“While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, who I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him” (Matthew 17:5)!
What’s your idea of a perfect day? Does it involve several uninterrupted hours of quiet solitude where you allow yourself such luxuries as reading a book or taking a nap? Conversely, would you fill the day with lots of activity that leaves you exhausted but utterly satisfied when it’s over? Does spending time conversing with Jesus even enter your mind, or is that too much of a task to be completed instead of a privilege His followers are granted? Such thoughts recently convicted me during my less-than-perfect day whilst I set about seeking perfection on my own.
Perhaps you’re like me. Days that satisfy you the most change with the seasons. I often oscillate between the introvert and extrovert in me (although I am a strong extrovert in nature). I relish the big Christmas party we host each December just as much as rainy quiet nights watching a movie fireside. I must admit I am usually thinking about other people that I can spend my time with. My King is not always first on my guest list.
It is July now, so my favorite days are those spent hiking with my husband followed by a dip in our community pool. The evening is topped off with a light and healthy meal, and good conversation between us. We’ve bonded. Our bodies, minds and hearts were exercised. A spirit of thankfulness permeates the air with the words of our evening prayers and reflections. Still I am left to wonder, as I listen to my husband’s voice, how much time did I make to listen to Jesus’ voice?
Earlier this week, when Jon was working the night shift, I found myself very blue after a long stressful work day. As is often the case with my corporate job I fight back tears of frustration over all that is heaped upon my desk. Longing for comfort to help me erase the scars from the day’s battle, I took a long fast walk around the neighborhood. It was hot and humid. Arriving back at my doorstep sweaty and drained I was still without relief. “What can I do next to make me feel better?” I thought. “I know--I’ll go to the pool!” Surely that will lift my spirits. Changing quickly I grabbed a towel and made my way to the clubhouse gates where refreshment awaited me.
Feeling the warm water envelope my body like silk gently touching my skin I began to swim, unaware of the beauty around me. My head was face down in the water, concentrating on pushing my troubles away with each stroke, when suddenly everything changed. The day became perfect. Flipping over on to my back, I gazed upward on the magnificent sky as my hands glided across the water. The scene was indescribably beautiful as sunbeams hidden behind painted clouds of lavender, pink and orange illuminated the fringes with a silvery light. Although the sun was not visible it was very much present, and actively at work in the twilight sky. Instantly, sorrow left my heart as my eyes beheld the glory before me that summer evening. Soaking up the sun’s healing light my mind began to contemplate, “Is not the light of God’s Son, which never fades like the sun in the sky, what I should really be basking in?”
When I’m face down in trials it feels like Jesus is not present. But my thoughts deceive me. Christ is only temporarily shielded from my view. He exists just the same as the sun shining brightly behind the clouds. I need to lift my heart’s eyes to the heavens where God speaks to me, and invites me to listen for His voice above all earthly sounds. The pleasure the sun’s warmth gives me pales in comparison to the love of the Son of God. Because Jesus is perfect each day I spend in communion with Him can be harmonious no matter what imperfections the day brings, including the ones I offer before Him myself. With God’s help I’ve begun to change my definition of a perfect day. How about you? “While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, who I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him” (Matthew 17:5)!
Your fellow sojourner,
Mary
Friday, July 31, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
My Father and Me
Previously posted on my web site in June 2009:
http://extravagantlife.net/site/
“Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on you do know Him and have seen him” (John 14:6-7).
Today is Father’s Day. After church, my husband and I went for a two-hour hike in the state park up the street from our house. As we wandered through the seven-mile woodland path that takes us through varied terrain, my thoughts began to focus on the fathers in my life. First, there is my earthly father who passed away six-and-one-half years ago. I no longer grieve his passing maybe because I see so much of him in those of us who are here. My siblings and I share some of Dad’s physical traits as well as his points of view. We’ve often heard people say, “You Singer kids look so much alike.”
The second father is not mine. Rather he is my husband and a father of three daughters from a previous marriage. There’s a tenderness to the way my husband relates to his daughters, and I admire his diligent pursuit of a relationship with them that is full of life. He has always communicated his love for them, and willingness to be a counselor in times of need. Just as I bear a family resemblance to my earthly father, so do my husband’s girls to him. I see it in their eyes or their laugh and in their dispositions. We often joke about the differences between the Singer and Wick families, and relish in the knowledge that we also share commonalities too.
But of all the fathers I know whether relatives or friends, the most important one is my heavenly Father. He is the one constant in my life. He is ever-present, never-changing, and always moving toward me in love. He desires closeness with His children. I don’t have to worry that one day He won’t be there for me. He is the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end. God knows no limits; He has no life span as physical fathers do. God the Father has always existed in spiritual form and graciously gave us a glimpse of His character in the physical form of His Son, Jesus. What a gift it is to be able to say, “Jesus is the representation of His Dad and He invites everyone to join His family!”
