We’re at the park, and she’s happily bouncing, We’re at the park, and she’s happily bouncing, amazed by the big trucks driving by, never wanting to stop going down the slide, smiling constantly — and I’m laughing with her, amazed at her joy and think — Is this what God feels like with me as His child? 

Delight. Lightness. Wonder. Love.

I was filled to the brim with it, covering every crack and reaching every corner. And then I realized — this. is. it. 

This is how I operate in the world. 

I felt so... whole... not because of my efforts at wholeness but because I have God and He has me. (Psalm 23 rings loud: with Him as my Shepherd, I lack nothing.) 

The best I can do for myself is accept and live in His love, especially when mistakes and lack and circumstances scream reasons I can’t. And the best I can do for others, those under my roof and those on this platform, is to extend invitations of His love through my own and through His Word. 

If your life has told you He doesn’t want to love you or know you, I’m here to tell that He does. It’s waiting for you, probably even pursuing you... it just takes a Yes of faith. 

Message me if you want to talk about it; I would LOVE to hear your story, no matter how different we are. 

You're not forsaken,
You're not alone
His love is unending
So know it well
Remind your soul,
remind your spirit,
remind your heart
The love of the Father
Know it well
—Kari Jobe
Bless you and thank you for your heart and work, @ Bless you and thank you for your heart and work, @morganharpernichols.
“I told you about my life, and you answered me; “I told you about my life, and you answered me; teach me your statutes. Help me understand the meaning of your precepts so that I can meditate on your wonders. I am weary from grief; strengthen me through your word. Keep me from the way of deceit and graciously give me your instruction. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set your ordinances before me. I cling to your decrees; Lord, do not put me to shame. I pursue the way of your commands, for you broaden my understanding.” Psalms‬ ‭119:26-32 CSB‬‬
18 months old and she’s joined the ‘lover of t 18 months old and she’s joined the ‘lover of the slide’ club
“We must reflect that, when we reach the end of “We must reflect that, when we reach the end of our days, our life experience will equal what we have paid attention to, whether by choice or default. We are at risk, without quite fully realizing it, of living lives that are less our own than we imagine.” William James

With the help of God, may we strive to become abiding and attentive people instead of distracted and defeated people.
The entire thing is He loved me first. And even wh The entire thing is He loved me first. And even when our surroundings are burning or when all we see is rubble, there is an unseen Kingdom to serve, a Family to be part of, and a powerful Love to give and receive. 

Every week it seems I’m inspired by a comment a friend and pastor made years ago — “Don’t be afraid to talk to someone about the truth of Jesus. Think of it as joining a conversation God might already be having with that person.” 

May we be conduits of that strong, courageous, welcoming, comforting, healing, transforming, sustaining, peacemaking, eternal Love. Or as Bernice King said, “Love puts in work.”
Call it ‘a Sunday stroll in Appling.’ Call it ‘a Sunday stroll in Appling.’
“God is always coming to you in the sacrament of “God is always coming to you in the sacrament of the Present Moment. Meet and receive Him there with gratitude.” Evelyn Underhill 

Such brokenness we see, such pain, such fear. Attend to Jesus — Lord, Savior, King — with all your honest thoughts and feelings, and let His power and love change you. Let Him form and re-form you into a help for the hurting, a bright spot for those in the dark, a presence for others to rest in. A ‘little Christ’ on the earth.

 ^ what I’m rehearsing to myself
Living life with the Holy Spirit — “you fulfil Living life with the Holy Spirit — “you fulfill the will of God through the inner influence of His Spirit instead of the outer influence of the law of God” (David Guzik).

This took me probably 15 years of following Jesus to grasp. It felt too easy, my willpower was my measuring stick, and the freedom was terrifying. 

But alas, God’s way is the best way, and there is no substitute for the Holy Spirit. I can’t muster spiritual fruit, but His goal, thankfully and marvelously, is vineyards and vineyards.

May we surrender this work to Him.
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faith · 07/18/2016

world tension.

