When Praise is a Sacrifice

Today, October 15th, is a day of remembrance.

Two days ago, Canadians celebrated Thanksgiving with friends, family and great food. But today is different.

It's a day I wouldn't have paid much attention to if it weren't for an event that happened in my life just over a year ago.

I never imagined having to count myself as 'one of them' - the group of women with soul connections on this day.

October 15th marks the 'Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day'

As mentioned on the official website, back in October 1988, American President Ronald Reagan proclaimed October as National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. He sensitively said, ''When a child loses a parent, they are called an orphan. When a spouse loses her or his partner, they are called a widow or widower. When parents lose their child, there isn't a word to describe them.''

And as one of those parents, I realize there also isn't a word to describe one's emotions when you lose a child.

Yes, I gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby boy 3 months ago. But on August 6, 2013, I also buried a baby after suffering a miscarriage at 8 weeks.

Since then, 5 friends of mine have unfortunately had to do the same.

How does one reconcile thanksgiving and trial? Love and loss? Praise and pain?

Hebrews 13:15 talks about offering God a 'sacrifice of praise.' Oh, how you and I know that praise isn't always easy. How many days is it a decision we have to make instead of a natural response flowing from our hearts?

Tim Hughes' song, ''When the Tears Fall'', is a powerful summary of the struggles and questions I was left with after my miscarriage. But it's also an intense reminder of hope, an invitation to look up.

I've had questions without answers
I've known sorrow, I have known pain
But there's one thing that I cling to
You are faithful, Jesus You're true
When hope is lost
I call You Saviour
When pain surrounds
I call You Healer
When silence falls
You'll be the song within my heart

I'm not trying to minimize anyone's pain by saying that we should just 'get over' such experiences, that we're not allowed to ask questions, or that we need to suck it up and be 'spiritual'. No, mourning IS spiritual (a whole book of the Bible is all about lamenting!)

But for me it is significant that this day of loss and remembrance falls two days after Thanksgiving. Because I can still be thankful, and praise God even when it's hard.

Praise Him for the fact that I'm not alone, since He is familiar with suffering.
Praise Him for hope.
Praise Him for life.
Praise Him for Shalom - that all-encompassing, deep, healing, life-giving peace and comfort.

Maybe you haven't lost a child, but maybe praise is still a sacrifice for you.  Maybe it's sickness, disappointment, stress, doubt.

But may I encourage you to offer a praise sacrifice even in your suffering?

And friend, if you've lost a little one, let us remember together. Know that Jesus sees your tears and is ready to offer beauty for ashes.

As Faithful as the Sunrise

No matter what time I wake up each morning, I am never, ever surprised that the sun is shining.

Why is that? Why am I never taken aback when I see light, colors, brightness? The question actually is, why SHOULD I be? Not once in my life has the sun failed to shine. There has been winter, and some days have been short, but the sun was always there.

When it's dark at night and I'm fumbling around in the hallway for the light switch, I'm not even a bit concerned. I am certain about something I cannot see: the sun will shine again.

'Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.'

(Hebrews 11:1)

I spent last week helping counsel people at a 'Basixx' Seminar here. The stories they told were not all easy to hear. The world is a broken, ugly place sometimes. But if there's one thing I was reminded of, it's that God is SO MUCH BIGGER, and so, so faithful.

I had to tell myself that again one evening as I got home and discovered that our car battery had died, the lawn mower was broken, our furnace went out on us, my mom-in-law has to stay in the hospital for longer than expected, and a family aquaintance had passed away.

How in the world can God turn this:

into this:

Photo Credit: Wikipedia 

God is a God who 'calls into existence the things that do not exist' (Romans 4:17). With a word from His mouth, the heavens and earth were created. And with a Word He brings to life things in our circumstances as well.

He is still in the business of healing, restoring, leading, providing, loving, directing, creating and transforming. How do I know? He is 'the Father of Lights' with whom 'there is no variation or shadow due to change' (James 1:17).

The days may be short, and it may seem like winter, but His Light is always, always there.

He Will...

Encouraged simply by the Word of God these past few days...reminded of His character, His kindness and perseverance and faithfulness. His love NEVER fails!

Image Credit: Susanne @ This & That

"A bruised reed he will not break,

and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;

he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth."

(Isaiah 42:3-4)

Image Credit: Susanne @ This & That

^"Why do you complain... 

'My way is hidden from the Lord;
    my cause is disregarded by my God'? 

Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom. 

He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak. 

Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall; 

but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint." 

(Isaiah 40:27-31)

Image Credit: lizsarno

Thanks + Giving + [Always?]

Sun shining; house cozy warm from the heat of the oven, which contains a 12-pound turkey; smell of apple cider and cinnamon candles; husband peeling potatoes and me kneading dough; table set and awaiting guests.

It's Thanksgiving. Autumn is here - my favorite time of the year!

