After a few dry months, where words were as elusive as water in the wilderness, I finally managed some writing today. I've been trying to write the prequel to Second Chance, starting the story when the Summers siblings first discover their parents' deaths. It journals Jaden's path as he takes on the mantle of head of the family. While dealing with the loss of their parents, Avalin and Quinn also question their faith. I've been stuck 30 pages into the story for months, until today.
I always back up and reread what I have previously written to help refresh my memory and put myself back into the story. I had completely forgotten the last scene I penned, and fully believe it was not a coincidence that today I had the urge to revisit this story.
In the latest scene our characters are at church. In the sermon, the preacher uses a well quoted verse from Jeremiah; "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to give you hope and a future." While one character in the story takes joy in this scripture, the Summers siblings do not. In fact they react with anger, not understanding how they can have hope while facing their personal tragedy.
As I read that, my heart was heavy. Over the past month hundreds in our state (Alabama) have suffered loss through violent storms. Flooding has devastated parts of Tennessee and Arizona. Then Joplin, Missouri was struck just yesterday.
I can't imagine losing a loved one in such a violent way. And while my story is purely fictional, the emotions inherent with loss are real. I sat at my computer struggling to answer the question my characters asked. If God is a loving God, why is he allowing so much destruction? How can we have hope and a future? And as I tried to reconcile the Summers's struggles, this verse continued to play in my mind: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." Psalm 119:105.
How aptly it applies, both to the fictional plot in my story, and more importantly to the struggles in our daily lives.
Right now we may only be able to see the light at our feet, and not the whole path in front of us. I don't know why God has allowed the weather to cause such wide spread destruction. But I do know God is good because his WORD tells me. His word—that promise of his goodness—illuminates the air around me. Though I know not the fullness of his purpose, and cannot see the path in front of me right now, I also know he is faithful. If he says his plans are to give us hope and a future, then we can take him at his word. And when the time is right, he will light our path and allow us to see that future more clearly.
My prayers continue to go out to those who have lost loved ones. I don't mean to trivialize your pain. My own struggles with loss did not come swiftly through physical disaster, but slowly due to age and sickness. So while my experiences may not match yours, the pain of loss still tears at our hearts with the same sorrow and at times seems unbearable.
I hope that you will find comfort in knowing the God of the universe knows your name, and while he has allowed these events to occur, he still loves you. His WORD is full of comfort, and he can give you strength when yours fails.
So hold to hope. Hope that God is still in control. Hope that his mercies are new every morning. Hope that each day you continue here is an opportunity to share Christ's love with others. Hope that in heaven there is no more pain. Hope that the day will come when you will be reunited. Hope.
Showing posts with label Christian living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christian living. Show all posts
Monday, May 23, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Being Made More Like Him
God has been convicting me lately. And since writing my thoughts out sometimes helps me make sense of His message, I hope that truth will speak to you as well.
About a year ago our Sunday School class went through a series on discovering one's spiritual gifts. In the course of that study, we discussed how—though God clearly gives us spiritual gifts that we should work within to best serve him—as we seek to become more like Christ, those latent spiritual attributes may be strengthened.
My gift is teaching. My personality is an introvert and organizer. So my joy comes through sharing the truth with others, through organizing tasks, creating and worshiping through introspection. But I am not gifted in investing emotionally with others.
Fast forward to three weeks ago. Our pastor preached on being committed to serve on the battle ship of the church. He meant that as a Christian, as the Church, every person's role is vital. Too many times people are willing to sit on the sidelines and let others do all the work. He was calling us to service. And the greatest service should be to win souls to Christ.
I was convicted. Service I am good at. My time at church is filled with leadership roles in various capacities. But rarely do I take the time to truly connect with people...to take the risk of an emotional tie that might in the end be painful. As I was sharing this conviction with a friend, I made the statement that I don't like to "get my hands messy with other people's lives".
Last night we had the director's clinic for VBS. The message was making connections through our faith. The powerpoint highlighted the importance of getting to know our teachers in order to meet their needs, so that they are free and prepared to share Christ with the children. The speaker said we have to get out of our comfort zones and do what it takes to touch the lives of those children and families God puts in our path.
Then a lady shared her testimony, and at the end of it she said, "We have to invest in the lives of these children, and their families...and sometimes that's messy. But we have to do it. Christ calls us to that!" I couldn't believe she used the same word I had used when describing what I DON'T like to do...but knew I should!
I shared with the leaders of that clinic my experience and asked them to pray with me that God would help me to better connect with people, and that he would put someone in my path with whom I could invest myself and share his love.
