The Words...

 The Words. 

 No, not the movie coming out in September...though I do want to see that. Why? Writing. A good story. Knowing the life you want. 

 Bradley Cooper.

Sweet boy.

The Words God has given me this week...

Discipline.

Surrender

Undivided Heart.

Prayer.

Choose.

Community.

Words heavy with significance and meaning for me.

Words I have seen on paper, written for me... as if watching the hand of God write them.

 For Me. To Me. About Me. 

God's message to me.

He calls me to take these words in, deeply inhaling them into my heart, my soul.

Discipline to stay this course He has put me on. 

Surrender... what I fight against. Without it my flesh crawls off and seeks it's own desires, needs, wants.

Leaving me empty...

If my heart is a divided heart I am like a double minded man on a fence, unable to go in either direction, useless.... because deep down I believe I do know better. I want my way more than His way. 

I am lukewarm.

Prayer...  the power that allows me to be disciplined, surrendered and undivided. 

Without prayer I will never survive.

Instead I will wither, without food. A shell of me. An empty soul.

I will choose each day. 

My path... the easy one, or the best path? It may look steep and hard, but in the end, the right way.

 

My gain will be community. 

He holds community in His hand for me, waiting to rain down on my dry, parched soul... generously giving me rest and joy, in Him.

 Maybe these words are my deepest desires, but my flesh is a continual battlefield.

Instead of choosing them daily... 

Some days

I 

Sink

To 

The 

Lowest

me

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|

\  | /

\ | /

  "Those who fear to see too clearly what this love asks fool themselves by thinking that they have this watchful and devoted love. There is only one way to love God: to take not a single step without Him, and to follow with a brave heart wherever He leads.

All those who live the Christian life, and yet would very much like to keep a little in with the world, run great risk of being among the lukewarm of whom it is said they will be "spewed out of the mouth of God."

Francois Fenelon

A Will No Longer Divided

What are the words God has put on your heart, this year, this week, this day?

He is generous with His Word.... I hope we claim them today.

Let us have brave hearts today.

Word.

Oh Hell... Erasing Hell.

  Erasing Hell , a book written by (Crazy Love) Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle. Two guys who love Jesus and seek to share truth. Take some time and listen... and then ask yourself...... What do YOU believe about hell?

Are You A Radical?

There is a woman who gave up everything, to go and live among the poor. 

Like Mother Theresa... but in my community.

She sold everything she owned, quit her job, moved to transitional housing to help the lost, forgotten and hurting. 

She is a educated, articulate and took Jesus words, "Feed my sheep" literally.

Isn't that how He meant them?

Let's be honest.

 There are days we might feel put out if we had to spend an afternoon at a shelter or a soup kitchen.

She moved in.

Heart and soul.

She read Radical and it changed her life.

I read Radical...

I really, really liked it.

It made me think.

But, did it make me Act, Do, Move?

 One of the best decisions I ever made was volunteering at my local Pregnancy Resource Center.

Later, being offered a job where I would be forever changed by the women working there and the ones walking through the door each day.

I learned what grace, mercy and love meant... in action.

Those are action words.

Radical...

That's the life I want.

It's an action word.

 

What makes you radical?

Luke 18: 22-23

"Jesus said to him, 'You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and come follow Me.' But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful because he was very rich."

It's not our wealth that keeps us from God. It's the holding on to it, believing it is ours. It's a heart problem. Everything we have comes from and belongs to Him. 

Let's live hands wide open.

I Got Clout... I Mean Klout... I Mean Beer

Are you familiar with Klout? 

 It describes itself as...

The standard for influence. A place you can discover and compare your influence with others.

Great. One more social media outlet, marketing thing that I can struggle with. 

I still find it hard to upload pictures to blog posts.... 

Now I have a new tool to search for how un-influential I am. 

And why am I concerned with that anyway? Most of us are. Most of us just don't admit it.

