Come Alive While Waiting

Waiting is hard, yet it is something we all do. Every day, many times a day, really.

We wait for lights to turn green. We wait for people to return calls and extend invitations. We wait for the mail to be delivered. We wait for dinner to be ready and bedtime to come. We wait for the next season and the next adventure. We wait for babies to be born, job promotions to come, sickness to pass, people to understand what we meant, the necessary finances to come.

We wait.

Waiting was a theme in God making a momma. My husband and I tried for two years to get pregnant. The waiting broke my heart, but I have since learned I didn't approach that season in the way God intended.

I waited for a positive pregnancy test like I was wasting my time. I didn't draw near to God or seek out truth in the moment.

Recently, I was reading about Ruth waiting for Boaz to resolve the matter of caring for her and her mother-in-law, Naomi, in the proper way. In "Take Refuge," a study of Ruth, authors Lara Williams and Katie Orr write about how waiting is active. "Wait" means to "bind," which is interesting to remember while reading Isaiah 40:30-31:

"Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

What if while waiting we were binding ourselves to the Lord?

{Read the rest over at my friend Jenn Hand's Coming Alive blog ...}
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Jenn Hand recently released "31 Days to Coming Alive in Christ," a fabulous devotional that will make you laugh, embrace your real life, and find Christ in your everyday moments. This post was inspired by Day 7 in the book. You can order "31 Days to Coming Alive" at Amazon. It's well worth the $3.99. Read my review here.

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Pleasing the Lord

I sat down at the beginning of this new week and read these words:

"Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. ... For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. ... So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise." {Ephesians 5:1-2, 8-10}

Verse 10 jumped out at me: "Carefully determine what pleases the Lord."

These words are surrounded by commands: Don't be sexually immoral, impure or greedy. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes are unnecessary. Be thankful to God. Don't be fooled by excuses for sins. Don't live in darkness. Live in Christ's light. Be careful how you live. Don't be thoughtless. Don't be drunk. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Sing praises. Give thanks. Submit to one another. {Yes, that's my personal summary, but you get the point!}

I was reminded that the specifics of imitating God and living a life in the light aren't always going to look the same. Yes, God calls his people to the same standard, but what we do with that varies. We make decisions about our marriages, parenting philosophies, schooling choices, extracurricular activities, daily routines, and careers. We have different gifts and talents and passions.

Seek God when you make decisions. And then be confident your Maker is leading you where he wants you. Yes, seek friends to encourage you and share this live with you. Yes, look to others you trust for inspiration.

But don't compare. Your life and my life aren't going to look the same. God may call me to give up something he asks you to pick up. My time isn't going to be prioritized the same as yours. Our calendars will look different and so will the ways God surprises us with his presence. You're going to go places I don't get to go and I'll journey down paths that differ from your forks in the road.

And that's OK. This is something that has been on my mind recently. It's one of those topics that crops up in my heart every now and again. God's telling me it's important. He's reminding me there is a mighty power that comes with grace. 

So, yes, pay close attention to those commands Paul wrote to the Ephesians, but also realize God manifests our obedience in personal, unique ways that all come around to pleasing him when we carefully determine our steps.
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I'm linking up with ... 

Jen Ferguson's Soli Deo Gloria party.

Jennifer Dukes Lee's #TellHisStory.

Beth Stiff's Three Word Wednesday.

The Hello Mornings blog. 

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Becoming an outsider

"Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. ... In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.

... So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit."

{From Ephesians 2:11-22}

I have two favorite words in that message: Outsiders and becoming. Probably not the two most important words you'd choose, but they remind me of what God has done to me and for me.

I used to be an outsider. Before I followed Christ, I was on the outside of God's kingdom.

But then I let Christ in my life.

I nailed some sins to a wooden cross at a retreat that changed my life, symbolic of what Jesus did for us. I was a new person that day, even though in the days, weeks, months and even years following I was tempted by my old ways. I wanted to be selfish, with my time especially. I figured I had it all under control, playing God with my life and those I love most. My timeline seemed perfect and I tried to fit God in a box on my calendar.

But, still, I was a new creation who God has always managed to hang on to, no matter how hard I tried to rest in what used to be. I was no longer an outsider to God's kingdom, even on the days I had to be drawn back in by the One who really is in control of my time, relationships, and days.

For me, this walk with God that began 17 years ago really has been about becoming. Yes, I can pinpoint when I decided to follow Christ. But God didn't perfect me that night. He saved me. He rescued me. And I started allowing my love and devotion to God factor into my decisions.

I've walked some roads with God since, each one shaping me and perfecting me. We're still not to the ultimate destination, but I'm becoming more like God intends me to be. I'm finding that more and more of my decisions are affected by the Christ who carried all my sins to the cross with him and the God who continues to pour down grace.

