Weekend Worship—Letter of Love

Spring is here, and with it come the flurry of Easter activities. Spring break falls during this time for us, and we have extra services at church. And, as I’ve mentioned before, I’m frequently involved with my church’s Easter musical. This year is no different, and it would be easy to get lost in the business of the season and forget the reason behind it.

But instead, I’ve spent time studying that last week Jesus spent on the earth and I’m once again struck by the way God turned the world upside down in His loving pursuit of us…of me.

The thing that stood out for me this year, is the difference between the way the world views our short-comings and the way God sees us.

Once again, the words have come to me, begging to be placed a certain way. So I’ve written this version of a palindrome called, Letter of Love. A special thank you goes out to my friend, Cindy Sproles, creator of Tinkertime Productions for bringing it to life on YouTube.

Weekend Worship—Chosen

You did not choose me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain... John 15:16

Growing up I was never athletic. In fact, my idea of exercise was turning the pages of the latest book I was reading. You can imagine what the playground games were like for me. I was always the last one chosen. At least that was true until I met Amy. She was the exact opposite of me, excelling in sports. And, although we attended different schools, we got to know each other at church and became best friends. Then, one summer, she somehow convinced me to play softball with the church.

We were a large church and had enough players to field two teams. Amy and another girl were chosen to captain the teams and I found myself once again transported to the memory of grade school playgrounds while two popular athletes chose teams. The other girl won the coin toss and got to choose first. When Amy’s turn came I determinedly stared at the ground in front of me, praying this torture would end quickly. Imagine my surprise when the person she picked first was me.  I moved to her side and the teams were decided in short order. Later, I asked her why she’d chosen me first. Her answer floored me, “Because you have potential. I can see how athletic you are.”

I don’t know about the athletic part, but I didn’t embarrass her at church softball. God sees the same thing in each of us, and when we trust His view we can find the confidence to move forward and let Him bring about the fruit in our lives.

Weekend Worship—Clinging

But test all things. Hold on to what is good. I Thessalonians 5:21

Every year, since 1996, God has given me a verse of Scripture for the upcoming year. These verses have been my anchors in a storm-tossed life more often than you might imagine. This past December, I was challenged by a close friend to ask God for more than a verse for the year to come, but to give me a specific word. I promised to pray, but was uncertain how God would choose to answer. He answered almost immediately with this verse from I Thessalonians and the word, cling.

I felt He was warning me about my tendency to say yes to every opportunity that comes my way. He wanted me to stay close and cling to His wisdom so I wouldn't find myself overwhelmed and exhausted.

This past week, barely into February, God has already had to send me a strict reminder about this verse. I found myself with a health scare that has forced a re-assessment of all I'm involved in. It has been a time of readjustment and I'm not finished...truthfully I'll probably not ever be finished. This has shown me that whenever I drift even a short way from God's side I put myself in harm’s way. So this will be my year of learning how to cling to God, letting him prioritize my time, and use me to accomplish His will.

Weekend Worship—I Wouldn’t Choose it, But I Wouldn’t Change it

And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27 (NIV)

A lot of writing is like cross carrying. We tend to write about things that matter to us. Things matter to us because of our life experiences. When difficult things arise we all tend to ask why. I've found a more productive way to look at those traumas that shape us.

I think we all have regrets in our life, no matter how old we are. I have things I regret doing and not doing. I also have things I regret going through. I used to spend a lot of time in prayer asking God why and I got frustrated because God often didn’t seem to answer. Then one day, while reading my Bible, I came across this verse. Now I’ve read this verse many times before, but this time God’s Spirit spoke to me. He showed me that God doesn’t like the pain I’ve been through, but He’s used it in a powerful way in my life. He showed me that I wouldn’t be the person I am, without those times I regret. They are, in effect, my cross. They are things I have had to carry to become more Christ-like.

