Everything?

Confession time...  (I have a LOT of these)

I know that I need to read my bible every day so I can get a dose of God BUT on a daily basis, I struggle to know where to open up the Good Book.  By that I don't mean out on the patio or at the kitchen table but rather what book, what chapter.  So, I often just use one of the most simple study tools I've ever found.  Our Daily Bread.  So handy!!  They even have an iphone app so even if I forgot in the morning, if I find a quiet moment (which are albeit mythical in my life!) then I can open it up, read the devo, and it even auto links to Biblegateway for the reference and reading plan passages.  How easy is that??  And yet, I STILL struggle to make it happen daily.

That said, I actually did it the last couple days and was hit hard by the final line of the reading plan passage (which, for yesterday, was Romans 14).  That portion of scripture is basically addressing liberty versus legalism where food (at least as an example) is concerned and being considerate of each other in those respects.  It's one of those passages where I was reading along, minding my own biz, and not really getting much out of it.  Until I read these words:  "... and everything that does not come from faith is sin." (Romans 14:23b)

Now, I realize that we have to be careful not to take portions of scripture out of their context, and, in this particular context, as I said, dietary restrictions/liberties were the topic.  However, food arguments aside, this strikes me as a statement that can (should?) be applied to, well, as it says, everything.  Everything.  Every.  Thing.  

Everything that does not come from faith is sin.  Everything Lord?  Really, really?  

Wow.

As I mediated on that thought I remembered 1 Corinthians 10:31 (ironically, also about dietary arguments) which says "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."  

"Whatever you do"

"Whatever" equals "Everything".

So...  God...  When you say "whatever I do" and "everything"... you mean, like, when it comes to all the major stuff in my life, right?  Not like, the little stuff, like, entertainment choices, how much time I spend online, the jokes I tell, how I spend my time beyond church and my quiet time, right??  Oh... you really meant everything...  Hmmm.  Ok.

Now, I sure hope I'm not seen as a "Sunday morning Christian" who lives in a way that I have to actually tell people outside church that I'm a Christian or else they'd never know.  I try to find ways to bless others, make a loving impact on most people I encounter, serve where I have the capacity, make entertainment choices that are not detrimental to my spirit, I listen to Christian music almost exclusively anymore, and I spend a lot of time chitchatting with God through any given day.  However, I also spend too much time on the web that could be better spent serving my family, I sometimes indulge in "the bread of idleness" in my struggle with laziness, I often find reasons to ignore the still, small voice that says "a trip to the gym would make you feel great!", and my biggest struggle, how I talk to my kids, mostly my oldest son.  I don't honor my husband the way I should in my prayer life or the way I talk to him sometimes.  I exceed the speed limit by about 5 mph over quite often.  You may have noticed above where I stated that I try to "make a loving impact on most people I encounter"... yup, I said "most"...  I have even gone through the "10 items or less" checkout with 12 items before!  I know, I'm quite the rebel but conviction is conviction.  

We silly, fallible, mortals have a propensity to "categorize" sin into degrees of depravity.  I'm sure many will roll their eyes at my 5mph lead foot but the point is not that I'm only a little over the limit and still within safe operating parameters of my vehicle and physical reaction time, I'm still breaking the law.  And, since the Word says we are to obey those in authority and the laws of our land, then I am in sin.  And, even worse, I'm doing it knowingly, willfully.  It's not a question of the degree of any given sin issue, it's a question of will versus conviction.  If the still, small voice tells me that a 5-Hour Energy is unhealthy and I need to quit having them but I ignore it, I'm choosing willful defiance to what I know is a hint of the Holy.  If the Spirit tells me I need to back away, take a time-out, catch my breath, and calm down, but instead I choose to lose my shekinah all over my son, I am in sin.  

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not about to run around making sure everyone else is minding their diet, watching their tone with their kids, or try and police other drivers to follow traffic laws (though I won't lie... THAT desire pops up OFTEN!), I'm just pointing out what God spoke to me yesterday morning with those few little words that basically said "Being mostly devoted is still not devoted".  I'm also having one of those daunting moments of realization that, until I take my last breath, no matter how many sin issues I surrender to God, there will always be one more.  That can either be a very daunting, discouraging thought, or, it can be humbling, and I can allow it to drive me, time after time, day after day, moment after moment, back into the grace shadow of my Glorious Savior.

This all makes me think of a talk I was having with my son one day.  I told him that partial obedience is actually disobedience.  It is, alas, the same with us and I think that's what the passage in Romans is telling me.  A seating at a sporting event or concert ins't "sold out" until every seat is filled, likewise, I cannot consider myself "sold out" to Him if there's any area of my heart where He isn't present.

Sand people

Nope... Not that kind... (I live with a Star Wars fan, what can I say!)

Not that kind either...

Wrong again...

