Sacred Mundane: The Blog

Sweet blog friends … I am taking extra time this week to be with people (mostly my family!) in “real time.” So today, please enjoy this … praise God for a pastor who would COURAGEOUSLY do something like this. So beautiful. Enjoy, and be encouraged to continue moving into whatever dark spaces God puts before you. He is the light in you. Blessings and thanks for watching, Kari
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“The Drop Box” – Documentary PROMO from Brian Ivie on Vimeo.

We arrived home Sunday night from our full weekend away. I told Jeff I’d never felt more tired. But full too.  I told Jeff I was looking forward to a week of downtime, just relaxing, cleaning my house, holing up all by myself, stuff like that.

I had no idea the next morning would change my life.

The details aren’t blog-material, but God brought a miraculous (and unspeakably horrific) circumstance literally to our front door. Bus Stop 32. We spent the next 48 hours involved in a series of events–including police involvement and court-hearings–that will change me forever. Seminary doesn’t prepare you for stuff like this.

It’s late now and as I try to think of what to say to you, there’s no little cute stories or churchy sayings. My prayers these last 48 hours have been a lot different from before. They’re not the obligatory kind or the kind I say without thinking. They’re short and desperate cries, calling down power from on High, asking for the God of the universe to come rescue this broken world. Asking Him to do exactly what He says He came to do:

To bind up the brokenhearted.

To proclaim freedom for the captives.

To release from darkness the prisoners. 

That’s exactly what we need Him to do.

And I have to say, as Jeff and I maneuvered through these last couple days, despite the tragedy and exhaustion, there was this light, this power and hope and sense that this is what the Body of Christ is called to do. Stuff that matters. I get discouraged and weary when I’m just blessing blessed people and discussing the details of healing with those who are already healed. Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

He’s onto something.

Ministering inside my bubble is safe. Convenient. I can schedule it in. I’m not cursed at or put in danger. My children aren’t exposed to the sick, sorrowful world outside our door.

But is that really living?

Today as I swam through a myriad of thoughts and emotions surrounding this situation, even though I was heavy with sorrow and nervous with anticipation and exhausted from it all, I felt more alive than ever. The world outside seemed realer, brighter. God seemed nearer. And this came into my mind:

Whenever you are courageous the world comes alive a little more.

When we are courageous, we come alive. The world comes alive. Why?

Because the LIFE OF CHRIST flows through us to a dying world. 

We are Christ’s ambassadors; we are His light.

But we must go to dark places in order to really shine.

I am going to bed, right now, at peace. A tragic situation is still very tragic. But there is safety now. There is hope. A rescue mission has taken place in every since, and God is great and drawing lost and broken people to Himself.

This isn’t a pep-rally post saying everyone needs to storm the inner city and start trying to rescue people. This is a simple reminder–to me most of all–that when we are courageous, the world comes alive a little more.

We are His light.

Have the courage to enter whatever dark places He puts before you today. 

{Thanks for reading.}

Another post from dear reader Anna of GlassHouseDesign …  be blessed by her encouragement if you find yourself not liking an answer today.

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Sophie cried bitterly in her room, with her door all but closed. I had told her to go upstairs and calm down. She wanted me to hear just how upset she was. I had answered her question with an answer she did not like.

She thought if she asked…

The injustice involved a piece of fruit. Sophie had eaten plenty earlier in the day, so when she asked politely for more after rest time, I said no. The fruit was not bad for her. It could be said that it was actually good. But, knowing the whole picture, I told her she may not have it. It was not the right time. More fruit right then would have made her sick.

While she calmed down upstairs, the Lord nudged my heart. I had been asking Him for a lot of fruit in my prayers lately. Instead of listening to His answers for me, I had been politely demanding my own way. I asked nicely, thinking I could make my plan. He answered. And I did not like it. Why wasn’t the Lord

giving me what I wanted?! I was asking for good things. I was asking for other people. I was sincere.

But, knowing the whole picture…

In John 11, we are invited to witness an interaction between Martha and Jesus. Martha most likely resonates with a part of us. She loves Jesus, but she is the woman who questions. Who pushes back just a little.

In the first few verses we find out that Lazarus is sick and his sisters, Mary and Martha, send word toJesus. They describe their brother as “the one whom Jesus loves.” When He hears, it seems that Jesus would go, should go, and bring healing, preventing any pain that comes from waiting or experiencing loss.