So for me, the question has become, “Do I want to be more like Jesus?” Absolutely! Then, I’ve had to look back and come to the painful knowledge that those times of regret have done that. They’ve made me into the person I am today. I’m now able to say, “I wouldn’t choose it, but I wouldn’t change it.” Is that easy? No way. Sometimes it takes years after a painful event or circumstance, but I can unequivocally say it’s worth the battle.

Weekend Worship—Brilliant Colors

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:3-5

Fall is my favorite time of the year. I love the cool, crisp days that bring relief from summer’s heat. But most of all, I love the beautiful colors adorning the trees in our Blue Ridge Mountains. My husband and I get great joy from driving through the mountains to see the changing leaves. It always amazes me how vibrant the colors are and, until recently. I took that beauty for granted.

Last year, I learned what makes the trees brighter some years as opposed to others. The intensity and brilliance of the colors is virtually unaffected by the amount of stress the tree has suffered during the previous season—as long as it has plenty of rain. That knowledge stopped me in my tracks, as God immediately began to apply its spiritual truth to my life. It didn’t matter how great the trial, as long as I looked to Him for provision, I could come through triumphant.

Inevitably, I began to think about people around me who’ve suffered intense pain and come through to a place of peace. I could see that the constant in their lives had also been the Living Water of God’s Spirit, sustaining them, no matter the stress. The more God worked through their stress and suffering, the more vibrantly His brilliance shined through them.

Now this knowledge leads me to a choice. Will I fight God’s plan, turn my back on Him, and seek the path of least resistance—the path that leads to a life without color? Or will I let God transform my trials and tribulations into brilliance?

Weekend Worship—Deep Roots

A man will not be established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous will not be moved. Proverbs 12:3

Last weekend our family traveled to Mississippi. For those of you living in Mississippi or Louisiana, you know that the Labor Day Holidays were spent watching Tropical Storm Lee come onshore.

We were fortunate enough to be in Jackson, so all we experienced was a soggy weekend. It began raining thirty minutes after we arrived and didn’t end until after we left. The drive back to South Carolina wasn’t much fun, either.

Driving back along the interstate I couldn’t help but notice numerous trees down on the sides of the road. Although they were huge trees, it was obvious the damage hadn’t come from high winds. But there were enough toppled to make me curious about the cause.

As I considered the soggy chaos, I realized the prolonged soaking rain had been the culprit. These particular trees, although still attached to seemingly large root-balls, hadn’t developed the extended root system necessary to anchor them in near flood conditions. Simply put, the rain had loosened the dirt, and without the root depth to anchor them, they’d fallen to their deaths.

Studying the unfolding scene outside the car window led me to wonder about my own root system. These tall trees had appeared strong and stable, but they lacked the strength to survive when calamity struck. I had become confident in my own ability to cope as of late, but truthfully, would I be able to weather disaster in my own life if it appeared?

God used this scene to remind me that only when I dig deep into a relationship with God will I find the strong foundation necessary to weather the inevitable storms of life. So how deep are your roots? Join me as I take time and dig in, anchoring myself to the only one able to provide security.

Weekend Worship—Shield of Faith

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Ephesians 6:16

I love rainy days. The rest of my family are sun worshippers, but I look forward to those cozy days, hemmed with rain and raveled in jagged strips of lightning. 




I especially love walking in the rain. There’s just something comforting in huddling beneath a large umbrella, safe and dry, while the world around me is wet.

It occurred to me that this is a perfect picture of what God does with us. As we move about our days, we’re sheltered by Him. Once we put our faith in God, He becomes our shield—our umbrella in a dreary world. We live in this world, but we’re not of this world.

Our faith is a shield—not because it’s always strong—but because the One we believe in is always strong.

            

Weekend Worship—Meditations from Ethiopia #8—Mission Trip, Why Bother?

“Why spend all that money and go half-way around the world when folks here need help?”

I've had a lot of people ask me why I went on a mission trip.

The answer is both simple and complicated—and it started with God. First and foremost, I felt like God wanted me to go. I felt drawn to people in other countries.  It wasn’t as simple as hearing an audible voice. It was much more like a yearning, deep inside.

