Many years ago I went to Haiti on a mission trip. There we served in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The moment I got off the plane, the heat and stench of the third world country rose off the tarmac. Immediately, the smog of burning rubber cast a grey cloud over the city of Port au Prince. As I gathered my luggage, I was met by one of the most beautiful women I have ever known, Sister Phyllis Newby. Sister Phyllis is a tall stately woman with a smile, faith and heart that immediately draws you to her. Sister Phyllis has been serving as a missionary to Haiti for years, with many pastors under her leadership. She has also blessed many children in an orphanage that she oversees.
Haiti is one of the spiritually darkest locations I have ever been. Walking down the street (which you absolutely do not do alone) and looking into people's faces, you can easily see evidence of their spiritual state. Hate, anger, starvation, abuse of all kinds are rampant in this country. Also voodoo is the national religion. Thus the beloved bride of Christ, stands out in stark contrast to the rest of the country. Sister Phyllis, the pastors and fellow believers serve tirelessly with joy despite their surroundings. Their joy is unlike any I have seen.
As we drove along the dusty potholed dirt roads, you could hear Sister Phyllis singing and worshiping the Lord. Often, she sang by herself, without instruments or other voices. Her worship was 24/7. It wasn't contingent upon her surroundings. You see Sister Phyllis was and is so completely in love with Jesus. She can't help herself. She is in a continual state of worship.
I learned a lot from Sister Phyllis on that trip. I want to worship God with my life. Worship is not just an hour on Sunday. It isn't a style of music. Neither is it about you and me. It isn't about our gifts. It is all about God and who He is. We are wired to worship God for life. Our daily lives are the greatest billboards for God's glory.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Hope
I love Isaiah 61. It is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. I go there often when I want to see who Christ is and why He came to earth. This scripture also reveals what is mine through the work of Jesus in my life. As I read it, I feel like Christ must of had me in mind. At various points in my life I have known the dark moments of the soul when hope seemed so far away.
In the past I have been depression’s captive and prisoner. I know the soul ache that does not go away. My kids remember this time as “The Great Depression.” Today it is humorous. Back then, it was overwhelming. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel safe around other Christians. Fear kept me isolated from the help and blessing God wanted to give me.
Today I am living proof of the testimony that Christ does and will set the captives free. He does and will release the prisoner from their jail. Christ comforts, provides, rebuilds, restores and renews. He changes our mourning to gladness and our despair to praise. He is all we need.
No matter what you may face or the uncertainty that looms before you, God is faithfully watching over you. In His silence, He is at work on your behalf. Hold on friend. Hope is on the way. His name is Jesus. Reach out for Him. Seek Him now. Satisfy your thirst with His Living Water. Feed your soul with the Bread of Life.
In the past I have been depression’s captive and prisoner. I know the soul ache that does not go away. My kids remember this time as “The Great Depression.” Today it is humorous. Back then, it was overwhelming. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel safe around other Christians. Fear kept me isolated from the help and blessing God wanted to give me.
Today I am living proof of the testimony that Christ does and will set the captives free. He does and will release the prisoner from their jail. Christ comforts, provides, rebuilds, restores and renews. He changes our mourning to gladness and our despair to praise. He is all we need.
No matter what you may face or the uncertainty that looms before you, God is faithfully watching over you. In His silence, He is at work on your behalf. Hold on friend. Hope is on the way. His name is Jesus. Reach out for Him. Seek Him now. Satisfy your thirst with His Living Water. Feed your soul with the Bread of Life.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
He is My Help
I love songs that help us know and memorize scripture. I am learning a new worship song titled Made Me Glad. It's lyrics are straight from scripture. The words provide truth we can trust, courageously venturing out of our comfort and into a deeper faith journey. The first time I heard this song my heart stopped. It took me back to my childhood. Let me take you there...
I am the youngest child in our family. During my growing up, I often heard arguing in our home. There were fights between my dad and mom and my dad and my paternal grandfather. These fights would eventually end in icy stonewalled silence that could last for days. Eventually someone would give in but issues were seldom resolved, truly forgiven or reconciled. No one asked for forgiveness. With time life would go back to the way it was before the argument. But I always knew there would be another argument that would result in the same outcomes. There were threats of divorce, hateful words, tears, depression and a deep sadness.
As a child in this home, I thought my heart would die. I did everything I could to restore and make life better. It is funny some of the things a child does to create stability in their life. More than anything else, I wanted my family to love one another.
One evening after one of these fights, I came across a devotional. The scripture was Psalm 46:1. These words flooded my soul and have never left me. It says, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble." Comfort and peace literally jumped off the page and wrapped me tightly as I cried out to God for help. Home didn't really change that much but God's comfort and help kept me.
God has always been and always will be my refuge and strength.... My always present, never leaving, completely available help in any trouble, pain, hurt or circumstance I face.
Today I am living testimony to the truth of Papa's Word. I want everyone to know Him the way I do. This passion and burden for you, your friends, my friends and this community drives me. I know just a small piece of who God is and I can't get enough of Him.
Friends, please "humble yourselves, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you," I Peter 5:6-7. He is crazy about you. He wants all of you. He is trustworthy, faithful and true.
