Father,
Thank you for all of the friends you've given me. Thank you for the encouragement they are to me, and for the blessing of encouraging them. You know their hearts and their hurts. You understand their needs. Please lead them to find their fulfillment and answers in you. I pray that you would align their hearts with yours. Please keep them from becoming complacent. Help them to be proactive, continually looking for new ways to impact others in order to bring glory to your name. I pray for wisdom and discernment. I pray that they would trust YOUR timing, and not what they want. These dear friends...draw them closer to you through everything they go through and experience. I praise you for your faithfulness. You are GOOD and your mercy is forever, Thank you for caring about our lives Thank you for walking with us and for loving us.
Amen
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
What is a Dream?
My dream....
My dream has forever brought a smile to my lips.
As a child, my dream consumed my thoughts in play and in sleep.
As I've grown, my dream has crept deeper into my heart, yet farther from my mind.
Still...my dream remains very much alive.
My dream....
That beautiful fancy that ignored, haunts my mind....
that dismissed, disquiets my heart....
that snubbed, leaves me wanting....wondering.
What is a dream?
Is it a gift from God?
If it is then God-ordained, how shall I proceed?
Shall I go forward in pursuit?
But what if my dream is but a distraction?
Oh, I am terrified that I should be found pursuing a temporal preoccupation.
Shall I say,
'Oh, Child, impossible dreamer!
Look where your fancies have led you?
Discontented and misled....
Begone from my thoughts, hopeless wishing!
Afterall, I am grown and must act as such.
This, my dream, was merely a child's play...'
Yet suppose...
Suppose my dream IS God-given?
Suppose His ways are not mine?
Suppose His thoughts are far above my own?
Who am I to say which path will bring God the most glory?
I know not but to trust.
He will lead.
Then shall I not simply hold my dream with open hands, trusting the Lord's leading?
My dream....
My dream, I will leave to His keeping.
After all, I believe my dream is also His.
My dream has forever brought a smile to my lips.
As a child, my dream consumed my thoughts in play and in sleep.
As I've grown, my dream has crept deeper into my heart, yet farther from my mind.
Still...my dream remains very much alive.
My dream....
That beautiful fancy that ignored, haunts my mind....
that dismissed, disquiets my heart....
that snubbed, leaves me wanting....wondering.
What is a dream?
Is it a gift from God?
If it is then God-ordained, how shall I proceed?
Shall I go forward in pursuit?
But what if my dream is but a distraction?
Oh, I am terrified that I should be found pursuing a temporal preoccupation.
Shall I say,
'Oh, Child, impossible dreamer!
Look where your fancies have led you?
Discontented and misled....
Begone from my thoughts, hopeless wishing!
Afterall, I am grown and must act as such.
This, my dream, was merely a child's play...'
Yet suppose...
Suppose my dream IS God-given?
Suppose His ways are not mine?
Suppose His thoughts are far above my own?
Who am I to say which path will bring God the most glory?
I know not but to trust.
He will lead.
Then shall I not simply hold my dream with open hands, trusting the Lord's leading?
My dream....
My dream, I will leave to His keeping.
After all, I believe my dream is also His.
Friday, November 5, 2010
then I heard my dad whisper, 'we do.'
I drafted a couple disclaimers for this entry. Then I figured, 'hey, it's my blog, sharing my heart. If people don't want to read it, they don't have to (and they won't, anyway). Who needs disclaimers?' So, brave soul, if you wanna tackle this one, read on.
Last Sunday at church was a 'Celebration Sunday.' We have them every-so-often. On such Sundays, we celebrate through baptism, baby dedication, welcoming new members to our church, rock-awesome worship, and usually a few personal testimonies. These Sundays are really incredible....and to me, the things we celebrate are especially powerful and meaningful.
I wanted to share with you exactly what my pastor says at baby dedications at our church, so you can more fully understand the significance to me. (I e-mailed the church and asked for a copy of what our pastor says, so you all could read it and I could be sure I didn't make anything up.)
Child Dedication
“The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: ‘Don’t push these children away. Don’t ever get between them and me. These children are the very center of life in the kingdom…’ Then gathering the children up in his arms, he laid hands of blessing on them.” Matthew 10:13-14, 16
“Fathers, don’t make your children bitter about life. Instead, bring them up in Christian Discipline and instruction.” Ephesians 6:4
“Fathers, don’t exasperate your children by coming down hard on them. Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master.” Ephesians 6:4
(Our pastor then talks about the father's role to be the spiritual leader of his home. He talks about dad's loving their wives and mom's loving their husbands, in order to set an example for their children.)
If it be your intention to present this child to the Lord and to pledge yourselves to “bring him/her up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord,” please answer, “we do” to the following promises:
Do you here this day recognize this child as a gift from God, and give genuine thanks for God’s blessing?
Do you here this day understand that your role in the life of this child is that of a steward to the Lord?
Do you here this day pledge to provide for the physical, mental, and spiritual needs of this child?
Do you here this day pledge as parents that you will bring this child up “In the discipline and instruction of the Lord?"
(And then he explains the final vow. Before he reads it, he always emphasizes how important it is that the parents MEAN this one, and think about the significance before they agree to it. He explains that it can be very hard, because our plans for our children may not be God's plan. Then he reads the vow twice before asking them to agree to it.)
Do you here this day surrender all of this child’s future to the Lord and commit to cooperate with God and submit to His perfect plan for him/her?
K, back up to this summer.
