We are all shipwrecks

There is a difference between things being hard and things being out of control.

Sometimes in the moment we believe that the latter must be stabilized before God can work in and through us. We grasp to get things under control before we turn to God. Why? I've done it because I think I'm unworthy to come to the cross as a broken person.

How incorrect I am when I think this folly. For it is the broken-hearted who find rest{oration} at the cross; those trying to be perfect before approaching the cross continue to busy themselves with just that when they get there- trying to hold it all together.

The cross held the broken body of our perfect Saviour,

why do we think we need to come looking any better?

It's when we are in the center of out-of-control that we most realize our need for God and should call out to Him. But fear keeps us at bay sometimes, doesn't it? Maybe it's the fear that God won't rescue us, won't accept us, or will see how broken we really are.Or perhaps it's really the fear of accepting that we can't rescue ourselves, accepting our own brokenness, and we project that onto God. But He sees our brokenness... every tiny crack in our masks. And He loves and accept us.

There is no storm that God is overwhelmed by and no face of hardship He cowers away from.

We are all broken. And we are all welcome at the cross, in our brokenness.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.:.

Being a Burden Bearer

"A burden shared is a burden halved.
A joy shared is joy doubled."

-Author unknown

If you have a friend going through something difficult and feel lost as to how to care for her, take heart, you are probably doing more than you think.

Below are the five biggest blessings I've received from my burden bearers. These are the lessons I've learned about being a good friend from their example:

1.  Silence.

As a rule: Nothing is okay. What I mean by this is that it is okay to say nothing, because nothing right now in her world is really okay. Silence is wonderful; silence is the path that allows the burden to be transferred. It’s in the silent moments where her heart becomes lighter as yours becomes heavier. Bless your heart, dear friend of the hurting, for placing yourself in that moment. Don't be afraid of the silence. The one hurting knows there is not much to say, but having someone sit in silence {even on the other end of the phone} is truly enough.

2. Saying no.

Say no to hearing all the details – you’re a partial burden bearer – if one person could handle the whole truth, your friend wouldn’t be confiding in you in the first place.

3. Safety

Keep her confidence. Be someone that your friend can share anything with because she knows you won't tell anyone without her permission (with the exception of safety being compromised). But know that if she feels safe, then she won't be guarded; understand that her words may be illogical at times, she may need to vent to gain clarity for herself. Allow her to continue to speak without fear of judgement. Don't allow her to listen to lies; let her ask questions aloud without answering them yourself. And don't jump on the first thing she says that you don't agree with. Being a burden bearer requires trust and a certain amount of bandwidth for your friend to speak her thoughts; she may not agree with everything that comes out of her own mouth at this time, but speaking it aloud will allow her to realize that.

4. Truth.

Speak truth every time you meet. Truth about her worth to God, truth about God's character and truth about the situation. Don't allow her to listen to the lies of the enemy. Speaking truth repeatedly helps the hurting hear God more clearly and silence the lies.

5. Point to God

Finish each meeting well. Pray for her, when you're together, and afterwards. Always point the hurting to depend on God, to look for where He is at work (because He is), and to press in to Him. Point them to scripture. Model trusting the Lord in this time with that particular situation.

Remember that you are a vessel as a burden bearer. And ultimately, you are a partner in God's work. You do this for His glory; He will give you the grace and wisdom you need.

Praise be to the Lord,

to God our Saviour,

who daily bears our burdens.

-Psalm 68:19 



This post is linked to TimeWarp Wife's Titus 2sday Link up too!
This post is linked to WLW's Wednesday Link Up Party. Link up too!

In my unbelief

"He is our deliverer.

He may not deliver you from a situation,

but He'll deliver you in the situation."

- Grant Fishbook

Father,

Sometimes I can become so filled with anger and injustice at a situation. In those times, help me remember that you are just and are our deliverer.

Help me believe more strongly that you see all and do hear our prayers. We are not hidden from you. And not only do you see and hear but you care and WILL ACT. Help my unbelief. Remind me to look to the past - for you have revealed your faithfulness.

Fair does not mean equal. You are a just God and I will trust in your judgments for your ways are higher than my ways.

Amen.

Two Sources

Remember where your strength comes from and you'll remember it will never run empty.

