A Benediction

This benediction was given by Craig Barnes to his congregation on October 15th, 2006

"You can spend your days either trying to achieve a life,

or you can spend them receiving a life.

If you make achieving life you goal,

your constant companion will be complaint,

because you will never achieve enough.

But if you make receiving life your goal,

your constant companion will be gratitude."

If you want to listen to a great Craig Barnes sermon click here.

Designer Despair - it's hip to be "sad"

I’ve been reading M. Craig Barnes book, Searching for Home: Spirituality for Restless Souls. Barnes is one of my favorite authors – great thought provoking prose.

Last night I was reading a chapter on our “nomadic” society – Barnes does an excellent job tracing the history of “settlers,” “exiles” and “nomads” and how all three groups have viewed home, life, heaven and God.

In describing the nomad, who worships the “search” for life, more than the giver of life or the destiny, Barnes says that only peoples’ experiences along with the plurality of externally imposed identities, define them. This of course leads to confusion and more unsettled wandering. They consume jobs, people, and goods in search of finding and defining themselves and respond to a tyranny of the quest for more extreme experiences as well as all to the voices that voraciously compete demand their time, money and resources.

A forlorn chaos is the result. In the midst of it all, the contemporary postmodern cultural voices “are trying to make this sadness, ‘cool’” (p. 59). Barnes says that NY Times essayist, Michiko Kakutani has called it “designer despair.” It’s hip to be sad.

I have to ask, “Isn’t the emerging church doing the same thing?” By constantly focusing on our brokenness, we almost worship our deficiencies (and the experiences that have caused them) more than the God who redeems and heals them. I would almost say, it has become “vogue” to be broken – to talk about it, sing about it, write about it, and live in it. I’ve done that: “If God is close to the brokenhearted, then maybe I’ll stay there so that at least he’s near.” How co-dependent is that?

Why do we never seem to get beyond our brokenness to victory? Why do we never seem to find the spirit of “power, love and self-discipline,” not to mention the power of the resurrection. (Are we afraid of looking like the “scary Christian TV” guys and gals…probably…)

It’s almost like we enjoy dawdling in this theology of brokenness. With an Eeyore view of life, our ongoing failures and failed attempts to follow Jesus, seem more justified. We have less to be ashamed of because, “We’re all broken.” Yes, and then we pat each other on the back extending a hand of “grace.” In AA they don’t just sit there and say, “We’re all drunks” and pat each other on the back, drink their stale coffee, and go home. Saying “we’re all drunks” or “I have been abused” is a step toward healing – but too often, in the church, we stop there.

Furthermore, being “authentic” in our brokenness seems to be worshiped in many churches. I hear all the time that an authentic community is what this generation wants – it’s their attempt to create a space (like Phoebe, Monica, Rachel, Ross, Joey and Chandler did on the TV show, Friends) that is the closest copy of what heaven on earth might be like. I’m not knocking authentic community, it’s an awesome place of rest and hope. But it is meant to instill a far more compelling vision of God as the Author and Perfector of our faith and meaning of life. Apart from Him we have no good thing – we are no good thing – we return to “dust” and stay there. But with Him – and He with us - that is our greatest asset.

When brokenness is vogue and authentic community is the highest goal, our churches become impotent. Yes, the Bible is riddled with broken, imperfect people whom God used. Neither brokenness, nor admitting our brokenness, is bad. But a “designer despair” that loiters on the fringes in order to define our identity, rather than acknowledging the redeemed belovedness of the core, has us moping around with our hands in our pockets, kicking stones, looking for handouts or some menial entertainment because we are so incredibly bored.

Kudos to the church being real – full of tattooed, pierced and coffee toting congregants. Kudos to honesty – that allows us to not feel pressured to fake our piety and pretend to be more spiritual than we are. But if we don’t soon broaden our vision to include the Redeemer and the new life he bestows, our emerging churches will only become one more stop on the nomadic journey toward home. We aren’t fully satisfied to stay in brokenness, so we move to something, somewhere, or someone else (or some other self-constructed theology) in order to construct a more compelling validation of our broken existence.

Broken yes.

Don’t stop there.

Redeemed. Cracked pots – jars of clay, restored, renewed, with new life and resurrection power. Why am I not hearing this?

Campus Crusade for Christ is up to something amazing again - a gathering of 20,000 college students from around the world - this summer, in Korea.

Check out CM2007....

Christians conflicted about pirating praise songs...

Read this Great short article on Christians being conflicted about pirating songs...click here

One of the quotes from the article
"Those attitudes [the artists are making a ton of money and they shouldn't be peddling "the gospel" for money], along with the arrival of an edgy and restless new generation of artists and lean times in the music industry, have created a clash between familiar imperatives: “Spread the word” and “Thou shalt not steal.”

I know this conflict. Would that I could freely distribute my music, my words, my art. Would that there was still a position where "singers" are hired as laborers right alongside brick layers and wood carvers.

God has and will provide -
If you want to find some great legal downloads - visit my online store (soon to feature my own music, as well as 2 million other titles)
www.burnlounge.com/iseetheking
(works best in internet explorer)

Actually, if you read this blog, and want a free legal download - drop me an email - first 5 to do so will get a free song.

ciao

15 minutes of today's world...

I was watching Matt Lauer on NBC's Today show while exercising this morning (pat me on the back, thank you - for exercise, not for watching TV) and here were three stories in 15 minutes

• STORY #1 - Brittiana - a young gal who has suffered both bone cancer and leukemia (given only 6 months to live without chemo) has embraced whatever is left of her life, started a non-profit to help and encourage other kids with cancer, as well as their families. When Matt Lauer asked her, "What gives you so much strength?" Brittania said, "My strength comes from God - He's with me throughout the day... and I just leave it up to Him." Hmmm...from the mouths of Babes
• 
  
• STORY #2 - Technology has allowed many soldiers, who in previous wars would have died with dignity on the battlefield, to come home alive, but severely injured and debilitated. Is life better? The technology is amazing - some would even say, "Miraculous." Is it? Would a proper theology of heaven prevent technological miracles, or just remind us that technology is merely a band-aid to real life both here, and the life that awaits us in heaven.
• 
  
• STORY #3 - Couples are now taking "Conceptionmoons" - in order to try and conceive babies. They want it done in a special place, with lots of good memories and away from the stresses and strains of daily life. There is a surprising 40% cycle conception rate of those who do this (average age of conceptionmooners is 30.1). I have lots of thoughts about this...very interesting...but mostly I think that if life is too stressful to conceive at home, and sex is reserved only for vacation, doesn't that seem like even more pressure? I'm sure that some company will start marketing "conceptionmoon" package vacations including housing, chocolate covered strawberries and whip cream, sparkling cider, romantic "mood" music on an ipod, sexy negligee and a home pregnancy test.
  

