"Follow your passions. Life is too short to spend it doing things that
you despise, that you don’t love. I say, when you wake up in the
morning, what are you thinking about? What are you passionate about?
What makes you feel alive? I think God gives us passions as a direction
that he wants us to go. You will be happier and you’ll do a better job
if you love what you’re doing." U.S. Senator Ted Cruz
More here.
Monday, July 29, 2013
Friday, July 26, 2013
Death may approach
Death may approach, I shall not flee, for daily I have trained to be
Alive to Christ and dead to sin. Death cannot end what Christ begins.
No longer warmed by Satan's fires, yet burned by unreformed desires.
Spirit of God, attend our flesh. Fountain of life, our souls refresh.
Whether at risk to life or limb ever our hope is found in Him.
As Jesus suffered, so shall we, but not beyond His wise decree.
Take up His yoke where freedom reigns. In love He chastens those he trains.
Joy has its root, and grace its key in patience and humility.
Many the saints who fell before. Grief for our loss is fresh and sore.
Though death may hold them for a day, Jesus has conquered: so shall they.
Hallelujah! Christ arose bearing the wounds He gladly chose;
emblems of pain transformed by grace, sins cancelled out, joy in their place.
by New Scottish Hymns
Alive to Christ and dead to sin. Death cannot end what Christ begins.
No longer warmed by Satan's fires, yet burned by unreformed desires.
Spirit of God, attend our flesh. Fountain of life, our souls refresh.
Whether at risk to life or limb ever our hope is found in Him.
As Jesus suffered, so shall we, but not beyond His wise decree.
Take up His yoke where freedom reigns. In love He chastens those he trains.
Joy has its root, and grace its key in patience and humility.
Many the saints who fell before. Grief for our loss is fresh and sore.
Though death may hold them for a day, Jesus has conquered: so shall they.
Hallelujah! Christ arose bearing the wounds He gladly chose;
emblems of pain transformed by grace, sins cancelled out, joy in their place.
by New Scottish Hymns
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Hero - an ordinary man willing to do the mission God put in front of him
I'm currently reading Eric Metaxas' book Amazing Grace, a biography on William Wilberforce. Oh my word. This book is good.
Below are a couple excerpts:
And thus, history: three men, each named William, each twenty-seven years old, talking at the base of an ancient oak tree on a hill in May: one prime minister, one prime-minister-to-be, and one who would stand from that moment forward at the center of something so big and beyond any single man that a tree whose life had begun several centuries earlier, and would continue for nearly two more, was the humble creature chosen to bear mute witness to the conversation. (ch 9)
Wilberforce did not yet know that he lived on a planet that was, in Luther's famous phrase, "with devils filled" - that he was part of a rearguard action well behind enemy lines. (ch 10)
The line between courageous faith and foolish idealism is, almost by definition, on angstrom wide. Wilberforce was quite right that a flame had been kindled and would not go out until it had done its work, but he had no idea that it would be twenty tortuous years in the burning before its work was done. And if the "work" in question was not the abolition of the slave trade but the abolition of slavery itself, the flame would continue burning for another forty-five years. (ch 10)
Below are a couple excerpts:
And thus, history: three men, each named William, each twenty-seven years old, talking at the base of an ancient oak tree on a hill in May: one prime minister, one prime-minister-to-be, and one who would stand from that moment forward at the center of something so big and beyond any single man that a tree whose life had begun several centuries earlier, and would continue for nearly two more, was the humble creature chosen to bear mute witness to the conversation. (ch 9)
Wilberforce did not yet know that he lived on a planet that was, in Luther's famous phrase, "with devils filled" - that he was part of a rearguard action well behind enemy lines. (ch 10)
The line between courageous faith and foolish idealism is, almost by definition, on angstrom wide. Wilberforce was quite right that a flame had been kindled and would not go out until it had done its work, but he had no idea that it would be twenty tortuous years in the burning before its work was done. And if the "work" in question was not the abolition of the slave trade but the abolition of slavery itself, the flame would continue burning for another forty-five years. (ch 10)
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
the funny thing about God
He doesn't let up.