It is sad to hear people say that they don’t believe God is a loving Father because of the traumatic experiences they’ve incurred with their natural fathers. Humans are very flawed, but this cannot be used as an excuse to turn away from God Almighty. He knows our pain and has provided a way to have a loving Father-child relationship with Him. This can only happen when we have a close personal relationship with His Son, Jesus. Likewise, when we are born again spiritually and indwelt with the Holy Spirit we reflect a new gene pool to the world. It’s no longer my fleshly parents that the world notices, but my spiritual Father and His Son.
Knowing that I am God’s adopted daughter both comforts and challenges me. While I am not a physical parent, I am still called to be a mentor to those the Lord puts in my life. This is true for all Christians. We are to make manifest the glory of God by allowing Him to display His love for others through us. Jesus Christ is our perfect example who does not expect perfection from us, only the willingness to be used. Once we surrender to His will, then He can speak to a weary soul through our words and deeds; drawing that hurting sinner into a relationship that forgives and heals.
So on this day when we honor our human fathers my greatest prayer is that people I encounter throughout my life would say, “She looks just like her Father and I want to be part of that family too!” If you still mistrust the character of God the Father, just remember to take your questions to His Son. “Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on you do know Him and have seen him” (John 14:6-7).
Your fellow sojourner,
Mary
http://extravagantlife.net/site/
“Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on you do know Him and have seen him” (John 14:6-7).
Today is Father’s Day. After church, my husband and I went for a two-hour hike in the state park up the street from our house. As we wandered through the seven-mile woodland path that takes us through varied terrain, my thoughts began to focus on the fathers in my life. First, there is my earthly father who passed away six-and-one-half years ago. I no longer grieve his passing maybe because I see so much of him in those of us who are here. My siblings and I share some of Dad’s physical traits as well as his points of view. We’ve often heard people say, “You Singer kids look so much alike.”
The second father is not mine. Rather he is my husband and a father of three daughters from a previous marriage. There’s a tenderness to the way my husband relates to his daughters, and I admire his diligent pursuit of a relationship with them that is full of life. He has always communicated his love for them, and willingness to be a counselor in times of need. Just as I bear a family resemblance to my earthly father, so do my husband’s girls to him. I see it in their eyes or their laugh and in their dispositions. We often joke about the differences between the Singer and Wick families, and relish in the knowledge that we also share commonalities too.
But of all the fathers I know whether relatives or friends, the most important one is my heavenly Father. He is the one constant in my life. He is ever-present, never-changing, and always moving toward me in love. He desires closeness with His children. I don’t have to worry that one day He won’t be there for me. He is the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end. God knows no limits; He has no life span as physical fathers do. God the Father has always existed in spiritual form and graciously gave us a glimpse of His character in the physical form of His Son, Jesus. What a gift it is to be able to say, “Jesus is the representation of His Dad and He invites everyone to join His family!”
It is sad to hear people say that they don’t believe God is a loving Father because of the traumatic experiences they’ve incurred with their natural fathers. Humans are very flawed, but this cannot be used as an excuse to turn away from God Almighty. He knows our pain and has provided a way to have a loving Father-child relationship with Him. This can only happen when we have a close personal relationship with His Son, Jesus. Likewise, when we are born again spiritually and indwelt with the Holy Spirit we reflect a new gene pool to the world. It’s no longer my fleshly parents that the world notices, but my spiritual Father and His Son.
Knowing that I am God’s adopted daughter both comforts and challenges me. While I am not a physical parent, I am still called to be a mentor to those the Lord puts in my life. This is true for all Christians. We are to make manifest the glory of God by allowing Him to display His love for others through us. Jesus Christ is our perfect example who does not expect perfection from us, only the willingness to be used. Once we surrender to His will, then He can speak to a weary soul through our words and deeds; drawing that hurting sinner into a relationship that forgives and heals.
So on this day when we honor our human fathers my greatest prayer is that people I encounter throughout my life would say, “She looks just like her Father and I want to be part of that family too!” If you still mistrust the character of God the Father, just remember to take your questions to His Son. “Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on you do know Him and have seen him” (John 14:6-7).
Your fellow sojourner,
Mary
Monday, July 27, 2009
In God's Garden
Previously posted on my web site in May 2009: http://extravagantlife.net/site/.
“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers” (Psalm 1:1-3).
Looking outside my window, on this lovely spring day, I see a plump robust garden bursting forth in brilliance. The fragrant air with its honeysuckle scent awakens my senses, while the juicy rich forest is so prolific I can’t take my eyes off of it. Although May in Raleigh is always beautiful, 2009 is particularly fascinating to me. I did not expect our yard to look so “green and alive” after just surviving the worst drought in 100 years. It’s fascinating to see this miracle before me, and I wonder how God does this.
