The Power of Prayer

"Ever since I heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus, and your love for Christians everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. I have prayed for you constantly." Ephesians 1. 15-16

When I read this scripture passage this morning I was struck by two things.
1.) What my day would be like if I knew someone was praying for me
 and
2.) What their day would be like for someone else if they knew I was praying for them. 

I was actually thunderstruck by this idea. It just felt like a revelation to think about how much different a person's life could be if they knew someone was praying for them, the way Paul prayed for the church in Ephesus. I thought how I might take on my day differently if I knew someone was specifically praying for me this morning. And I wondered  how YOU might feel if you knew someone had prayed specifically for you today.

It sounds so simple but there is power in simplicity. Of course I pray for others. But I'm thinking of specific prayers. I pictured my friend K.T. who is a powerful prayer warrior. I pictured her on her knees before the throne of God, wrestling on my behalf. I thought about how I might tackle this day differently knowing she'd been in her prayer closet contending for me. I know how blessed and empowered I feel when someone lays their hands on me and prayers for me in person.

I've decided to commit to 30 days of prayer. I have a list of people I intend to pray for over the next 30 days. Each day I will take one person from my list and pray specifically for them. In my small group I challenged each of them to join me in this challenge. I am extending the same challenge to you.... Will you join me? I believe this can be a real game changer.

Is someone praying for me?
Am I praying for someone?

The answer is.... YES.

The Frugal Housewife

Sounds like a great title for a new blog doesn't it? But, nope, no plans to go in that direction any time soon. Its just that I've been working hard the past few weeks to find ways to trim our household budget and guess what? It's paying off!


Life is becoming decidedly different with my husband now working for someone as opposed to being self employed. For one thing, it's a whole different mind-set. He knows all about BUYING construction materials and he is very skilled at turning those materials into beautiful abodes but now he's on the other side of the counter, selling! It's different and challenging and stretching him every day but he is enjoying it. The work environment is a pleasant one, even while fast paced and demanding. All in all he is slowly but surely finding his niche and settling in.

The other very different part is something we've never really had in all the years we've been together: regular paychecks! There is something to be said for knowing exactly how much you will receive every 2 weeks. I can actually build a budget that works! In self employment it was always a roller coaster cash flow. Some months we had just enough, some months there was more than enough. But more often than not, the months were much too lean to support us in a healthy way. It's a huge blessing and large burden lifted to be living a life that has a more of a flat surface as opposed to the roller coaster ride!

As I laid out our budget however, I could see that there were things that needed to be adjusted. No more getting by on 'a wing and a prayer' (although to be clear, prayer will never depart from our life) Now with income clearly defined we could see our overhead needed to be lowered. So, I got busy and started doing my homework.... What could we do without? What could we change?

I began with researching cell phone providers. While totally satisfied with the service we have had for many years, I just wanted to see if I could find another plan that would help trim the budget. After several false leads and one attempt to 'jump ship' I learned my lesson: Cheap does not equal quality. But asking for something can bring positive results. My cell provider made an adjustment on our monthly service plan that lowers our bill by $40 a month. Same excellent service, same excellent cell phone plan.

It pays to ask!

Next, I shopped insurance. I have learned it always saves to bundle home and auto and while I thought that 15 minutes could save me more, I learned that's not always true. I found auto insurance that not only offers me a better coverage package, it's costing me about 40% less! That's another $40 in my pocket. Yeehaw!

It pays to ask!

Feeling encouraged and brave, I decided to tackle our home internet. We seriously considered whether we could live without internet (it was a scary thought, honestly!) but communication via email, and other online services has become so deeply integrated in our lives, it makes it difficult to not have it. Living in a rural area can also limit the services available so it didn't seem there was much of a choice here but after a tip from my neighbor, I called our internet provider.

