On the Road Again... Again! : )

Click here to see a post about our trip to MO/KS/OK!  : )  (TX too if you count the layover...) ;)

Come for a walk with me?

 

I took a little walk this morning around our condo complex. With my iPod in my pocket, I grabbed the camera on my way out thinking that with the overcast sky I might find some interesting pictures. It always fascinates me to think that on the other side of the clouds, it is blindingly bright. The sun is always there, even providing light through the clouds, whether it is visible down here or not. There is beauty all around... whether I stop and enjoy it or drive right past it.

As I enjoyed the flowers and the grey sky, I also started noticing all of the signs around giving directions about parking and not parking, stopping and slowing. All over the place. I mused a bit about how this current new mini-season of life feels fast and furious in many ways. There are short months left (likely) before we leave for Peru.  There is much, MUCH work to be done to prepare. Sorting belongings (do we take this? store it? sell it? give it away?) and getting things in order to be gone, keeping track of names and numbers, applying for visas and still visiting churches and people to share the vision and dreams, touching everyone a few more times before we leave... Much to do. It can seem in some ways like there is no time for parking until we get to Peru.

And yet, in many other ways there is a great need for slow. Slow enough to listen to my husband and dream with him and stay in love and as one during this season of stretching.  Slow enough to watch my children to see how they are really doing and to provide a sense of security for them that everything really is going to be okay because we are okay. Slow enough to sit and really BE with our friends and family and whoever else we are spending time with so we can all know that we love and are loved by each other. Slow enough to savor the joy of being on an adventure with God. 

But there is not just a need for occasional slow in this sprint to the finish. There is also a need for stopping.  Stopping to rest with God. To listen to Him. To gain His perspective. To find shelter and comfort in His arms when I am grieving. To be renewed and refreshed and restored when I am weary. To seek His guidance and wisdom.

And we need God, the Sovereign Lord of our lives, to continue to show us where to go and when to move. We need Him to continue to open and close the right doors and gates and keep us on His path as He has been so faithful to do for us so far. It is wonderful to be able to say that we know so clearly that this is the way God is leading us. We know that we know that we know this is His leading for our family and we are so thankful for the way He is making the path straight.

Strength and endurance. Communion and connection. Shelter and rest. Provision and guidance. I need them all. We all need them all. And He will graciously provide it all as we walk with Him, follow His lead and trust Him. Forever and ever.

From Psalm 31...

3 Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. 

4 Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.

14 But I trust in you, LORD; I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me.
16 Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.

19 How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you.

23 Love the LORD, all his faithful people! The LORD preserves those who are true to him, but the proud he pays back in full.

24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.

Strength, Peace & Endurance to you from our grace-giving heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit for whatever you may be facing this week...


With Much Love,
Melissa

The Secret to Contentment

I read through the book of Philippians this week and was struck again by Paul's statements about learning to be content in all things. Here's what he says in chapter 4, verses 11 & 12:

"...I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."

I have to admit that I have NOT yet learned how to be content in any and every situation. (In a lot of situations, actually!) I would say I'm making progress, but still have much to learn.  Whether I'm tired or overwhelmed or annoyed, I can far too often find myself lacking in the contentment department. So once again, this secret of being content beckoned me to ponder this mystery a bit further.  Then comes verse 13:

"I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

Really? That's the secret? My first reaction is not relief or wonder. It's confusion. I've read this passage many times, but it's always been hard to make the connection between contentment and doing everything through God's strength. I picture contentment as being relaxed - not strong.  I think of contentment as a passive state of the heart when I've pushed past all of the hard stuff and can finally relax.  Then I can be content... 

Maybe...

...if I really think I can be satisfied with my performance. If I think I've done enough. If I feel like I did it well enough.  If there isn't too much to worry about that isn't done yet. If I'm not feeling sorry for myself or mad at myself for some reason. If I was able to find my To Do List and get most of it checked off. If tomorrow's list isn't too daunting...

Worry, Fear, Perfectionism, Insecurity, Approval Seeking, Criticism and Condemnation all try to crowd in and suffocate me. And they're all LIARS.

Thankfully, God created me to breathe. To breathe contentment. To breathe peace. To breathe grace. To breathe faith and trust and believe in the power that raised Jesus from the dead that is alive and working in me. 

