feel crippled. It is as though a large segment of the history of my spiritual pilgrimage has been obliterated. It was the one New Testament in which I knew my way around. I knew where things were on the page and used it constantly in public speaking because I could refer quickly to passages I needed. What shall I do?
I have done the obvious things. Prayer is the first thing--asking God to do what I can't do. The second thing is to get busy and do what I can do. I prayed for my friend, of course, and then I sat down and wrote her a letter. I don't know what else to do for her now. My husband and I prayed together about the lost New Testament (and many of my friends prayed too). We went to the proper authorities at the airline and have been assured that everything will be done to recover it, but it has not turned up. We prayed about the bad manuscript and asked for editorial advice. It looks quite irremedial. I continue to pray repeatedly, extensively, and earnestly about all of the above. And one more thing: I seek the lessons God wants to teach me, and that means that I ask why.
There are those who insist that it is a very bad thing to question God. To them, "why?" is a rude question. That depends, I believe, on whether it is an honest search, in faith, for his meaning, or whether it is a challenge of unbelief and rebellion. The psalmist often questioned God and so did Job. God did not answer the questions, but he answered the man--with the mystery of himself.
He has not left us entirely in the dark. We know a great deal more about his purposes than poor old Job did, yet Job trusted him. He is not only the Almighty--Job's favorite name for him. He is also our Father, and what a father does is not by any means always understood by the child. If he loves the child, however, the child trusts him. It is the child's ultimate good that the father has in mind. Terribly elementary. Yet I have to be reminded of this when, for example, my friend suffers, when a book I think I can't possibly do without is lost, when a manuscript is worthless.
The three things are not all in the same category. The second and third things have to do with my own carelessness and failure. Yet in all three I am reminded that God is my Father still, that he does have a purpose for me, and that nothing, absolutely nothing, is useless in the fulfillment of that purpose if I'll trust him for it and submit to the lessons.
"God disciplines us for our good that we may share his holiness." That is a strong clue to the explanation we are always seeking. God's purpose for us is holiness--his own holiness which we are to share--and the sole route to that end is discipline.
Discipline very often involves loss, diminishment, "fallings from us, vanishings." Why? Because God wills our perfection in holiness, that is, our joy. But, we argue, why should diminishments be the prerequisite for joy? The answer to that lies within the great mystery that underlies creation: the principle of life out of death, exemplified for all time in the Incarnation ("that a vile Manger his low Bed should prove, who in a Throne of stars Thunders above," as Crashaw expressed it) and in the cross and resurrection ("who, for the joy that was set before him, endured a cross"). Christ's radical diminishments--his birth as a helpless baby and his death as a common criminal--accomplished our salvation.
It follows that if we are to share in his destiny we must share in his death, which means, for us sinners, the willingness to offer up to him not only ourselves but all that goes with that gift, including the simplest, down-to-earth things. These things may be aggravating and irritating and humiliating as well as mysterious. But it is the very aggravation and irritation and humiliation that we can offer--every diminishment of every kind--so that by the grace of God we may be taught his loving lessons and be brought a little nearer to his loving purpose for us and thus be enlarged.
Somehow it's easy to understand the principle of control and denial and loss in the matter of self-discipline. It is perfectly plain to anyone who wants to do a difficult and worthwhile thing that he's got to deny himself a thousand unimportant and probably a few hundred important things in order to do the one thing that matters most. Bishop Stephen Neill said that writing is almost entirely a matter of self-discipline. "You must make yourself write." I know. Alas. Sit yourself down, shut yourself up, restrict your enthusiasms, control your maunderings. Think. (Sir Joshua Reynolds wrote, "There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the real labor of thinking.") Diminishments. Then put things on paper--carefully. Then (and this is the part I resist most strenuously) rewrite. Cut things. Drop things you've spent hours on into the wastebasket.
I lay in bed, luxuriating in the physical bliss, cogitating on the spiritual perplexities. I could not explain why God would restore Lars' lost briefcase and not my New Testament. I could not fathom my friend's suffering or the "waste" of time. But God could. It's got something to do with that great principle of loss being the route to gain, or diminishments being the only way we can finally be enlarged, that is, conformed to the image of Christ.
