Fidelity Faith

From Yancey's book Disappointment With God
Chapter 26:
"Psalm 23 models childlike faith; Psalm 22 models fidelity, a deeper, more mysterious kind of faith.  Life with God may include both.  We may experience times of unusual closeness, when every prayer is answered in an obvious way and God seems intimate and caring.  And we may also experience "fog times," when God stays silent, when nothing works according to formula and all the Bible's promises seem glaringly false.  Fidelity involved learning to trust that, out beyond the perimeter of fog, God still reigns and has not abandoned us, no matter how it may appear."

Moment by Moment...

YOU ARE MY STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS, 
BUT I HAVE TO CALL ON YOUR STRENGTH AND THEN I HAVE TO ACCEPT IT...
TRULY A MOMENT BY MOMENT EXISTENCE

Forever Friends

Disappointed With God?

Reading (again) Philip Yancey's book "Disappointment With God" has blessed and fed the longings of my soul.  I remember my first read reaction - "finally a book that deals with issues of disappointment with God - and those questions: Is God unfair? Is God silent? Is God hidden?

For me, these issues seemed SO personal and relevant only to the here and now...they mattered only in regards to me and my world.  I never considered His feelings.  God is too "God" to consider what HE may have felt or feels.  But as Yancey has led me to consider those feelings, those three questions lost their accusatory base. 

Yancey began his book with the disappointment of other people, giving me that "YES!" attitude...sorta like saying "Sic 'um" to a dog.  But, then, as late as chapter 5 Yancey shared about his two week, totally-isolated-straight-through reading of the Bible.  As he shared his findings, I found myself pausing on nearly every page as I was led to consider my God in a whole new light - how patient, how full of love, how shy to use HIS powers, how hurt, how full of regret, how full of emotions I never considered when I thought about HIM.  Issues I am considering are, once again, affecting my prayer life.

About Faith

Lesson from Yancey's book "Disappointment With God"

                        FAITH is what pleases God

Good devotional thought...

"Trust Me, and don't be afraid. Many things feel out of control. Your routines are not running smoothly. You tend to feel more secure when your life is predictable. Let me lead you to the rock that is higher than you and your circumstances. Take refuge in the shelter of My wings, where you are absolutely secure.
When you are shaken out of your comfortable routines, grip My hand tightly and look for growth opportunities. Instead of bemoaning the loss of your comfort, accept the challenge of something new. I lead you on from glory to glory, making you fit for My kingdom. Say yes to the ways I work in your life. Trust Me, and don't be afraid."
- Jesus Calling, April 15

II Corinthians 10:5

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God AND WE TAKE CAPTIVE  EVERY THOUGHT TO MAKE IT OBEDIENT TO CHRIST."

A Prayer...

The God Who Sees Us...

Thank you God, for your amazing timing in our lives and the lives of friends.

When they heard Charlie's conversation with Per Larsen, two medical people commented on their interest in Jeff Hubali's Endurance House business.

Angel pitcher Hector Santiago gave Landon his medal for the Fun Run at Angel Stadium and was very gracious about having his picture taken with Landon.

To me, these are not coincidences but God's timing of showing HIS watchful care over our lives.

Prayer For America

Sweet Gifts of Love

Kyla gave me a little rock at church on Easter Sunday.  I will treasure it.
It now sits on my desk in a special spot to remind me of that moment.

Grace For All (Me Too!)

Easter Monday

As I have thought about the glorious celebration of Resurrection Sunday and Pastor Doug's challenge to move from the dark side of Easter and live on the light side of Easter, I am CHALLENGED because of the stress of Easter Monday, just 24 hours later.  Reminds me of eating something that tastes SO good and then having intestinal issues a few hours later, and being robbed of the great taste and pleasure of that food.

In mid afternoon Monday we received a phone call that a dear friend of Charlie's was taken to the hospital in an ambulance.  Charlie went to the hospital and then arrived home at 2 am, 11 hours later.  He never left his friend's side (name intentionally omitted).  Now Charlie is back there to encourage and comfort his friend as we wait for tests in this life threatening time.

Possibly this quick downward spiral into life's issues would cause those who don't trust or believe in Jesus to have that bitter after taste like the meal lost I mentioned above.  "Why believe?  Now, where is your Jesus?  The joy didn't last long, did it? Why bother, nothing changed"  But for me, if I didn't have the joy and promises of Resurrection Sunday to carry in my heart through these downward spirals, I would NEVER taste Easter again!  When I accepted Jesus into my life, He didn't say, "ok, Gini, now ALL of life is going to be great!"  But He did promise to be with me ALWAYS, to the end - through the stresses and sorrows, through the fun times with family.  LET ME NEVER FORGET HIS FAITHFUL PROMISE.