When our house was completed in the summer of 2004, my husband asked the builder not to lay the sod until October. He wanted time to prepare the soil for the trees, shrubs, and grass knowing that the right foundation would give the plants the best chance of survival. Each week he had truckloads of luscious organic topsoil delivered to our house, and rented the necessary equipment to evenly distribute the soil throughout the yard. “Why the big fuss?” I wondered. “I don’t see anyone else in our subdivision doing this. Is it really worth all the trouble and expense we are incurring to lay down good topsoil? Won’t the grass and trees be just fine planted over this red clay that North Carolina is famous for?” My husband responded to my questioning his wisdom by simply saying, “You have to trust me on this one”.
In earlier years he was a farmer. He’d owned several homes and tended many gardens. I was the novice among us having no knowledge of either. So all summer long while our neighbors enjoyed their beach and mountain excursions, I grumbled under my sweaty brow while swatting away mosquitoes. Our weekends were spent toiling in the yard planting perennials, and covering the topsoil with plastic to prevent the rains from washing it away. Jon seemed to derive a great deal of satisfaction over this hard work; he was focused on the long-term benefits. Mine was the short-sighted view.
I couldn’t see past my momentary suffering as others around me were allowed to relax and play. I was tired. My corporate job consumed much of my energy during the week, and preparing the yard for planting took what was left. My husband works a rotating shift that affords him much more time off than I have. Although I tried to mask my feelings of exhaustion, he saw through the facade. One night as we laid the sprinkler system in the earth just days before the sod arrived, Jon said to me, “I know this hasn’t been easy for you, but it will all be worth it if a drought comes.” How prophetic Jon’s words turned out to be as God used them to teach me not only about our earthly garden, but His spiritual one.
Within three years Raleigh was in a drought that took us down to a thirty-day water supply if God didn’t send rain. No sprinkler systems could be used. As I poured recycled water on our plants from pots I kept under faucets inside our home, my prayers were desperate for the Lord to help us. “Father, there is only so much we can do. We can keep the vegetation alive for a little while in our own strength, but very soon the water supply is going to dry up. Not only will the plants die, but so will the wildlife and eventually humans.” I began to realize how utterly dependant we are on God to provide for our needs, and that human effort is not an inexhaustible resource. Scanning the neighborhood I could see the evidence of dying trees and charred grass that was planted on clay soil. The roots had no depth. While our yard had some brown spots, the deep topsoil and mulch covering contained enough moisture and nutrients to keep the plants alive. Although some trees didn’t bloom during the drought, I learned they were conserving their resources while clinging for their lives to the foundation we’d laid.
Mercifully, the Lord answered our prayers for rain and eased the pain of the drought. Suddenly something amazing emerged before our eyes. The forest that appeared to be stunted in its growth stood up tall and strong as if its branches were reaching toward heaven in gratitude. Somehow the drought had made them more resilient. God spoke to my heart one day as I was admiring the flowers in my garden, telling me this miracle of nature is an example of what happens in the spiritual realm.
When God allows seasons of dryness to enter into my life He’s longing to reveal more of Himself to me, and to others who are watching. The question then becomes, “Do I trust Jesus or myself for my survival? What is my faith rooted in?” When my soul is planted on the life-giving soil of God’s Word and my spirit receives His life-sustaining water, I will bloom as a bright flower that invites others into God’s garden. So will you! “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers” (Psalm 1:1-3).
Your fellow sojourner,
Mary
“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers” (Psalm 1:1-3).
Looking outside my window, on this lovely spring day, I see a plump robust garden bursting forth in brilliance. The fragrant air with its honeysuckle scent awakens my senses, while the juicy rich forest is so prolific I can’t take my eyes off of it. Although May in Raleigh is always beautiful, 2009 is particularly fascinating to me. I did not expect our yard to look so “green and alive” after just surviving the worst drought in 100 years. It’s fascinating to see this miracle before me, and I wonder how God does this.
When our house was completed in the summer of 2004, my husband asked the builder not to lay the sod until October. He wanted time to prepare the soil for the trees, shrubs, and grass knowing that the right foundation would give the plants the best chance of survival. Each week he had truckloads of luscious organic topsoil delivered to our house, and rented the necessary equipment to evenly distribute the soil throughout the yard. “Why the big fuss?” I wondered. “I don’t see anyone else in our subdivision doing this. Is it really worth all the trouble and expense we are incurring to lay down good topsoil? Won’t the grass and trees be just fine planted over this red clay that North Carolina is famous for?” My husband responded to my questioning his wisdom by simply saying, “You have to trust me on this one”.
