May 19, 2011
One of my favorite book series as a child was “The Boxcar Children”. For those of you who haven’t read these great books – Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny are orphans. (They have a grandfather but they don’t think he’d like them.) So they’re out on their own. One night they find a boxcar to shelter them from the rain and then they decide “Let’s live here. It’s a good place.”
I always admired Jessie and Violet. Jessie was so full of life and Violet was so sweet and positive. I wanted to be like them. I realized while reading the books again, that every other sentence Jessie says she “says laughing”. No wonder I thought she was friendly and fun. Do I have that joy? Every sentence Violet says is positive. She never complains. When Henry brings home a tablecloth that needs to be hemmed “Violet pleaded ‘Oh, may I hem the tablecloth?'” Am I there? Definitely not.
While growing up I wanted to be just like the boxcar children. They lived out in the woods, bathing in a creek, finding dishes in the dump, and solving mysteries. “So I’m pretty sure I’d still like to live in a boxcar” I thought the other day. It seems so adventerous to me. Out in the woods living simply and using what I have to survive. Then I was thinking, “Would I really want to live in a boxcar if someone let me right now?” The answer was probably not. I’d end up being pretty miserable wondering why I ever wanted to live without electricity and comfort. I’d end up complaining and be an all around unhappy person.
The boxcar children are so much fun because they have a positive attitude about everything. I realized, your boxcar is what you make it. I put that on an index card at my desk so I can remember that I can be positive or miserable anywhere in life. Maybe someday God will lead me to live in a boxcar – but I don’t think He will. Right now I’m looking at my desk as my boxcar. It’s right where I’m supposed to be so I’m trying to find ways to love it as much as I can and to look at every day as an adventure.
So… how’s your boxcar today?
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May 1, 2011
I wrote this about a month after coming back from Asia. Being with our brothers and sister, seeing their dedication really impacted me.
Who are these people,
So humble and meek?
They live in the slums
They live on the streets.
These people love Jesus
You can see it in their eyes
Sense it in their spirit
Hear it in their cries.
They weep for these people
They pray and they fast.
Waiting for the day
That all know Jesus at last.
May my heart be moved
May I not be unchanged
Help me do all I can
That all might know the Way.
Lord, let me weep for these people
As I pray and I fast
Let me not rest
Till they know You at last.
May my thoughts and my ways
All I do, all I say
Bring You honor and glory
For all of my days
We will go forward
To share the Good News
We will go onward
Sharing the Truth
We will go forward
To tell about Christ
Bringing hope, living water,
And everlasting life.
Sarah 2011
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Apr 5, 2011
This poem was inspired by our teaching times with Francis Chan and David Platt. Having them here was a good reminder that while God brought me here to reach the lost, it wasn’t because He needed me. God’s got it covered but He allows me to be here because He loves me.
Our God, He is full of glory
Why would I think that He needs to use me?
He’s awesome, powerful majestic and strong
I’m not here to help, just to tag along.
I serve because I love Him and He first loved me.
My goal? To share the Gospel. That’s why I’m here.
Because He called me to Texas to die for a year.
He died once for all on Calvary’s tree
But too often I rely on my own sufficiency.
Why do I think God needs me on His team?
I don’t need stress – it’s not about me.
He’s got this thing totally taken care of.
I just need to remain here. Lost in His love.
God’s looks for the one to whom He can show grace
I’ve just got to remember to look into His face.
Not to think that I’m great or so grand
But to rely on Him and follow His plan.
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Jan 17, 2011
“Oh no!” Was the cry that came from my lips when I fumbled with my phone. I finally realized that it was in my pocket and frantically tried to answer the call. Sadly, I was too late. My gloved hands had not opened the slippery phone quickly enough.
To make the matter worse it was my sister. Having her live so far away is a challenge. I can’t call her – she can only call me – which makes me feel awful every time I don’t get to my phone. But why tonight of all nights? I’ve been hoping for a call before I leave for Asia next Saturday. One more pep talk and encouragement before flying across the ocean.This leads to the question… “why?”
“Why, Lord, did I not make it fast enough? Why had I just put my gloves on? Why had I just changed the ringtone? Why, why why?” I find that I become very self-centered very quickly. It is not my intent to be always thinking of myself – but I do it so naturally.
When asking ‘why’, He basically gave me the answer “why not?” After all, He is in control. He leads and directs our lives. It is not that He wants to punish me for something by letting me miss my sister’s phone call, just that He will allow it to build character. At the moment I am learning to be joyful in everything. Giving thanks evermore. After all, that is the will of Christ Jesus for you and for me. He just wants us to trust Him. He wants our wills to bend towards His. I am learning that. It’s not always easy and it’s not always fun but the one thing I’ve always found it to be is freeing. When you let Christ be the Master of your mind, life, and soul, you will only seek to see His heart in whatever it is that you are going through. The principals of giving thanks and of surrendering our questions and wonderings to His sovereignty are things that can be used wherever and whenever. If you really rely on Him and trust that His plan is better than yours, life is one adventure after another. You no longer have to worry about what, when, how, who… just listen to the Father and do nothing but what He tells you to do.
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Nov 23, 2010
I don’t have the time. These are words that I have lived by. I don’t have time to read my Bible, I don’t have time to get alone and pray, I don’t have time to read that biography. After all, I work and then I have to get home to facebook and calling my family. I have to take a nap, I have to take a shower, In have to do my laundry… The list goes on and on.
We live in a culture where we are taught that we can do what we want to do – and we live by that. Not that we want to follow the worlds example but we want to be comfortable within God’s commands. We don’t realize that God calls us to be just as radical as Jesus Christ was. Paul says to “follow me as I follow Christ”. This is a pretty huge deal. I don’t want to live like Paul! Man, that guy was shipwrecked, he was beaten, he barely escaped from so many murder plots. Oh, wait, yeah, I remember now… he was that guy that got beheaded. But… he knew Christ.
My point is that being a Christian means more than just going to church and praying when people are sick. Those are good things but they are definately not what defines us as Christians. “They were first called Christians at Antioch.” Little Christs is what the word Christian means. So, as a “little Christ” what must we do? We must follow His example. We must love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and strength.
That means giving up our time to spend it with Him. Not because we must but because we want to love Him more. This King of the universe who came down as a man to redeem my soul… why wouldn’t I want to know Him more?
So look at my life and what do you see? Probably someone who’s time is spent in a lot of different ways. Some of it serving Christ, some of it wasted. What do I want to become? Someone who’s life is consumed with loving my King. You spend time on the things you value. When you say “I don’t have time”, you’re really saying that it’s not on the top of your priority list.
Let’s give Him our time… Let’s give Him our love!
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