That's 15 minutes of our world today.
I'm your host, Paula Gamble.

www.paulagamble.com

A distinguished life...

My friend Kathy, who has a Masters in Exegetical Theology, always challenges my thinking and living. She and her brother, John, have just finished teaching a 3 month class on "heaven" at John's church. I have not attended the classes, but have heard much of the formulation of her thoughts "in process."

Yesterday she and John got to co-preach together. And in her part, she talked about living a distinguished life. Though i could go into much detail about her message, I was so struck - what distinguished the men and women in Hebrews 11 was certainly their "faith" - but even moreso, it was specifically that part of "faith" that looked forward to a "heavenly, far better, country."

She shared that no one remembers (nor names their sons) Palti and Igal and Nahbi and Shammua...but people do remember (and name thie sons) Joshua and Caleb. Why? Because they, too, looked ahead...believing that God had a far better home for them.

"People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.
If they had been thinking of the country they had left,
they would have had opportunity to return.
Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one.
Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God,
for he has prepared a city for them." (Heb 11: 14-16)

Kathy asked, "Are you going to be like the ten (undistinguished and fearful) or like the 2?"

Do I want God to be "ashamed" to be called my God?

I want to be like the two...I want my "looking forward" to heaven to be more impacting on my choices today. So many Christians say that heaven "should" distinguish us and change our outlook on life...but I know it doesn't really distinguish my life (though I want it to more.)

As Kathy then shared, there was another girl, just 2 weeks ago, who distinguished herself. When the gunman walked into her classroom and threatened to kill all the young Amish girls, 13 year old Marian Fisher said, "Shoot me first." Her younger sister, Barbie, said, "Shoot me second." Marian was killed, Barbie was shot, but has lived to tell the story of her sister's bravery. (Incidently, that kind of bravery isn't mustered up in the moment...it comes from what is buried in the core - and obviously, Marian had buried in her core, that to die here, and perhaps save others from being hurt or shot, would be far better...heaven is her home, and she's now "arrived." Wow - can't wait to meet her.)

They got it - and as Kathy said, "Marian accomplished and understood more in her 13 years of faith, then most of us ever do in a lifetime."

Oh Lord, teach me more about heaven - that I may live in light of the "better country" and please you with my faith here on earth. May I be distinguished, uniquely, by You and by my ability to look ahead to the far better country that YOU are the architect and preparer of.

www.paulagamble.com

On learning German

I've decided that since I am working with two people living in Germany, I should learn more than just the phrase, "Mein hund ist under dem wagen." (My dog is under the car.) Yup - leave it to me to know useless phrases that I hope I never have to use (like in Spanish, "Ay de mi, mi pierna esta rota." (Oh no my leg is broken). I can also say, "We are all pregnant women" in Latvian (Mes esam grutas sievietes)

So...

I pulled out my Berlitz "Learn German" book and probably to no one's surprise the first conversation takes place in a pub.

I am happy to say that I can now order up to 10 beers, as well as say, "Please, take a seat. Here is a chair."

Nicht Slecht

www.paulagamble.com

Nativity Movie coming out!

Check out the trailer to this upcoming movie written by local screenwriter Mike Rich (Finding Forrester, Miracle & The Rookie)

A good laugh - getting an international driver's license

I have friends who are missionaries in Tonga...you have to read the latest blog by Kevin about his "ordeal" in getting a driver's license.

Check it out at
http://web.mac.com/kkutcher/iWeb/Site%203/Blog/Blog.html

Every woman is to ask...

So I'm cruising along (not) in my study of Moses' life...and at the end of Exodus 3 there are these kooky few verses:

"And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman in the house, for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so, you will plunder the Egyptians." v. 22-22

Imagine this wild scene! Over the past month, the Egyptians and Israelites have had plagues of frogs, bugs, boils and blood...gnarly, wild moments of horror meant to sway the impenetrable pride of Pharaoh to "let these people go!" All to no avail.

Now is the night of the plague of the firstborn. The Israelites have slaughtered a lamb, used a hyssop branch to paint blood around the doorposts of their home, have walked back in and begin to have dinner.

The night of Passover - where death will pass over the houses that have painted blood over their doorposts. Where death will take the lives of the firstborn sons (including cattle) throughout Egypt. From Pharoah, to the maid servant...death would bring on "loud wailing...worse than has ever been or will ever be again" throughout the land. (Ex 11:6)

Imagine the sounds of that night.

At midnight, an Egyptian woman rolls over to find her husband (a firstborn son) not breathing. She begins shaking him to "wake up!" but is overcome with moaning as she realizes he's dead. A father (not firstborn son) goes in to check on his baby boy, only a few months old, only to find his firstborn son cold and stiff in his "crib." Even the mama cows in the fields are bleating in between her mournful licking of their dead calves.

Screams of terror filled that night. Screams of gutterul grief escaping the lungs of agonized beloved ones. These screams echo the bleating lambs sacrificed just hours ago at twilight (12:6). The whole day, following the oddness of the past month or so, seemed eerie.

Then the rush - pack up everything all at once. There's no time to add leaven to the bread.

And in the midst of the frenetic chaos of that night - the hurry, the grievous loss, the transition - God asks the women to ask their neighbors for silver and gold and clothing. And, evidently, the Egyptian women comply.

Imagine it...what would you say? "Uh. I know you just lost your husband, but could you give me all your silver and gold and clothing?" But evidently, even with the oddity of the request in the midst of a night where you'd think it wouldn't really be polite to ask in light of the chaos, the women obeyed. "Awkward" hardly does justice to the scene.

Egypt is not plundered in the typical testoteronic way of warfare and bloodshed. No, this night, Egypt is plundered by the women asking. It is quite a wild, unpredictable methodology...so typical of the way God prefers to work. Actually, the more I think about it, it's quite comical. Not the death and wailing of the night - but in the furry of refugees fleeing, they "ask their neighbors" and receive more than they could ever imagine. Wow.

Every woman is to ask - even in the midst of the hurry of life, the transitions, the grievous losses. God is an abundant giver - and may supply in the craziest of ways.

Why are the women to ask - and not the men?