I don’t have to tell you that our country (the world) is broken. You already know that. You already know that it is sinful, hurting, angry, scared, defensive. Racism, hate, violence, pride, ignorance, blame, fear. It’s on the news while we’re eating breakfast, it’s on Twitter during our lunch break, it’s a topic of conversation at dinner.

When I heard about the Dallas shooting, I admit I felt afraid, and a little pessimistic (the more spiritual word might be discouraged). I felt a wall of begin going up around me, my loved ones, my little bubble. I searched the Bible to ease my growing fear.

Then I had a conversation with my husband. I daily thank God for the wisdom and insight in my husband; hallelujah that he sees life and thinks differently than I do, that we are not exactly the same. Because let me tell you, God uses J’s loving insight to right my doubts and fears quite often.

He said, and I’m paraphrasing,

I cannot believe that it’s somehow worse now than it was 50, 100, 150, 500 years ago. It might look a little different, but the human race has always been sinful. Nowadays, we just have media outlets in everybody’s faces where news is continually exploding. This world is broken. The Bible says that in this life we will have trouble. (John 16:33) What we can do is share the Gospel, love humanity the best we can, be obedient to the call of God in the Bible, and love Him with all our hearts and minds and souls.

His words and perspective comforted me. I don’t want it to come across like he doesn’t care for the tragedies that happen seemingly every other day, he absolutely positively does. We both grieve for lives lost, for families that are almost daily losing loved ones over violence and strife and disagreement.

But, even in that, if I walk around carrying the weight of this world, I will crumble. I won’t be able to walk. And I think J’s perspective is sorrowful, yet eternity-minded. He challenged me, and us as a family, to share the Gospel, to pray desperate prayers for God to save, to love as deeply as we possibly can.

This is where our energy should go. Not into fighting or arguing or even living depressed and discouraged. Not living defensively or closed off, not judging or categorizing people.

Our purpose is to share Jesus, to live with Him as our life, glory, hope, and identity. To walk as Jesus walked.

We can’t dismiss someone’s feelings. We won’t pretend it isn’t horrible and sad. We’ll hurt and cry along with humanity. We’ll do our best to be compassionate, to supply a need, to support a friend or group.

In this tension, we (J and I; I don’t want to be bossy.) have to look to Jesus. We need to remember why He came, to seek and save the lost. Our world is lost. It is full of people who have never known such a Love, such a Life. People who hear and know but do not believe. Hurting people who don’t know that Jesus died specifically for them.

This Jesus is not only for the good days, for the happy seasons of life. He is for every single moment.

This Jesus is pure love, strength, and power… enough to handle the messiest and darkest of moments. This isn’t passive language or fields of daisies. This is strong love and compassion, this is steadfast hope and joy, this is powerful truth.

I want anyone and everyone to know Jesus, our Lifeline.

This world doesn’t need for me to be another defensive, discouraged, negative, proud, ignorant, fearful, passive individual… as much as I am inclined sometimes to be just that. And even in struggling against my flesh, I’ll try to keep my wrestling self pointed in God’s direction.

The world needs me (and all Christians) to continually and graciously point it to Jesus, to the Gospel, to a life far greater than this one. Purpose for these days. 

I think one of the reasons we haven’t embraced kind of being a people with compassion and grace that push back the darkness is because we have lost sight of the bigger picture here. We’ve lost sight of the bigger picture, and that is the barista who gets you coffee, the waiter who brings your meal and takes your order, the neighbor who lives beside you, the friend you work with… all are not mere mortals. God has placed you there to be a herald of the good news. Matt Chandler

Signed,

girl trying to make sense of recent days

In: faith · Tagged: observed

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Comments

  1. Jem says

    07/19/2016 at 12:58 am

    It’s encouraging to see, when instead of focusing on the fact that we do live in a broken world, that we don’t have to dwell on that reality. The opportunity to love others well and to serve is all around us! Thanks for the encouraging post!

    – Jem

  2. Martha Lutier says

    07/19/2016 at 1:50 am

    Great perspective – thanks for sharing your thoughts.

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We’re at the park, and she’s happily bouncing, We’re at the park, and she’s happily bouncing, amazed by the big trucks driving by, never wanting to stop going down the slide, smiling constantly — and I’m laughing with her, amazed at her joy and think — Is this what God feels like with me as His child? 

