Hero

A good friend of mine suggested awhile back that I create an Ark of Faith for myself, to get me through the hard times. She defined it as a group of Bible verses that spoke directly to my heart and would remind me of God's love for me. Over the last year or so, even without meaning to, God had been building an ark like that for me. Every couple of months, I come across a verse that speaks to me, almost yells to me, and I cling to it. It becomes another brick of the wall of my growing faith.

A few weeks ago, I came across Psalm 42:8. But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life. The image of God pouring his love out on my helped me wake up each day with a smile on my face. Other versions use command, direct or send for pour, but pour catches my imagination. Last week I read Ephesians 1:6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. I got hung up on the word poured, and I couldn't help but wonder what else does God promise to pour out on us. I pulled out my concordance and started searching. Here are a few of the verses I found.

Ezekiel 39:29 I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD.

Malachi 3:10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!

Luke 2:20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

Ephesians 1:6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.

Job 36:28 The rain pours down from the clouds, and everyone benefits.

Zechariah 12:10a Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem.

There were so many more, but when I got done, I found that there are several things the Bible promises that God will pour out on His believers: water/rain, the Spirit (this is promised the most), blessings (second most promised), glorious grace, prayer, His blood as a sacrifice, and unfailing love.

The last several days have been miserable for my pain. I even missed my doctor's appointment this morning, because I couldn't drive. My walk has become a slow shuffle, and the pain wakes me up in the night so I can't sleep more than a couple of hours. Waking up each morning feels like a curse, I'm in agony before I even raise my head. I usually fire off a few quick prayers before getting up in the morning (help me get Mia out the door on time, bless Jesse at work, let this be a good day), but on days like these, my prayers are more intense (strength to bear the pain, wash away the guilt of chores undone and obligations unmet). I've also begun praying to see God pouring out His promised blessings on me: the Spirit, grace, prayer, and unfailing love, and I'm praising Him for His sacrificial blood. I can feel the Spirit moving in me through these tough days; my blog posts are much deeper than usual as is my nightly devotional reading. I look forward to seeing just how God will show me His love each day.

Yesterday it was Mia who showed me His love. She was playing outside for awhile, but then came in with a "surprise" for me. Usually that means a handful of dandelions or pretty rocks from the driveway. But yesterday it was a basketful of lilac blossoms. I love lilacs, the beautiful shades of purple and the heady scent, but being in so much pain, I hadn't even noticed they had bloomed. Even now my bedroom is filled with the scent of lilacs, and every breath reminds me that yesterday He poured out His love for me through lilacs and my sweet little girl. Even through the pain, I can't wait to see how He will show it to me today, and that's motivation to keep me smiling and moving.

Hero by Fred & Jasen Stoeker should be required reading for every Christian young man and his parents. Fred, author of Every Man's Battle, faced a battle against the flesh that had been passed down from grandfather to father to son, until one day looking into his two-year old son Jasen's eyes, he decided that the generational curse of adultery and pornography would end with him. Because of Fred's decision, Jasen made his own decision to keep himself pure until marrying the woman God led him to, which didn't exactly make him the most popular guy in high school. Despite temptation and peer pressure, Jasen didn't even kiss his wife Rose until the minister gave them permission during their wedding ceremony. The authors attack the strongholds of deceit that society has instilled in our brains about sex: women want it just as much as men, finding out if you are sexually compatible before marriage is necessary, God gave men a sexual desire so He of course allows them an outlet, and other lies. Jasen talks about his walk through high school and college, facing derision and coming out a strong man of God on the other side. His wife Rose also offers her point of view on what a true hero of God looks like. Their revelations about how society has warped even Christians' view of sex are startling and enlightening. It's a powerful book with a must-read message

I'm giving away a copy of this book to one lucky reader. To enter the contest, just drop me an email before 10pm Thursday May 21st.

The Noticer

I am a very visual person. I learn best by seeing, and even when talking to someone, if something blocks my vision of them, I have a hard time understanding what they are seeing, almost as if I were wearing earplugs. This is awful when it comes to trying to help my little brother with math problems over the phone, I always hand it over to Molly. It's a wonderful blessing when it comes to reading the Psalms; so many of them are visual in their depictions of God's love i.e. shadow of his wings, mighty fortress, etc. Last night in my reading of Passionate Prayer by Catherine Martin, I was directed to read Psalm 42:8. In my NLT Bible it reads: But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life. I had to read that verse several times, because the imagery of God literally pouring out love on me from Heaven captured my heart. Breaking it down, it happens every day. His love for me renews every day. Pours is in the present, not past tense, meaning that is occurring right now and all the time! And his love never fails, no matter what I do or how I stumble, his love for me cannot fail. Because he pours out love on my throughout the day, each night I sing his songs in praise and prayer. After reading it, I imagined holding an upside-down umbrella; instead of holding it over my head to protect me, I turned it upside-down to capture that love and let it drench me.

The verse sank deep into my heart, and I realized that it gives me a reason to look forward to each day. I'm excited to discover how God's love for me will show itself today and tomorrow. This morning I woke up with a smile on my face, and as my entire family can tell you, that is a rare occurrence; I am not a morning person. After everyone left for school and work, I laid back down to catch a little more sleep and woke up in enormous pain. Every joint in my body ached and throbbed, but I sat up feeling good, feeling happy. I've read through the Bible several times, and through the Psalms even more, but never has that verse struck my heart the way it did last night. Isn't it incredible how the Lord speaks to us through the his Word at just the right time in just the right way?

The Noticer by Andy Andrews is one of those books you'll tell your friends and family about, and each one will come away with a different message. The people of Orange Beach, Alabama have been visited for years by a man calling himself Jones, no Mister just Jones, who carries a battered suitcase wherever he goes and changes everyone he meets. Jones takes the time to pay attention to the world around him recognizing that it's the little things that change the world. The book follows him as he counsels married couples, type A personalities, and those who think their life has no purpose. To each he has a message of hope as well as a promise that what they do matters not only to them, but to future generations. This slim novella packs a great deal of punch when it comes to wisdom. I think it's a book I'll reread at different times in my life, because with each reading will come new understanding. This time Jones' story about seagulls was for me:
"Five seagulls are sitting on a dock. One of them decides to fly away. How many seagulls are left? "
"Well...four."
"No, there are still five. Deciding to fly away and actually flying away are two very different things."
Did a lightbulb go on for you? It certainly did for me! It's a terrific book for book clubs or gift-giving.

I'm giving away two copies of this terrific book this week, and this contest will be a little different than normal. To enter, tell me about someone who had a major impact on your life, for good or bad, in less than 300 words. Entries don't need to be long, just a few lines will do. An impartial judge (not me) will read all of the entries and choose the two that are the most moving. I will post the winning entries on my blog! So drop me an email with your entry before 10 pm on April 30th. I'll announce the winners here on Friday. Good luck!