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Cafe Chat Soundtrack of Faith
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Tell about one time in the past 5 years where you took a HUGE Step of Faith in your journey with the Lord. What was the outcome?
I am hearing music everywhere! The sounds of a life of Faith.
If my life....If your life... had a soundtrack created for it....What would it sound like?
Light and melodic ? Brassy like clashing cymbals? Soft and tender? Loud and dramatic?
When God listens to the Faith soundtrack of my life, Does He hear a Worship Song?
The music is complex. Filled with wild rhythms, crescendos, and sometimes mesto (mournfully sad). The sounds are sometimes pesante (Heavy, ponderous) or filled with tenerezza(tenderness).
I love listening to the faith of your lives. Watching as the music is written note by note. Hearing the stories of risk taken, steps of faith both large and small, harmonies of lives that effect another.
Faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1
Wonder what the soundtrack for these scenes would reverberate like?
Wonder what the soundtrack for these scenes would reverberate like?
By Faith God accepted Abel's Gift.
By Faith Enoch was swept away without dying.
By Faith Noah built a boat.
By Faith Moses delivered God's People.
By Faith the walls of Jericho fell down.
By Faith Rehab was spared.
By Faith Sarah gave birth to a child.
Or this moment in time taken from God's Word. Daniel 3
Three Men refusing to bow down. Standing up for Christ! Thrown into the fiery Furnace.The music is solemn, grave. Suddenly in their midst is the saviour! Can you hear the music? They are protected...not even a hint of smokey smell on their garments. The one in whom they put there trust has come to the rescue.
All who witness...All who see their salvation...All who listen to the music of their faith respond with Belief. "For no other God can do what this one does" Daniel 3:29
I often wonder how the music would change with the ending.
What if God showed up in the fiery Furnace for Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego.....held their hands...offered comfort...looked into their eyes as... they perished, as the were consumed by the flames. How would the witnesses respond? How would their families and friends remember their story, their song of faith?
A Crisis of faith perhaps..... Or simply acceptance for Gods plan.
A Crisis of faith perhaps..... Or simply acceptance for Gods plan.
This is my story, This is the story of my baby sister Michele.
Shelly changed her address to heaven last year and now lives in a home created especially for her! This was my Crisis of Faith. The moment when I had to choose to believe, accept God's will, or sit in sack cloth and become bitter, angry and un trusting of God and his plans.
Shelly was an ordinary girl, you wouldn't notice her in a crowd, and she preferred it that way. She was a young women with no hidden agendas, or ulterior motives. Simple Girl, Simple lifestyle, extraordinary heart.
At the Age of 21, in school to become a nurse with the intentions of becoming a foreign missionary and living her life in extreme areas of poverty, my sister learned she has a brain tumor that was inoperable and given 6 months to live.
God had other plans and so did she. He provided 1 of 2 doctors in the states willing to take the risk of operating on her tumor. We new the risks. 80% chance of Loosing all sight, altered personality, vegetative state.....But what choice do you have at 21 years of age. God was there, a miracle was performed, she recovered from a partially successful surgery and was left with no harm and a shunt in her head that allowed spinal fluid to drain into her abdomen. God Provided a Miracle for my family.
6 weeks later she was on the ground in Romania ministering to Gypsy children. She came home with no shoes and very few clothes. She gave them away to anyone who asked.
Christ became my sisters beloved! She had no earthly love except him. I can recall 2 kisses from boyfriends. But nothing serious. How do you start a relationship, a family, when you know that you have heard from God and He is saying your life on this earth will be very short. She obtained a job working with Alzheimer's patients and continued to travel the globe.She devoted herself to the people in this world with no voice, no hope. She shared the hope she had flowing from her soul. The hope of Christ.
She would endure 8 years of brain surgeries, (7), excruciating pain, migraine headaches masked by medication....several healing touches from the master, open heart surgery at 28....all while returning to Romania or Kenya shortly after a quick recovery against the advice of her doctors.
At the age of 30, lying in a hospital bed, she developed a brain infection. She was surrounded by family. Especially my Mother and Father. My Mom traveled the country with her...to special research hospitals, rehab centers for traumatic brain injuries. My Mom lived in hospitals and hotels for nearly a year. She would sit by my sisters side and then leave her room and minister to other families in traumatic events. Pray with them. Lead them to Christ. Share the testimony of God's faith fullness to our family and speak of a heaven that awaits those who love Christ Jesus. I know of many who received Christ. Whose lives were strengthened as a result of the path God had chosen for my sister and our families.
