We are the Circus

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20)

 

We saw the Cirque de la Symphonie on New Years Eve. It was an amazing night and a neat way to introduce a different genre of music to our kids. The music was beautiful, the acrobatics were shockingly amazing, and the talent was breath taking. I was torn between watching the faces of my family as new things flashed across the stage and watching the stage itself. How incredible that so much talent can be displayed in one night and on one stage.

 

Two women, in two completely different songs, demonstrated a strength and flexibility that had the crowd “oohing” and “awing” in sync. The juggler was amazing and my youngest happened to mention, at the exact moment I thought it, that it looked like that funny little clown had three arms whenever he was juggling because he moved so quickly. Another guy came out and had a hollow 3-D box that he twirled that may not sound too exiting but it had the effect of a laser show and I couldn’t keep my eyes off the box as it whirled around the guy. The “strongman” act was a true demonstration of strength as these two guys showcased a level of discipline and strength I have never seen before. And let’s not forget the music: it was fabulous! The Des Moines Symphony really out did themselves. Our youngest was quite impressed that they remembered to play a StarWars song for him. They also had a 13-year old come out and play a song on the piano and he will a rising star; I am sure of it. It was a night of beautiful talent and I am glad that we decided to go.

 

God gives everyone different abilities. If all the people in the Cirque de la Symphonie did the same thing, equally talented in exactly the same talents, the show would have sucked (honestly). We are the circus, my friends. God has given us beautiful talents and abilities and when we work together we can produce amazing things through our differences. Some of us are good at juggling, some of us are able to contort ourselves to make things work, some our strength and ability to work on teams gets mighty mountains of ministry moving, and still, some of us are that star that will move people and show them the beauty of life. We are the circus….we are the church and it’s time, everyday, to get the show on the road. Pray about what God is asking you to do and fix your eyes on it now. He’ll walk you through it and see you safely to the other side.

 

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and  strength belong to God forever and ever! Amen.” (Revelation 7:12)

A Page from a Book

“All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.” (Jude 1:25)

 

This is an excerpt from the Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

 

“With tiny wrinkles and cries, he entered the world and, wrapped in strips of cloth, took his first nap on a bed of straw.  Subject to time and to parents, he grew to manhood and Roman-occupied Palestine, his gentle hands becoming strong and calloused in Joseph’s woodworking shop. As a man, he walked through the countryside and city, touching individuals, preaching to crowds, and training 12 men to carry on his work.  At every step he was hounded by those seeking to rid the world of his influence.  Finally, falsely accused and tried, he was condemned to a disgraceful execution by foreign hands.  And he died—spat upon, cursed, pierced by nails, and hung heavenward for all to deride.  Jesus, the God-man, gave his life completely so that all might live.

 

At God’s appointed time, the risen and ascended Lord Jesus will burst into the world scene. Then everyone will know that Jesus is Lord of the universe!  Those who love me him will rejoice, greeting their Savior with hearts overflowing into songs of praise. But his enemies will be filled with fear.  Allied with Satan, the enemies of Christ will marshal their legions against Christ and his armies.  But who can withstand God’s wrath?  Christ will win the battle and reign victorious forever! Jesus, the humble suffering servant, is also the powerful, conquering King and Judge.”

 

“I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.” (Revelation 1:8)

 

Reference:

 

(2004). Life application study bible: New living translation. Pg 2165, para 1-2. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, IL

The Lion

“Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?  Does a lion ever roar in a thicket without first finding a victim?” (Amos 3:3-4)

 

We took the kids to the zoo on Sunday afternoon. The weather was very cold and it was really cloudy out AND it was free admission…so we packed into the van and went to the zoo. It was the first time I really enjoyed our local zoo in a long time. They had added new features and the kids seemed to have a really great time. Our youngest had me chasing him from exhibit to exhibit. We were over by the sea lions when I heard this really deep noise that kind of sounded like a croupy cough. Only this cough was making my ears tingle and I could feel it in my chest. I walked over to the lion’s cages and watched as the male lion did that weird croupy-cough noise and it got the lionesses in the cage kind of riled up and it was so loud. I was amazed that such a very loud noise was coming from a lion who didn’t look as though he was making any more effort than you or I do when we blink.

