Day 171 Welcome Home!

Have a great week, Pookie! 

Day 170 Christmastide

Well, you'll be right on time for Christmas when you arrive in Grand Rapids tomorrow night!

Turns out, the 12 Days of Christmas just started yesterday with the partridge in a pear tree...Today is the second day of Christmas--two turtle doves, following up the four weeks of Advent. Who knew?

Christmastide is the 12 days between Christmas Day and Epiphany (our candle in the window until Jan 6th), including New Year's Eve. The Eastern Orthodox tradition keeps the 12-day Christmastide liturgical season. So really, the Christmas tree shouldn't go up until Christmas Eve, and it should stay up through Epiphany (you know, the magi).

So, I think I'm going to keep adding to our Christmas to Epiphany observations, and keep Advent the season of anticipation it was meant to be. It makes sense that Christmastide marks the winter solstice and the coming of the Light, and I don't want to rush or miss this season of extended celebration and reflection on the Incarnation, on our way to Epiphany.

There is plenty of time for us to celebrate our joy at Christ’s birth and we should make the most of it!

Day 169 Nothing Trippy about it

And lead you along straight paths.
When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
When you run, you will not stumble.
Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
Guard it well, for it is your life.
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
Shining ever brighter till the full light of day." Proverbs 4:11-13;18

Sometimes God brings a change or a challenge into our lives to shake up our dependence on ourselves and turn us back to depending on him. We are closest to finding his will for our lives, our happiness and usefulness, when we are completely in the dark waiting for that first gleam of dawn, depending fully on him to cause the sun to rise.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Sarah!

"For unto us is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the LORD!" Luke 2:11

(See you Wednesday night!)

Day 169 With the mindset of his nature

As you prepare your heart for celebrating Christmas tonight and tomorrow, consider the humility of Jesus.  Jesus could have resisted leaving the glory of heaven for this dirty, sin-scarred earth, but He didn’t.  He willingly came and out of love and humility offered himself in service.

"In your relationships with one another . . .” This is the context in which God wants us to live out of humility and genuine love.   

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
   did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
 rather, he made himself nothing
   by taking the very nature of a servant,
   being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
   he humbled himself
   by becoming obedient to death—
      even death on a cross!
 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
   and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
   in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
   to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11)

Day 167 Feelin' the Love

Jesus said, "'Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.' This is most important thing, the first on any list. But there is a second command to set alongside it: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' These two commands are pegs; everything in God's Law and the Prophets hangs from them." (Matt. 23:37-39, The Message)

Love God with all your heart (passion). Love God with all your prayer (soul). Love God with all of your intelligence. As transformed Christ followers we have a new nature affecting our passions, prayer, and thoughts. He leads … I follow. His ways. His thoughts. His passion. His love – loving others as myself.

Jesus assured us that God loves ALL – that includes loving me, and that includes loving those God puts in my circle of influence to love – my family, my co-workers, my church family, my friends, and my neighbors. Yes, even my relatives. Even when I don’t like them. Even when they're hard to love. Even when I am misunderstood. I am to love all of them as God loves me…and as God loves them.

Lord, help me to see those you have placed in my life through your eyes. Show me something you love about each of them.  Please give me grace to listen to your voice as you tell me how to reach out to them… how to build them up … how to show them YOUR love.

PS, Today marks the half-way point through  your year in Nicaragua! Thanking God for all you have accomplished so far, and anticipating what God will do in and through you in the next six months! Love, Mom

Day 166 Vacation! Woot!

You're on vacation!

Yes! While you're having fun remember not to take a vacation from God. We need God in our life, vacation or not.

As you go relax and explore Nicaragua this week, think about Psalm 40:11. “Do not withhold your mercy from me, O Lord, may your love and your truth always protect me.”

Take that verse with you. Repeat it as your prayer before you start out each day and as you travel crowded, sometimes dangerous, roadways. Not only take God with you, but take the opportunity of vacation to spend some extra time with Him to deepen your relationship.

Oh, and please remember to observe the sign above this message. ;

Thank you. ;p

Day 165 Deeply, From the Heart

"Don’t just pretend to love others--really love them! Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other."

