You Might Enjoy

January 11, 2017

Since the middle of February I have been consciously collecting a list of things that will help me (or have prepared me to) DO this thing called BASKING that I've set out to do in the year ahead. If I'm honest, the occasional blue skies and the sun poking out from behind the clouds are my steadiest reminder, but there are things along the way that have done a lot of work too.

Here are some resources that have prepared me for 2017:

A sermon: The Glory of God in the Good Resolves of His People by John Piper - I'm not sure how many times I've listened to this sermon, but I've had it on my iPod for two whole years now. It's a theme that's on my mind often. I wrote about it here and it influenced the word I chose to focus on last year.

A book: Grace For the Good Girl by Emily P. Freeman - I've read Freeman's blog for YEARS. She writes the way I long to write, connecting her faith to the most ordinary of moments in her everyday life. I read this book a while ago, but it was in its pages that I finally GOT what it was for Jesus to be about His Father's business. This book made me DIG around in the Bible. It encouraged me to look to Christ's example as I sought to BE a Christian. This is NOT another women's book about "letting go and letting God". It will breathe TRUTH into your soul and it will  challenge you to stand firm.

Some prose that reads like a poem: Scrolling through instagram one day back in October, I came across these words by C.S. Lewis (it turns out they were taken from a section out of Mere Christianity). It goes like this:

NEARER

"If you want to get warm

             you must stand 

            near the fire: if

           you want to be 

               wet you must get 

           into the water.

             If you want joy, 

                    power, peace, eternal 

              life, you must get 

                  close to, or even into,

        the thing that 

 has them."

                         - C.S. Lewis

Here are some things that are keeping me focused in 2017:

A playlist: Bask 2017 - This won't be for everyone, but it's the kind of music that I can't help but be grateful to have in my life. These songs have been encouraging me and teaching me and challenging me for years. Hit shuffle and ENJOY!

A plan: Stay in the Gospels - In light of the task this word spurs me onto, I felt the best place to go was to the example of Jesus Christ, Himself. So, I've been spending time with Him in the Gospels. I started with John, then moved on to Mark, and I'm going to start Matthew today. I can't remember who said it, but a theologian of old encouraged every Christian to always have their thumb in the Gospels no matter what other Scripture they were focusing on. In different seasons, I've attempted to do that.

Resolves: Going for walks in silence. Keeping a list of prayer requests handy and going over it or checking back in with the people that have asked me to pray. Journaling out Scriptures and lessons and prayers and preaching the Word to myself. Staying in touch with friends and listening to the stories of grace that they have to share or the burdens of faith they are carrying.

Is there anything you would recommend to me? 

What are some things that have been pointing you to God lately? 

The Theme of Fall

September 2, 2016

"He will tend His flock like a shepherd;

He will gather the lambs in His arms;

He will carry them in His bosom;

and gently lead those that are with young." Isaiah 40:11

I'm going into fall with a pretty good rhythm going. We all know how easy it is to let the laundry sit in the baskets unfolded, to eat meals that are quick and easy without thinking about how good they are for you, or to let the floors go a few weeks without being vacuumed. 

Often times, we come to the end of summer with a lot of bad habits and a desperate need to get things back into shape. That is almost always exactly where I find myself each year. This year, things are different. Our summer routine required keeping things in shape and left a lot of room for it too. For once, I lived a quiet life getting things done and being able to have a pretty good idea of when people would be coming and going. Rather than going into fall feeling like I have a lot of things I need to work on, I've got a rhythm going and I want to keep it up. 

Normally I come out of summer with a list of resolves,  but  this year I'm going into fall with a single word on my mind, namely, TEND. This fall, I'm resolving to tend the good habits, my soul, my relationships, and whatever else God brings before me. 

Tend is such a good word. It's good in part because it's so familiar. I am, by nature, one who tends. I enjoy the work of tending. I find it somewhat easy and even when it's not I find it super rewarding. The work of tending requires thought and planning and diligence and effort. The work of tending means that we cannot grow weary of doing the same things over and over again. 

The best part of letting this single word be my resolve is that it's not something I have to do alone.

