Renouncing the meaningless life...

Something I have read this week which has struck me and I continue to ponder….

‘I will renounce a meaningless life

a life without reason

a life in which man is his own god'

sings Chilean song writer Leonardo Alvarez.

I will walk on through the bitter experiences of love
I will follow the pathways of his cross
and your love will be enough…

Jesus talks about the 'bitter experiences of love'.

Mark 8: 34-38 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

What do you do when.....

You hear that still small voice speaking...?

Do you act on it straight away, know that it is Who it is? Or do you do the Prudent, Wise thing and wait and pray, because it isn't a small thing you have heard, yet..... what would Jesus do, and what is the right timing, and what is the big picture, and why was it God's way to have it happen this way? Ahhh... to know and understand our Great God...! What a terrifying thing that would be!

So, in the meantime, I am so glad I can wait and trust in him, and am so glad he has the best plan possible:)

Egg shells

You know those days when you walk around on egg shells, terrified that you might possibly offend or hurt, or not sure exactly where we are going or what we should do, or even who we should be....??

They are so frustrating, and really, really not needed, and I think that most of the time that we walk around on egg shells it is actually satan hard at work pulling us down and undermining who God has made us to be and how he has created us! I am still trying to work out if we have an excuse for this kind of behavior, but none come to mind. It only steals and destroys opportunities that we are given, experiences, people, joy, life!!!! We really can be sure and confident of ourselves, of life, of who we are in God, of who he has called us to be. We can step out in assurance that he knows what's happening. We don't need to be brash and outspoken, rude and obnoxious as a result either!

Say NO to eggshells!!!

Deut 3:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Exodus 14:13 Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.

Hebrews 11:1-2 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.

Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

Hebrew 13:6 So we say with confidence,"The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

Hebrews 4:15- 16 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. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Living authentically

I have continued to ponder the topic of what is real and fake, and more in my case... what's Me, and what's 'The official response'. Sometimes the lines blur, and today I started to really wonder which was which, and where one started and the other stopped!

I want to be truthful and authentic, but there are times when there is an appropriate response to a situation, or event. It's so easy spending so much of my time in work mode to fall into the automatic response which terrifies me!

I want to know that I am being Me, where I am being real, and know that it is me, responding from a place where I care deeply, rather than responding as expected, or required. What would God have..... does He want us with our boundaries, warts and all, all there and truthful? He knows us all, created us all, knows our inmost beings and has a perfect plan for his creations. He doesn't want robots, or auto-pilots for his kids, but there are moments when I think that's what's expected.....

There are certainly times when an appropriate response is needed, but there must be a place too, where we can all be real...

More food for thought to ponder....

Flipped out:)

While I love my job, some days, well most days, there is just soooo much of this job, I just don't cope all that well, and I tend to occasionally flip out on certain unsuspecting people. I don't know how helpful it is, or if I just need to vent, or have someone listen and care, but know that once I have had my moment, life goes on and all is well again!

I guess it comes back the the honest vs the fake. What is it to tell the truth, or is it just putting on a mask and pretending all is well. Or can you 'vent' and tell the truth, yet at the same time, maintain that God remains in control, and all is well, all at the same time..?

What is best for me, and what is best for those who 'cop the brunt', or see it from a distance? And what truly reflects God and who he is, to others, and myself??

Or maybe I am just thinking through whats real and whats not and realizing yet again how important it is to have someone who listens, really listens and how much we all need that!

The lie vs the reality

I watched the movie, Mr and Mrs Smith again tonight! It's an awesome movie, and continues to grow on me!

It is such a striking example of relationships, any kind of relationships, and the difference between the real, and the fake.

Often as Christians, we tend to stick to the 'Nice', do the right thing, stick to what's safe and that's what Jane and John do in this movie.... and it's completely fake, their whole relationship is a lie!

Then in the latter half, the truth comes out. They rediscover what brought them together in the beginning, and came to a new richness and depth in their relationship. They listened, they worked together, and while it wasn't always neat and tidy, it was real, rich, and worthy of their time and effort. It reminded me that we are all real, we make mistakes, we forgive, and share, and tell the truth. And in the end, the relationship is all the better,stronger and more trustworthy for it, whatever the relationship!

And isn't it great to know that God sees it all, He sees all the way through us, and there is no lying, shallowness, hiding away. He knows it all, and we can only be completely real and honest with him, and he asks that of us, and no matter what, loves us unconditionally!

So, once again, how awesome is our God who makes things work so well for the good of those who loves him:)

Called, or open door...?

Last week was a funny one, but one aspect that made it especially interesting was to see in a new way, the difference being called to do something, and to be given an opportunity... an open door, a wonderful opportunity.

I know many things that I have been specifically called to do, and ways that I know that I am supposed to serve in, however, I realized that while I have been called clearly to do some things, there are others, wonderful things, opportunities where a door has opened, and I have had the choice to walk through and take part, or not. It has been interesting to see, and to see where sometimes, while in places where the call has been, it has been clear and continued, while in places where a door has opened, there are times when that door has closed too.

It has comforting to see that I am called to obedience, to obey the One who has sent me. I am called to listen and to follow God, however, there have been times recently where I see that I have been given wonderful opportunities, however, they may have come to pass up to a point, or they have been a step to something different that God had in store!

God really does work in amazing ways, and it is truly wonderful to be able to trust that he knows what is coming next, even if it is a total bolt out of the blue for us. I guess this is part of boundaries too in what we can, should, and are called and meant to be doing. Something I am going to have to think about a little more is that difference between what God expects, and what others expect of me and my life and how it all fits together:)

But for now, thank God for his wonderful, mysterious plans and purposes!:)

Are you listening????

Yesterday, someone listened to me, really, really deeply properly listened to me, didn't interrupt, offer advice, make assumptions, judgments, and it was the most amazing refreshing thing!

I was talking about something that is very close to my heart, and isn't something I could share with many people at all, but I came away immensely blessed and refreshed, released from the burden I had been carrying, and with new insight to the situation! It was a funny thing, because it's not as if no one else listens to me, but this particular moment was an amazing reminder of the amazing power that comes from being listened to!

It certainly challenged me again on the importance of listening to people, and the power, life, freedom and wholeness it brings, by being there, and available.

Go left, right, straight, forward....

Today was one of those days where I was confronted, yet again of the sheer impossibility of finding that happy medium between doing everything that seems to fall in your lap, and setting good and wise boundaries!!

Both are such good lessons to learn....there are times when it just has to happen- something needs to be done and it falls to you to get on and do it. There are other times when you can be specific and set boundaries, say no, be specific in how you treat others and expect to be treated. It isn't easy though, on any day of the week, especially when an argument could be made that both ways are the Godly and right way to do things.

Though... there are days when it feels like you are bending yourself into a pretzel to get things done right! I want to treat others as God would have me treat them, I want to serve them and care for them and be His light to others. I want to walk alongside and support others in all they are doing... but at what time is a moment reached where you also find that balance where you are treated the same way you would like to be treated, you are listened to in the say way as you keenly seek to listen to and affirm others?

Oh to find that invisible line and seek to live and walk it daily, for our own sakes and the sakes of those around us!