A Fruit Offering.

Every life changed by the indescribable power of the gospel of Jesus Christ bears fruit. God's Word speaks of this truth. In Scripture, we read over and over that "fruit" in a person's life is evidence of Christ in them:

John 15:1-5- "“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

James 3:17- "...But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere..."

Romans 7:4- "...So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God."

Christ wanted us to understand the perpetual nature of bearing fruit. Because in spending your life listening to His spirit, and pouring out your gifts, and recognizing His hand in your life due to a fuller knowledge of Him, you think little of yourself. Christ is placed at the forefront of your mind and heart. Bearing fruit requires selflessness. Those attributes born of the flesh--jealousy, self-loathing, selfish ambition, and pride-- only turn our hearts inward. While the fruits born of the Spirit-- gentleness, patience, self-control, love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness-- urge our hearts to change the world around us. Because Christ has changed us, we long for the lives around us to also be changed by His grace. To live by the Spirit is to deny thyself. And to live by the Spirit is to produce fruit. And if my only desire in this life is to live the good and abundant life that Christ so freely gave Himself for me to live BY THE SPIRIT, then my fruit is my offering back to Him...

Every divine conversation. Every Aha! moment I have while reading Scripture. Every restless night spent bearing another's burden. Every girl that I had the opportunity to disciple, changing her world. Every bit of wisdom I have received or given that glorifies the Lord. Every moment of peace. Every woman I comfort in His name. Every time I choose compassion over coldness, and joy over confusion. Every battle I win against my Enemy. Every baby I protect by the clinical knowledge that He has planted in my mind. Every perfectly timed Word to a friend. Every sweet moment of an opportunity to forgive. Every prayer answered exactly the way I'd hoped. Every prayer answered in a completely different way than I'd planned. Every faith decision affirmed. FRUIT.

And however painful, however slow the growth process is, the fruit my life bears is His. Sometimes bruised and busted in my hands. Other times ripe and full and vibrant. Either way, I yield it up to Him. That He may plant a new seed in my heart to grow. To nurture. To blossom and bud. For the beautiful process to begin all over again. Hallelujah, I offer up my fruit to the One who allows me to live bearing it. Day after glorious day.

White as Snow.

I hear the Savior say, “Thy strength indeed is small; Child of weakness, watch and pray, find in Me thine all in all.” Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow. Lord now indeed I find Thy power and Thine alone can change the lepers spots and melt the heart of stone. Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. My sin had left this crimson stain. He washed it white as snow.

And when before the throne, I stand in Him complete, "Jesus died my soul to save," My lips shall still repeat. Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.


O praise the One who paid my debt.
And raised this life up from the dead.
We’ll praise the One who paid my debt.
And raised this life up from the dead.

Colossians 1:15-22:

"The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation..."

Singing over me.

When I sing, I feel alive. It's always been that way...Sometimes, spoken words just don't convey the emotion of a situation like the lyrics to a song do. When I sing, I feel like my heart is just overflowing its contents. Joy, frustration, peace, sadness. Regardless of the feeling, when I sing, I process it.

And when I sing to the Lord, I feel as though it is only He and I in the room. What an intimate knowledge. A deep love. Well, the Word tells us that God sings. Sings over us. Do you even know how incredibly happy that makes me? When we don't know the words to say...when we don't feel like His plans are panning out...when we feel lonely and lost. He is singing over us. A sweet and strong song. Find rest in that today. Take heart, my brother. Have joy, my sister. For He is near, and fighting for you.

"The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing."

Zephaniah 3:17

"Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? and earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever."

Psalm 73:23-26

Teachable.

Have you ever looked back on a time, or a season of life, or even a moment and been able to describe it in a word?

i.e.


Middle school = awkward.

My freshman year of college = definitive.

Yesterday = exhausting.


Most of the times in our lives are either intentionally or unintentionally defined in a word. And I personally believe that we have more control over how each day is defined than we sometimes think. Well, this year, the Lord has laid a particular word on my heart. Over the years, He has been so faithful to teach my heart the paths to take, the way to love, and the way to mend. And this year, I so deeply desire to be teachable.