 

There's no way to exactly duplicate a tradition, but we took joy in the newness of Thanksgiving and our first time celebrating it in Germany was a success!  I even managed to come up with a maple leaf - Canadian Pride! :)

Funny how memories are triggered. Memories of family members showing up at our house, of board games, of kids, of lots and lots and lots of (great) food, of getting to use the "special" plates and glasses, of the "go-around-the-table-and-everybody-say-one-thing-they're-thankful-for" round.

Giving Thanks. Because so much has been given to us; it's the least we can do in return. 

But Thanksgiving is more than a day; it's a lifestyle. 

If we only choose joy when we have a full plate, a full stomach, and a full house, are we really giving thanks?

This year my husband and I were confronted with the biblical mandate to REJOICE ALWAYS.

Three days before Thanksgiving, his mom took a fall outside, was rushed to the hospital where it was discovered that she had a complicated wrist and elbow break, had an emergency operation and likely has to remain in the hospital for 3 weeks now.

That wasn't exactly part of the plan. Or at least our plan.

For awhile, I felt guilty for excitedly anticipating food and fellowship, but then the Holy Spirit reminded me, "It's perfect timing to celebrate Thanksgiving." If not now, then when? 

 

The Lord called us here to help bring restoration. And it looked like restoration was happening - my mom-in-law was overcoming the effects of her stroke and was beginning to ride a bike again, re-learning how to write, and becoming more engaged in activities and conversation. And now? She's laying in a hospital bed with metal plates in her arm and can't remember what happened or why she's there.

What does giving thanks look like in this situation? I read a quote from Ann Voskamp the other day which made me think:

"My lips may have said YES to God's grace of a Messiah - 

but my life has said NO to God's gift of this moment."

How is it that we so easily receive God's GIFT of grace, His GIFT of salvation, His GIFT of a Savior...but so often reject His GIFT of each new day? What makes us think we can pick and choose what we get to give thanks for?

And so, in the middle of hospital visits, short nights, telephone calls to family, and conversations with the doctors and nurses, we choose joy.

• We're thankful that in a matter of minutes after calling emergency, we had 5 medical personnel at our doorstep.
• We're thankful for hospital staff working the night shift, so she could receive immediate care.
• We're thankful for friends and family who have stopped in to visit. 
• We're thankful for a praying community of brothers and sisters in the Lord.
• We're thankful that none of this is a surprise to God. 
• We're thankful that God redeemed the situation - my mom-in-law's "room mate" gave her life to the Lord after my husband had a conversation with her about Jesus!

And although the reality of the situation isn't nice, we're allowed to celebrate.

“Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10). Joy is something deeper than circumstances. Receiving each moment with thanksgiving is what allows us to live in joy.

There is another quote that says: "Hope is hearing the music of tomorrow. Faith is dancing to it."

So we "turned up the music" yesterday and enjoyed a feast, knowing God is in control of the end of the story. We're still working on the dancing part, but we believe that God is good and that He's worthy of receiving our thanksgiving. Always.

P.S. Would you pray with us, please? For a quick, miraculous healing, for peace for us as a family, especially my husband's dad, and for the strength to dance? Thank you.

Unless a Seed Falls...

Now tell me...if this isn't a miracle, then what is?

I almost couldn't believe my eyes once I got started harvesting things from our garden last week. How incredibly, richly blessed we are! Food is something I so easily take for granted. It's a normal part(y!) of everyday life, isn't it?

It sincerely amazes me how such a variety of delicious, fresh, nutritious, and colorful fruits, vegetables and flowers can be brought forth from the earth from a single seed.

We all know that a seed needs sun and water in order to grow. But there's another important factor that we often forget...

"Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies..."

(John 12:24)

Without death, there is no fruit. Unless it "falls to the ground and dies, it remains a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." Paul commented on the same principle in 1 Corinthians 15:36 - "What you sow does not come to life unless it dies."

What if a seed had a mind of its own, and could choose it's own glory instead of bringing forth fruit? What if it could decide to become 'big and rich and successful'? It would, literally, be full of itself! Unless a seed bears fruit, it's useless.

Image from foodmate.com

Big seeds are impressive, but big fruit is what counts. The picture above shows the harvest of American pumpkin grower Ron Wallace's world record pumpkin that weighed 2,009 lbs. 

A British seed company bought an inch-long seed from the pumpkin, paying £170 on an online auction, about 400 times higher than what is normally paid by specialist growers for giant pumpkin seeds.

The only reason such enormous fruit is possible is because a seed died in order to give life. 

Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

"Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me..." is the invitation from our Savior. Give up your rights, surrender your dreams, and bear the fruit of the Spirit in your life. By refusing to build our own kingdom, selfish and limited, we participate in the building of the Kingdom of God, which is "RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE, and JOY in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17). Now that is something worth dying for.

Death hurts. But we are called to "offer our bodies as living sacrifices" (Romans 12:1), meaning we always have the choice of crawling off the altar. Taking the easy way out means choosing to live out of our own strength, our own striving, and seeing limited fruit. Surrendering, on the other hand, means participating in God's marvelous, loving plan and fulfilling the "good works He has prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10).

