In the Quiet

It's been a longgggg time since I last published a post. It wasn't intentional at first, there were just a lot of other things clamoring for my attention. I'm sure I'm not the only one who gets easily distracted the second life gets a little crazy!

In church as a young child, my dad used to constantly need to remind me to stop wiggling and listen. Sometimes God too commands us to "be still", but it's not meant to be a punishment. Rather, it's a place of safety- of meditation. God is the calm in the center of life's storms. But how often do we fail to stop and listen to that message?

"Be still and know that I am Lord"- Psalm 46:10

We find it so difficult to quiet ourselves down, to shut out all the external voices, stimulation, and things clamoring for our attention. And I think it's because we like it that way. We prefer all the noise because we're afraid to hear the convictions God places on our hearts. It's in the stillness, that we can better communicate with Him.

"But the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any sword, piercing to the soul, and discerning of thoughts and the hearts intentions."- Hebrews 4:12

There's a lot of articles on the internet telling you how to live your life and what to believe, and that plays into part of my hesitation in continuing writing. Words are powerful, and not always for good. My goal in putting my fingers to these keys is to be vulnerable and invite each of you to walk along side me through some of my own personal devotions. Because community is also powerful and the world is a needy place. Let's not go there for sustenance. Only by finding completeness in Our Savior can we go and help others without using them to meet our needs. Only if we live in the light of Our Savior, can our light shine brightly into the world and the lives of others. So let's each make it a goal, not a punishment, to set aside more "quiet time" through reflection, meditation, and God's Word.

I challenge each of you, my friends, to take a few minutes out of your busy day today to go outside, find a quiet spot, lift your face to the sunshine, and spend a few minutes in heartfelt prayer. That's it. That's all I have to say for now. No new message, no new anecdote. Simply sit, pray, and meditate on the awesome power of our Creator and the beauty that is your life. I promise it will do your soul good.

Hi, my name is: Doubting Thomas

I've done a lot of doubting lately. I've doubted if I'm in the right career. Doubted if God is really using me. Doubted if He actually called me to where I am right now. Doubted my gifts and capabilities.

DOUBT: that bitter enemy that creeps into the back of your mind and subtly whispers, "you're not good enough," until you actually believe it.

James 1:6 says, "Whoever doubts is like a wave in the sea that is driven and blown about by the wind."

When you doubt, you allow fear to control you.

Doubt destroys confidence, and not in a good way like that in which humility destroys arrogance.  It limits our potential. It produces fear rather than contentment. It will cause you to miss the opportunities that God puts in your path.

God told Joshua, "Be bold and strong! Banish fear and doubt! For remember, the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9) and this command still rings true for us today.

God is not expecting perfection of us, for that has already been attained in the work of the cross! What He is expecting, is for us to follow in faith. To trust that He has not given us more than we can handle. To believe that He will indeed use us to glorify Him and further His kingdom, no matter how large or small the task may seem.

We can have confidence, because our confidence is in Christ.

photo via Pinterest

Make America Great Again

 

Yes, this post is about to get political, but probably not in the direction you're expecting. Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to rally in prayer with Franklin Graham and thousands of my neighbors on the steps of the State Capitol. It did my heart so much good, because the way we as God's people organize ourselves, matters to our Creator. Already back in Deuteronomy 17:14-20, God lays down some guidelines to ensure that those in authority do not elevate themselves above those whom they exercise power over. It is made clear that leaders are to be humble and not only familiar with, but guided by, God's laws. When the Israelites asked for a massive shift in their God-ordained system, it also shifted the fate of their nation. Like so many Biblical accounts, their demand for a king identical to that of their pagan neighbors contains relevant nuggets of wisdom.

For God knew their selfish hearts. He knew where a king would lead. He also knew they would reject Samuel's warning, but commands him to warn them nonetheless. And Samuel does exactly that, because he lived a life of obedience, and trusted everything to God's hands.

"So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking for a king from him. He said, 'These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take... he will take... he will take... and in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer in that day'... But the people refused to obey... And the Lord said to Samuel, 'Obey their voice and make them a king.'" -1 Samuel 8:10-22

God allows for them to appoint their own king. The people attempt to reject God's rule, yet they cannot escape it. Our Lord is omnipotent: all powerful. He will never abdicate His throne, even if man asks Him to. This underlying issue of fleeing God's sovereignty is not new to us today in America and it was not new to Israel. In fact, this issue begins all the way back in Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve rejected God's rule over them. As sinful mankind, we seek power and autonomy. Yet the "naked truth" is we cannot retain both sovereignty to ourselves and citizenship to the Kingdom of God.