Sometimes when our circumstances are difficult or we have been treated in an unloving way by another, or are just plain in a bad mood … it’s easier to put on the “good face” and fake it … because we are Christians and we have to love everyone and be happy and friendly at all times, right?

I believe Christ wants us to dig deep … to find a way to honestly love in spite of our circumstances, hurts, or emotions. Really loving someone is being authentic enough to honor them with the truth. No pretending. I don’t know about you, but for me this is not the easiest thing to do!

Being vulnerable is hard work. But when love comes from the heart, people can tell it's genuine.

Day 164 You want me to do what?

There are immense implications in the mystery of the incarnation.

Where is God? God is where we are weak, vulnerable, small, and dependent. God is where the poor are, the hungry, the handicapped, the mentally ill, the elderly, the powerless. How can we come to know God when our focus is elsewhere--on success, influence, and power? I increasingly believe that our faithfulness will depend on our willingness to go where there is brokenness, loneliness, and human need.

If we as Christ followers have a future, it is a future with the poor in whatever form. Each one of us is seriously searching to live and grow in this belief, and by friendship we can support each other. The only way for us to stay well in the midst of the many "worlds" we live in is to stay close to the small, vulnerable child that lives in our hearts and in every other human being.

Often we do not know that the Christ child is within us. When we discover him we can truly rejoice!

Day 163 The Peace that is Truly Peace

The Hebrew word "shalom" has a deep, rich meaning. Peace, completeness, prosperity, safety, contentment, health, blessing, and rest are all part of this remarkable word. The ancient Hebrew spelling of "shalom" is interesting because it refers only indirectly about these multiple meanings, but it reveals something very profound about apprehending "shalom."

"Shalom" is comprised of four Hebrew letters: "Sheen," "Lamed," "Vav," and "Mem." The letter "Sheen," represented as teeth, illustrates destruction. "Lamed" portrays a staff and illustrates authority. "Vav," illustrated as a nail or a tent peg, carries the ideas of fastening, securing, or establishing. And finally, "Mem" is displayed as water, and illustrates chaos. So the Hebrew word picture for "shalom" communicates this message – "destroying the authority that establishes chaos!"

To experience Shalom in our lives, we have to deal with the roots and causes of chaos. The one and only way to do that is through faith in and identity with Yeshua (Jesus) your Sar Shalom – Prince of Peace – because He has already disarmed the authorities which establish chaos and will soon destroy them completely.

"He said, These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace (Shalom). In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”John 16:33

Day 162 Feed your Spirit

As Christians it's vital to weave into our day times of silence and solitude if we want to receive the spiritual guidance and discernment that is necessary to tune in to the Holy Spirit and live in the love, purpose, and obedience of God.

Generally, how we begin our day determines how our day will end:  if we will start the day with meditation, the word of God, and prayer, we create a space for the Lord’s guidance, wisdom, and blessing.

On the other hand, if we begin the morning rushing, frustrated, or worried, we will tend to carry these emotions through our day. If Jesus is Lord of our life and we want to live a life surrendered to Him, it is imperative that we give time to daily devotions that include spiritual reading, meditating on the Word, and spending time waiting in God’s presence.

The Bible says that in God’s presence is the fullness of joy. Any time we spend with God is never wasted. Through Christian meditation we learn to quiet our minds from fear, worry, negativity, and unnecessary distractions. Because our thoughts are linked to our emotions, toxic moods often follow toxic thoughts. Plus, our thoughts can be so jumbled that we don’t recognize them or there effects on our emotions.

By observing our thoughts and bringing them under the obedience of Christ, we can learn to maintain peace of mind and joy. Daily devotions allow time to get still before the Lord so we can observe and eliminate faithless mindsets and cast every care on him.

God, help Sarah make time for you consistently. Refresh her spirit as she rests and vacations in the coming weeks.

Day 160 Why I do what I do

Nema is my co-worker in Kenya in HIV and AIDS response. Nema spends her life helping make care and treatment available to people living with AIDS, their families, and communities through local churches.

She does a really good job below saying what drives her passion for people. My question for you today is, what drives yours?