This spiritual principle of a seed falling to the ground and dying gives us hope, since we can be assured that even the things that appear to be "dying" in our lives can be used of God to bring fruit, and can raise a harvest far bigger than anything we could ever do on our own. 

 

"Now this is to My Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples..." (John 15:8). 

"And take up the shield..."

Hundreds and hundreds of years ago, between 100 and 200 A.D., these stone walls were part of the "Limes" - a Roman wall of military defense that ran along parts of their empire. Thirty thousand soldiers were stationed along the Limes, controlling traffic between the Roman provinces and the area inhabited by Germanic tribes. It lasted until the late 3rd century when they surrendered the Limes due to pressures within the empire, and violent raids by Germanic tribes.

 

My husband and I got to visit this heritage site yesterday, which is now a tourist area in southern Germany. The remaining stone walls are enclosed in glass; nothing special in and of themselves, but one could picture the "Kriege" (wars) that took place on those plains, Roman soldiers positioned in 900 watchtowers along the wall to defend their empire. 

And how did they defend themselves? With these Roman pieces of armor, of course!

These weapons are modern, but were created to intentionally resemble the weapons from long ago as closely as possible. We were allowed to take a try at resembling Roman soldiers, too...

 

 

As I did my best to hold up the 8 kg (approx. 16 lbs) shield, I was overwhelmed by its hugeness. No wonder David felt unfit to fight when Saul dressed him up in armor way too big for him! Add a heavy helmet, tight belt, long sword, and a few other necessities to the whole outfit, and you're set to go! 

My thoughts drifted to Ephesians chapter 6, and the 6 words that I have so often read, have underlined in my Bible, and stored in my memory: "in addition to all this, take up the shield of faith...." Why? Because with it, "you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." These thick shields, made from 3 layers of wood, bound with leather, and sealed with metal, can definitely do some serious flaming-arrow-extinguishing. 

As I noticed how it was big enough to duck behind, I thought of how faith should also be big enough to cover our entire selves, our whole life. Faith isn't a small, wimpy bunch of good wishes that we pull out when we realize there's flaming arrows coming our way. No, it's much, much bigger than that. Faith is a state. We dwell in it, behind it, under it...prepared for when the attacks do come (because we know they will), knowing we are protected.

My husband and I have walked through something in the last couple of weeks that reminded us of the power of the shield of faith. When things happen unexpectedly, when circumstances don't turn out like you'd hoped or expected, when dreams appear to be broken and you're left in pain, take up the shield of faith.

 

There's a psalm (and a song) that says "You are my hiding place." The Name of the Lord is a strong tower, and Christ is our security.

Psalm 32:7
"You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance."

The shield of faith is big enough to hide ourselves behind. We don't hide out of fear, but hide in the shadow of His wings, dwelling in Him, our resting place, knowing His grace is enough. Faith knows that God is good and that I am loved. Always. Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see (Hebrews 11).  Faith distinguishes the flying arrows of doubt, insecurity, and hopelessness that the devil would try to aim our way, and shields us from his attacks, at the same time opening the door for miracles to happen. Just like it did for the woman who was healed of bleeding and the once paralyzed man who got up and began dancing in praise to God because he BELIEVED that his circumstances weren't too difficult for Jesus Christ.

Jesus himself warned us, "In this world you will have trouble..." Our posture should be one of faith, prepared for attack because we know this earth is still groaning for full redemption, but confident in our Lord who has "overcome the world." Therefore we can take heart, and take up our shields of faith...

Enslaved.

"Today has been declared Shine A Light On Slavery Day by the folks at the End It Movement."

Did you know that:

• there are 27 million men, women and children, just like you, living in the shadows. In brothels. In factories. In Quarries. Working as slaves. In 161 countries. Including our own.
• YOU can do something against it

The Lord has been stirring mine and my husband's hearts lately about the whole theme of social justice. Sometimes the need seems so great - what can we do? And when, if ever, are we doing enough? The "seashell story" is a huge encouragement, a reminder to never underestimate the impact we can make in one person's life, therefore changing the world.

My parents taught me that "the need is not the call." It's been a helpful guideline in my life as I've learned to say no to certain things and not let myself be pulled in all directions. Obedience is all that matters, not people-pleasing or doing good works to feel good about myself. But, as my husband added, "Although the need is not the call, sometimes we miss the call because we aren't willing to see the need."


If we would just open our eyes and let God "break our hearts for what breaks His," we would see need all around us! And more importantly, opportunities to meet that need. And if we would just obey the Holy Spirit - each of us doing his part - the world around us would be transformed.

I don't necessarily need to invent the wheel, so I want to recommend this article from Shaun Grove's blog: "4 Ways You Can Help End Slavery." It's moving, but not just in the emotional sense; it motivates to action.