We know how this story ends for Israel. Saul becomes king. It's a mess. We're a mess. But we can rejoice because the King of all Kings comes, dies for us, rises from the grave, and ascends into heaven on the promise that He will come again to establish the only Kingdom that could literally be heaven on earth.

But that is to come, and for now it is important that we learn from the mistakes God's people have made in the past. It's clear that a nation gets the leaders it deserves. This should definitely concern us. What kind of a leader do you think we as a nation deserve in our current circumstance?

We are so blessed to live in a land where "We the People" are the government. We have the ability to unite for truth, love, equality, and justice. There is no substitute for personal responsibility in the home, in the church, and in our community. We have been called to be Samuel's to a country of Israelites. The people might not listen, but we still need to proclaim God's message and live a life of obedience to our One True King. So Samuel, are you ready?

Not Exactly a Fairytale

I've always loved the story of Esther: a small-town orphan girl wins a beauty pageant and the crown she receives is to a real kingdom. At first glance it seems like textbook Disney material, but the "happily ever after" is still "far, far away". Esther has just been plucked from her home and placed in a pagan land. She finds herself married to a controlling ruler who struggles with drinking and rash decision-making. And then, when a plot to destroy the Jews is revealed, she risks it all. Esther could have said, "I don't want to jeopardize my position. No one will ever find out I am a Jew. I am going to be careful and play it safe." Little did she know it was God's plan for her to be there at that specific time in order to rescue her people. A bold girl in the right place at the right time saved an entire nation from annihilation.

The story of Esther is saturated with this theme of God's providence, even though He is never specifically mentioned. God’s supposed "absence" is used by the author to remind us how the Lord works through seemingly ordinary events to achieve His purposes. Esther teaches us that although we often cannot see God in the face of adversity, He is still present and orchestrating all things for our good.

Right now, I feel a little bit like Esther. No, I'm not living in a palace. No, I definitely won't be winning any beauty pageants. But I've left my family and moved to a foreign land alone; a place where I, as a Christian, am definitely in the minority. Esther's story reminds me that God has a specific purpose in bringing me to Salt Lake City. What comfort to know that He created me with this very plan in mind! Whatever overwhelming trial you are currently facing, God has a purpose for placing you in the midst of it. Will you take a stand?

 

Your reply may be, "But how?" Esther wasn't sure of God's plan either. Our next step won't always be clear. There will be times in your life when you've searched Scripture, prayed, sought wise advice, and yet a big unknown still remains. You can definitely take the time to sleep on it. Esther certainly did as she fasted and prayed for three days. But then there comes a point when you can wait no longer. You have to pull up your big girl (or boy) panties and step out in faith.

Today, let’s boldly step out and make ourselves available to God just as Esther did. God has created you, my friend, with a beautiful plan in mind. Perhaps it was for this particular trial, or to simply share the hope of eternal life! Be bold. Be courageous. And take faith. We may not have all the answers, but we certainly serve a God who does!

 
 

Not All Who Wander, Lust.

wanderlust (v.): a strong urge or desire to explore and enjoy the world

This earth is filled with wonder, and my heart with wanderlust.
God has given me such a desire to adventure and explore His dazzling creation.
It used to stress me out as I tried to compile a lengthy bucket-list of all the destinations I've dreamt of visiting, until Sunday when I heard a simple sentence that left a big impact and a content heart:

"the idea of our glorified bodies, gives us perspective to live with moderation"- Michael Spotts

Our bodies and life on earth are temporary, distorted by sin. But as Christians we have hope, because God has promised us the resurrection of both body and soul in Paradise.

"He will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body"

- Philippians 3:21

The hope of having a physical body in the future, helps us to live moderately in the means by which we enjoy the earth God has given us in the now. Before, I was tempted to cram an entire eternity of bodily pleasures in my one mortal experience. How comforting that we don't have to be gluttonous, because there will be enough! How comforting to know that we don't have to be adulterous, because it will be far better to communion with Jesus! How comforting that the New Earth will be a marvelous gallery of God's craftsmanship, and we won't depend on money or other needs to explore it! When you embrace this truth in your heart, it will change the way you live your life. Knowing our time here is limited, we shift our focus to glorifying God, rather than ourselves.