He keeps pressing on us to open up to Him the areas of our lives that we don't want to.
He keeps pushing on the areas we're afraid to look at or admit we have.
He keeps putting us in places or keeping us in places that keep us uncomfortable.
And all this is for Him.
So we can be more like Him.
For only in that are we truly happy.
And comfortable.
And unafraid.
He keeps pressing on us to open up to Him the areas of our lives that we don't want to.
He keeps pushing on the areas we're afraid to look at or admit we have.
He keeps putting us in places or keeping us in places that keep us uncomfortable.
And all this is for Him.
So we can be more like Him.
For only in that are we truly happy.
And comfortable.
And unafraid.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Prayer for today
Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. (Proverbs 16:24, 32 ESV)
Monday, June 10, 2013
cloudy glass broken in a million pieces
God, I'm longing for the day to come
When this cloudy glass I'm looking through
Is shattered in a million pieces
And finally I can just see You
God, You know I believe it's true
I know I will see You
But until the day I do
I will trust You, trust You
Trust You, God, I will
Even when I don't understand
Even then I will say again
You are my God, and I'll trust You
by Steven Curtis Chapman
When this cloudy glass I'm looking through
Is shattered in a million pieces
And finally I can just see You
God, You know I believe it's true
I know I will see You
But until the day I do
I will trust You, trust You
Trust You, God, I will
Even when I don't understand
Even then I will say again
You are my God, and I'll trust You
by Steven Curtis Chapman
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
portions of Psalm 130 (From Depths of Woe)
To wash away the crimson stain,
Grace, grace alone availeth;
Our works, alas! Are all in vain;
In much the best life faileth;
No man can glory in Thy sight,
All must alike confess Thy might,
by Indelible Grace
Grace, grace alone availeth;
Our works, alas! Are all in vain;
In much the best life faileth;
No man can glory in Thy sight,
All must alike confess Thy might,
Therefore my trust is in the Lord,And live alone by mercy
(Live alone by mercy)
And live alone by mercy
(Live alone by mercy)
And not in mine own merit;
On Him my soul shall rest, His word
Upholds my fainting spirit;
His promised mercy is my fort,
My comfort and my sweet support;
On Him my soul shall rest, His word
Upholds my fainting spirit;
His promised mercy is my fort,
My comfort and my sweet support;
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
(not really) A book review
because I'm only about 20 pages into it. A review would require finishing it. But I can't help sharing these words from Eric Metaxas' new book Seven Men: And the Secret of their Greatness:
(not shared in the order they were written.)
Strength is denigrated because it can be used for ill. So we live in a culture where strength is feared and where there is a sense that - to protect the weak - strength itself must be weakened. When this happens, the heroic and true nature of strength is much forgotten. It leads to a world of men who aren't really men. Instead they are just two kinds of boys: boasting, loud-mouthed bullies or soft, emasculated pseudo-men. Women feel that they must be "empowered" and must never rely on men for strength. It's a lot like a socialistic idea, where "power" and "strength" are redistributed - taken away from men and given to women, to even things out. Of course, it doesn't work that way. Everyone loses.
But God's idea of making men strong was so that they would use that strength to protect women and children and anyone else. There's something heroic in that. Male strength is a gift from God, and like all gifts from God, it's always and everywhere meant to be used to bless others. In Genesis 12:1-3, God tells Abraham that he will bless him so that Abraham can bless others. All blessings and every gift - and strength is a gift - are God's gifts, to be used for his purposes, which means to bless others. So men are meant to use their strength to protect and bless those who are weaker. That can mean other men who need help or it can mean women and children. True strength is always strength given over to God's purposes.
(not shared in the order they were written.)
Strength is denigrated because it can be used for ill. So we live in a culture where strength is feared and where there is a sense that - to protect the weak - strength itself must be weakened. When this happens, the heroic and true nature of strength is much forgotten. It leads to a world of men who aren't really men. Instead they are just two kinds of boys: boasting, loud-mouthed bullies or soft, emasculated pseudo-men. Women feel that they must be "empowered" and must never rely on men for strength. It's a lot like a socialistic idea, where "power" and "strength" are redistributed - taken away from men and given to women, to even things out. Of course, it doesn't work that way. Everyone loses.
But God's idea of making men strong was so that they would use that strength to protect women and children and anyone else. There's something heroic in that. Male strength is a gift from God, and like all gifts from God, it's always and everywhere meant to be used to bless others. In Genesis 12:1-3, God tells Abraham that he will bless him so that Abraham can bless others. All blessings and every gift - and strength is a gift - are God's gifts, to be used for his purposes, which means to bless others. So men are meant to use their strength to protect and bless those who are weaker. That can mean other men who need help or it can mean women and children. True strength is always strength given over to God's purposes.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Courage in the ordinary
Reading this blog post was like drinking a creamy, frothy, hot chai latte on a cold rainy day. It was comforting and a little spicy. Comforting in that it reminded me that we "change the world" one little courageous act of faithfulness or kindness at a time. Spicy in that it challenged me to evaluate my current status against the "ordinary".
Most of the time, I don't understand why I'm where I'm at in my life - vocationally, mostly. Conceptually, I know that I'm here due to a combination of my own choices and God's design. But I don't really understand why I'm here.
And where's here, you may ask. Here is currently at executive training at a large conference center for a rather largish company. This company sells IT (information technology (computer) (that little explanation is for you, Mom)) services and accompanying hardware and software. I don't really like computers other than the communication outlet they provide me. I really only like technology when it advances or enhances my creativity. So the "here" in my life may (does) seem a little ill-fitting.
The "here" in the bigger sense is a career as an executive in this rather largish company. Is it what I ultimately would've chosen for myself? No. Is it where I am right now? Yes. Is it where God wants me to be ordinary and faithful and kind? Yes. Could He call me into a different direction soon? Possibly. Could He leave me "here" for the rest of my earthly life? Possibly.
The article helped me understand that instead of "changing diapers and doing dishes", my ordinary calling is to run a business and a team and provide value to clients. It reminded me that no matter what I'm doing with my life (by choice or the by the Hand of God), my duty and privilege is to be courageously ordinary and faithful and kind. And this ordinary life is easily transferable and transitional - if I'm faithful in this current ordinary "here", He will be faithful to give me the next ordinary "there" in His time and His place. If we are faithful in little, He will give us much. That is ordinary and comforting and a little spicy, too.
Most of the time, I don't understand why I'm where I'm at in my life - vocationally, mostly. Conceptually, I know that I'm here due to a combination of my own choices and God's design. But I don't really understand why I'm here.
And where's here, you may ask. Here is currently at executive training at a large conference center for a rather largish company. This company sells IT (information technology (computer) (that little explanation is for you, Mom)) services and accompanying hardware and software. I don't really like computers other than the communication outlet they provide me. I really only like technology when it advances or enhances my creativity. So the "here" in my life may (does) seem a little ill-fitting.
The "here" in the bigger sense is a career as an executive in this rather largish company. Is it what I ultimately would've chosen for myself? No. Is it where I am right now? Yes. Is it where God wants me to be ordinary and faithful and kind? Yes. Could He call me into a different direction soon? Possibly. Could He leave me "here" for the rest of my earthly life? Possibly.
The article helped me understand that instead of "changing diapers and doing dishes", my ordinary calling is to run a business and a team and provide value to clients. It reminded me that no matter what I'm doing with my life (by choice or the by the Hand of God), my duty and privilege is to be courageously ordinary and faithful and kind. And this ordinary life is easily transferable and transitional - if I'm faithful in this current ordinary "here", He will be faithful to give me the next ordinary "there" in His time and His place. If we are faithful in little, He will give us much. That is ordinary and comforting and a little spicy, too.
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