In earlier years he was a farmer. He’d owned several homes and tended many gardens. I was the novice among us having no knowledge of either. So all summer long while our neighbors enjoyed their beach and mountain excursions, I grumbled under my sweaty brow while swatting away mosquitoes. Our weekends were spent toiling in the yard planting perennials, and covering the topsoil with plastic to prevent the rains from washing it away. Jon seemed to derive a great deal of satisfaction over this hard work; he was focused on the long-term benefits. Mine was the short-sighted view.
I couldn’t see past my momentary suffering as others around me were allowed to relax and play. I was tired. My corporate job consumed much of my energy during the week, and preparing the yard for planting took what was left. My husband works a rotating shift that affords him much more time off than I have. Although I tried to mask my feelings of exhaustion, he saw through the facade. One night as we laid the sprinkler system in the earth just days before the sod arrived, Jon said to me, “I know this hasn’t been easy for you, but it will all be worth it if a drought comes.” How prophetic Jon’s words turned out to be as God used them to teach me not only about our earthly garden, but His spiritual one.
Within three years Raleigh was in a drought that took us down to a thirty-day water supply if God didn’t send rain. No sprinkler systems could be used. As I poured recycled water on our plants from pots I kept under faucets inside our home, my prayers were desperate for the Lord to help us. “Father, there is only so much we can do. We can keep the vegetation alive for a little while in our own strength, but very soon the water supply is going to dry up. Not only will the plants die, but so will the wildlife and eventually humans.” I began to realize how utterly dependant we are on God to provide for our needs, and that human effort is not an inexhaustible resource. Scanning the neighborhood I could see the evidence of dying trees and charred grass that was planted on clay soil. The roots had no depth. While our yard had some brown spots, the deep topsoil and mulch covering contained enough moisture and nutrients to keep the plants alive. Although some trees didn’t bloom during the drought, I learned they were conserving their resources while clinging for their lives to the foundation we’d laid.
Mercifully, the Lord answered our prayers for rain and eased the pain of the drought. Suddenly something amazing emerged before our eyes. The forest that appeared to be stunted in its growth stood up tall and strong as if its branches were reaching toward heaven in gratitude. Somehow the drought had made them more resilient. God spoke to my heart one day as I was admiring the flowers in my garden, telling me this miracle of nature is an example of what happens in the spiritual realm.
When God allows seasons of dryness to enter into my life He’s longing to reveal more of Himself to me, and to others who are watching. The question then becomes, “Do I trust Jesus or myself for my survival? What is my faith rooted in?” When my soul is planted on the life-giving soil of God’s Word and my spirit receives His life-sustaining water, I will bloom as a bright flower that invites others into God’s garden. So will you! “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers” (Psalm 1:1-3).
Your fellow sojourner,
Mary
Thursday, July 23, 2009
The Newest Family Member
Previously posted on my web site http://extravagantlife.net/site/ in February 2009. Copyright Mary Singer Wick 2009.
“I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” (Luke 15:17).
On January 12, 2009 a new member of our earthly family made his grand entrance into our lives, and we’ve been celebrating ever since. That day afforded me an extra blessing when my sister-in-law virtually invited me into the delivery room with a text message from her Blackberry to my cell phone. We all knew my niece, and her husband, had gone to the hospital that morning, but I never expected to know the exact time she was pushing her firstborn into the world. Please indulge me as I share that special day.
It might help you to understand a few things about me before I recap this story. First, I’m not very technically savvy. In fact, I’m still figuring out how to use my cell phone having switched from a land-line last May! I didn’t know how to compose and send a text message, let alone reply to one. But on that sunny January day, I quickly learned that the desperation one feels to communicate can be a great motivator!
The second thing you might want to know about me is that I love my family very much. What happens to them (good or bad) also affects me; our lives are very much intertwined. Perhaps you’re like me, very involved with the lives of those you love whether family or friends; experiencing life on a deep emotional level. Have you ever viewed God this way? If not, I believe you’re missing out on a great blessing. Here’s how He touched my life that day.
As I strolled through our neighborhood that winter afternoon, my walk was interrupted by the buzz of an incoming text message on my phone. Lifting it out of my coat pocket, I selected the “view text” option, and read these words from my sister-in-law who was in the delivery room, “She’s at 10 centimeters and she’s pushing!” Frozen in my tracks (I can’t walk and text at the same time!) my hands were shaking, and I was crying, as I fumbled for the reply button; wondering what to type in response. I’ve never given birth, nor have I witnessed one (T.V. doesn’t count). Would humor serve my niece best, or do I say something profound? Help me, Father! I don’t even know how to type on this phone!