This summer in CA, when I began to share with my friends my decision to pursue career missions with New Tribes, the first question was always, 'What will your parents say?'
See, a lot of parents will SAY that they want God's will for your life, but most of them don't even think of overseas missions. What they really MEAN is that they want you to find God's will HERE. They want you to find the right, nice young man whom God has picked out for you, settle down in the city and career He wants you to have, find a nice church where He has a place for you to plug in, and enjoy life. Career missions....well, the thought has never crossed their mind, bless their hearts. Really. So when you present the idea, it's first a shock, then a concern for your safety, then a concern for your sanity at suggesting such an idea. Initially, they can't even see it as a 'trusting God' issue, but as a 'now, be reasonable' issue.
So when I was asked, 'What will your parents say,' I knew what my friends expected me to reply. But, well, my parents are not typical parents. I knew, without even talking to them about it yet, that they would be for the idea. Sure, they would have questions and concerns. But I knew that when it boiled down to it, if my parents knew that career missions was what God wanted for me, though it wasn't safe, though it wasn't close by, though it would be hard, they would say, "Go. With our blessing."
How was I confident that this would be their response? Well, see, 21 years ago, my parents dedicated me to the Lord in front of our church. And when the pastor asked them to commit to that final, hard statement, I know that they meant it. So this last Sunday, when they started the baby dedications, I started thinking about 21 years ago...and everything that's happened since then. And when our pastor read that final vow, I was doing ok....then I heard my dad whisper, 'we do.' That's when I lost it.
I love my parents so much and I just want to thank them, in front of the internet world. 'Thanks, Mom and Dad, for dedicating me to the Lord, and surrendering me to Him. Thank you for being willing to cooperate with God for my future, and submit to the perfect plan HE has set out for me. I love you both, so much.'
Last Sunday at church was a 'Celebration Sunday.' We have them every-so-often. On such Sundays, we celebrate through baptism, baby dedication, welcoming new members to our church, rock-awesome worship, and usually a few personal testimonies. These Sundays are really incredible....and to me, the things we celebrate are especially powerful and meaningful.
I wanted to share with you exactly what my pastor says at baby dedications at our church, so you can more fully understand the significance to me. (I e-mailed the church and asked for a copy of what our pastor says, so you all could read it and I could be sure I didn't make anything up.)
Child Dedication
“The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: ‘Don’t push these children away. Don’t ever get between them and me. These children are the very center of life in the kingdom…’ Then gathering the children up in his arms, he laid hands of blessing on them.” Matthew 10:13-14, 16
“Fathers, don’t make your children bitter about life. Instead, bring them up in Christian Discipline and instruction.” Ephesians 6:4
“Fathers, don’t exasperate your children by coming down hard on them. Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master.” Ephesians 6:4
(Our pastor then talks about the father's role to be the spiritual leader of his home. He talks about dad's loving their wives and mom's loving their husbands, in order to set an example for their children.)
If it be your intention to present this child to the Lord and to pledge yourselves to “bring him/her up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord,” please answer, “we do” to the following promises:
Do you here this day recognize this child as a gift from God, and give genuine thanks for God’s blessing?
Do you here this day understand that your role in the life of this child is that of a steward to the Lord?
Do you here this day pledge to provide for the physical, mental, and spiritual needs of this child?
Do you here this day pledge as parents that you will bring this child up “In the discipline and instruction of the Lord?"
(And then he explains the final vow. Before he reads it, he always emphasizes how important it is that the parents MEAN this one, and think about the significance before they agree to it. He explains that it can be very hard, because our plans for our children may not be God's plan. Then he reads the vow twice before asking them to agree to it.)
Do you here this day surrender all of this child’s future to the Lord and commit to cooperate with God and submit to His perfect plan for him/her?
K, back up to this summer.
This summer in CA, when I began to share with my friends my decision to pursue career missions with New Tribes, the first question was always, 'What will your parents say?'
See, a lot of parents will SAY that they want God's will for your life, but most of them don't even think of overseas missions. What they really MEAN is that they want you to find God's will HERE. They want you to find the right, nice young man whom God has picked out for you, settle down in the city and career He wants you to have, find a nice church where He has a place for you to plug in, and enjoy life. Career missions....well, the thought has never crossed their mind, bless their hearts. Really. So when you present the idea, it's first a shock, then a concern for your safety, then a concern for your sanity at suggesting such an idea. Initially, they can't even see it as a 'trusting God' issue, but as a 'now, be reasonable' issue.
So when I was asked, 'What will your parents say,' I knew what my friends expected me to reply. But, well, my parents are not typical parents. I knew, without even talking to them about it yet, that they would be for the idea. Sure, they would have questions and concerns. But I knew that when it boiled down to it, if my parents knew that career missions was what God wanted for me, though it wasn't safe, though it wasn't close by, though it would be hard, they would say, "Go. With our blessing."
How was I confident that this would be their response? Well, see, 21 years ago, my parents dedicated me to the Lord in front of our church. And when the pastor asked them to commit to that final, hard statement, I know that they meant it. So this last Sunday, when they started the baby dedications, I started thinking about 21 years ago...and everything that's happened since then. And when our pastor read that final vow, I was doing ok....then I heard my dad whisper, 'we do.' That's when I lost it.
I love my parents so much and I just want to thank them, in front of the internet world. 'Thanks, Mom and Dad, for dedicating me to the Lord, and surrendering me to Him. Thank you for being willing to cooperate with God for my future, and submit to the perfect plan HE has set out for me. I love you both, so much.'
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