Ripples
Hello there. It's a new year with new possibilities for each of us. Depending on what we choose. We can continue to live the way we always have in our choices... or we can make new choices. New Years is always a time when people like to make "a new them".
This year I hear the Lord saying to me, not new, but building. Building on the foundation of last year. Exceeding last years expectations. Maybe that sounds like a grandiose idea or thought but I believe that is what He is doing in my life right now, today. Towards the end of last year I had conformation by at least 2 sources of a new foundation in my heart and life that was build in Jesus and couldn't be torn down. That gives me confidence moving forward that God can exceed my expectations for 2017, because, well frankly, I have expectations for Him this year.
If you know me on a personal level you know that I have a very, very dear friend currently battling cancer, and lost a cousin a few months ago to cancer. The news about her continues to get heavier and heavier...now there IS hope, always hope. But the longer I see her struggle the harder it gets.
Over the last few weeks I believe that God in His every present goodness to us, has been speaking to me about things that I can use to make some new choices in my life. Her circumstance has become a huge teaching tool for God to use with me. Not proud of admitting that, but it's true. My heart is so close to this situation that it is easy for Him to use it.
Over the last few weeks that my friend has been really sick, I have had so many people come up to me telling me their stories of how she has impacted their lives and how they are praying for her. I've heard people say that she is Jesus with skin on...all these things I hide in my heart because I also feel these things about her, have for a long time, grateful for the times that she called me to hang out. But it also teaches me a little bit about the ripples in our lives that are created by our choices. My friend has made Godly choices to love others in her words and actions for years, and the ripples are present now because those she chose to love are come out to fight on her behalf. The healthy, mature Christian will weather this storm, life or death, because they know Who is in control. But, the more my heart sees those around us begin to look at the course of nature they being to speak doubt about her healing and more about her death. I pray life over that woman everyday, multiple time a day, as do many, many others.
When a leader in ministry gets sick and dies there is a rippling affect in the Kingdom. Some ripples are good. Those people who want to continue to walk in the influence that person represented. And those who turn away. There was a woman who died shortly after we started attending our church, and I didn't have much of an opportunity to get to know her but everyone spoke of how she also was Jesus with skin on. I was around long enough to have seen her make choices that pointed to Jesus. So at her funeral I opted to serve in the nursery so that families who did know her could attend. I did that in her memory, because it was something I believe she would have done. Even to this day I sometimes think about her and think about the choices she made and am encouraged to make the choice she would make...and I briefly knew this woman and yet the ripples of her life have impacted mine. But there are others within our churches who are in the pew out of obligation, curiosity or guilt who haven't fully understood that God desires a relationship with them. They will process death, let alone death of someone in leadership, in a different way. It could cause a great wound within them that they completely turn away, because God did not... I know that with both these women and my cousin I have spoke about, none of them would want their lives or deaths to turn people away from the God they loved and served wholeheartedly.
Reading through 1 Thessalonians 3 Paul sends Timothy to them to see how they are doing. Paul had left them when they were still very young in their faith and they were in a region where they were about it for Christ followers. So they had only the teachings they had just learned from Paul to stand firm on. Paul was concerned that because he had run into to some troubles there would be a stumbling block in the Thessalonians path. As far as I can tell this was possibly one of the earliest .letters of Paul's and that he had not gone to jail yet, The story of Paul's life is in and out of jail and lots of beatings. So in my head it's not a far reach for Paul to have gotten in trouble with the local authorities and had to get out of town quickly. But he never stopped praying for that group of infant believers. In verse 3:6,7,8 Paul says (my paraphrasing) Oh thank goodness you have good memories of us! We are encouraged in our circumstance, it's sticky here and on top of everything, we were worried. But you are growing and standing firm in your faith, keep it up!
Later he tells them 5:16-18 Rejoice always! Pray constantly. Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Rejoicing through the pain doesn't sound like the most fun thing I have ever done, but I am always surprised when I steal away for a minute and worship Him whether in song or just word, I walk away lighter. I have given Him my burden and exchanged it with His peace. Pray constantly, that doesn't seem to be a problem, I think of those hurting often and remind the Lord, because He needs it right?!? Give thanks in everything...this one I remember my friend speaking about, I don't do this very well. But it says right in God's word that I am to give thanks in everything so I am going to try that. Maybe that will be my New Year's resolution...or just another building block for 2017? Either way rejoice, prayer and thanksgiving are ripples that are atmospheric and cannot be stopped, like stones in a calm lake. I love the imagery of a stone causing rippling waters.
Here is the wrap up...let's live our lives in such a way that points to the Father, when bad or sucky things happen to us, and they will, friends around us can stand firm on their faith. Know Who is in control. Let the ripples in your life be rejoicing, prayer, and thanksgiving in ALL things! And please be in prayer for my friend and her family and those who's life have been rippled by hers.
