Moving on Up

In the category of major life changes, I suppose I should let you know that on Saturday, we are leaving The District, our home for the past four years, and heading for beachier pastures.  Virginia Beach, here we come! 

This means that once again, my current residence looks like this.

Have I mentioned I hate moving? 


And while my heart is overflowing at the gift I feel we've been given in this opportunity, at times, my heart is also anxious and overwhelmed.  Thinking to myself, "Are we crazy to leave the friends, city, and security that we're comfortable with and try to start over?  I mean, Virginia Beach doesn't have Josie, Whole Foods, or Anthropologie.  What are we thinking?"  

Yet in those times, I'm reminded that through change and uncertainty, God is with us.  When He calls us to new opportunities, He doesn't send us alone, but He goes before us.  He is the God whose love for us is so all-consuming that He promises "whether we look to the left or to the right, we will here a voice behind us saying, 'this is the way, walk in it."  He is also the God who assures us that He "will lead the blind by ways they do not know."  (Isaiah 42 and 30)



He is the One who knows our way.

And so, on this rainy morning, with my heart open and my hands shaking, I say,  

"Let's go God!  You are my God, the one who created me and who knows me (Psalm 139).  You promise to fulfill the purposes You have for me and never to abandon the work of Your hands (Psalm 138).  You are the One who will not leave me or forsake me (Hebrews 13).  You are my God, my times are in Your hands (Psalm 31).  I. Will. Trust. You.     

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped." 

Psalm 28:7

Extensive Love

(Originally Published in February, 2009)

“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ”

Ephesians 3:17

I love how the verse above so adequately describes Christ’s love for us. There is no greater love than the love of Christ. His love is all consuming. His love is complete and covers every part of who we are and what we need.

His love is wide—it infinitely stretches from one corner of the world to the other. He forgives us our sins and remembers them no more. He will never stop loving us.

His love is long—from the day we were born and for the rest of our lives, Christ’s love will remain. His love meets us where we are each day. He is our portion and He never tires of loving us. His love endures forever.

His love is high—it follows us to the mountaintops and rejoices with us, He fills our hearts with joy. His love is rich and satisfies our desires.

His love is deep—when we’re in our darkest hour, when we’re in the depths of despair, when we’ve done something so horrible there’s no way He can go on loving us, His love is there. Christ’s love follows us down to the pit, meets us where we are, and showers us with His love, mercy, and grace.

I know a lot of us know that Christ loves us, but when we really sit and examine just how extensive His love for us is it draws our hearts to Him. We want more of Him. We long for Him.

We’ve been reading Ephesians 3 in church for the past 4 weeks, and as I pour over this verse, and read of His incredible love for me, I’m left with an increased longing for Christ. I want more of His love. My prayer is that as we look at just how encompassing His love for us is our hearts will be awakened to long for more of Him.

You are incredibly loved.

Freeze

True confession: there are some days where my desire to have five blog posts each week trumps my desire to actually get my head and my heart into the presence and word of God.  The ironic thing is that without actually taking the time to spend with God, I have nothing to say.

This morning, I was faced with that predicament and feeling that blogging was more important since I didn't post yesterday.  Almost instantly, I felt God whisper, "what about me?"

How quickly I forget.

And so I sat in stillness for ten minutes.  I didn't read, I didn't write, I just sat and I prayed, "Lord, draw me closer."  And in those ten minutes, I felt God draw me in, refresh me, and restore me.  I felt consumed by His love for me and His desire to have all of me.  I was reminded once again that though I may wander, and my mind is rattling off a 100 item to-do list throughout the day, there is nothing of greater value to me than sitting in the presence of God and knowing Him more deeply.   

Something I've been clinging to lately is the consistency and stability of our God.  (more on that here)  Everything may be changing around us, our world may seem like it's spinning out of control, but our God remains.  He remains, and each day, He is our ultimate source and provider, no matter how many times we need to be reminded.

So today, if you feel overwhelmed, anxious, busy, or distracted I challenge you to pause.  Even for five minutes, take time to be still and meet with God and allow Him to sustain you.

Here's a great verse to get you started.  This week, I've been reading it like ten times a day.  I can't get enough!  He is our constant source of stability—love, love, love it!    

“He is your constant source of stability; 

He abundantly provides safety and great wisdom; 

He gives all this to those who fear Him.” 

Isaiah 33:6 NET  

He will be the sure foundation for your times,
       a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;
       the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.

