Sing Your Song

A couple of years ago for Christmas I received this beautiful, soft green leather journal with a bird on it embossed with shiny, gold words that read, "Sing Your Song".  I've picked up that journal a number of times and written in it but for the most part it only contains a few special things, unlike my every day journal.

The phrase on the front, "Sing Your Song" has been a source of angst to some degree.  As a young girl I didn't have anything that I did really well.  I could do lots of things but I didn't seem to excel in one area to the degree of excellence that brought accolades or applause.  My mom would occasionally say, "you just haven't found your niche' yet".  As I grew up I wondered what my "niche" was.

When I picked up that journal a few months ago and read those gold words strewn across the front, my heart knew I had a song, and I would gladly sing it, but I wasn't sure I knew the words.  I want my song to be special, something beautiful and excellent, honestly something that would give my life legitimate purpose.  We all want to be thought of as special and in my mind and heart at times I believe if I can find that one thing, THEN I'll be important or have something special to offer.   The lie I am tempted to believe? That being valuable to God and others revolves around what I do, something I can accomplish, something with a legitimate outcome to be measured.  For years I've believed this lie.

Listen to what Sally Lloyd Jones writes in The Jesus Storybook Bible:

Jesus knew that God would always love and watch over the world he had made ---everything in it---birds, flowers, trees, animals, everything!  And, most of all, his children.

Even though people had forgotten, the birds and the flowers hadn't forgotten -- they still knew their song.  It was the song all of God's creation had sung to him from the very beginning.  It was the song people's hearts were made to sing: 
 "God made us.  He loves us.  He is very pleased with us."

As I held that green journal and read the words Sing Your Song, I wondered what MY song was. Today, as I read these words, my heart melts into tears that run down my cheeks.  I was made to sing the same song as the birds, flowers, trees, animals and every other good thing God created. My life is a song of God's love for me and the pleasure he finds in me.  As I am filled up with this truth, that I'm loved no matter what, there is a shift happening in my heart.  I'm remembering that God created me as a human BEING not a human doing.  My value is safe and secure simply because I am created in the image of God.  Nothing I do can give my heart the legitimacy it craves.  I don't need a niche', I just need to stay tethered to Jesus, my brother, savior, friend and live in the reality that I am enough, because Jesus is Enough.

As God continues to heal my broken heart so I can receive His love, He will continue as well to point me to the truth about my identity.  I don't have to fret about what I do.  I can "do" whatever He leads me to do, because doing from that perspective changes everything. Instead of the doing telling me who I am, I can BE who I am and everything will flow from a place of  rest.  Until we take a good look into our hearts and become aware of where we are striving, as long as we are living for approval, no one will see Jesus, they'll only see our performance.  

If you're wondering about what your life is supposed to be singing to this world, you're welcome to join me and simply sing Jesus Loves Me.  As we believe the words of that song, like little children who trust their Papa, we will begin to be filled up with love so that it spills out all over the people God brings into our lives.

A New Practice {and my One Word 365}

It is April now and I'm just getting back to this work I began in January.  That tells you something about how life goes right there.  But the fact that I'm actually going to post this little gem and allow you to really know that part of my life and not just scrap this post and start something fresh, should also help you see where I have been and how God is moving me forward.  Hopefully, whoever reads this (if there be anyone) will resonate and be encouraged to "begin again"!

At the beginning of this year, 2016,  I did something I've never done before.  I felt the need to get away from everything (which for me means my people) and intentionally spend time alone looking back over the past year and looking forward to the year ahead.  As God continued to nudge (and I need lots of nudging) I packed a small bag, got in the car and drove two hours to a historic town and spent the night at a bed and breakfast where I had never stayed.  The General Lewis Inn has been on my radar for a long, long time and let me tell you, I was NOT disappointed.

After checking in at the desk, I made my way down the hall to a cozy little room just right for one and unpacked my things.  Dinner that night was delightful.  The atmosphere at the cozy restaurant was just right, linen table cloths, candlelight, a perfect setting for a date night.  My dinner companion for the evening sat quietly and listened intently as I confided my deepest desires and hopes for the coming year.  He was the perfect gentleman, never interrupting, just listening and affirming his love for me by whispering to my heart that I did not look ridiculous to the other guests simply because I was dining alone.

I slept soundly in the double bed and woke early even without an alarm.  I slipped down the hall to grab coffee and get myself situated for a little more conversation with the Spirit.  I sat quietly in the floor, Bible opened, journal and pen at the ready and sipped coffee and prayed for guidance as I tried to discern direction for the coming year.

God had given me a word for the year, Believe.  At first I struggled with the word itself because, "Believe" really God, I already believe, right?  I've been following you for over 25 years and my word this year is "Believe"?  I was absolutely convinced of the word, but had no idea what I was supposed to believe. Was I simply to believe God's promises?  Was my word for this year that general and vague?

As I began to wrestle through all the thoughts and desires of my heart, the dreams and visions for the coming year, the fear and doubt that seem to forever be a part of my cognitive musings, God revealed to me a more specific part of the word Believe.  As I opened my journal and began to scratch out the word in gold ink with swirling letters and place the date alongside the word, I glanced up to see this:

Just days before that I had written "God is for Me" from Romans 8 along with a question, "When will I fully believe this truth?"   When I saw what I had written, it was as if angels began to sing the Hallelujah Chorus ever so softly and affirm in my heart the intention God had for my one word this year. "God is for you".   How kind and gracious my God is, to show up in a very direct and evident way to reveal the intentions He had for my one word.  He is always faithful, even when I question and doubt.  He never wavers in his love or changes His mind about the plans he has begun unfolding.  There may not be an immediate recognition of the unfolding of His plans but that's okay.  I don't have to understand every aspect of how He is moving for this year today.  I can trust his heart one day at a time, one week at a time, believing He is for me and live life intentionally, opening my hand to what He might have next, no matter what that may look like.

