Mad Skills

Confession: I like spy movies. I've always wanted to have the skills of these fictional super secret agents. Being one doesn't actually appeal to me, but their resourcefulness and ability to get in or out of any situation is remarkable. Stuck in a jam? Well, it's a good thing I brought along a toothpick and a rubber band. Be out in a jiffy. Whatever is in their mental repertoire, their surroundings, their pocket, or a phone call away - it's more than enough for whatever circumstance in which they are. Never ill-equipped, they can develop a plan and walk it out. One that is effective, successful.


In the real world, outside of the world of Bourne, we often feel quite different. Incompetent, inept, inane. The good news is that we don't have to be Jason Bourne to get a job done. Jesus ascended and sent the Comforter to us. Not to comfort us the way chicken noodle soup can, but to empower us with gifts of wisdom, peace, joy, and even knowledge. Now that's comforting. No one has more analytical skills, is more efficient, has a higher IQ, or is more resourceful than our Father in heaven. When we give ourselves to Him (our past, present, and future), whatever and all we are, He takes it. He molds it. He leads us to places where all these things can bring Him maximum glory. For instance, I grew up with an absent father who struggled to live life victoriously. As a result, it took many years for me to understand the love of the Father, to see Him as Father God. Initially, I felt I was at a disadvantage, but I wasn't. I got to learn (and am still learning) about the Father's love directly from the Father of all. That's pretty cool. On Saturday, June 19th, I got a phone call requesting that I preach and share of the word of God the following day. Of course, I agreed. The Lord had been calling me aside all week just to teach me specifically about the love of the Father, it depths, it's consistency, it's abundance and surety. Immediately the Holy Spirit confirmed that I should share these things the following day. Not until late that night after I had finished my sermon did I see online that the next day was in fact Father's Day. Not having celebrated it much, I am not generally mindful of the date. So, there I was the next day a woman who grew up without the presence of a father preaching to the fatherless (our church is full of orphaned and abandoned children) about the love of our Father God. It was beautiful and you could see hearts and minds reaching out for, excepting and understanding His love more. It is one small example of how our God is a master planner. When we put ourselves into His hands, nothing is lost. We don't have to be spies to be effective. We just have to be open and accepting of His molding, making, and leading. As clay, we are safest in the Potter's hands. Let Him be your Potter - He's pretty good at it.

Say What?

I'm back! I wish you could hear the inflection in my voice. It gives power and emphasis to the phrase. Can you hear it? I'm baaaa-aaack! Use your imagination.

The United States is a fantastic country. I just spent two months and three weeks there. That is a record amount of time that I have been home in over three years. What a trip it was! For all my friends and family reading, it was fantastic to see you and fellowship with you. What a joy! God moved in wondrous ways, demonstrating to me so thoughtfully that He is my Full Provision. For every type of need, want, desire - He is. Awesome!

While in the States , I found myself struggling against the place He had put me. It's an interesting thing to have no earthly possessions that tie you to a particular place. When overseas I am content with feeling a bit disconnected at times, but when you are at "home" that isn't the desired reaction. I found myself longing to return to India quickly, but for the wrong reasons. I wanted to run back to the mission field because that is where I had placed my identity. So the Lord posed this question to me while I was going through the visa process, "What if I say no?" I immediately rebelled against the thought. Surely, that isn't the Lord speaking. I felt confusion, doubt, hurt, and even anger - all the things that don't necessarily glorify Him. He followed with, "Will you still love me?"

People tend to put certain Christians on some sort of spiritual pedestal, but the truth of the matter is that I have the same number of chromosomes as all of you. I don't have super powers, and haven't been bit by any radio active spiders. The Lord is constantly drawing me back to what my life is all about, where my identity is found- a deep, trusting love relationship with Him. That should be the only reason we do anything, because we are His and He is ours.

And so now with a gentle reminder from the Lord and fully expecting wondrous things, I am very happy to say to my friends in India, "I"m baaaaaaaaaaaaa-aaaaaaaaaaaackk!!!!"

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everthing on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go. He's the one who will keep you on track.

Proverbs 3:5-6

The Message

Question?

My hiatus from blogging is coming to an end. It's time to give my fingers a work out and get some thoughts communicated. The problem with going on a blogger's vacation is that when you find the gumption to write, there is an absolute overload of ideas to expound upon. Where to begin? I'll start with punctuation marks. Of all the typographical symbols out there, the question mark causes me the most trepidation. I oft times find myself peering at it with anxiety. What if I don't know the answer to the words preceding it? I like to have the answers. What does it imply if I don't have the correct response? "How old are you?" and "How much weight have you gained?" will most certainly be met with disdain by the average American woman. There was once a time when I would become irate when greeted with highly personal questions. I felt that if there was something I wanted an individual to know about my innermost self, then I would have mentioned it. The walls of self preservation were so high that they deflected all enquiring minds. But where would we be without those who query? Isolated and possibly ignorant. In some cultures (and among many controlling personalities) there has to be a certain art to how you make inquiries. Asking "why" and "how" can be viewed as disrespectful and signify your lack of faith in a person's competence. Often questions can be seen as intrusive and even rude. Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Questions have that potential. To sharpen and challenge. They can help shave away the old rusting parts of our thinking, to draw us closer to one another, and to even draw us closer to Him. Jesus asked Simon Peter if he loved Him. Jesus knew the answer, but yet He asked. Why? So Peter would mull over the answer. Questions can focus our attention upon what is meaningful. Asking them has also been a struggle for me in times past, particularly asking out of need. Pride makes it painful. We fail even to make our requests known to God. A friend of mine asked me today, "What material things are you praying for?" I didn't have any to list. The next question was, "So, you don't need anything?" Well of course I do. Then the question with an obvious answer is, "Why aren't you asking God for them?" Matthew 7:7 says "Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Maturity in my walk with with the Lord and friends in the Body of Christ who sharpen me have caused me to appreciate the fearsome question mark. It doesn't tear us down or make us vulnerable. Through its use we can be edified, centered, and sharpened. It is not to be ran from, but embraced. Question mark, I fear you no longer.