Category Archives: a quick word

A Morning’s Brew…

There’s nothing like a good dose of confession served up with a warm cup of coffee to start a Monday morning. Thus, here’s mine (minus the coffee…you’ll have to pour that one on your own).

A few days ago, I wrote a post entitled “Let the Words of our Mouths.” A powerful piece, written from a deep well of conviction that awakened me in the early morning hours and called for my obedience. At the time, I thought little about the connection between the content of the piece and the corresponding pictures that I used to punctuate my point.

It wasn’t a good match, nor did I have my facts straight when I referred to the tree-trimming incident at our church and the discussion that was leveled concerning its future.

I may not have wounded others with my mouth, but I wounded with my pen. It was never my intention; nonetheless, it happened, and I am truly sorry for my failure to accurately communicate the stirring of my heart. Consequently, the piece has been edited to reflect my true intentions.

Do I still believe that the church at large (yours and mine combined) could use a heavy dose of agapao, 1 Corinthians 13, kind of love approach to how we do life together? You bet. We can always do it better—with more love, more Jesus, more of what matters to him and less of what matters to us.

And what matters to Him is authentic living for his kingdom’s sake. A portion of truth that visited me not long ago while washing my face. Perhaps you remember…

If you write conviction, Elaine, you’d better live conviction, or else be prepared for conviction to find its way to your table.

Conviction did … find its way to my table. And now we’re done. The coffee’s growing cold, and it’s time to push away from the table with the freedom and grace that is mine through the cross of Jesus Christ.

I want to be a servant in blogland. My pen belongs to God. Occasionally, there arises a tension between the two—my pen and God’s belonging. This has been one such occasion. I imagine that there will be more.

Thus, may God’s love and grace be my covering all the days of my life, and may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart always be found acceptable in his sight. That is the prayer of my heart this day. As always,

post signaturePS: Comments are closed on this post. I would, however, invite you to read yesterday’s penning if you haven’t already. I welcome your thoughts there. Shalom.

 

A Noble Stirring…

“My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king;… Listen, O daughter, consider and give ear; Forget your people and your father’s house. The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is you lord.” (Psalm 45:1, 10-11)
 What will you say to your King today? How will you honor him with your words?

It is your privilege to say them. To sing them. To write them. To cherish them.

As the bride of Christ, we are given access to his ears … his heart … his attention. This alone, sets him apart from any other “god” in the universe. Our God can be known, and we are delinquent in our pursuit of him when we refuse such access.

When we talk to God, we’re not talking into the air. We’re talking to the Lover of our souls—the one who knitted us together in our inmost and who breathed his proclamation of “goodness” on our behalf. There is nothing that we could bring to him that he cannot absorb. He is willing to receive our deepest secrets and our most tender pleas as though they already belonged to him.

That’s the way of the Bridegroom. He is the protector and keeper of our hearts. He is not surprised by our words, nor is he distressed by our requests. He simply and profoundly can handle it all.

Our God is…

the God of engagement.
the God of willing participation.
the God of unparalleled commitment.
the God who loves despite unloveliness.
the God who graces despite unworthiness.
the God who chooses us to be his bride.
the God who extends his arms, long and wide and high and deep to bridge the chasm between our pitiful estate and his majestic kingdom.

We are the priority of the King, and he has given us access to his throne.

Thus, what will you say to him today? How will you honor him with your heart?

It is your privilege to offer your voice in the matter.

Therefore, speak it boldly with all the confidence of heaven standing in your stead, knowing that your Groom has got you covered. He shed his blood to keep you covered—all the days of your life until you take his hand in yours and walk the aisle into your forever.

I can’t think of a better way to spend a Sunday than to be in prayerful pause before my King. Indeed, my heart is stirred by a nobler theme this day. Thus, I pray…

For your love and for your choosing of me, I honor you this day. I bring my rags and ask for a bride’s dressing. I bring my pain and ask for my Comforter’s heart. I bring my need and ask for my Provider’s provision. I bring my sin and ask for my Savior’s cleansing. I bring my confusion and ask for my God’s wisdom. I bring my prayers and ask for my Lover’s understanding. I bring my hands and ask for my Groom’s holding. I bring my life and ask for my kingdom crown. I bring it all today, to you my King, and ask for your favor, knowing that you are Faithful and True and that you delight in giving good gifts to your bride. My heart is stirred by your nobility and your willingness to allow me my share in your forever kingdom. Keep me mindful; keep me humble; keep me grateful for my noble bestowment. It is my privilege to sing your honor this day. Amen.

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Exemplify

Exemplify

Today, I want to direct you over to visit my blogging friend, California Kristen. I was first introduced to her through Indiana Kristen, thus, my reasoning for including their states with their names!