I may not be part of Isaiah's original audience, but God most certainly does tend, gather, carry, and lead His people. As I've read the Bible in 2016, I am enamored with the thread of how God TEACHES His people to be His people. He commands things that are good for us. And then He goes a step further and leads us along. 

Tomorrow morning, I'll stand with my family to join the church that we've been attending for the last year. As I do, this resolve of mine will gain another facet. It's something that's been missing and I'm honestly a little scared, bust mostly just really excited to see what will become of this step. The Church is the place that God does a lot of tending. He gathers His people for a reason. As we join this church we'll be opening ourselves up to the tending that God has for us to receive and to give there. 

On this gray Saturday, I'm sitting in a quiet, clean house with a candle burning and some Jill Andrews playing. My soul is peaceful and full and overflowing with gratefulness to this God of mine. He is good, you guys, so good. I'll never tire of His goodness.

However you're making it to fall, my prayer is that God would grant you so much peace in your soul and some wisdom about how to make the most of this new season. God leads His people. There is nothing sweeter than being led by Him.

A Strategy For Beholding God: Purposeful Prayer

February 5, 2016

"But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life." Jude 1:20-21

Purposeful prayer is one of the main means by which Christians can position themselves to behold God as they wait on Him. It is informed and strengthened by consistent Bible reading. In purposeful prayer, we are resolving to wait on God while paying careful attention to what we are waiting for and exactly what it means to be waiting on God.

Faith in God sustains us when we don't think we can wait on Him any longer. It shouldn't surprise us that God means to use the purposeful prayers of His people to stir up the kind of faith that sustains.

Pay Careful Attention To What We Are Waiting For

When we take things to God in prayer, we are declaring that we are waiting on Him for certain things. It is important to consider the themes that our prayers are taking. Doing this requires some effort. It's sort of like taking an inventory  and we should be specific.

Andrew Murray gives some examples of what may be waiting for. Namely, for:

God to take His place as God in our prayers

God to work in us the sense of His holy presence and nearness

a special petition that we expect an answer

God's power in our inner life

the state of His Church and saints

some part of God's work that we are looking to Him to do

He goes on to say that, "it is good that we sometimes count up to ourselves exactly what the things are we are waiting for, and as we say definitely to each of them, 'On Thee do I wait,' we shall be emboldened to claim the answer, 'For on Thee do I wait.'"

Christian, taking specific things to God in prayer and then going over that list is a great way to keep yourself dedicated to this kind of praying. Exactly what are the things that you are waiting for right now?

Pay Careful Attention To What It Means To Be Waiting on God

Paying careful attention to what it means to be waiting on God is the part of keeping our prayer purposeful that helps to ensure that we truly are praying to GOD. I know that's a mouthful, but it is easy to get so caught up in either not praying at all OR in the things that we are praying for that we actually forget about the God to whom we are praying. This will never do.

The very purpose of prayer is to unite us with God in Christ. We take our needs to Him and turn them over to Him. Prayer leads us to trust Him and to KEEP trusting Him. While we pray, we are turning our attention away from everything else in order to direct our gaze to God.

Murray reminds us that we are waiting on "the living God, such as He really is..." In all His:

great glory

infinite holiness

power

wisdom

goodness

love

nearness

"It is the presence of God, as He can in Christ by His Holy Spirit make Himself known, and keep the soul under its covering and shadow, that will waken and strengthen the true waiting spirit." Christian, you must guard against the tendency to turn away from God as He presents Himself in Scripture.

You see, purposeful prayer goes hand in hand with consistent Bible reading. You cannot be purposeful in your prayers without being impacted by your time in God's Word. This Word shapes our prayers and our view of God in a way that binds these two means together so that we may truly be waiting on God as we go about the business of beholding Him. What do you know of God and what role does this knowledge play in your praying?

What It Means To "Pray In The Spirit"

Before I close, I would like to go over what it means to "pray in the Spirit". This is where the "purposeful" part comes in. We must not be careless about HOW we pray.

Packer describes "prayer in the Spirit" as, "prayer from the heart, springing from awareness of God, of self, of others, of needs, and of Christ." He goes on to say that, "he (or she) whose heart seeks God through Christ prays in the Spirit." Praying in the Spirit is a means God grants His people to keep themselves in His love and as such, it is a means by which He keeps them in His love.