And what are we doing to "End It"? A couple thoughts:

• Being informed is a great start. Letting our eyes be opened. I came across a trailer recently for a movie being released this Friday in America....My friends in the USA, could you go for me? I have no idea when it will come out in Germany, but I would love to see it! It is called "Not Today" and focuses on the issue of human trafficking in India. More information here: http://www.nottodaythemovie.com/ "Your ticket in is their ticket out..."

 

• I've written about it before, but one simple yet practical way my husband and I believe we are making a difference is by making informed shopping choices. The "Fair Trade" label is of huge value - ensuring that the people who work to produce our clothing, our chocolate, our coffee, or harvest our fruit were all paid fair wages, treated well, and were not abused at the hands of the slavery spiral.  

• And thirdly, as I've also written about before, another step could be child sponsorship. I am now officially an Advocate on behalf of Compassion Deutschland, and would love to give you resources or help connect you if you're interested in finding out more. Did you know that their method s are scientifically proven to work? Check out this research project: http://www.compassion.com/poverty-facts.htm?referer=128018. Investing into one child's life could protect them from becoming enslaved! Help "Release a Child from Poverty in Jesus' Name!"

• I read Isaiah 61 this morning and the words hit me again: "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon ME..." How does God want to use ME to make a difference? To promote justice? He has "anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captive and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor...to comfort all who mourn...and provide for those who grieve..." Who in my life today needs good news? Needs binding up? Needs freedom, needs light, needs favor, needs comfort? God wants to use my hands and feet, and tangibly display His glory through me in the details of this day. 

From James 2:

"Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?"

Blood Donors

Two weeks ago my husband and I went to donate blood at the German Red Cross. They spoil us here in Germany, in that they actually hire a butcher and prepare a big meal for all blood donors as a thank you! Not quite like the juice boxes and granola bars in Canada, eh? :) They are also very intentional about caring for your health (for example they gave me tablets to replenish my iron). We have begun donating regularly, as often as we're allowed, and it's actually really fun and fulfilling!

Sure the needle pricks a bit, but just the thought that we could be helping save another person's life makes it all worth it! I am amazed at the scientific research and technology that makes this all possible, and totally thankful for the complexity of our bodies and how God created us. WOW! We figure it is such a practical way to "love your neighbor."

I have a hard time fathoming how 500mL of this "red substance" can make such a difference in someone else's life. In fact how is it that blood itself holds the power of life? The Bible was way ahead of scientific data and understanding when it said: "the life of a creature is in the blood" (Leviticus 17:11). No blood, no life; but new blood, new life!

Our little experience at the blood donation center reminded me of a t-shirt I once saw someone wearing:

"a blood donor saved my life!"

My life, too, was saved by a blood donor. But it didn't happen to Him through nurses and needles; instead by whips and nails. By piercings in His side, by harassment from His enemies and being spit upon. By a crown of thorns being twisted upon His head and His naked body carrying the weight of a cross up to Golgotha.

"Nothing but the blood of Jesus..."

We sing about it, we read about it, we talk about it, and every time we participate in Communion, or the Lord's Supper, at church, we soberly remember and celebrate it. But what does it actually mean that Jesus gave His blood for us?

Today is Thanksgiving Day in Canada, and I thought for this day I would like to start a series about the blood of Christ, because it is what I'm thankful for. It is the most precious gift we could receive, the foundation of our salvation. It is of course a huge topic, but here are some basics about the power of Christ's sacrifice:

It is the symbol of the New Covenant I have with God (1 Cor. 11:25). Jesus said, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” Blood was also the seal of the Old Covenant that God made with His people, the Israelites...Every sacrifice the priests made and every animal they offered had to do with the spilling of blood, given "for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance (Hebrews 9:7). "Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Hebrews 9:22). Sacrifices were God's way of providing salvation for His people in the Old Testament, but the blood of Jesus was what sealed the New Covenant.

The good news is that now, Jesus doesn't have to offer Himself again and again - His blood sacrifice was once for all (Hebrews 9:25), sufficient to cover our sins...and so much more.

His sacrificial death on the cross was foreshadowed by the Passover event in the Old Testament. When the Lord was about to release His people from the grip of Pharaoh in Egypt, He gave them the command to sacrifice an offering to Him, taking the blood of the animal and marking their doorframes with it. "The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you" (Exodus 12:13). In that way, the people of Egypt were struck with the judgments of God while Israel was set free. 

In the same way, the blood of Christ sets us free. When we accept Christ's gift we are marked by His blood, which offers life, protection, and healing. Here are some of the promises of God from the Bible that talk about the power of the blood of Christ and what exactly this New Covenant is:

1 Peter 1:18-19 The blood of Christ "redeems us from the empty way of life..." Before we knew Christ, we lived in death, in hopelessness, in darkness. Now we belong to Christ and are given Hope and Life and Purpose!

Ephesians 1:7 "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace." We have eternal life! The blood of Christ fulfilled the requirements of the law that nothing and no one else could. Jesus Christ gave His life as a RANSOM (Hebrews 9:15) - setting us free from the effect of sin (which is death) as the power of sin to control us and be our master (Romans 6). 