We've always had internet through our phone line and we had to have a land line in order to have internet. I learned this wasn't true anymore for our area and made the decision to cut the land line out! That's a little scary too because it's good to have a land line in case your cell service goes bonkers but since I've never had any interruption in my cell coverage here at home in all the years we've had it, it seemed a safe risk. So... bye-bye land line.... and hello internet adjustment. Bazinga! I just lowered my internet with a monthly savings of about $25 a month!

It pays to ask!

I already shop bargain foods and thrift/consignment store clothing. We rarely eat out, movies are whatever we can rent from the local library. We heat with wood and we carpool when ever possible.

 I gave up coloring my hair because I just could not afford it and discovered that the frumpy gray strands were looking much more like silver, which, by golly, I think I like!

 I don't know that I can trim much more off the budget but I am thankful for what I've been able to do so far.

When Bruce decided to take this job we talked about the pros and cons of leaving self employment and going to work for someone else. And despite the pros of that steady paycheck, the con was that it does pay less than what he earns when he is self employed. But we knew without a doubt that God had orchestrated this job. And God knows our needs. He knew what the job paid and what our budget said we needed. We had to move forward in faith, believing that God was either going to fill in the gaps or show us ways to get by on less. He's done both in the last several weeks.



We asked God to show us the way and He has. Yes, oh yes indeed, it pays to ask! 

Restored!

photo property of Robyn Burke

Do you believe God heals? 
I do. I have experienced His healing in my life. It took time, because it's a process, but I've healed. 

google images

You may already know this, but I have had surgery for torn rotator cuffs on both of my shoulders. The pain I felt when I injured them was bad enough but honestly, the recovery after surgery was worse! My right rotator had not only torn but there was an impingement in the shoulder area that needed to be fixed. This required some shaving of the bone and a pin was inserted to hold things in place. I don't even like thinking about what all took place while I was knocked out by the anesthesia! However, once I was home and the numbness wore off -- I was TOTALLY aware of just how much tweaking had gone on inside of me! And the pain pills barely took the edge off. If I so much as raised my shoulder even a fraction of a fraction pain would ripple through me. I roared like a lion, I cried like a baby. It hurt!! 

Then... a few weeks later I began physical therapy. Oh. Oh. Oh. Even while I knew that the therapy was designed to help restore healing and it was a necessary evil, that did not stop my tears from trickling down my cheeks as I laid on the therapy table and allowed the therapist to manipulate my shoulder in directions it fought against.  As the weeks went on however, and more flexibility returned to my shoulder, the pain lessened. Eventually I was able to do the exercises on my own, without need for prescription pain pills or even ibuprofen. Eventually the pain subsided until there was no more. 

When I began my adult life as a single mom, I also began a journey of seeking healing for years of abuse. Part of this was dealt with the aid of a gifted, compassionate counselor. Some was accomplished through my private journaling, some in writing letters to those who had hurt me. But the single most powerful healing took place as one by one, I brought those broken places in my heart and laid them before God. It was painful-- Oh! It was painful! For so many years I had buried the hurts deep inside of me, the only way I knew to cope and survive. Inviting Jesus in to heal those areas meant exposing them. Digging up long buried shame and resentment, excavating pits of despair-- there was nothing pretty or pain-free in any of that! 

But God was with me every step of the way. It started when He spoke to me through His word: He leads me beside still waters, He restores my soul. (Psalm 23) In that verse I heard Him saying loud and clear, "Come. Come and rest here in this safe and quiet place. Give me the broken pieces- all of them-- and let me begin restoration." 

photo property of Robyn Burke 

Honestly, it was much like surgery and physical therapy! The surgery repaired the broken parts but the therapy brought healing and strength back to the damaged areas. God touched the hurts in my heart, mind and spirit, repairing the damage, and then over the next months and years, worked with me to restore life into those areas I thought were broken beyond repair. 

So much has taken place over the years since I first started that earnest journey into healing and wholeness. Sometimes I look back and shake my head in disbelief that I was once so fragile. God was-- IS-- so faithful. He spoke life back into me. It was a process, just like healing from a broken bone or a shoulder repair, but the torn up places in my spirit have been restored. 