He loves him, doesn’t He?! Upon receiving this information, however, Jesus explains that the sickness is for God’s glory.

Mary and Martha are not with Jesus. They do not hear His explanations or see His emotion…they have sent the word and wait. They have prayed for a good thing, and they do not like the answer.

Lazarus dies. The sisters have cared for a sick brother, buried him, and found themselves in bitter grief. Jesus had not come. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give You whatever You ask” (vs 21-22). She is honest with Jesus. She felt let down. She did not like that He could have prevented grief and chose not to.

Jesus does answer in a mighty way; He raises Lazarus.

But during the waiting process only Jesus knew what would happen. There was a season of Mary and Martha not liking the answer.

Sometimes the glory is revealed in the last moment.

When we feel like all has been lost and we do not like the answer, Jesus is waiting for the sake of His Father’s glory. It would have been nice to heal Lazarus as soon as the sickness came upon him, but the miracle would have been lost. No one would have grown. The disciples would not have seen. Jesus was acting according to the whole picture.

Take heart, sister. You may be somewhere in the waiting process right now, praying for something and so unsure of why things keep happening…but the Lord will fulfill His plan in your life and it will always be for His glory and for your ultimate best. You can trust Him. You can be honest with Him. He will speak to your heart.

“Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
(John 11:40)

Thank you, Anna, for sharing this with us. Thanks, all, for reading.

“Drumroll please  …   Yes, today is the day, we are announcing the 2013 Worst Mom Award … and the winner is:

KARI PATTERSON!!!

Yes, everyone give her a round of applause. Kari Patterson is the only mom this year to accidentally schedule a conference on the weekend of her daughter’s birthday! Yes, that’s right! That’s what we call a “Big Fail.” It’s not as if she even has that many kids — just 2! And one of them has a birthday at Christmas so it’s impossible to forget. So really, she just has ONE birthday to schedule around for the entire year, and she managed to double-book it! Everyone give her another round of applause for this fail with a capital “F”! And now, let’s tell her what she’s won:

GRACE.

(Applause stops. Everyone’s quiet.)

That’s right.

The good news is that she’s won grace. It’s true, when she found out last week that she’d accidentally scheduled a large speaking engagement on the same weekend as her daughter’s birthday, she cried. And cried and cried and cried. Guilt and condemnation are quick counselors, swooping in immediately for the kill. But it didn’t take long for God’s supernatural grace to rain down and remind her how loved she is. How loved her daughter is. How God works all things (even Big Fails) for the good of those who love God. And then He spoke through her loving husband to extend further grace by rearranging his entire weekend and studying schedule to take the kids to the beach for the weekend, right by the conference, so Kari could be with them during her free time. God provided a fabulous place with a special last-minute discount rate. He gave the kids enthusiasm and excitement for the “Beach Birthday Weekend!” And He gave her a really great story–albeit a humbling one–to tell at the conference. The women–bless them!–were warm and receptive and enthusiastic, embracing God’s Word (sometimes hard ones!) and joyfully accepting Kari and shooing her off quickly so she could spend as much time as possible with her family. Several sweet sisters even got together and bought Heidi a special birthday gift, just to “say thank you for sharing your mommy with us!”

Not just grace. Amazing grace. 

Sometimes failing isn’t so bad.

The whole weekend had Kari in awe. The beach house–an old 20’s Cape Cod charmer–was full of children’s toys and enchanting books and games. It had a hot tub (!) and the sun shone all day Saturday. The kids played in the sand (Heidi wearing only her swimsuit and a down-parka), Dutch jumped in the waves wearing his rain-boots (!) and Heidi ran, lept, twirled, and danced her way into being fully FOUR. Not only this, but Heidi’s Oma, Papa, and Nana ALL joined her at the beach for the birthday weekend, making it  a full family affair. And, wouldn’t you know it, but in the cupboard of kitchen they found, yes sprinkles for the pink cupcakes.

Everything–the entire weekend–can be summed up in this one photo of Heidi. It says it all:

That’s right–the lesson here is that our biggest fail turns into our biggest blessing because we have the biggest God. 

This truth is what Kari won this weekend. 

Thanks for reading.