I am the youngest child in our family. During my growing up, I often heard arguing in our home. There were fights between my dad and mom and my dad and my paternal grandfather. These fights would eventually end in icy stonewalled silence that could last for days. Eventually someone would give in but issues were seldom resolved, truly forgiven or reconciled. No one asked for forgiveness. With time life would go back to the way it was before the argument. But I always knew there would be another argument that would result in the same outcomes. There were threats of divorce, hateful words, tears, depression and a deep sadness.
As a child in this home, I thought my heart would die. I did everything I could to restore and make life better. It is funny some of the things a child does to create stability in their life. More than anything else, I wanted my family to love one another.
One evening after one of these fights, I came across a devotional. The scripture was Psalm 46:1. These words flooded my soul and have never left me. It says, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble." Comfort and peace literally jumped off the page and wrapped me tightly as I cried out to God for help. Home didn't really change that much but God's comfort and help kept me.
God has always been and always will be my refuge and strength.... My always present, never leaving, completely available help in any trouble, pain, hurt or circumstance I face.
Today I am living testimony to the truth of Papa's Word. I want everyone to know Him the way I do. This passion and burden for you, your friends, my friends and this community drives me. I know just a small piece of who God is and I can't get enough of Him.
Friends, please "humble yourselves, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you," I Peter 5:6-7. He is crazy about you. He wants all of you. He is trustworthy, faithful and true.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
God's Quiet Work
"I don't think the way you think. The way you work isn't the way I work." God's decree. For as the sky soars high above earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think. Just as rain and snow descend from the skies and don't go back until they've watered the earth, doing their work of making things grow and blossom, producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry, so will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They'll do the work I sent them to do, they'll complete the assignment I gave them. So you'll go out in joy , you'll be led into a whole and complete life"....Isaiah 55:8-11 from The Message
Yesterday I visited with a young dad who was laid off for a second time. His heart was heavy. He hangs on to hope but like all of us, struggles to remain in God's peace. Straining to understand, questioning the next steps, wondering the hows and whys of it all, we prayed. It was all we could do.
There are days of forward movement in the faith journey. There are days of simply finding strength to stand. There are days when we fall face down to cling to the bedrock of our foundation. And yes there are days of the backward two step.
My heart aches for people. Much of what I sense, is a longing in my soul to tell everyone to hang on.... Help is on the way. God is at work even when it seems He is silent. We can be assured that God is anything but silent. The challenges and heart aches we face do not rock His world. He knows them. He understands them. He faithfully works through them even when we feel He is deafeningly silent.
I believe God isn't silent but instead we are deaf. He speaks everyday through His Word if we will pick it up. He speaks through life, if we will look for Him. He speaks through children, if we will stop to embrace their wonder. He speaks through the poor, if we linger to get to know them. He speaks through the rich if we leave behind our insecurity. He speaks through movies, when we stop judging. He speaks through music, friends, quiet, nature, spouses, the news.
God invites us.
"Hey there! All who are thirsty, come to the water! Are you penniless? Come anyway-buy and eat! Come, buy your drinks, buy wine and milk. Buy without money-everything's free! Why do you spend your money on junk food, your hard-earned cash on cotton candy? Listen to me, listen well; Eat only the best, fill yourself with only the finest. Pay attention, come close now, listen carefully to my life-giving, life-nourishing words. I'm making a lasting covenant commitment with you, the same that I made with David; sure, solid, enduring love." ....Isaiah 55:1-5 from The Message
Papa longs to give us His very best and finest blessing. It is blessing beyond absolutely anything this world will ever offer. The next promotion doesn't hold a thread of enticement compared to His joy and peace. The bigger house looks like a shack when in the light of His love which fills us to overflowing. The junk food worldly toys cannot begin to fill the ravenous hunger that lies deep within each of us. That hunger can only be filled with the Bread of Life and the Living Water of Jesus Christ. We will never thirst again when we drink from His fountain.
From the same passage in Isaiah, verse 6 says,
"Seek God while He's here to be found, pray to him while He's close at hand."
Pray for a soul hunger that will grab your preoccupied attention and draw you to Him. Pray for a hunger that will not leave you but will cause you to seek Him in your entire day. Ask, seek, knock.
He's as close as your soul.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Come Away
“and Jesus said to them, ‘Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’” ...Mark 6:31,
I see weariness in the eyes of people within the church and in the world. Many are angry, fatigued and feel taken advantage of...extended beyond their strength or ability. Our hearts long for rest and our souls seek freedom. Somewhere within each of us we know things aren’t as they could be nor as God longs for it to be.
In scripture we see Jesus taking care of the souls of his disciples. I love his words. Often when I get away for a while, I can sense Jesus saying to me, “Come aside by yourself Cathy; just you and me. Let’s get away to a deserted place and rest a while. Put away the producing and tasks for a moment. Stop striving...fretting. Come away with me.” Oh the bliss of those moments. Joy and peace warms my soul. Worry ceases. Comparisons fade away.
I have friends in my life that do this very easily. No matter when I show up at their door, they invite me in, give me a drink and we slip easily into connection of our souls. I know they literally stop what they are doing in order to spend time with me. I never feel like an intrusion. I feel treasured, loved and cherished. Jesus is so alive within them. Their smile and hospitality is His.
Our busyness wearies God. No wonder we are fatigued. Fretfulness grieves God. It is never what He has for us. Let us put aside everything...stuff...anything that hinders resting in Him.
Warmly resting,
Cathy
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