and find out what pleases the Lord: 2017

Thursday, December 28, 2017

less to say

I used to have a lot to say.

There were so many urgent ideas bubbling into my consciousness. THE WORLD NEEDED TO KNOW. I climbed onto chairs and rooftops and mountaintops to maximize the audience of each message.

Now, I see the wisdom in the stillness.

"Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues."-- Proverbs 17:28 NIV

There are so many things I don't know. Situations where I don't know what to do. Problems with seemingly no solutions.

My Aunt Val talked to me about trusting God for beautiful miracles. There is wisdom that whispers in living rooms that cannot be yelled from a chair.

Sunday, October 1, 2017

humbly kneel

Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that "all of us possess knowledge." This "knowledge" puffs up, but love builds up. 1 Corinthians 8:1 ESV

So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.- Romans 14:19 ESV

There's a lot of new and unknown in life right now. New family. New city. New community. New responsibilities.

The temptation is to fit each new situation into the old ways that used to work. Treating my husband like I've learned to live with roommates doesn't work. My new school is so different from my previous schools that I have to re-learn the very mechanics of teaching. Our new city is filled with people who need Jesus, but the similarities practically end there. And the tiny baby inside me makes my very own body a new adventure to embrace.

My country, meanwhile, continues to erupt in crises of unkindness. What does it look like for love to build up? What does it look like to pursue peace? What does mutual upbuilding look like in my family, my city, and my nation.

I find that kneeling is the most humble way to recognize that every system around me has broken.

My Savior is the only answer-holder.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Polarized by grace

Another PNW snow day... seems like a good morning to take up blogging again.

This month has further divided America with political rhetoric, making the voice of the Church even more important. But what will the Church say? My prayer for unity in the global Church rings ever more urgently and loudly.

Today, my prayers are with the voiceless. Refugees face additional scrutiny in our current political climate. It's heartening to see the church rally together around directives and promises from the Bible. It's encouraging to see Church leaders rise up for those facing religious persecution. (Read Scott Arbiter's reasons, here.)

Children need advocates today, too, with an important vote on the Senate floor. As Christians, we cannot afford to be uninformed. I tweeted to CSPAN this morning a concern about the confirmation of Mrs. DeVos. A self-proclaimed conservative replied to me "As long as there's a mother and a kitchen table, there's always a choice." If only that were the American reality! I am so grateful for the sacrifices that my mother made to home school me. I am so grateful for the time with my family and the way that I developed a deep love of learning and understanding of God's love. So many children in America do not have the same reality. Assigning my reality to the children of America is my dream and prayer, but not today's reality.

If I am polarized, I am polarized to speak up for the orphans and widows in America. (Many of them are immigrants, even!) I am polarized like Relevant editor Jesse Carey from VA.

I am polarized by this verse:

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed.
Proverbs 31:8 (New Living Translation)

Ephesians 5

Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting – all of which are out of character – but rather thanksgiving. For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them, for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light – for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth – and find out what pleases the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention. But all things being exposed by the light are made evident. For everything made evident is light, and for this reason it says:

“Awake, O sleeper!

Rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you!”

Therefore be very careful how you live – not as unwise but as wise, taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil. For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is. And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church – he himself being the savior of the body. But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, so that he may present the church to himself as glorious – not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own body but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church, for we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is great – but I am actually speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.