Like a Psalm

Like a Psalm by Tami I.                                                         Psalm 27 NIV (written by David)
The Lord is the way, the truth, the life-                                   The Lord is my light and my salvation—
     why do I struggle to trust?                                                       whom shall I fear?
The Lord is my rock, my salvation-                                        The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
     why do I battle to believe?                                                       of whom shall I be afraid?

                                                                                                 When the wicked advance against me

I have seen His beauty in mountainsides and oceans,                  to devour me, it is my enemies
     in sunsets and the innocent eyes of a child.                        and my foes who will stumble and fall.       
I have touched His redeeming love in the giving of my          Though an army besiege me,  
     heart, time and friendship; in serving others,                          my heart will not fear;
     placing them before myself.                                                though war break out against me,       
The Lord’s presence and peace has calmed my heart                   even then I will be confident.

  by His Word, a prayer, a song;                                            One thing I ask from the Lord,       

in the stillness of the Lord’s Spirit, I experience                          this only do I seek:
     His power and glory.                                                            that I may dwell in the house of the      
I have been washed numerous times by His                                 Lord all the days of my life,
     grace, accepting my brokenness;                                         to gaze on the beauty of the Lord       
finding beauty in it,                                                                       and to seek him in his temple.
     for I am wonderfully made.                                                 For in the day of trouble       
I have been forgiven of many sins and learned                            he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
     to forgive the sins of others.                                                he will hide me in the shelter of his       
I have seen His glory in the love of others, in the man                sacred tent and set me high upon a
     whom stands by my side loving me with all of his                 rock.  
     heart; with all of His heart.                                                  Then my head will be exalted above      

                                                                                                      the enemies who surround me;

Pride overwhelms me closing the door on                                at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with 
      the Lord’s wisdom and guidance.                                           shouts of joy; I will sing and make
Fear disables me from His loving touch and                                music to the Lord.
      presence; cripples my ability to seek Him.                         Hear my voice when I call, Lord;
Worry consumes my mind and heart keeping                               be merciful to me and answer me.  
     me from His peace and joy.                                                  My heart says of you, "Seek his face!"
Busyness fills my days distancing me from His                            Your face, Lord, I will seek.
     voice and knowing who He is;                                             Do not hide your face from me,
it numbs my mind and heart stealing the joy                                 do not turn your servant away in 
     I have found in the Lord.                                                           anger; you have been my helper.

                                                                                                   Do not reject me or forsake me, 

Expectantly, I seek to open the door to your                                   God my Savior.
     wisdom and guidance O Lord.                                              Though my father and mother forsake 
Hopefully, I stretch out my hand, my heart, my                              me, the Lord will receive me.
     mind to love you and be loved;                                             Teach me your way, Lord;
call You by name. Jesus! Ask in Your name. Jesus!                        lead me in a straight path
Eagerly, I rest upon His truth and sovereignty;                                because of my oppressors.
     not fear.                                                                                  Do not turn me over to the desire of 
Faithfully I follow you Lord and worship You;                               my foes, for false witnesses rise
     peace, freedom, and joy meet me there.                                      up against me, sprouting
Patiently I still myself to hear your voice, know all                         malicious accusations.
     of you with all my strength,                                                    I remain confident of this:
all my heart and all my mind.                                                           I will see the goodness of the Lord
For You are God, most Sovereign glorious and                               in the land of the living.
     Holy God. You are my Lord and Savior.                                Wait for the Lord;
In You I can trust;                                                                              be strong and take heart
    your word brings me truth.                                                            and wait for the Lord.
Your love brings me faith;
     your grace and mercy brings me forgiveness.
 In You I can trust, O Lord!!

Carry One Another's Burdens

God teaches us in his word to carry one another’s burdens.  In Galatians 6:2 it says, "Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”  Think of how many burdens we carry on a daily basis…minute-by-minute basis, even.  Tasks that need accomplished, bills that need paid, not to mention just living day-to-day, in the little things.  As mothers and wives, we are like pillars in a building, holding it up.  It’s as if we are responsible for the emotional climate in our home.  As Dr. Phil says, “If Mom isn’t happy, nobody is happy.”  Can you relate to that quote?  I know that I can.  Often when I am stressed, my husband and children become stressed. 

This week, I was praying for someone over the phone, as they told me about situations beyond their control causing them to be in a great deal of stress.  Bills they could not pay, and accumulating, like a slap face month after month.  This is a terrible burden, and thankfully, this person shared with me their stress so that I could carry the burden with them to God.  As I prayed, I began to believe in my heart that God really does not want us to be stressed, and I said it out loud.  Stress is a joy killer, and God says in Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.”  How do we obtain the fruit of the Spirit?  I believe the answer lies in just a few chapters before, in Galatians 3:17-19, it says, “So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

As Christians, we have asked Jesus to dwell in our hearts.  With his very presence abiding in us, we have the availability to receive what the word of God promises us.  I pray that you are able to grasp these truths and begin to walk in such joy that our homes are filled with the fruits of the spirit more and more each day, each moment. 