But what was given - the silver and the gold - was not to line the pockets of the Israelites. No, it was later sought as an offering toward the building of the temple (ex 35:5, 22) - the place God would dwell.

I shared this with some women a few weeks ago on a night of prayer. I said, "I feel like God is asking me to ask you, "what are you supposed to ask?"" and this not for your own gain, but for His kingdom.

One woman came up to me afterwards and said, "I don't like asking, because I don't like being seen as needy. I'll gladly ask God for others, but not for myself."

Hmmm - sounds like the book I want to write about how our inability to receive (and ask) is rather debilitating to our faith. I was proud of her for recognizing and paying attention to how she was "resistant" to the topic. I encouraged her to ask God directly, "Lord, help me understand why I am resistant to asking."

What you supposed to ask God in the midst of your grief, transition, and hurry?

www.paulagamble.com

More "Delightful" thoughts

I will have to say, it was my pastor, Jeremy Erb, who got me thinking about this whole delight thing. He preached on it - if you want to hear his sermon go to www.thetablepdx.com, enter, and go to resources to find sermons!


Mary and I mulled over "delight" today - the whole idea about how you cannot muster it up. It happens TO you. I asked her, "Tell me about what delights you."
She described how she feels delighted after hanging out with good friends.
"What is it that makes you feel delighted?"

I'm known, I'm loved. I learn things - there is still great discovery, and laughter, and care. I know I'll be taken care of and it makes me want to take care of them more too."

We talked more about "delight" - here are some of the words Mary used as she thought aloud about people she knows who seem delighted with life:

"...continually surprised...in awe... goodness...it doesn't get old...there is constant discovery...almost like romance...it is life giving, not life sucking...restful, free to be me..."

We both marveled at all the words that came out... the delight of her hanging with friends or watching a sunset was stunning...sort of like how our relationship with the Lord should be...but often isn't.

Why not?

I have some ideas - perhaps you'd like to share yours?


www.paulagamble.com

Delight

Delight...

it cannot be conjured up.
I can be delighted after eating an amazing 5 course Italian dinner complete with Brunello and Limoncella. But I cannot muster up delight after eating pig's throat...even with the tasty garlic sauce. (Yes, I've had both meals)

You can say, "I'll choose to be happy" or "I'll choose to be positive." But you cannot say, "I will choose to delight."

Delight is a result of seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, smelling or even remembering something.
What has delighted me recently have been the leaves of the trees changing colors and the tomatoes, still ripening on my vines. Tonight at dinner, I was delighted by watching a mother and her toddler son sit closely, laugh, and eat together.

Blessed is the one whose delight is in the law of the Lord...

I cannot conjure up delight for the Lord. But as I read about his intentional pursuit of me - his unfailing love, his perfect plan and provision, I find delight welling in my heart. I find myself delighted to be the object of his mercy and affection.

Delight is that settled satisfaction that breeds hope. It comes, usually, in coordination with "stopping" or "being still" long enough to allow your senses to engage with the world.
Stop to smell the roses
Stop multitasking in order to listen to the wild imagination of an 8 year old, or the undending "why" questions of a 4 year old.
It comes when curiosity is roused, and imagination is given time to wander.
Delight by lingering...savoring...smiling....listening...holding longer the ones you love...leaving a voice message saying, "I'm thinking of you - I love you - I miss you" ...read some poetry, wander through a pumpkin patch on a rainy day...get on the floor with the frolicking puppies...embrace the one you love...embrace the one that's hard to love...

Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

www.paulagamble.com

You are Lovely

I wrote a new song on Sunday afternoon after church. Here are the lyrics...

Satisfy us in the morning, Lord
With Your mercy fresh upon the dawn
As we awaken to the rising sun,
we will sing

Replace our strivings, Lord, toward lesser things
With a lavish view of Your Divinity
Cuz in Your presence we're never left wanting
So we sing

Unfailing Love, Undeserved, Unbelievable O King
Unchanging Grace, we cannot earn, we open our hands to receive
Every breath, every step, every moment of this day
We will say
You are Lovely, Jesus
You are Lovely, Jesus.

Brilliant sunsets woo us to great awe
Lord you delight us under evening stars
Through the night as you sing love songs,
over us...we're grateful Lord....


Unfailing Love, Undeserved, Unbelievable O King
Unchanging Grace, we cannot earn, we open our hands to receive
Every breath, every step, every moment of this day
We will say
You are Lovely, Jesus
You are Lovely, Jesus.


copyright 2006 IseetheKing Music


www.paulagamble.com

Can it really almost be September?

4 countries in three months...it's been great, but I'm learning how to be settled back at home. And now, what of the myriad of what I slavishly work at will i be able to focus on.
I heard a pastor say something about learning the most excellent way...and that is what I need to do! Not settle for the good. Remember that my calling is not to a task, but to people.

www.paulagamble.com

Now it happened that...

Was reading Exodus 2 this week... I love how the text so calmly says, "Now it happened that..." (NLT) Sometimes things are so subtle...but "it just so happened" that Moses went to a well, where the Priest of Midian's daughters were...
Moses comes to their aid - then he gets to go home to dinner...and eventually is given a wife.
Moses flees Egypt after murdering an Egyptian...and God "happens" to lead him to a place where he will grow and be prepared to deliver a nation - much like he delivered Reuel/Jethro's daughters from the mean shepherd men.

I wonder how many "just so happened"'s happen in my own life?
As one person said, "Prayer a coincidence? I don't know. But all I do know is that the more I pray, the more coincidences I see."

Keep looking for the King.

www.paulagamble.com
www.burnlounge.com/iseetheking

Life in the Wastelands...

As most of you know, I lived and did missions work for a year in E. Asia 12 years ago. Before returning last week, it had been 11 years since I’d been back. Without going into a lot of detail, I’d say that my year there was one of the hardest in my life…though I always so pleasantly tried to be “nice” and “spiritual” in describing it: “Yes, it was hard…but it could have been worse…and God’s grace was sufficient…”

When I left the city I was in, we had lost most of our contact with the nationals we were working with – due to some governmental regulations some people, including the very few handful of disciples we had, were afraid to be connected with us, the “foreign devils.” Out of fear they stopped visiting. Another young man accused us of brainwashing his girlfriend…she had “disappeared” and so I never got to say goodbye to one of my dearest national friends – at that time only one of three nationals in the country who was working full time with us. Half our team was sent home mid year and the rest of us didn’t finish strong – we limped as best we could to a very anti-climactic ending of a thorny year.