1 John 1:7 The blood of Christ "purifies us from all sin." That means we are spotless, clean, and no stain of unrighteousness is on us. God sees us as holy, forgiven, perfect in His sight!!! It doesn't matter what we've done or "how bad" we've messed up - Christ's blood was enough to offer forgiveness for ALL.

Ephesians 2:13 We have been "brought near through the blood of Christ." And Jesus reconciled to Himself all things, "making peace through his blood, shed on the cross" (Colossians 1:20). Because of sin humans are separated from God, out of relationship with Him, strangers. But the blood of Christ makes it possible for us to be in God's presence, to "approach Him with freedom and confidence" (Ephesians 3:12, Hebrews 4:16). We can have peace with God.  Jesus is standing next to God, interceding for us (Romans 8:34). What does that mean? It means he "destroyed the barrier, breaking the dividing wall of hostility" that separated us from God, and now stands in the throneroom, holding the door open for us so we may talk to God, hear from Him, be in relationship with Him and experience Him.

What precious promises! Jesus Christ willingly went to the cross, laying down His life and pouring out His blood to give us freedom from sin and peace with God.

And we can be partakers of these promises when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior. But His blood has power and an effect on our everyday lives as well...

More on that in Part 2!

The Butterfly Circus

This post doesn't have a lot to do with vision in the sense of my personal dreams, but I just had to share this absolutely inspiring short film called "The Butterfly Circus."

It is 20 minutes long, and totally worth it! Watch it here:

What an amazing portrayal of one man's vision - the determination to not look at people with their limitations, but their possibilities. And what a beautiful picture of what God does with each of us - takes us out of our sin and struggles, transforming us by his power as we learn our true identity in Him!

Vision & Hope

Vision. The Future. Unknowns. Possibilities.

It can be fun to think about the future, but I'm glad I don't know the future! I was reading through my journal from last year (where I recorded all the decisions, emotions, changes, experiences, etc. of moving to Germany) and boy was I surprised as I looked back at some of the things I went through! If I had known ahead of time what all was coming at me, I'm not sure obedience would have been so easy or appealing! But God's grace is always enough.

I came across an interesting article the other day which talked about knowing the future. It was in one of those celebrity gossip magazines that I usually avoid even looking at, but our elderly neighbor gave me a stack (what, they're not useful to her? =D ), so I flipped through them. One page captured me, on which I found this article written by a lady who for years had been going to see a therapist who was a fortune-teller/tarot card reader...

She explained how she first got into going to see the therapist because of her neighbor, a friend of hers who was very wrapped up in it and addicted to the advice and future-predicting messages. She decided one time to try it, and said as soon as she walked into the office she could tell the therapist knew every dark secret about her, and she got goosebumps just from the atmosphere. She ended up going to see this lady regularly, spending about 2.000 Euro every year...for 8 years.

She explained how her future was predicted. The therapist largely spoke negative things out, foreseeing bad things. First she was told there would be a financial breakdown coming, resulting from a job loss. The next step "on the path" to avoiding this circumstance was to book another appointment (of course costing more money) for the next card reading. But the cycle went on -- next it was divorce, and then an accident. Over time this lady realized how much she was getting caught up in manipulation, and how it was ruining her life.

Crazy, isn't it? I was really surprised to read her article and see her discernment (considering it was in a secular magazine). She may have been caught up in divination, but her spiritual senses were alive. God is the source of all Truth, and this lady recognized what was not truth! The author wrote that she finally realized what a mess the whole thing was, stopped seeing the therapist, and went on in life her own way, including marrying "the man of her dreams." She wrote how nice it was to, in her words, "finally be free."

What a stark example this is of the two kingdoms at war with one another: the Kingdom of Light and the Kingdom of Darkness. The devil comes as a thief, whose plan is to "steal, kill, and destroy," but Jesus came "to give life, and life abundantly" (John 10:10).

I am so, so grateful that the future the Lord has prepared for me (and you!) is not one of darkness, of mishaps, of pain, of "bad luck." It is exactly the opposite! There is a verse Christians like to quote a lot and even though it was directed to the people of Israel I believe it is God's heart towards us today too:

"'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 29:11).

Interesting what it says a few verses earlier:  "Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: 'Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have.'" The issue that this lady who wrote the article ran into is not a new one! Satan has been speaking out lies and deceiving people for generations. But notice that when we give into them, when we seek the advice of diviners, we "encourage them to dream." These diviners have power, yes. They are connected in a very real way to the spiritual world and when they speak things out, the can happen! But their power is not the result of the Holy Spirit and Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, dwelling inside of them - it comes as the result of humans seeking after an experience, and some type of advice to help them cope with all the negative in their lives.