If you have areas in your life that are in need of healing, I encourage you to take the next step to begin the process. Dr. Jesus is waiting. 

REWIND??

Back in 1986 I watched a fantasy/comedy movie called "Peggy Sue Got Married"  In the movie, a woman named Peggy Sue attends her 25- year high school reunion. She's recently separated from her (cheating) husband Charlie. She regrets some of the decisions she made in her life-- such as marrying Charlie. When she faints at the reunion and wakes up in 1960-- back in high school, she's suddenly given the chance to live her life again. She sets out to change things... only... some choices are more complicated... her relationship with Charlie being just one of them.

I suppose all of us at one time or another has wondered if we had the chance do our lives over again, if we wouldn't do some things differently. I know I have.  If I woke up to find myself back in high school I want to think I'd make much wiser decisions, knowing then what I know now. However, who I am today is based on the experiences I have had. So, if I had a rewind button on my life, while I might be tempted to push it  I think it would be to revisit the highlights of my life, just for the pleasure of reliving those moments...

family hikes...
camping...
the birth of my children...
the falling in love experience with my sweetie....
vacations that brought much  happiness....
meeting my grandchildren for the first time...

But perhaps the one thing I would truly love to re-experience are the mountain top highs in my relationship with Jesus. 

I've been a Christian since I was 9 years old. I was raised in the faith, having attended church my whole life and except for some teen-age rebellious years, have pretty much tried to walk the talk. It wasn't until I was in my 30's however that I realized that what I'd been calling my "Christian Life" wasn't exactly the full life that God had planned for me. I'd been living life according to Robyn, making decisions based on what I thought was best for me, not on seeking out what was God's best for me. 

The day I came face to face with this truth was the day my relationship with Jesus got real. I realized that a lot of what I had been doing was based on religion: going through the motions of bible reading, attending church, praying and signing up for lots of 'do-good' activities. When I caught a glimpse of just how much Jesus loved me and how much He wanted a real relationship with me, that's when things began to change. For the better.

Since then, it's been a process, a journey, full of ups and downs, twists and turns, but an exciting adventure with laughter, tears, sorrows and joys. And while I wouldn't trade that for anything, there are times I realize I've been coasting, sort of taking my Christian life for granted. I start getting a little lukewarm about things... the passion cools, the mind wanders, and then I find I've drifted into a dry and weary desert... again.

I really don't like when this happens. That's when I wish I  could push a rewind button and go back to the times where I felt the Holy Spirit powerfully at work within me. This last time of desert dryness I finally reached a point of such frustration that I did something either incredible brave or incredible stupid. I asked the Lord to ignite in me a Holy Passion for the things He wants me to go after.

I prayed that prayer and then sat back in fear and trepidation wondering what would happen next. It's been a few weeks since I prayed that prayer-- and I've even repeated it a time or two. It's been a slow, tender unfolding but change is happening. I feel like I am coming out of a long winter's nap and as I stretch and yawn and look around, I feel like a little branch on a tree, it's delicate shoot gently unfurling a little more each day.

God knows me so well and while in someone else's life He might bring change swift and powerfully, He knows me and He knows my circumstances. He knows at what speed I need to travel --when to go fast, when to go slow. But each day I have felt the passion re-igniting. Yes, it's slow but it's enough. And I am aware that the rewind button isn't necessary. It's a brand new movie and while occasionally I might catch a peek of the trailer, it's with my best interest in mind that God reveals things to me in just the right measure, at just the right speed, at just the right time.

Praise  God!

Peace, Peace, Perfect Peace

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about peace. 

Um, no. Not that kind.

