5 Things

5 things - brownies

1. I made brownies last night. For no reason at all. From a box. Because really, brownies are the one thing that I honestly think just turn out better from a box than from scratch (and I have tried several different recipes hoping to disprove this trend). So if you have a from-scratch recipe that you think is better, send it my way!

2. Have you considered joining me for the Graffiti Summer Study and Do challenge? You definitely should. It’s going to be good.

3. I’m reading the book of Nehemiah right now with the She Reads Truth community. I did a quick read-through of the book a few weeks ago as I was anticipating reading through it slowly on my own. And yes, when I start a new book of the Bible during my daily time with the Lord, I typically do a quick reading of the entire book first for context before I slow it way down. But when I noticed the #shereadstruth plan was Nehemiah, I decided to read along with their 17-day plan (with the YouVersion app).

It’s been great so far, and I have been so encouraged by Nehemiah’s commitment to prayer through every life situation. He prayed boldly, fervently, specifically, expectantly, and often. Such a powerful example!

4. I’m going to see Iron Man 3 this weekend. What movies have you seen lately?

5. Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Graffiti Summer Study & Do

“Graffiti? It’s the scribble of story and love that God intertwines upon your heart.”
- Alene Snodgrass

Have you read my latest post about loving just the one yet?

If not, click on over and read it (It’s short. I promise), and then come back here.

Seriously. I’ll wait.

graffiti summer study and do

Okay, now that you’re back…

Does that message resonate with you? Have you been seeking the Lord for opportunities to love more, too? Have you wanted to move beyond just listening and start doing?

If so, sometimes it’s just a matter of telling your fear that your God is bigger and taking the next step in obedience and faith. My friend, Alene, has provided just such a step by inviting us to join her for Graffiti Summer Study and Do.

In her ebook, Graffiti: scribbles from the other side of the street, along with a homeless-man-turned-friend she met while serving on the streets, Alene encourages us to hear someone’s story from the other side of the street, to invest in someone who might be a little different than we are, to go outside of our own comfortable community, and to follow Jesus’ example to serve someone else.

As an extension of the book, she has also written a 6 week Graffiti Study and Do companion guide that through studying the life of Moses, challenges us to take small steps each week to make a difference in the lives of others.

Beginning June 3rd, I’ll be joining Alene in this Graffiti Summer challenge with a weekly post, and I would love to have you join us, too.

Yes, that means you!

You can write a post and link to the weekly blog hop, write a note or post on Facebook, or just a leave a comment sharing about your experience.

No doubt it will be at least a little uncomfortable and a little scary (it is a challenge, after all!), but however you are able to participate, I am excited to see how the Lord will use our willingness to step out and serve for His glory!

So what exactly do you need to do?

1. Go read this post on Alene’s blog inviting you to join us. She explains all of this much better than I do.

2. Get a copy of Graffiti AND download a copy of Graffiti Study and Do (the guide is free!).

3. Ask to join the Facebook group.

4. Come back on June 3rd with a ready heart.

That’s it! But if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Are you in?!?

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Love One Another. Even Just the One.

“And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he commanded us.”
1 John 3:23 (ESV)

love one another. even just the one.Photo credit: Alene Snodgrass

For the past several months, I’ve been intentionally asking the Lord to give me opportunities to love people more and to love people well.

He’s answering that prayer, though differently than I anticipated, I think.

It seems He’s answering in the simplest way imaginable (though it’s really not simple at all). By bringing just one individual to me at a time to love more and to love well.

He’s leading me to discipleship with just the one (or two), to praying for just the one who needs to read each blog post, to being fully present in each moment so that I can invest in just the one in front of me, to making a difference to just the one instead of one thousand.

It takes intentionality. It takes vulnerability.

It requires me to be all in.

It may not be building much of platform or making much of a name for myself.

But it’s showing Jesus to that one. It’s kingdom work. And it’s beautiful.

It may not change the world. But it may change that one.

And I kinda love that.

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.”
1 John 4:11-12 (ESV)

“I Will Sing Unending Songs…”

“Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord…”
Psalm 102:18 (ESV)

unending songs

This weekend, I will spend Saturday morning and Sunday evening recording a live worship album with the worship ministries team at church.

I’m only one small part of the second row of a large choir (plus orchestra, rhythm section, praise team, tech team, children’s choir, and student choir), but I am so excited to be a part of this recording project. I do not take this opportunity and responsibility lightly … to be a part of leading others (both present and future generations, both in my city and around the world) to worship in spirit and in truth and to praise the Lord’s name!