 

I wonder what hearing a real roar would be like. I have seen the “Lion King” and I have watched the animal documentaries, however after hearing the grunts coming from that lion and the way the noise affected my whole body I can’t image how deafening a roar would be. It’s not wonder that the lion is the king of the jungle with a roar like that. Before I always wondered why the elephants or the rhinos weren’t the boss. After hearing that lion I now know.  

 

I truly believe we see God the same way sometimes. We know he is King, we have seen His grace and His wrath, but I do not believe we will truly understand His power until the first day Jesus calls us home. As loud as I thought I knew lions were I was obviously wrong and as amazed I am at the magnitude of our Lord, I imagine that He just that much greater and bigger. I have never wanted to hear a lion’s full blown out roar more than I have this past week and I have never wanted to kneel at the feet of my Lord and be in His presence so that I can hear His voice more than I do right now.

 

“Jesus replied, ‘Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.’”(Mark 12:24)

1st Day of School

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

 

As much as I did not apply myself in school I really did love it. I remember I would experience the same feelings every year the night before school started: nervous, excited, curious, and nervous again. I would fall asleep with butterflies in my tummy and wake up early to make sure everything was perfect before walking out the door. I do not know why I went through this routine. It’s not like I wasn’t going to sit in the same spot with the same people but it was a new school year and I was a year older. However, I also remember that once I sat in the first desk on that first day it was like summer had never happened or it was just a really long weekend.

 

God told me very early on what His plans were for my life I just didn’t recognize His voice. We didn’t go to church growing up and I am pretty sure I didn’t know what Christmas and Easter really were until my early twenties. And like any spoiled child my Father was telling me what He knew I was made for and snubbed my nose and refused to listen. God gave me a love of numbers. When I was little I would carry around a big calculator and just count. I could sit for hours just writing numbers. Math and Science were my favorite subjects. I took computer and accounting courses in high school instead of home-ec and I feel that instead of comparing new amazing things to the “best thing since sliced bread” it should be compared to Excel. I wanted to be an accountant but I have always had a fear of being a dork so I slacked off, didn’t apply myself, and made some choices that kept me from pursuing college immediately after high school. But, if God wants to move a mountain He will and if God has a purpose for you it will find you if you start to listen, which is what I had done.

 

Some people go in circles again and again searching for their purpose; seeking what they were made for but they never actually sit down and try to listen. No machine is made for nothing and God didn’t make us with out some sort of design in mind. I had fought my talents for a long while, and even when a soft voice was coming into my life I was still fighting. I found my answer in a Bible study in which I was able to finally accept my calling….if you want to call it that but I do love what I do and I have to wonder why I fought it for so very long. Now, I enjoy and dread finding my answers in God’s Word because it’s always there, whether or not I want to hear it. Look to God for your path and He will show it to you but be careful, working with God is no easy task but it is an amazing adventure.

 

“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says.” (James 1:22)

 

 

The Force

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:6)

 

I gave myself a chuckle this morning while I was doing my prayers. I have felt kind of off all week. I think we have just been too busy and it’s kept my mind away from God. Every morning this week, as I start this devotion process, I have had no idea what to write about and the words still flow. (This is further proof that God is writing these devotions and not me!) Anyway, about my chuckle: I was asking God what to write about because I didn’t have a clue. And then I started talking to Him about my fears of running out of things to say (can you imagine?) or not saying what He needs me to say. Then I stepped it up and was asking Him, once again, why did He choose me for this task? And then the voice from a Star Wars movie came into mind: The force is strong with this one. Isn’t that hilarious? I laughed and thanked God for the time He was spending with me.

 

I believe we can decide how strong “the force” is within each of us. We are all called to touch lives and change the world and I know so many people who do this so well. Teachers, daycare providers, nurses, business owners, pastors, secretaries, design artists, homemakers, firefighters, managers, drivers, painters, builders, administrators, accountants, general laborers and so many more who I have seen truly claim the gifts that God has given them and watch out for those opportunities to show Jesus to someone. When we accept God’s call for our lives and spend time in prayer and His Word, then “the force” will grow stronger within us and those mountains in our lives that we are having trouble moving will jump out of the way! And the more we reach out the closer we get to Jesus’ return because we will be helping win all the souls that He is waiting for.

 

“And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. as the scriptures say,

 

‘They share freely and give generously to the pour.