Isaiah 33:6 (NIV)

Guest Post from Cally!

Photo by Matt Allen

Happy Friday!  As if Friday couldn't get any more fabulous, we get to hear from my younger (but wiser) sister Cally today!

So after reading Elizabeth's post yesterday, I was completely tracking with her, since this week on Tuesday I was more of an emotional wreck than I usually like to be, and by the time I read her blog on Wednesday, I was feeling like life was great, God was great, and I was doing just fine!

So I started thinking, why am I so quick to question the Lord when I'm frustrated and impatient but praise the Lord when things are going my way? 

I am in an interesting season of life, in that I am trying to start my own business right out of college, and I have moved back home with my parents because the cash flow doesn't yet exist.  There are days when I am eager to get out of bed, read my Bible, and start working, feeling fully confident that this is exactly where the Lord wants me. 

But there are also days when I hit snooze 12 times, reminding myself that "no one will know," and then spend the day frustrated that a possible partnership didn't work out or because I receive a look from a neighbor that says, "Your poor parents.  I thought all that tuition money was intended so that you could be successful and get your own house."  On those days, I immediately question the Lord's plan for my life and start looking for "real jobs."  And on days like today, after seeing a high and a low so close together, I feel like a fickle, emotional girl.

I have been reading through Psalms, and on Tuesday I read Psalm 7, where David seemed a bit stressed out:

Save me from my persecutors—rescue me!

On Wednesday, I read Psalm 8, which begins,

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

Those are two exclamations to which I could completely relate.  Even David went through times when, just like Elizabeth's running, some days are wonderful and you could run for miles.  Then there are other days when you pray with every step that you might sprain your ankle so you can call someone to pick you up and take you home. 

The important thing to remember in all of this is that even when we are emotional basket cases, the Lord is constant. 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Hebrews 13:8

He invites our questions, doubts, and fears, but He also wants us to praise Him through our circumstances.  I know there are still going to be days when I just need to cry and be frustrated, but even on those days, I need to be praising the Lord.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21

A New Day

(Cue Celine Dion singing "A New Day Has Come....")

So, I'm attempting to run again.  I can assure you this is definitely a process and something that I struggle with each and every day, but I'm still working on it.  I signed up for a little race at the end of October, hoping it would give me some extra motivation.  One thing I'm learning is that some days I feel amazing, where others, I trudge along feeling utterly defeated.

Last Saturday, was a gorgeous day, and I decided to embark on a little run.  To my utter shock and surprise, I actually enjoyed it!  I never had to stop and I ran a little bit further than normal, and then when I came back to my apartment, I even ran past it because I wasn't ready to stop.  I mean, this is one of the closest things I've ever had to an outer body experience.  Who was this eager little runner?  Not me!

Fast forward to Tuesday...I thought "wow, since I totally dominated my last run, why not add an extra mile?  Easy peasy!"  So, Tuesday I embarked with a brand new pair of running shoes, and I even added new songs to my running mix (which hadn't been updated in a year and a half).  So with Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson, Kei$ha, and Glee to keep me company (I know, I know, great taste!) I was on my way!

It only took about two minutes into Kelly Clarkson to realize this was going to be rough.  It was hot, I was tired, and I wasn't as spry as I was on Saturday.  I waddled along determined  not to give up, but I struggled through the entire run.  I had to stop a few times to walk and each time I did not want to run again.  I did go an extra mile, but I'm not sure we could call it running.

Anyways, as I was walking home, feeling incredibly defeated, I couldn't help but compare the two runs.  One was fun, breezy, and enjoyable.  The other was hot, long, and incredibly difficult.  How can I keep going?  I reminded myself of Anne of Green Gables' beloved teacher Miss Stacey when she tells her, "Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it."  

I always thought she was quoting a Bible verse, but to the best of my knowledge, I've never been able to find it.  However, Miss Stacey has a great point.

Tomorrow is a new day.  Similar to my drastically different runs, I think this comparison is also easily manifested in my faith as well.  Some days, are fun, exciting, and I just can't get enough of God.  Other times, I don't have the endurance, I make mistakes, and I feel like such a failure.  "God, how was I so quick to disappoint you again?"

Thankfully, in our faith journey, each day is a new day.  Each day, God's mercies are new.  Each day, no matter what the previous one may have looked like, God awakens us, loves us, and let's us soak in His goodness, love, and mercy.

Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
      Because His compassions fail not.
       They are new every morning."