The dictionary defines the word "teach" this way:
- To impart knowledge or skill to...
- To provide knowledge of; instruct in...
- To condition to a certain action or frame of mind...
- To carry on instruction on a regular basis in...
- To cause to learn by example or experience...


God is always faithful to teach me. I, on the other hand, am not always faithful to be taught. In 2012, I pray fervently to be open to every moment. I long to be led by my God. To be grown in His wisdom. To be built and rebuilt by His strength. To be discipled by His people. To be loved furiously by Him. To be taught. As a Father to a daughter. A Creator to His creation. A friend to a friend.



I long to be teachable. Do you?

Here I Raise My Ebenezer...

For those that know me, I believe that you would agree that I am typically not at a loss for words. More times than not, I offer an opinion with or without a request (and you can normally hear it from the next room). I analyze things to death. Then analyze why I would analyze something so much. I can cover the full range of emotions in a 24 hour period, and it happens more times than not. For those of you that don't know me, I can only confess that this is me in a nutshell.

But this week has been different. Well, sort of different.

In 7 days, I did cover a full range of emotions. However, even now, I'm not sure I can clearly voice them. I'm still sorting through the joy and the sorrow of it all. This week will surely be one of those weeks that I look back on as my Ebenezer...A memorial established in remembrance of what God has done for a person or group of people. Let's recap:

April 24: I spent Easter Sunday with my dear friends at Epic Church in San Francisco. Singing praises at the top of our lungs, building community with the city, and loving the hearts and lives of those around us in a very special way as we celebrated the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. The one and only Conquerer of the grave, and Redeemer of our hearts.

April 25: On the flight home from San Francisco, my friend Mary Beth and I were called alongside a man who needed medical assistance. At 30,000 feet. Through our frantic recall of Nursing 101 and heartfelt prayer, the man was ok, and left in the hands of paramedics once we landed.

April 26: I returned to work, still exhausted, but so filled with joy and contentment from the happenings in San Francisco. God was beginning to prepare in me plans to go out into the world/country in some different capacity in the next couple of years. Still praying through that...

April 27: Several EF-4 Tornadoes ripped through my state. Leaving only devastation in their wakes. My college town of Tuscaloosa, hardest hit. Greatly suffering. Some lost all they had, some lost all they owned. Some lost faith in a good God. And some gained faith that they didn't even know they were capable of having.

April 28: With no power and the heaviest heart I can remember, I returned to work that morning. And the rest is a blur.

April 29: My friends from the GAP class at SMBC and I gathered supplies for our friends in Tuscaloosa and prepared our hearts and our hands to set out to help them. As the church, we knew that only the love of Christ can bring the peace that our dear neighbors so desperately needed. We were able to gather clothes, toiletries, food, and water to meet basic needs of those affected by the storms.

April 30: My brothers and sisters left Shades at 9:00am and arrived at Tuscaloosa Temporary Emergency Services with our supplies. Then met up with a group of friends from Calvary in Tuscaloosa to help clear trees off of some property. Property that, much to my surprise, belonged to my Freshman Sunday School teacher. I was overwhelmed as I looked at the remains of their house and grateful that I could hug her. Then through a work order from Samaritan's Purse, we also helped clear the backyard of a woman whose roof had been completely blown off of her house. In awe, and with a greater sense of mercy, grace, and brotherly love, we returned home. And gathered together for dinner after. Grateful. And bonded for life.

May 1: Church had a whole new meaning. And gratitude to be able to worship together rang clearer in my heart that morning. And rest that afternoon was tough but essential. After meeting with my senior girls that night, I settled into a seat at Workplay with my best friend. Desperately longing for music to help heal what had been broken that week. And through Drew and Ellie Holcomb, I breathed a little easier because of their music. Of their spirits. Their love for each other and for the Lord was refreshing. And cleaned away the sorrow for a bit.

And the week ended just as it began. In some common ways. In some very different ways.

Like I said, I am still unable to truly wrap my brain and my heart around the happenings of that final week in April, 2011. But I do know a few things:

*That God is good, and just, and a refuge for those who call on His name.

*That community is essential. True, authentic community with other people is God's plan for the church. And that the church is alive and well.

*We still have a long road ahead.

*Joy is different from happiness. And man, is it sweet.

