Full Circle

Today (posted 2/13/16, but had complications posting) was a very busy day filled with friends, work, and a whole lot of encouragement.

I had a friend stay over last night; this is a friend I have been walking with in her journey to faith. We began the day talking to the Father and singing "Give Me Faith". I am always encouraged as new friends take steps to go deeper in getting to know the Father. I am also reminded of my own need to press in and allow him to fill me with faith. "Not I, But You, Father". 

I was able to share with this Universalist about the reality that there is only ONE G*d, and no other.  That Je$us alone leads to true healing and hope. While she is still on a journey to accepting this truth, each day it seems to become more and more a reality for her.  As she seeks the Father, He is revealing himself to her.  He is so faithful.  We have been discussing the fact that when we seek Him with all our hearts He will be found. (Jer. 29:13-14) This woman shared with me how our prayers felt like a coat covering her as she left. I love the imagery God gives this woman as she seeks Him more and more. 

After we said goodbye, I went to work at an international school where my friends from Nij*at and I counseled their staff about dealing with life struggles. 

Sometimes, I have to eat my own words! As we talked about casting your cares on The Father, and our inability to carry all our struggles ourselves, I remembered my need to do this too! Every care, every need, every thought cast on Him. It's ironic how our Father uses conversation we intend to encourage others to point us back in our own walk to Him and Him alone. He is faithful!

There is a nice little cafe where a friend works that I visited after work. With a caring smile he shared encouragement and his own story of trusting in the Father. His words were like a coat covering me- a subtle reminder of the perfect love of the Father; His ability to take my every day life and remind me again and again of His love; of faith that can be founded in Him; and how my day to day life and conversations can ALL point me back to the Father.  



I love how everything in our lives and in this world has purpose.  I love the strategy of G*d. I love how He invites me into His work and asks me to serve Him, but then blesses me simultaneously.   I love His character and how He displays it to us throughout our day.  I love how we can look around and see Him in all things.  He truly brings all things full circle.  I love how He loves me.  And there is that word "love".  Over and over again...and so timely. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, and oh HOW HE LOVES ME.  I see it so clearly, and I hope and pray I can help others to see the Father's love too. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Bhindi or “Tikka” Mark on the Head- What is it?

Image
(Pooja tikka mark) Many westerners have asked me what the Bhindi or red “tikka” mark means or why I am willing to wear it as a Chri$tian. Many people associate this mark with H!nduism. In my contextualization classes we were taught about finding the difference between culture and religion. The scripture is clear that we don’t want to do anything to compromise our Chri$tian faith and values. At the same time the go$pel is full of the liberties that Chri$t brought to us through the cross. We are no longer obligated to religious practices and rituals. Chri$t fulfilled the law. As we work with non-believers we don’t want to make Chri$tianity another religion. We don’t want to make following Chri$t more difficult than it has to be. Following Je$us doesn’t have to mean abandoning culture, it just has to mean abandoning any other faith or practices of that faith. As teachers, we have to help our disciples find this difference as they come to follow the Father more and more. We don
Read more

But God...

Every Knee Will Bow And Every Tongue Will Confess Truly everywhere we look is need- physical, emotional, financial, and spiritual. I see the man with elephantitis lift his giant leg to shift his position as he sits on a mat begging for money on the side of the road. I see a woman sitting on a patch of grass on the edge of a busy highway practicing her meditation attempting to find her inner peace. I see a young girl on her way to school stop to touch the street cow and then touch her own forehead in hopes that her Hindu practices will reap the blessing from her god (cow). Simultaneously, I see a shop keeper allow the giant cow to mosey along his street front restaurant; he even offers the cow freshly made roti (bread) as to not offend his “god” passing by. I see another person practicing yoga with all the pristine positions and poses. Her breaths are well practiced, yet her face is stricken with the look of anxiety and distress.  I see a young man who was
Read more

The ugliness I sometimes see

Image
We returned home today, August 18th, to the vastly different country that I now call "home". The things I so easily become immune to while living here rage their ugly heads whenever I return. It’s a mini culture shock and re-initiation if you will. I watched from my hotel window as a woman outside bathed her child in brown water. They live in an uncompleted brick shack with holes and a plastic sheet roof that monsoon has mostly destroyed already. Besides the beauty in the color of the scraps of clothes they are wearing there is nothing beautiful to the sight. No running water, no comforts to enjoy- simply day to day survival. My heart broke as I watched her. I looked down to my own sleeping baby tucked away in a nice crib with clean sheets and clean clothes. Sin is a horrible thing! It’s mared the world God created and his original beauty designed. It’s brought sickness, poverty, and brokenness. My heart aches for this woman, and at the same time rejoices in the
Read more