Boldness with Humility

I was searching for religious articles when one thing lead to another and I ended up watching the following video of Francis Chan, John Piper, and John Ensor.  I watched it in two parts because Cal woke up from his nap suddenly and needed comfort.  The weight of first half of the video didn't hit me until later when I was driving to a doctor's appointment.  And I cried.

This wasn't the first time I had seen pictures of aborted babies.  But it is like seeing pictures of the Holocaust.  How did/can we let this happen?  How do we get to a moral status as a society to take away someone's humanity?  Human dignity?

Please watch the FULL video to see them dialogue about grace, mercy and freedom in Christ, especially for those who have experienced an abortion.

Don't let the WARNING of graphic images deter you from watching.  Look away if you must.  The emotion from Chan throughout the conversation is just as moving as the audio.

Email Subscribers: video and original post on STR

WARNING: Graphic Images

Is is possible to glorify God when talking about society's ills?

Is it possible to bring people to the gospel when talking about the reality of abortion?

In God's strength and truth, will we choose to have boldness with humility?

Strangely Dim

As a mom to two young kids, life is Crazy. Exhausting.  Overwhelming.
The sleepless nights, the long days, the endless chores, the spilled milk have taken its toll.  My mental capacity has plummeted.  The time I'm able to spend on  hobbies, books, exercise, and friends have also decreased.  I get discouraged Praying. Praying. Praying. for the same things, people, and circumstances.

I'm not complaining.  I love my job as a SAHM and am thankful for my kids, my husband, my life.  But this is my reality.

My mom sent me a link to this song awhile back and I recently stumbled across it on another blog.

Strangely Dim by Francesca Battistelli

So I continue to wait on dreams that I know came from Him, until I know it's time to move forward.

Meanwhile...
The laundry will wait until midnight.
The oatmeal will stay on the floor until after bedtime.
The front yard will remain a sand weed box.
Phone calls will be unanswered.

I have hearts to mold, shape and grow.

The mess and chaos doesn't have to control me, my attitude, or my actions.
Some day I will look back on these days of spilled milk, watermelon juice, and dirt tracks and smile.

Encouragement in the trenches

To the modern day abolitionists,
To those fighting infanticide,
To those fighting to pull others out of addiction and desperation,
And to all others who give of themselves and resources fighting injustice:

Remember: It is God who brings the victory!  Full confidence in God is the only way to persevere and keep sane.  Keep being obedient to Him who called you into this work.

From John Wesley on his death bed to William Wilberforce, as recorded in 7 Men (Eric Metaxes pg. 47):

Dear Sir,
Unless the divine power has raised you up to be as Athanasius contra mundum [against the world], I see not how you can go through your glorious enterprise in opposing that execrable villainy, which is the scandal of religion, of England, and of human nature.  Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils.

But if God be for you, who can be against you? Are all of them stronger than God? O be not weary of well doing.  Go on, in the name of God and in the power of His might, till even American slavery (the vilest that ever saw the sun) shall vanish away before it.

Reading this morning a tract wrote by a poor African, I was particularly struck by that circumstance, that a man who has a black skin, being wronged or outraged by a white man, can have no redress; it being a law in all our Colonies that the oath of a black against a white goes for nothing.  What villainy is this!

That He who has guided you from youth up may continue to strengthen you in this and all things is the prayer of, dear sir, 

Your affectionate servant,

John Wesley

O, Hell, where is your sting?

Growing up I always envisioned Hell as a fiery cave with red, devilish figures running with pitch forks.  My biggest objective to Hell was the idea of living in a scorching desert for all eternity (not a fan of 120 F weather), but I found Hell neither appealing nor repulsive.

Over the past couple years I've realized that my idea of Hell was completely wrong.  Yes, it maybe HOT with creepy figures working for Satan, but that wasn't the worst of it.

What if Hell encompassed everything that God was not?  

What if Hell was a place completely absent of God and attributes that represent God?

If God is love, then Hell is a place where hate is fully matured: murder.

If love is patient, kind, etc. (1 Cor 13), then Hell is full of selfishness, envy, and pride.

If the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control (Gal 5:22-23), then Hell is hate, sorrow, disharmony, frustration, cruelty, wickedness, apathy, and chaos.

If disobedience to God (sin) fully manifested leads to death (Rom 6:28), then Hell is a place of constant death and suffering.  Eternal suffering at the maximum human capacity.

Now THAT sounds like Hell!

Why do I think my second description is a closer representation of Hell? 
Because Jesus endured unimaginable, undeserved suffering.  He took our place.  In order for him to "suffer anguish, be despised, and rejected", He must have been saving us from something terrible. More than a fiery cave.

