I Once Was Lost

Have you ever lost something so precious and important to you that it caused agony and pain at the thought that you may never find it?

I'm not one to lose things often (which is probably a good thing since my husband can never find anything), but for the last few weeks I have been unable to find the necklace my husband got me for our first anniversary (pictured below). As I searched everywhere I could imagine, purses, jewelry boxes, drawers, etc. I panicked at the thought of not finding it again. I was worried to tell my husband I'd lost it because I still remember his excitement when he gave it to me. And I even searched online to see how much it would cost me to replace it so that he would never find out. To my disappointment, I couldn't even find one like it online.

After nearly 2 weeks of searching, I gave up. I was certain I had either accidentally thrown it out the day I went through empty boxes of jewelry a few weeks ago, or that it had been accidentally placed in the donations bag we sent away for the victims of the mudslides that happened in March. \

Then today, something wonderful happened. While digging through the basket that I keep my nail polish in to find a specific color I haven't used in a while, I found the necklace lying at the bottom. I have no idea how it got there, but I almost cried with relief. And then I told my husband the whole story since he didn't even know it was lost in the first place.

As I rejoiced over my once lost, but now found necklace, a scene played over in my head from earlier this week. You see, I had told a friend about my dilemma and how I wasn't sure if I should tell Javier or not, and her response was not to tell him because he'd probably never notice. She went on to say that I have other nice necklaces she's seen me wear, so to just wear those. 

This comment didn't really mean that much to me at the time. I do have many other necklaces to wear, and I hadn't worn this specific one in over a month, so it could be a while before Javier even noticed that I wasn't wearing it. Yet, at the same time, I was filled with guilt having lost something so important to me, something Javier picked out on his own for our first anniversary - a Canadian diamond set in a sterling silver Canadian leaf because he loves Canada.

Now, having found the necklace, I am filled with relief and joy. You can bet I put it around my neck as soon as I found it, and I don't plan to take it off until I lay down to sleep tonight. 

I can't help but relate this situation to two parables from the Bible - The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, and The Lost Son (Luke 15). Jesus uses all three parables to tell the story of the importance of one sheep, coin, or son repenting and the joy God feels at their repentance despite having many other followers already.

Luke 15:7 - I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not repent. 

Luke 15:32 - But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.

Even though followers of Christ can be found in many places around the globe, there is still work to be done, and God rejoices when even one person comes to believe and trust in Him. As excited as I was to find my necklace, I think God would feel even more joy hearing a new believer cry out his name.

We, Christians, have a lot of work to do. This world is rampant with pain, depression, sickness, hunger, poverty, war, and persecution. People need Jesus, and it our job to rise up and testify of His love and goodness. We are to go to the nations and share the Good News because He is coming back. Look around you, you don't need to go far to share the Gospel, no matter where you are, I'm certain someone nearby needs to hear about Jesus - your neighbor, a friend, a family member, the cashier at the grocery store, the elderly woman trying to cross the street, a classmate or even the garbage man. 

Just as I shared the good news of finding my necklace with my husband, we need to be just as excited (or more excited) to share Jesus with this dark and empty world. Rise up and shine His light!

Matthew 28:19 - Therefore, GO and MAKE disciples!

Gloomy, Growing Spring

*Disclaimer - I haven't forgotten about the Prayer for the Nations posts. I am still working my way through the world in prayer. Perhaps tomorrow I will post a small blurb about the most recent countries I've been praying for.*

I'm definitely a summer kind of girl! Give me blue skies, green grass, and a bright yellow sun and I'm happy. However, this season definitely isn't summer. The last few days as I've gone through the day, I can't help but look out my classroom window in disgust at the nasty weather occurring outside. Gray clouds, rain, cold... I don't like this weather! Don't get me wrong, I love a good summertime thunderstorm, the smell of rain, and the sunshine that comes out to dry everything up, but this springtime, cloudy, cold, wet junk just isn't for me. It puts me in a bad mood. (Although, I am so thankful that winter is gone! There is hope for warmer days!)

Then last evening as I gazed out my patio door at the grass turning green and the daffodils budding, I realized something - without the cloudy, rainy days there wouldn't be beautiful, warm, summer days. Without the rain the grass wouldn't be green and flowers would not come to life. And sadly enough, if it were always hot and sunny, I may not enjoy the summer days as much, although I have a hard time believing that.

That's when it hit me, God threw a life application my way that hit close to home. Through the gloomy weather something magnificent is taking place. Soon these "sad" days will be replaced by merry and bright days and in just a few weeks the gloom will turn to beauty. What's the application you may ask...

These gloomy days which will soon be turning to joyous occasions are much like our own lives. The times of sadness and struggle are the times when the Lord is often refining us in some way to change darkness into beauty. (Not that He isn't always at work, but I think you get the point.) He uses our trials and struggles to grow us in character, maturity, and love, and in the end we come out of the trying times a better person - a more beautiful person if you will. He is the potter and we are His clay. He is constantly at work molding us and shaping us through everything that comes our way. He turns the bondage of sin and ugliness into redemption and beauty.