It's the kind of peace Jesus talks about when He said not to be troubled or fearful. The kind of peace he promised when He said ..."the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give." (John 14.27)

I know there are times when I am guilty of approaching God like a vending machine/genie. "I need/I want..." I also recognize there are times when my approach is deep, no frivolity attached. Still, I always come away from the prayer time with something I cannot measure. Peace. 

Over the years, many of my prayer requests have not been answered exactly as I asked. People with illness have not been healed, (at least not here on earth.) Reconciliations, forgiveness, important life changes, have yet to take place. Requests for a myriad of things have not been honored according to the way I envisioned, or wanted. Sometimes even the things I have prayed for, things I truly felt I needed have not come to pass. 

It can make me wonder if I'm doing it wrong. It can make me question if God is listening to me. To be completely honest....it can even make me feel I might be... wasting my time. 

Hmmm...

In Philippians 4. 6-7 we're told, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

Nowhere in this verse does it promise to answer my requests. 

Yet, God DOES want us to come to Him with the burdens on our heart, the things that we'd otherwise fret about. But He never says, “Tell me what you need so I can fulfill it." No, He says tell me what you need and give me praise for what I have already done. THEN, you will... what? Receive all you asked for? Um, nope. It says then you will experience God's Peace... which is like nothing you can comprehend. Peace that transcends understanding. Peace that goes beyond the range of limits! 

God does command us to pray. If we want to be obedient to His will, then prayer is an important part of that. I am blown away by the fact that we are also invited into conversation with Him. He wants to partner with us! And not just so we can dash in for prayer as if He's a 7-11 Jesus, grabbing the things we need (safety for my husband on the job, healing for all those people on my list-- you know who they are Lord, and please make things go smoothly for my friends who are struggling...) 

He longs for us to come into intimate relationship with Him, spending time communicating, and communing with Him. Could the point of prayer be then not so much about seeking His power as it is about seeking His presence?

I am reminded of  that wonderful, tender hymn "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His Glory and Grace."

Time spent in the Presence of our Holy God is life changing. Regardless of our circumstances, and regardless of the outcome of our prayer request, the time we spend gazing on His face, soaking in His presence, THAT is what prayer is designed for. 

In This Season of Thanks

And each morning and evening they stood before the Lord to sing songs of thanks and praise to Him. (1 Chronicles 23.30)

So, I just started a 14 day reading plan called "The Power of Being Thankful" by Joyce Meyer.

Day 1 didn't mess around. It started with the challenge to go an entire day without complaining. As usual, God has a way of giving me a message in a multitude of ways. Yes, just the night before as Bruce and I were coming home from a meeting, we talked about this very thing: not grumbling.

Developing an attitude of thanksgiving in every situation is challenging enough when life is normal. It's so easy to gravitate towards the negative. I don't know why. What's so attractive about cynicism? Yet, that's often where my mind goes these days. Given that both of us have been struggling with maintaining a positive attitude in the face of our trials, I think this exercise is very much needed. We need to not lose sight of the bigger picture: that God is in control. That God is bigger than whatever problem comes at us. That nothing is impossible with Him.

I spent a day in quiet solitude, just me, the cat and some good praise music playing. A cup of tea, a blazing fire, a good book. It was easy to feel gratitude for the day with all these sweet pleasantries surrounding me.

I did reflect several times on the devotional reading. On letting gratitude be the foundation of my prayer life. Being in desperate mode often brings me before the Throne of Grace whimpering "Help!" and even though I know God hears me, I am sure it pleases Him to hear me begin my conversations with Him with some praise and thanks for who He is. For ALL He is.

And so...
God you are so good. You created the world and filled it with beauty for me to enjoy. You placed me in this part of the world where green and blue dominate in splendid hues, where majestic mountains and oceans tantalize the eyes.

Then you surrounded me with good people. People who love you and can teach me much about a relationship with you. You brought me to a church that is filled with warm hearts and helping hands. I have a pastor who prays for us, not just because he is suppose to, but because he cares and wants to partner with Bruce and me in prayer. You have brought amazing Christian women into my life who can encourage me and befriend me, who constantly point the way to you. You have brought my sister back home and given us many days of enjoyment together. You have blessed me beyond measure with a godly husband who, I believe with all my heart, is a man after Your heart.