I believe this is a season that we can learn to cast our cares, and all of our burdens on the Lord…in Psalm 55:22 it says, “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.”

- Jennifer G.

The Struggle Calling Sometimes Creates

Throughout life, in the numerous roles we fulfill, we have felt a calling. A calling to say yes or say no, to step out or step back.  I’m sure you can recall times when those who you look to for support in your calling did not respond as you wished, namely with excitement, a curiousness to learn more, or a willingness to help.  Take heart, you are not alone!

As a daughter, sibling, friend, and wife - I have experienced this.  Many, many times I did not navigate the situation well!  However, I do feel as if God has repeated these type of situations in my life so that I might learn to do it better. Sometimes the situation was a brief conversation, other times it entailed a year or more of riding out the waves as patiently and prayerfully as I could.

Some things I learned that seem to help me time and again:

- they may not understand your calling to varying degrees - or at all

- they may not like your calling to varying degrees - or at all

- they may be resentful if they weren’t called as you have been

- we have to respect their response whether we agree or disagree with it

- its more important for us to communicate that we feel God has called us to do this

 rather than continue to try to get them to understand it or like it

- trying to be the driving force behind making this a life changing experience for you AND

 them may cause even more disinterest

- pray for, notice, and utilize the moments that will naturally occur to share as the Spirit

 leads you using inclusive, common language

- sometimes less is more

- find someone who has navigated these rough waters and imitate them!

- let them learn more by witnessing your experience of being called

Don’t be mistaken, I’m far from mastering this type of thing! This list gets reviewed frequently, to remind myself of these lessons and in order to edit or add to it.  There’s no doubt about it, once we’ve drawn nearer to God, learned to hear from Him and to draw on our identity to take action, it’s important we learn to handle this type of struggle.  

- Nanette H.

A New Thing

A chill lingers in the air but spring is finally here.  Blades of green emerge from dried webs of last year's lawn and in a matter of days buttery yellow daffodils and jonquils will smile upon us.  If spring had a theme song I think Vivaldi's Four Seasons sings it perfectly. Spring is an orchestra of new beginnings. It's not just the shedding of winter that captures my attention this time of year, but that I see God doing a new thing...and it gives me hope. 

What new thing is God doing in your life right now?  Where is God's truth and your experience colliding like thunder clouds and where will His grace rain down in you today?  It can be hard to see beyond winter sometimes, but God's words in Isaiah 43 are still true for us today and He is doing a new thing in each of us. 

 I am the Lord, your Holy One,
    Israel’s Creator, your King.”

 This is what the Lord says—
    he who made a way through the sea,
    a path through the mighty waters,
who drew out the chariots and horses,
    the army and reinforcements together,
and they lay there, never to rise again,
    extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
“Forget the former things;
    do not dwell on the past.
 See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland.

Jena M.

Put a SPRING in Your Step

Photo by hisks via stock.xchng

Ahhh, the temperatures are on the rise and SPRING is slowly, but surely, creeping its way into our lives.  Can’t you just FEEL it?!  The days are staying lighter longer, the sun is shining a bit more often, and the winter ‘fog’ is beginning to drift away.  Soon it will all be a distant memory as we’re back to taking walks, bike riding, playing at the park, eating outdoors…whatever it is you enjoy!  Kick start SPRING (and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!) with a few of these ideas:

*Open your windows and let fresh air infiltrate your house!

*Head outside for a walk--by yourself, with your family, with a friend.

*Visit a nearby park for some much needed outdoor playtime…stay a little longer than   

  you normally might!

*CLEAN.  All that sunshine and warm air makes me want to freshen everything up…guess that’s why it’s called SPRING cleaning!  Don your best gloves, put some music on, and get dirty!

Have a little ‘green’ fun with your family this St. Patrick’s Day with an idea from below too: 

*Have a contest to see who can wear the most green on the 17^th.

*Make green smoothies for a snack

*Blend 2 cups spinach, 3 oz yogurt (plain or vanilla), 1/2 banana (add water if too   

  thick) OR blend 2 kiwi, 1 banana, 1/2 c milk 

*Serve rainbow fruit skewers for a snack or special dessert at dinner (strawberries,  

  oranges, pineapple, kiwi, blueberries, grapes)

*Shamrock painting with:

*toilet paper rolls http://www.sassydealz.com/2014/01/shamrock-toilet-paper-roll-stamp-st-patricks-day-craft.html 

*corks http://www.sassydealz.com/2014/02/wine-cork-shamrock-craft-st-patricks-day.html 

*green bell peppers http://www.learnplayimagine.com/2012/03/peppers-and-shamrocks.html 

Hope these put a little “SPRING” in your step!