Don't get me wrong. I still possess the desire to experience God's remarkable creation, but no longer the lust. It's not a frantic need, that if unfulfilled before I die, renders me hopeless. Because I know what's awaiting me in eternity is infinitely better. Not only do these assurances provide us with comfort, but we can also have JOY. Why distinguish the difference? Comfort takes the edge off of sorrow, but joy entails pleasure. We find joy by meditating on, and anticipating the next life.

Q: How does "life everlasting" comfort you?
A: Even as I already now experience in my heart the beginning of eternal joy, so after this life I will have perfect blessedness such as no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no man has ever imagined: a blessedness in which to praise God eternally.- Heidelberg Catechism

I am learning to sync my present condition, with the hope of the future. Instead of wandering, I wonder. Instead of lusting, I am content.

*adapted from Michael Spotts' sermon, "Trading in the Old Tent"

"Let Paris Go!"

Last night Paris, a city symbolic of love, cried out in heartbreak.

129 individuals were killed, 352 injured. These people are not just numbers. They are someone's children, someone's spouse, someone's friend.
Our first reaction might be to question, "Where is God in all of this?"
But we can call off the search party, because God has not left us.
He is still here, with you and me. He is still in Syria. He is still in Paris.

Do you remember when God's people were enslaved in Egypt? It seemed by all outward appearances that God had left them. But then He called Moses and commanded him to march before Pharaoh and his army and demand that they "Let My people go!"

Today we might not face Pharaoh and his army, but we do face the very same evil God's people have fought throughout all of history. 

The world can be a dangerous place, but the answer is not to cower from ISIS.

When we give into terror, we give into the very root of their cause.

As Christians, we are to take a stand.

"Be alert. Continue strong in the faith. Have courage and be strong."

-1 Corinthians 16:13

 

Courage has always been a necessary quality among the people of God. Standing for righteousness takes courage. Speaking the truth of the Gospel takes courage. Like Moses, you might be tempted to believe you don't have a voice, that what you say won't make a difference. But God declares otherwise:

"Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."- Joshua 1: 5, 9b

 

I changed my profile picture because it's a small way I can display this courage. A symbol that I back my neighbors, and that we will not let them be picked on without a fair fight. It's a symbol that I stand with Paris and a demand that ISIS "Let God's people go."

It may be weeks, it may be months, it may be years until this enemy is defeated. We might not even see the victory in our lifetime. But of this I have utmost confidence: there will be a day when the victory is won.
"Then comes the end, when He delivers the Kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power"- 1 Corinthians 15:24

An Open Letter

"Measuring sticks try to rank some people as big and some people as small, but we aren’t sizes. We are souls. There are no better people or worse people, there are only God-made souls. There is no point trying to size people up, no point trying to compare, because souls defy measuring."

-Ann Voskamp

To my little sisters in Christ,

You are beautiful. Each and everyone of you. After all, you bear the very image of God! Any shortcomings you may perceive in your body, personality, gifts, and abilities in comparison to others is an insult to our Creator.
You were created with intention; no flaws or imperfections.
"I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made"- Psalm 139:14

But just in case you don't struggle with low-self esteem enough on your own,
sometimes people will step in to help and do the comparing for you.
Sometimes they will make polls to vote for who they think is prettiest.
Sometimes this will happen even in Christian institutions.

And for that, I'm so sorry.
It breaks my heart that I can't shield you from the hatred and evil in this world.
I pray that you will use these moments as opportunities to witness. To display God's grace. To define true beauty. Because the only thing that can drive out this sort of hatred is love- God's perfect, radiant love. This is a unique opportunity you have been given: "to let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” -Matthew 5:16

 

Lastly, remember that comparison is a deadly weapon. It robs joy. It beats people down. Rather than uniting us, it often drives the church apart. Be ever cautious and slow to judge. "Do not consider his appearance or his height,  for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

-1 Samuel 16:7

your sister,
Kyla

Not Waiting 'til Marriage

If I were to make a list of my flaws, impatience would definitely top it. Waiting is not something I am good at, or enjoy. Then this summer, my Facebook newsfeed suddenly exploded into a Pinterest wedding board.