This morning so many decisions and conflicts and situations and circumstances and relationships came to mind as I thought about these verses from Ephesians I'm studying this week in our HelloMornings group. I realizing what began as a journey on the outside of God's kingdom into his presence has been about becoming an outsider to this world. Becoming reminds me salvation can come in an instant but maturing in Christ is a process.

Lately, I've felt like I've had to bear down and protect my family from philosophies and practices and habits that don't line up with God's word. I've vented frustrations of what people do and say to my husband. I tell my daughter about how what we chose to isn't always the same as what her friends choose to do. I've poured out a broken heart to friends who will listen. I wonder how I can raise generous children in an indulgent, entitled society.

Of course I have these struggles. Of course I know friends who are hunkering down and protecting their families. Of course there is a tension between this world and the one for which we're longing. We were once outsiders to God's kingdom, but now we're outsiders to this world. Life is about becoming that way. Because this is where God dwells. 
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I'm linking up with Jen Ferguson's Soli Deo Gloria party, Jennifer Dukes Lee's tribe of storyellers for #TellHisStory, and the HelloMornings blog. 

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{Three Word Wednesday} God adopts us.

Awaiting the hearing to finalize our second adoption. {January 2010.}

God adopts us.

This is a truth I've known, but it took on a whole new meaning as our family expanded, starting with Cate's birth and adoption in 2007. Adoption is something we've learned about as we've gone through it. Two adoption processes and we're still learning. The third time around has proved to be a whole different story.

I've realized God builds on truths I already know when I slow down enough to pay attention. This week in our HelloMornings study, we're studying the first 14 verse in Ephesians. We've talked about promises and truths and identity.

And here is the truth that keeps tugging at my heart: Before I knew God, he chose me. Because he chose me, there is glorious grace poured into my everyday life and an inheritance prepared for me.

"It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone."

{Ephesians 1:11 in The Message}

Other translations of that verse say we were chosen {NIV}, we are united with Christ {NLT}, we were made a heritage {ASV}, and we have obtained an inheritance (ESV}. We are family.

I get that. These two kids didn't grow in my womb, but we prepared for them and embraced them from the beginning. We named them and prayed for them before we held them in our arms. We're grateful their birthmoms chose life for them and that God chose them for us.

We adopted Cate and Ben. They're our children. They're named in our wills. And they didn't have to do anything to be called daughter and son. We chose them in the beginning and we choose them still. Likewise, God chose me from the beginning and still chooses me today. And you. We all have our stories of how we met God, but he wants to give us all that is his.

God adopts us.
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I'm excited about this new series from my blogging friend Beth, so I'm linking up this post with her today. I'm also joining Jennifer Dukes Lee and other storytellers for #TellHisStory. And these words are linked with HelloMornings because we've been reading Ephesians 1:1-14 and soaking in promises and truth. 

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Hello Mornings, Hello Exercise

Goodbye summer snuggles. Hello early mornings ... 

Hello, 6 o'clock hour. Honestly, I'm not really that into you, but you've actually been good to me and for me this week.

It's true. I've been getting up before I have to get up. And it's been good. It's been an emotional week, but waking up 30-45 earlier than necessary to get kids ready for school has been good for my soul. I'm doing a Bible study on Ephesians with a small group that "meets" on Facebook each morning as we each begin our days.

So, yes, this is me saying I'm glad I signed up for The HelloMornings Challenge. Having a more regular time of study and prayer is one of my goals for this school year. The other is exercise.

First week in: I got up early all five days to read about Paul and his letter to the Ephesians. And I exercised three of the four days I had planned to either go to a class at a gym I'm considering joining or walk/run with a friend. And the only reason I cancelled my exercise plan on Monday was my son's emergency room visit on Sunday created some extra things for me to do to start my week.

I'd say that's a good start. 

And I'm glad I'm not doing it alone. For exercise accountability, I'm thankful for my friend's guest passes that have allowed me to try out this class and for my other friend's offer to meet at the park to walk and run. Admittedly, we both needed to talk Thursday about some things going on in our lives so we walked a few miles instead of picking up the pace to a run, but, still ... I'm developing a routine, which is what I needed.

For the Bible study, I'm making new friends online and joining two others {Kristen and Mel} I met through our God-sized Dream Team. I'm certain this Bible study will spill over into my everyday real life too.

Especially when I read words like this ...

"When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as your truth in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God."

{Ephesians 3:14-19} 

What powerful words. And even more powerful is knowing God can transform us like that. For me, right now, it's helping me to set the alarm a little earlier and schedule exercise of some kind in my day. What happens during those times affects the rest of my day, my conversations and my relationships. Some mornings will be hard. I'll get distracted or feel defeated. But the next morning will come, and God's new mercies will be there.
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This post is linked up with other women who are sharing what they've learned this week in The HelloMornings Challenge. Want more stories? Like 152 Insights on Facebook. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram. Follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin'. Subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."