Dear Littlest Sister…

Your birthday is today, as you well know.  Tomorrow we will celebrate, all the family together.  Give me just a moment of your time tonight and allow me to tell you what I have observed in the past year.  Dearest little sister, you show us Jesus at every turn.  From the way that you came into this world, a gift of grace to us.  To your dictating that everyone would take part in your “sing and clap and dance” number during dinner times.  Now, you are almost a young woman, time has flow so fast!  It is hard to believe that twelve whole years have gone by since that cold windy January 27th morning.  A single day passes by so quickly.  So, take heed littlest sister.  Do not let one day go to waste.  Continue to live whole heartedly for other people.  Remember that joy is Jesus first, yourself last and others in between.  Your devotion knows no bounds.  I admire your Sunday mornings spent in prayer and your desire for scripture.  Do not waver, littlest sister, and do not allow these beautiful things to become areas of pride.  Dear littlest sister, you are one of the selfless, sweetest people I know.  It is a privilege and honor to call you my sister.  You love others well and you, my dear, are loved.

I’ll like you forever.  I’ll love you for always. As long as I am living my baby sister you shall be!

Love,

Your oldest sister

“ For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.”  2 Corinthians 2:15

 

Living Eternally Thankful – 7

Today I am thankful – really thankful – for the little things.  My body has been forcing me to slow down this week.  In an already full week this has been a challenge. So, today this will be brief.

I am thankful for:

• Students who really care about me and ask how I am
• Waking up this morning
• Scripture
• My mother dropping by last night with a can of soup in hand
• A warm, safe place to rest
• For a phone that works
• The reminder that I need Jesus, especially when I physically do not feel well
• An Aunt who brings me confetti for a project and lots of feel better agents
• For friend’s joy

I am grateful… and its these little things that make my heart overflow all the more with a thanksgiving that is shaped by the hope of eternity!

Living Eternally Thankful – 6

“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.” Psalm 107:1-3

It is imperative that we understand that our thanksgiving does not flow from the things that we receive, have or are given.  Conversely that our thanksgiving flows from the fact that the LORD is good.  These verses highlight that we give thanks because the LORD is good.  Not because we are happy in our circumstances or that all the situations in are lives are good.  The LORD’s goodness is sufficient reason to give thanks.  As if that is not enough the Psalmist continues saying, “for his steadfast love endures forever.”  Not only is the LORD good, and so we give thanks, but we know that His love endures forever.  We give thanks because His love is steadfast.  It does not change or wain.  This section continues saying, “let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble.”  We give thanks through talking about the ways that the LORD has redeemed us.  We were once slaves to sin (John 8:34-36) and our lives reeked of rebellion.  But God, in His mercy has redeemed us!  This is something to give thanks about and the natural outcome of thanksgiving should be that we speak of His redemption often.  Lastly, we give thanks because we can.  His redemption is not just for some or for one chosen people but He “and gathered [us] in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.”  We give thanks because the LORD is good and His redemption is for all nations.  In these three short verses we come back to verse one.  We give thanks to the LORD because He is good.

Do not overlook His goodness today!

Living Eternally Thankful – 5

“Everything you have is a gift of God so that he may be thanked and you may use it to show He is more valuable than the gift.” -John Piper

Jesus is supremely valuable.  As I read this quote by John Piper I thought; in what ways do I need to be reminded that the things in life are not as eternally satisfying as the One Real Thing?  The Father is eternally good to us – offering gifts that bless us and are for our delight.  We have so much to be thankful for today.  Join me as I stop and thank the Father for these gifts.  Then confess the things that I might be tempted to love as much or in place of Him.  Remember – be grateful for the gift and treasure the Giver!

Living Eternally Thankful – 4

“Gratitude is an offering precious in the sight of God, and it is one that the poorest of us can make and be not poorer but richer for having made it.” -A.W. Tozer

We are eternally blessed.  Therefore, let us offer up all of our lives!