California Kristen has started a new website Exemplify Online. Hear now from her pen…

“The idea for Exemplify Online came to life over the course of last summer. During that season, I found myself dealing with an unquenchable boredom. I was desperate for a Godly challenge of some kind and knew I was only going to find it at the feet of Christ.

I had written a few months earlier about the lack of resources available to Christian women in the form of relevant, written media. I couldn’t believe the response! So many women felt the same. Sure, there are some great devotional sites and this awesome blog community but something was missing. I, and so many others, wanted content that is biblically sound, fun and a little more in depth than what was being offered.

Something like a magazine.

So, here we are. For whatever reason the Lord started breathing in me a desire to see this thing through. He blessed me with such talented writers who were willing to come aboard Exemplify’s team, joining the mission.

Our mission is simple really. It is our exclusive intention to encourage women to live lives that glorify and exemplify Christ’s name. We want to see hearts set on fire for Him.”

(-Kristen from Exemplify Online )

Kristen is not only a great writer but also hosts a creative mind that has allowed her vision to come to life in the form of her online magazine. I encourage you to hop over for a peek and to sign up for her monthly e-zine which will come to you in a downloadable format via your e-mail.

Thanks, Kristen, for your heart and your willingness to be a “scribe to our King” (sound familiar?). He is well-pleased with your penned obedience.

As always,

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Nothing Else I Choose…

“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).

I’ll be honest friends…

You are worthy of more than what I have to offer you this day. I confess that I have few words to give to you. Not because they aren’t available, but rather because of the “pressing in’s” that are insisting their walk upon the soil of my 24/7. I’m feeling the frantic pull of many directions, and when my heart gets pressed with the chaos of the seemingly urgent, I have a hard time marshalling enough energy for any of it.

Thus, there is a simple phrase I want to give to you today based on God’s Word from the book of Deuteronomy and on a song that’s been running through the speakers of my mind and my stereo this day.

Choose life.

Choose Jesus. Choose the walk of a sacred pilgrim and find your rest.

What joy it must bring to our Father’s heart when we bow the knee and bend the will to a righteous journey that places his agenda at the helm. We have a choice in the matter. There are those who would argue to the contrary—that somehow, my choice in choosing to do life with Jesus is a mute point and an invalid reasoning because it’s already been chosen for me.

My heart tells me otherwise, but my thoughts aren’t designed to invite controversy. Not today. Instead, they are meant to be a word of witness to the powerful, life giving potential that exists when choosing to walk this journey with Jesus.

I’ve been walking it with him for as long as I can remember, and there is nothing—no person, no place, no accolade, no adventure, no memory—that exceeds the worth of walking this life with the Lover of my soul.

Everyday, in simple and sometimes profound ways. In and out, over and above. In the mundane and in the occasional extraordinary when he splits the skies and reminds me that his eyes are ever on me.

He takes my breath away; thus, today I choose life.

With him at the helm and with my family in tow, so that we can know the joy and promise of a sacred fastening that keeps us anchored to the faith of our spiritual ancestors and to the heart of our life-giving, promise-keeping God.

He, alone, stands worthy of all my love and all my choosing. Accordingly, I leave you with the song that’s been running its witness through my speakers and within my soul this day.

“So in Love” by Jeremy Camp. Choose life and find your peace!

As always…

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PS: I feel like a give away… you guessed it–the new JCamp CD, Louder than Words. Leave a comment, and I will draw a winner later in the week. Shalom!

On the Arm of My Son…

On the Arm of My Son…

It occurred to me today that there will be few occasions, if any, when I will take the arm of my son and walk the aisle as his date.

Tonight may have been my swan song.

When he was a child, many were the times when he would take my arm. His hands belonged to me then. They needed me, even cried out for me on a regular basis.But time has walked its own story, and it seems they need me less. I know better, but for a few moments this evening, I felt a familiar ache. It first surfaced on a similar occasion two years ago with his older brother.

Tonight, I was reminded, yet again, about the fragile nature of time’s existence and the incredible responsibility that God has given me to handle its truth. To be OK with the fact that seventeen years have breathed their witness and soon will require my letting them settle into a son’s memoir. A season that seems to have quickly passed without my notice.

One day soon, Colton’s arms will belong to another. That’s the way of a growing heart. But tonight was my night. Tonight was a moment to take hold and to hang on and to more fully understand that my mothering, coupled with a whole lot of God’s immeasurable grace, has grown him into a young man filled with strength and laughter and the tenderness of heaven.

Not all mothers will have such an occasion; thus, my grateful heart and my joy-filled thanks to my Father for allowing me the privilege of such a gift–

A walk down the aisle on the arm of my son.

A very good night, friends.

A stone of remembrance to carry in my pocket … my heart … for the rest of my days.

As always,

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