The second reason is totally selfish. I felt totally ineffective in my own spiritual life. I was insulated in our culture—sacred and secular. The time had come for me to experience the way the rest of the world lived.

As much as I looked forward to my trip, I was totally unprepared for the results . . . in me . . . my family . . . my community.

I experienced a personal revival. My entire way of looking at life changed and I was deeply moved by how easy and blessed my life was. I experienced—for the first time ever—how truly wealthy we are in America.

I had the unprecedented opportunity to reach out to loved ones in my family and share the love of Jesus in a different way. This resulted in not only a strengthening of my faith, but theirs as well.

Finally I’ve had opportunities to reach out and impact my community.

So was it worth it? Absolutely.

How about you? Have you had the opportunity to experience something similar? How has it affected your life?

The Appearance of a Radical Life

When our boys were small we moved to a neighborhood with a community pool and we spent many happy summers there. But one summer I remember meeting a new neighbor. This neighbor was a young father with twin boys. I’ll never forget the first time I saw him in the pool—complete with large tattoos and body piercing. I had the urge to draw my boys close and protect them from this scary stranger. I’m glad I didn’t act on this first impression. As I watched him play with his boys and saw the love he lavished on them it was obvious he was a good dad.

I’d conveniently forgotten the entire episode until this past summer, when our oldest son and his wife came to live for a few months. Our son had just received his honorable discharge from the Marine Corps and I was so excited he’d be able to spend some time there, introducing his wife to the neighborhood where he’d grown up and getting used to being a civilian again.

His first day at the pool I got there first. I settled into a deck chair, chatting with several neighbors and catching up on the winter’s happenings. As I was visiting, I noticed several people stop and stare. I glanced at the entrance and was excited to see it was my son, soon others in the neighborhood would be able to welcome him home.

As I watched thought, the reception wasn’t what I expected. You see, while my son was in the military he’d acquired some body art. His tattoos aren’t objectionable—several are Christian in their messages—but they are tattoos. I was immediately transported back to my reaction so many years ago—but this time the scary man was my son. I immediately rushed to his side and re-introduced him to neighbors who didn’t recognize him. The atmosphere changed and he was welcomed back with all the joy I could have hoped.

But the experience stays with me.

I asked God what He wanted me to take away from this and these are the thoughts I’ve had.

• Tattoos: What difference could I make if I was so marked by the love of God that people stopped and stared?
• Piercing: How would my life change if my heart was truly pierced for Him?
• Long Hair: What would happen if people could visibly see that I’m covered by God’s grace?
• Chains: How I wish the world could see the chains that no longer bind me.

Kind of makes you think—at least it did me.

Don't forget to join the conversation,

Blessings,

Edie

Weekend Worship—The Apple of My Daddy’s Eye

Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me in the shadow of Thy wings, Ps 17:8 (NASB)

I grew up hearing my parents and grandparents use the expression apple of my eye. I was often told I was the apple of my daddy’s eye. There was even a polished, wooden apple, with a small picture of me in it, sitting on my daddy’s desk. It was a constant reminder that I was precious and important to my daddy.

One day, I began to wonder what that phrase actually meant and very shortly was surprised to discover the saying originated in the Bible, specifically, the Old Testament. So I went back to Hebrew, the original language of the Old Testament and discovered that the apple of someone’s eye is the pupil. It’s even more than that—it’s the reflection of yourself in the pupil of someone’s eye. Imagine standing close enough to someone to see yourself reflected in their eye. This is a perfect picture of the close relationship God wants to have with us. He holds us so close and so precious that we can see ourselves reflected in His eye.

So what does that have to do with my writing life? It has to do with God’s character—Who He is. He is a creative God. The very first thing we see Him doing, in the first chapter of Genesis, is creating. We all have that aspect of God somewhere within. For me, it’s reflected in my writing. And I’m never more in tune with God than when I’m writing. Rather than looking tolerantly at me when I’m writing, I know God is rejoicing that I’m using the gift He’s given me to create.