I was looking for songs that express thanksgiving and I came across this one by The Katinas. It's simply called "Thank You" and it captures so perfectly what I want to convey to the Lord...

Just a little while longer I wanna pray
Can't get You off my mind so I came to say
Thank You Lord, just for loving me, alright
Many times I do forget
Every need that You have met
Oh thank You Lord, I know You're showing me

You are there when I am down and out, You're holding me
Your love is so amazing, oh it changed me

Here I am with all I have
Raise my hands to worship You
I wanna say thank You, oh thank You
For everything, for who You are
You cover me and touch my heart
I wanna say thank You...

I could have died in my sin but You saved me
Didn't have any hope at all
You gave me peace divine, strength to carry on, alright
I should have been the one to pay
But instead You took my place
Amazing grace, it's more than just a song

Even though I don't deserve Your love for me
You look beyond my fault and You showed me mercy

Here I am with all I have
Raise my hands to worship You
I wanna say thank You, oh thank You
For everything, for who You are
You cover me and touch my heart
I wanna say thank You

I wanna say thank You for the sun
Lord we thank You for the rain

Oh Lord I love You
Thank You, that's all that I can say
Thank You for the love You gave

Here I am with all I have
Raise my hands to worship You
I wanna say thank You, oh thank You

For everything, for who You are
You cover me and touch my heart
I wanna say thank You,

Thank You

Thank You~ the Katinas
Songwriters
BURGESS, TIMOTHY / BLUNT, MARTIN VICTOR / COLLINS, ROBERT JAMES / BROOKES, JON / COLLINS, MARK VINCENT

clearing our heads

One little advantage to the unemployment blues... there's plenty of time to spend it in the Word, devote ourselves to ministry needs and even take some time to get out into nature and refresh ourselves.

sunshine on a clear cold crisp day. lovely!!

Bruce has work lined up for next week at a retreat center where he has done work before over the years. He needed to go there today to make some measurements and suggested I come with and we could incorporate a hike into the day. It was plenty chilly out there today but sunny. I said yes, put on a triple layer of clothing and hopped in the truck.

getting ready to replace some log support beams.

Measurements done in short order, we set out on the trail that takes one to a fantastic lookout above the retreat center.

It's a short hike (less than a mile to the top) but it is steep. (burn baby burn said my thighs to my glutes!) The entire trail was carpeted with discarded leaves and the crunching of them under our feet was so noisy that at times we couldn't hear each other speak.

Once we reached the top, the bird's eye view took our breath away. It's not the largest mountain, in fact I believe technically it might actually be called a hill, but at around 700 feet it still offers an astounding view of the central fraser valley.

The last few days have been rough as I have mentioned before. What's the best thing to do when you feel you can't stand anymore? Get on your knees and get your support team there with you. We've put the plea for prayers out there to our praying friends and family and been rewarded with feelings of love and peace. Words of encouragement coming in from different perspectives has been so helpful.

looking north into Canada. Canadian Rockies in the background.

Last night as Bruce and I were talking a verse came to mind from James 1 about praying without believing. It warns us that when you ask God for something, make sure you really expect Him to answer, "for a doubting mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind." (James 1.6)
This morning when I opened my bible app for the daily verse, guess which verse it was?
Of course.
James 1.6.

We've come to realize that our attitudes have been leading us down a path we don't wish to travel. We've let the situation get the best of us and allowed worry, depression, frustration, and anger to rule in our hearts rather than the peace that passes all understanding.

We needed today to get up top and see the view to remind us that sometimes when we are in the middle of a muddle, we really can't see what God is up to. Climbing the mountain to gain a clear picture of where we live is akin to spending time with Jesus to gain a clearer picture of how much he loves us.