    Their good deeds will be remembered forever.’” (2 Corinthians 9:8-9)

The End of Days

“But those who die in the Lord will live: their bodies will rise again! Those who sleep in the earth will rise up and sing for joy! For your life giving light will fall like dew on your people in the place of the dead!” (Isaiah 26:19)

 

I have a project I am working on. The kind of project I am working takes lots of patience and many hours to complete; two things that do not come in abundance to me some days. We are also fast approaching the beginning of my own school year, which I means my fun reading time is quickly coming to an end. I had decided a couple weeks ago that I wanted to read the Left Behind series again. I have read through it once but that was a while ago and, for some reason, I decided to pick it back up. Only, I can’t read and work on my project at the same time so I have gotten the entire series on CD. I am enjoying myself very much.

 

For those of you who might not know the Left Behind series is the fictional series based on the author’s interpretation of how they see Jesus’ rapture actually happening if it were to happen today. The authors used the Book of Revelations as their map for writing the series. I think it is a good read and it makes me think.

 

When I had first started to read the series 8 years ago I immersed myself the Book of Revelations; trying to figure it all out. I am not much further now than I was then, unfortunately.  However, this time I am not thinking about diving into that beautiful book. Instead, I have thought about writing loved ones who do not have a relationship with Jesus letters so that if we all disappear one day then they will know. I have also spent hours thanking God for the many blessings we have living where we do in the time that we live in. Living in the U.S. we have freedoms that we take for granted. We have brave soldiers that fight our enemies and protect us and we have a Constitution that frees us from oppression and persecution, or is supposed to. We are blessed but do we see that? Do we really see the world that God has placed us in?

 

My prayers right now are for God to show me the way. I ask Jesus to help me live my life in such a way that my loved ones will see Him and take steps to their own personal relationship with Him. If that doesn’t work, or is not in the plan, I pray that God gives me the words to free their hearts to love Jesus now. I thank God for the life He has entrusted to me and I will patiently wait for the day when He brings me Home.

 

“Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks.”  (Luke 12:35-36)

The Stars in the Sky

“When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars that you have set in place—what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?” (Psalm 8:3-4)

 

For some reason, while I was driving yesterday, I had a vivid memory come to mind. I had remembered my love for stars. I remember looking up at the night sky and feeling like I could just reach out and touch all of them. If I could just get high enough on my tip toes then I would be able to hold them in my hand. I soon realized that the stars were out of my reach, which seemed to be a common theme with any dream I had ever had.

 

I spent a lot of time settling. I settled for mediocre grades, I settled for guys who treated me poorly, I settled for working only as much as necessary but never more….I settled a lot. For some reason I was stuck in a place where I didn’t think I could reach my dreams and so I stuck with what was safe and what was right in front of me. Like the stars, my own potential simply felt out of reach.

 

I went a long time not believing I was good for anything and then God had shown me how special I truly was. But I have learned that I can be devoted to God, be the best wife and mother I can, go to work everyday, attempt to keep my house in order, and do so many other things right and I will still feel like I am grabbing for stars that are not there. However, I have also learned that these trials and hardships only make me stronger and bring me closer to Jesus.

 

I have learned that God has beautiful plans for my life. I have learned that He will equip me with all the tools I need to walk His path. I have learned that I do not need to settle for anything. I have learned that even though I look up at the night sky and I am overwhelmed with its beauty, God loves me more than that.  God loves us more than the universe that He created. God had put everything into motion yet still has taken the time to craft me and prepare a plan for me!

 

No matter the hill or the valley that I walk I can keep my eyes facing forward and my arms stretched out. I will keep reaching and working toward my goals with no fear of failing because my goals are not about me, they are about God and living to bring Him glory. When I finally come to that point in my life when I have reached God I will be assured that I have done so much better than simply holding a star in my hand.

 

 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

 

A Beautiful Sound

“Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked?” (Ecclesiastes 7:13)

 

This verse caught my eyes this morning. Lots of versus I try to look up, or that I come across, have to do with God’s perfect plan or the beauty and perfection of God’s ways over mine. However, sometimes perfection is hard to see when our lives are so broken at times. So, I like the idea of not trying to see the beauty of something but, instead, admiring the brokenness.