God is so good. He immediately cleared my jumbled mind, and helped me send my first-ever text message. Caught up in the gravity of the moment all I could say was, “Tell her I love her, and that I’m praying for her.” After I pushed the send button, anxiously waiting a reply once the baby was born, I slipped the phone back into my pocket; continuing to walk and cry. Thank goodness for sunglasses!
Traveling in the direction of home, I found myself imagining the scene in the delivery room, and began to pray. So many emotions were flowing out of my heart in those moments. I felt, in some small way, I was partaking in my niece’s journey into motherhood as if I was standing beside her. She was about to experience something I never had, and this time I would learn from her. As I praised God for this precious gift, and asked Him to surround my loved ones in that hospital room, I tenderly felt Him surrounding me with these profound words, “Mary, as excited as you are about the addition of this new life into your family, think about how fervently heaven celebrates the welcoming of each new member into my family who believes in my Son as their Savior?”
Wow! I love when God takes an every day event and reveals His word to me at the same time. Within seconds this Scripture came to mind, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” (Luke 15:17).
How beautiful is the Father’s heart that rejoices over our physical births. But it doesn’t end there. His greatest joy is over our spiritual rebirth through faith in His perfect Son, Jesus Christ. I’m so glad God reminded me that He loves to welcome new members into His family too.
Your fellow sojourner,
Mary
“I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” (Luke 15:17).
On January 12, 2009 a new member of our earthly family made his grand entrance into our lives, and we’ve been celebrating ever since. That day afforded me an extra blessing when my sister-in-law virtually invited me into the delivery room with a text message from her Blackberry to my cell phone. We all knew my niece, and her husband, had gone to the hospital that morning, but I never expected to know the exact time she was pushing her firstborn into the world. Please indulge me as I share that special day.
It might help you to understand a few things about me before I recap this story. First, I’m not very technically savvy. In fact, I’m still figuring out how to use my cell phone having switched from a land-line last May! I didn’t know how to compose and send a text message, let alone reply to one. But on that sunny January day, I quickly learned that the desperation one feels to communicate can be a great motivator!
The second thing you might want to know about me is that I love my family very much. What happens to them (good or bad) also affects me; our lives are very much intertwined. Perhaps you’re like me, very involved with the lives of those you love whether family or friends; experiencing life on a deep emotional level. Have you ever viewed God this way? If not, I believe you’re missing out on a great blessing. Here’s how He touched my life that day.
As I strolled through our neighborhood that winter afternoon, my walk was interrupted by the buzz of an incoming text message on my phone. Lifting it out of my coat pocket, I selected the “view text” option, and read these words from my sister-in-law who was in the delivery room, “She’s at 10 centimeters and she’s pushing!” Frozen in my tracks (I can’t walk and text at the same time!) my hands were shaking, and I was crying, as I fumbled for the reply button; wondering what to type in response. I’ve never given birth, nor have I witnessed one (T.V. doesn’t count). Would humor serve my niece best, or do I say something profound? Help me, Father! I don’t even know how to type on this phone!
God is so good. He immediately cleared my jumbled mind, and helped me send my first-ever text message. Caught up in the gravity of the moment all I could say was, “Tell her I love her, and that I’m praying for her.” After I pushed the send button, anxiously waiting a reply once the baby was born, I slipped the phone back into my pocket; continuing to walk and cry. Thank goodness for sunglasses!
Traveling in the direction of home, I found myself imagining the scene in the delivery room, and began to pray. So many emotions were flowing out of my heart in those moments. I felt, in some small way, I was partaking in my niece’s journey into motherhood as if I was standing beside her. She was about to experience something I never had, and this time I would learn from her. As I praised God for this precious gift, and asked Him to surround my loved ones in that hospital room, I tenderly felt Him surrounding me with these profound words, “Mary, as excited as you are about the addition of this new life into your family, think about how fervently heaven celebrates the welcoming of each new member into my family who believes in my Son as their Savior?”
Wow! I love when God takes an every day event and reveals His word to me at the same time. Within seconds this Scripture came to mind, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” (Luke 15:17).
How beautiful is the Father’s heart that rejoices over our physical births. But it doesn’t end there. His greatest joy is over our spiritual rebirth through faith in His perfect Son, Jesus Christ. I’m so glad God reminded me that He loves to welcome new members into His family too.
Your fellow sojourner,
Mary
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Whom Shall I Send?
This was previously posted on my web site http://extravagantlife.net/site/ in January 2009.
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I, send me” (Isaiah 6:8)!