Why pay attention to Easter?

The validity of the Christian faith hangs on this one holiday.  Prove that the resurrection never happened, and Christianity is nothing more than another philosophy of morality.

"And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.  More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ for the dead...And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.  Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.  If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men" 1 Cor 15:12-19

Casting Crowns- "Glorious Day"

Bringing dignity to the forgotten

When I hear a new song on the radio, I often find myself searching blogs and you tube for the meaning or inspiration for writing it.

Kings and Queens by Audio Adrenaline

Most of the imagery and meaning of the song can understood through listening to the lyrics or watching the video...but fast forward to minute 6 to hear Mark talk about what was going on 6 weeks prior to the filming.

Behind the scenes: making of the video

Read more about the Hands and Feet Project in Jacmel and Grand Grove, Haiti.

The passion and purpose behind Audio Adrenaline

Drew and I are surrounded by family and friends who have not lost sight of caring for those in need and bringing dignity to those who are forgotten in our culture.  Here's a short list (I apologize if I left you out):

Katie: slaves (sex and labor trafficked), women in developing countries (esp. the Congo), homeless, people living with physical disabilities...(I would classify these as her top 4.)

Parents: kids with a parent in prison (Angel Tree), foster care system (both through Royal Family Kids and CASA), AWANA, and kids in the neighborhood (Do you see the theme of reaching out to the youth?)

Rae and Holdford's: direct and organize the local branch of Royal Family Kids

Gabaree's: serve the local chapter of the Salvation Army

Several of our friends in Bible study mentor youth of all ages.  Not to forget many others that are serving in non-profit work both locally and overseas.

These people go above "expected" commitment and dedicate their time, resources, and money into these organizations and people.

It is our vision for our family that Callen (and lil' Mil) will grow and understand this level of sacrifice and commitment to the forgotten.  Sacrifice and commitment will be normal. Their willingness to serve will be inseparable from their character.

While this sounds good in a blog post and in theory, we know that the work begins behind closed doors: with how Drew and I interact with each other, our family, our friends, our neighbors.

A big task, but no one said that raising the next generation was easy.

"The Silence That Keeps Me Awake"

I wish I would have thought of this title, but I stole it from Del Tackett's blog (published Jan 20, 2011). For years I have noticed that my most "productive" thinking happens while trying to fall asleep or while driving...resulting in difficulty sleeping and distracted driving.

I like this song because the song

(1) breaks the silence on the regret, pain, healing, and forgiveness of abortion

(2) validates the pain that men experience when dealing with abortion  (Our culture seems to forget that men suffer and grieve the loss as well as women.)

(3) describes the story of a couple's journey to closure and healing

This video was not uploaded by Skillet and is not the official music video.

Skillet - Lucy (Lyrics)

Lead singer John Cooper tells the story behind Skillet's song "Lucy".  (The interview that I originally accessed over a year ago has been removed from You Tube, Air1, and Skillet blogs.)

Today marks the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.  A Supreme Court decision that politicians thought would end the debate on abortion once and for all, like it had with integration.  But 40 years later, we look back at a nation still divided and struggling.

Since the decision in 1973, the Guttmacher Institute (AGI) and Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimate that over 50 million babies have been killed.  A disproportionate number of African American and Hispanic babies are killed compared to non-Hispanic White babies.   37% of women who have had abortions identify themselves as Protestant while 28% identify themselves as Catholic. Taking into account current and past rates, AGI estimates close to 1 in 3 women will have an abortion.*

Let that resonate with you. Nearly one-third of women!

Yet, the topic of abortion has largely remained out of the pulpit. Why?

Let us remember that to be silent is to act.  As Bonhoeffer said,

"Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless.  Not to speak is to speak.  Not to act is to act."

Lord, forgive us, the Church, for ignoring the truth surrounding abortion. For being quick to judge and not offer mercy and healing. Let us recognize that abortion isn't only a struggle for those outside the Church. Continue to rise a people among us who will speak out against this injustice. Remind us that "mercy TRIUMPHS over judgement." Amen.


* From a statistic summary on abort73.com, assessed Jan 2013. Most recent data available from 2009, released Nov 2012

"We can no longer plead ignorance..."

Closing argument of William Wilberforce's first attempt to abolish the slave trade in England (1789), emphasis mine:

Policy, Sir, is not my principle, and I am not ashamed to say it.  There is a principle above everything that is political.  And when I reflect on the command that says, "Thou shalt do not murder," believing the authority to be divine, how can I dare set up any reasonings of my own against it?  And, Sir, when we think of eternity, and of the future consequences of all human conduct, what is here in this life which should make any man contradict the principles of his own consciences, the principles of justices, the laws of religion, and of God?

