Simple Challenge!

i'm walking through the bright white gates. Breathing in and out your grace. All around me melodies rise. That echo with the joy inside.

So i start to sing, But I cant sing loud enough. I can't sing loud enough when I'm singing for You my God! I can't sing loud enough. I can't sing loud enough when I'm singing for You my God!

With a thunder roll and a brilliant light. Your glory boasts and the heavens shine. The saints and angels stand in awe. Captured by the beauty of it all.

So I fall to my knees, but i can't bow low enough. I can't bow low enough at the vision of You my God. I can't bow low enough. I can't bow low enough at the vision of You my God!

I can't hold it all inside. I'm reaching for the One who brought me out of death and into life. But i can't lift my hands high enough. I cant lift my hands high enough when I'm reaching for You my God. I can't lift my hands high enough. I cant lift my hands high enough when I'm reaching for You my God!

-Phil Whickham, Cielo

I have had an incredible weekend! It began with the stomach virus...and ended with a humbling awe of what God is able to accomplish, even in our weakness! As someone who LOVES to write...it is moving to have such a flood of emotions and not be able to find words deep enough to constitute! I dont know where everyone is in life, what you believe or who you rely on, but I cant help but look at life and stand awestruck by how GREAT our God is! This song seems to be the best description. There is just so little I can do and it feels so small when the desire to serve him is so much greater than it seems I can accomplish! But I know a willing heart is an empty vessel to him...and so useful. So I love to be empty and willing! I long to be used...(a scary and exciting prayer) :)

Recently I had an idea enter my mind. A HUGE idea for a non for profit business. An idea that I cant wrap my mind around or form a process or plan for. For those who know me, I am one who will chase an idea. I will try anything. Success or failure, doesnt matter. But this one, I dont even know where to begin. So I am just letting the idea resonate! Excited to see the opportunity to watch it happen, yet unable to understand how to make it happen. So I am pleased to be stretched yet again. Learning to wait eagerly to be used and patient to know how!

I am so thankful to be where I am right now. (Im sorry I am all over the place, I hope you can follow) The four year old I nanny asked me last month: "Do you hear God?" To which I responded people hear God in all sorts of ways. And sadly some people dont want to hear him at all. She asked how I hear him. (Keep reading for the typical Gillian response) Being a month later, I really cant wait for her to grasp how wonderful it is to know God and feel his presence and his voice so differently than you do a friend here on Earth! We are encouraged in the word to have a childlike faith...dont complex the simple to make something seem deep. God in his very essence is simplistic in depth. Faith, a child's faith, can grab hold of something so simple and turn simplicity in profound meaning. I love this. It is the joy of my job! As adults we just need to tune in...their question will challenge us to answers beyond our limitations. Our faith is somehow reborn in their curiosity! If, IF you let it!

Gillian's response to my description of God voice was this: "Well, I talked to God last night, because I got scared. And he didnt answer me. I think he had his IPOD turned up too loud!" Ha. As I corrected her with a laugh. I love this little girl! I love that she puts a God I cant fathom into her simple world and makes Him hers! She gets it...maybe not in correct terminology...but she gets it!

Listen to a child this week, let them increase your faith! Stand in awe and soak in his greatness! His glory!

The Health of a Country

So I can only try to wrap my mind around the events in Haiti. It seems complex beyond my comprehension. I know one person there who has spent the past years loving on the people there and to know now what she is going through seems too much to grasp in one thought. My heart goes out to them and the more I hear or watch of the issue, I become more burdened for them. I saw a briefing asking for money to help send crackers. Crackers, the kind that feed a person for a whole day. I dont know why that shocked me so much. But bottom line is, they need support! They need encouragement. They need to be loved on. Which leads me to my point. The US is in a recession of sorts. We are all faced with a financial stupor. The government is faced with such a debt that the idea of the US aiding Haiti is a concept seemly difficult to fathom. This makes me sad to think that the country that is envied among so many other countries has not taken care of themselves. I dont want to get into politics and pointing fingers. I just think over all we were given the structure for success and yet we are where we are. Bizarre.