One thing I am sure of...She was in perfect Peace at all times! Never complaining always gracious...I Know it was God at work in her, in the midst of the fire, holding her hand while she was consumed!
She was at peace.......
She was at peace.......
Outwardly this was no peaceful thing. Death was not pretty, dignified, or gracious to her. My family suffered, our hearts cried out, pleaded, begged, bargained, accepted.
We watched as our God who can heal the sick, save the soul, command the wind, Raise the dead, we watched as he held her hand and allowed her to suffer and die. This is a Crisis of Faith.
We gathered together as she was dying, singing songs and praise and rejoicing in the healing that was about to take place, we read scripture, we cried, my mother talked her into the arms of Jesus.
When she was finally absent from the body and present with the Lord my dad gathered us around her, we held hands.
He prayed this prayer through tears, traumatic pain and agony......He could barely utter the words.............
"Father God I give to you my child...my baby girl...
The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, In all things Blessed be the name of the Lord."
We sang a song of Praise to the creator who held our hands as we were consumed.
This is my crisis of Faith. It is being worked out on a daily basis.
" I know whom I had believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day!"
My perspective has changed. My view of Life and Gods plan. I am much more focused on preparing for the gazillions of years I will spend in the presence of Christ than in the insignificant things, material possessions, and nonsense of the world. I seek after the eternal. The things that will last. I am teaching my children to long for the eternal while experiencing to the fullest all Christ has for them in this world.
I am trusting with blind faith in the things I do not understand. Gods ways are higher than ours, His plans are greater than ours. Of this I am certain.
I wonder what the music sounds like?
I Hope the soundtrack of my faith walked out is pleasing to my savior.
"Take Joy My King in what you hear. May it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear."
Cafe Chat- One Passion
Saturday, August 9, 2008
What is one thing or cause that you are passionate about? (More specifically, something you feel that the Lord has burdened your heart with) 
Have you ever visited an aquarium? I am fascinated by the ocean fish and love admiring them with my children, pointing out their uniqueness, and observing them as they move about in their pre-made environment. As I watch I can't help but feel that something is wrong. They don't belong here....It is not their home. These fish were not made for this giant glass box....They were made for a vast ocean! Maybe the fish don't know any better but I wonder if their instincts tell them that they were made for somewhere magnificent , that their true home is somewhere else, beyond these glass walls.
If you know me well, you might think my passion is children. I Love Kids!
Not just mine, but yours! Laughing, smelly, cute, dirty, sad, excited, hungry, hurting, discovering, wondering, questioning, Kids!! The ones that pee on you, love on you, play with you, hurl on you, jump on you, sleep on you, and throw fits on you! It's what I do...It's who I am.
If you know me well, you might think my passion is relationships.I care about people! Brown, white, beautiful, ugly, tall, short, fat, old, young, rich, mean, kind, homeless, hurting, happy, poor, smart, People!
The ones that hurt you, bless you, call you, comfort you, help you, annoy you, encourage you, use you up, love you, curse you, pray with you, and strengthen you. It's what I do...It's who I am.
It goes deeper than that...My True Passion. It is the root of all I do and think.
What is My True passion? The Desire that drives my actions and thoughts?
Have you ever been on a trip like this: You are having fun, doing new things, enjoying life when suddenly everything becomes miserable. The car breaks down, someone steals your wallet, everyone gets sick, and it seems nothing is going right. What did you want more than anything?
To Go Home!
As you are driving back, you can't wait to get home! You can almost feel your comfy bed, taste the home cooked food, and envision yourself sitting around with friends and family laughing together , telling funny stories about all the things you saw, and what went wrong along the way! The craving for Home is sweet. You throw on your comfortable clothes right away, kick off your shoes! It's were you are you. Your friends come to visit, you love your favorite chair.
No matter how much we enjoy our trip, our adventures, we anticipate, look forward to coming home!The strongest Passion that drives me...That God has placed deep within my soul is Eternal Life...Heavenly Treasures....Eternal significance!
I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others to do the same. C.S. Lewis
I have never been to Heaven...Yet I miss it! It is what I was made for!