Just in case you missed it, praying in the Spirit requires a heart that is truly seeking God and His will. Have you been praying in the Spirit?

If you know your heart isn't seeking God, take it straight to Him and ask Him to teach it to. If that seems odd, read over the first few books in the Old Testament (especially Deuteronomy) and watch for the ways that God taught and instructed His people even before He gave them commandments. He is the best Teacher you'll ever have.

The Place of Purposeful Prayer

Though many of us struggle with keeping up with purposeful prayer, it is a true gift of God. If we doubt the power or place of prayer, we ought to look at the life of Christ who modeled it so perfectly. He was always meeting with God. It was something He could not neglect if He was to carry on with the work He came to earth to do.

The very fact that we are looking to and waiting on God will stir up in us natural utterances of prayer, just like it did for Christ. Murray puts it this way, "It is a great thing for a soul not only to wait upon God, but to be filled with such a consciousness that its whole spirit and position is that of a waiting one..."

If we are struggling to carry on or to keep our resolve to behold God, it could be that our lack of purposeful praying is playing a big part in that. May God grant us grace to employ this means by which our souls are kept in His love and may our prayerlessness be one more thing that makes us aware of our need to go to God.

To those of you who are purposeful prayer warriors, may your dedication of this means of grace remind you daily of God's work in your heart! May you remain strong in this area and may it accomplish much in your life as well as in the lives your prayers are touching.

How are you planning to devote yourself to purposeful prayer in 2016?

Where are you when it comes to this area of the Christian life?

Resources:
Packer quotes taken from p. 79-80 of "Keep In Step With the Spirit".
Murray quotes taken from  chapter 7 of "Waiting on God".
If you would like more on the topic of prayer here's a very helpful sermon.

A Strategy For Beholding God: Consistent Bible Reading

These wait all upon Thee,

That Thou mayest give them their meat in due season.

That Thou givest unto them, they gather;

Thou openest Thine hand, they are satisfied with good.  Psalm 104:27-28

The resolve to behold God is essentially about waiting on Him. To wait on God is to join Christ in looking to Him as our supplier and commander. ALL that we have and are, have been and are being received from the hand of God. We truly have nothing to boast about in ourselves. Nothing. Positioning ourselves to wait on God is even a gift of grace that He grants us.

If we would behold Him, we must be always waiting on Him. Neither waiting on nor beholding God come naturally to us. We are naturally inclined to want satisfaction, but our hearts are master deceivers. Waiting on God is a special kind of waiting. It is about being aware of Him, in communion with Him, and totally dependent on Him. It has been said that we become what we behold. I like to take it a step further and say that, whether we realize it or not, we behold what we want to become. Beholding God is what happens when we truly are positioning ourselves to wait on Him. When our lives are shaped by that kind of waiting, everything becomes a finger that points directly to Him.

The hope of the Christian is the faithfulness of God. We know we cannot earn our way into God's favor...Here too, in resolving to behold God and positioning ourselves to wait on Him, we see His grace. As Andrew Murray says in chapter 4 of "Waiting on God", "...He [God] means His very demands to be promises of what He will do." Consistent Bible reading is one area where the demands and promises of God intersect.

Anyone can read the Bible. Anyone can commit to regular reading time. BUT, what such a resolve accomplishes and whether or not it exists is up to God. Christian, if you would behold God and wait on Him, you must be about the business of getting to know Him. The Bible is His special revelation given and preserved for the sake of His people. The point of today's post is this: We must make good use of His Word.

It is too easy to get caught up in waiting on OTHER things. And that waiting leads us to behold other things.

Choose a time each day, choose a plan, and make use of this means. The meat of God's Word is near, if you would wait on Him and behold Him, you must be about the business of gathering it and feasting upon it and drinking from this well that will not go dry. Check out this article for a list of plans and tons of resources. This is the plan I'm doing in 2016.

I have found that no means accomplishes so much as regular time spent in God's Word. It is in reading that Book that I have come to see God, to desire Him, and to find myself completely dependent on Him. The testimonies of consistent time in its pages have filled little books of their own. 

