Making the Most of Every Opportunity

"my soul waits for the Lord  more than watchmen for the morning , more than watchmen for the morning." Wait on the Lord. I want to wait for Him to come again with a sweet expectancy. The watchmen knew morning would come. They labored through hard nights unsure if they'd see an enemy and have to warn the city. I imagine it was a hard role. And yet, they waited for the morning, knowing it would come. They knew in the morning the city would be safe, their job was done, and they could rest. Somedays are long and some seasons are hard. They are like that long night of watching and waiting. I want to live ready and waiting for Jesus to come . I'm looking excitedly and expectantly for the Son to return in His great power to judge and rule over all. I'm waiting for the whole earth to become a place of rest and joy for those who are His where He is always present. What an exciting thought and peace-filled way to live out my days here waiting.

Once, I went on a trip with the youth of our church to a small village of indigenous people in an unreached part of Panama. I weighed my highest weight ever when we took that trip and it hindered me. I hurt my knees jumping rope with local kids and then couldn't help with any of the building/clearing/ cleaning aspects of the trip.  God met me in such crazy ways during the times when I had to sit out. And He provided opportunities in it. I was able to help a local missionary improve on her guitar enough to lead worship. I saw God in His creation in ways I never had, because I spent so much time just sitting and watching. The thunderstorms were SO powerful- and a glimpse into the great power and might of God. The sunsets/sunrises were so pure (no colors from pollution) and the most beautiful I've ever seen. They reminded me of His untainted beauty. I had time to practice sharing Jesus in Spanish, singing in Spanish, and praying for our team, the missionaries, and the locals we...

She can see!!!!! Read Mike's blog for his incredible perspective and her sweet picture. Praise God!!! One highlight from his post : " God loves that his children see him When we got Violet home from surgery, took off  the metal shields  that were guarding her eyes,  she soon began looking  at Jen and I then smiling with her big dopey grin. I'm sure we just look like blurry white circles to her—but she knew her mommy and her daddy were there and she saw us for the first time. Wow. It's amazing that first time your baby sees you and responds. God is a Father... I'm positive that when folks are praying to him in faith for the first time or having a moment of clear worship, he's absolutely thrilled. I can promise you, God is way happier than you when you respond to him in faith ." I have been happily imagining how my faith steps delight God so much more than me. It feels so good when we obey God and seek Him and have moments of depth of intimacy with...

Andy and I have been here a year now. We left the daily comfort and ease of our established friendships and now have begun to form new "daily life" relationships. It's so good. And it's so hard. Letting down and being vulnerable is downright scary at times, but I'm so thankful for the depth He is providing through His church. We are growing as we begin again and open up to the new friends He is giving us. I was encouraged by  an article in TableTalk magazine  Noel Piper wrote, sharing how God opened her heart and life to deep friendships at age 60. In it, she calls friends, "an appetizer to the feast of Jesus' friendship". I love that thought. So very true. Here's a bit of her story: "as these friends opened themselves to me, my heart warmed to them and I felt more and more freedom with them. We came to trust each other with the tender places of our hearts... God showed Himself in the deep wisdom that sprang from their lives’ stories of...

I recently read a powerful blog post by Mike Anderson on the Resurgence blog. He spoke very candidly about his daughter who was born mostly blind at birth and all that God has been teaching him about Himself in 11 weeks since she's been alive. 1. The God of the universe grieves-  He shares how much it hurt to know his daughter can't see him and how he realized how much God grieves when we are spiritually blind and don't see Him. 2. The God of the universe comforts his kids  He is learning firsthand that God doesn't leave us in our suffering, but sends His comforter, His Spirit. 3. The God of the universe is Holy—he makes great things come from situations of suffering-  He quotes John 9:1-7 to show how the man's blindness was not because of sin but for God's glory to be shown greater. 4. The God of the universe heals-  He understands the length God went through to heal our spiritual blindness and restore us, because there is no obstacle (money, time, etc.)...

I was reading 1 Peter 2 and made a connection on how we live out our role as a church to proclaim His excellencies that has challenged my thinking. 1) In vs. 9 it says who we are In Christ : a chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation, a people for His own possession. I've written some thoughts on that before in these posts: All In Him Together 1 , and Together But Separate 2 , but today I was thinking more of how it ties into the rest of the passage... 2) What's the purpose of our role in Him? To Proclaim the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness into His excellent light. To show the mercy we've received (vs. 9-10) 3) But HOW do we proclaim His excellencies ? This is what has challenged me! First, Peter continues the theme of being pure and fighting against sin (11-12) that he set in Chapter 1 and early in Chapter 2. Then the rest of the passage (and really book) is about submitting in suffering. The servant is challenged to be subject in ALL respects...

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time , because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”- Ephesians 5:15-17 I've been thinking a lot about my facebook profile. I read once that some people struggle with  depression because facebook is like reading an ongoing Christmas card. We only show the highlights: holidays surrounded by loved ones, vacations, things we've accomplished, beautiful meals we've prepared, time spent with friends, etc. So a lot of people read status updates and see pictures and feel like their life is lonely and not good enough. I wish I could remember where I read it to link to. Regardless, it stuck. My eyes have been opened. It struck me as so sad, because my original heart as I set up a facebook page was that it would be a place online where I live out the love of Jesus I have received. And yet, as I prayed through it, I saw that I have bragged an...

"how are they to hear without someone preaching?   And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”...   So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." In college, a friend showed me a map of the world that was color coded. I was shocked when I saw the large area (called the 10-40 window because of the latitude and longitude lines there) of people who had never even heard the name of Jesus. And there was no one to go tell them. I was heart broken. We went to a conference and learned that some missionaries were rising up to go- I gave immediately to support them. I have prayed daily for those places and people since then.  Panama-sharing the love of the Father with boys who don't know love A few years ago, Andy and I felt called to do more than give, but to actually go. We took the Jesus Film to a group of people who had NEVER heard the name Jesus. I was amazed t...

I read another amazing post  by Rachel Jankovic about motherhood (see my previous posts for more I've learned from her here and here .) and want you to read it too. Here are a few quotes from her: "Our culture is simply afraid of death. Laying down your own life, in any way, is terrifying. Strangely, it is that fear that drives the abortion industry: fear that your dreams will die, that your future will die, that your freedom will die—and trying to escape that death by running into the arms of death..." "But a Christian should have a different paradigm. We should run to to the cross. To death. So lay down your hopes. Lay down your future. Lay down your petty annoyances. Lay down your desire to be recognized. Lay down your fussiness at your children. Lay down your perfectly clean house. Lay down your grievances about the life you are living. Lay down the imaginary life you could have had by yourself. Let it go.  Death to yourself is not the end of the story. We,...