"Who watched over the birth of the sea?"
The words from God's dialogue with Job came to mind as I listened to the throbbing of the ocean from my bed.
"Have you descended to the springs of the sea, or walked in the unfathomable deep?"
No, Lord, but you have. Nothing in those dark caverns is mysterious to you. Nor is anything in my life or my friend's life. I trust you with the unfathomable.
But you know I'll be back--with the usual question.
Copyright© 1989, by Elisabeth Elliot all rights reserved.
Between two and three o'clock yesterday morning I luxuriated. I lay listening to the night sounds in a small house on the "stern and rockbound" coast of Massachusetts. The wind whistled and roared, wrapping itself around the house and shaking it. On the quarter hour the clock in the living room softly gave out Whittington's chime. I could hear the tiny click as the electric blanket cut off and on, the cracking of the cold in the walls, the expensive rumble of the oil burner beneath me, and the reassuring rumble of a snoring husband beside me. Underneath it all was the deep, drumming rhythm of the surf, synchronized with the distant bellow of "Mother Ann's Cow," the name given the sounding buoy that guards the entrance to Gloucester Harbor.
I was thinking, as I suppose I am always thinking, in one way or another, about mystery. An English magazine which contained an interview with me had just come in the mail, and of course I read it, not to find out what I'd said to the man last spring in Swanwick, but to find out what he said I'd said. He had asked me about some of the events in my life, and I had told him that because of them I had had to "come to terms with mystery.'' That was an accurate quotation, I'm sure, but as I lay in bed I knew that one never comes to any final terms with mystery--not in this life, anyway. We keep asking the same unanswerable questions and wondering why the explanations are not forthcoming. We doubt God. We are anxious about everything when we have been told quite clearly to be anxious about nothing. Instead of stewing we are supposed to pray and give thanks.
Well, I thought, I'll have a go at it. I prayed about several things for which I could not give thanks. But I gave thanks in the middle of each of those prayers because I was still sure (the noise of the wind and ocean were reminding me) that underneath are the everlasting arms.
My prayers embraced four things:
1. Somebody I love is gravely ill.
2. Something I wanted has been denied.
3. Something I worked very hard for failed.
4. Something I prized is lost.
I can be specific about three of the things. A letter from a friend of many years describes her cancer surgery and its aftermath--an incision that had to be scraped and cleaned daily for weeks.
"It was so painful that Diana, Jim, Monica, and I prayed while she cleaned it, three times and some days four times. Monica would wipe my tears. Yes, Jesus stands right there as the pain takes my breath away and my toes curl to keep from crying out loud. But I haven't asked, Why me, Lord? It is only now that I can pray for cancer patients and know how the flesh hurts and how relief, even for a moment, is blessed."
The second thing is a manuscript on which I have spent years. It is not, I believe, publishable now, and I can see no way to redeem it. It feels as though those years of work have gone down the drain. Have they? What ought I to do about this failure?
The other thing is my J.B. Phillips translation of the New Testament, given to me when I lived in the jungle in 1960 and containing nineteen years' worth of notes. I left this book on an airplane between Dallas and Atlanta several weeks ago. The stewardess brought my breakfast as I was reading it, so I laid it in my lap and spread my napkin on top of it. I suppose it slipped down beside the seat. (Stupid of me, of course, but on the same trip my husband did just as stupid a thing. He left his briefcase on the sidewalk outside the terminal. We prayed, and the prayers were almost instantly answered. Someone had picked the briefcase up and turned it in to the airline, and we had it back in a couple of hours.) I am lost without my Phillips. I feel crippled. It is as though a large segment of the history of my spiritual pilgrimage has been obliterated. It was the one New Testament in which I knew my way around. I knew where things were on the page and used it constantly in public speaking because I could refer quickly to passages I needed. What shall I do?
