Living life with steps of faith

I hear a voice calling out to me Have faith my child Have faith Do believe. Sometimes I think it is difficult to explain how you know that it is God speaking to you. It seems as though the best way to tell a story that involves God speaking is after the results of God's voice are evident. Perhaps that is why God told Moses that he would know that it was God who had given him the commandment to go free his native people after God actually released them from their captivity. For the past few days, I've just known that I'm supposed to go to the grocery store to buy party snacks for tonight's youth event and that I wasn't supposed to spend more than $8 of money I brought with me to the store. I wasn't quite sure how God was going to supply the quanity of food I needed with $8 or less, but I had a sense he would double the money. Perhaps there would be a two for one special. Or maybe even better yet, I'd wander the aisles not finding anything I could afford...

So, I just read day 10 of Terry Esau's book in which he asks God to daily surprise him. What I think I've realized so far from reading this book is to not be afraid to ask God to surprise me. Terry really trusts that when God surprises him it will be good surprises that help him and/or others grow closer to God. He doesn't expect negative things to happen, only positive - fun, little adventures of faith. At the same time, the things that surprise Terry seem common place to me. My life is full of surprises, I just don't think of them as surprises anymore because being surprised is normal. In fact, perhaps, I've become so comfortable with surprises, that to not be surprised might make me uncomfortable and wonder what is lying just around the corner. Early this fall at my work place the digital camera went missing. On the camera were some pictures from a summer camp trip. Mysteriously, two of those camp pictures have appeared on the new digital camera port, pur...

The voice on the other end of the phone was very persuasive and the tone reminded me of something enchanted calling to the deepest part of one's soul. My sister, Sunshine, friend, Lily, and I looked at each other and knew we had to respond to the call, we had no choice. With a quick all-knowing glance we decided we would accept and stepped onto the hover boards. Immediately they shot out into the dark of the marbled wooden track. Zipping side to side and around curves, we strangely found our way down the path, much like a skateboarder finds his way through the unknown technological maze of a city in a video game. The path took many unexpected twists and turns. We called each of our mothers on the way, to let them know we wouldn't be coming home for another day. We had to be extra careful of our driving skills as each new dip or twist appeared before us. The path we are on became a tube of wood, each variety mixed together in a mis-matched pattern. At one point we almost ran off...

What do you think is good about churches that focus on reaching a specific age group? What do you think some of the disadvantages are? Would you rather be part of a multi-generational interactive community or a community of peers? (Assuming both are in the context of Christian fellowship.)

As I have been reading through the book of Genesis I have found it a bit curious how the women are treated. In Genesis 36:40, we have a woman, Timna, named as a cheif descended from the line of Esau. I have identified Timna as a woman, because in vs. 12 the same name is given to Eliphaz' concubine and in vs. 22 Timna is the sister of Lotan. In another instance, Rachel, the wife of Jacob, is a shepherdess as identified in Genesis 29:6 and 29:9. Here are two women who have stood up in this period of time as leaders with careers. Yet, the rest of the book is a bit dis-heartening. Widowed Judah sleeps with a "prostitute" and openly shares this fact with his peers (See Genesis 38). Yet, when his widowed daughter-in-law Tamar is found to be pregnant and "guilty of prostitution" Judah exclaims, "Bring her out and have her burned to death!" Then Judah hears the entire story and pardons Tamar recognizing her as more righteous than himself. As I read th...

Hi friends, I just came across this blog and thought I would post a link here. If you get a chance to read this father's posts and lift his newborn son up in prayer - I think it would be great. Even though they are strangers, they are still our siblings in Christ. seekthefather/

Surprises of the day: - call from a kid I mentor asking me if I'll go shopping with her. - a discussion about spiritual matters with a friend. - a YL kid buying me a winter coat! - finding out that an old secret crush lives in the same house as the girl I mentor and that they are related! (He's engaged and has two kids - don't worry.) - my family buying new furniture and selling the old. - my sister possibly being asked to be an international fashion model? - my friends and I left the city a lot earlier than I thought we would. - sleeping in. - my new camera takes surprisingly good photos. - my boyfriend and I do have a picture from New Year's Eve together! - a deer standing majestically in the front yard when I arrived home. - my friends paying to fill my car with gas! - amazing bread at this restaurant. - my imagining designing and sewing a dress for myself.

