Fruit

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 2:5

I read the most amazing prayer request yesterday. It went something like this, "Please pray that I will represent God. That when others see me, they see God." Wow. For some reason it pierced my heart. I longed for the same kind of thing.

As I muddled through Monday, I found myself a little bit on the grumpy side yesterday, especially with my kids. I could blame it on a long list of things, like it being Monday, us being busy, and so on. You know those selfish moments we all have (well, I guess I'm just assuming) where taking care of other people's needs feels like such an inconvenience?

While I still worked to pack lunches, fold laundry, bathe little bodies just like every other night, this night my heart just wasn't in it. I longed for the moments when my kids would finally be in bed so that I could have a little bit of peace and quiet - a little bit of ME time.

That may sound perfectly reasonable, every parent needs a break now and then, right? But something I noticed that was different about yesterday, was my motivation for quiet. I wanted to jump back onto Facebook (I am embarrassed to even write this) to see who might have written on my wall. My mind raced with thoughts about who else might be on line at the same time as me. My pulse quickened . . . my attitude stunk.

We all have things in our lives that seem good - really good, but somehow they squeeze that juicy Fruit of the Spirit right out of our lives. While I have only been a Facebook player for a total of two days, I found that it consumed my thoughts and fought for my attention - a little bit too much.

So what is that vice for you? Is it food? Shopping? Surfing on the web to build cyberspace friendships? Most everything is okay, as long as it is taken in moderation. It is when the thing that we try to keep control of begins taking control of us, that we need to run.

Recognizing this pattern in me, I don't know if the social media is going to be a good idea. It would make sense to keep at it while setting the necessary boundaries, but it seems like once I jump on I can so easily lose track of time, and even more, lose track of the whereabouts and my heart.

As we walk this path called faith together, it is my prayer that your heart would long to look like Jesus. His life paints a portrait of beautiful things, like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.

Anything that might try and steer you away from such things is not worthy of your time. No matter how fun and trendy it might be.

To be a representative of God is serious business - it is no small task. Inconvenient? At times, yes.

But He is worthy of ALL.

Knot

Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. ~ 1 Peter 5:7

Being pulled in a hundred different directions is bound to tie a person in knots. Ever been there? The demands of the day can become pretty heavy, especially when we try to carry the load all by ourselves.

It was a typical Monday morning. A stack of white cards decorated my desk, just waiting for my attention. Between phone calls and other interruptions, I began to type each plea, one at a time. Questions, suggestions, prayer requests all stacked a mile high. Each one representing one family, one individual - one heart.

As my fingers danced across the keyboard to articulate every person's petition, my brow began to furrow and my stomach got tight. Cancer diagnosis, families separating, job loss, broken relationships and broken hearts. With every request my heart got heavier and heavier, until it hit the bottom of an ocean of sadness - like a stone.

Hardened. This is one way I sometimes cope with exposure to such sadness. Wanting to turn my emotions off and become a robot, I choose not to let it in. I can't, it is just too much. But as stubborn as this girl can be, God still allows little chinks in my self-made armor to wear me down, all for the sake of accomplishing one purpose.

That of prayer.

On days like Monday, I need to cast EVERY care on Him. My arm may get sore after I've thrown number ninety-nine, but God's shoulders are broad enough to carry a world's worth of sadness and sin.

The strains of life can tie even the most even keeled person into a ball of mush. Life is hard. Sadness is a part of the journey, but we don't have to go it alone. There is something magnificent that God has given us to do in the face of our storm.

God can move a mountain full of mountains -- through you.

Let God untangle the mess life has thrown your way. He is able. God cares about the things that concern you

. . . more than you'll ever know.

Image

In the same way, the Spirit help us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.  ~ Romans 8:26,27

My message is simple today. A picture is worth a thousand words. I will let it speak for itself . . .

What does this image say to your heart?

Don't think, just respond. 

Immediately, time is of the essence -- don't wait.

There is so much He longs to accomplish.

THROUGH YOU.