Gettin' Out of the Boat (A Precurser to Planting Trees)
On my bathroom mirror is the phrase: “Do what makes you strong in Christ!”
This was taken from one of the Ransomed Heart Newsletters. Oh how I love the wisdom of John Eldredge. He ministers to the believer’s soul, reminding me that I am meant for communion with God.
This is EXACTLY what I did today.
I’m really quite sad this day is over. I’ve made choices for Him instead of against Him.
Making choices against Him, if I’m really honest, is what I’ve been doing a lot lately.
I awoke & had a beautiful Sunday School class with my one little student…Andrew. The service today literally wanted me up shouting. Sometimes I have a very hard time containing myself. I look around at the sometimes seemingly sleepy congregation & am like, “People, do you get what is being preached!” (Of course this is a metaphor, I don’t really look around, I sit in the front row now, so I can’t! ;) I’m sure one of these days I’m going to make a COMPLETE fool of myself, jump up, and clap my hands over my head, and say, “Glory hallelujah, AMEN!” My hand literally got tired today from all the writing. I have ADD, so if I don’t write it down it ain’t goin’ in my little brain.
Then, we ate! Oh the blessed joy of Homecoming. It is truly one of my most favorite days of the year. It is in my favorite month. I visited for the first time during a Homecoming. There is food, and may I just say, we know how to cook!!!! I’m completely broke right now & have no food in my house & I was able to take enough food home to feed me for several days ;) As Wyatt would say, “Oh yeah, Baby!”
Then after the service I sang. I wish I wouldn’t get so dang nervous. I sing at home all the time & to me it sounds alright. I get up in front of the congregation and freak! I even missed a line in a song today! It is TRULY God keeping me humble. It is truly so I don’t get to big for my breeches. I mean, I can get up and talk until my face turned purple & it’s great, but ask me sing & God’s gotta be in the driver seat…it’s the way He likes it!
Then, I came home & really wanted to watch some “True Blood”! Honest to goodness one of my favorite shows right now, but completely and totally, if I’m really honest with myself, a show that brings no glory to God! (I find things that do, but in the end it holds no eternal weight!)
In the end I chose to watch “Letters to God”! I was prompted by the movie to write my own “Letter to God”!
Then, I came back and just listened to Andrew Peterson, Marc Scibilia, Sara Groves, JJ Heller, John Marc McMillian (all AMAZING artists you should check out), Selah, etc…
Then I got online and read several blog entries from Mr. Andrew Peterson. I perused the Rabbit Room website @ http://www.rabbitroom.com/ (it’s kinda amazing!)
Then, I went for a walk and listened to some Jon Freeman, lead singer of Switchfoot (thanks Dave, as Wyatt would say, “I like it!)
I came home and begin to type away on my computer. I’m really working on writing again. Whether it is blog, narrative, poem…whatever! This passion that needs to be cultivated.
Why am I telling you all this? I don’t know.
God’s asking me to get out of the boat. He is asking me to come back to Him. He is asking me to lay down all I have, all this baggage. He asking me if I’ll let him tear the dragon skin off (reference from “Voyage of Dawn Treader” by CS Lewis)!
I’m going to actively be searching for the adventure. I think it will be found more in the ordinary than in the extraordinary, but I’m looking. How will I know I’ve found it…well I simply have to look for Him telling me, “Come!”
Now, with all this said, it is more than likely I will wake with my own selfish ideals, thinking of me, me, me & fall miserably tomorrow. But, the beautiful thing about my Jesus is that He loves me just as much today as He will tomorrow…no matter if I’m serving Him, or falling flat on my face in front of Him. He is always ready to come by and pick little ole’ me up J
In closing I would like to share the refrain of the song “Planting Trees” by Andrew Peterson, which I think will have a blog of its own soon:
So sit down and write that letter
Sign up and join the fight
Sink in to all that matters
Step out into the light
Let go of all that’s passing
Lift up the least of these
Lean into something lasting:
Planting trees.