Hope, joy, promises, and peace. These four words echo in my mind as I contemplate the beginning of a new year. Sometimes, I wonder if God allowed us western thinkers to come up with idea of new year's resolutions in order for us to repent and start anew. As a new year begins, how many people have re-focused their lives on the Savior? When I was a kid, I thought being called into ministry made me special and super-spiritual and in many ways I flaunted this. But yearly and daily, I am learning just how human I am. Reading through the Hebrew Bible I recognize that God called people to follow Him who were already living holy lives, but I also recognize that they weren't perfect. There is a mixed combination of expectation from God as to how we live and the grace of God that allows us to live godly lives. He chooses us and then we choose Him. Both are important in the process, for if I did not choose Him, I would not strive to live my life daily to His honor, but if He didn...

(Another post that wasn't published. From Jan 07) Hope, joy, promises, and peace. These four words echo in my mind as I contemplate the beginning of a new year. Sometimes, I wonder if God allowed us western thinkers to come up with idea of new year's resolutions in order for us to repent and start anew. As a new year begins, how many people have re-focused their lives on the Savior? When I was a kid, I thought being called into ministry made me special and super-spiritual and in many ways I flaunted this. But yearly and daily, I am learning just how human I am. Reading through the Hebrew Bible I recognize that God called people to follow Him who were already living holy lives, but I also recognize that they weren't perfect. There is a mixed combination of expectation from God as to how we live and the grace of God that allows us to live godly lives. He chooses us and then we choose Him. Both are important in the process, for if I did not choose Him, I would not strive to l...

Another book I received as a gift from one of my boyfriend's family members was the book "God's Promises for You," a Max Lucado compilation. If I read a promise a day, today's promise would be love. Just think of God when reading 1 Corinthians 13. If God is love, then the following must also be true: - God is patient. - God is kind. - God is not envious. - God does not boast. - God is not proud. - God is not rude. - God is not self-seeking. - God does not easily angered. - God does not keep record of wrongs. - God does not delight in evil. - God rejoices with the truth. - God always protects. - God always trusts. - God always hopes. - God always perseveres. - God never fails. I'm not completely comfortable with all of these statements. They don't match up with what I know God to be based upon my theological experience at a conservative Christian college. Yet, I like them. Hmmmm. something to think about. If anyone is out there - please reply with your...

Just found this old post, that I never posted: I just finished reading chapter, or should I say "day" 1 of Terry Esau's book. So far, I really like how he thinks. I remember when he came and spoke at Northwestern College, when I was a student there, and thinking that someday I should pick up his book "Blue Collar God/White Collar God." Anyway, in chapter/day 1, he mentions his lunch meeting with an innovative friend and makes the following reflective remarks: "'Incrementalism is innovation's worst enemy.' I don't know who said that, but I love this phrase and think it's packed with a lot of truth... Long ago I decided that in my music business, if everybody feels good and safe with the music, then it must be weak, impotent, passionless. And it probably won't achieve its purpose. I call this the S & T factor. If there's not at least one person who Squirms and Twitches when they hear it, then toss it out, it's dead." S...

I just finished reading chapter, or should I say "day" 1 of Terry Esau's book. So far, I really like how he thinks. I remember when he came and spoke at Northwestern College, when I was a student there, and thinking that someday I should pick up his book "Blue Collar God/White Collar God." Anyway, in chapter/day 1, he mentions his lunch meeting with an innovative friend and makes the following reflective remarks: "'Incrementalism is innovation's worst enemy.' I don't know who said that, but I love this phrase and think it's packed with a lot of truth... Long ago I decided that in my music business, if everybody feels good and safe with the music, then it must be weak, impotent, passionless. And it probably won't achieve its purpose. I call this the S & T factor. If there's not at least one person who Squirms and Twitches when they hear it, then toss it out, it's dead." Sometime a few years back I wrote (well, Go...

Over Christmas, my boyfriend's relatives gave me the book "Surprise Me" as a gift. This is a book written in journal form by the musician Terry Esau, as he took a 30-day journey of asking God daily to surprise him. When I read the title of the book I immedietly decided to put it on the shelves, because I was not ready for any more surprises in my life. "My life is full of enough of them as it is," I thought and verbally announced to my mom and boyfriend. My mom agreed to be cautious and asking God for surprises. As I've thought about my pessimistic reaction, I've realized that to some degree it goes against my desire to live daily for Christ and to have a positive attitude this 2007. God has surprised me much over the past 5 years with both positive and negative surprises. Plus, I'm often cautious of people who adopt movements asking for God's blessings, such as the "Prayer of Jabez" movement, because I'm worried that people w...