Living on the Light Side of Easter...

                                                       MY STORY

When my dad heard my mom was pregnant with me in the mid 1940’s he said, “I could have done without that”… not easy news for a man with an 8^th grade education, barely making ends meet with three children, one of which had severe physical disabilities.  I grew up knowing Dad loved Jesus -  Yet, his hot temper and deeply felt emotions were the traits I took as my own.  I remember him telling me as a young adult, “You need to give the Holy Spirit your temper”.

I grew up totally saturated in church.  At an early age I wanted Jesus in my heart but I grew up with doubts about HIS love for me.  How could Jesus love this strong willed, explosive, insecure being?  It wasn’t until the early years of my married life with Charlie I settled those doubts.  Then I knew I belonged to HIM. But my rebelliousness kept me wandering.  I had settled the eternal destination of heaven or hell, but I hadn’t given Jesus that rebelliousness of “I want to live my way”.

 The Book of Psalms in the Bible speak to me – particularly these words “Know HE is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and great in loving kindness, hearing my cries and keeping me.”  God cares about my day to day existence.  So, He took the initiative.  THE PIVITAL POINT , I call my MY AWAKENING was in 1999 – I had a growth in my brain.  I believe  “GOD TOUCHED MY BRAIN AND SAID – I WANT YOUR ATTENTION.”  I survived this growth but I was left with movement issues and a slight double vision…I accept this as a reminder of HIS touch.  Now, the longings of the Psalms fill my heart. The rebellious issues are still there but more words from the Psalms  help keep me centered.   “Be gracious to ME O God, according to YOUR loving kindness, according to the greatness of YOUR compassions, blot out my transgressions.”         

Again and again HIS timing in my life has been impeccable…I am so glad HE took the initiative because in 2005 our son Brian married Kelsi and in 2008 and 2011 our two grand children, Landon and Kyla were born.  What I would be missing if I continued my wanderings!

Indeed, HE IS RISEN!

Holy Week - Day 8 RESURRECTION SUNDAY

HE IS RISEN...HE IS RISEN INDEED!
A thought from Philip Yancey...Those disciples who lived through Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday knew God in a new way. When God seemed most absent He was closest of all; when He seemed most powerless He was most powerful; when God seemed most dead, He was most alive. NEVER COUNT GOD OUT OF YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES.

WAITING

Holy Week – Day 7 Saturday

Yancey writes: “It is a good thing to remember that in the cosmic drama, we live out our days on Saturday, the in-between day with no name (between Good Friday and Easter Sunday)…written on a tombstone in rural Louisiana in only one word: WAITING”

Oh, How HE loves you. Oh, How HE loves me.

Holy Week – Day 6  Friday

Disturbing and difficult words:  Philip Yancey has us consider this disturbing poem by Sidney Carter:  “But God is up in heaven and he doesn’t do a thing, With a million angels watching, and they never move a wing. It’s God they ought to crucify instead of you and me, I said to this Carpenter A-hanging on the tree.”  Then Yancey comments: “Theologically, the only answer to Carter’s accusation is the mysterious doctrine that in the Apostle Paul’s words, ‘God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.’ In an incomprehensible way, God personally experienced the cross.  Otherwise, Calvary would go down in history as a form of cosmic child abuse, rather than a day we call Good Friday.”  Hmmm

Holy Week - The Garden Struggle

Holy Week – Day 5 Thursday

Yancey writes: “A great struggle was under way, and the Gospels describe Jesus’ torment in a way quite unlike Jewish and Christian stories of martyrdom. ‘Take this cup from me,’ he pled.  These were no pious, formal prayers: ’being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.’  What was the struggle, exactly? Fear of pain and death? Of course, Jesus no more relished the prospects than you or I do.  But there was more at work as well, a new experience for Jesus that can only be called God-forsakenness.  At its core Gethsemane depicts after all, the story of an unanswered prayer.  The cup of suffering was not removed.”

Holy Week Wednesday

Holy Week Wednesday Day 4 of Yancey’s contemplation 

Regarding God, the lover – “Left on my own," says Yancey, "I would come up with a very different notion of God. My God would be static, unchanging; I would not conceive of God ‘coming’ and ‘going.’ My God would control all things with power, stamping out opposition swiftly and decisively…Because of Jesus, however, I must adjust my instinctive notions about God. Jesus reveals a God who comes in search of us, a God who makes room for our freedom even when it costs the Son’s life, a God who is vulnerable. Above all, Jesus reveals a God who is love.”
Gini writes: "Although scripture says God is UNCHANGING and I believe this and know that P. Yancey knows that, I understand what he means here about "unchanging, coming and going". Ponder.