Delight. Lightness. Wonder. Love.

I was filled to the brim with it, covering every crack and reaching every corner. And then I realized — this. is. it. 

This is how I operate in the world. 

I felt so... whole... not because of my efforts at wholeness but because I have God and He has me. (Psalm 23 rings loud: with Him as my Shepherd, I lack nothing.) 

The best I can do for myself is accept and live in His love, especially when mistakes and lack and circumstances scream reasons I can’t. And the best I can do for others, those under my roof and those on this platform, is to extend invitations of His love through my own and through His Word. 

If your life has told you He doesn’t want to love you or know you, I’m here to tell that He does. It’s waiting for you, probably even pursuing you... it just takes a Yes of faith. 

Message me if you want to talk about it; I would LOVE to hear your story, no matter how different we are. 

You're not forsaken,
You're not alone
His love is unending
So know it well
Remind your soul,
remind your spirit,
remind your heart
The love of the Father
Know it well
—Kari Jobe
Bless you and thank you for your heart and work, @ Bless you and thank you for your heart and work, @morganharpernichols.
“I told you about my life, and you answered me; “I told you about my life, and you answered me; teach me your statutes. Help me understand the meaning of your precepts so that I can meditate on your wonders. I am weary from grief; strengthen me through your word. Keep me from the way of deceit and graciously give me your instruction. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set your ordinances before me. I cling to your decrees; Lord, do not put me to shame. I pursue the way of your commands, for you broaden my understanding.” Psalms‬ ‭119:26-32 CSB‬‬
18 months old and she’s joined the ‘lover of t 18 months old and she’s joined the ‘lover of the slide’ club
“We must reflect that, when we reach the end of “We must reflect that, when we reach the end of our days, our life experience will equal what we have paid attention to, whether by choice or default. We are at risk, without quite fully realizing it, of living lives that are less our own than we imagine.” William James

With the help of God, may we strive to become abiding and attentive people instead of distracted and defeated people.
The entire thing is He loved me first. And even wh The entire thing is He loved me first. And even when our surroundings are burning or when all we see is rubble, there is an unseen Kingdom to serve, a Family to be part of, and a powerful Love to give and receive. 

Every week it seems I’m inspired by a comment a friend and pastor made years ago — “Don’t be afraid to talk to someone about the truth of Jesus. Think of it as joining a conversation God might already be having with that person.” 

May we be conduits of that strong, courageous, welcoming, comforting, healing, transforming, sustaining, peacemaking, eternal Love. Or as Bernice King said, “Love puts in work.”
Call it ‘a Sunday stroll in Appling.’ Call it ‘a Sunday stroll in Appling.’
“God is always coming to you in the sacrament of “God is always coming to you in the sacrament of the Present Moment. Meet and receive Him there with gratitude.” Evelyn Underhill 

Such brokenness we see, such pain, such fear. Attend to Jesus — Lord, Savior, King — with all your honest thoughts and feelings, and let His power and love change you. Let Him form and re-form you into a help for the hurting, a bright spot for those in the dark, a presence for others to rest in. A ‘little Christ’ on the earth.

 ^ what I’m rehearsing to myself
Living life with the Holy Spirit — “you fulfil Living life with the Holy Spirit — “you fulfill the will of God through the inner influence of His Spirit instead of the outer influence of the law of God” (David Guzik).

This took me probably 15 years of following Jesus to grasp. It felt too easy, my willpower was my measuring stick, and the freedom was terrifying. 

But alas, God’s way is the best way, and there is no substitute for the Holy Spirit. I can’t muster spiritual fruit, but His goal, thankfully and marvelously, is vineyards and vineyards.

May we surrender this work to Him.
“The deeper our faith, the more doubt we must en “The deeper our faith, the more doubt we must endure; the deeper our hope, the more prone we are to despair; the deeper our love, the more pain its loss will bring: these are a few of the paradoxes we must hold as human beings. If we refuse to hold them in the hopes of living without doubt, despair, and pain, we also find ourselves living without faith, hope, and love.” Parker J. Palmer

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