Monday, September 30, 2013

My favorite author

Our desire as Vine Life blog writers is to encourage you in your relationship with Jesus Christ. I was thinking about who and what help me grow spiritually. One author stands out: Elisabeth Elliot.

What C.S. Lewis is to Pastor Doug Falls, Elisabeth Elliot is to me. The one writer whose words draw me to the Throne of Grace again and again. I have read many of her books. I hope her words have saturated my soul because they are all about our King. He is worthy to be praised, obeyed, and trusted completely.

These are some of my favorite books:

Passion and Purity - About her relationship with Jim Elliot before they married. I read this while dating my husband, Tom, and it was exactly what I needed to hear about staying focused on Christ when my heart was spinning wildly.

The Shaping of a Christian Family - About growing up in a godly home. I did not, and reading about her parents and siblings showed me what a Christian home could be.

The Path of Loneliness - Widowed twice, she has learned much through loneliness.

Through Gates of Splendor - About the life and death of five men, including Jim, who gave their lives while witnessing to the Auca Indians of Ecuador. I recently read this again and was struck by how Elisabeth accepted God's plan despite great loss because she trusted His love and authority.

Let me encourage you to read one of these books soon!


- Kathryn

Monday, September 23, 2013

every single injustice.

a few weeks ago rick talked about justice in his sermon. he also talked about mercy and grace, and a whole host of other things, but much of it hinged on justice.

in said sermon he also reminded me of something i knew, but had forgotten. God hears the cries of every injustice. every. single. one. he hears the cries of the hearts of his creation. 

every one of us calls out to him for justice. the blood of abel cried out from the ground. God hears us. 

it is awe-inspiring, and somewhat haunting. think of the sheer amount of injustice in the world. our God lives in the midst of that cacophony constantly. crying out to him. begging for justice. begging to be made right.

our heavenly father is the only one who can judge, and he will judge one day - sooner or later.

but the easiest thing to do upon recognizing injustice is to put our own selves in the seat of the judge. i do this far too often. i put on my judicial robe, and pick up my gavel, and i get all confused about my place in the world. no, NO. God will judge. not me.

and while i pray for those who are hurting, for those who are in situations so horrific and unbelievable that i don't even like to think about them, i'm also called to act sometimes. to put my money where my mouth is, so-to-speak. but that's not really what i want to get at right now. because we all know that already, and we're hopefully acting on it already.

what i really want to get at is something else rick mentioned during his sermon. do you pray for the people responsible for the horrific situations?

do you pray for not just the prostitutes, but for the pimps, and the clients? for the slaves AND the slave-owners? for the gang leaders? for the drug dealers? for the people committing the unspeakable acts? 

do i pray for the serial killers? for the murderers? for the rapists?

do i recognize that no one, NO ONE, is beyond God's reach? that God is big enough to reach and transform anyone. that no one is ever too far gone for him. he will go to the ends of the earth to rescue one lost sheep. do i recognize that "there but for the grace of God, go i?"

and that is where the mercy and the grace come into play. it comes through redemption, through the only one who can redeem.

i am so thankful that God is a just God who hears all of the injustices in the world. i am thankful he saved a wretch like me. and i am thankful that he can use anyone, no matter what.   no. matter. what.

xo,
katie

Monday, September 16, 2013

Enough?

I've been reading through the book of Mark and last week I read a passage that hit me in a whole new way, God used it to breathe a fresh breath of freedom into my heart and to free me from a question that nags me far too often...  "Am I doing enough?"
In Chapter 13, verses 32-37, Jesus is telling His disciples that no one knows the time of the coming of the Son of Man, so "be on your guard, keep awake."  
In verses 34-36, He compares it to a man who goes on a journey...  "It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake.  Therefore, stay awake - for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning - lest he come suddenly and find you asleep." 
I have to admit, worry gripped me...  I wrote in my journal, "What does that mean?  How do I apply that?"  What I was really wondering was, "How do I know if I'm awake?  How do I know if I am I doing enough?"
But as I went back over the verses...  Verse 34 jumped out at me, "He put the servants in charge, each with his work"...  They weren't out saving the world, they were simply serving the Master in the way they HE, the Master, had given them serve to him...  It wasn't about the significance of the task, it was about their faithfulness to the Master in how they served him... It was about persevering in obedience.
God just wants our heart and our faithful obedience to serve Him in the work He has given us...  Maybe that's in the home...  In the workplace...  At church...  Maybe it's making a significant impact on something out in the world, or maybe it's making an impact on your children, your husband, your neighbors or people in your workplace.
The question isn't, "Am I doing enough?"  The question is, "Am I faithfully serving God in the way He has directed me?"  THAT, my sisters in Christ, is freedom!  If your heart's desire is to serve God and obey Him, trust Him to make clear the work He has for you and then go do it!  

Joyfully Free!
Sharla


Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Naturally Negative?!?


One of the symptoms of our sinful natures is the tendency to be negative.  Don’t get me wrong, many people I know are optimistic and if you are fortunate to have this as part of your personality, I believe you are very blessed.  However, I tend to struggle with negativity.  Whether this was learned, inherited or simply developed over time, negativity is something I have had to actively combat. 

After beginning this article in the morning, I found myself in a conversation that illustrated this point.  I was with a group of ladies and one individual (with a rather strong personality) spoke very negatively about a large community event which I had been part of and heard only good reports.  Her complaints were largely personal inconveniences and frustrations.  Rather than glomming on with my own small annoyances (which was my first inclination), I attempted to talk about the event as a whole and the positive impact it had on the community.  I found that the negativity quickly became the topic of the conversation…..so much for my leadership skills. 

That is not to say we should put on rose colored glasses and see everything as glowing.  However, when you look at the larger picture, there is much to be thankful for.  We live in a community that is safe from daily violence; we have enough food, water and medicine; we enjoy economic and political stability; and the list goes on.  When I find myself frustrated by my to-do list, inconveniences such as traffic, my own sense of self worth, or worries about situations beyond my control – I ask God for His perspective.  I am always surprised when God reminds me of all that He has done for me, all that He does for the world and the hope I have for eternity.  God tells us through Paul that in all things we are to give thanks. 

The question is do I chose to give thanks or do I glom on to negative comments, frustrating situations, inconveniences, self-doubt, worry?  There’s an anonymous quote that I am trying to practice with more regularity:  “Every day may not be good, but there’s something good in every day.”

May you find something particular good in today and in the days to come -- Cynthia

Monday, September 2, 2013

Bible Study

Except for a break this spring, I have been in Vine Life Bible studies for eight years. I took the break so that I could do a Bible study on my own about marriage. Here's how that went:

By the third lesson I thought, "Huh. I bet I could teach this!"

By the fourth lesson I thought, "There's NO WAY I could ever teach this. I have so much to learn about loving my husband."

And guess what? I never made it to the fifth lesson. I allowed myself to get distracted by the tyranny of the urgent.

What I learned was that I need the accountability of a group Bible study. So I have already signed up for a women's Bible study at church this fall.

I can't wait! I miss the group discussions and the great teaching. I miss being around Truth seekers. I miss hearing the hearts of other women and growing spiritually together. I miss how God leads it all!

I hope you will consider being in a Vine Life Bible study this fall. There are groups on Monday and Tuesday evenings and Wednesday and Saturday mornings. The information on each has been in the church newsletter, in e-mail, in the bulletin, etc. Women of various ages and spiritual backgrounds attend.

To register, stop by the Fellowship Hall this Sunday, Sept. 8 or use the Keeping in Touch form. If you have any questions about signing up, contact Laura Bansek (Women's Ministry Director) at laura@stonebridge.org.

- Kathryn Truden