Have you reached the edge of the road you’ve been traveling on for awhile, and find you’re staring straight into the precipice; wondering what’s next? Me too! Perhaps you’re asking yourself the same question confronting me, “Do I back away from the cliff, turn around and revisit the road most familiar to me, or do I allow God to give me wings to fly miraculously off this secure turf into the wild headwinds?” This is where I’m perched in January, 2009. But how I arrived here was no accident. I was led by a voice so powerful it consumed all my inner critics shouting, “You’re not equipped for this. Don’t do it!”
In the last six months, my life has been accelerating at a pace faster than I can contain; pushing me to either render control of the steering wheel to God, or give up on my calling altogether. The tempter visits me when I’m tired and weak, whispering ever so softly that I shouldn’t press on because I lack the self-discipline, and knowledge, to complete the work before me. It’s scary here outside my comfort zone and area of expertise, but it’s exactly where the greatest adventure lives; the place where I trust God to intervene. For you see, it is His voice I’m following into a new career.
Where has He brought me? Into the public forum where I share my private life, at least parts of it. With the publishing of my book My Heart’s Desire: A Journey Toward Finding Extravagant Love came great excitement coupled with intense fear. I wanted to halt the publication, terrified of my self-inflicted invasion of privacy as my story was about to go global. I feared the reaction from readers absorbing personal experiences my writing revealed. It’s one thing to share intimate life details with loved ones and quite another to let the information soar over an internet blog, and through a paperback book, for strangers to digest.
With so much hesitancy, why am I willing to jump off this emotionally safe cliff I’ve so cleverly fabricated, in my own mind, into the great beyond with all its uncertainty? Because I made a promise to go forward when I heard Jesus calling me, and I know His power will sustain me; not my own. It’s an incredible feeling, standing at the crossroads, knowing the scenery is about to change because of the direction I’m headed. It requires faith to leap into the air trusting God will keep me aloft. But I love Him and want to go wherever He takes me because He’s given me the courage to do so.
How about you? Is God calling you out into uncharted territory for His service? It doesn’t have to be a big project such as writing a book or launching a speaking career. Jesus may need you to walk across the street and offer words of comfort to a hurting neighbor. What about mending a broken relationship with a friend or family member needing your forgiveness? Is Jesus asking you to serve in your church mentoring program, Sunday school class, or some obscure ministry that no one notices but God smiles upon? If He asked you to go on a mission trip, would you go? God loves us regardless of our response to His call to action. But what a shame it would be to miss the joy of witnessing Christ work through us if only we’d accepted His call instead of saying, “Sorry God, all circuits are busy.”
As I venture into this new world of writing and speaking, the Holy Spirit reminds me this is God’s glory road I’m traveling, and I need to take inventory. Whose name is on the street signs that point passersby in the right direction, mine or God’s? Am I making much of my own accomplishments, or His grace that makes all I do possible and successful? My prayer is to be a faithful conduit of God’s love, as I share the glorious things He’s doing in my life. Am I scared? Sometimes, but I’m more afraid of living with the regret of having said no to Him and yes to my insecurities. Can you relate?
If so, do not fear fellow believers in Christ. You are not without a guide, or a roadmap. As you pray to the Holy Trinity they will make the path of every winding turn clear, and provide directions through your daily Bible study. When you receive an answer, test every voice you hear against God’s Word so you may have soul peace and confirmation; proclaiming to others as you leave the curb embarking on God’s glory road trip, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I, send me” (Isaiah 6:8)!
Hope to see you at an intersection soon!
Your fellow sojourner,
Mary
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I, send me” (Isaiah 6:8)!
Have you reached the edge of the road you’ve been traveling on for awhile, and find you’re staring straight into the precipice; wondering what’s next? Me too! Perhaps you’re asking yourself the same question confronting me, “Do I back away from the cliff, turn around and revisit the road most familiar to me, or do I allow God to give me wings to fly miraculously off this secure turf into the wild headwinds?” This is where I’m perched in January, 2009. But how I arrived here was no accident. I was led by a voice so powerful it consumed all my inner critics shouting, “You’re not equipped for this. Don’t do it!”
In the last six months, my life has been accelerating at a pace faster than I can contain; pushing me to either render control of the steering wheel to God, or give up on my calling altogether. The tempter visits me when I’m tired and weak, whispering ever so softly that I shouldn’t press on because I lack the self-discipline, and knowledge, to complete the work before me. It’s scary here outside my comfort zone and area of expertise, but it’s exactly where the greatest adventure lives; the place where I trust God to intervene. For you see, it is His voice I’m following into a new career.
Where has He brought me? Into the public forum where I share my private life, at least parts of it. With the publishing of my book My Heart’s Desire: A Journey Toward Finding Extravagant Love came great excitement coupled with intense fear. I wanted to halt the publication, terrified of my self-inflicted invasion of privacy as my story was about to go global. I feared the reaction from readers absorbing personal experiences my writing revealed. It’s one thing to share intimate life details with loved ones and quite another to let the information soar over an internet blog, and through a paperback book, for strangers to digest.