Now FAITH (believing) is the substance of things hoped for

the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

Need A Good Book?

I'm reading a great little book (the book I'm currently reading is ALWAYS my favorite) entitled "A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23"  It's written by Phillip Keller (not to be confused with Tim Keller) who at one time worked as a Shepherd.  The book is quite small, less than 150 pages, but is packed with great insights into what sheep deal with in terms of dangers and enemies and how the Good Shepherd will go to great lengths and expense to care for them.  This book is more than just a sweet explanation of this all too familiar Psalm, it is a poignant look at the imagery hidden among the verses and gives insight into how God as our Good Shepherd cares for his stubborn, dumb sheep, in other words, his children.

After a  lengthy explanation as to WHY the Psalmist states certain things (i.e. you anoint my head with oil) the various means and purposes and time of year this is necessary for sheep, the author is careful to explain just what each verse means for the children of God, and how tender and kind our Good Shepherd is to us.

Here's a snippet of what I read this morning with regard to Chapter Ten "Thou Anointest My Head With Oil"

"If He is the One who has all knowledge and wisdom and understanding of my affairs and management; if He is able to cope with every situation, good or bad, that I encourter, then surely I should be satisfied with His care.  

In a wonderful way my cup, or my lot in life, is a happy one that overflows with benefits of all sorts." 

I have no idea what sort of trials or temptations or irritations are present in your life right now, but I know my own circumstance and my thoughts in regard to that quote were like those expressed in the paragraph immediately following:

"The trouble is most of us just don't see it this way.  Especially when troubles or disappointments come along, we are apt to feel forgotten by our Shepherd.  We act as though He had fallen down on the job."

The enemy of my soul has been hounding my mind with lies, continuallly relentless in his pursuit to discourage my heart, to cause me to doubt how God has is and will care for every need I have, and honestly making me quite miserable the past few weeks.  The next paragraph was a great reminder of who my Shepherd is:

"Actually He is never asleep.  He is never lax or careless.  

He is never indifferent to our well-being.  

Our Shepherd always has our best interests in mind."

I am so forgetful, I need reminding every day of WHO my Father is and how he loves.  I need to hear or read the truth because my mind is bombarded with lies from within and without on an hourly basis. "A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23" has helped me do that this week, maybe grabbing a copy would be just the medicine your soul needs as well.  

So today, on this Sunday, I am resting and waiting for God to work all the plans He has for me.  We can trust His heart...He is not holding out on us, as our first mother, Eve believed.  Let us, this Sunday, invite the Spirit to bring rest to our weary souls and confidence to our minds of the love and care of our Good Shepherd!!

Happy Father's Day!

As I've looked through pictures the past few days, I've had lots of memories jogging around in my brain...picture that, "jogging"!! :)  My oldest daughter had a birthday this week, which always prompts my rummaging through my disheveled drawers of pictures to see and remember way back when...in this case 26 years of memories and thoughts.  And, of course, today is "Father's Day", the day we remember the men who God picked out to help bring us into this world, and some who "fathered" in other ways. 

And in this world of technology (which I love by the way) it's very easy to hear/see what others are saying about their "hero" Dad or "my best friend dad" and feel "less than" because we believe lies, basically!!  Although many earthly father's have exhibited love and care to their earthly children, they are all flawed, broken, sinful and have sin habits.  Here are some things I KNOW to be true:

1.  There is only ONE good and perfect Father and that is God.  No matter what you read or perceive about someone's earthly father, they are sinful and have sinned against their children in more ways than one...face it folks...this is TRUE, we know this!!  Don't believe that lie...believe the Gospel...ALL have sinned, none is righteous (save Jesus).

2.  We humans are very MAN centered...we honor earthly men and women and forget that IF they have been kind, loving and healed from the wounds they were dealt as children themselves so that they are ABLE to love with abandon, that is God's grace in their lives and ours!!   

3.  We, just as our first parents Adam and Eve, HIDE...all.the.time.  We hide what is wrong in our own hearts, we hide what goes on in our families (out of a sense of I don't know what, pride is my first thought, but figure that our by looking into your own heart).  Our motives seem to be pure, we praise our people (mom, dad, children, grandchildren, husband, wife, brother, whoever) because we LOVE them and want to honor them...and that's good!!  BUT, remember, the people are just people.  Don't ever forget WHY they are able to do anything that resembles good, because of God's grace...grace in them being born to parents who knew how to love and had knowledge and wisdom...or grace in God revealing truth to their hearts so they could learn how to love and care, or God's grace they were never seriously wounded by their people or if they were, God's grace enabling them to heal from those wounds and love you and others well.  God does all those things.  It is of Him that we live and move and have our being...let's not forget that!!

OUR lives and the lives of our family and friends are all of grace.

It all comes from Him.  

So on this day of honoring Father's, let's not forget the ONE Father, God our creator,
who has enabled any human Father who has done well and good, the grace to do so!!
The GIVER of our gifts is worthy of our praise and adoration!!

Happy Father's Day!!  From one blessed daughter!!

Father's Day early '90's