God doesn't wait around when you ask him for a field to harvest! Tonight at children's choir we had two children who had not been there before. At the end of choir we shared prayer requests, as always. The little boy spoke up and asked that we pray for his dad who "was in real trouble and that's why they were with DHR." You can imagine the strength that only comes from Christ that enabled me to make it through that prayer calmly. But now I have two children who I will certainly pray for daily, and who I hope I get the chance to share Christ with.
But God wasn't finished tasking me. During adult choir we practiced a song we had sung awhile back...and our director brought out again. The name of the song is "A Little More Like You." It is a prayer—a question—that, at the end of the day, when all is said and done...am I more like you, Lord? There is even a part that asks God to "help us grieve when others grieve, to laugh when others laugh, and for our neighbors to see Jesus in us each day."
That brings me back to the beginning of this post. So my gift is not personal relationships. But I have Christ living in me. And HE is the author of relationships. THROUGH him, I can love, I can minister, I can witness.
In Corinthians 5:11-21, Paul reminds us that now we have Christ in us, we no longer view others as our old selves. God is making us brand new! He is making us more like Christ. And that love should urge us on to tell others of this grand and glorious treasure.
I hope that you will seek to do so as well. Yes, Christ has given us specific gifts, and it is important to know them so we might fill our role on the battle ship to the best of our ability. But he has called ALL of us to "go and tell the world that Christ is Lord." Please pray with me that we will all feel this urgency, and not miss a chance to share the love of Christ to those around us.
About a year ago our Sunday School class went through a series on discovering one's spiritual gifts. In the course of that study, we discussed how—though God clearly gives us spiritual gifts that we should work within to best serve him—as we seek to become more like Christ, those latent spiritual attributes may be strengthened.
My gift is teaching. My personality is an introvert and organizer. So my joy comes through sharing the truth with others, through organizing tasks, creating and worshiping through introspection. But I am not gifted in investing emotionally with others.
Fast forward to three weeks ago. Our pastor preached on being committed to serve on the battle ship of the church. He meant that as a Christian, as the Church, every person's role is vital. Too many times people are willing to sit on the sidelines and let others do all the work. He was calling us to service. And the greatest service should be to win souls to Christ.
I was convicted. Service I am good at. My time at church is filled with leadership roles in various capacities. But rarely do I take the time to truly connect with people...to take the risk of an emotional tie that might in the end be painful. As I was sharing this conviction with a friend, I made the statement that I don't like to "get my hands messy with other people's lives".
Last night we had the director's clinic for VBS. The message was making connections through our faith. The powerpoint highlighted the importance of getting to know our teachers in order to meet their needs, so that they are free and prepared to share Christ with the children. The speaker said we have to get out of our comfort zones and do what it takes to touch the lives of those children and families God puts in our path.
Then a lady shared her testimony, and at the end of it she said, "We have to invest in the lives of these children, and their families...and sometimes that's messy. But we have to do it. Christ calls us to that!" I couldn't believe she used the same word I had used when describing what I DON'T like to do...but knew I should!
I shared with the leaders of that clinic my experience and asked them to pray with me that God would help me to better connect with people, and that he would put someone in my path with whom I could invest myself and share his love.
God doesn't wait around when you ask him for a field to harvest! Tonight at children's choir we had two children who had not been there before. At the end of choir we shared prayer requests, as always. The little boy spoke up and asked that we pray for his dad who "was in real trouble and that's why they were with DHR." You can imagine the strength that only comes from Christ that enabled me to make it through that prayer calmly. But now I have two children who I will certainly pray for daily, and who I hope I get the chance to share Christ with.
But God wasn't finished tasking me. During adult choir we practiced a song we had sung awhile back...and our director brought out again. The name of the song is "A Little More Like You." It is a prayer—a question—that, at the end of the day, when all is said and done...am I more like you, Lord? There is even a part that asks God to "help us grieve when others grieve, to laugh when others laugh, and for our neighbors to see Jesus in us each day."
That brings me back to the beginning of this post. So my gift is not personal relationships. But I have Christ living in me. And HE is the author of relationships. THROUGH him, I can love, I can minister, I can witness.
In Corinthians 5:11-21, Paul reminds us that now we have Christ in us, we no longer view others as our old selves. God is making us brand new! He is making us more like Christ. And that love should urge us on to tell others of this grand and glorious treasure.
I hope that you will seek to do so as well. Yes, Christ has given us specific gifts, and it is important to know them so we might fill our role on the battle ship to the best of our ability. But he has called ALL of us to "go and tell the world that Christ is Lord." Please pray with me that we will all feel this urgency, and not miss a chance to share the love of Christ to those around us.
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