So Others May Live
These are the thoughts, attitudes, and experiences of life. Good bad and ugly. Yet Beautiful and full of grace. ;) No pun intended..
I am wanting to read through the bible this year, but don’t want to start in Genesis. How many of us start there with every intention of reading all of the bible?????? LOL I bet more than would care to admit. I decided to start in Ruth, since 1&2 Samuel was something that really intrigued me to read.
Let me start with saying that I LOVE Ruth and the line that God creates through her and another well known lady, Rahab.
Rahab is the well known prostitute that God uses in the time of Joshua, when the Israelite people are going to the promised land…FINALLY. One thing they have to do first, get past Jericho. Of course in those times, there is no getting past it, demolishing is more like it. And the only way to do that….with God’s help. They send a couple spies to Jericho, Rahab hides them….. You know the story. :) Fast forward to after the walls fall and we see that Rahab stays with the Israelites! She marries an Israelite man and they have a son…. A son that you will immediately recognize… BOAZ. I know you’re amazed by this, because the first time I saw the connection I was freaking out. ;)
So this leads us to Ruth, a moabite woman who’s husband had died. Instead of going back to her family she stays with Naomi, her mother-in-law. The two of them return to Bethlehem and Ruth ends up gleaning behind some workers….. workers in the field of BOAZ. Who amazingly enough is the Kinsman Redeemer for Naomi’s family. Meaning that he is next in line to redeem land or property, a widow, whatever it is that support or avenge his own blood family.
Fast forward…..and Ruth and Boaz marry and have a son named Obed.
Obed has a son Jesse.
Jesse has a son David.
See how that works. :) WOW!!!
This of course leads to Christ. In Matthew you can see the set-up in full and every time I see it, it amazes me. God used these women for such a huge purpose. For a specific time and to have a specific role. Encourages me to do everything I do whole heartedly and with purpose!
I love and respect this painful season of life. I have full reverence for this time. Not because there is earthly comfort, or fulfillment in God’s promises (at least in my view), or divine understanding of the “whys” that are so impatiently asked..
I love and respect this dark season because I am learning to Believe and (trust with every fiber in my being) that God is a person of HIS Word…
-to acquire knowledge of or skill in by study, instruction, or experience.
As you can see by this definition “to learn”….at times we must study what learning really means and what it can look like…. and then in other times we must practically experience what it truly means and what it most assuredly looks and feels like, and even what it produces!
Are these moments creating and strengthening the roots that hold tightly to belief and trust and reverance?? I pray they are..I pray you are strengthened in truth and HOPE!
This blog post courtesy of Kelsey Smith! Follower and Servant of God. Given to me 1/19/06 :)
Embrace. Embrace. Embrace is what I must do. I need to embrace the season that I am in. I’m trying, but my heart won’t hear of it. I’m not angry or bitter. I guess I just still want to hold on to some of the things in my last season. But that is the problem… my heart doesn’t understand that those things that it’s trying so desperately to hold on to were left in the last season. You see I cannot pick and choose which parts of seasons to embrace. You cannot have the sun of the summer and still play in the snow of the winter. You cannot enjoy the colors of the fall and still have the blooms of the spring. You see it just doesn’t work like that!! There are some things that are black and white. The only way I can continue to grow is to put both feet in THIS season. But how do I convince my heart, that the pain of letting go will someday produce something better? How do I tell my heart that where it is content to stay is where it will eventually die? The letting go will hurt, the letting go will need time, will need mending, but it will heal. Soon heart, soon you will have something better, stronger, more reliable, and so it will be here, but you must follow me into this season. We must embrace this season together.
Ecc 3:1-8
There is a time for EVERYTHING, and a season for every activity under heaven;
A time to be born and a time to die
A time to plant and a time to uproot
A time to kill and a time to heal
A time to tear down and a time to build
A time to weep and a time to laugh
A time to mourn and a time to dance
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them
A time to embrace and a time to refrain
A time to search and a time to give up
A time to keep and a time to throw away
A time to tear and a time to mend
A time to be silent and a time to speak
A time to love and a time to hate
A time for war and a time for peace
It’s time to move forward. It’s time to fully embrace the season God has taken me to. Embrace. Embrace. Embrace is what I must do.