Lamentations 3:22-23 

"Morning by morning Your mercy awakens my soul."

Hillsongs

"The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
       he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
       he enables me to go on the heights."

Habbakuk 3:19

Thank you Lord for each new day!

Love One Another

"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."

John 15:12

Love one another—as the most extremely selfish person on the planet, this one is a tough one for me.  Putting people before myself is not in my nature. 

Last week, I had two little instances where I experienced the love of others in two small ways and it has challenged me to be more intentional at how I'm loving the people around me—my family, friends, neighbors, and even rand-o people on the street.  

First, I came home one night to discover a package with my name on it.  I wasn't expecting anything, so I was slightly puzzled.  I opened it up to find a book on prayer from my sweet friend Meg.  During our little mini-series on prayer , she thought I would enjoy it.  Meg is one of my favorite people in the world, so the thought that she would take the time in the midst of a demanding law school schedule to find and purchase a book for me, meant so much!  I felt incredibly loved.

A few days later, I was running (an extremely new concept to me that you may hear about more as I'm "training"  for a 10K at the end of October).  Towards the end of my run, I was struggling (as in about to keel over and die).  Suddenly a woman on her bike breezed by and gave me a little fist pump and a thumbs up to spur me on.  As cheesy as it sounds, I felt so loved by this stranger.  Clearly, I looked as if I was about to fall over and her little act of encouragement kept me going.  That a sporty cyclist would even take time to say, "You're doing a great thing, keep it up!" meant so much to my nonathletic self and gave me a burst of energy to keep going and finish stronger than I started.

Love one another.  

Jesus cares that we love His children, those we know, and those we don't.  We're called to love those that He puts in our lives.  As hard as it can be for me to love those around me, in thinking about how grateful I am to receive love from others, why do I hold back? 

"Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

John 13:34

I talk all the time about God's incredible love for us, but Jesus tells us "just like I love you, you need to love others."  I'm always eager to receive God's love for me, but when it comes to reciprocating that love to others, I often don't.  

Love one another.

Who doesn't love to feel loved?  Loving others is not only a great way to honor and obey God, but it's also a wonderful way to indirectly reveal a glimpse of God's love to others.  It doesn't have to be fancy, or involve a loquacious soliloquy, just love each other.  

"No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."

1 John 4:12

I'm not one to be giving advice on how to love others, but I think a great place to start is an extremely familiar passage found in Corinthians:

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)

Love never gives up.
   Love cares more for others than for self.
   Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
   Love doesn't strut,
   Doesn't have a swelled head,
   Doesn't force itself on others,
   Isn't always "me first,"
   Doesn't fly off the handle,
   Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
   Doesn't revel when others grovel,
   Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
   Puts up with anything,
   Trusts God always,
   Always looks for the best,
   Never looks back,
   But keeps going to the end. 

(The Message)

Love one another.

Abide Part 2

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love."

John 15:9 (NKJV)

Yesterday, we looked at just how strongly and deeply we are loved in Christ.  So much so, that His love for us mirrors the same love and devotion that God has for His precious Son.

Today, I want to look at the second part of the sentence where Jesus urges us to abide in His love.  Here, we see Jesus depicting His unfathomable love for us and uses it to draw us in and invites us to dwell, remain, and hold fast to His perfect love.  

But just like any love, true love requires sacrifice.  We see it in the way God loved His Son, yet sent Him to die, and in the way Jesus loved us by dying for us.  To abide in Christ's love requires sacrifice as well.  

Andrew Murray author of Abide in Christ explains, "Love gives all, but asks all.  It does so, not because it grudges us anything, but because without this it cannot get possession of us to fill us with itself."  

He continues to explain that this sacrifice is not so we can suffer or lack anything, rather "the love that calls us has infinite riches and fullness of joy for us, and that what we give up for its sake will be rewarded a hundredfold in this life...it is a love with a height and a depth and a length and a breadth that passes knowledge!"

If we truly begin to grasp that, "how all thought of sacrifice or surrender would pass away, and our souls be filled with wonder at the unspeakable privilege of being loved with such a love, of being allowed to come and abide in it forever."

To abide in Christ's love will require sacrifice.  It will require giving things up, loving things less, and making Him your heart and soul's number one priority.  But it is so worth it.  The Bible says that we can't even conceive what God has prepared for those who love Him! 