I'd like to think that I am an encourager. I enjoy helping people see their full potential.

I see the glass as half full or even flowing over. 

I am a positive person, though I do struggle with a cynical, snarky side.

For years I thought cynical was a fruit of the spirit.

Evidently not.

I checked my Klout. I found my score to be below average and my influence on people.....

Are you ready?

BEER

Yup, I can't make this stuff up. 

Evidently, I am a below average, beer enthusiast trying to influence a motley crew of a few to join me. 

I mentioned this to my husband and asked him what word he would come up with to describe my influence on others.

He offered shopping, nagging your husband, ways to avoid cooking.

Okay, I made those up. 

He came up with a few thoughtful, brilliant words.

All of which were 

incorrect...

according to Klout.

It was so ridiculous it made me laugh.

So I checked my Klout today.

My number has risen dramatically... to a whopping 46. 

Yesterday I was 31 and my influence has now spread to Beer, Moms and Wichita. 

So, the jig is up. You know what I have been doing since I moved.

It used to be Bible studies with moms.

 Now it's Beer studies, with moms in Wichita.

It's Wichitawesome! 
Just for the record...  I have never played beer pong, do not own any red solo cups, nor have I ever worn goggles, unless I was swimming.
There could be a couple of frosty mugs in my freezer but I'm sure they are for root beer.

Is there a point to this? Besides that beer can be beneficial, moms are (a)mazing, Wichita can be weird... 

and Klout is kooky.

Yes.

What do You want to be known for? 

Who do you influence and are you aware of it?

I want my influence to point to something other than me. Because obviously I am only going to point you to beer.

I want you to see faith in a God who loves me from here to eternity!

Simple. 

I hope that pops up on Klout some day.

Living Social... We Are Breaking Up

Living Social... my crush is over. We are about to break up.
It's all Groupon from here on.
You are like a cheap Persian rug in comparison.

I fall for your clever lines and buy a facial treatment. 

Five minutes into my appointment I am feeling like I need to get up and switch places. I become a social worker... and want to hug the poor girl trying to make me look better.

Honey, please leave out a few details when sharing your life with me. Don't make me hire a therapist when I get out of your chair.

Then you lure me with cheap pizza because the name actually sounds Italian.

You smashed my dream when I looked at my sausage/pepperoni pizza and sighed with sadness. Maybe it was the lack of smell, crust that resembled a hockey puck or sausage that looked like it was shot out of a machine.

 It made Dominoes look like Little Italy.

Today was the last straw.

A microderm abrasion. Easy peasy, no biggie. Get in, get out. No harm, no foul...

Until...

Words spoken...

Again, I feel I need to switch places and do an hour long intervention. Life has been tough. She has seen it all. I'm good with sharing life. I like to love on people... 

But, I still want you to have a filter.

"Sorry about the nails, I haven't had a chance to pop them off." 

I see long, glittery, every color you can imagine finger nails, dripping with fake (I assume) diamonds.

You are going to touch my face with them? 

Great.

"This light is really bright and it doesn't matter that you have the goggles on, it's gonna go right through them," she says as she smashes a 30in screen over my face.... yeah, I might have claustrophobia, starting now.

Shouldn't you warn me before this assault? 

I push the screen back to where I can breathe again... 

"This is gonna be really intense, it took me about three Ativan and multiple times to get used to it", she shares.

Really.... did you just say that to me?!

I am taken back to the first time I put scuba gear on and went under water. Panic set in as I listened to myself breathe. It was so unnatural... similar to what I am feeling now.

Deep breaths Dale, I repeat to myself. Don't let this gal take you down... with a screen full of red lights.

You can do this.

Okay... I am used to the light now.
I'm good.

All of a sudden the light show begins. Colors are popping and blinking and it ain't pretty. We ain't making music here.

 "Whats going on," I shout.

"Oh, that goes on for about 5 minutes." 

 Are you kidding me?! 

Make it stop.....

