For everyone with flabby legs…
A mile-long hill loomed ahead. I heard His voice:
Keep running.
It was the last of my 3 legs in the Hood-to-Coast 200-mile relay race last weekend. I’d been awake for 35 hours. My quads were burning and the sun was beating.
Ahead of me everyone was walking.
Keep running.
I knew the route. After one more mile of hill I knew there were almost 3 miles of downhill. I just had to get up that hill and then it’d be easier. I kept running.
After rounding a corner I saw a man ahead, running. He was a tall young man, his legs cut and muscular. I stared at his legs. He looked like a runner.
I looked like a 30-something mommy with flabby legs, sucking wind.
And then he stopped. And walked.
What? If he can’t run up this there’s no way I can!
Keep running.
God, have you seen this guy’s legs? Yeah. Super strong. Have you seen my legs? Yeah. Super flabby.
Keep running.
Excuse me, God? I’m tired and if this guy is walking there’s no way I can run it. I mean, look at how strong his legs are!
His voice so clear:
It doesn’t matter how strong you are; it’s how much you want it.
Did I want it? Was it worth it? And I don’t mean just running to the top of the hill, I mean all of it. Obeying God and trusting Him and doing whatever HE says because He is God and I am His daughter. All of it: walking by faith and putting one foot in front of the other and obeying God because He is God.
Did I want it?
Do I want it?
Do I want to run this race of faith? Do I want to trust Him and believe Him and just do whatever He says to do? Do I really want to fear Him and obey Him and wait on Him?
Because that’s what He really wants from me. That’s what brings Him joy.
His voice on that mile-long hill was an echo of something He’d said long ago:
He does not delight in the strength of the horse;
He does not take pleasure in the legs of a man.The LORD favors those who fear Him,
Those who wait for His lovingkindness. (Psalm 147:10-11)
Every single day the enemy reminds me that Jeff and I are nothing special. Every day He reminds me that there is a mountain ahead of us and we are 30-something housewives with flabby legs sucking wind and there are bulging-muscle marathoners out there and Who are we to think that we can run up this hill?
I must respond: We are those who want it. We want to fear Him and wait for His lovingkindness.
That’s what delights Him.
Not buff legs.
After I ran to the top of that hill, even though I was all alone I threw my arms up in the air and cheered, Woohoo!! Thank you, Jesus! And then I cruised down the hill, came around the corner, and spotted a girl up ahead. She ran with a limp. As I got closer my eyes filled with tears:
She only had one leg.
A tear slipped down my cheek as I passed her, turning to look in her face and shout, “You are awesome! You are my hero! You’re doing great and we’re almost there! Hang in there, sister!!”
Her face shown with such joy, such glow, she must have known this truth:
Whether you have buff legs, flabby legs, or one leg, you need to know: It isn’t your legs that matter. God delights in those who fear Him. Who trust Him. Who wait on Him. When the hill is long and Satan’s accusations are loud, remind yourself again:
He does not delight in the strength of the horse;
He does not take pleasure in the legs of a man.The LORD favors those who fear Him,
Those who wait for His lovingkindness. (Psalm 147:10-11)
Waiting for Him, with you. I pray this gives you hope today. Thanks for reading.
Establishing Family Worship {Ideas & Resources}
School starts next week and calendars are quickly filling.
Does your weekly schedule include: Discipling my children to know and love God?
Although Sunday school, kid’s programs, vacation Bible school, and AWANAs are all awesome, no one has more power to influence your child for Jesus than YOU.
You are the most important person, your home is the most important place, and your daily life is the most important program.
This week at RENEW we’re challenging each other to take steps toward leading our families to Jesus. The husbands and fathers were particularly challenged, but all of us can influence our homes and help create habits that foster faith, love, hope, grace, renewal. We’re not experts, but here are some simple ideas for small starts:
:: A little something done consistently is better than a big bang that fizzles out. Teaching your child just one short verse each week (such as Letter Lessons) is better than attempting an elaborate program only to quit after 5 days and do nothing at all. Our pride and egos tend to push us toward bigger and better and flashier programs and curricula, but small simple steps of meditating on God’s Word, praying, and practicing real everyday faith are more effective long-term. Start small and go the distance.