On a more personal note, this hit close to home. I've been in a valley of spiritual growth recently, and I honestly don't feel as close to God or excited about spiritual things as I did just a few months ago. My life feels dry despite my daily Bible reading and prayer times throughout the day. As I was pondering the thoughts about last evening, I was challenged to let go of some sin in my life that I continue to hold onto. I was pushed to let go of sin that is keeping me in bondage and affecting my relationship with the Lord. Of course it will take time, but I'm ready to become a better me, a more beautiful version of myself.

What sin are you holding onto that God wants to change from gloom into beauty? Pray, confess your sin to Him, and allow Him to mold you into the person He has chosen you to be.

Changing of the Seasons

How awesome is it that the changing of the seasons so closely parallel the stages of a Christian's relationship with God himself? I've heard sermons on it before, and each winter I'm reminded of the white, glittering snow that washes away the "junk" from the year before, bringing with it a fresh, new perspective for the year ahead. Spring comes, rebirth occurs as flowers blossom and trees begin to bud. Summer is carefree and happy, lending itself to new, warm memories, followed by fall in which things begin to die, mimicking perhaps the lulls of life, the difficult days, or even the marking of something better to come.

A Peruvian friend of mine is experiencing the true changing of the four seasons in London this year. He's there to study in seminary. He recently emailed me with a lovely description of his new understanding of this parallel between the seasons and life. This is how he described them in his most recent email to me (translated from Spanish).

"The winter is ending in London; every day is less cold than the one before and spring is drawing near. Literally, I have not seen the sun for many months. It comes up at 8 a.m. and by 3 p.m. it is dark again. It is beautiful to see how the leaves are born again on the trees that for many months have been bare, seeming dead from the cold. The seasons in England are more obvious than those in Peru, and it often causes me to think of the cycles of life. There are times of 'winter' in which we feel frozen with each day colder than the one before until we become numb by it. Even though sometimes those 'cold' days seem long, thanks be to God, that he always brings times of 'spring' afterwards. A season which brings a little warmth to the soul. It is said that the harsher the winter, the more refreshing is the summer that follows. Only God knows those days in which you feel the dead, numbing cold of 'winter' but don't lose heart, press on and continue in the ways of the Lord for something better is always to come in the future."

Daniel, you are a beautiful writer. Thank you for sharing your observations of the seasons with me at a time when I needed a refreshing word, a reminder that the best is indeed yet to come. 

I'm so grateful for the changing of the four seasons that I have been able to experience almost every year of my life here in Northern Indiana (minus the fall of 2009 which I missed due to living in Peru). It is such a great reminder of the sacrifice of Christ, His death on the cross (winter) and resurrection from the grave (summer). 

As Easter Sunday approaches, I am so grateful that I serve a living God. A God who is full of grace and mercy. A God who forgives and lavishes upon us His unconditional love. 

Value of the Cross

A few days back I made a trip to the bank with a friend to exchange some of my American dollars to Peruvian soles. I used to enjoy this. I used to like watching my money triple right before my very eyes. However, anymore, it's a depressing adventure. You see, my first trip to Peru in 2007, one dollar earned me nearly three soles (2.98 I believe). That means for every $100 I would turn in, I'd get 298 soles back. In 2009, I remember turning in my dollars from school and receiving an exchange rate of 2.94 or something close to that. However, fast forward to present day, and my same $100 earns me a mere 273 soles. It's slightly depressing.

As numbers and figures floated around in my head, my mind shifted to Christ and His unchanging, unfailing love. I must admit that recently, while I've been in church quite a bit and I have been involved in ministry in various forms, my personal devotions are lacking. Of course I do them, but I've been selfish with my time and I've been selfish with my prayers. I'm not giving God all of me during my time of devotions. I'm giving Him only the parts I want to give Him, and I'm trying to control everything else. 

Last evening at church we had communion and an amazing time of alabanzas (singing and worship). As we sang the song Hosanna by Hillsong United, it was all I could do to hold my tears back as the room roared with people in love with the Lord, worshiping Him with their entire being. As we sang:

Heal my heart and make it clean 
Open up my eyes to the things unseen 
Show me how to love like You have loved me 
Break my heart for what breaks Yours 
Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause 
As I walk from earth into eternity 

I was broken. It's a strong prayer, and it's a prayer I spoke with everything in me last evening. My heart needs to be cleaned. I have been living selfishly rather than for His Kingdom. I spent some time in prayer, and I could literally feel the embrace of the Lord surround me, and I felt the heaviness lifted from my shoulders. I was light as a feather in the arms of my Savior, and I felt great. At that moment, there was no where else I'd rather be than right there loving on Jesus Christ. It amazes me that even when I neglect Him or only half trust Him, He still loves me the same. I breaks my heart that too often I don't give Him all of me, because when I do, life is so much better!