Abiding in Christ's love isn't something forced upon us, rather it's choosing to willingly surrender your heart and recognize His infinite love for you.   To boldly and freely declare, "Lord Jesus Christ!  Here I am.  From now on, Your love will be the only home of my soul; in Your love alone will I abide.  I can trust You.  I do trust You.  Keep me abiding in You."       

Abide.

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love."

John 15:9 (NKJV)

One of my favorite words for the year is dwell, but equally challenging, if not more so is abide.  In John 15, Jesus urges his followers to abide in Him.  We often talk about Jesus' invitation to come to Him, but once we accept, it's easy to overlook the invitation to come and actually remain—to abide in Him and with Him, and experience the joy of living firmly rooted in Him alone.

In John 15:9, we see Jesus urging us to abide in His love.  What I love about this is that before He asks us to abide in His love, He precedes the invitation by depicting His love for us. 

We've looked at God's love many times on this blog, but here I love how Jesus describes His love:  "In the same way the God of the Universe and My Father loves me, His only Son, that is how I love you!"

Wow!  Jesus loves us the same way His heavenly, perfect, all-powerful Father loves Him.  Isn't that amazing?

Andrew Murray, author of the book Abide in Christ (an amazing book based on John 15) writes of this Love:

"This love of God to His Son must serve as the glass in which you are to learn how Jesus loves you.  As one of His redeemed ones, you are His delight, and all His desire is to you, with the longing of a love that is stronger than death and that many waters cannot quench.  His heart yearns after you, seeking your fellowship and your love.  Were it needed, He could die again to possess you.  As the Father loved the Son and could not live without Him—could not be God the blessed without Him—so Jesus loved you.  His life is bound up in yours; you are to Him inexpressibly more indispensable and precious than you ever can know.  You are one with Himself.  "As the Father hath loved me, I also have loved you."  What a love!" 

He continues to describe in detail how His love for us is eternal, perfect, gentle, and unchangeable. 

Tomorrow we'll look more at the call and prompting to abide in Jesus' love, but before getting into that, once again, I wanted to remind us of how deeply and perfectly loved we are by Christ.

 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you..."

Linking Up

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

2 Corinthians 9:8

This morning I'm facing a little writers block this morning and since I never want to post just to post, I'll leave you in the hands of three incredibly talented and insightful women.  Enjoy! 

• The Beauty In Another by Sara Hagerty

• Thin Places In The Day to Day by Amy Julia Becker

• Spiritual Nesting by Eliza Joy Capps 

Happy Friday! 

Falling In Love

We've talked this week about awakening our hearts to loving God, but where does that start?  This is by no means all-encompassing, but here are three practical ways to get started:

1.  Pray—ask God for a heart that loves Him above all else.  In high school, my small group and I would pray together that we would "be so in love with Jesus that nothing else would matter."

2.  Praise God—through journaling, prayer, or reading scripture, tell God who He is, what He's done for you, and declare your love for Him. (the Psalms are a great place to start)

 "I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy.  Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!

... How kind the Lord is! How good he is!  So merciful, this God of ours!  The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me.  Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me.  

He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.  And so I walk in the Lord’s presence as I live here on earth!"
Psalm 116:1-2, 5-9 (NLT)

3.  Worship Through Song—similar to the way that love songs can move our hearts and evoke different emotions in us, I have found the same to be true with worship music.  For me, worship is one vehicle where God awakens my heart and draws me deeper into His presence.  Below are two of my favorite love songs:

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Jesus Lover Of My Soul by Hillsong

Jesus, Lover of my soul,
Jesus, I will never let you go
You’ve taken me from the miry clay
You've set my feet upon the Rock, and now i know

I love you, I need you,
Though my world may fall, I’ll never let you go
My Savior, my closest friend,
I will worship you until the very end

The More I Seek You by Kari Jobe

The more I seek you,
the more I find you.

The more I find you,
the more I love you

I wanna sit at your feet
drink from the cup in your hand.
Lay back against you and breath,
hear your heart beat

This love is so deep,
it's more than I can stand.
I melt in your peace, it's overwhelming

All Our Heart

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."

Deuteronomy 4:4-6

How important is it that we're loving God?  So important that when asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37)

It's one thing to read it, but it's quite another to put it into practice.  Especially, when there are so many relationships here that can easily slip into the number one spot.  