God's vision for us, on the other hand, is one of HOPE. Now hope doesn't mean that everything in our lives will be just peachy and run smoothly. The fact that persecution will come is actually a *promise* in the Bible! Just like, "I will be with you; do not be afraid; I will provide for you." Following Jesus isn't some type of blind faith, ignorant of reality and the suffering of this world. But the Holy Spirit NEVER manipulates, and His intention is always for our encouragement. Part of His role is also to bring conviction, which may not be comfortable, but sin is not the end of the story; healing and restoration and peace with God is.

As you consider the future and the vision that God has for you, be encouraged that it is one of HOPE!

God on the Streets

I have a number of friends and family members who are heading out on or have just returned from  mission trips this summer, and as I hear from them and pray for them, I am reminded of a mission trip I went on during highschool that was deeply impacting for me. I've been to Africa and I've been to Mexico, but my heart doesn't break for the poor or for the orphans as much as it does for the people group I encountered in my own home country, on East Hastings Street in Vancouver: the homeless. 

I believe we all need to be actively engaged in social justice. There are so many needs around us! I rejoice in those individuals and organizations that are passionate about reaching the starving, those with AIDS, children, refugees, and others who desperately need love and practical help. 

I just want to share how God spoke to me through "the street people."

(Story written in 2004 after our trip; don't think I've put it on my blog before...)

     “What are you doing, a project or something?”
     “Um, yeah,” I replied as I snapped a picture of one of the walls of her house.
       I probably didn’t have the right to be going through her house like I did, but I sort of couldn’t help it. I was going past her house anyway, so I decided to stop and take a look. Her house wasn’t the prettiest. In fact, it was ugly compared to the standards of today. The paint was peeling, the floor wasn’t swept, and it stunk. Bad. This lady herself wasn’t the best looking, either. Her hair was long and matted, her face dirty, her teeth crooked. The tone of her voice when she asked what I was doing implied that so many other people had come through her house—just like I was then—and not respected her or her property. She assumed I was just like all the other people. Many people walk through her house every day; at the same time, many people walk by her house, not daring to stop and see inside.
     You see, this lady’s house was a street; her bed a pile of cardboard boxes on the floor, her food the scraps in the dump. Every day many people would walk through the streets, not considering that this was someone’s personal property, not caring that this was someone’s house. It certainly didn’t look or feel like a home, but it was a place where someone dwelled. And I was one of many people who didn’t notice that. So when this lady asked me what I was doing as I took pictures, I was stopped dead in my tracks and had to think for a bit. Was I doing a “project”? Did I consider this whole mission trip to Vancouver a “project”, something I was working on? Well actually, yes…
     I headed into this mission trip with the mindset that I would show homeless people God’s love. I figured that downtown Vancouver—East Hastings Street—was a place where God didn’t really abide, so I needed to go and point these people in God’s direction. I thought that I had something they didn’t, and I wanted to share it with them. I did have some things they didn’t—I had a house made out of wood, money, new clothes, education, food, and most of all, peace, hope, love, and joy through Christ. So my plan (emphasis on MY) was to go and show these people God. Well, God took my plan and warped it and instead did HIS plan. Imagine that! It always amazes me how God can take something we want, something we plan, and turn it around and accomplish his will through it.
     One morning our group was led in a Bible study about, well, God. We read verses like Matthew 7:7 that says, “Seek and you will find…” Psalm 139:7, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” The point of the Bible study was that God is everywhere. In my mind I believed that, but it really got to my heart that afternoon.
      Our task was, in groups of four, to walk down East Hastings Street—alleys and all—and take pictures of people, places, or things that reminded us of grace, mercy, or redemption. It was interesting that the leader chose these three words, because it would have been much easier to find things about hope, or love, or healing. So our group started off. It was quite difficult to see anything at all that reminded us of God. As we were walking through one alley, we walked past a house that was fenced off. Leaning against the fence was an aluminum sheet with the word “Jesus” spray-painted onto it. Immediately we stopped to take a picture. What could better represent God than the word Jesus? It was pretty obvious. So we were fairy pleased that we had found one thing, and we continued to look for more. It was amazing to see some of the graffiti on the walls. The artists that drew these were amazing! People that live on the streets are gifted, and it is sad that the only way they are able to use their gifts is to draw depressing pictures and write hopeless poems. Here is one poem that I saw on a wall:

“The Gift”
RISING FROM WITHIN
THE MADNESS DOES BEGIN
THE VIOLENCE AND THE ANGER
THE PLEASURE THAT COMES FROM SIN
BEFORE YOU EVEN SEE IT
THE FUSE HAS REACHED ITS END
THE CHAOS AND THE TURMOIL
THEY SMILE LIKE THEY’RE YOUR FRIENDS
THE GIFT OF LIFE ABUSED, DENIED
IGNORED UNTIL THE END
THAT’S WHEN YOUR SOUL AWAKENS
AND SEES THAT THE GIFT WAS ITS BEST FRIEND
                                                            ----Lance (Chaos)