It’s now more than 35 years since the world awoke to the news that a deadly virus had been discovered. Little did humanity know what the virus would do to communities, to the church…. It was to change the way we all relate, the way we share meals, the way we engage each other. Little did humanity know that the virus would test the core of Christianity, cause stigma and discrimination that was termed “a punishment from God” and “the disease for the immoral.” The virus continues to wreak havoc.

Uganda, once celebrated as a success in addressing HIV and AIDS, is estimated to have had 120,000 new infections of HIV in 2009. Why? What has happened to “the success story?”

I propose that we may be regressing in our zeal to address HIV and AIDS. Can you think of the last time your pastor, elder, or deacons talked about HIV and AIDS in your congregation? When was the last time you personally made an effort to visit a hospice in your area? When was the last time you sent a petition to your government representatives about fair global economic policies? Today, HIV and AIDS is a big “elephant in the room.” It seems as though we are no longer seeing the whole animal in the room. I am reminded of the Ethiopian proverb, “When spiders unite, they can tie down an elephant.” Do we still have the passion for fighting HIV and AIDS that we had ten years ago? Are we experiencing fatigue? Would we rather focus on other issues and pretend HIV is not there? Or pretend that women do not continue to be adversely affected by HIV?

I do what I do because I have experienced the love of God. For God is love, and because He first loved us, I share His love with others in need wherever He leads me. I do what I do because I feel angry: I feel angry because of the injustice that I see across the world and in the communities I go to. I see injustice in how food and resources are distributed across the world. Why should an orphaned child go to bed on an empty stomach? Why should less than half of the adults who need HIV treatment and only one-third of children who need the life prolonging drugs have access to them in a developing country like Kenya? Why should a mother in the year 2011 die as she is giving birth? Why should only slightly over half of the Kenyan population have access to clean water? Why should more than 120 children of every 1000 die before their 5th birthday? Why should life expectancy drop to 57 years for most developing countries due mainly to HIV and AIDS? Why should 7,000 Kenyans have one doctor to provide curative care? So, why do I do what I do? Why do I leave my family to go? I go because of these words, ”Go ye into the world and make disciples….” Go! Jesus did not say to wait for people to come, but to be proactive in engaging God’s people, re-awakening the church and community to realities within our midst. So I go.

Before I left Kenya, a friend said to me, “If you stop reaching out to people and communities, you are preventing ten million women from experiencing the love of God.” When I was sharing with a women’s Bible study group in the US, a woman said to me, “You can’t stop coming to North America to share about what God is doing in East and Southern Africa. You would be preventing young people in schools, universities, and people in the CRC from seeing the reality of AIDS.”

Though I may miss my family, I do what I do because I have passion--I have love and anger--that keeps me charged and energized. Some days are better than others; I choose to stay focused on today. For now, I do what I do because I choose to go! Because I choose to go, I have made more friends. I am encouraged that young people in Christian schools, universities, church leaders, and congregants have heard our story of how CRWRC continues to work with communities devastated by HIV and AIDS. I am encouraged that through my visits and interactions, God is awakening and re-awakening people to the realities within our midst.

PRAY:
For the millions of people around the world suffering from HIV/AIDS.
That God will raise more researchers to work on evidenced-based interventions, to research and document the improvements made by people living with AIDS who eat amaranth grain, to research innovative interventions to increase access to pap smears for women who live in remote areas.
That God will continue to steer peoples’ hearts so that they can be receptive to HIV realities.

Day 159 Do It Anyway

 
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

Day 158 Who you wearing?

Remember the last time you were feeling particularly uncomfortable about yourself? Maybe it was something you did or said. Or just "one of those days" when there seemed to be something about you that just wasn't right. Your body language said, ''I'm a mess." And anyone who cared to notice would have easily known you were not a happy camper.

Let's say that unexpectedly, you ran into a good friend. The first thing she said was, "I have always loved that dress. It makes you look just terrific!" Terrific? Me? Her words, so full of friendship, made you stand a little taller. She was happy to see you. Just being with her made you feel better . . . and when you walked on, your mood and your day had changed.

