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