With so much hesitancy, why am I willing to jump off this emotionally safe cliff I’ve so cleverly fabricated, in my own mind, into the great beyond with all its uncertainty? Because I made a promise to go forward when I heard Jesus calling me, and I know His power will sustain me; not my own. It’s an incredible feeling, standing at the crossroads, knowing the scenery is about to change because of the direction I’m headed. It requires faith to leap into the air trusting God will keep me aloft. But I love Him and want to go wherever He takes me because He’s given me the courage to do so.
How about you? Is God calling you out into uncharted territory for His service? It doesn’t have to be a big project such as writing a book or launching a speaking career. Jesus may need you to walk across the street and offer words of comfort to a hurting neighbor. What about mending a broken relationship with a friend or family member needing your forgiveness? Is Jesus asking you to serve in your church mentoring program, Sunday school class, or some obscure ministry that no one notices but God smiles upon? If He asked you to go on a mission trip, would you go? God loves us regardless of our response to His call to action. But what a shame it would be to miss the joy of witnessing Christ work through us if only we’d accepted His call instead of saying, “Sorry God, all circuits are busy.”
As I venture into this new world of writing and speaking, the Holy Spirit reminds me this is God’s glory road I’m traveling, and I need to take inventory. Whose name is on the street signs that point passersby in the right direction, mine or God’s? Am I making much of my own accomplishments, or His grace that makes all I do possible and successful? My prayer is to be a faithful conduit of God’s love, as I share the glorious things He’s doing in my life. Am I scared? Sometimes, but I’m more afraid of living with the regret of having said no to Him and yes to my insecurities. Can you relate?
If so, do not fear fellow believers in Christ. You are not without a guide, or a roadmap. As you pray to the Holy Trinity they will make the path of every winding turn clear, and provide directions through your daily Bible study. When you receive an answer, test every voice you hear against God’s Word so you may have soul peace and confirmation; proclaiming to others as you leave the curb embarking on God’s glory road trip, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I, send me” (Isaiah 6:8)!
Hope to see you at an intersection soon!
Your fellow sojourner,
Mary
Sunday, July 19, 2009
The Year of Jubilee
“Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan. The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows itself or harvest the untended vines. For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields” (Leviticus 25:10-12).
The last twelve months I have been celebrating my jubilee year. The irony is this has not been a year of rest where I feasted off of the surplus from the forty-ninth year’s crops. My fiftieth year has been a time of sowing and fertilizing the soil for the harvest to come; one I won’t see until eternity. Many nights I battle exhaustion as I complete one more task before shutting down my computer. My mind, however, does not turn off so easily. Could I be mistaken? Am I not listening to God? Should I cease all work and take a year-long vacation? On the contrary, it seems the work I need to retreat from is that of my own conjuring, not what God has commissioned!
Although my jubilee year has been riddled with challenges and struggles, my walk with Jesus is growing more intertwined; I cannot function at a peak level without Him. It would be so nice to say the transition from my full-time corporate job into a full-time writing and speaking ministry has been seamless and swift. Instead, it is a slow arduous process. For now, God requires me to tend many fields as He simultaneously prunes me into a more glorious display of His majesty. My challenge has been to celebrate during this plowing and planting season while I patiently wait for the blooms to appear.
Recapping the blessings of the year, I find there are many reasons to throw a party. First, my book, “My Heart’s Desire: A Journey Toward Finding Extravagant Love” became an Amazon #1 bestseller in late April. I praise God every time a reader shares with me how this story has encouraged them! Other reasons to celebrate emphasis the gift of health I enjoy; one I did not always have. Honestly, I love being fifty. It’s full of surprises. People’s expectations lower when they learn I am half a century old. No one ever said to me at twenty-five, “Wow, you look really good for your age.” At twenty-five we are all supposed to look good! Any compliment at fifty seems to instantly propel me into a class of over achievers; a category I never expected to be in.
Fifty is a well-blended age. I am old enough to have survived life’s hardest trials, and young enough to put to good use the lessons acquired from them. There is a confidence I have now that in my youth I lacked. This is not of my own striving; it comes from something greater than my experiences. It is a benefit of having spent nearly nine years in a close relationship with my Savior, Jesus, and having Him walk beside me through the fires. There is peace in the knowledge that I am deeply loved and accepted by God, and I am never alone. This gives me courage to keep going when the road I am treading is filled with dark corners, large boulders blocking my path, and an uphill winding bent. There is little time to catch my breath, but a day of rest awaits me along with a picturesque view from the mountain top.