God is like that friend. Grace is the dress that makes you "look terrific." You cannot put on that dress unless you choose to go into your closet and take it from the hanger. Slip it on. And go out into the world clothed in grace. We've been in the dark places. We've worn the shabby, torn garments of sin. And then one day, a package arrived – Special Delivery! For me? You tore into it and there it was . . . the most beautiful garment you've ever seen. Just exactly your size. Perfect for you in every way. The enclosed card said . . . Paid in full. Nothing is due. I love you, God.

THAT is grace. It's tailor-made just for you. It covers all of your sinful "lumps and bumps" – and you have never felt or looked as good. There is no other one like it: it is yours. Each day it is renewed . . . as fresh as the day it arrived. Clothed in its beauty, you walk continuously in grace. Forgiven completely. The rag-tag garments of sin no longer are stuffed into the dark recesses of your closet.

If you are tempted to buy something 'On Sale' . . . you only need to think of how it will look hanging next to the "garment of grace."

Like me, do you keep far too many things that no longer fit? What keeps us from tossing them away? Could we be thinking that one day we might want to put them on again? Oh, I hope not.

Note to self: Today, clean closet!

Day 157 Where Peace is Hidden

Keep your eyes on the prince of peace...

...the one who doesn't cling to his divine power;
the one who refuses to turn stones into bread,
jump from great heights and rule with great power;
the one who says, "Blessed are the poor, the gentle,
those who mourn, and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness;
blessed are the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers
and those who are persecuted in the cause of uprightness" (see Matt. 5:3-11);
the one who touches the lame, the crippled, and the blind;
the one who speaks words of forgiveness and encouragement;
the one who dies alone, rejected and despised.

 Keep your eyes on him who becomes poor with the poor, weak with the weak, and who is rejected with the rejected. He is the source of all peace.

Where is this peace to be found? The answer is clear. In weakness.

First of all, in our own weakness, in those places of our hearts where we feel most broken, most insecure, most in agony, most afraid. Why there? Because there our familiar ways of controlling our world are being stripped away; there we are called to let go from doing much, thinking much, and relying on our self-sufficiency.

Right there where we are weakest the peace which is not of this world is hidden.

Claim that peace that remains unknown to so many and make it your own. Because with that peace in your heart you will have new eyes to see and new ears to hear...

...and gradually recognize that same peace in places you would have least expected.

Day 156 Strength

I am the Lord,
and there is no other;
apart from me there is no God.
I will strengthen you!

Isaiah 45:5

Day 155 Twelve What?

From 1558 to 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality, which the children could remember.

- The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
- Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
- Three French hens stood for Faith, Hope and Love.
- The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
- The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
- The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
- Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit: Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
- The eight maids a-milking were the eight Beatitudes.
- Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control.
- The ten Lords a-leaping were the Ten Commandments.
- The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful Disciples.
- The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.

MERRY (Twelve Days of) CHRISTMAS!

Day 152 Tippy toes?

“All around you, people will be tiptoeing through life, just to arrive at death safely. But dear children, do not tiptoe. Run, hop, skip, or dance, just don't tiptoe.”   S.C.

Day 151 Sa-Rah, Princess Warrior!

"Your strength comes from the Lord's mighty power within you. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand safely against all strategies and tricks of Satan. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies--the evil rulers of the unseen world.So use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is all over, you will still be standing." Eph. 6:14-18

You are frontline a soldier engaged in spiritual warfare, and it's important to engage the enemy with every component of your spiritual armor. You are completely equipped and protected,  because according to Ephesians 6:14-18, there are seven pieces of the spiritual armour that has been given to you for your total protection.

This is significant, because the number seven means complete: You have complete protection. Our Father has taken care of everything so you don’t have to live as a victim, wounded constantly on the battlefield of circumstances.

Every test that you face is part of the spiritual battle you must fight if you are going to grow in grace--and you are fully protected for this fight. You are not defenseless: God has provided you with a spiritual armor so you can suit up, stand up, show up for battle, and conquor.

So get dressed! Don't leave the house today or go to sleep tonight without being fully dressed: use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is all over, you will still be standing.