:: Do something within your gifting. If you love to read, read. If you love to act and play more active games, act our Bible stories with your kids. If you love to play instruments, sing! If your heart is for prayer, pray! Don’t stress too much about having the perfect devotional program, just do what you enjoy and let your joy and passion inspire your children. If you actually enjoy what you’re doing, chances are they will too.
:: Schedule it in. We only actually do what we make a priority. If we think family devotional time will just naturally wiggle its way into our day, we’re dreaming. Again, it doesn’t have to be every single night (although that’s awesome if it is!) but plan 2-3 times a week of intentional family time seeking God. Plan it the way you would a sports practice or swim lessons. Decide what you want to do and schedule it in. Right now is the perfect time, before school starts, to put family devotional time as a priority on the calendar. Make it a priority this year.
:: Find a great resource. My man has compiled a great list of family devotional resources. Browse and perhaps buy or download one that works for you.
Get a good family Bible. Since most kids are visual learners, and since knowing the Big Story is more helpful than getting bits and pieces of bite-sized morals, let us recommend a few possibilities for a parent-kid-family Bible:
The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name, by Sally Lloyd-Jones (also a read-aloud edition, and deluxe edition with audio CD). This one has become our favorite, even though it’s probably aimed for reading to younger kids. I’ve recommended it to many new Christians (even those without kids) simply for getting a grasp of the Story of God, and the Hero — Jesus. The words flow with a poetic cadence, making them memorable, and each story points to who Jesus is, why He came, and what it means to follow Him.- The Gospel Story Bible: Discovering Jesus in the Old and New Testaments, by Marty Machowski and A. E. Macha. Each story covers two pages (less pictures and more words), yet told in an engaging style. Each lesson has questions aimed to help kids notice the people and features of each biblical story, and it’s connection to God’s character, His Son, and the Gospel.
- The Big Picture Story Bible, by David R. Helm and Gail Schoomaker. Another good picture Bible giving the over-arching narrative of God’s story. Stellar illustrations, though you’ll need to come up with your own questions for interaction and inciting wonder.
- Long Story Short: Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God, by Marty Machowski. This one is more of a plan for daily discussions and lessons, for preschool-to-elementary-aged kids.
We have each of those, having added one a year to give new perspectives. As our kids have become familiar with the biblical narrative and story of Jesus we let them choose a story from two Bibles, and then read them together. It doesn’t take long, and each conversation has the opportunity to take a thousand twists and turns (in the form of questions). We see this as “quantity time becoming quality time.”
One last resource to mention:
A Beginners Guide to Family Worship by Winfield Bevins ($2.99 ebook published by Gospel-Centered Discipleship)
Summary: Every Christian parent can lead their home in family worship — simply coming together as a family and worshipping God in the home. This little book has been prepared as an introduction to family worship and to help you teach your children basic Christian beliefs and to memorize Scripture.
(This ebook is 24 pages, and available in your choice of ePub, mobi, or PDF format.)
GospelCenteredDiscipleship.com also has numerous articles on making disciples in our families.
{It’s the perfect time to establish godly habits to lead our families to Jesus. I’d love to hear your thoughts, ideas, and resources suggestions for your own family worship times. Thanks so much for reading, and sharing!}
Ma-pee-ha-mo-affa-iss?
“Ma-pee-ha-mo-affa-iss?”
Translated: “May I please have more after this?” spoken by a 3-year-old whose mouth is stuffed full of green grapes. There were still plenty left in her bowl.
The same thing happened the day before. I packed the kids a special picnic treat–grilled cheese sandwiches. I gave each child a half, and as Dutch was devouring his he asked the same thing,
“Ma-pee-ha-mo-affa-iss?”
I told them both to please just enjoy what they have and wait until they are finished to ask me for more.
It irritates me that instead of just enjoying what I’ve already given them they are preoccupied with whether or not there will be more afterwards.
I wonder if any other Parent feels that way?
Don’t my children understand that I’m their mommy and I always give them what they need, and I never turn them away when they are hungry?
As a few of you know, we’re waiting on where we will live next. This is Jeff’s last week of work at WCC, and we will then dive off into the unknown of church-planting. The lease on our rental is up at the end of September, and we made an offer on a short-sale house a few months ago and are still waiting to hear any news.