While I am overjoyed for all my friends who are recently engaged/married, I can't help but notice my blaring singleness in a sea of happy couples. I am an exception to the Christian College norm. How much longer am I going to have to wait to find love?

I've been living under the impression that I deserve a relationship. Why else would God give me this innate desire for marriage? Am I a failure?

Our individualistic culture has bought into the idea that marriage can bring ultimate fulfillment. For many, it is the climax of their happiness. The "first day of the rest of their life."

Marriage is good, but above all we should seek God.

I was pursuing fulfillment and self-worth through my relationships with others, rather than Christ. Often in the church we hear "be the woman God made you to be, focus on that, and then the husband will come." But what if the husband doesn't come?

Don't get sold on a deal, rather than a Savior.

Christ is indeed the source of all blessing, but He is not the magic solution to life's problems-

 He is life itself!

So for now, I'm single and content in it.

Because I've decided I'm not going to wait until marriage.

"Cease striving and know that I am God."- Psalm 46:10

Stop waiting for "The One". Do not put your life on hold. Each day is a gift. Seek joy and growth and opportunities to really live. With a man by my side or not, I want to wake up every morning madly in love with my Savior, Jesus Christ. Every day. For the rest of my life.

"I'd rather have the right God than the wrong man."- Christen Rapske

Set a Fire

Fires are a constant threat here in the forest- especially in the middle of a drought. 
Currently a large fire has expanded to about 2,800 acres, while several hundred other small fires were touched off by lightning. 

But contradictory to Smokey the Bear, I would argue that fire isn't always a bad thing. 
Fires have several very important functions in the life of the Sequoia Forest:
1) it prepares a seedbed
2) it cycles nutrients
3) it removes any excess vegetative growth
4) it removes the threat of insects and disease to the trees

But most importantly, without fire the Giant Sequoia seed would remain trapped. Green cones can live for up to twenty years with viable seeds inside. Fire dries out the cones, enabling them to crack open and sprinkle their seeds on the forest ground. 

Fire plays much the same role in our spiritual lives.

"Fire has a refining element. It is the essence of the Holy Spirit's work. When He comes in power, He also comes to burn up the sin in our lives. He comes with conviction, searching our motives, uprooting our unforgiveness, and shattering our pride."

The Parable of the Sower found in Matthew 13 is the perfect example of this. Our seed of faith faces many obstacles: 
1) hard soil
2) poor root system
3) choking weeds
4) being snatched away
All of which fire helps combat. Although it sometimes appears as a threat, we need the refining work of the Holy Spirit to protect us from other dangers and purify our lives, so that the Word of God may find a viable home in our heart and the seed of faith may take root.

"when anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart... he who has no root, endures for awhile and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the world immediately he falls away... As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful... As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold." - Matthew 13:18-23

"so set a fire down in my soul

that I can't contain and I can't control

I want more of You God,

I want more of You God."- Set a Fire

Faith of a Sequoia Seed

This is it. The last "summer" of my academic career.

I've had the awesome privilege of being one of the camp nurses here at Hume Lake, CA. Nestled deep in the heart of the Sequoia National Forest this ministry affects all it comes in contact with: camper, tourist, and employee (myself included).

Over the course of the past six weeks, the greatest analogy I have been continuously aware of is found in the small, yet mighty Sequoia seed.

The well-known proverb that "mighty oaks from little acorns grow" is more than accurate for this lifeform. Each seed is flat, about the size of a pinhead. Only with time and the right conditions will they grow to be Giants of the Forest attaining a staggering height of 300 feet. However, the odds of an individual seed germinating, surviving, and growing into a mature tree are less than one in a billion (not exactly in their favor). Making this little guy the definition of a miracle.

Sound familiar? It's almost exactly like the Parable of the Mustard Seed found in the Gospel.

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a [Sequoia Seed] it is the smallest of all seeds but when it is grown it is LARGER than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches."- Matthew 13:31&32

On the first day of orientation my boss gave me a Sequoia cone and reminded me of this truth. As she pressed it into the palm of my hand and enfolded my fingers around it she uttered a blessing, which I now leave for you:

"God loves you.

God cares for you.

God has a plan for you."

May your seed of faith continue to grow, so that as you face the mountains of life nothing will be impossible through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. - Matthew 17:20