Sir, the nature and all the circumstances of this Trade are now laid open to us.  We can no longer plead ignorance, we cannot evade it, it is now an object placed before us, we cannot pass it.  We may spurn it, we may kick it out of our way, but we cannot turn aside so as to avoid seeing it.  For it is brought now so directly before our eyes that his House must decide, and must justify to all the world, and to their own consciences, the rectitudes of their grounds and of the principles of their decision....Let no Parliament be the only body that is insensible to national justice.

Wilberforce's speech was considered one of his best, yet Parliament was unmoved.  Abolition failed.  Even after presenting Parliament with an 850 page document of testimonies and evidence, Parliament failed to see the trade for what it was.  Parliament's only decision that night was to "hear more evidence."  Meanwhile Parliament recessed for the summer and the horrors of the trade continued.

We know the outcome of Wilberforce's efforts: the slave trade was eventually abolished in England in 1807. But at the expense of his own health and thousands of Africans who continued to be kidnapped and worked until their death.  (Note: slavery still exists today in many forms, but Wilberforce's efforts signaled a change in society to no longer accept slavery as morally right or necessary for a healthy economy.)

It is meaningless to study history and not apply the lessons to my own culture and life.  So I'm left with this question:

What society ills am I ignoring because I am waiting to "hear more evidence"?

I have my ideas (but I'll save those for later).  Let us be a people that rise up and speak against injustice before it is accepted by the mainstream.  Let us be willingly to be persecuted and mocked for the sake of those who have no voice.

Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says...Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.  James 1: 22, 27

"We can no longer plead ignorance..." the stakes are too high.

Open my eyes, Lord, so that I may see.

"Don't be afraid," the prophet answered.  

"Those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

And Elisha prayed, "Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see." 

Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes, 

and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

2 Kings 6:16-17

Email subscribers, click for video.

Interview with Chris Tomlin explaining the meaning of the song

I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind 
The God of angel armies is always by my side
The One who reigns forever
He is a friend of mine

A Call to Be Intentional

“People do not drift toward Holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.”

D.A. Carson in For the Love of God, volume 2

What is your life?

Now listen, you who say, 

"Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, 

spend a year there, carry on business and make money."

Why, you don't even know what will happen tomorrow.  

What is your life?  

You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, 

we will live and do this or that."

James 4:13-15

I had this post ready to publish for over a week.  Interesting how current events can make it seem more relevant as we reflect on how quickly lives of family and friends can be taken from us.  When reading initial reports of the horrible crime in Connecticut, I came across this article by Albert Mohler.

Even in the midst of mayhem and unspeakable grief, we can find hope.  Please read the entire article for the context of his closing statement.  

God, not the murderer, has the last word. For those in Christ, there is the promise of full restoration. Even in the face of such unmitigated horror, there is hope. “There is hope for your future, declares the Lord, and your children shall come back to your own country.”

As we offer all...

We will find our home
We will find our peace
We will fund our rest
In the One who loves

He will light the way
He will lead us home
As we offer all
To the One who saves us

For those planning my funeral

I'm not planning on dying anytime soon, but if I do...will you read this during the service?

I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.  And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes--I, and not another.  How my heart yearns within me.

Job 19:25-27

Shaking off the Chains

Video

Seems like all I could see was the struggle
Haunted by ghosts that lived in my past
Bound up in shackles of all my failures
Wondering how long is this gonna last
Then You look at this prisoner and say to me "son
Stop fighting a fight it's already been won"

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, now I'm not who I used to be
I am redeemed, I'm redeemed

All my life I have been called unworthy
Named by the voice of my shame and regret
But when I hear You whisper, "Child lift up your head"
I remember, oh God, You're not done with me yet

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, now I'm not who I used to be

Because I don't have to be the old man inside of me
'Cause his day is long dead and gone
Because I've got a new name, a new life, I'm not the same
And a hope that will carry me home

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, 'cause I'm not who I used to be

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe every stain, yeah, I'm not who I used to be
Oh, God, I'm not who I used to be
Jesus, I'm not who I used to be
'Cause I am redeemed
Thank God, redeemed

Mike Weaver's story behind the song

Redefining Failure

Our greatest fear should not be of failure 

but of succeeding at things in life 

that don't really matter."

Francis Chan in Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God

Perspective

If I speak with the human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.

If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing.

If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but don't love, I've gotten nowhere.  So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.