What I love the most about this writing is the bolded line near the top-‘How do I tell my heart that where it is content to stay is where it will eventually die?’ This is the truth behind every single season we encounter. No matter how hard it is to accept, we must embrace.
Today I considered for the millionth time…DREAMS. Dreams that we have, cling to, hope for, long to fulfill.
-Bibles (to give them away)
-College students (those in transition, speak life)
-Missions (europe, ministering to those who know truth, but don’t care or don’t know how)
-Speaking/Singing
-Obedience
-Rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn
-Live So Others May Live
As I considered these dreams, something suddenly occurred to me that I had never considered..The top 4 dreams, goals really, are things that for the most part I can visualize, plan and prepare for, see..the bottom 3, purposes really, are unexpected, and though we may have times we feel we can prepare, the heart of these purposes are lived out in the everyday life we live. They provide growth in the uncertain moments. They reflect WHO we are. They reflect Him, because it takes HIS constant love and presence to live out WHO we know we are Called to Be. They can’t just be planned, they are CHOSEN. We have to choose to Be who we know we are in the uncertain times.
What are the Dreams that you can identify as purpose? Identify them because when you open up those possibilities, you find purpose in the moments you may have become dead in, frustrated with, given up on..
This is one of my favorite things in all the world..and today was a perfect day! Prayed in the morning I would not have to work and right as I was going to leave they called-and I didn’t have to go!!!!! ;)
Beautiful blessing of a day-watching it snow-drinking coffee-reading my bible-taking pictures every few hours of snow-watching movies-listening to Christmas music-drinking peppermint hot chocolate-reading facebook updates about snow- ;) You get the point!
When life feels like it is spinning and decisions need to be made..when stepping out in FAITH may be the only option. The only step you may know is the first one….
How you get off is the trick
JuMp-rUn-wAiT-pAtIeNcE-pAnIc-PeAcE-wEaK-sTrOnG-tOrN-wHoLe-AlOnE- tOgEtHeR-qUiCk-SlOw-whatever you decide, however it is done, get off. Just know….
How you get off is the trick
TrUsT-fEaR-rIgHt-WrOnG-gOoD-bAd-UgLy-BeAuTiFuL-one thing is certain-
Just Do It (OBEY)
Sometimes the only choice is to get off (of the MerryGoRound of Insanity)………
So it’s been awhile..LOL way tooo long and I am on a wonderful vacation to refresh and break away from everyday life..it has been worth every moment. every moment of encountering truth—of being reminded of that which was once spoken.
My call is Obedience. My purpose So Others May Live. These things I know. I know I know I know, but some days I do not feel them. Not that it is about feeling, but after a bit it is difficult to continue the things you know you must, when you don’t feel it. We’ve all been there right—I know..and I think I have come to some level of understanding about what happens. Because for me to not feel it..something changes..and when this happens we have to find out why.
In this season, I see that I have begun to feel rejection. Sounds weird..but it is not from anything outside, but it is from within..From in myself. I find that I do this a lot. It is very common..which I am searching for the root of..but something big is remembering God’s love for me in this time. I don’t serve Him out of fear or obligation-but Obedience, because I love Him and He LOVES me. I am where I am because he said “Grace go Home”. And out of my love for Him-that is exactly what I did. And out of love for Him to this day-that is where I stay. And where I will stay until the time when he says Grace go here. That is the easy part-saying this is what I’m doing. It’s the doing it part every single day that gets hairy. ;)
SO what gets in the way everyday—what stops me or YOU?? We know the big perspective-that’s easy!! But what happens when we face the small minor seemingly insignificant perspective?? What will our take be on this small minor seemingly insignificant moment or question??? What do we think when God’s response to us in moments when we seek Him are so simple- “Daughter I love you, Daughter I have plans you don’t even see yet, I have plans for you here, Wait, Sit, Stand, Don’t give up”—so often I want to hear bigger things like—“I’m calling you to Ireland (you leave in a month), Your husband is right around the corner (meaning he’ll be here next week), Here’s all the money to pay off your financial committments (and to pay for Ireland)—but those things I’ve yet to hear. We cry out in passion wanting to hear the latter and all he keeps saying is how much he Loves us. How much he has planned. And though all that he is breathing life and secretly wispering—It’s gonna be worth it. No matter what may come—It’s gonna be worth it!! He whispers that over us at night, in the dark alone times. It’s gonna be worth it.