The word "strength" in the above sentence could be substituted with:

forgiveness, grace, love, wisdom, purity, peace, joy, patience or confidence.

I suppose it works on the other extreme too with words like:

anger, lust, bitterness, resentment, folly, fear or dissention.

These characterisitics come from two very different origins,

but both sources are abounding and open to thristy travellers.

Where are you getting filled?

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.:.

He walked it first

The most beautiful people we have known are those that

have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss,

and have found their way out of the depths.

These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding

of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern.

Beautiful people do not just happen. –Elizabeth Kubler Ross

Those open wounds and sensitive scars?

The Lord journeyed it before you.

It’s the astounding truth of the cross. Jesus went there first; he journeyed these difficult times and roads before you. That’s why He knows what you’re going through; he went there first because of his love for you to save you from it. He’s beside you now, walking with you through it, knowing He can bring you out of it, because He’s been there before.

Yes, even those darkest places where you feel the most alone.

Yes, even those confusing, inexplicable moments of deepest pain.

Yes, even those unjust times you crave vindication for.

Yes to the moments where you have been abused, abandoned, accused, betrayed, broken, cheated on, cheated from, hurt, lied to, violated and wronged.

He walked it first.

He walks with you now.

Press into Him.

Child, draw near, for your tears He sees and fears He hears.

Difficult times come our way.

Oh Lord, in these seasons, we truly feel like clay.

Help us to know your hands {are guiding}

and to trust the process of walking dry lands {instead of hiding}.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.:.

.:.Again.:.

I love this quote by GK Chesterton:

"Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free,

therefore they want things repeated and unchanged.

They always say, "Do it again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead.

But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony.

It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun; and every evening, "Do it again" to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike;

it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them.

It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy;

for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.”

I also really like this quote:

"Courage doesn't always roar.

Sometimes courage is the little voice

at the end of the day that says

I'll try again tomorrow."

~ Mary Ann Radmacher

Do it again.

Try again tomorrow.

When breathing is no longer routine; when sitting or standing up is an overwhelming task; whatever you face, you can know that when God says, “Do it again” to getting up in the mornings and facing another day, another hour, He is your strength, weak as you may feel. And rest assured when He asks you, he asks with purpose, though you may question why.

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” Psalm 28:7

Finding joy in all circumstances is hard. My heart is heavy. My prayer is Psalm 29:11 which says, “May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!”

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.:.

.:.Outside In.:.Inside Out.:.

“I don’t know how you keep your house so clean, Sarah!” said my neighbor as we enjoyed some much needed ‘girl time’ a few days ago.

“Well, I view it as a ministry and I do it unto the Lord. I know how a clean house can make family and guests feel relaxed and comfortable. And… I just hate messes, always have. It probably helps that I don’t have any kids.” I responded with a smile. Our conversation lingered there a bit longer before it moved on.

As I reflected further on this, I realized that the times my house appears disorganized are when my inner self isn’t right with the Lord. During times of life stresses, I can find myself trying to lean on my own strength rather than on God. In these times, the laundry goes undone just as my quiet times do. I distance myself from the dishes just as I distance myself from the Lord. I can’t go very long with a mess, so sometimes I tidy up, hoping that it cleans the state of my heart too. 

Who am I kidding?

The outward never fully reflects or affects the inward. It's quite the opposite. God works from the inside out, not the outside in. Even if my house and I are masked to look presentable, I can be a disorganized mess on the inside.  It is not until I seek the Lord, soften my heart, repent and accept His grace that my insides are cleansed by Him. And He does so faithfully.

I know He sees me clean my house and recognizes that I do it unto Him. But in those moments where I ask, “Lord, you could visit here, right?”

He gently whispers back to me and says, “Sarah, it’s beautiful. Thank you. Now will you spend some time with me? I care more about you than I do your clean tub. I want to visit you not your home, I visit your heart.”

Hospitality to our Lord isn't only in our home, it's in our hearts.

More important than a clean house, is a clean heart. How hard that is to remember and priortize sometimes! I am learning to think this way more often. I invest money in good cleaning products and time into having a clean home; and it does take time. It also takes intentional time to cultivate a clean heart. What’s the biggest difference? We can dust and vacuum, but it is God who works in us to make our hearts clean.

As the psalmist said years ago, this is my prayer today: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.