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Elements of Grace: Prayer for The Workers

March 11, 2011 in Community, Faith, Grace with 4 Comments

Some days I’m overwhelmed by Grace.  Caught up in the avalanche of it.  Some days grace is like a slow spring day sprinkling of rain.  It’s beads trace my cheeks as I gaze into the sky.

Have you ever stopped to consider the grace that permits us to pray?  A grace that torn asunder the separation that stood between man and a Holy God?  No longer are we segregated by linens.  We have direct relationship with God, Jesus our Holy High Priest.

Today, a friend (Russ) is on a flight to the Horn of Africa for the next week & a half, where he will minister in a highly Muslim populated area.  While there he’ll be assisting a partner of the Austin Stone who currently serves through medical assistance, fitness, and women’s development.  As you may know, this area of Africa holds a very special place in Russ & Elora’s heart as they are in the process of adopting from this region.

His wife, Elora, was also supposed to go on the trip, but due to a Gall Bladder infection had surgery to have it removed this past Tuesday afternoon.

I am asking that you would pray for Russ and the rest of the workers over the next couple weeks.  Pray for safety, peace, encouragement, health, and open hearts both for the team serving as well as the people they are ministering to.  Please also pray for Elora as she heals, that the healing would be quick and without any problems.

Thank you so much!

Elements of Grace: To Be Like Him

March 4, 2011 in Faith, Grace, OneWord with 7 Comments

Wednesday night I sang about the Christian I want to be.

The one who always trusts, who’s solely surrendered to God with allegiance to no idols.  Who never fears, who always hopes.  Who fights the injustices of the world.

Not the person I am – a wanderer with a likelihood to fear.  Who loses hope, placing my passions in things other than God.  A whore to cheap things.

But I’m learning that by His grace He transforms my life to be like the Christian I want to be.

Because of His grace I see my sin.  If not for His grace He’d allow me to sit in my sin.  Instead He shows it to me.  He convicts me, and in the same breath of my repentance His grace pours down upon me.

Because of His grace I can become more like Him.

Dreams

February 28, 2011 in Faith, Life, On Mission with 10 Comments

When I last wrote about my dream I had questions.  While I received an answer back on the question I’d asked I feel as though I was left with more questions and more struggle.  I’ve been wrestling through this passion God’s given me and how He wants me to put it into practice.

I believe this weekend my question(s) changed though.  For the last month I’ve been asking what am I supposed to do with this.  Looking back I see that in some elements this is me seeking how to do it in my own power [hint: this never really goes well].

I feel that it’s time to share that passion that I feel God is fueling to be my dream.

About a year ago God heavily placed orphan care on our hearts.  It’s something that has grown in intensity.  We read all we can, we follow people who are doing adoption & orphan care advocacy.  Our hearts break and tear at that stats we hear.  We believe God has called us to do something.

For me (and the both of us) these stats are overwhelming.  I wonder how I can make any difference to such a huge problem.  Especially when I know I we’re supposed to do something, knowing that if doing something only touches one life it still makes a world of difference.

I feel that God wants to lead me into something with adoption & orphan care advocacy.  It is very general and broad and I’m still left with lots of questions as to how [especially since i have no sense of entrepreneurialism] .

Saturday Shawn and I sat over chips & salsa and a shared Mexican mini-appetizer plate.  We discussed what we’d heard so far from the speakers at !C//Orphan.  We discussed the overwhelmingness of the emergency that is set before us.  And he brought up new ways we should be asking our questions.  From “What am I supposed to do?” to “Lord, what would you have me do?”  They are the same question but one as I said earlier puts the weight on me, while the other Jesus power is behind it.

So once again I ask for your prayers as we both seek God’s guidance.  Pray that fear would have no part in our seeking.  Pray that we would have open hearts to where God leads.  One thing I plan to do over the next several weeks is to contact people who are doing adoption & orphan care advocacy and see how I can get involved.

If you’re interested in what happened at !C//Orphan, my friend Elora, live blogged during the main sessions.  You can read those posts here.

Elements of Grace: Sin

February 18, 2011 in Faith, Grace, OneWord with 6 Comments

Fridays are my worst day to blog.  In other words I rarely have a post on Fridays.  In order to resolve that I’m planning to have a reoccurring topic on Fridays called Elements of Grace.  In this my hope is to post more often on Fridays and focus my heart and mind more on my One Word.