Our offer (and employment) expire this Friday.
I know God will provide. He always has. But I must confess a large portion of my prayers recently have been about a place to live come October 1st. I kept reminding God that August 31st is this week and asking Him if He forgot that something needs to happen by then?
And then I remembered my kids’ request:
“Ma-pee-ha-mo-affa-iss?”
He gently returned my question with one of His own:
Kari, do you have a place to live today?
Kari, do you have food on the table today?
Kari, are you alive today?
Kari, do you have water, clothes, a bed, grace, everything you need for today?
Yes. Yes, Heavenly Father, I do.
Have you forgotten My Words?
I turn to them, to remind myself:
“[All creatures] look to you, to give them their food in due season. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.” Psalm 104:27
In due season God provides His creatures their food. That is, when they need it.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:33-34
When we are hungry, He will feed us.
When we are thirsty, He will give us a drink.
When we need a place to live, He will provide.
I don’t need to say, with a mouth full of food, “Ma-pee-ha-mo-affa-iss?”
I just need to enjoy what He’s already given today and trust there will be more tomorrow.
~
How can you enjoy what He’s given today and trust Him for tomorrow? Praying this for us today. Thanks for reading.
Because often the answer is Surrender
In a place (again) of asking God about upcoming life plans and needs, and Him leading me (again) to this lesson about surrender. How gracious He is to draw us back to a place of re-learning this sweet and difficult truth. Friends, I pray this can take root in your heart today. Thanks so much…
~
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” ~Jesus
I understood that my dreams had to die.
Had I misread the story all these years?
Isaac was God’s idea. God’s promise. Sure, Abraham dreamed of having children, but Isaac, the child of promise — this all originated with God.
It was His idea in the first place.
Even though the dream was God’s it still had to die.
I often think of the story of Abraham and Isaac, in Genesis 22, as a story of a man laying his own love, his own hopes and dreams and desires onto the altar, willing to slay them out of sacrifice for God.
But that really isn’t the story. It was laying even the gift of God on the altar.
To die.
It was believing God to take care of His own dream. To resurrect Isaac from the dead (Heb. 11:19).
Is there anything not subject to His summons to surrender?
Do we believe that even God-dreams can be resurrected from the dead?
Must be?
Just over a year ago God gave us a dream. Nothing earth-shattering, but a simple dream to sell and downsize our home, give half of our income, pay off our mortgage, and invest more of our hearts in God’s work around the world. (where your treasure is there your heart will be…). This was not an obligation, this was a joy. What began as mere obedience has become an holy obsession. The verse is right — we aim our pocketbooks and our hearts aren’t far behind.
But this year has also been one of frustration.
Why, God? You gave us this dream. We put our house on the market, have stretched ourselves as far as we can until it sells. All the houses around us have sold for more than we’re asking. Why have you allowed it to show 80+ times without a single offer? This year feels like a big waste of time. Can you see God that there are children starving and I WANT to give to them but I have this millstone-sized mortgage tied around my neck. And yes, there is a principle — we sow what we reap. I prayed for this house and this house I have. No complaints, simply lying in the bed I’ve made.
Then this week it finally clicked, as I gave up. Decided it was over. Came to terms with the fact that it just ain’t happening right now. God is certainly on the move and I am enthralled by His amazing work, but it is not His time to sell our house and that’s ok.
Then while I’m hauling five yards of bark dust, preparing for our final Open House before we take it off the market, as I’m raking the hillside in 92-degrees, feeling the strange euphoria of having just let something go, the thought rests on my heart:
Even the dreams God gives must die.
Of course. The dying thing.
I had understood that my dreams had to die.
But I had missed the whole story. Abraham lays God’s dreams on the altar, because God is able to take care of His own dreams.
Why hasn’t it sold? I don’t pretend to know. Perhaps we did entirely miss God’s will. Or, perhaps, He just wants that dream to die.
And as we prepare to take it off the market for now — to give ourselves a break and catch our breath before trying again next year — I know one thing for sure: God is more than able to resurrect all that He lets die.
Even the dreams He gives.
–
{Are there any God-dreams that may need to die today? The tough thing about dying is that it’s just so much like … dying. Praying for grace for you today and thanks for reading.}