May 2016 be a year of consistent Bible reading. May God use this grace to fill you with such clear sight of Him that our lives are marked by waiting on and beholding Him.

How are you planning to devote yourself to consistent Bible reading in 2016?

Is this something you struggle with?

Currently: January 2016

December 26, 2015

Today is Epiphany and it feels like a pretty average Wednesday. I spent some time reading over Matthew 2:1-12 again and again this morning. Epiphany is the day we remember and celebrate the journey the wise men from the east made to see Christ. The account of this trip makes it clear that God is responsible for every detail and my little soul holds fast to this truth!

This year, I've found myself enamored with the fact that Herod didn't know about the birth of Christ until these people from the east told him. He couldn't find Chirst, but they could. God kept those who would kill Christ away until the right time and He sent those who would declare of His Messiahship by worshiping Him directly to His side. The fact that the wise men were God's way of announcing the birth of Christ to Herod and all of Jerusalem has gone over my head for years. Now their trip means even MORE to me than it did before.

It's a new year and things are off to a ROARING start around here. We pick my sister up from the airport tomorrow night and we'll have one weekend before the theatre life will come calling again. We're all pretty excited about it all!

Currently, I am linking up with Jenna and Anne to talk about what I have been...

Resolving: To BEHOLD God at all times in all things. To spend an hour a day on French (so far, this hasn't been happening). To spend an hour a day reading through the Bible the way that I read books again. To write a book (yes, I'm taking the leap). To look into what it takes to get a job at a library.

Reading: I wrote about what I've been reading the other day. Since then I finished some of them and started "Gaudy Night" and "Jane Eyre". It's my first time with both. I'm also reading Psalms and looking forward to spending time in Job when I'm done with that.

Organizing: Lists. After the most LEISURELY Christmas break, I was ready for some productivity. I'm on day three of getting stuff done. Lots of stuff.

Loving: The blue skies we've been having off and on. Dickinson's poetry. The providence of God throughout today and yesterday and the assurance of it for every tomorrow.

Craving: A filling and nutritious meal plan. I've been in a cooking rut lately...Hamburgers, hot dogs, bacon, salads, breakfast for dinner, and tuna fish. I need help!  Maybe I should make a list for that too? ;) Also, BOARD games. For all the time we spent resting over Christmas break, we play almost noooo board games and that is super strange. Long walks. It's cold, I don't walk alone in the city, and I miss being able to lace up my tennis shoes and head out on a whim.

What are you up to?

Have you read a familiar Scripture and had something new jump out at you?

 

Before I sign off for today, I have one more thing to share...It's time for me to collect more questions for future rounds of Ask & Answer. What questions would you like me to include?  Remember, they can be serious or silly.

Fall Resolves

November 8, 2014

You guys, fall is in the air. It's even starting to show itself in the leaves. As much as I love fall, I am never eager to see summer go. As always, fall starts showing up and slowly but surely, I come around to welcome the changes even though I know they mean that winter really is just right around the corner (the PNW is a funny place when it comes to seasons).

September 1st happens to be one of my favorite days of the year. It's sort of like a second new year for me. Fall whips people back into shape after summertime living. Since my birthday is just eleven days away, that adds to the whole "time is ticking" aspect in my own life.

A few weeks ago I drafted some resolves for this fall. So far, I've got four going:

Listen - to God and to people. Be slow to speak and always listening.

Journal - more and this "new" way. Let it out. That space is private.

Continue with Galatians - it's been a while, pick it back up and keep at it. Stick with it.

Think - read your Bible and look at the world. As you do, stop to think and pray. When understanding comes, thank God because it's from Him. Don't settle for just floating along in a fog.

Fall is a time to quiet my soul and to discipline my mind. With inspiration from the Bible, L'Engle, Piper, and my own personal goals for myself, I'm ready for a fall full of God's grace!

What are your resolves for this fall? 

Is there a time of year that feels like a second new year for you? 

One Word 2015

Jan. 1, 2015 - Photo Credit: My Brother

Reflecting on the year behind has looked a lot different this year. I spent the last bit of 2014 and the first bit of 2015 on the other side of the country...Even though the West Coast has been my home since shortly after my 5th birthday, the East Coast has always felt like "home". It has been really great to be surrounded by my aunts and uncles and cousins over the last few weeks.