For much of high school and college, I fell into a cyclical pattern where if there were no guys in my life, my heart was all about Jesus.  I embraced my singleness as a way to take time to love God and enjoy His love for me.  Then, the minute a guy entered into the picture, God would quickly fall down the rankings as my heart quickly followed after someone else.  In each instance, I eventually discovered that those relationships could never satisfy, and once again I would be back praying, journaling, and talking about how I desperately wanted a heart devoted to loving God.

Maybe it's just me, but when it comes to loving God, guys can be a distraction.  Men give us the tangible affection and attention that we long for, and when that happens, it's easy to lose sight of our desire to simply love God.

When Bernie and I were engaged, I was praying one day for our relationship and felt God speak to me about this.  I knew wanted to marry Bernie, but I suddenly became fearful and anxious of missing God's plan.  I was lying on the floor praying (sometimes that's where my most desperate prayers take place) and I remember hearing the Lord whisper to my heart, "Elizabeth, this is my best for you!  Enjoy this relationship I have given to you, but you and Bernie must always remember to love me first." 

Those words are now permanently impressed upon my heart.  Not in a haunting way, but more of a loving challenge.  Am I loving God first?  Is He truly my heart's first desire?  Is there someone or something that has taken His place?  

This commandment is not because God doesn't want us enjoying relationships here on earth.  God created Eve so that Adam wouldn't be alone.  

No matter what our current status may be—single, married, dating, man eater—God is a God who desires our hearts.  Not so that our lives can be boring, but so that we can experience more of the abundance and fullness that is found when we're fully devoted to Him. 

God is after our hearts, and I think it's time we freely and joyfully give them to Him and see what happens!

Love The Rest Less

Last week, we spent some time looking at God's incredible love for us and were reminded that He is with us, mighty to save, delights in us, and rejoices over us. 

I hope you're increasingly aware of God's incredible, unfathomable, unconditional love for you.   There is no one who will ever be capable of loving you as perfectly as God.

This week, I want to look a little more at our own hearts.  Even though we dabble in topics on Long To Love, the original premise of this blog began as a way to awaken our hearts to pray and cultivate deeper love relationships with God.  Stemming from the prayer, "Lord, more than breathing, I deeply desire a heart that is wholly, fully, and completely in love with you." 

I long for a heart that simply loves God.

Last week, at my parents church in Virginia Beach, their pastor referenced Luke 14:26 that says,

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple."

He acknowledged, that to many, that sounds a little harsh.  A passage that might make people stop and think, "thanks, but no thanks."  I mean, hate?

He went on to explain that the word for hate actually means to "love less"  Therefore, this passage is ultimately saying "If you come to me and don't love your family, yourself, your job, your possessions, etc. less than me, you can't follow me."

Do I love everything in my life less than I love Jesus?  Not exactly, but oh, how I long to!

Jesus is looking for hearts that are fully committed.  Ones that say, "Above all else, you are the One my heart longs for.  Earth has nothing I desire besides You." (Psalm 73:25)

"For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." 

2 Chronicles 16:9

Who/What do we love the most?  As difficult as it may be to hear, if it's not God, it's not worth it.  It's time to reawaken our hearts and remember our first and most important Love.     

Lord, you are the one my heart longs for.  There is none that comes close to comparing with you.  I pray that I will have a heart that loves you above all else.  Nothing in my life is as important to me as you.  I pray that my heart will be fully and completely committed to You alone.

He Will Rejoice

By now, I'm sure many of you know that one of my all time favorite verses in Zephaniah 3:17:

"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

It's an incredible promise that assures us of how God cares for us and how He loves us.   This verse is one of my lifelines when I'm scared, praying for miracles, insecure, overwhelmed, anxious, and in need of love.  It's kind of like a one stop shop.   I take so much comfort in claiming the truths contained in this one small verse.      

1.  My God is with me.

2.  My God is mighty to save.

3.  My God delights in me.

4.  My God quiets me with His love.

5.  My God rejoices over me.

If you're looking to memorize some scripture, this one is a great place to start.  Write it on an index card and place it by your mirror, in your car, or at your desk and be confident of who God is and how He loves and cares for you.

Yesterday I went running (yahoo!!) and the following song came on my I-pod based off of this verse.  The youtube video is a little rough, but the sound is great.  Enjoy!



He Will Rejoice by Trevor Morgan:
E-mail subscribers click here.

You can also listen to it here.

Loving God No Matter What

John Stone

Today, as I think about love, I'm reminded of a post a wrote nearly a year and a half ago about the Stone Family.  In it, I referenced something Mary Elizabeth wrote on her blog that continues to stay with me.  In the midst of her pain and suffering Mary Elizabeth wrote, “Pray we will love God simply for who He is rather than idolizing what He is able to do or what He does not seem to be doing."