This year I hear the Lord saying to me, not new, but building. Building on the foundation of last year. Exceeding last years expectations. Maybe that sounds like a grandiose idea or thought but I believe that is what He is doing in my life right now, today. Towards the end of last year I had conformation by at least 2 sources of a new foundation in my heart and life that was build in Jesus and couldn't be torn down. That gives me confidence moving forward that God can exceed my expectations for 2017, because, well frankly, I have expectations for Him this year.
If you know me on a personal level you know that I have a very, very dear friend currently battling cancer, and lost a cousin a few months ago to cancer. The news about her continues to get heavier and heavier...now there IS hope, always hope. But the longer I see her struggle the harder it gets.
Over the last few weeks I believe that God in His every present goodness to us, has been speaking to me about things that I can use to make some new choices in my life. Her circumstance has become a huge teaching tool for God to use with me. Not proud of admitting that, but it's true. My heart is so close to this situation that it is easy for Him to use it.
Over the last few weeks that my friend has been really sick, I have had so many people come up to me telling me their stories of how she has impacted their lives and how they are praying for her. I've heard people say that she is Jesus with skin on...all these things I hide in my heart because I also feel these things about her, have for a long time, grateful for the times that she called me to hang out. But it also teaches me a little bit about the ripples in our lives that are created by our choices. My friend has made Godly choices to love others in her words and actions for years, and the ripples are present now because those she chose to love are come out to fight on her behalf. The healthy, mature Christian will weather this storm, life or death, because they know Who is in control. But, the more my heart sees those around us begin to look at the course of nature they being to speak doubt about her healing and more about her death. I pray life over that woman everyday, multiple time a day, as do many, many others.
When a leader in ministry gets sick and dies there is a rippling affect in the Kingdom. Some ripples are good. Those people who want to continue to walk in the influence that person represented. And those who turn away. There was a woman who died shortly after we started attending our church, and I didn't have much of an opportunity to get to know her but everyone spoke of how she also was Jesus with skin on. I was around long enough to have seen her make choices that pointed to Jesus. So at her funeral I opted to serve in the nursery so that families who did know her could attend. I did that in her memory, because it was something I believe she would have done. Even to this day I sometimes think about her and think about the choices she made and am encouraged to make the choice she would make...and I briefly knew this woman and yet the ripples of her life have impacted mine. But there are others within our churches who are in the pew out of obligation, curiosity or guilt who haven't fully understood that God desires a relationship with them. They will process death, let alone death of someone in leadership, in a different way. It could cause a great wound within them that they completely turn away, because God did not... I know that with both these women and my cousin I have spoke about, none of them would want their lives or deaths to turn people away from the God they loved and served wholeheartedly.
Reading through 1 Thessalonians 3 Paul sends Timothy to them to see how they are doing. Paul had left them when they were still very young in their faith and they were in a region where they were about it for Christ followers. So they had only the teachings they had just learned from Paul to stand firm on. Paul was concerned that because he had run into to some troubles there would be a stumbling block in the Thessalonians path. As far as I can tell this was possibly one of the earliest .letters of Paul's and that he had not gone to jail yet, The story of Paul's life is in and out of jail and lots of beatings. So in my head it's not a far reach for Paul to have gotten in trouble with the local authorities and had to get out of town quickly. But he never stopped praying for that group of infant believers. In verse 3:6,7,8 Paul says (my paraphrasing) Oh thank goodness you have good memories of us! We are encouraged in our circumstance, it's sticky here and on top of everything, we were worried. But you are growing and standing firm in your faith, keep it up!
Later he tells them 5:16-18 Rejoice always! Pray constantly. Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Rejoicing through the pain doesn't sound like the most fun thing I have ever done, but I am always surprised when I steal away for a minute and worship Him whether in song or just word, I walk away lighter. I have given Him my burden and exchanged it with His peace. Pray constantly, that doesn't seem to be a problem, I think of those hurting often and remind the Lord, because He needs it right?!? Give thanks in everything...this one I remember my friend speaking about, I don't do this very well. But it says right in God's word that I am to give thanks in everything so I am going to try that. Maybe that will be my New Year's resolution...or just another building block for 2017? Either way rejoice, prayer and thanksgiving are ripples that are atmospheric and cannot be stopped, like stones in a calm lake. I love the imagery of a stone causing rippling waters.
Here is the wrap up...let's live our lives in such a way that points to the Father, when bad or sucky things happen to us, and they will, friends around us can stand firm on their faith. Know Who is in control. Let the ripples in your life be rejoicing, prayer, and thanksgiving in ALL things! And please be in prayer for my friend and her family and those who's life have been rippled by hers.
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