My passion lies in the things that will last forever...The smile and wonder on a child's face when they hear how amazing God is...How powerful...And that this God wants to have a personal relationship with them. The understanding of a friend who has just discovered a truth in God's word that they can apply to their life! Attitudes...Motives... Heart Issues...Good works.....A smile....Kind words....Encouragement...Tears shared...hearts restored....lives changed....Truth realized...Grace accepted....compassion shared...mercy given.....This is what drives me!
Everything in this world will completely pass away....I could care less about cars, clothes, furniture, houses, toys..etc... Don't get me wrong, I enjoy these things and when my engine light is on in my car I care...But only because it might keep me from church or you or your kids.
As a little girl growing up in church I would listen to sermons about Heaven. Honestly I was afraid. I just had this image of me and my family floating around on a cloud, dressed in white , and singing....forever and ever....andever....andever...with an endless harp playing in the background. I was afraid because I didn't even like some of the songs we sang at church. I was afraid of what would happen if I got tired or bored . Would I be struck by lightening?
I have come to learn the awesomeness of my Lord! The beauty of His creation, and the miracle of life that He gives. Imagine a Heaven, a New earth Restored to it's original design! Hand crafted by our saviour! The way it was intended to be before the fall of mankind. Before sin entered our hearts.
I am passionate about things eternal. All That will last...I am passionate about a home I have not seen...A place I have not visited...
Revelation 21The New Jerusalem
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.
2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
5 He who was seated on the throne said, I am making everything new! Then he said, Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.
6 He said to me: It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.
7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son
This is what Drives me...What I long for..My Passion...
Life eternal with Christ Jesus!
I would love to recommend this book for you!
This book is amazing! Apart from God's word this book has had an incredible impact on my heart.
God Bless you!
John 14
1 Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am
Cafe Chat- Friendships
Sunday, August 3, 2008
What is one thing that you absolutely love about friendships? Why? On the other side, what is one thing that you find absolutely difficult when it comes to friendships? Why?
Ashleigh Andrea Alycia BettyJo Becky Debbie Jenn Kristen Karen Lynnea Linda Jo Mandy Missy Pat Susana
I am so blessed by the beautiful sister's in Christ that grace my life with genuine true friendship!
This is only the beginning of the list of people that God has used to encourage me along my journey. God's list of friends for me keeps growing!Best Friend Old Friend New Friend Casual Friend good friend buddy pal companion sister bff PEEPS
We use many different words to describe the people we Cherish.
The thing that amazes me most about friendship really has nothing to do with the individual people themselves. It is about how God shines through them!
I am completely Amazed at how God designs and chooses the close friendships that HE has placed in my life! Each of these people are so uniquely crafted by God. Each one of them are excitedly different! A big giant diverse group of spiritual gifts talents abilities personalities quirks taste habits thoughts gifts skills dispositions Hangupsstrengths weaknesses
Each one of these people brings an abundance of Joy into my life! God uses these people in amazing ways to show his love for me! He speaks through them directly into my heart! God reveals himself to me, in part, through traveling together with them along their journey. I watch listen and learn from these ladies and it makes my life more beautiful!
Accountability is the one area of friendship that I sometimes find difficult. Hard to give it...Hard to Receive it.
I need accountability! Why are we sometimes so afraid of it? Why do we shy away from it? I want my friends to hold me accountable but when push comes to shove...I don't.
I guess it all boils down to
Permission
Who are the women in your life that Have permission to speak into your situation? Who has given you permission to speak into the circumstances of their lives? This is real friendship!
All of these women are my dearest friends because at one time or another they have challenged me in my relationship with Christ. They know the ins and outs of my day to day life! They know my downfalls, and the sins that easily trip me up! But they love me anyway!
Lord soften my heart that I would be willing to invite accountability from the people who love me the most! Help me to ask for it! Help me to be willing to step out on a limb and give it!
Cafe Chat: Book Title
Saturday, July 26, 2008
What would be the Title of a book about your life?
Dot 2 Dot
As a young girl growing up, Saturdays in my family were simply "Silly Days"! My younger brother, baby sister, and I could hardly wait each week for the day to arrive. We would pile up in the living room, watch cartoons, munch on candy, and color or play games like connect the Dots.