This was a year of gathering in close to my own clan, of looking back at my earthly roots while preparing for a future banquet with spiritual siblings. Although fifty was not a year of physical rest, I do not believe it was supposed to be. Instead, the Father intends for me to feed daily on the produce from His hands, not my own. He has placed me behind the plow of a computer to spread words of hope in my writing, but the Holy Spirit is the true power behind the work. As I seek His counsel, I am well nourished and equipped to share the Lord’s bounty with others. This is a time of spiritual rest and renewal. I am not reaping from what I grew myself, but from the fruit that springs forth out of the vine that gets its subsistence from the Divine Creator. You know what? God’s food is always the most succulent variety available! To go with another supplier of my daily seed would only invite blight upon my crop.
As I reflect on this milestone year, I realize that my life should be a continuous jubilee. There is no leave of absence from working in heavenly fields. My jubilation has nothing to do with turning fifty but everything to do with being God’s daughter. Whatever our age, as God’s redeemed children we can continuously rejoice in the holy work He has ordained for each of us. Let us learn to worship as co-laborers alongside Christ who gives life to all who plant their roots in the fertile soil of His love! “Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan. The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows itself or harvest the untended vines. For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields” (Leviticus 25:10-12).
Your fellow sojourner,
Mary
The last twelve months I have been celebrating my jubilee year. The irony is this has not been a year of rest where I feasted off of the surplus from the forty-ninth year’s crops. My fiftieth year has been a time of sowing and fertilizing the soil for the harvest to come; one I won’t see until eternity. Many nights I battle exhaustion as I complete one more task before shutting down my computer. My mind, however, does not turn off so easily. Could I be mistaken? Am I not listening to God? Should I cease all work and take a year-long vacation? On the contrary, it seems the work I need to retreat from is that of my own conjuring, not what God has commissioned!
Although my jubilee year has been riddled with challenges and struggles, my walk with Jesus is growing more intertwined; I cannot function at a peak level without Him. It would be so nice to say the transition from my full-time corporate job into a full-time writing and speaking ministry has been seamless and swift. Instead, it is a slow arduous process. For now, God requires me to tend many fields as He simultaneously prunes me into a more glorious display of His majesty. My challenge has been to celebrate during this plowing and planting season while I patiently wait for the blooms to appear.
Recapping the blessings of the year, I find there are many reasons to throw a party. First, my book, “My Heart’s Desire: A Journey Toward Finding Extravagant Love” became an Amazon #1 bestseller in late April. I praise God every time a reader shares with me how this story has encouraged them! Other reasons to celebrate emphasis the gift of health I enjoy; one I did not always have. Honestly, I love being fifty. It’s full of surprises. People’s expectations lower when they learn I am half a century old. No one ever said to me at twenty-five, “Wow, you look really good for your age.” At twenty-five we are all supposed to look good! Any compliment at fifty seems to instantly propel me into a class of over achievers; a category I never expected to be in.
Fifty is a well-blended age. I am old enough to have survived life’s hardest trials, and young enough to put to good use the lessons acquired from them. There is a confidence I have now that in my youth I lacked. This is not of my own striving; it comes from something greater than my experiences. It is a benefit of having spent nearly nine years in a close relationship with my Savior, Jesus, and having Him walk beside me through the fires. There is peace in the knowledge that I am deeply loved and accepted by God, and I am never alone. This gives me courage to keep going when the road I am treading is filled with dark corners, large boulders blocking my path, and an uphill winding bent. There is little time to catch my breath, but a day of rest awaits me along with a picturesque view from the mountain top.
This was a year of gathering in close to my own clan, of looking back at my earthly roots while preparing for a future banquet with spiritual siblings. Although fifty was not a year of physical rest, I do not believe it was supposed to be. Instead, the Father intends for me to feed daily on the produce from His hands, not my own. He has placed me behind the plow of a computer to spread words of hope in my writing, but the Holy Spirit is the true power behind the work. As I seek His counsel, I am well nourished and equipped to share the Lord’s bounty with others. This is a time of spiritual rest and renewal. I am not reaping from what I grew myself, but from the fruit that springs forth out of the vine that gets its subsistence from the Divine Creator. You know what? God’s food is always the most succulent variety available! To go with another supplier of my daily seed would only invite blight upon my crop.
As I reflect on this milestone year, I realize that my life should be a continuous jubilee. There is no leave of absence from working in heavenly fields. My jubilation has nothing to do with turning fifty but everything to do with being God’s daughter. Whatever our age, as God’s redeemed children we can continuously rejoice in the holy work He has ordained for each of us. Let us learn to worship as co-laborers alongside Christ who gives life to all who plant their roots in the fertile soil of His love! “Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan. The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows itself or harvest the untended vines. For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields” (Leviticus 25:10-12).
Your fellow sojourner,
Mary
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