This reminds me of those of us who are Christians. People all around us face difficulties, as we do. However, we have what we need to cope, depend, encourage and succeed. It is in our best interest that we heed what we are given, and we keep ourselves in a healthy place, because after all if we allow ourselves to "breakdown" we will not be in a healthy enough place to help others when they need us.

As a country, it was our responsibility to not just keep ourselves in a healthy financial state for our own benefit, but for the benefit of the countries that look to us as a successful and admirable country!

What do we each need to do individually to help ourselves to get to a healthy state for ourselves, our country and the countries around us! Where is your influence?

I had to ask myself a hard question as 2009 concluded. What influence have I been. I obviously have influence in work and my home life is very much a reflection of who I am, but how little do I actually invest myself. I have great potential because of the gifts and talents that my God has invested in me. So what am I doing to utilize those talents? Because success in true definition is reaching a full potential!

So, ask yourself, what is your potential? And if you are not reaching your full potential, how can you? I can only imagine the affect it would have on this country if everyone asked themselves those two questions!

Imagine how much more affective we would be as individuals and as a country...

Imagine the relief a country like Haiti could count on in a time of devastation such as now. Imagine how the hurting could count on Christians if we did the same in our lives!

Where is your influence???

Be the Investment

Before writing out this conceptual thought, I must offer the disclaimer than in all situations there are exceptions to everything, this being no different. However, one must take a deep look at their life in order to pass judgment for themselves. For none of us are here to judge another, but to simply live, setting examples of the character we wish to carry forward. I am reminded of the saying “Iron Sharpens Iron,” but this cannot ring true unless we offer insight on the intricate conversations as well as the comfortable ones.

So that being said, not all of us would consider to be “spoiled,” especially with the effects of the recession. But take an honest look at what you have. Not just monetary but in tangible and relational areas as well. For me I don’t like the word “spoiled,” but I will be the first to admit that I live a life that is “richly blessed.” I don’t have the trust funds and vacation homes, but I have people who love me, a job I enjoy, and home that gives me comfort. Although I don’t have everything, I have everything I need. When asked what I wanted for Christmas this year, my response was simple, nothing, I lack for nothing.

My concern over the weekend has been seeing how those who are “richly blessed” don’t always offer themselves to bless others. Myself included. As I have been preparing to plan this dinner of sorts, I realized it is uncharted territory for me. Sad, since as a child I was raised to serve my community. I was involved with Habitat for Humanity and stocking shelves at the Food Bank and even working with under privileged kids. Yet, in the years since I attended college; nothing. I have invested myself in things that were not bad, per say, just more or less for myself. I don’t like living with regrets, but looking back, I would say that this is one. Makes me stop and truly ponder what would have been different, what lives could have been touched. How my life would have changed if others were more a focus than myself.

And also in past experience, I have witnessed that many of us are unreliable, myself included. So even if this meal is planned or a day of service is put together, how would we trust that those of us who are comfortable would help those who are not? Who would show up to get their hands dirty when the life we live keeps them clean? But I have to say in what little I have done in my life; the rewards are far greater than anything I have done to further myself. That what we do for others, is what we take with us in life. Those memories are inconceivably different.

And as a challenge for both myself, and my readers, see the value in who you are, not for selfish gain, but to offer others something they cannot offer themselves. Ask yourself, what talents do you have, to bless those less fortunate. However, big or small your investment, it is still an investment!

Love Will Reside

A heart can beat to a tune of a song
The voice of a friend or the rush of a night.
A heart can carry where we dare not let our feet tread
A heart can mold a person to forgive and forget.
The heart allows our vulnerability to reveal
the softer side and the part that is real
The heart lays us out to be hurt and deceived.
The heart makes way for broken relief

Without the heart, chances are missed
We wouldnt jump or step out and take risks.
Love would be foriegn and lessons unlearned
The love of our God would not be understood

We value others by taking such strides
to go out on a limb and subjected to such strife
Once a blue moon true love will be found
Our hearts find their home and new shelter is found.

Our God never means to allow hearts to break
But we are the ones that choose which roads we will take
He offers his arms to comfort and provide
healing and laughter and love to reside

He longs to give what our hearts long to have
In stepping with his guidance that love we will find
We wait for his hand and step with his pace
We find perfect peace when seeking his face