"Connecting the dots" always fascinated me. You start with a piece of paper with numbered or lettered dots and begin to connect the lines, one at a time. Sometimes they were easy, sometimes they were difficult. One step at a time you draw from dot 2 dot until a picture begins to form. Sometimes you could guess right away what the final image would look like, sometimes it was harder to figure out. If you follow the directions carefully you end up with a perfect picture every time.
As I grew older I began to think "If only life were as easy as connecting the dots." Instead I felt as if I was holding a piece of paper with half of the image missing. Trying to move from point A to point B can sometimes be difficult. Especially when you are convinced you already know the final answer... but it doesn't seem to fit together right!
No mattered how hard I tried to connect my own life with real meaning, purpose and vision...Well it just kept on looking like scribble and doodles!
It took a long time for me to realize the problem.
I was not listening to God.
I was not reading the directions.
I was simply trying my best to make it all work on my own. It took me a long time to understand the answers. Lots of heartache, struggles, loss and pain for me to let go of the pencil!
I finally realized that I could not connect the random dots of my life! I had to submit, surrender the control, the pencil, to God and allow him to connect the Pieces of my life. It is a beautiful process! I give up control and Listen...God leads the way and makes the connections. I make mistakes...He erases them away for me!
I don't know exactly what the final picture will reveal in me. But it is getting clearer every day. Life is connecting, pieces are forming and God is still revealing the Big Picture. I can't wait to see........
Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)
21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."
Psalm 73:24 (NIV)
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
Isaiah 48:17 (NIV)
This is what the LORD says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.
Cafe Chat Priorities
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Name what you think should be your first 5 priorities in life? Then order those priorities the way they actually are at present in your own life. Do they match up? Why or why not? If needed, what is one thing that you can do today that will help your two lists match up?
I believe my personal priorities should look like this:
- God (Personal relationship, Lifestyle of worship,Word, Witness)
- Husband (Helpmate, Friend, Lover)
- Children (Inspiring lifelong devotion to Christ, Home school)
- Church (Devoted to one another in brotherly love)
- Lost (the great commission)
Talk with me, become a fly on the wall of my home and you will find that my priorities change from moment to moment. I am effected by the present...circumstance, need, and mood. Balance and consistency is what is needed in my life to Maintain the priorities that God has placed on my heart.It is so easy to get distracted from what is most important in the Journey that God has created for us.
Cafe Chat
Saturday, July 12, 2008
What is one woman from the Bible that you can relate to, and explain why you relate to her?
The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly. You can find them all in the Word of God. Everyday people, in everyday situations, that are just as relevant in today's world as they were in history. I am so grateful to our Lord for these records of women, just like me, whose life story is still in the making. God acted in surprising and wonderful ways through the lives of these women, just as he continues to act through our lives today!
The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly. You can find them all in the Word of God. Everyday people, in everyday situations, that are just as relevant in today's world as they were in history. I am so grateful to our Lord for these records of women, just like me, whose life story is still in the making. God acted in surprising and wonderful ways through the lives of these women, just as he continues to act through our lives today!
We share some of the same dreams, failures, and longings. I can relate to many of these women in different seasons of my life.
Like Abigal, I too had been mismatched in marriage once. When Nabal's folly jeopardized their entire family, it was Abigal who would pick up the pieces.... Abigal was a women who rose above her circumstances to change the course of events taking place around her. After the Death of Nabal she become the wife of King David, a man after God's own heart. Perhaps the virtues she carried in her heart were not inborn, perhaps they developed in the midst of a troubled relationship. After the Death of one relationship, God blessed me with a Godly man who would be the spiritual leader of my family, as well. I am forever grateful!
Like Hannah, I have been a women who was deeply troubled. I too poured out my hurt and sorrow to God on behalf of a child and God Granted my request. He blessed me with not one, but two beautiful daughters. Hannah made her requests, the desires of her heart, known to God and He provided for her. Just as he provides for me in the big and little things.
I pray that like Jochebed (the mother of Moses) I will continue to cast my children into the flowing rivers of life, Surrendering them to God and his perfect will for each of their lives. Even when the waters are turbulent. Trusting that God will protect them from the dangers of this world, as he unfolds the paths that they must follow.
Like Rebekah, God has gone to extraordinary lengths to pursue me. He invites me to become a part of his family, his chosen. His invitation is open to all who are listening and willing to trust God fully in the promises he has made.
Thank you Lord for these beautiful, fascinating, everyday women.