When I left, I thought, “What a wasteland.” Like Nathaniel who decried, “Nothing good can come from Nazareth!” I thought the same of my city. I’ve spent many years pondering what good “my” year there did and pretty much had written off the place and the experience.

But God…

You’d think after 17 years of doing this, I’d realize that it isn’t just about my ministry and me. It isn’t just me who is going overseas to minister. Almost every time, because of God’s generosity and kindness, I feel like I am the one who gets most ministered to. And prayerfully, in the midst, he glorifies himself through humbling and lavishing me with His goodness.

Besides being among a group of stellar people last week, one of the things I learned was that the city I was in – that desert wasteland, that nothing of a place – was now the top city in the nation in raising up full time national workers for the ministry in country. Yup – you read that right. The place I thought that nothing good would come from, is now the place that has seen abundant fruit in the harvest in that land. Twelve years ago the country had only a handful of national workers…one of which my team “lost.” Now…there are several hundred…some of which are now traveling beyond the borders of their own country with the good news of the gospel!

It is hard to describe what hearing that did to my spirit. Actually, there were (and still are) a lot of tears of wonder and awe. I can only say that I think God wanted me to go on this trip to E. Asia far less to minister to the long term single women there…and far more because he wanted to bring healing to my heart. He wanted to show me that my STINT there, 12 years ago – which felt a waste, which was difficult, painful and has never made sense to me – had a far greater purpose. One gal told me, “You were a pioneer there – you paved the way for what is now happening. So many of our national staff point back to when their foreign teachers helped them to know more.” Even now writing that brings tears to my eyes.

But God…

He is the One who is Lord of the harvest. Completely apart from my efforts…I was faithful to go, faithful to cling to him in the midst of a tender year, not being present to see nor reap the seeds we had sown.

But God…

He is the one who can redeem and heal even the worst of difficult and senseless years/decades

But God…

Who does wonders in the least likely of places…born of a virgin, in a barn, and raised in a sketchy town like Nazareth…our Savior seems to have a specialty in bringing life where we least expect it.

Thank you for being a part of a monumental week of healing to my heart through your financial generosity, your prayers and encouragement. Seems God has been doing a lot of healing from difficult years this spring and I’m so grateful. Please pray that I’d continue to lean in to Him, to hear His heart and direction for my life, and for the courage to continue following Him. He IS the way…

But God…

He is good – all the time – even when all around you looks and feels like a wasteland.

All around the world

Haven't been "here" blogging lately - for I have been busy traveling. First to Costa Rica to help debrief some of our STINTers - what an awesome job I have. These three were stellar to be with and I count it a privilege to be able to help point them to Jesus.

Just back last week from a trip to E. Asia - much different than the E. Asia I lived in 12 years ago. In fact, compared to their exponential modernization that has occured over the last decade (including a vast plethora of Starbucks - and clean city streets - and they skipped the phone lines and went straight for high speed internet and cell phones) I feel like I lived in the equivalent of a grass hut when I was there. My mom and dad had to get someone to speak Chinese into a tape recorder in order to even reach the phone number in my dorm room.

My heart is full - and I am grateful for His mercies.

www.paulagamble.com

Be content to be the Object of His mercy...

"Be content to be the object of His mercy
and depend on nothing else."
~Evelyn Underhill

Thanks for the quote Carolyn! I like your "dead friends"

Reinvigorate Their Imaginations

On Saturday I was reading Hannah’s prayer in 1 sam 2…and the phrase that stuck out to me was: “It is not by strength that one prevails” So I meditated on what that meant for my life – how did it connect and what was Jesus inviting me to do?

Looked up a couple other cross references…one of which was in Zechariah about not despising the day of small beginnings. So I sensed the Lord saying to me, “Don’t despise what does not seem “mighty” or “influential.” You look at other ministries with envy…you wish you had started them…you wish you had an influential ministry that you started…but your ministry is not about size – not about your gifts and strengths – not about being “run” in a typical modern methodology and strategy.

Your invitation is to go in the strength you have – as I send you out this summer. Don’t force your ministry.

The introduction to Zechariah (in the Message) says this about Zechariah’s ministry (my paraphrase): “Zech’s job was to help pull people out of preoccupation with self and to get them working together as the people of God. The people had lost their identity as the people of God, the people had been kicked around and abused by world powers – the threat was they’d lose the richness of their heritage – forgetting who and whose they were. Zechariah reinvigorated their imaginations with his visions and messages – the visions provided images of a sovereign God…the messages forged a fresh vocabulary that gave energy and credibility to the long term purposes being worked out in their lives.”

Reinvigorated their imaginations…don’t you like that? It’s like Zech was the prophet to the postmoderns who “no longer had a language for God & the purposes of God.” Our current language of “God” is so muddled by tolerance and the mushy, fickle language of Clintonian postmodernism (It depends upon what the definition of "is" is.)

God’s invitation – to reinvigorate the imaginations of His people…

Praying God’ll give me fresh vocabulary to lend energy and credibility and clarity (as Eugene Peterson says) to people who are forgetting who and whose they are.

I’m being invited to die to my pride that wants the applause of humankind….to not force a “bigger & better” ministry or influence…I’m being invited to pay attention.

Whew – good stuff….

www.paulagamble.com

"Remember Me"

Was reading 1 Sam 1 last week - it is one of the greatest short stories ever written. Not a name, place or detail seems insignificant.
What struck me most, however, was when Hannah was crying out to the Lord to "remember me." Later in the text, it says, "The Lord remembered her."
As I dove into the Hebrew meaning of the word, "Remember" it is so much more than just remembering to pick up some eggs at the grocery store. Hebrew verbs always seem to be far more active than passive.

When Hannah cries out, "Remember me" she is saying, "God, lovingly act on my behalf!" And then, God remembered (lovingly acted on her behalf) her.

I just found that beautiful. I've found myself all week praying for friends in crisis, "Lord - remember her - not like eggs on a grocery list - but lovingly act on her behalf."

And he has - and his lovingkindness has been exquisite!

www.paulagamble.com

Kosher Eavesdropping

Inspired by my friend Matt Mikalatos I have eavesdropped on someone and will share it here...

Stepmom: "So are you going to make spaghetti for dinner - or is that breaking kosher?" (Meaning they were still within the 7 day passover unleavened bread regulation)

Stepson: "yeah - may as well. I already broke kosher. I ate a bacon double cheese burger. Flour in the bun, pork in the bacon, and dairy and meat together. All I needed to make it a complete blowout is a meat milkshake."