I've kept wanting to pinch myself because the happiness has almost been overwhelming at times. Looking around and seeing all of the familiar faces has forced me to pause just to take it all in. These last few weeks have had me looking back on 2014 and WAY beyond.

These people know my story...They know where I come from, because they came from the same place! Reflecting on familiar things with other people is one of my favorite things to do.

I've been kicking around a lot of words for 2015 and I haven't decided on one yet. Here's the list so far:


* Dream - This trip made me realize how important it is to me to get back down here. I think it was the moment I totally lost it as I was standing on my Uncle George's front porch for the first time in 13 years...

* Reach - A move might not happen for a few few years, but I really do want to start figuring out what it will take to make it work and more importantly, how I can get the rest of my family to move too!

* Breathe - I'm really good at holding my breath in hesitation. I want 2015 to be a year of less hesitating.


There have been a few other words, but I can't think of them this morning...

The point is, I want to continue trusting in God and looking to Him for direction. We may not be here long, but there is a lot to take in while we are. May 2015 be a year of being sure in God and not being paralyzed by fear or anxiety.

What's your word for 2015?
 

Here We Go

2014 was a big year for this little space. I put more time into it than I ever have before. I worked with several brands, joined a few blogging networks, hosted and co-hosted new projects, took a class, and found the topics that seem to be "mine".

After years of mostly keeping to myself, I made some really great friends! You know who you are, but you can't know how much you encourage me as a Christian and inspire me as a woman and as a blogger. If we could all live in one city I'd love that...but, I'm grateful for the community we have built together!

We're all making plans for 2015. There are a few things you should know:

* The goal that I'm most excited about is that my side bar is going to look different. I'll be contacting people asking if they'd like to advertise their blog or Etsy shop on my side bar - for FREE. This is a way for me to give back to all of you. Consider this an invitation to contact me if you're interested!

* Earlier this month, Ask & Answer began because I just couldn't wait any longer. I thought round one was a lot of fun.  We'll keep this up as long as you all continue to enjoy it!

* I'm working on ways to make navigating OLD material on my blog a little easier. There are so many new faces around here, I'd love to make looking around fun for you!
  
* Kiki and I are already talking about hosting another letter exchange. I hope you'll help spread the word! What time of year works best for you?

* I'm toying with the idea of switching up the design. Does my purple font drive you nuts?

I have a few other things up my sleeve too. For now, I'm enjoying some special time with my family and hoping that in 2014 Through * For * By has brightened your day, encouraged your soul, and given you many reasons to praise God!

Happy New Year!

Purpose of God

Every now and then Jay will stop by for a visit just because. It's usually in the afternoon and it almost always turns into a theology chat session. Earlier this month, I came home to find his Jeep parked in the driveway...I hoped he hadn't been here long because I didn't want to miss out on his visit! 

I wasn't disappointed. I joined the conversation happening around our table and talk quickly turned to a time years ago when Jay worked his way through parts of Chambers' book in a new way. He looked up a topic in the index and read and re-read every entry that was listed until he had his questions answered. This came up because we were talking about the purpose of God.

Jay left me with the challenge of looking up "purpose of God" in the index of "My Upmost For His Highest". I began working my way through the entries reading and re-reading them one by one. The entry from May 22 is the perfect reflection on this last Monday of 2014. The Scripture for that day comes from John 17:21. It says, "...that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us..."

If you are one of God's people, whatever is happening in your life, or has happened in your life, is working together for a purpose. John 17 tells you why and verses like Romans 8:28-29 leave you with full assurance. Chambers puts it this way, "...Jesus has prayed that you 'may be one' with the Father as He is."

As we finish up the last few days of this year and prepare our hearts for the one ahead, it is the perfect time to take stock of where we are as children of God. May we find great comfort in this great will of God! May even our troubles be viewed as blessings.

I want to leave you to consider this question from Chambers, "Are you helping God to answer that prayer, or do you have some other goal for your life?"

Join me in answering it honestly and reflecting on it often.