            We walked through a town square, and stopped to talk to a couple people sitting on a bench. A man in a wheelchair motioned for me to come over. He looked like he was in his sixties. I knelt down and talked to him. “My name’s George,” he said, “and this is my good buddy Fred,” he added, motioning to a man sitting beside him. “He’s real good at the guitar, ya know. He can get up, walk around, go wherever he wants to. Too bad I’m confined here in this wheelchair—can’t go anywhere or do anything useful.” I smiled. Through hearing his words, it reminded me of redemption. We all are born with sin and that sin traps us so that we can’t get out. But when Christ redeems us, we are set free of our sin and allowed to walk again. Like George was confined in his wheelchair we are bound by sin. George continued telling me stories about his life. “My wife died in 2001. It’s hard being apart, but I know that when it’s my time, the Big Man will take me up.” “Do you think your wife is in heaven?” I asked. “Oh I know she’s in heaven,” he replied, “she wouldn’t even spit on the ground she was so good!” God’s grace was shown in that George still had hope; he still saw “the light at the end of the tunnel” amidst the trouble and pain in his life. I asked if I could take a picture of him, and he said, “Only if I can take a picture of you!” I laughed.
            Through the rest of that afternoon, everywhere I went I saw God at work. Whether it was the smile of a man receiving a toque, a woman getting a stuffed bear to take home to her children, or an angel painted on a wall, I could see the fingerprints of God. Later that day I met the same woman who earlier had asked me what I was doing. She held a yellow tulip in her hands, and was smiling. Drastically different than when I had first met her. She even let me take a picture of her this time; she fixed up her hair and put this smile on her face and held the flower up to her cheek. It was a beautiful sight.
            As I mentioned, I had a plan for that week in Vancouver. I wanted to show God to people. But God ended up showing himself to me. I planned to take light into a dark place, but I came back realizing there is already a light there—it may not be as obvious as the darkness, but it is there. I learned that truly, as it says in Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” There is no place God isn’t. Nowhere his Spirit does not reside. God is at work everywhere—he is just waiting to be found.

Miracles

Well I've been meaning to write ever since returning from our week at camp...

There is just so much to share, I'm not sure where to start! God definitely proved Himself, as I shared in the last post, to be STRONG and to be LOVING. Lives were completely changed! People were set free from depression and addictions, chose to forgive those who had hurt them in the past, and young men and women who came from difficult home and family backgrounds experienced a God who, as their Heavenly Father, loves them the way they are and is proud of them.

Powerful truths! Life-changing realities! Miracles.

Students were encouraged the whole week, and left affirmed in their gifts and calling and most of all, their identity as sons and daughters of God. They were taught to use the Word of God as a powerful weapon against the lies of our enemy that constantly face us. They experienced deep inner healing resulting in joy and peace, as well as physical healing, as they lifted up their eyes to Christ in worship. We were all reminded of the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit and his presence and power dwelling within us.

The Love of the Father, the Victory of Christ, the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit. 

What a great God we serve!

I wanted to share these things with you, my readers, as a testimony. Revelation 12:11 says we overcome the devil "by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony." When we testify to what God has done, we advance His kingdom and the enemy is rendered powerless.

God is a miracle-working God! And He displays His power still today. 

Psalm 77:13-14
"Your ways, O God, are holy.
    What god is so great as our God?  
 You are the God who performs miracles;
    you display your power among the peoples."

I also wanted to share one way God provided for me last week...
I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed, and it was literally without any problems! There was no swelling, and the same day I was able to eat and talk normally, and go to our small group that evening. Then the next day Mogi and I were involved in helping lead worship for an event, and I was able to sing. Praise God! I love reminders like this when God says, "Hey, I care about the small things in your life, too."  

I know we all walk through things that are not easy. We have doubts. Questions. Fears. Times where we just don't get it, or wonder where God is and if He really knows what He's doing!

But I want to write this as a reminder...OUR GOD IS ABLE! 

God has been speaking to me through the story in 1 Samuel 1-2 as Hannah wept and poured out her heart before the Lord. God answered her prayer, and she responded in worship through song: "For the Lord is a God who knows!"  

Praying today that you experience the peace, love, and provision of the God who sees you, the God who knows about the circumstances in your life, and the God who is able to move mountains. 

If you need a miracle, let me know and I'd love to pray with and for you! If you've experienced God's love or power, leave a comment and share your testimony!  

Standing on the Promises

I will be gone for the next week at a youth camp, themed "Days of Glory." And I truly believe they will be! We serve a great God and I pray that his glory would be displayed - on earth as it is in heaven! Will you pray with me?

Just wanted to share these verses from Psalm 62:

"¹¹ One thing God has spoken,
    two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong,
¹²     and that you, O Lord, are loving."

Aren't those great promises? God is STRONG and God is LOVING. His power is great, but so is His affection toward us. What the perfect combination!

 Praying that in your own life this week you experience God's strength and His love toward you! 


"Our God is greater, our God is stronger; God you are Higher than any Other. Our God is Healer, awesome in power, our God..."

Validation

A fun little movie clip someone showed me this week, called "Validation It will make you smile!