I just love the heart behind those words.  Pray we will love God simply for who He is.  It's so easy to overlook that, especially when the pain and difficulties of this world can so easily overshadow it.

Through a journey filled with mountains and valleys, God has brought the Stone family so far.  This week will mark John's one year anniversary of seizure freedom!  Last night, Mary Elizabeth posted a call to prayer on her blog.  I definitely encourage everyone to check it out.  God continues to move mightily, but they still need out prayers.  Will you join us in covering John and the Stone family in prayer this week? 

Below is the original post I wrote on April 16, 2009


A lot of your know our friends Mary Elizabeth and Meade Stone. Nearly a year ago, they found out they were pregnant with twins. After a very long pregnancy, including nearly six months of bed rest, their beautiful boys, John and Warren were born on January 21st. Two days later, both boys began having seizures and the doctors were unsure what was happening.

Sadly, three and a half weeks later, precious Warren went to be with the Lord and was welcomed into heaven with open arms. At Warren’s memorial service, I was blown away by the incredible presence of the Lord, and the unwavering faith shown by his dedicated parents. In the midst of their extreme hardship, they were able to turn their eyes to Jesus and look to Him for the healing, peace, and comfort they desperately needed. On my drive back to Washington, I spent some quality time with my friend Anna Kate debriefing and discussing how unbelievably powerful Warren’s service was. I told her, I just kept sitting there thinking, “I need more of Jesus. Not only do I need more of Him, I so desperately want more of Him in my life.”

Their lives will never be the same they still ache for the loss of the son, but even though it was short, Warren’s life had incredible weight and eternal significance. During that service, hearts were drawn to the Lord in an indescribable way and God used Warren’s life to touch the lives of everyone there. Warren was made for eternity.

Currently, Mary Elizabeth and Meade continue to fight for their sweet John and continue to pray for a miracle. Mary Elizabeth has been so eloquently depicting this journey since the birth of her boys with powerful, Spirit filled updates. The Monday after Easter Sunday, she wrote an entry that moved me to tears. I can’t begin to do it justice, so I encourage you to visit it here. One of the lines that struck me was, “Pray we will love God simply for who He is rather than idolizing what He is able to do or what He does not seem to be doing. “

I couldn’t believe it. This aching mother’s heart was asking for prayers to simply love God for who He is. No matter what happens. In the midst of the grief, hardship, and despair, she wants them to love God. I can’t begin to imagine, but I’m once again reminded of the importance of loving our Father. Even when we don’t understand, we’re angry, discouraged, and upset, He is still worthy of our love and we have the ability to put our hope in Him.

On Wednesday, they posted a positive update, which is such a praise! Still, even though things are looking up for John, we can’t stop praying! They are fighting a spiritual battle and they need our prayers.

The Stone Family Easter Sunday

During this Easter, I was reminded again of the incredible HOPE that we have in Christ. At the end of each service at my church, we say together a Kenyan prayer:

"All of our problems, we send to the cross of Christ;
all of the our difficulties, we send to the cross of Christ;
all of the devil's works, we send to the cross of Christ;
and all of our hopes, we set on the risen Christ"

Alleluia, The Lord is Risen! He has conquered death and we are now are free to send our problems, difficulties, and the devil’s works directly to the cross, and place ALL of our hope on the Risen Christ!”

“And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God…And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured our his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” Romans 5:2,5

There is so much about life that I don’t understand. In the midst of all of the pain, unknown, and uncertainty, God is faithful to fulfill His promises and even when it’s hard to see, we can’t stop believing in Him. There is incredible Hope in the resurrection of our Savior. Even when we don’t know how, or why, He is worthy of our love. It’s okay if we don’t always feel it, but we need to pour out our hearts to Him and tell Him. No matter what are emotions may be, at the end of the day, God is faithful and even when we’re suffering, He loves us unconditionally.

I know I have a long way to go. Oh, how I desperately desire a heart that longs to love our Father more and more no matter what the surrounding circumstances may be.

Jesus, even when I don’t understand, It’s truly all about You. Give me a heart that daily longs for more and more of You. Despite my circumstances, I deeply desire to love you.