So I encourage you, draw close, gaze into your Creator’s eye—revel in the fact that He loves you with a love that defies description—and then feel His joy as you become a living example of Who He is.

My Ways are not Your Ways

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
Isaiah 55:8 (NIV)

Have you ever wished you understood God completely—understood why He allows things to happen? I have and I’ve had some pretty uncomfortable conversations with non-believers about that subject. It’s hard to answer why a perfect, loving God would let evil proliferate in our world.

As believers, we know the Biblical answer—because man is sinful and because God allowed us freewill. Translating that into actual application when someone is hurting is difficult at best. But I have come to an understanding that allows me peace, in spite of all the incomprehensible things in this world. That’s what this verse is all about. God has a bigger perspective than I can even imagine. And I’ve come to be so thankful He does. Because, I have to tell you, if my God was small enough for me to understand and anticipate, I don’t think He’d be large enough to worship. I’m blessed, time after time, by His timeless viewpoint and by the fact that I am not in charge.

My personal challenge for this week is to let go of needing to know why and instead, learning to rest in Who.

Weekend Worship—Freedom

And you will know the truth and the truth will make you free. John 8:32

Now I have to confess, usually I can only take so much TRUTH when it comes to my writing. And as exciting as writers conferences are, there's a surfeit of truth that goes on here. Everyone you talk with has an opinion, especially when it comes to your writing and how it should be fixed. Add to that the late nights, adrenalin rush of meetings, and a schedule jam packed with classes and you have a recipe for emotional disaster. I found myself on that very roller coaster Friday night. But Saturday morning, after an unusually good night’s rest, worship was a wonderful time of hearing from God.

The worship team led us in several praise songs, but the one that resonated with me focused on the freedom we have in Christ. I found myself asking God how I could hang on to that freedom in a day packed with unexpected highs and lows. Frequently, in the past, I’ve found the conference and the week following, a time of bondage. I’ve felt trapped by expectations of others and the obvious shortcomings within myself.

As I prayed, asking if somehow this time could be different I felt my spirit vibrate with God’s answer. His answer was to remind me that He gave me this story—for this time. He didn’t choose anyone else, He chose me. And I felt that today He would confirm His trust in me.

After the worship time, I went straight to my 15 minute appointment with an editor. As I sat down, I felt slightly nervous, but nothing like I have in the past. The editor listened as I gave him a brief pitch and then asked to see the first few pages of the manuscript. He read for a moment and asked if I’d like editorial feedback.

I felt myself swallow hard—here it came—more of that truth. But I replaced my fear with a picture of the word freedom and nodded. As he began marking up my pages and explaining sections that needed to be cut I felt an unearthly peace. Here it was—God’s confirmation.

The editor stopped talking and looked at me strangely. “You’re taking this awfully well.”

That was when I realized I had a huge grin on my face. I’m sure it must have briefly crossed his mind that I was some sort of a nutcase or maybe he was the butt of a joke and this wasn’t really my manuscript.

Truth was his revisions filled me with joy. The parts he removed were those that I’d let others, against my better judgment, talk me into adding. When he was done, I was left with the story exactly the way God had given it to me.

Today I found freedom—and confidence—to believe in God’s work in me and in my ability to carry it out. I challenge you to ask for God’s confirmation where you feel lacking. His answer will surprise you—it certainly did me. I’d love to hear your story so . . .

Don't forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie

Weekend Worship - Be Still

Be still, and know that I am God
Ps 46:10(NKJV)

I finally understand what my grandmother meant by the old saying meet yourself coming and going. Some days I’m so busy with my writing and editing schedule I feel bad about taking time for lunch. Recently I’d even begun waking up in the morning with a stress headache. These headaches caused me to re-evaluate my priorities and I realized that one thing I’d let slide were my regular quiet times in the morning.

In recent years my routine has evolved into a set time every morning spent reading my Bible and praying. Now before you think I’m a morning person or especially dedicated, let me set the record straight—I’m not one of those who can wake up at 5am to do this. I’m a late night person, so my mornings start slow—usually around 8am.

