Unchanging Change

"This could be the year God changes everything"

When I read this quote at the beginning of 2011, something about it stirred my spirit.  I can't say for sure why, but I knew that I knew that I knew that it meant change for me and my family.  You probably have noticed I have had this quote on my blog all year, and as it has remained and I have wondered what God was doing the whole time it has been there.

Of course, I assumed that change that would be all warm and fuzzy.  Change to make our life easier, more "picture perfect".

Can someone play the annoying buzzer from Family Feud please?  Cause I was WAY wrong.

This HAS been a year of change.  A year of unsettling, so to speak.

There have lots of valleys and days of uncertainty, but one thing has not been uncertain.

My God.

Yes, I have begged Him to remove and resolve difficult situations over the past year, and He hasn't.

Yes, I've even been angry with Him at times, and He understood.

When life has seemed very confusing on several occasions, He has remained. 

Unchanged.

You may remember that I began reading the One Year Chronological Bible in January.

In the midst of this year of change, God's word, His voice and presence through it, have been what has sustained me.  Todd began reading it along with me back in the summer and we have both learned so much from the stories of old.  Through each day and every page God has taught me more and more about His nature, His love, His sovereignty, His grace.  And, yes, I could go on and on, but let's just simply say, He has been my Friend who sticketh closer than a brother.

Sometimes the simplest word has made a verse so very profound.

Because the scriptures are arranged in the order in which they happened (as closely as possible, anyway), it has been like reading more of a story instead of just chapters and verses.  The characters have seemed more real and less like characters.  I remember feeling heartbreak when David was separated from his dear friend, Johnathan, he loved him so much.  I have longed for someone like Nathan the prophet in my life.  I awed at the favor bestowed upon Joseph. My heart ached for Moses as he climbed the mountain, knowing it would be his final resting place.  As he reached the top, God allowed him a glimpse of the vast land the Israelites would possess - without him.  How bittersweet it must have been for him to lead the people for so long, yet not experience it.  I could see the disgust in Jesus face at the Pharisees and the love in His eyes when He said, "It is finished."

In the words of Moses, "These instructions are not empty words, they are your life!" Deuteronomy 31:47.  His words have been my life.

In fact, we have started an Adult Sunday School Class and this is our "literature".  If you are interested in joining our class, we would be honored to have you.  I posted an image of the chronological Bible we use, it is the NLT translation. There are several different chronological arrangements out there, and they all differ a little.  These are available at www.amazon.com, www.christianbook.com, www.lifeway.com (ahem - where I just happen to know they are on sale at right now), and I'm sure many other places.  It is even available for Kindle users.  Of course you don't have to have this, you can use your own Bible, but it's so much easier to read along when it is all arranged for you in day by day format without interruptions.  Trust me - I'm speaking from experience.  If you have any questions feel free to email me at beyondsundaymornings@gmail.com or Todd at todd@gospelmissionworship.com.

His words have been the highlight of my 2011.  Although, I am not sad to see 2011 go, I am grateful that He has counted us worthy of the journey and I sure hope to have learned everything He wanted me to learn so that I don't have to repeat this course!

What has 2011 meant to you and yours?  Has God brought about change?  What have you clung to this year?



Royal Princess Daughter Of The King

In Excess

You might think by the title "In Excess" that I am going to talk about the excess of our culture at Christmas time, but that's not it.  There is a different excess I want to visit.

There are lots of things I do in excess. Things I do exceedingly.

I complain in excess.

I talk in excess.

Sometimes I dwell on things in excess.

Sometimes I eat in excess.

There are days when I'm exceedingly lazy.

My kids whine in excess.

My kids fight exceedingly.

When my daughters are doing something exceedingly, I want them to just STOP!  When someone is doing something exceedingly, it tends to get on our nerves.  For example, when a friend is talking exceedingly about a new car or something else for days on end, I just want to say "Get over it!  Everybody knows already!  Let's move on!"

When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 

Matthew 2:10

The magi had joy in excess.

About Jesus.

And they expressed it.

If we had been around those magi when they spotted the star, we probably would have said something like, "Ok - so it's a star, just chill out!" because of the excess of their excitement. 

Their joy about following whatever led them to Jesus was excessive.

Is mine?  Not always.

Is yours?
Why don't we have that same excessiveness when it comes to sharing Jesus?  We should have exceedingly great joy in knowing we have a Savior and in knowing that there is more to life than what this world offers.

Exceedingly great joy.....there are dying people out there who need to see it.

Let's express it like the magi.


Royal Princess Daughter Of The King

Just One Baby

Todd and I were married for four years before our oldest, McKayla was born.  Even though we planned and prepared for her arrival with great excitement, we had no idea the effect she would have on our life.

Having a child changed how we did everything. 

We painted and decorated her room.

We child-proofed our house.

We had showers and parties.

We had to trade cars so the carseat would fit. You should have seen a very pregnant Amy at the car dealership trying to slide behind steering wheels of cars.  I am sure it was quite the sight to behold for onlookers!  Thank you, God, there are no pictures (that I know of). 

