Two Years Ago

TWO YEARS AGO...today I was in a land cruiser with four friends traveling from Ulaanbaatar to Darhan, Mongolia. Surreal doesn't begin to capture the memory of those nine days. Our expedition was tasked with discovering if a partnership could develop between friends working in Mongolia and friends here at home. It did and a possibility exists to return to Mongolia within the next five months.
I left part of my heart and soul in that wild country with its hardy, hospitable people. And as much as I long to return, God speaks to me of engaging in the work right here and right now. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Nancy. I have work here at home to accomplish."
This month I finish out four years of music ministry to our church watching with amazement and gratitude God's provision of a couple to lead us on in our worship life. The future work plans for a safe, nurturing place for our babies and toddlers are coming together - slowly. That's right - from in front of a microphone to the front lines of nursery ministry. And maybe, just maybe, another trip to Mongolia in the near future.

Do you remember what you were doing two years ago? If not, then think about making today memorable. Do you need to make a change today? If you feel you have nothing to give others because your life is screwed up? It's time to think about giving away your own life, giving up control to One named Jesus Who loves you and letting Him fill you with His love, His Spirit. Since His love never runs out, you can give it away without measure.
Now that decision would make for a memorable day that will last forever...really!

Summertime Blues and Grays

Have you ever been drifting along in life with the same day-in, day-out routine? At times an event comes along to jerk me to an abrupt halt and I wake up one morning shaking my head, saying, "Now what is this all about?" "Why am I so blue?"

My jerk awake was both good and bad in the same event; a 40th high school reunion. The simple number 40 is enough to be a wake up call, let alone getting reacquainted with high school friends, reliving memories better forgotten and missing friends that have passed on before their time. Isn't there a saying, "You gotta take both good and bad together."?

As a woman of faith in Jesus, this event brought some thoughts to the forefront. I think of the scripture that God gave me from 2 Corithians 5:9 before the reunion, "Therefore we also have as our ambition, wheather at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him." For someone who has spent an inordinant amount of her life trying to please others and failing miserably, my aim is to be a pleasure and honor to my Lord Jesus. My conduct, speech, motivation and life leans toward this ambition. Out of the flow of that desire comes the ability to genuinely love others and prefer them before myself.

Do I screw up? Yes! Do I miss the mark? Of course! Am I perfect? What do YOU think?

As the blues fade (could have something to do with the terrible heat and humidity!), I am left with a grateful heart for this past weekend of reunion.

Did you know...?

Did you know that...

God is wildly passionate about you and me? He created us special but not terminally unique (thank you Nancy C).

Did you know that...

when life's circumstances get me down, I sincerely question the above statement?

Did you know that...

cycling puts me in the space meant for only God and I alone. He talks to me there and I listen.

Did you know that...

when I listen to God talk in that space, He tells me about you? That's when you get my phone call/email/facebook/card/kiss/text.

Did you know that...

my heart longs to return to Mongolia?

Did you know that...

this blog is for you? Not some narcissistic outlet. (well maybe a little - teehee)

Did you know that...

Yeshua ha' Mashiach is the Hebrew name for Jesus, the Messiah?

Did you know that...

many people I love, some I like and a few...well, thank God they are the few!

Did you know that...

I'm finished with this blog.

Being stuck and God's glory

What does being stuck have to do with God's glory?

Do you have the desire to do 'what is good' but you can't carry it out? (Rom 7:18b) Maybe the lack of control over bad habits are resulting in broken relationships or damaged emotions or self-pity. Every effort leaves a feeling of condemnation. This is being stuck and it sounds like...

'I knew I shouldn't have said THAT to them but I said it anyway and I regret it now because they are mad at me.'

'Just one more slice of cheese won't hurt; one more piece of candy or that cookie.'

'I'm so tired/busy/grouchy/annoyed/lazy that I'll miss that meeting today and go next week - maybe.'

'I really tried to xyz but it's not working for me.' You add your own stuckness statement.

Have you listened in on the conversation Jesus has with His Father and the Holy Spirit about us. It sounds something like this...

"They said it again, Father. We'll draw them close to us through this difficult relationship so we can strengthen them to forgive themselves and the other person."

"Father, should I send the Spirit to teach them self-control of their eating habits? They have work to do and can't get it done if they are sick."

"Spirit, they are letting their emotions rule. Let's join together to pray for them and empower them to walk in the work We have layed out before them."

"Jesus, are you interceeding to protect them from the discouragement of their enemy? We'll join you!"

This conversation between our heavenly Father, His Son and the Holy Spirit is glorious; IT IS THE GLORY OF THE TRINITY. Take some time to listen to their conversation, read about it in Their Book and receive strength to move through your stuckness.

God's Glory

Recently, the thought of God's glory keeps running through my mind. Do I know what it is? Have I experienced His glory? What does the Bible have to say about His glory? I've come to the humbling conclusion that there is much I don't know about His glory! So it's a great opportunity to learn! Would you like to learn and experience His glory with me?

Simply, glory is all God shows Himself to be wrapped up in His character, His nature. I can know His nature in several ways. His Word, the Bible; experiencial knowledge and through being in fellowship with other Christ-followers.

CAUTION: Since God is spirit, His glory is spiritually discerned. Our intellect alone cannot fully grasp the glory of God. Bible knowledge alone doesn't cut it.

As a Christ-follower, let's start with Jesus. "And He (Jesus) is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power." Hebrews 1:3 NAS

Jesus said, "You know neither Me nor My Father, if you knew Me, you would know My Father also." John 8:19 To know God's glory, know Jesus. Simple. Yes, but knowing implies knowledge that goes beyond our thinking. True spiritual knowledge is given by the Spirit of God; sometimes called heart knowledge. The knowledge that travels from our thinking to our spirit impacting our entire being is an action of the Holy Spirit.

This is a good place to start.

Under God's glory today,

Nancy

First Blog

Hello ~ A simple life...is there such a life? I have experienced moments of simplicity out on bicycle rides. The sense of movement, earth smells of changing seasons, hearing breath go in and out...how about sight that narrows to the path in front of my bike tire. All becomes still inside as the extemporaneous thoughts drop away one by one. The simplicity of one thought, 'Christ in me the hope of glory'.

'Christ in me'? 'How does that work?' 'Isn't that presumption?' 'How can you be sure He lives in you?' 'WHY would you want Him living in you?' 'Who needs that crutch?' 'Good for you...what does it have to do with me?'

Even a simple life needs hope when trouble comes, disappointments set in and life just stinks. Since I was a child, Jesus represented hope...hope of a Savior when I thought bad things, hope of a Father Who loved me always, hope of a better place when I go to heaven. Then life got older and more and more complicated. Now I'm back to simply living my life, yet Jesus' life in me because He is the only hope of glory.

Next blog...thoughts on glory.

Hope is a person and His Name is Jesus.

Me