The hike was invigorating and refreshing. We had some time to just be together, enjoying one another's presence and the glorious surroundings we live in. We had time to clear our heads and put worry aside for the day.

Jesus loves me this I know. 

Shaking Like A Leaf

I've been struggling.  I've never claimed to have it all together but it's often disappointing to be in this place again.

Depression has been sucking everything out of me. I'm sure it's partly related to the stress of our financial situation, with some physical issues added. The time change that brings darkness sooner isn't helping any. Then to top it off, when I try to pray, I've got nothing. No words. It's babble or it's stuttering but its mostly just dead space where words should be. All this combined has resulted in a great big dish of frustration, sadness, pain, anxiety,and desperation. I have felt crippled and blinded.

I have felt like a little leaf trembling in the wind.

Like a little leaf balanced precariously on a tight rope.


Then, this morning I read Lori Roeleveld's blog post and it was as if it was written just for me. She talks about the emptiness she was experiencing. How her prayers sounded like "blah, blah, blah." She said it was because while her mouth was uttering words her heart was empty. As she struggled with this realization she heard Jesus say "Bring that to me. Bring me your emptiness"

Wait. What? God told her to bring Him the emptiness? Aren't we suppose to bring Him an offering of praise? Yet.... He said bring it and then He would fill it.

Her post resonated with me. I'm learning that whatever we bring, be it praise, adoration, requests, anger, pain, sorrow... or a great big pile of nothingness, He welcomes it.

Hebrews 4.16 says: Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. 

Wow.

He welcomes it... and then, transforms it. By His Grace, His Love, His Mercy He takes what ever we have, even the nothing to offer, and turns it into something of wonder.

It might not change the condition of my checking account or lessen the physical pain. It doesn't' always remove the depression and sometimes it doesn't even improve my prayers of dry empty phrases. But it comforts me to know that even in the darkest of times, God is with me. He never abandons me. I may never fully know or understand why He can't just rescue me out of my worst times. Sometimes He does, but often He doesn't. However...He does sit with me in my darkness. He does walk with me through the fire. He swims beside me in the deep waters.

Knowing that gives me the courage and strength to hang on for one more day. Knowing this allows me to rest in His presence.

Seeing that little leaf perched there on that wire the other day made me think of the song Hold Me Jesus by the late Rich Mullins. One line in particular jumped out at me so I had to revisit the lyrics. It seems to capture where my parched and weary soul is these days. It goes:  "So hold me Jesus, cause I'm shaking like a leaf. You have been King of my Glory, won't you be my Prince of Peace?" 

I may be perched precariously and trembling but I know, and I trust, God's got me.

Advancing for the Kingdom (part 2)

We retreated so we could advance.

Our overnight retreat was truly a time for connecting. Connecting with one another as a small group. Connecting with ourselves as we pulled away, just for a few hours, from the hustle-bustle of our busy lives. Connecting with God in an intimate, unhurried way. 

Saturday Morning found me out on a new road for my morning walk. I have driven this road any number of times but it takes on a much different flavor when you walk it. I had a couple of hours to myself before we would gather again as a group for our next session and I made the most of it. As I marched along, breathing in the unmistakable aroma of  "Dairy Air", I couldn't help grinning. 

I had slept deep the night before, which is unusual for me on any night, and especially so in a strange bed. But I was filled with a deep sense of peace and joy stemming from the time of prayer the night before and the joy that was carrying me down that country road that morning almost had me running. 

Because I am no stranger to those times of dryness in my prayer life, I know that it is never God who moves away from me. No, it is I who move. I go in my own direction and do my own thing and it isn't long before the Voice of the Holy Spirit gets muted in favor of my own voice, or the voice of the world. 

