Everyone's Got a Story

We had the privilege of being in attendance at the Rock and Worship Roadshow (http://www.therockandworshiproadshow.com) on Friday night at the US Airways Arena where we sang and worshipped with the bands Addison Road, 10th Avenue North, Hawk Nelson (THEY ROCK OUT), Jeremy Camp and Mercy Me. We sang, we worshipped, we praised Jesus and we heard the Word of God - the Truth - spoken in love and I know that many were ministered to that night. Oftentimes we see others in ministry - music or otherwise - and think "they've never known what I've known" or we have the notion that because of the choices that we've made in our lives that God cannot possibly use us For His Glory. I thought that for a LONG time and still, in fact, have many moments where I question God's ability to use "someone like me." He does, he will and everyone's got a story. Moses was a murderer. David - well he was an adulterer AND a murderer AND a crummy parent but the scripture refers to him as a man after God's own heart. Solomon had what seemed like a million wives and even though he wrote the Proverbs - the book of wisdom - he wasn't always wise in his own life. Joshua suffered from a lack of faith and Rahab, she was, um, well, of questionable moral character. You know, one of "those" girls. And those folks were from the OLD testament. There are many, many more who have a story and yet our mighty God used these ordinary people in extraordinary ways and He is STILL touching lives and hearts because of their stories. Bart Millard of Mercy Me shared that his little boy has Juvenile Diabetes. Jeremy Camp shared that his first wife had died of cancer. First wife? What first wife? We know about his wife Adie - the singer, who has her OWN album. But when you listen to some of the songs that Jeremy writes and sings you realize he TOO has a story. He's not just some good lookin' kid who can sing and compose and write. He's a follower of Christ who is not inoculated from the consequences of choices - ours and others'. He's just willing to take the story that has been written - continues to be written - and use the talents and gifts God has given him. Are we? Am I? I hope so. Write me back and tell me your story. A friend of mine recently did and it humbled me to tears that she would find me worthy to share her story. It compels me to pray for her as often as the Lord brings her to my thoughts. If you think your story keeps you from being used by God - share it with a brother or sister in Christ that you can trust and trust, that God can and will use all that comes to pass in our lives, For our Good and For His Glory (Romans 8:28). Loving you with His love and praying for you!

Spent Syndrome?

My sweet Daddy has had yet another cardiac "adventure" this past week which required him to be hospitalized and left my mother and I, at times, sitting and waiting, and waiting and waiting (you get the picture) while Daddy endured testing, poking, prodding and examining. During one of these "waitings" I picked up magazine geared toward us 40-something "girls" and read an interesting article about "Spent Syndrome." According to the article, this is what happens when women have been so busy tending (albeit joyfully) to so many things, we're just spent - physically, emotionally and spiritually. We're tired, out of sorts, the digestive system is in an uprising and a lot of times, this "spent syndrome" is accompanied by perimenopausal or menopausal "issues." Oh. Joy. WHERE did I sign up for this and who do I smack????!!! This was not in the contract that I signed for wife, mother, daughter, friend and employee -- Not, not, not!!! A dear girlfriend in God and I were e-mailing and she shared with me the scripture from Isaiah, chapter 40 which says

28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth,

Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.

29 He gives power to the weak,

And to those who have no might He increases strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,

And the young men shall utterly fall,

31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

WHOA - news flash!! I don't have to succumb to "spent syndrome!" Life and all that comes with it will attempt to drain us of our physical resources but the Promise of God's Word is True!! God does not faint! God is not weary and HIS understanding is unsearchable. He will give power to us girls (and guys) who get tired, He WILL renew our strength. He will restore us and keep us from running out of steam!! Oh, my dear friends, how much I appreciate that God is all I need to keep me going, doing as HE would have me do. Yeah, I get tired - we all do, but I'm not "spent" . . . God said so! Loving you, with His love and praying that because of HIS marvelous power to restore, all I do will be For His Glory! AA

It's Just "My Turn" - For His Glory, Wednesday, March 4, 2009

There are things that only God can do and I believe that God is the only One who never gets sick. HE is perfect! In the past two weeks I have seen more doctors than I have seen in two or three years and I gotta tell you, for the most part, they're nice folks but I REALLY have had my fill. I started getting a little irritable about this whole "illness" stuff as my idea of "ill" is feeling a little under the weather or having a headache. I was reminded about my humanity in a devotion from Max Lucado entitled "Thine is the Kingdom" from Max's weekly devotional "Upwords." The writer of the Gospel of Matthew recounted that Jesus instructed us to pray "

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

For YOURS is the kingdom

[YOURS IS] the power and

[YOURS IS] the glory forever (Emphasis Added/Mine).

There is nothing in the Word of God which tells us that we're inoculated from anything whether that be trials, heartache, grief, loss . . . illness and I don't like being reminded that my physical body is imperfect and subject to frailty. Pastor Lucado reminds us that there are mountains that ONLY God can climb and we are NOT self-sufficient nor were we created to run a kingdom. I am not anyone's savior and I am not all-powerful. My body is insufficient and this time, it has just been "my turn" to be subjected to the humanity of my existence. Pastor Lucado's gentle smack upside my head reminded me that I am not God but God is God and I can rest that in illness, trials, difficulty, grief or pain, HIS grace is sufficient because He is the King and He's got the power and we'll give Him the Glory - for our good! (For more by Pastor Max Lucado go to www.maxlucado.com) Blog me back!! aa