I’ve decided that by deciding to participate in One Word 2011 I’ve opened my life up to the Holy Spirit to come in and rearrange this life I’ve so magnificently laid out.  Convictions happen more frequently.  I’m stopping to think before thinking, speaking, etc.  I find myself more grieved over sin that is both subtlety and blatantly not acts of grace [in addition to other sin].

This wasn’t something I expected.  I believe my expectations were that I would magically just start having grace towards people.  I never took into account that it meant purging anything out.

Have you noticed God purging out sin in your life via your One Word?

When The Weight of The World

February 8, 2011 in Faith with 11 Comments

Yesterday was a heavy heart day.

I learned that someone I greatly admire is getting a divorce and my heart absolutely breaks for her and her (ex)husband.

I learned that someone whose name I’ve only seen in passing on Twitter and been to their site now twice, that while they are currently in Uganda bringing home their new baby girl, they were robbed.  Including her passport and half of their adoption funds.  My heart breaks because I see attempts of the enemy to bring discouragement, doubt, and eyes unfocused off Christ.

My soul aches as across Twitter feeds I see broken hearts, broken families, lives ripped apart by the death of a family member, hearts that long to see the sun shine on them.

Some days living in a fallen world is harder than other days.

These are the days that I need to cling to His promises.  To bury myself in them.

He is our strength
He heals and does not turn away from the downcast
He is for us
The enemy will not prevail against us
He is our fortress & our deliverer

What other promises do you cover yourself in when the turmoil of the world wears heavy upon your shoulders?

Help Bring Baby Ramirez Home!

February 7, 2011 in Faith, Family with 4 Comments

Over the last year God has given me a heart and passion for the orphan.  He’s shown me in countless ways how I too was an orphan and how He adopted me into His family and am heir to all the riches He has.

In the last year He’s brought a number of people into my life that are in the process of adopting.  I can’t explain the joy I have when I learn some one is adopting, is going to, or has.  My heart swells to reaches far outside my chest.

One of my dearest friends, Elora and her husband Russ are adopting from Ethiopia.  I am beyond thrilled for them.  (I can’t wait to meet her and their child one day.  oh and Russ too!)

Adoption fees are expensive.  They can range anywhere from $9,000 to $20,000+ for international adoption, but within those numbers there is hope, joy, rescue, and love.

James 1:27 says that true religion is caring for the orphans and the widows.  You may not feel called to adopt, but you are called to care for the orphans.

This week [Feb. 06 - 12, 2011]  you can not only care for the orphans but help Elora & Russ bring their child home.  They are hosting a trunk show through Noonday Collection.  A site whose sole purpose is to bring income to impoverished countries by selling jewelry, scarves, and gift items made by artisans in those countries and help fund adoptions.

This week when you purchase any item(s) from Noonday 10% will go to Russ & Elora’s adoption fund.  All you have to do is enter Elora Ramirez in the “instructions to merchant” section of the online shopping cart.

There are a number of great items for sale.  And don’t forget Mother’s Day is just around the corner or even buy your wife a Valentine’s gift.  I’m sure in this case she won’t be upset if it’s late. ;-)

ps.:  If you love coffee, you can also purchase coffee through Just Love Coffee and help fund Baby Ramirez adoption.  I just ordered my first bag last week.


Do You Struggle?

February 1, 2011 in Faith, Grace with 22 Comments

Time for some honesty….do you struggle to read the Bible?

I do!

I’m a reader by nature.  I can (and have) spend hours reading on the couch.  But when it comes to reading onion skin thin pages that offer the benefit of life and growth I can’t seem to sit for more than just a few minutes and never on a consistent basis.

The Bible is full of mystery, murder, suspense, triumph, love…everything I love in a great book, but my devotion to it is lacking.  What is it that keeps me from stepping into these pages the way I do any other book.

Today I want to step into the story.  Have words given by the God who created me flood into my heart.  I want to prepare heart as He leads me into this next season.

And because I know God’s timing is perfect, and I believe He has a sense of humor this arrived in the mail today from a dear friend.  It is a Bible reading plan journal.