While we’ve been diligently preparing and rehearsing for several weeks (probably more like months…) now, this past Wednesday evening was obviously a particularly long and intense rehearsal as tempos were being nailed down, harmonies were being fine-tuned, rhythms were being locked-in, cut-offs were being sharpened, and all of the moving parts were being tweaked to come into their final places.

No doubt there will be a few additional tweaks throughout the multiple day recording process this weekend (and beyond) as well.

But beyond the logistics and the technical aspects of the music, the lights, the sound, etc., it is such an honor and privilege to serve alongside this worship ministries team under the leadership of a worship pastor who values and prioritizes Biblical worship.

Even the most intense rehearsals are Christ-centered and worship-focused.

I love that!

Now I’m not really much into visions. In fact, I’m probably more on the side of the skeptic when it comes to receiving some form of a vision from the Lord, but I also believe that God can and does still work that way when His people are willing to listen and see.

So what I’m about to say, I take incredibly seriously, but know I likely won’t be able to do the moment much justice at all. But it’s too rich not to at least try!

As we were nearing the 2.5 hour mark on Wednesday evening, as I was feeling more fatigued by the minute and rather at the end of myself, during our final worship set, a medley of four songs all about the eternal song of praise in heaven, the Lord allowed me to catch a hazy and fleeting, but oh so powerful, glimpse of the reality of heaven.

Not in a clear photographic vision sort of way.
Not even in a clouds-parted-and-I-literally-saw-heaven sort of way.
Not at all.

But with the house lights down, the spotlights bright, the many exit signs glowing, in the fogginess and dimness of that moment as we were literally singing the words,

“Every eye will see the coming of the King…”

I saw it.

A hazy, fleeting, barely-for-a-moment glimpse of That Day when all eyes will be focused on the Center of this eternal reality … the light and truth that is our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

Oh. Wow.

I’m speechless just thinking about it again!

It was as if for that very brief moment, I was able to step outside of myself, aware of the powerful and heartfelt worship coming from the entire team around me, but somehow removed from it and able to catch a glimpse of what this looked like from the outside.  Somehow able to see this grand light – Jesus Christ on His throne – that we were all singing towards, that our hearts were all directed towards, that our eyes were all looking towards.

Every eye seeing. Every knee bowing. Every heart worshiping.

And y’all.

It changed my own heart in an instant.

At the end of myself, the Great I AM stepped in and re-directed my heart to the unending, awesome, holy, and wonderful Glory of His Son.

While still physically exhausted, my worship was transformed following that moment … renewed, energized, passionate, and true.

Eternity is a reality. Heaven is real.

And THE eternal song of heaven begins now…

“Holy, Holy are You Lord, God, Almighty!”

“Worthy is the Lamb!”

“Jesus is the Lord!”

“Blessing and honor and glory and power, forever!”

“I will sing unending songs…”

Everything. Anything.

“fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10

everything anything

In the midst of battling fear, processing change, and feeling worn, during a difficult yet sweet time in the Word re-reading the same two passages of Scripture (Joshua 1 and Isaiah 41) for what was going on days, the desperate prayer of my heart was this:

Lord, what more do you want from me? What more do I have to give?

And His response was this:

Everything. Anything.

And not just once. And not just for a moment. I want all of you. For a lifetime. Of moment-by-moment surrender and following.

I want you to choose to rest in My presence over and over again.

When it’s easy and when it’s not.
When you want to and when you don’t.
When you think you can do this life on your own and when you know you cannot.

I want you with Me.

I want everything. anything.

A Quick Post

a quick post

This is just a quick post to let you know that I’m taking this week to step away from the blog.

To quiet my heart before the Lord. To hear His voice. To lean into Him.

So there will be no devo thought today and no post at all on Friday.

Regular posting will resume next week.

Until then and in the absence of my words, might I humbly suggest you read HIS instead.

I just started the book of Joshua…

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:8-9 (ESV – emphasis added)

Saturday Plans

saturday plans

My Saturday plans pretty much consist of the following:

Drinking coffee in my favorite chair
Doing laundry
Reading something just for fun (probably “The Brothers Karamoz”)
Studying
Cleaning the house … at least parts of it
Watching a movie
Sending a few long over-due emails
Enjoying some much needed down time

What are some of your Saturday plans?

Happy Weekend!