Ever After

Brace yourselves, friends, we may get a little cheesy today.  (Sorry, Josie)

Once of the all time classic love stories is the story of Cinderella.  Here we have a girl whose fate has led her to serve at the hands of her wicked step mother and two evil step sisters.  Until one night, with a little bibadeebobbideeboo, she receives the chance to go to the ball and dance with the prince.

Boy and girl meet, boy and girl fall for one another, the clock strikes midnight, and their love story seems to be over.  Cinderella goes back home holding on to mere memories of her magical night. 

But their story is not over, the prince is so captivated by Cinderella that he stops at nothing until he finds her.  He doesn't want any of the other maidens in the land, he only wants Cinderella and will stop at nothing until Cinderella is his.

Below is my favorite clip from Ever After.  I admit, it's strange to see Drew Barrymore playing this role, but I've learned to look past it.  What I like is the way the prince searches for her, finds her, and then rescues her.  Yes, I know how cheesy this is, but I still love it!  (It gets good around 1:30.  E-mail subscribers click here. I apologize in advance for the cheesy title page, but it's the only version I could find.)




I don't know about you, but I love to feel desired and pursued.  I want to know there is someone out there who longs to be with me.  Someone who knows my best and my worst, and still chooses to love me through all of it.

In so many ways, we all have a little Cinderella in us and we are all capable of her happily every after.

God so desperately wants us to come to know a relationship with Him, that He seeks and pursues each one of us.  In the New Testament, Jesus tells a story in Matthew 18 of a shepherd who has 100 sheep and one wanders off.  What does he do?  He leaves the 99 and searches determinedly for the 1, because that one is loved and that one little sheep matters. 

"And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost."

Matthew 18:13-14

Jesus does not want us to wander around searching and lost, He wants us to be found.  He longs for us to be His because He cares so deeply for us and He loves us with a perfect, everlasting love.  

And when He finds us, He gathers us up, tells us we are loved, and He sweeps us away.   It is then, that we find our happily ever after begin to unfold.

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you in with loving-kindness."

Jeremiah 31:3

All beautiful you are, my darling;
       there is no flaw in you...Arise, my darling,
       my beautiful one, and come with me.  See! The winter is past;
       the rains are over and gone.
Song of Solomon 4:7, 2:10-11 

Love.

Jennifer Garner in 13 Going on 30

Oh Love.  Similar to prayer, love is a tough one to cover on this little blog.  Like Madonna's career through the years, love takes on many forms—God's love for us, our love for God, our desire to be loved, our love for others, our lack of love for others...it's hard to know where to start.

One great place to start with love is a form most women are all too familiar with: The Chick Flick.  Who doesn't love a good chick flick?  Through the years, I've been supported by my friends While You Were Sleeping, How to Lose A Guy In 10 Days, 13 Going on 30, and My Best Friend's Wedding.  Whenever I needed a friend, they were faithful to support me and make me long for and believe in love.

One of the reasons I think Elizabeth Gilbert's journey in Eat, Pray, Love has become so wildly successful is that after a year of traveling and rediscovering herself, not only does she find herself, but she finds love again.  Just what we want to see!  Her story would not be nearly as sexy if after traveling the world, she went back to her apartment and lived alone.  But instead, she finds a hunky Brazilian and they travel the world.  How's that for a love story?

We love love.  We love the idea of being desired, cared for, and then whisked away into "happily ever after land."

The thing about the romantic love we idealize and long for is that in reality, it's not the fairytale we envision.  Human love is broken and imperfect.  Have you ever noticed that nearly all chick flicks end as they walk off into "happily ever after" but never show what happily ever after entails?  Rarely do we see the couple into marriage, because in real life, we are imperfect and marriage can be tough—reality is rarely the happy go-lucky-story we're wired to believe in.

In our sermon last week, our pastor Tommy referenced our obsession with movies full of true love and said that"humans are not capable of true love and yet we long for it."

Where is this true love to be found?  I'm so glad you asked!

We long for true love, but only One is perfectly capable of meeting this void in our hearts.  So much so, that we could spend our entire lives meditating on this Love and still not scratch the surface.

This Love is perfect.  This Love knows no limits.  This Love is high, deep, wide, and long.  This Love draws us in, captures our hearts and meets us where we are.  The Love will never leave us or forsake us.  This Love is everlasting.  This Love saves us, forgives us, and freely gives us mercy when we have done nothing to deserve it.  The Love supports, protects, comforts, and satisfies.  This Love thinks we are perfectly beautiful. 