Later that day I will share with the group how God moved in me during our Friday night prayer time, and I know they will rejoice with me but for right now, I am tackling hills and valleys on this country road, thrilling at the clouds and tree blossoms and cheerful daffodils blooming in random places. 

in the middle of the night

when insomnia strikes....

sometimes I blame it on the moon. I find the insomnia hits me hardest when the moon is full. It's in sliver mode right now so I have to cast around for something else. I'll go with over stimulation and the need to unwind before I can fall asleep, but it's not working so great. It was a terrific day-- and I mean TERRIFIC!

My sweetie and I went snowshoeing. We feasted our eyes on phenomenal views, we sloughed through the snow, uphill and down, burning a ton of calories as we worked those muscles and I came home tired!! But we had company coming for dinner so napping was out of the question (and I'm a rotten napper anyway)

We had a wonderful time with our company, laughing and sharing. Then everyone went home and Bruce headed to bed and I tried... but my brain wouldn't shut off. So here I sit at 2am knowing that when the alarm goes off in 5 hours I will feel like I was robbed of some much needed sleep.

sometimes I wonder if the reason I'm awake is so I can pray. So, then I think, I should try that... and I can't keep on track. It's kind of like snowshoeing, really. I used trekking poles to help me stay balanced and it gives a little extra oopmf when climbing uphill and a little extra whoa when heading down. I wanted to keep my eyes on my glorious surroundings but I needed to also keep my eyes on the trail, to be wise to the rise and fall of the snowline. I remarked to Bruce that I felt frustrated by the need to look down at where I was walking, when what I really wanted was to look around at where I was!

How is that like prayer, you ask?
Well... I have this tendency, like I said, to not stay on track when I am praying. I go strong for a few minutes and then I want to look around in my mind for other concerns... which leads me to new thoughts and those thoughts connect to other thoughts and then I remember something else and pretty soon I'm not watching where I'm walking and I lose my balance and think I am going to fall and I realize I'm not praying and I'm not enjoying the scenery either.

This is the kind of rambling my brain does at 2 in the morning.

Still, it was an amazing beautiful day and a great way to kick start a brand new month. Sleep will come eventually. And even a few moments in prayer are better than none at all.

Amen.

A 7-11 Jesus

The woman at the well is a familiar passage from the bible for most of us. She's used in sermon illustrations about as often as Peter walking on the water, Martha's whining over Mary not helping her with dinner and Lazarus being raised from the dead. So it always amazes me when I revisit a well known story and have a fresh take away.( I guess that is why we call the Word of God "LIVING".)

John 4:

10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”

13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

We were discussing the Woman at the Well the other night in our small group. The woman had this interesting exchange with Jesus-- the Great I AM-- and asks where she can get this water that will forever quench her thirst. Someone in our group made the comment "I don't think she got it." meaning the Samaritan Woman thought Jesus was talking about literal water when He was actually referencing the spiritual water that only He can give. Of course the Samaritan Woman wanted the water that would satisfy;  "Give me this water so I don't have to keep coming back to draw more water."

Don't we all want the easier way? I sometimes despair as I clean my house because I know by tomorrow the carpet will be in desperate need of another vacuuming, and the bathroom will need another disinfecting wipe down. I wonder if I, like the woman at the well, want what Jesus has to offer, only out of convenience, to make my life easier.

But did Jesus come to take away lifes challenges? Hmmm...... I'm thinking He is more concerned with changing us inside  in order to empower us to deal with our problems with a more Christ like perspective. Yet, here I am, acting like Jesus is some corner-market convenience store I can run to when I am running low on supplies.

I do my major grocery shopping about once every two weeks. I stock up with enough meat and veggies to make the meals I have planned out but in between those big shopping trips, there will be several quick visits to the market on the corner for bread and eggs, or some forgotten ingredient, or when I am desperate for cream in my coffee early in the morning, the gas station-quickie-mart across the road from my house.