Living Eternally Thankful – 3

Today at my parent’s church the pastor, Dr. Hill, spoke out of 1 Thessalonians 5.  The verses are very familiar but struck me again, fresh, new. Verses sixteen through eighteen say:

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Dr. Hill highlighted the fact that we have so many things to be grateful for today.  It is astounding to me because just last night I was sitting around with a bunch of believers talking about how we need to give thanks in all circumstances and trust Christ above all else.  We talked about how we need to wait on the Lord and look to Him rather than look to our plans or next steps.  We can get so caught up on the next thing that we forget to rejoice, pray and give thanks for the little things that reveal Jesus to us.  My prayer tonight, as I wind down, is that we will be a people who are eternally thankful for what Jesus is doing – today!  This will cause us to rejoice, pray and give thanks all the more.  Jesus is indeed supremely good -today- do not miss it!

Living Eternally Thankful – 2

Small things have caused my heart to wonder at the graciousness of our God today.  These seemingly insignificant events whether a good conversation, a card table and chairs at just the right price or the fact that I’ve been able to rest my somewhat sick body this morning all remind me that living with thanksgiving in our hearts draws us, compellingly, heavenward.  Charles Spurgeon so eloquently says,

“You say, ‘If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.’ You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled.”

I am content to look to Jesus for all that I need.  He draws me into Himself.  The more that I seek to know Him and spend time in Scripture, prayer and godly living the more that I see His sovereign hand at work in the little things of life.  Living life that is eternally satisfied in Jesus leaves me grateful for the little miracles that remind me satisfaction is only in Him!

Living Eternally Thankful – 1

“We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is good, because it is good, if bad, because it works in us patience, humility and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.” 

-C.S. Lewis

Today I have been reminding myself quite frequently that I am living for an eternal country.  What a safeguard a thankful heart is for us in this world!  

“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.  But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:3-7

This is our hope, the work Jesus effected through His death and resurrection.  The hope of our eternal country is sure, for He is its founder and the securer of our eternal life.  What a blessed thought!  If this truth would truly sink into our very beings we would indeed live eternally thankful lives.  Join me as I seek to live in an eternally thankful manner – today!

Blind-Spots

A few Sundays ago in church Dusty was preaching out of Romans 13, which specifically addresses the way that we respond as believers to authority.  He said that,

“While not all earthly leaders will be worthy, by themselves, of your respect, Jesus is. He has bought you and can be trusted! Because of the cross, we don’t have to have justice, that is in the hands of God! We pray for it, but we trust Him and obey those in charge of us as an outflow of our submission to Jesus.” (For the sermon click here)

Through submission to God’s perfect authority, we are emboldened to follow Him first and to therefore be glad in God despite whatever comes our way.  The way that this can make life hard is that culturally we are not eager to follow God.  Even within the typical Christian church we push back on leadership and authority.  With our mouths we disrespect those that God has allowed and placed over us.  We deny ourselves gladness in God because we choose to live like the culture around us, accepting its blind spots.  Even if we do not accept the policies or procedures of those in authority over us that does not mean that we have the right to disrespect them.  Because in disrespecting those in authority over us, we ultimately disrespect Jesus.  If we really want to honor God, we will honor those He has placed in our lives.

Oh, that we would be a people who are aware of our blind spots and that we would gladly obey, love and pray for those whom God has placed in authority in our lives.  This outflow of our submission to Jesus would radically change the way that we live from day to day.  Let’s follow Him first and submit to Jesus first in all things, choosing to live as people of His Kingdom rather than people who only live for this world and its passing fancies.  Obedience to Him lasts.

Joy in Pain

“O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.”

-George Matheson

Today is one of those days when the life rhythm of grieving is painfully real.  A phone call this morning brought the sad tidings of a dear old friend who has gone to be with Jesus.  My plans were to go see him in the hospital after work today.  But this world holds him no longer.  The sweet words of the hymn my blog is titled after came to my mind.  They are like a balm to my heart.  I cannot grieve as those without hope.  There is a powerful Joy that seeks me in the midst of pain.  So, my heart rests in the joy of salvation and utter redemption.  Jesus’ promises are true and trustworthy.  As I embrace the rhythm of grief today its His faithfulness that will see me through, indeed His promises are true!