I chuckled at this little conversation and thought, "Now there's some commitment to your faith....NOT."
Then God reminded me...how easily I "fudge" on what he asks of me...
And...well, this little eavesdropping proved to turn my judgment into conviction.
Thanks Lord

www.paulagamble.com

New Life on Easter Day!

After a great Sunday celebration at church, a man came up to my friend to talk to her about her keyboard. She felt the need to share Christ with him, so she said straight out (I love this about her!), “Ray, do you know the Lord Jesus Christ personally?”

“I used to.”

“Well, how’d you like to sit and look at the Bible and what it says about Him?”

“Okay.”

For the next hour or so the two of us (me believing that going late to my brunch and K leaving 2 hours late to drive to Tacoma to have easter with her daughter) shared scripture and asked questions. At one point I said, “Ray, you don’t need more courage to stop sinning – even greater courage is required to just let Jesus love your wounded heart!”

At that, he started bawling like a baby. We prayed – asked him to pray first, it was a slobbering beautiful thing. Then invited some men in our church to come over to make it not so awkward. Jason, our children’s pastor, actually took the baton, and led Ray to Christ. After praying, with more tears falling down Ray’s face, dear, dear Jason reached over, and with his thumbs wiped his tears saying, “I have no greater privilege than to wipe your tears – but one day, there will be no tears…”

It was really remarkable! And really inconvenient! I was late to my brunch with my neighbor, K should have been in Tacoma by the time we finished, and all of us had growling stomachs. But…no worries. The kingdom of God is NOT about us & "giving birth" is rarely convenient!

www.paulagamble.com

In Hindsight...it's good Friday

A scandalous day, really. The disciples - men & women - were crushed and confused; befuddled and beside themselves. Their Lord and friend now arrested and facing an unjust and inhumane trial and punishment. He talked about it with them beforehand - but they were either too busy with their own concerns of greatness and didn't really hear, OR, they just didn't think it would really happen.

But here it was - really happening. And these heroic, intimate followers of Jesus - the ones who had seen Jesus turn water to wine, walk on water, heal the lame and blind and just a week ago see him raise Lazarus from the dead...the ones who had themselves cast out demons and healed and served and had a front row seat to all of Jesus' teaching...now, in a seeming blink of an eye, deserted Jesus and fled.

Those are such discouraging words - deserted & fled. Anyone who has been a human being on this planet for more than a couple decades cringes in remembrance of that feeling. Sometimes I wonder if that hurt Jesus more than the nails ripping through his tendons and bones...

The basis of all desertion and fleeing is fear and self-protection. Despite their intimacy and personal knowledge of Jesus, in the muddle of the passion week, they, in the words of The Message, "cut and ran."

Was Jesus too obtuse for them? If he had been clearer, would they have understood and reacted differently?

I doubt it. Human nature is human nature. AND in the flurry of the week's events - from his triumphal entry to his anointing by Mary, to this strange Passover meal in which Jesus stooped to wash their feet, to singing triumphant Hallel (praise) songs while walking to a garden under the full moon of a crisp spring eve; to having stomachs so full of food and hearts so full of grief that they could not even stay awake to pray - they missed it.

Jesus isn't missing it. He's in agonizing sorrow - praying so intensely, his sweat falling like drops of blood. He knows the cross is before Him - He knows his close friends will all desert Him - "Take this assignment away...it's too much...but it's not about me. So Thy will be done."

The disciples are indifferent and sleep through Jesus' painfilled petitions. They are, however, awakened by a hoard of Roman soldiers and Jewish religious leaders carrying torches, swords and clubs. Judas is at the head of the mob, politely betraying Jesus with a kiss. Peter, arising out of his slumber, whacking off Malchus' ear. Jesus says, "I'm not here to lead a rebellion - I'm not who you think or want me to be." Then he reaches out and heals Malchus' ear.

It is in that flurry the disciples "cut & ran" - scurried away like a hoard of cockroaches exposed to a sudden light.

Jesus says to Judas, "Why the charade?" (The Message)

Yes - why the charade?

Sometimes I'm very discouraged by the disciples' desertion. I'm discouraged because even though I know I have moments of eager and expectant faith - I have plenty more where I try to pretend that the cross/death is not part of the equation. I'd prefer more cush - a good night's sleep as opposed to out of control, surrendering prayer. I prefer the charade.

Jesus says of Peter: "There's a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there's another part that's as lazy as an Old dog sleeping by the fire." (The message - Mt. 26:41ish)

B*I*N*G*O - yes, Bingo was his name oh...the dog...

Yup - me too. My spirit is willing, my flesh is weak.

With that many people armed with torches & swords, winding down from Jerusalem into the Kidron valley on a clear night with a full moon - Jesus would have seen them coming. He could have hid & fled. His spirit AND flesh (unlike our own) was willing, not weak.

Isn't it comical - Jesus goes out and asks, "Who is it you want?" Everyone there knows they want HIM...but he makes his betrayer and abusers own up to their misdeeds. He doesn't let them continue with a charade, "oh, greetings Rabbi - we're just 200 soldiers out on an evening walk in the cool of the garden." Why do abusers always twist things to look so innocent?

Perhaps that is one of the greatest pictures of His love - knowing full well they wanted to mock him, spit on him, and humiliate him with death on a cross. Yes - in the midst of a chaotic, jumbled mess of betrayal, arrogance and a sweaty show of force against an innocent (but a threat to their comfort/controlling charade) man...Jesus walks straight into it. Prayed up & seemingly no fear.

With hindsight being 20/20 we so easily chastise the disciples. But how many times does my laziness override my eagerness? How many times do I let prayers fall by the wayside in exchange for sleep or temptation?

Today - the day after the bewildering night of Jesus' arrest - the day we now call "good" because we know the end of the story - I need to let that chaos stay with me. I need to let myself be disturbed & discouraged by my own desertions - whether they be my failure to speak up for Jesus or whether it be my choice to over-indulge my body, mind and emotions with the lesser loves of this world that only pseudo satisfy.

Today's a day of grief...
Sack cloth & ashes
wailing & weeping
Less for the death of a friend. No, I share the disciples' humanity. Let me weep for my own propensity to fall asleep and flee.

If Jesus stayed in the grave - Christianity would remain a mere religion - which pretends to honor a higher being or "force", but is really only all about me.

Lord, may I be adequately disturbed and disgusted with my propensity to flee & desert you for lesser loves & self-protection. May I loathe it so greatly that when I get to Sunday and the tomb is empty - oh - now let my feet not run away, but instead run to tell others, "He is Risen!"