There is nothing on this earth that will ever come close to comparing to the love of our Heavenly Father.  Today, may you be completely swept away by His love for you.    

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you in with loving-kindness."

Jeremiah 31:3

"The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” 

Zephaniah 3:17

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him."

2 Corinthians 2:9

The Lord's Prayer Part 3

Today, we're wrapping up the Lord's prayer with the final verse.

(Part 1 and  Part 2)

"And do not lead us into temptation,
      But deliver us from the evil one.
      For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."

Matthew 6:13 (NKJV)

6.  Pray for power over evil: "And do not lead us into temptation...deliver us from the evil one."

Sometimes the notion of evil can be scary and uncomfortable to talk about, but Satan is real.  As Christians, we don't need to cower in fear, but we do need to be praying for protection over ourselves and our family.  We need to be alert and aware and putting on the armor of God.

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty...He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day."

Psalm 91:1,4-5

 

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."

Ephesians 6:10-14

7.  Divine Partnership: "For Yours is the kingdom."

What a gift to share in God's kingdom, power, and glory.  The kingdom, the power, and the glory are entirely His, but the fact that through His love and mercy, we are able to take part, undoes me.  

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world."

John 17:20-24

So just to recap, in looking at the Lord's prayer as a guide or outline to shape our daily prayers, we can recognize and pray over:

1.  The Paternal Need: "Our Father"

2.  God's Presence: "Hallowed be Your Name"

3.  God's Priorities: "Your Kingdom Come"

4.  God's Provision: "Give us"

5.  God's Forgiveness: "And Forgive us"

6.  Power over evil: "And do not lead us into temptation...deliver us from the evil one."

7.  Divine Partnership: "For Yours is the kingdom."

My hope and prayer for each of us is that now, as we look at the guidance Jesus gave us through the Lord's prayer, we will move away from the tendency to simply repeat it when prompted.  Rather, may but we grasp it's depth in new ways and use it to strengthen our daily prayer life.  May we daily discover new joys through these 66 words and continue to cultivate a praying life! 

"Our Father in heaven,
      Hallowed be Your name.
       Your kingdom come.
      Your will be done
      On earth as it is in heaven.
       Give us this day our daily bread.
       And forgive us our debts,
      As we forgive our debtors.
       And do not lead us into temptation,
      But deliver us from the evil one.
      For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."

 

The Lord's Prayer Part 2

In continuing to look at The Lord's Prayer as an outline and guide to shape our daily prayers, today, we're looking at part 2.  A little food and a little forgiveness. 

"Give us today our daily bread.
 Forgive us our debts,
      as we also have forgiven our debtors." 

Matthew 6:11-12

(Click here for 1-3)

4.  God's Provision: "Give us"

Here we see Jesus, the need meeter, telling us to pray daily and ask God to supply our needs.  One thing I think that's so interesting is that it doesn't ask for yearly bread, monthly bread, or even weekly bread, but daily bread.  Each day, praying, telling God what you need for the day, and allowing Him to fulfill you.  Letting God fulfill and provide for us is a daily, and sometimes even hourly, process.  We can't expect to check in at the beginning of the month, but we need to go to him daily.   

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

Matthew 7:34 (NKJV) 

"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:19 (NKJV)

5.  God's Forgiveness: "And Forgive us"

Here, Jesus said, there are two types of forgiveness we need to pray for.  First, we need the forgiveness of our God.  We are all broken and sinful, and despite our best and our worst efforts, we are a people in need of daily forgiveness.  

 Likewise, we need to be willing to extend forgiveness and love to those around us.  Here's where I have the trouble.  It's a lot easier for me to admit my own shortcomings and mistakes, than to forgive those who have wronged me.  But each day, as we pray, Jesus says not only do we need to ask for God's forgiveness, but we need to imitate His mercy and walk in love and forgiveness towards those around us.  

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

Ephesians 4:32

Heavenly Father, thank you for the way that each day, you are more than enough for me.  Today, I pray that you will grant me with every good thing I need for accomplishing your purposes.  Thank you for the way that you daily satisfy and nourish my soul in a way that only you can. 

I also confess to you all the ways I have fallen short.  Please forgive me.  Thank you for your incredible grace that abounds in us.  I pray that you will help me rely on this grace as I forgive those who have hurt or wronged me.  Give me a heart full of love and grace.  It is only with you and through you that I am able to extend forgiveness.  Thank you for the strength and freedom we have in you!  Amen.