Giveaway!

I’m sitting on my bed typing.  The dryer hums in the background and crickets chirp outside.  I savor the gentle peace of this moment.  It’s cool tonight—fall has arrived.  I pull my sleeves down over my wrists and enjoy the laptop’s warmth on my legs. I breathe deep and look around.  Folded laundry sits near me; I might forget about it until tomorrow.  Friday’s leftover stack of school papers reminds me that I must prepare for the week ahead.

“The week ahead”, this phrase plays over and over again in my mind.

I fast forward 7 days and attempt to comprehend the sights and sounds of next Sunday.  My family and I will leave for NYC mid-day, in preparation for the release of One Light Still Shines.  Three short hours takes us to a world that appears far different than ours, but it is not.

The essence of our days remains the same.  We all experience life’s circles.  These ever flowing bands wrap themselves around us.  The cords of life and death intermingle and sometimes confuse the heart.  One moment yields stunning victory and another, crushing defeat.  Bittersweet.  I know it all too well.

No matter where we live we need the same things to survive- love, encouragement, help, hope, and friendship with the One who will never leave us.  On the bad days we must believe that tomorrow will indeed surpass today and that this life contains beauty currently undiscovered.  On the good days we must continue moving forward and not settle for the places we’ve currently landed.  The truth is this: our lives brim with endless potential found in receiving love, and finding that we have something of value to give away.  The greatest beauty lies in that which we give to others.

This world needs you.  You hold a unique treasure, only you can love others your way.  The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit (Proverbs 18:21).  I give you this challenge: encourage one person today and after that, encourage as many others as possible.  See what happens: watch the way they are changed and feel the love explosion within your own heart.   Giving life always fills you with EVEN MORE life!

So this is what I think about next week—I’m preparing for an extravagant opportunity to give love, to live love and to proclaim the amazing love of Jesus over every person in this world.  The venue is different than that of a typical day.  The area is larger than my general reach, but the end result holds the same opportunity.  My aim?  To give the hope that God has given me.

Freely I have received; freely I will give.  Sounds like a recipe for the best Christmas morning ever.

Don’t Be Afraid- Just Believe

Mark 5:35-43 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly.  He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.”  But they laughed at him.

After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was.  He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”).  Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished.  He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

I love this passage of the Word.  I love that Jesus simply “overheard” what was being said and entered into the conversation. He knew.  I imagine that he felt the heaviness within the heart of the girl’s father.  I love the way Jesus dismissed the fear, and centered upon faith.

I often need this reminder,  “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”  First I must silence the fear so I can focus on Jesus.  Just believe.  This inspires my heart to dream beyond the momentary troubles of life.  God’s plan is always redemption but I can be quick to forget it.  Romans 8:28 gives this promise—And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  I stood on this promise 7 years ago as my world caved in and many times since.  When the broken pieces of life meet his mercy and love, goodness abounds.   He does not cause bad things to happen, people make choices; we live in a broken world, but God’s love always intervenes.

I continue to stand on these promises as I move through the next season of my life.  I won’t be afraid, I will simply believe.  I choose to believe that God isn’t finished working things for good, both in my life and in the lives of others.  It’s ok if people laugh at me.  The response around him did not distract Jesus.  He didn’t sidestep his mission to prove anything, he kept moving forward.

Maybe you need the same reminder today:  Don’t be afraid, just believe.  God is working all things out for good in your life.  Even when you can’t see him, he is working.  Don’t stop moving forward; don’t be distracted by the things around you.  Trust him—He will NEVER leave you.  His love brings redemption.