What Thou O Lord Hath suffered - Was all for sinners' gain.
Mine, mine was the transgression - and Thine, the deadly Pain.
Lo here I fall my Savior -

Tis I deserve Thy place....


www.paulagamble.com

The Good of Technology

I just got off the phone in a worldwide prayer conference call. Some of us in the US responsible for sending and shepherding our folks had an open line where people could call in for specific prayer - from E. Asia, Croatia, Europe, Latin America...while not everyone did call in, we had a great time lifting our teams before Jesus.
What a joy to lift all of their "communication difficulties" (such a euphemism for team conflict) to the Lord - asking him to be the peace that helps them to walk in step with Him and one another.

What a joy to exalt Jesus - the Supreme Supremacy - and to ask them to hold all things together as these teams try to finish out their next month or two with strength and courage in the midst of the weariness.

I just think that it's cool to be able to pray in real time for the needs of our missionaries!

If you want to read some of their blogs you can go to
http://gnwstinters.blogspot.com/
and check out some of the links on the right.

www.paulagamble.com

NEWSFLASH - It's not about us!

"The gospel, while honoring our experience,
doesn't begin with our experience...
it begins at an impossible place, the tomb."
~Eugene Peterson, Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places

NEWSFLASH - It's not about us!

During the passion week (the original one) - the disciples argue amongst themselves who will be greatest. The crowds shout with joy as Jesus enters Jerusalem, because they think he's going to wipe out their Roman oppressors. Five days later - the same crowd who was excitedly proclaiming truth about Jesus (Behold the King) would now yell, "Crucify Him!"
Peter - who proclaims, "Not me - I'll go to prison and even die for you" ends up thrice denying any association with Jesus as a self-protective measure.
Judas, who disdains the waste of Mary's extravagant anointing of Jesus' feet, runs off at the first chance to cash in for an insider trade secret.

If He's not going to be a God who does what I want or makes me too uncomfortable - away with him.

And so goes the thinking of a postmodern North America! Oh we are a fickle people!

But the gospel is not centrally about us. Yes, we are the object of His deep affection - the recipient of His selfless love: "For God so loved the world that He gave..."
Peterson points out that Jesus' birth, death and resurrection are beyond us: "[It] is something we cannot do for ourselves; cannot take credit for, cannot take over and run with, cannot reproduce in any way. It is done for us. We can only hear and believe and enter this God-for-us reality that is so generously given as both the context and the content of our lives" (p. 231).

"The do-it-yourself, self-help culture of North America has so thoroughly permeated our imaginations that we don't give much sustained attention to the biggest thing of all, resurrection. And the reason we don't give much attention to it is because the resurrection is not something we can use or manipulate or control or improve on" (p. 232).

IT IS NOT ABOUT US!

So, how do we give "sustained attention to the biggest thing of all"?

I haven't finished the book to find out Peterson's prescription. But perhaps today - as I reflect on Jesus' betrayal and arrest - perhaps I can repent of any way I have tried to use, manipulate, control or improve/alter God's plan (and perhaps even my own imagination of what he can do for me and my life).

IT'S NOT ABOUT ME!

Oh resurrected Christ - in the Passion week your closest guys seemed only to be concerned with themselves. We've not evolved to be any better now. Easter services become our opportunity to showcase all we have to offer as a church - children come dressed in their new lace and ribbons - the focus so easily detoured to self and self-promotion.

Oh Risen Christ - seated at the right hand of the Father
Oh Exalted King - in whom all authority resides
Oh lamb who was slain for the sins of the world, You alone who are worthy and able...
Forgive our narcissistic culture who would have the audacity to think that we could market a "new & improved" Easter not much different than marketing a "new & improved" toilet bowl cleaner which will make your bowl sparkle and shine while eliminating stains and odors.

Woo my heart to have sustained attention on You.

"By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace was not without effect"
~Paul - 1 Corinthian 15:10

My hands are off...
give me ears to hear,
hands to receive and
courage to enter your God-for-us reality.
May your grace have it's effect in and through my life.

WNP? - Bracelets anyone?

A few years ago there was the WWJD rage: What Would Jesus Do?
There were bracelets, rings, t-shirts, and, in general, WWJD paraphernalia ad infinitum ad nauseum.

I propose a new bracelet/t-shirt/coffee mug, key chain/frisbee: WNP?

Huh?

Well in my on-going mid-life crisis, I continually am asking God, "What do you want me to do? What am I suppose to do with my life?" In the midst I've created at least 5 business cards and brochures for 5 different business ideas - from teaching golf, to recording, to worship leading to writing to speaking and life coaching.

This morning, I was reading and meditating on Romans 8:15 -

"This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurlously expectant, greeting God with a childlike, 'What's next, Papa?'"
or
WNP?

Imagine starting every day by greeting God with such adventurous expectancy:

"Goodmorning Papa. Thanks for a good night sleep. You know all that is ahead in my day and week, but 'What's next, Papa?'"

And Papa tells you - and you do it - and it's hard and beautiful but you feel in sync with who God made you to be.

Another friend just wrote about helping out with Katrina restoration efforts...she said that they had ATL days - "As the Lord leads." The goal - listen and obey. That's it. Listen and obey - and be amazed (and not) at how incredible Papa knows His children.

So - join me. If you are stuck...why not quiet yourself, lean in and ask, WNP?

www.paulagamble.com

Assurance and confidence?

From my poetic friend, Shae, who is a missionary in Rome.

-----------------------------

I find myself questioning what my

ASSURANCE and CONFIDENCE is based

upon: is it on my efforts and ability….

others’ opinion and encouragement….

the church….

my ability to think, try,

win, smile, give, wake up early, save,

persevere, challenge, quote the right

scripture…

God help us understand and walk rightly.

-------------

Check out more of Shae's ponderings and poems:

www.xanga.com/nogoodthing
http://onlyabreath.blogspot.com

Training our souls to embrace Him more

I ran across a new worship definition that I really liked.


"Worship is the habit of ritual and social action with which we experientially and thankfully acknowledge God's supremacy and simultaneously train our souls to embrace Him more deeply."
~Eric Herron

Have fun "unpacking" that...

• not just a ritual/liturgy on Sunday mornings - but the "liturgy" (social and ministerial action) throughout the week
• experiential - 5 senses, not just a happy heart song or thought
• thankful for God's supremacy!
• and yet recognizing my need of my soul to embrace Him even more...