Lord, We acknowledge that You are God. We proclaim that You are King of kings and Lord of lords. We declare Your Lordship over our lives. We thank You for this day and for the gift of life. Thank You for reminding us that you have provided all we need to live victoriously.  Help us stay focused and vigilant knowing that the weapons of our warfare are not earthly ones, but mighty spiritual weapons that through you can pull down evil strongholds. Build in  those who don’t know You the desire to come to You so that they also can enjoy a life that is protected by you.

Day 150 Laugh with Immanuel

The implications of the name 'Immanuel' are comforting and unsettling at the same time....

Comforting, because He has come to share the danger as well as the drudgery of our everyday lives. He desires to weep with us and to wipe away our tears.

And what seems most bizarre, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, longs to share in and to be the source of  our deep laughter and joy!

"All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel' - which means, 'God with us.'" Matthew 1:22-23

"Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence." Psalm 21:6

We turn to God quickly in times of sorrow and struggle, in danger and fear, and then have a tendency to forget Him in the times of joy and rejoicing. 

If God is the giver of joy and He is "God with us," then He must want to share in those moments of great joy--and in our times of silly laughter and fun....Invite him in!

Day 149 Something Hardly Noticable

"A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud  shall blossom. The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him . . ."  (Isa.11:1-2).

This prophesy from Isaiah says that our salvation comes from something small,  tender, and vulnerable, something hardly noticeable. God, who is the  Creator of the Universe, comes to us in smallness, weakness, and  hiddenness.

This is a hopeful message! Somehow, I keep expecting loud and impressive events to convince me and others of God's saving power; but over and over again I am reminded that spectacles, power plays, and big events are the ways of the world--our temptation is  to be distracted by them and made blind to the "shoot that shall sprout  from the stump."

When I miss the small signs of  God's presence--the smile of a baby, the carefree play of children, the  words of encouragement and gestures of love offered by friends--I will  always remain tempted to despair.

The small child of Bethlehem, the unknown young man of Nazareth, the rejected preacher, the naked man  on the cross, he asks for my full attention. The work of our salvation  takes place in the midst of a world that continues to shout, scream, and  overwhelm us with its claims and promises.

....But the promise is hidden in  the shoot that sprouts from the stump, a shoot that hardly anyone  notices. Don't despair...notice and embrace! This is the hope you are helping to build this year in Nicagagua.

DAy 148 What's in Your Backpack?

I wonder how Christ worshiped. What did he feel? What did he think? How dependent was he upon God? 

Christ (Emmanuel....God with us) came to show us how to live the life God has always wanted us to live, and to show us that God carries more for us that we can imagine. God comes along side of us and says, "Let me take that. It is heavy. Let me carry that for you."

In Gal 2:20, we are reminded that Christ LIVES IN US!  The Spirit of the Living God takes up permanent residence in us. He teaches us to carry a very light backpack in life. He tells us that his way is "easy" and his burden is "light" (Matthew 11:30), because he will carry the heavy things of life that bog us down.

Let him do that today!

Day 146 The Best Worst Things

God can take the worst things that happen to us and make them into "the best worst things."

In Matthew 8, Jesus is getting into a boat with His disciples. "Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat." Worst thing. But in verse 26, Jesus got up and rebuked the winds and waves and things turned completely calm. The disciples were amazed. Best worst thing.

In Acts 5:12 we find the apostles being arrested and thrown in jail. Worst thing. But in Acts 5:13 we find an angel of the Lord opening the doors of the jail and bringing them out. Later we find them with so much confidence they boldly proclaim, "We must obey God rather than men!" (v. 29) Best worst thing.

I don't understand why we have to go through cruddy stuff. We live in a broken world full of broken people. But isn't it comforting to know God isn't ever broken? He isn't ever caught off guard, taken by surprise, or shocked by what happens next.

He can take the worst things that happen to us and add His best to them. We just have to make the choice to stay with Him and keep following Him through it all.

Lord, I know You are capable of taking the worst and turning it into Your best. Show me this truth in a fresh way today. Refresh my spirit. I want to follow You through it all.