*It's ok to not have all the answers, and to not know how you feel. As long as absolute Truth finds its way into your conversations and the character of Christ is woven in and out of who you are and what your hands find to do.

So, here I raise my Ebenezer. Remembering for years to come that My God is greater and able. He is good and Sovereign. And though, today, I am grateful for many things, and brokenhearted over just as many, I know that all is in His hands. And always has been.

John 16:33: "...I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

"Here I raise mine Ebenezer
Hither by Thy help I come
And I hope by Thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home
Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wondering from the fold of God
He, to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood."

Forgotten? Or Never Learned?

I was talking to two sweet friends before Sunday School this morning. Sipping coffee. Talking about plans for our Sundays. Laundry, couch-time, naps: all made it into the mix. And then a very interesting concept was unearthed. We began to discuss how guilty we sometimes feel about just being still or not accomplishing anything from time to time simply because we are resting. And why is that? I think that our generation has been programmed to feel lazy if we aren't constantly checking something off of a list, or pushing hard toward the next big thing, or striving to be up-to-date on every major world news event. From a very young age, I can remember my mom encouraging me to be independent. And so goes the story with most of my friends. All of my closest friends are gainfully employed, living in their own homes/apartments, dreaming big and making plans. We have all been taught to be those people. And I am truly grateful. I think our parents weren't offered as many opportunities as we have been given, so they have played key roles in encouraging our success in life. Birthing a generation of busy bees and big dreamers.

So, welcome to our dream lives. And our dilemma. With the big plans come the worries, and the deadlines, and the booked planners. Our days are filled with appointments and errands. Guided by our plans and our paychecks. And somewhere along the way, we have forgotten how to rest. Or perhaps a greater tragedy: we have never learned.

I believe that God has blessed most of us with incredibly abundant lives. We have all we need and most of what we want. But how many days do you sit for longer than 30 minutes, dedicating your time to praising the One who makes it so? How often are you silent for more than an hour? How long do you even allow silence in general? If you're anything like me, you are failing in the area of rest.

Resting in God requires much more than being still, but it starts there. In the stillness, you become aware of your need to be filled with the Holy Spirit... of your inadequacy and gratitude for grace... of your love for Him through Christ. It is there that you hear from God. It is there that you obtain a posture of reverence. It is there that you honor God for your life of abundance. And whatever comes after the silence...whatever comes after the stillness...whatever comes after the rest becomes endurable because you have simply been with the King.

I'm still learning to rest. Join me?

Genesis 2:1-3: "So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation."

Matthew 11:28-30: "Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Abide.

{Oh, the blog-silence. (I seem to apologize a lot for that...)}

The past few weeks have been full of sweet moments. So many, in fact, that if I try to remember them all, I will inevitably miss the sweetest ones. So, take my word for it: February was good stuff. God has been teaching me so much. About rest, and life, and people, and the plans He has for me. All of which I have been fervently seeking to be faithful in. That's all I want. All I want from this life is for Him to be proud of me as His daughter...glorified as I live and love and serve. Among the things He's teaching me, He has brought me back to one word over and over and over: ABIDE.

The word 'abide' has been defined as the following...

...To wait patiently for.

...To withstand.

...To remain in a place.

...To continue to be sure or firm; endure.

...To dwell or sojourn.

You find this word a great deal in Scripture, more specifically in the New Testament and in Christ's teachings...

In John 15:9 Christ says, "For as the Father has loved Me, so I have loved you. So abide in my love." Earlier in that very same chapter, in verse 4, He says, "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me." In 1 John 4:16, John states, "And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear..."

Over and over I see this call to dwell in God's love...this affirming truth that if He is who He says He is, and we know Him as we say we know Him, that this abiding is part of each of our lives as believers. In order to offer sweet and tangible proof of our faith...in order to bear fruit and live lives worthy of the good news...in order to live as God created us to live: one with Him.

Are you abiding in Him, dear friend? He so deeply wants you to do so. To wait patiently for His plans and His return. To withstand all that is against you as He stands with you. To remain in a restful, content place of peace with Him. To stand firm in His power. To endure with perseverance the race that you are running. And to dwell in His love.

Let His love seep into your heart. Let His power be yours. Abide in His love.