Unlike the value of the dollar, Christ's love never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8). 

Paramedic vs Policeman

I LOVE ANALOGIES!!

Last week, as I was visiting a great friend in Nashville, I heard a sermon that has stuck with me all week. While the pastor trailed off on many tangents throughout his sermon, and quite honestly lost me a few times, one tangent led him to demand that the congregation be paramedics rather than policemen. While my mind had been twisted and mangled trying to grasp what exactly he was trying to state in the comments leading up to this statement, everything seemed to unravel in an instant with this brief comment, "We are to be paramedics, not policemen."

As the pastor continued back to the heart of the message, I sat pondering this thought. I was awestruck thinking about how we as Christians often accuse, accuse, accuse, yet we very rarely stop and assist a person "to good health" aka a strong relationship with Christ. Somehow with one sentence, my whole perspective was adjusted. I have never desired to be the accusing, hypocritical Christian, but I fell into the trap. (I wouldn't be human if I hadn't.) I spent my drive home Monday still mulling over this concept from Sunday morning, and I prayed that God would transform me from a policeman to a paramedic in all aspects of my life.

As I shared some intimate time with my Heavenly Father, He spoke to me through a direct application in my life. (I love when a good sermon can be directly applied to my daily life.) My thoughts were pulled toward school and my students. God opened my eyes to the children some would consider the "problem" kids, and I heard Him clearly say, "They need you to be their paramedic." Wow, talk about direct application!! I continued to pray, and I asked God that He would help me to become just that. I asked that He would revamp my attitude. I prayed that He would help me to discipline with love and follow through with encouragement to change the behavior. 

Lo and behold, only God knew what I'd be walking into on Tuesday when I returned. My kids were mean to each other, whiny, and very disobedient. I needed the strength of God, and I needed it quick. I wanted to be the paramedic, but all I could do was call out the misbehavior and move on. On Wednesday, I was led to a book that I had recently purchased called, "The Three Questions." This book led my class into a deep discussion about: 1) When is the most important time. 2) Who is the most important one? 3) What is the right thing to do. Thankfully a student took a Godly perspective of the story, and little did I know, but this book would be the start of something great among my students. I was able to use this story to introduce a "paramedic" aspect, and while change wasn't immediate for the entire class, many of my students quickly changed their behavior. 

I'm still pondering this analogy and trying to figure out what it means in all areas of my life. This message could not have come at a better time, and it totally changed my perspective of Christianity. I mean, we all know we're not supposed to be hypocritical, but do we go out of our way to help those in need rather than just calling out their mistakes or ignoring them altogether? Just something to think about...

Blackened Feet

Sometimes I like to think in analogies. I actually haven't posted many of my analogical (is that a word?) thoughts, so I figured why not share one tonight.

If you know me, you know how much I love sandals and flip flops. I hate wearing socks and shoes on my feet! In a city where the ground is nothing but dust and dirt, this often leaves me with black feet at the end of the day. I've grown used to it, but I always appreciate being able to wash them at the end of the day.

Tonight as I was walking home from tutoring, a small thought crossed my mind. As I spent time alone making dinner, cleaning my room, and doing laundry, the same thought grew into a deeper, meaningful analogy that I couldn't just set aside to think about later.

I start each day with clean feet ready for the day's worth of activities. As the day wears on my feet become blackened by dust and dirt that I encounter along the way. At the end of the day, I am so glad for soap and water to wash away the "junk". Some days there are opportunities to wash my feet in between the day's activities; on these days, I'm especially grateful.

My black feet parallel very closely with many of our walks with God. How many times do we wake up and pray to start the day off right. We then go throughout our days gathering dirt and junk along the way. We are beaten, mocked, disappointed, etc. (speaking figuratively). For some, it isn't until the end of the day that they sit down to clean off the junk. It isn't until the day is said and done before we go to Christ once again to ask for his cleansing, his healing.

We don't have to wait until the end of the day, though. Just like I am especially grateful for the days when I have time to wash my feet in the middle of the day, we have multiple opportunities EVERY DAY to ask for God's cleansing throughout our days. Imagine how different your life could be if you went to God every time you encountered even a speck of "dirt". If each of us went to God with every piece of "junk" we come across throughout the day, our world would be a changed place. Lives would be restored, and joy would abound throughout the world. God doesn't want us to wait to clean up our lives. He wants us to come to him every minute of every day.

Quit only "cleaning your feet" at the beginning and end of each day. Ask for God's cleansing EVERY MOMENT of EVERY DAY! He is always near waiting for us to call on him!

1 Thessalonians 5:17 ~ Pray without ceasing!