I have done the obvious things. Prayer is the first thing--asking God to do what I can't do. The second thing is to get busy and do what I can do. I prayed for my friend, of course, and then I sat down and wrote her a letter. I don't know what else to do for her now. My husband and I prayed together about the lost New Testament (and many of my friends prayed too). We went to the proper authorities at the airline and have been assured that everything will be done to recover it, but it has not turned up. We prayed about the bad manuscript and asked for editorial advice. It looks quite irremedial. I continue to pray repeatedly, extensively, and earnestly about all of the above. And one more thing: I seek the lessons God wants to teach me, and that means that I ask why.
There are those who insist that it is a very bad thing to question God. To them, "why?" is a rude question. That depends, I believe, on whether it is an honest search, in faith, for his meaning, or whether it is a challenge of unbelief and rebellion. The psalmist often questioned God and so did Job. God did not answer the questions, but he answered the man--with the mystery of himself.
He has not left us entirely in the dark. We know a great deal more about his purposes than poor old Job did, yet Job trusted him. He is not only the Almighty--Job's favorite name for him. He is also our Father, and what a father does is not by any means always understood by the child. If he loves the child, however, the child trusts him. It is the child's ultimate good that the father has in mind. Terribly elementary. Yet I have to be reminded of this when, for example, my friend suffers, when a book I think I can't possibly do without is lost, when a manuscript is worthless.
The three things are not all in the same category. The second and third things have to do with my own carelessness and failure. Yet in all three I am reminded that God is my Father still, that he does have a purpose for me, and that nothing, absolutely nothing, is useless in the fulfillment of that purpose if I'll trust him for it and submit to the lessons.
"God disciplines us for our good that we may share his holiness." That is a strong clue to the explanation we are always seeking. God's purpose for us is holiness--his own holiness which we are to share--and the sole route to that end is discipline.
Discipline very often involves loss, diminishment, "fallings from us, vanishings." Why? Because God wills our perfection in holiness, that is, our joy. But, we argue, why should diminishments be the prerequisite for joy? The answer to that lies within the great mystery that underlies creation: the principle of life out of death, exemplified for all time in the Incarnation ("that a vile Manger his low Bed should prove, who in a Throne of stars Thunders above," as Crashaw expressed it) and in the cross and resurrection ("who, for the joy that was set before him, endured a cross"). Christ's radical diminishments--his birth as a helpless baby and his death as a common criminal--accomplished our salvation.
It follows that if we are to share in his destiny we must share in his death, which means, for us sinners, the willingness to offer up to him not only ourselves but all that goes with that gift, including the simplest, down-to-earth things. These things may be aggravating and irritating and humiliating as well as mysterious. But it is the very aggravation and irritation and humiliation that we can offer--every diminishment of every kind--so that by the grace of God we may be taught his loving lessons and be brought a little nearer to his loving purpose for us and thus be enlarged.
Somehow it's easy to understand the principle of control and denial and loss in the matter of self-discipline. It is perfectly plain to anyone who wants to do a difficult and worthwhile thing that he's got to deny himself a thousand unimportant and probably a few hundred important things in order to do the one thing that matters most. Bishop Stephen Neill said that writing is almost entirely a matter of self-discipline. "You must make yourself write." I know. Alas. Sit yourself down, shut yourself up, restrict your enthusiasms, control your maunderings. Think. (Sir Joshua Reynolds wrote, "There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the real labor of thinking.") Diminishments. Then put things on paper--carefully. Then (and this is the part I resist most strenuously) rewrite. Cut things. Drop things you've spent hours on into the wastebasket.
I lay in bed, luxuriating in the physical bliss, cogitating on the spiritual perplexities. I could not explain why God would restore Lars' lost briefcase and not my New Testament. I could not fathom my friend's suffering or the "waste" of time. But God could. It's got something to do with that great principle of loss being the route to gain, or diminishments being the only way we can finally be enlarged, that is, conformed to the image of Christ.
"Who watched over the birth of the sea?"
The words from God's dialogue with Job came to mind as I listened to the throbbing of the ocean from my bed.
"Have you descended to the springs of the sea, or walked in the unfathomable deep?"
No, Lord, but you have. Nothing in those dark caverns is mysterious to you. Nor is anything in my life or my friend's life. I trust you with the unfathomable.
But you know I'll be back--with the usual question.
Copyright© 1989, by Elisabeth Elliot all rights reserved.
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