Where are you currently reading/studying in the Bible? Did you know that there is a group of women who are reading through the Bible chronologically in six months, and furthermore that some of them just finished reading it through Genesis to Revelation in 90 days?

If you recall part of my digging deeper into my One Word this year is scripture memorization.  In January I dedicated myself to memorizing Colossians 3:12 & 13.  It went surprisingly easier than I’d thought it would.  A couple weeks ago I had two nightmares in less than a few days.  My joy was to lie in bed reciting this verse over and over.  To allow the goodness of God envelope my mind rather than the images that shook me awake.

For February I’m memorizing Proverbs 22:11 (NIV)

One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend.

Seeking To Lose

January 31, 2011 in Faith, Grace, Life with 12 Comments

Last year I practiced Lent for the first time.  God worked in ways I’d never experienced previously, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made.

For the last week or so I’ve been seeking God on what I should seek to lose.  I’ve considered Twitter for a second year, but really want to make a decision based on His desire for me.

One verse I forever remember from my two years in Christian private school is Romans 12:1.  Paul instructs us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices.  Giving up ourselves for Christ.  Losing that which keeps us bound to other altars.

I want to lose those things.  I want to get up off the altar that wants to burn me up in its passions and offer myself to God and God alone.

So I’m seeking Him on what He wants me to lose.

Have you practiced Lent previous whether as part of a community of believers or on your own?  Are you planning/considering practicing it this year?

Grace Confessions

January 25, 2011 in Faith, Grace, Life with 19 Comments

At the airport on Friday I wanted to ungraciously tell a guy he was in the wrong numbering position to get on the plane.  I was #53, he was #54, he was in front of Shawn who was #52.  I became so angry, “Why couldn’t this guy just pay attention”.  My angry thoughts echoed in my head, my heart became hard.  The Holy Spirit was quick to whisper, “Grace”.  Conviction and my anger began to battle it out.

God is teaching me grace in the little things.  Things like responding to the guy in the airport.  Anger should not have been my first reaction to something so stupid (and when I say stupid I mean who cares if the guy was not in the correct spot?).

I was thinking yesterday that I wish it was the end of the year and this lesson could be over.  That I could be 12 months deep into it and be the person God has for me to be then.  But that’s not the way life works.  We don’t get to jump from point A to point Z.  There are a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to go through; and in the end we still may not be at point Z.

Over the last 25 days I’ve felt like throwing in the towel.  I’ve told God I don’t get it.  That it’s hard.  That I’m not sure what it is I’m supposed to be learning.

I know I’m not the only one.  Resolutions are hard, but I think this……is a lot harder.  Choosing having God give you a One Word is allowing Him to take you and completely rearrange your life, your mind, your soul, your heart etc.

I’m not giving up, and neither should you!

So…how is your One Word going?

Deconstructing Dream Year

January 24, 2011 in Faith, FEAR, Life with 26 Comments

I’m sitting in a hotel room in Nashville.  Overlooking a frostbit Vanderbilt University.  My mind feels as if it imploded.

Attending Dream Year Weekend was amazing, and I’m not even sure how to begin digesting what I heard.  I can’t even form sentences in my mind.

On Friday I asked what you dream about.  What your passions are.  I was blown away by what you had to say.  The passions that you all have, these dreams are awesome!  I was moved to tears reading.

One thing that was repeated the whole weekend is that our Dream (our passion) is born out of a frustration.  Your comments show me just how true that is.  What your heart wants to do is all because of a frustration; whether it’s your frustrated your walk with Christ isn’t what you want it to be, or because of the experiences in your own past that lead you to wanting to counsel people.  Dreams that God has planted, that He has given you a hunger to see accomplished.

As for my dream – I’m still wrestling it out.  I have a very general idea, but I’m unsure how it would play out in the real world.  For the time being I feel the need to keep it close to the vest.  To seek God concerning it.  When the time is right I will share here.

For now….please pray for me.  Attending Dream Year Weekend brought up a lot of questions I need to answer, and that need answers.  Pray that I would have clarity in what God wants me to do.  Pray that I would not walk in fear.  In the last 24 hours the enemy has already begun his lies, and fear is creeping up.

And I’ll be praying for you.  That God would refine your dreams and show you steps to begin walking them out.

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