I'm talking about the people who come into your life that are less than... enjoyable.  The ones who make your eye twitch.  The ones who "rub you the wrong way"... like sand paper.  They are rough, abrasive, and make things uncomfortable.  But, while being sanded is uncomfortable, it is necessary.  These are the people God uses, if we let Him, to smooth out our own rough edges.  Every now and again, God even sends a chisel to take care of larger impurities in our character.

Maturity begins to happen when we can learn to appreciate the sand people.  When we can thank God for them.  When we can love them.  Not just tolerate.  Not just put up with.  Not just endure.  Really love.

Does this mean you need to be best pals?  No.  Does this mean that if someone has knowingly hurt you more than twice (indicative of a behavior pattern) that you need to keep coming back for more?  No.  It means that you can kneel before God's throne and intercede for them with a genuine heart.  It means that you can give them a genuine smile on a Sunday morning.... or any other morning...

It also means we need to come to a realization that we are also someone else's sandpaper.  We're all sand people.  As such, if we want to be forgiven for rubbing someone the wrong way, even to the point of raw, then we need to forgive those who scrape us.  The best way to make the world more compassionate, more forgiving, less abrasive, less rough, is to become that very thing.  Pointing a finger will seldom produce conviction at the other end; setting the example, however, often will.

We also need to focus not in the now, on the slow, grinding, nagging pain, but rather, on what it will turn us into.  Something smooth, beautiful, like a hand-carved bannister in a historic home; smoothed and polished by generations of hands, some loving, some calloused, but all taking part in the refining and the creation of an heirloom.

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I likewise think of the natural, organic masterpieces of driftwood sculpted by waves, storms, stones, sand, salt, wind, and sun (Son?) that can be found along the countless miles of pebbled beaches of the Puget Sound.  You may find a keepsake walking stick, fuel for a memorable beach fire, make-believe weapons for mini warriors, a fishing pole, or, for local artisans, even large pieces that become notable works of art, furniture, jewelry, and decor.

I know I'm smoother than I ever used to be but I'm so far from polished, refined, or beautiful.  However, I long to eventually be so.  How easy it is to forget that prayer and to grumble about the process.  May God help us all to stay focused on the goal so we can submit to the sanding and may we become thankful for those He uses to do so.

"In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.  Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls."  I Peter 1:6-9

Fit to Be Tied

Well, here we are all the way into August... of 2013...  Does that baffle anyone else??  I'm not feeling ready for our second year of homeschooling.  To be honest, some of the struggles we dealt with still linger from last year with no solutions yet obvious.    I'm daunted but my husband is being wonderful and supportive so that is helping quell some of my anxiety.  And, on the flip-side, I'm excited about some new (to us) materials and curriculum we're going to try out this year.    How about you?  Whether public, private or homeschool, what are you most excited and anxious about heading into the new school year?

In honor of back to school, this post won't be so much inspirational, but hopefully, helpful in a practical way.  For those with kids who still do not know how to tie their shoes but who have seen a noticeable price difference for shoes with velcro, this post is for you!  Buying shoes for three or four little boys requires that I save the pennies everywhere I can which meant laced shoes instead of velcro.  I knew this would NOT be helpful to their teachers or me so I had to brainstorm a solution.  (Shoe shopping may be in our weekend plans and thankfully, two of my four boys now know how to tie their own shoes!)

So, without further ado...  one solution to laced shoes for kids who can't tie:

Take the laces completely out and tie a single knot in the very center of the lace.  Repeat two more times on either side of the knot so there are five knots centered in the lace.  (Depending on your child's shoe, you may have to modify this to four knots OR may be able to fit a sixth knot in there)

Lace the shoes as normal with the knots going across between the first two holes (see below).

Once the shoes are laced you will have shorter ends sticking out.  Taking one cord stop bead (I found them in two-packs at my local Joann, they look like the ones in the picture but any style similar will work) criss-cross the laces (one in each direction) through the center of the cord stop bead while pinching it.  

Once the laces are through the bead, tie a figure-8 knot in each end of the laces to keep them from getting back out of the bead. 

Now you're done!  Almost any child should now be able to loosen his or her shoes by pinching the bead and pulling it to the knots then tighten them again by pulling on the knots.  If the laces are still too long at this point, you can always cut them just a little shorter, tie a knot in the ends, then gently melt the frayed bits with a lighter or candle.  

I hope this helps with busy mornings or busy teachers and I pray the new school year is a blessing for you and your kids!

Of Coffee and Passion

As we progress through what should be our most spiritually-focused time of year, Christ's Passion Week, I'm troubled.  There was a statement made by the CEO of Starbucks last week that has been, in my opinion, taken out of context and misconstrued.  It was a statement he made very diplomatically to one individual answering one question.  His response hasn't troubled me as much as the spin some conservative reporters have put on that statement, there is sadly a lynch-mob mentality "brewing" (pun intended) in the Christian community with a bandwagon boarding for Boycottville.