I just like it!

For more "good stuff" on worship - go to Eric Herron's website
www.worshipartist.net


www.paulagamble.com

An African Exhorts an American Church

Pastor Charles from Rwanda preached at my church on Sunday. (Click here to listen to a sermon if you're interested. Once you enter the site, go to resources to download a sermon.)

First, he was shocked - he was given over an hour to preach. He said, "This is not typical for an American church - I usually only get 25 minutes."

Diversion - this is one of the things I love about my church. We are still in the luxurious phase of not having to bow down to worship the clock or our growling stomachs! After a spirit-filled 2 1/2 hour service, half the congregation still hangs out to talk for yet another 1/2 hour or so.

But back to Pastor Charles. He said the church needs 2 good legs to stand on. The Americans - they know the word. They stand on the word. They dissect and divide and preach and talk about the word. "But," he gently said, "You are missing the leg of prayer."

He talked about how the African church is expanding mightily on the wings of prayer - how God is saving souls and is doing miracles, "Because when you literally don't have anything (like daily bread), prayer is everything."

"You don't pray, because you are full. You have everything you need and more."

Exhorting an arrogant Western church takes the greatest of courage and grace. Pastor Charles did that - speaking with grace and truth - and then leading our whole church to their knees in the last 15 minutes - to repent and ask God to give us the word AND prayer so that His kingdom would expand.

It was truly beautiful - I wish we'd have our foreign brothers and sisters come more often to exhort us - we need our Biblical (vs. American) Christianity unmired.

Singleness

Check out this awesome article at Christianitytoday.com


www.paulagamble.com

The Primary Venue for Evangelism

I am reading (slowly, and reflectively because I cannot read it otherwise it is THAT profound) Eugene Peterson's book, "Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Place." Wow...

Peterson makes the statement that meals were perhaps the primary venue for evangelism in Jesus' life (after all, Jesus was associated as a friend of gluttons and drunkards - and is commonly found around the dinner "table")
Peterson comments, "By marginalizing meals of hospitality in our daily lives have we inadvertently diminished the work of evangelism?" (p. 215)

Peterson continues, "We take the meal with as much gospel seriousness as we take our Scriptures: we take the kitchen to be as essential in the work of salvation as is the sanctuary. Meals are front-line strategies countering the inexorable deconstruction of hospitality that is running amuck in our Western world today" (p. 220).

So - what if everyone in our church body committed to having one meal a month with neighbors, co-workers, the elderly or homeless?

In the book of Acts we see that when the early church did this, many saw and were astonished and were added to the church.

Naturally, it would be something so simple...

But....

Last week I momentarily thought, "I want to go to the coast on Monday and Tuesday to celebrate my 22nd anniversary of walking with the Lord."

That of course was quickly followed by my list of "Buts..."
I can't afford it...it's short notice...even if I could, there's no one to go with me...I guess I'll just figure out something here.

The very next morning there was an email in my inbox from a Campus Crusade staff friend: "Paula, would you like to join us at the coast on Monday and Tuesday next week? Free housing and meals!"

HA!

God outdid himself - I got to celebrate with 13 other stellar women of God. The sun even came out on Monday (and for those who've been in the PNW, you know what a miracle that in itself was!)

So - I am reveling in the fact that I am loved - that this little heart cry was heard...that my "Buts" that seem enormous to me are nothing for the Lord to exceed abundantly!

Psalm 90 in the message says:
"Surprise us with love at daybreak; then we'll skip and dance all the day long...Let your servants see what you're best at - the ways you rule and bless your children. And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us, confirming the work that we do. Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do!"

And he did...and he does...

Skipping through the week....

www.paulagamble.com

A Greater Glimpse

Matt Redman has a song on his "Facedown" CD that strikes me each time.

"This is a time for seeing and singing
This is a time for breathing you in and breathing out your praise.
Our hearts respond to your revelation
All you are showing, all we have seen commands a life of praise.

No one can sing of things they have not seen
God open our eyes towards a greater glimpse.
The glory of You - the glory of You
Open our eyes towards a greater glimpse.

Worship starts with Seeing You
Worship starts with Seeing You
Our hearts respond to Your revelation..."

Like the Oswald Chambers writing "Do not look for God to come in any particular way...but look for Him."

What if our times of worship at church or personally were not "just" about singing...
Evenmoreso - they are really about seeing. Tuning our eyes to see Him - to rehearse and refresh that he has not left us wallowing in the mire of this wicked world. He sees and hears and knows and loves.

If we do not see - we will not sing.

Oh Lord - give us a greater glimpse. Open the eyes of our heart that we might know you better.

Feel free to leave a comment of How you have "seen" Jesus show up in Your week.


www.paulagamble.com

Leave room for God

LEAVE ROOM FOR GOD
(Couldn't say it any better so...here it is)
Jan 25th, My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers


As workers for God we have to learn to make room for God - to give God "elbow room." We calculate and estimate, and say that this and that will happen, and we forget to make room for God to come in as He chooses. Would we be surprised if God came into our meeting or into our preaching in a way we had never looked for Him to come? Do not look for God to come in any particular way, but look for Him.


That is the way to make room for Him.


Expect Him to come, but do not expect Him only in a certain way. However much we may know God, the great lesson to learn is that at any minute He may break in. We are apt to overlook this element of surprise, yet God never works in any other way...


Keep your life so constant in its contact with God that His surprising power may break out on the right hand and on the left. Always be in a state of expectancy, and see that you leave room for God to come in as He likes.


www.paulagamble.com

It doesn't take a plane to be a missionary!

One of the privileges of working with CCC is the students... I met one young lady at our winter conference - met her from 10 - midnight while we were worshiping God together. Liked her instantly - though I didn't learn her name or even have a discussion with her til the next day.

At the end of the jam session I told the "kids" who were in room that if I were to choose an army out of the 800 students at the conference, I'd choose the 40 of them. I was inspired by their freedom of worship. They unashamedly adored Jesus in song, dance, petitions, beauty...

It is no surprise, then, to hear that these unabashed worshipers have been fueled for mission. My latest young hero, Amber, is applying to go on a STINT (Short Term INTernational mission) with CCC to Japan. But she's not waiting til the fall to start her missionary work. She wrote and said, "It doesn't take a plane to be a missionary." So her goal - to pray for one girl in her sorority every day...and to take one girl out to coffee once a week to talk and listen and share Christ with them.

Seems simple enough - so as I sit here typing at my computer, locked into my own world of scattery freelance starving artist work I have to ask, "When was the last time I took out a non-believer to coffee?"