Let's go over this again... shouldn't we walk our client through this stuff, when it might be permanently, mentally disabling?

 She is telling me about a product line, from Hungary. Very expensive and some dude created it at his kitchen table.

And tell me why would I want to put some Hungarians expensive goulash on my face?!

Phone rings.... she takes it. I hear client... a mans voice. He needs a nose wax and back wax....

I might need to leave now.

She hangs up.

I hear her on the floor.
She remarks that they should have put in different floors. 

"I didn't realize how filthy the floors are and the hair is all over."

Okay... I really gotta go.

Living Social .... you have one more shot, literally.
Only because it's paid for it and yes, I am that cheap.
After that, you can keep your Omaha Steaks (they are also like hockey pucks), your monogrammed gym set and Egyptian spa bathrobe (yeah, still waiting for that to arrive) and take a hike.

Saturday, my guy and I are gonna go shoot some guns and ya better not let me down.

Or else...

On a happier note.. my face looks like a baby's butt.

I wonder if Groupon has any dinner offers. I'm emotionally exhausted and I don't want to get this face near a stove.

I Am Only A Youth... Wisdom Knows No Age

 

Ah, the wisdom of J.R.R. Tolkien...

"I am not made for perilous quests, "cried Frodo. "I wish I had never seen the Ring! Why did it come to me? Why was I chosen?"

Such questions cannot be answered," said Gandalf. " You may be sure it was not for merit that others do not possess; not for power or wisdom, at any rate, But you have been chosen and you must therefore use such strength and heart and wits as you have."

The Wisdom Of Scripture...
The Lord speaks.

Jeremiah 1:6-8, 18

Then I said," Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth." But the Lord said to me, 

"Do not say, 'I am only a youth'; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,

and whatever I command you, you shall speak.

Be not afraid of them,

for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord...

Behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, it's princes, it's priests and the people of the land." 

God gives us power and wisdom according to His timing, not ours.
Age is not of importance, though spiritual maturity is.

Do we act on it, or continually doubt ourselves?

He has entrusted us with His truths, His purposes and His desires.

If we seek Him, He will show us all things...

You have been chosen...

What will you do about it today?

What's Blocking Your View?

 Anything blocking your view?

Maybe it's just me... but lately it feels there is a mountain following me, turning as I turn, casting a shadow... of doubt. Limiting my vision.

I may have invited this mountain to be my traveling partner. 

It feels safe. 

I can see only a short distance in front of me. Somehow, it makes me feel protected... but, from what?

I could climb to the top of the mountain and see clearly... but that might be scary.

My own little world, my own little view.

A valley seems a safe place, protected from the storms... perhaps.

It reminds me of Matthew West's song

My Own Little World

"In my own little world it hardly ever rains
I’ve never gone hungry or always felt safe
I got some money in my pocket
shoes on my feet
In my own little world
Population me"

But....

"What if there’s a bigger picture
what if I’m missing out
What if there’s a greater purpose
I could be living right now
outside my own little world
Wooh"

And what if it's not about me...

"Start breaking my heart for what breaks Yours
give me open hands and open doors
put Your light in my eyes and let me see
that my own little world is not about me"

I do not belong in the valley. Valleys flood and you become trapped. Valleys have dense fog and limit your vision. 

The mountain top is where you can see... even when it hurts your eyes. Even when you cry from the pain and anguish you see. 

If we seek God's light in our eyes we will be equipped to move. To help. To share love.

I want to be safe, but safe in truth. Gods truth, not mine.

What's blocking your view today?

Taking The Long Way Home...

I have MAD LOVE for this song.... "Some days I feel like a Pilgrim passing through and just want to go home... I know were gonna make it. Were just taking the long way home. We're gonna be there soon. Our God has made a promise, He will never leave us, cause he's gonna lead us home."

Thank you Steven Curtis Chapman for weaving this song, through your pain and grief and sharing it. I smile each time I hear it... and get a bit teary.