Love you ALL & good night!
This was taken from one of the Ransomed Heart Newsletters. Oh how I love the wisdom of John Eldredge. He ministers to the believer’s soul, reminding me that I am meant for communion with God.
This is EXACTLY what I did today.
I’m really quite sad this day is over. I’ve made choices for Him instead of against Him.
Making choices against Him, if I’m really honest, is what I’ve been doing a lot lately.
I awoke & had a beautiful Sunday School class with my one little student…Andrew. The service today literally wanted me up shouting. Sometimes I have a very hard time containing myself. I look around at the sometimes seemingly sleepy congregation & am like, “People, do you get what is being preached!” (Of course this is a metaphor, I don’t really look around, I sit in the front row now, so I can’t! ;) I’m sure one of these days I’m going to make a COMPLETE fool of myself, jump up, and clap my hands over my head, and say, “Glory hallelujah, AMEN!” My hand literally got tired today from all the writing. I have ADD, so if I don’t write it down it ain’t goin’ in my little brain.
Then, we ate! Oh the blessed joy of Homecoming. It is truly one of my most favorite days of the year. It is in my favorite month. I visited for the first time during a Homecoming. There is food, and may I just say, we know how to cook!!!! I’m completely broke right now & have no food in my house & I was able to take enough food home to feed me for several days ;) As Wyatt would say, “Oh yeah, Baby!”
Then after the service I sang. I wish I wouldn’t get so dang nervous. I sing at home all the time & to me it sounds alright. I get up in front of the congregation and freak! I even missed a line in a song today! It is TRULY God keeping me humble. It is truly so I don’t get to big for my breeches. I mean, I can get up and talk until my face turned purple & it’s great, but ask me sing & God’s gotta be in the driver seat…it’s the way He likes it!
Then, I came home & really wanted to watch some “True Blood”! Honest to goodness one of my favorite shows right now, but completely and totally, if I’m really honest with myself, a show that brings no glory to God! (I find things that do, but in the end it holds no eternal weight!)
In the end I chose to watch “Letters to God”! I was prompted by the movie to write my own “Letter to God”!
Then, I came back and just listened to Andrew Peterson, Marc Scibilia, Sara Groves, JJ Heller, John Marc McMillian (all AMAZING artists you should check out), Selah, etc…
Then I got online and read several blog entries from Mr. Andrew Peterson. I perused the Rabbit Room website @ http://www.rabbitroom.com/ (it’s kinda amazing!)
Then, I went for a walk and listened to some Jon Freeman, lead singer of Switchfoot (thanks Dave, as Wyatt would say, “I like it!)
I came home and begin to type away on my computer. I’m really working on writing again. Whether it is blog, narrative, poem…whatever! This passion that needs to be cultivated.
Why am I telling you all this? I don’t know.
God’s asking me to get out of the boat. He is asking me to come back to Him. He is asking me to lay down all I have, all this baggage. He asking me if I’ll let him tear the dragon skin off (reference from “Voyage of Dawn Treader” by CS Lewis)!
I’m going to actively be searching for the adventure. I think it will be found more in the ordinary than in the extraordinary, but I’m looking. How will I know I’ve found it…well I simply have to look for Him telling me, “Come!”
Now, with all this said, it is more than likely I will wake with my own selfish ideals, thinking of me, me, me & fall miserably tomorrow. But, the beautiful thing about my Jesus is that He loves me just as much today as He will tomorrow…no matter if I’m serving Him, or falling flat on my face in front of Him. He is always ready to come by and pick little ole’ me up J
In closing I would like to share the refrain of the song “Planting Trees” by Andrew Peterson, which I think will have a blog of its own soon:
So sit down and write that letter
Sign up and join the fight
Sink in to all that matters
Step out into the light
Let go of all that’s passing
Lift up the least of these
Lean into something lasting:
Planting trees.
Love you ALL & good night!
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