So this week, it's been becoming clear. Contentment is anything but passive. In order to live content I DO INDEED need Christ's strength to RESIST everything that says I don't deserve to be content or that I haven't finished it all yet or that I can't be satisfied quite yet. So with Christ's strength I am learning to exercise and resist that list of liars up there so that I can breathe in peace and trust God and rest content - especially when it's not all done yet.  Because it never will be.  : )  But that's okay.  Like my very wise sister said recently, "The LORD gives us enough strength and grace each day to accomplish what HE would have us do. Try to do more than that and you're on your own."  

So when I sense in my spirit that He is saying "That's enough," I will choose to be content.  When I am at the beginning of a new day with a long list of hours in front of me, I will choose to be content and remember that "I can do all this through him who gives me strength." Strength to resist worry.  Strength to resist discouragement.  Strength to keep taking one step at a time and trusting Him with the future.  All through His glorious, contentment-providing strength.  : )

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come." Ephesians 1:18-21

Hallelujah and amen!

~Melissa

Well, Hi!

: ) "Well, hi!" If you went to college with me, you might remember a certain guy who was associated with that greeting. He might not have been the only one. He's just the one I remember. Probably because I fell in love with and married him.  : )

Well, this guy and I are embarking on an adventure the likes of which I never could have dreamed up on my own. And things are moving like a roller-coaster click click click click clicking up a big hill and I'm holding on tight and holding my breath. It seemed like just a minute ago we were safely in line and all of a sudden we're strapped in and climbing up a hill ready for the ride of a lifetime! Let me explain.

At the end of January and through much of Spring we had about 20% of our fundraising pledged. It took from then all the way to the end of July to get to 45%. Let me help you with the math... that was about 6 months for the next 25% increase.

As of today we are just over 70%. Our pledged support has jumped another 25% in less than one month. A significant portion of that has come in even just this week and we know there is more coming. Almost every day now we hear of someone new who has given or is going to. It is overwhelming. It is humbling.

It is GOD.

As things have sped up so quickly it has made me take another good, long, hard look at what we're doing.  It is hard to accept so much sacrificial giving.  It is scary to be invested in. But this good, hard look has been good because God has used it to remind me again of some really, really important truths.

1. People are investing in God's Kingdom - not Lowell & Melissa's Kingdom.
2. I can't do anything without God.
3. God doesn't expect me to.
4. God does expect me to trust Him and seek Him and expect to find Him.
5. God plans to do things through us as we walk with Him, abiding in His love and power - whether we realize He is using us or not.
6. God will supply all of our needs one day at a time.
7. I can do all things through Christ.
8. He really has called us to this.

He really has called us to this.  That is perhaps the biggest reassurance for me of all right now.  As things go from "somewhere out there" to "coming around the corner!" we need to have the peace that comes from knowing this was not our idea.  So I am grateful that He is gladly confirming that to us.  He is wildly confirming that to us.  And I'm excited to see what's next... because I think after we get off the first part of this ride, we're going to be like Toby when he got off of his first roller coaster this summer.

Grinning from ear to ear proclaiming for all to hear:  "THAT WAS AWESOME!!!!!"

The Oregon Trail

Funny...  trails can turn into trials with just the switch of two letters.  : )  But thankfully, this trail was no trial.  We enjoyed our trip to Oregon to visit the New Hope Bible Church in Grants Pass so very much.  I wrote a couple of posts on our other blog about our time there...

This one about our trip up there  and  this one about our time there.

Happy trails to you!

31 Days?

One of my favorite blogs is Emily Freeman's...  Chatting at the Sky  She is an amazing writer who I found last October when she was doing a series called 31 Days of Grace.  She and some other people out in Bloggyland are each doing a different series of 31 Days of Something and encouraging others to consider doing the same.  (Intrigued?  Check out her post here.)

So after doing my Lent series last Spring, I'm thinking that a Fall series might be a good thing.  Maybe.  But, I’m torn. In October I just might be in the middle of packing up our life to move to Peru. So I don’t know if that means it would be ridiculous to do something like this or that it would be a really good time to do something like this b/c it would be therapeutic for me.  (Because we all know I'm gonna need some therapy!) 

And since I can always change my mind, I’m gonna dream about it for now.  I think my 31 days would be 31 Days of Songs from My Heart… sharing songs I’ve written (at least the lyrics… not sure about ability/time to include more) and some of the stories behind them.  (And yes, I do have that many that I've written and more.  And counting.)  (I just get shy about sharing them.)

(And I know there's no law that says I have to wait until October or that I have to do it in October.  But I don't know very many people that run marathons by themselves.  So there is something to be said for doing it at the same time others are...  Otherwise I might not ever do it!)

So we'll see!  Let me know what you think!  : )  

You just might be able to persuade me...  ; )