I get my big fill up of Jesus on Sunday mornings, soaking in His presence as we worship, taking notes as our Pastor exegesis and it's all good. But if I don't supplement my Sunday with DAILY dips into God's Word, if I don't stop and have some heart felt conversation with my Jesus, if I just coast all week on Sundays message it will be like having pancakes without butter and syrup, oatmeal without milk and--- horror of horrors--- coffee sans cream.

In other words, it won't satisfy.

Too often I am ashamed to admit, I end up treating my Savior like a 7-11 Jesus. I know he's there 24/7 and he's got all the things I need in a pinch. So I dash in and grab the stuff I need like, safety for my husband on the job, healing for all those people on my list-- you know who they are Lord, and please make things go smoothly for my friends who are struggling..... oh, and Jesus, could you make my life go slower so I won't have to do this mad-dash prayer routine? 

Well, that's just nuts but it's a reality thats played out much too often to my chagrin.

I dusted the living room today and shook my head sadly as I wiped particles of dust off my bible. I flipped it open to the card with the Daily Reading Plan many of us in church are following. Yep, its marking the chapter for last weeks reading. Oops. So I sat down and read. I read up to today. And guess what? We are in the book of John and it's chapter 4. The Woman at the Well.

Which brings me full circle. The woman wanted the water that would satisfy so she wouldn't have to keep coming back to draw more buckets from the well. It was a lot of work hauling water home each day and she was tired of the scornful looks she got from her neighbors who knew her shameful past (5 husbands!) and her shameful present (living with a man she wasn't married to). She yearned for her life to be made easier. And Jesus offers her water that isn't from a well. Jesus offers her water that will satisfy eternally; a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

I said I gleaned some new stuff from reading this familiar passage in the gospel of John.

I realized I'm thirsty.

Clutter

we all have clutter. 

on our desk. 

in our closet.

 in our minds.

i am finding walking to be a great way to de-clutter.of letting go of the junk in my head 

and refreshing my mind with clear thoughts and healthy wonders. 

on a recent outing i walked this labyrinth. 

i have walked prayer labyrinths before

 and find them to be a great tool for contemplative prayer.

on this walk i was struck with the realization 

that it was a great way to release the clutter in my mind.

every time i have ever walked a prayer labyrinth it has been a refreshing time for me. 

I let go of the worries and cares that have been plaguing me

 in favor of really listening to what the Holy Spirit wants to say.

as i walked this day 

and looked out across the lines and circles that made up this labyrinth 

i thought about how clutter can be destructive. 

whether its in my mind or in my closet, it could benefit from some tidying up. 

some people hear the word "labyrinth"  and think

 'new age practices' or that it is a maze. 

When i walk a labyrinth i am using it as a prayer tool 

so i do not find it to be a new age 'woo-woo' thing, 

 but just a time to focus on listening to and hearing from my Jesus. 

because a labyrinth only has one way in--- no false leads, no dead ends,

 it is not a maze to get lost in. 

I liken this to finding our way to God-- 

there is only one way to God, through His son Jesus. 

as i walk in i am letting go of the clutter,

 confessing sins that need confessing, seeking Gods forgiveness 

and asking Him to meet me in my walk.

the center of the labyrinth is where i will rest awhile. 

i don't need to be in the center of the labyrinth to find Jesus, 

because He is with me all the time, 

but i do need to be in the center of His will to find purpose and peace 

and coming to the center of the prayer labyrinth helps me re-evaluate where i am. 

i can sit or stand, be silent or sing. 

when i feel my time there is done, i begin my journey back out, taking with me fresh insights.

i don't need a prayer labyrinth to be close to God

 but i think in the busyness of our lives, we all need some times of pausing.

 a deliberate, intentional time of resting in His presence. 

If a walk through an intricate pathway helps me do this, it is time well spent. 

i walk out humming and feeling lighter. 

not because the labyrinth has any special powers

 but like a drink of cool clean water on a hot day can refresh the weary body, 

time well spent with Jesus will refresh the heart mind and soul. 

i come out of the labyrinth refreshed. 

to this i would only add... 'and prayer'.