 

You have to admit that it is not our smooth sailing and happy go lucky lives that bring us to our knees before God. Although we can look back and ask God why He would allow something to happen, when it comes down to it would you have changed it? The trials I have gone through, the valleys that Jesus has carried me out of and the mistakes I have made have done more to deepen my lean on God more than anything else in my life. I have slowly discovered that depending on me and relying on the world is not the way I was designed and we all know that when we do not use things the way the manufacturer intended the warrantee does not cover the damage.

 

Geoffrey Moore sings a song called “Beautiful Sound”. In this song he names events that make a beautiful sound: waves crashing down, knees hitting the ground, song of praise, lost being found, a proud man breaking. All these things can bring us closer to God and how much more beautiful is that? Without breaking would we still seek out God or would continue to rely on ourselves? Would we go to our Maker for redemption if we thought we could do it on our own? I thank God for the crooked path my life has taken at times because I am even more thankful for the grace that He has given me because of it.

 

“’In those days when you pray, I will listen.  If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,’ says the Lord’” (Jeremiah 29:12-14a)

Bells and Whistles

“A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions.  The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.” (Proverbs 27:12)

 

I got to go on my first fire truck ride the other day. Not only that, but the ride was done on one of the runways at the Des Moines International Airport. The driver, a very good friend, and I have a love-hate relationship and I am sure he took great pleasure in terrifying me to the point of screaming and squirming as he drove that truck taking extremely sharp turns and taking it up to 75 MPH before hitting the breaks. He and my husband thought it was pretty darn funny.

 

This fire truck was the neatest thing I had ever seen. It didn’t look like the normal one you would see driving down your street. This fire truck had a front end like it could be a boat and the hose on top of the truck could be operated from the inside. Basically, this truck was designed to be operated by one person, inside the cab, if need be. The truck also had this really neat feature where bells and whistles start going off inside the cab when a turn is taken too sharply. When I think on the couple crazy corners my friend took, and as I remember the bells going off, I am reminded of how many times I have gone ahead and made a bad choice with bells and whistles were going off in my mind.

 

I will admit that much of my life has been spent with my bells and whistles going off and my doing whatever I wanted to anyway. I even got to a point where bells and whistles were going off, there was something before me I knew was wrong and I didn’t want to do it, and I went ahead and did it anyway without any reason. So, I had to start doing something that I am not very good at: be quiet.

 

I had to learn to just be quiet and learn to just listen. Instead of acting on something right away I take a step back and try to keep my mouth shut, or my body still….my success rate is steadily climbing and you know what I have learned? It is not better to act first and ask for forgiveness later and living in guilt and second-guessing is no way to live.

 

Do you have bells and whistles going off all the time? Do you listen or just keep going? Grab onto God’s Word and your decisions will become easier and still your self long enough to recognize His voice when He is guiding you.

 

“The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him.  He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” (John 10:3)

 

Signs signs

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope”

 

The Lord has taught me many things, one of which is that He will speak to you and if you are not listening you could miss it but don’t worry, He doesn’t give up. One thing I don’t watch for but I notice after the fact are signs. I can name off three specific times in the last year alone where I have had something on my heart, a question maybe, and received my answer very strongly. I can also name off three specific times when I sat there shaking my head and shrugging my shoulders saying, “Oh Lord, you have to be kidding”.

 

Amazingly my “signs” have helped answer my questions about the future. God has shown me my path in His Word, through friends, through Bible studies, and through prayer and guess what?!? I seem to fight it every stinking time. Who dreams of crunching numbers and playing with financial reports? Who could possibly want to read the chatter that flows through this brain? But God keeps pushing me forward and encouraging me to continue. And when what He is telling me doesn’t motivate me He sends friends with kind words or interesting articles. He sends opportunities for me to grow as an accountant and a writer but I am still left being the one who has to move my feet.

 

Isn’t God incredible? Have you seen, as I have seen, the endless mercy and joy His presence holds? Can you look back on your life and see how trusting Him has lead you further than you could have possibly imagined? I have. So, it’s a wonder to me why I still fight it sometimes. I wonder why I am scared to take those next few steps that could show me the great plan that God does have in store for me. Let us trust Him together. I pray that we learn to place our faith and hope entirely in Him and I think that the more we trust Him the easier it will be to believe that we can do all He has asks us to do.

 

“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures in every circumstance.” (1 Corinthians 13:7)