And we went to the hospital in labor.

And we went to the hospital in labor.

And we went to the hospital in labor.  No this isn't a typo ;)

Then we brought her home.

And she changed how we did everything.

Not in a bad way, but in a it's-time-to-grow-up-and-be-parents-kind-of-way.

She is still part of every moment of our day.

A part of every decision we make.

She influenced us, in a big way.

Just one baby.

Yet, outside of our home and our extended family, she is just one life. She has not impacted  the world, so to speak.  She has not changed it's course.  Although you couldn't have found a more excited mother, she was just one baby born among many that day.  In fact, according to babycenter.com, just over 4 million babies are born in the United States each year.  That's a lot of babies, but those other 3,999,999 babies born that year didn't necessarily make a huge difference in my life.

But Jesus did.

He was just one baby born on one day, but He has impacted the entire world.

Past world.

Present world.

Future world.

Just one baby.

With a God-sized impact.

Just think about how that One Baby impacts the life of the one reading these words and at the same time impacts the life of someone else on the other side of the globe. 

He impacted rulers, governments, nations - and still does.

He impacted families, faiths, communities - and still does.

He impacted eternity - and still does.

Jesus, it's hard to wrap my mind around the far reaching impact You have made on this world and are still making.  When I think of my life and the lives far from me it is amazing to think that your hand of grace can reach all the way around the globe so that your influence misses no one.  You can whisper to the heart of someone stuck in traffic on a crazy freeway, horns blaring, and at the same time whisper to my heart as I am snug within my home on a little country lane.  You have it all in your hand, your impact never stopping. And You never tire, never bore.  You just keep impacting.  Life after life.  Soul after soul.  Thank You, Jesus for coming as Just One Baby to change the life of every baby.  And thank You, Father, for sending Him.


Royal Princess Daughter Of The King

One Thing

I know many of you are probably feeling a little "stretched" right now.  Stretched for time, stretched  for money, stretched for patience.

And I would dare to say, your spirit is feeling stretched too.

Just stop.

Stop for just a second.

Slam the door on all the junk for a minute and find something, one thing, to praise Him for.  Just one thing.

I promise you, based on the nature of Almighty God, it will medicate your situation.  It will bring healing to a dry irritated heart like soothing balm.

It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp.  For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the works of your hands.  How great are your works, O Lord, how profound your thoughts! Psalms 92:1-5

Father, I stop.  I slam the door on everything else and praise you for one thing in this one moment you have given me.  I praise You for the stirring I feel within my heart when I look upon a picture of my family.  The family that You have given me.  That love I feel is so intense, it can come from no one other than You and makes me shudder at the thought of how much the Ancient of Days loves me.  Oh God, how can You feel the same when You look down from your throne upon my face?  I don't know how your love is so boundless, but You have assured me that it is and for that I am so thankful.  One more time your Word proves true to my soul - IT IS GOOD TO PRAISE THE LORD.......Amen

http://www.bellaphotography.smugmug.com/

Now, it's your turn.

Will you stop for just one moment and praise Him for one thing? 

Just one.

Or will you continue on doing today your way?

 I promise, His way is better.

Post a comment.  Make it public! - Tell us what you praise Him for.   Praise is contagious.

It makes you feel all giggly inside...........


 
Royal Princess Daughter Of The King

Merry Mas

I read a church sign near my home a few days ago that said something like this:

MERRY MAS

JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME RING WITHOUT CHRIST, DOES IT? 

Thinking about the message of the sign as I drove on, I thought how goofy "Merry Mas" sounded, and the more I said it to myself, the more clearly I began to hear something totally different. 

I began to hear mess.

M. E. S. S.

A mess.

I don't know about you, but I have enough messes in my life to clean up without creating another one.  And a mess is exactly what we're left with when we don't focus on Christ during the Christmas season.
I actually remember getting in trouble from my mom one year when I was little for writing "X-Mas".  Of course, I didn't understand the magnitude of it then, but now - I totally get it.  The phrase "Keep Christ in Christmas" has been used so much in recent years, that it seems to have little impact, but the concept is vitally important to enjoying and not dreading this time of year. 

There is one way to keep Christ in Christmas that is very, very simple.  This will require no more time than you are already giving to the season.  You are already hearing Christmas music on the radio, in stores, and on television, aren't you?  This is really simple - just engage your mind.  Let the words of songs like Silent Night penetrate through the to-do lists and the to-buy lists in your mind and seep down into your soul......I might be crying when Silent Night ends, but it's certainly not a bah humbug cry.  They are tears of gratitude, tears of worship to the One calms me. 

I challenge you to reflect on the words of the old Christmas Hymns and let them draw a picture in your mind of that lowly stable, those quaking shepherds, the glory streaming from Heaven, and the angels singing Alleluia.

What a blessed night.

What are some ways you and your family keep Christ in Christmas? 




Royal Princess Daughter Of The King