Because the secret to the big; major; seemingly significant moments..are the times in between when we face the small; minor; Seemingly Insignificant moments. What we battle in the small and minor prepare us for the big and major.
I have been reading Galations lately..a lot! Actually, I’ve been reading Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians too..I love Paul and his writing..sometimes he makes me laugh and shake my head..other times I am really challenged and encouraged by what God speaks through him.
..in Galations the verse and thoughts that stand out lately are that we reap what we sow..
We Reap what WE Sow
what WE Sow we will Reap
but what does that mean and what does it look like??
I know what I reap, because I am surrounded by it all the time..the good and bad. I see what it looks like, most of the time, and know the things I want to change..but how do I really do that??
How do I change what I see needs changing?? Do I pray? Ask God to change them in me? Like when I would pray for more patience, cause I really need more of that! I know that once that prayer even enters my thoughts..God immediately places an opprotunity to be patient. :) That definitely helps..but in the long run..how do I change it??
How do I sow patience in my life so that in my actions and thoughts I am patient??
How do I sow what I want to reap?
How do I sow trust? Or Confidence? Or humility?
How do I sow these traits so that I reap them in my everyday life?
what about joy, peace, self-control, gentleness, compassion, love, mercy??
I know what it looks like to reap them..but how do I sow them??
Questions that I really don’t have the answer for..other than to dive deaper into spending quality time with my Savior and Holy Spirit. All of the things I listed and those that aren’t even mentioned are attributes of HIM. In the end, he is the only way I have those.
Which leads to another question..why do I struggle to commit that time with HIM so much lately? I know what I need to do..but I don’t do it. I read in the morning..but there has to be more!
…..it isn’t enough to just do what it takes to get by. That is not the goal!!!! I need to thrive, not just survive. When I am out in other places I have such a desire to seek him. Being at home is another feeling all together..
Thus the lessons of home, minnesota, working…continue! How do I sow what I want to reap in this season of life? How do I live for everything God has for me now instead of only looking to what is ahead!??
How do I keep walking through the straight and narrow with vines and branches in the way?
Where’s the chainsaw???? :)
The last 3 weeks my life has been Wedding Business!! One of my good friends and my brother.. ;)
Right after the first wedding and right before my brothers I was in the main Kids service helping out..feeling a tad tired, flustered, anxious..ready for Ohio, ready for presence..
We sang a song that had the line “I will follow you wherever you lead me to go”
And it really stuck out to me. It was a line that I have, many many times in my life, written-sung-prayed-committed to. A line I have said I will abide by. Live by. And most of the time when I have done these written-sung-prayed commitments, the image in my mind has been full of light, full of promise, hope, great times. Good moments. Pure.
this was different. We sung the line many times and as we sang, the image was dark. Blocked. Confusing. Viney. Alone. Void.
no horizon. no other side of the dark. just dark. all I held was a flashlight.
as if God was again asking of me..”as you sing this Grace, will you really follow me wherever I lead?”
“into the unknown, dark, thick grove.” “with just enough light to see one step ahead”
tears came now, as I committed again to the journey. Full of promise, hope, great times.
though I can’t yet see the promise, hope..they are there, waiting for fulfillment. waiting to be discovered.
“faith is being sure of what we hope for, certain of what we do not see.”
For this, I am certain of promise, certain of his hope, certain that no matter what he is faithful to bring me through the grove.
One Step at a Time.
I’m not really sure where I have been lately..other than right here. Some days I am not sure where that is..a physical place, a mental state, a roller coaster of every sort. It breaks my heart to know people are hurting, confused, distant, angry, rebellious. People that I love.
Why have they given up on truth?
Why have they let the lies become their truth?
In frustration we tend to lose sight of the ultimate goal..of the thing we are fighting for in the first place.
the salvation of our souls.
we seem to think that we are fighting for the salvation of “us”, of our bodies, our possessions
the salvation of our souls.
we only look at that which will spoil, perish, and fade
this journey of our faith is the salvation of our souls
nothing that will spoil perish fade will be coming with us
so why fight for it?