Julie

"I Know I'm Filled to be Emptied Again"

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This is my prayer in the harvest

When favor and providence flow

I know I'm filled to be emptied again

The seed I've recieved I will sow

- Desert Song, Hillsong United

Jena's message last week has really stuck with me.  My brain started whirring listening to her read Romans 15:13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  Her depiction of us as jars, filled with the living water of Jesus, gave definition to the image in my mind of our bodies as vessels to be filled with God, in all his many forms and attributes, only to be emptied again, poured out for others.  

I know what you are thinking - dude, I feel empty all...the...time - and that doesn't make me feel closer to God!  Our lives can often feel like an episode of Wipeout - we have lofty goals involving coming to the finish clean, dry, and in record time - only to be punched off a ledge and into the muddy water below by a giant boxing glove, spun off our perch into the muck, or bounced between giant balls on our way to the dirty water again.

I get it, I feel that way too.  But, what if the key to being filled with all joy and peace and overflowing with hope lays in what we fill our vessels with and how we are emptying ourselves?  As Jena so eloquently pointed out, God is the only thing that can truly fill us to overflowing.  Our mountains and pebbles can be packed into our jars, giving us the illusion of being filled, yet we have this bone-deep feeling of emptiness that challenges that illusion.  Our souls know what we sometimes forget - only God can "fill you with all joy and peace...so that you may overflow with hope."

What if we have to give of ourselves in a way that honors him in order to make room for an overflow of living water?  When we are pouring ourselves out for others we not only give God room to "bless (us) abundantly", but we serve others, bless others, and act as God's hands and feet on earth.

"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: "They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.  11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.  14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Pouring ourselves out for others fills needs (resulting in thanks being given to God by the recipients), the space created allows God to fill us to overflowing again, giving us more to pour out...the cycle goes on indefinitely.  Letting my inner nerd loose, I see it like this:  

God fills us continuously, like water vapor feeding clouds -- to the point of overflowing so we can empty ourselves out for others, like the full clouds releasing rain to pour down to enrich the land, plants, and sea -- our generosity and service for others brings praises from them to God, like water from the land, plants, and sea evaporating (or transpiring) into the air to be condensed again.  

Lucky for us God's grace and love do not operate in a closed loop like the hydrologic (water) cycle depicted in this little cartoon.  His love knows no bounds and is not predicated on how much we give of ourselves - he fills us because he loves us.  But, just think about how much sweeter and more abundant the overflow could be if we were pouring ourselves out in ways that honor God!

I know I'm filled to be emptied again.

The seed I've received I will sow.

How are you creating room in your jar for God's living water?  How are you pouring yourself out for others?

- Katrina

Your Calling is Calling

Photo by topfer via stock.xchg

As I sat with a friend for a cup of coffee this week, I was in awe of her beautiful smile and contagious laughter.  She has gone through more heartache than you can imagine, and here she was laughing with me as I #hashtagged a few words in our conversation.  Something she said struck me, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it.  She said that we as a people, are messy, and thank God that the church doesn’t mind mess.  If we look through scripture, we can see that through facts, Jesus certainly doesn’t mind mess.  He was born a messy birth, and died a messy death.  He hung out with messy people, that fought over who was better…as Steve Weatherford so awesomely reminded us a few weeks ago.

Have you ever felt like a mess?  I know I have…but that same lovely friend reminded me so humbly in her Facebook status, that she’s “His mess.”  Now, that is some good news of the cross!  It’s the reason we’re here, to realize just that.  We are beautiful, intelligent, powerful, and poised women.  We are positioned to cause the ground to shake.  As Jenae Weinbrenner powerfully pointed us to a beautiful reminder of a few Wednesday’s ago, “Why don’t you act like you’re loved?”  I love that she and her husband say that to each other…what an incredible practice they have.

As we go throughout our weeks, the days and hours in between Mothers Together, it might be the furthest thing from our mind, our calling, that is.  The very thing we’ve been discussing.  I can assure you that your calling is calling, as Shelley Winkler reminded us.  I am thankful for the mighty women who we have had the privilege of hearing their stories in this beautiful Mothers Together season.  These women pioneer a movement here at Heartland, to disciple those who make disciples, who make disciples.   

I have news for you.  These women believe in you, just as Jesus does.  God said that he has plans for us in Jeremiah 29:11.  “For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.”

Have you taken the time to think about your passions…that which brings you joy?  Many of us are moms.  In fact, that is a huge calling in and of itself.  God may have more for us…he may have more for you.

I’d like to leave you with is something one of the ladies at my table said last week.  “There may be something HUGE just around the corner,” and she’s right.  Are we willing to venture out as pioneers ourselves?  Are you willing?  

- Jennifer G.