If you just watch the first couple minutes you'll get the gist of it, but if you have time, watch the whole thing! :)

Who can you encourage today? What good things can we validate in each other? In strangers?

Easter Tree

Somehow, year after year, Easter always creeps up on me. But it surprises me differently than Christmas does. Usually when I realize it's Easter time, I don't think "Oh man! Where did that come from? I'm running out of time to do everything I've planned to do!" Instead, I think, "Umm...what do we do now?"

I don't know why I'm more into Christmas than Easter. To be honest I don't think it's about being "into" either of them! Christmas seems to be much more commercialized, and maybe that's why I plan for and anticipate it a month ahead of time. Easter, on the other hand, sort of just happens, and our family never really made a big deal out of it. We used to meet up with extended relatives and share a meal together, but over the years it's become less significant, and unfortunately in my mind now it is often just a nice long weekend.

But I want it to be different. 

If I am intentional about trying to put the right focus on Christmas (namely, celebrating the birth of Christ), then why am I not as intentional with celebrating the true meaning of Easter? They go hand in hand - the birth of Jesus, and his death and resurrection.

So I'm in the same frame of mind right now as I was back in December. What traditions can my husband and I initiate in our family that can make Easter deep, meaningful, and celebratory? I don't actually care too much if December and April are the "real" dates of Christ's birth, and the Passion. I think it's great that there's a time carved out in the year anyways where Christians can gather together and celebrate with intentionality. And hey, these are the two times of the year where the most people go to church, even those who don't normally attend! If we don't share the true message of the Gospel now, when will we?

Anyways, being here in Germany, I'm discovering one cultural tradition: Easter Trees! People take "Frühling" (Spring) branches and hang little decorated eggs on them. It was definitely different to see all different sorts of these on neighbors' lawns, kitchen tables, etc., but I liked the idea enough to make one of my own...
  

Ta-da!

I made the 3-D paper eggs by myself using this online tutorial  (click here).






















Maybe one reason I don't decorate as much in the spring is because I'm not a huge fan of light pastel colors - pink, yellow, etc. Usually I go more for dark, rich colors (notice our brown wall!) But it's still fun to have a little brightness in the house. 

I made 7 eggs for my tree, so I thought I'd blog about 7 promises/reasons for hope. Mogi's parents have chickens out back, and it's nice to be able to get fresh eggs all the time. It's amazing how you can feed chickens all your leftovers, and basically anything, and in turn they produce food for you! A genius system! But it's a cool picture of what God does - he takes all our crap, our pain, our sin, and turns it into something useful. Eggs also symbolize new life...which is what Easter is all about!


So, with Easter weekend coming up, here's my reflection on 7 things that Christ's death and resurrection accomplished:


1) Forgiveness and Freedom from the punishment of sin. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23) Christ died so that we wouldn't have to! Our debt is paid! This is the most basic principle of Christianity, and I know I overlook it too easily. It is a powerful truth!

2) Freedom from sin. Not only are we saved from the wages of sin...we are saved from sin. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free...." (Galatians 5:1). Instead of being a "slave to sin" as the Bible puts us, we are now slaves to righteousness. And ironically, that is the most freeing thing ever! Christ gives us grace upon grace, but that doesn't mean we can use it as a license to do whatever we want. (Don't even get me started on that - my favorite topic! I'll save it for another post.) Suffice it to say, sin doesn't rule our life anymore. We aren't bound by its temptations and the destruction it brings.

3) Eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) Not only is the punishment that we deserved dealt with, but we have the promise of a life forever with God. When I was young I tried to think about how long "eternity" is. My brain hurt after awhile!

4) Strength for this life. Life as a believer in Christ isn't just about the future - it concerns today, too. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin." (Hebrews 4:15) Because Christ didn't stay dead, but rose from the grave, his life-sustaining power is available for us today. He knows what we're walking through and wants to help!

5) Purpose. "For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10) Being created "in Christ" means that our lives are  also now resurrected...restored. We have a purpose to fulfill! Our lives are not meaningless; they were intentionally designed by our Maker.

6) Healing. Christ's death brought about spiritual healing, yes, but he also died so that we don't have to deal with sickness and death and weapons of the enemy like depression, bitterness, generational curses, etc. "He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).

7) Victory.  "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work." (1 John 3:8) The "Résumé" of Satan is to steal, to kill, and to destroy. But Jesus came so that we could have life, and life abundantly (John 10:10). Putting our faith in Christ means He has authority over our lives. We are his children, and no one can snatch us out of His hand. Through Christ we are "more than conquerors" because we know His love for us is unchanging (Romans 8:37).

{So, my friends...Happy Easter! May you rejoice in the reality of the forgiveness, hope, freedom, life, purpose, victory, strength and healing that is available in Christ!}

Questions for discussion:

- What are meaningful Easter traditions in your family?

- What does Easter mean to you?

- Who is Jesus to you?

- Are you living in the abundance that Christ died to offer you? (If you think you're not, leave a comment, or write me an email - I would love to pray for you!)