It doesn't take a plane to be a missionary...

Thank you Amber - and heaps of God's lavish blessings upon you and your mission at EWU.


www.paulagamble.com

Recovering God - Rhythm - David's mixed metaphor

Ps. 40:3 - The Message


"He taught me how to sing the latest God-song, a praise song to our God.
More and more people are seeing this:
They enter the mystery,
abandoning themselves to God."

There is a major incongruity here...a mixed metaphor if you will.
David says God taught him to sing...then he says that people are seeing this...

Wouldn't the more natural verb be people are "hearing" or "listening" to the song?
But David uses the word "seeing."

Naturally this caused a lot of brain confusion for me - I myself wanting to enter the mystery of why David would mix metaphors -

Well - first, he's a poet - and we all know poets and artists can do what they want even if it doesn't really make sense. Beauty doesn't have to make sense.

Second, he's also King David - a man after God's own heart whose songs and heart cries (including really wicked impreccatory words of righteous anger) are Holy Scripture - inspired by God. So this is no mistake on his part.

So this is what I "saw" as I leaned into the text this morning.

When I am driving down the road with my stereo playing a song that moves my heart...it quite often also moves my fingers and hands to tap on the steering wheel. Have you ever looked into your rearview mirror to see a person bouncing their head and banging their hands and belting out some song as if they are auditioning for the next American Idol? You snicker because you caught them doing what you usually do - but would hate to be caught doing. You do not hear one word of what's being sung...but you see very obviously that the melody has moved their mouth, hands and head.

That is what music does...it moves us. God never intended music to merely be sung. We were not intended to just to utter words like, "I could sing of your love forever." Who cares? But if that singing doesn't stir your pulse, move your feet, sway your body, create a beat to walk to...who cares?

Music only heard is "nice." Lift your snobby nose in the air and clap like an aristocrat.
Our world doesn't need nice.
We need rhythm. David danced before the Lord with all his might. And what was his response to the naysayers? "I'll become even more undignified than this... I will celebrate before the Lord." 2 Sam 6:22.

We need the people of God whom God is teaching his songs to actually MOVE to the rhythm he is giving. When I see someone doing what they were created to do - I am so inspired. They are dancing, singing, praying, creating, loving right in step with their inner God-rhythm/melody. There is nothing more beautiful. And when others see this -
they too are given the courage to enter the mystery...
to abandon themselves to God's melody for their own lives...
to abandon themselves to the rhythm that is uniquely theirs ...
and to live that rhythm out before the world...turning our backs on what the world worships...not living to the conformity of the world's rhythms. No - tuning into God channels by learning to taste and see and hear and smell and feel the God wonders all around us.

Are people entering the mystery and abandoning themselves to God? If not, one has to wonder if our singing on Sundays is that alone. We are singing...but it is not being seen. Most of us know our neighbors and friends - the people outside the four walls of our fellowship/group - may never hear us sing on Sunday...but they will see whether or not that singing has moved our feet to tap, our mouths to utter hope and truth, our arms to love...

Let God teach you how to sing the latest God song...it is YOUR song...it is YOUR rhythm... it is what he wants to teach you so that you move your feet and tap your hands and stay in step with the melody and rhythm he has put in you. It is unlike any other. Listen for YOUR song...for YOUR God-given rhythm...it's there as sure as the blood is pulsing through your veins. And start dancing to it...irrepressibly let yourself do the things you cannot not do for reasons you cannot explain.

I, nor anyone else can teach you abandonment. It happens as you let God teach you His rhythm for you...and you let that rhythm pulse through you...

Others will see ... others will say, "I want that too." They'll dip in their toes, and learn the freedom of the "unforced rhythms of Grace."

www.paulagamble.com

Who buys all those mattresses?

A few nights ago I got sucked into the bad tv vortex...
I hate it when that happens. So now, in order to excuse/justify my lack of discipline, let me share a few cultural observations...

Straight up prime time - 8pm - opening scene of CSI...two college students stripping down to underwear...the filming stopped just short of what i imagine would qualify as an x rated "adult" movie sex scene aka pornography.
What would Lucy and Desi - who slept in separate twin beds - say?
Ay yi yi
Within a few hours...murder, abortion, illicit sex, drug and alcohol abuse, the "gay cowboy" movie, transgender "regendering" surgeries, ghosts, vampires...evil, power, control abuse... ugh! All in one night of "Must See" TV.
Ay yi yi -
If this is what the network says we "must see" - what does that say about us? Our visions are not very grand or glorious.

And then there's the ads - they say a lot about us.
Food, food, food - fresh, fast, cheap....
followed by ads for diet programs, exercise equipment, gym membership deals, and high cholestoral medication.
In other words...parttake in the plenty - we have "easy" remedies. Binge and purge.
Indulge without consequence...Hmmmm

And the big question on my mind - do we really buy that many mattresses? Three different companies on every single commercial break trying to sell us mattresses. I don't know about you - but I've had mine for a dozen or more years...Who is buying all these mattresses?

Oh well - I say this - stop the madness...repent of self-abuse of body, mind and soul.

4 words that will change your life...

Yesterday a friend wrote me a few of her New Year's resolutions and asked for prayer. Now truth be known, I could take or leave NYRs. I don't want to fall into what feels like a gimmicky marketing tool for my well-being. And, truth be known, I don't want to fail...again...

Well, my friend's heart was noble and vulnerable - she longed to grow in her relationship with God. The last four words of her email were stunning - she felt she could rearrange her life a bit...

"...because I love Him."

Exquisite, really.

Oh how NYRs come and go - perhaps it's because our motives are so quirky.

Exercise and eat right to be a better steward of my body

vs.

Exercise and eat right ...because I love Him

Which is more motivating? The former is seemingly pious/spiritual, but functional. The latter - it is relational.

What if all our New Year's resolutions were based on love of Him?

Would it change my "stick-to-it-ness"?

Would I actually enjoy the discipline because of the love?

Because I love him - would that more of my daily choices be made with love in mind - not just a check mark on a list.

I will say no to a second helping - because I love him.

I will say no to bad tv - because I love him

I will say yes to exercise - because I love him

I will say yes to an abuse recovery support group - because I love him.

Four words that will change your/my life.

Yes - I am loved by God - "meteorically"! But would that I'd retain remembrance of our love so I could walk through each moment with joy and faithfulness ... because I love him.

I am my beloved and he is mine...His banner over me is love.