But lately I’ve started the day so far behind I’d begun to skimp on my time with God. It sounds awful to admit, but it’s true. And it seemed the farther behind I got the less time I spent—and the less time I spent with God, the farther behind I got. It looks obvious when I write it out, but it took me a while to see the connection. You may wonder how I finally caught on, and I have to confess it wasn’t anything I did. It was Emily Dickinson—my cat.

You see, Emily has an unusual routine. Every afternoon, if I let her, she spends at least thirty minutes in my lap hanging out. I can be sitting in front of the TV, knitting or in front of the computer, but if I am sitting down, up she hops. She stretches out, cradled in my arms and spends time resting. She is completely at ease, sometimes in a position where, if I didn’t support her, she’d fall to the ground. She is completely unconcerned about any danger, knowing that I love her and will hold her safe. As God’s children we need that same time every day with God. It is necessary to take the time to rest, safe in His arms, away from the trials of the day. He is always there, waiting for us to come, offering comfort and love.

I've reworked my schedule and found everything fits when I put God first. What about you? How do you make sure God has top priority in your schedule?

Don't forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie

Weekend Worship - I Wouldn't Choose It, But I Wouldn't Change It

And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27 (NIV)

A lot of writing is like cross carrying. We tend to write about things that matter to us. Things matter to us because of our life experiences. When difficult things arise we all tend to ask why. I've found a more productive way to look at those traumas that shape us.

I think we all have regrets in our life, no matter how old we are. I have things I regret doing and not doing. I also have things I regret going through. I used to spend a lot of time in prayer asking God why and I got frustrated because God often didn’t seem to answer. Then one day, while reading my Bible, I came across this verse. Now I’ve read this verse many times before, but this time God’s Spirit spoke to me. He showed me that God doesn’t like the pain I’ve been through, but He’s used it in a powerful way in my life. He showed me that I wouldn’t be the person I am, without those times I regret. They are, in effect, my cross. They are things I have had to carry to become more Christ-like.

So for me, the question has become, “Do I want to be more like Jesus?” Absolutely! Then, I’ve had to look back and come to the painful knowledge that those times of regret have done that. They’ve made me into the person I am today. I’m now able to say, “I wouldn’t choose it, but I wouldn’t change it.” Is that easy? No way. Sometimes it takes years after a painful event or circumstance, but I can unequivocally say it’s worth the battle.

What are your regrets? Look back and let God show you the great things He’s done through them. I'd love to hear about some of the things you've learned.

Don't forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie

Weekend Worship, Who Are You Following?

Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him and He will do this. Psalm 37:5, NIV

Last summer a group of us drove to the beach. We took several cars and, although I’d never been to that particular beach, I took my car. Things were a little crazy when we left and after we got on the road I realized I hadn’t gotten written directions. I knew the friend I followed could get us there, no problem, but it still made me a little nervous. I was careful to keep her car constantly in sight and stay alert to any signs that she planned to change direction. I’m a bit of a control freak and this was hard for me. I had to rely on her to get me safely to the place we’d stay.

While I groused about not knowing where I was going, it hit me that my life with God is like that. As believers, we know our ultimate destination is heaven. But just like my trip to the beach, I must follow God closely to stay on the right path. I have to stay alert, follow closely and not get separated.

This is hard for me in a lot of ways, but especially when it comes to my writing career. When I started this path, I had a very clear picture of what my life as a writer would look like. I knew the things I’d be doing, the things I’d concentrate on and how it would lead me to my version of success. Very little of that has happened. I have become a full time writer, but my path has been very different from what I’d imagined and infinitely better!

As I’ve learned to relinquish control to God, He’s taken me down paths I hadn’t dared dream about. I’m here to say I’m not the one in control, God is, and I’ve learned to trust that He knows the best way to get where we’re going.

It does us no good to get ahead of God, only He knows the correct path for each of us.
Don't forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie