Renewing the Mind: Messy-ness is a State of Mind

When I first moved to Nashville, I thought everything would work out perfectly. I thought everything would fall into place, and I would have a "clean sweep" from here on out and live "happily ever after." Ha! Ha! Ha!

I was so excited about the church I was attending my first Sunday here and meeting a ton of people from their singles' Sunday school class. I thought that through my first contacts, I would find a roommate, an apartment, and a job all in a few weeks. Ha! Ha! Ha! The fact that my mom and I got lost that blessed Sunday morning didn't help. So all my dreams were "washed down the drain." Woe! Oh woe is me! After crying some tears and finally releasing my pride, I reluctantly went into the building with Mom. We sat in a relaxed coffee house setting until the service started. Hmmmmm. No instruments. Maybe this wasn't the church God had for me after-all. It was however the church God wanted me to be at in that brief hour. He taught me not to take things so personally and not to take offense at an honest mistakes because nobody is perfect. The sermon that morning "hit me hard," and I vowed to do better to enjoy my transition to Nashville. So my first lesson living in Nashville was "Life is messy. Don't take things to heart when things don't go as planned, but trust and cherish the heart of God and His plan."

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers (and sisters!). And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:28-32

Cherishing God

As I was flipping through my Bible this morning I came to Psalm 66. Verses 16-20 spoke to me. The Psalmist writes, "Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the LORD would not have listened, but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!"

This verse not only sobers me up and helps me be spiritually alert in this world, but also it quickens my love for and faith in God. I would "die" if God stopped listening to my prayers; therefore I choose to cherish God and His Word in my heart instead of sin because not only does He know what is best for me, but also He will never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever let me down, and not only will He never ever ever ever ever ever ever let me down, but He will also never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever leave me or forsake me, and not only will He never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever leave me or forsake me, but also He will not reject my prayer or withhold His love from me as long as I am cherishing Him in my heart. Join me today in stomping out sin and growing a harvest of God's love and wisdom in this world that God may listen to our prayers and shower His love down on our lives. May God's love and grace embrace you day after day, Dear Reader.

So anyway, about wisdom...

So in my blog I've decided if I don't have an inspiring testimony about my life on a given day filled with gold nuggets of wisdom, I am v-lining it to scripture, because who else knows more about life than God, the Creator of life, right?

So anyway, about wisdom...James 3:13-18: "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But (I love this word, small but powerful!) the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness."

This scripture seems to say what is in our hearts comes out in what we do. If we dwell on bad things we will do bad things. If we dwell on good things, we will do good things. Doing good comes from wisdom. And where do we get wisdom? The Bible. So wisdom is not only what we think, but includes our actions! Qualities such as being pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere have to do with how we act toward others.

God help us to ask for wisdom on a daily basis and stay in Your Word, so that we may be filled with Your goodness and so live it out in our lives! Thank You for the harvest of righteousness that will result.

Expect the Unexpected

Have you ever followed God's leading thinking everything would fall into place right away? Expect the unexpected and choose your response wisely! Recently, I have experienced the unexpected and what a trip it has been!

I came to Nashville thinking everything would fall into place since I felt and still feel God was leading me this way. Indeed everything has fallen into place thus far according to God's plan however and not my own. When my living expenses "ran away," I chose to accept a church family's offer to move in with them for a season. I have to say it has been a huge blessing. I am learning to have a different perspective on life as I continue to find steady work. I am learning to make lemonade from a lemon and to see the glass half full instead of half empty. For example, instead of moping around and simply reacting to my circumstances, I am being proactive and seeking to serve God with everything I've got starting with "counting my blessings!" My blessings include...drum roll please... my growing relationship with God, a great church family with whom I can serve, a roof over my head, food in my stomache, a car to take me where I need to go and when, and jobs for which I am applying.

I know a lot can happen in a day, so I am waiting and growing in patience more than ever as I wait for the day God will provide a steady-paying job, and that day will be grand and glorious when it comes.

So even though my expectations "flew out the window" after a few months of living in Nashville, I am thanking God for all He is providing every step of the way and all He will provide in the days to come! Since I am in God's hands, I am expecting it will be wonderful.

Psalm 118:1 "Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever."

Hebrews 10:23-25 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

I have lived in community with my two roommates for going on one year. It has been very much a growing experience learning to live with other people for a long period of time especially since I grew up moving on a regular basis sheltered under the wings of my parents and my older brother. I crave community, yet I know God's will trumps my desire to be in the same community for a long period of time. In the last several years, I have learned for myself especially that being in community is much better than being alone. I believe God did not create us to be "lone rangers." Those who are in Christ are especially called to live in community. Growing up I knew that wherever we moved to, there would be a church family waiting for us. Those who are in Christ know that we need each other to help us stay faithful to our Lord and Savior Jesus. We cannot do it on our own.

This is why I love church events such as Sunday morning worship where we can gather to commune with each other and with God. We each come with our own story, and we each come to remember the story of God, how He sent His Son to die for us and rise from the grave so that we might receive the promise of heaven. And we learn more about how God's story, others' stories, and our own story can intersect and become a great novel lived out in this world and on into eternity. May we continue to live in community encouraging each other onward in the race for Christ as "[we] see the Day approaching," and speed it's coming!

July 14th 2009

Psalm 89:1

I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.

The Lord is good. He gives and he takes away, and yet He gives and takes away for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.

I am thankful the Lord has given me talents in the creative and fine arts mostly because this gift He has given me ministers not only to others but to myself, probably even more so a lot of the time. It helps me to celebrate God through life's ups and downs, and as the Psalmist says, "[to] "make [God's] faithfulness known through all generations."

Praise God. I am "on the edge of my seat" waiting for what God will do today in me and through me.

I pray that you will experience God today as well whether it be through the Bible, prayer, relationships, His creation, and so on and so forth. In all this, may God be glorified.

In Christ's faithfulness,

angie

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