We cannot expect to hold accountable those who make NO remote claim to believe what we believe.  Stirring up a frenzy to exert fiscal power and lord over any who do not share our beliefs will do no more to bring them to a saving knowledge of Christ than it would do to shove a horse's head in a tub to convince him that he's thirsty.  We, as a body, are in the process of taking the bait that will allow a negative image of our faith community to be solidified.  Jesus sat down and dined with the likes of hookers, swindlers, and outcasts... How would He handle this situation?  We He repost the articles spinning Shultz's words into a lie?  Would He join the boycott?  Would He pat us on the back for standing our "holy grounds"? (yes, another coffee pun...)  Would He congratulate us for justifying our boycott by coming up with more righteous uses for $5?  (Which, let's be honest, many of us speak of but probably won't follow through on...)

This week should be the week we most deeply focus on WHY Christ submitted to the events that took place more than 2000 years ago.  It was to change us.  It was to show us, tangibly, what love looks like.  It was to show us what forgiveness and grace looks like.  If we join this angry mob then we missed it.  Further, we will be just the same as those who twisted and spun Dan Cathy's words out of context last year.  Do we want to be the same?  Do we want to play tit-for-tat?  Or, do we want to be different?  Do we want to be salt and light?  (Or, if we decide to take this stand, are we willing to face the hard truth that probably very few companies we patronize anymore share any shred of our convictions??  I think we will quickly run out of places to shop and eat if we do... )

If individuals feel Spirit-led to no longer patronize a particular company for moral reasons, so be it!  We must follow our convictions, however, we must not allow someone else to tell us what someone else said, take it at full face-value, then pass it on and get others to join us based on a lie.  That is bearing false witness and no matter the intentions, it is wrong.  We need to do our own research into what was actually said, in what manner and for what purpose before we grab our torches and pitchforks on the way to burning someone at the stake.  Discernment is something you can't borrow from someone else; you must find your own because each of us will ultimately be held accountable.   Once that day comes, we cannot pass responsibility off to whomever told us what we should believe, what we should (or shouldn't) do, or how to interact with this world we are passing through.

Please do not misunderstand, this is NOT to defend Starbucks, Mr. Shultz, or even liberal politics of the day.  It IS to encourage us all to be shrewd as vipers (as we make our decisions) and gentle as doves (as we carry them out and take our stand).    Hopefully our choices on where we put our passion this week will amount to more than a hill of (over-roasted) beans.  If Jesus was physically here today, I have the feeling He'd happily enjoy a whole-milk latte with honey and sit down to visit with anyone who cared to join Him, no matter who they were holding hands with, how big the gauge in their ear, or how much ink is in their skin.  Let us look past politics, policies, and propaganda...  Let us see with Christ's eyes how He would have us reach our lost world as effectively as possible.  Only then will we turn mere coffee into Holy Grounds...

What Comes Before Blessings?

As I've mentioned in posts past we sometimes have some issues with our eldest son.  We've been discussing, almost ad nauseum lately, the fact that in the bible blessings typically only come after obedience.  Blessings cannot be stolen, pilfered, scammed, borrowed on credit, or bought with anything but the price tag of sacrifice that is obedience.  Today's issue:  In the course of five minutes I told him to put an X on the numbers of his math page that were the wrong numbers to use... He put a circle with a line through it.  (My reason for the X's on his math page?  To make the wrong answers very visually different than the correct answers that the directions said to circle...)  I then told him he could not put his iPod on the portable speaker because I was on the phone...  He told me he'd just put it on quietly (as he was turning it on).  Now, neither of these instances, in and of themselves, are big issues (and many of you are so far reading this probably thinking "wow mommy, lighten up!").  However, these are two examples of a very regular behavior pattern in our home that I hope to curb before our young men have their future families depending on them living a spirit of obedience.  Most everyone knows what a blessing it is to have someone complete a work order exactly rather than most of the way...  This applies in every area of customer service, big or small, and depending on the line of work, can mean as little as happy, repeat customers or as much as life and death.  Spiritually, it can mean a whole lot more so despite today's issue being "small stuff", it's symptomatic of a deeper, far-reaching heart condition.

Today I asked him to tell me what God told Moses to do in the desert to get water for His people... He said "touch the rock with his hand".  I asked him what Moses did instead and he answered "Hit the rock with his staff".  I asked him what the consequence was for Moses' choice and he replied "He died on the mountain and never got to see the Promised Land".  As he was answering all my questions I remembered several more stories including Saul, David, and others, who chose to obey God most of the way but not fully.  In every case of only partial obedience, there was severe consequences (Saul's reign ended with him, David's son died, etc.) and was able to explain to him that as far as God is concerned, partial obedience equals disobedience.  There is no half-way with God.  In fact, there is not even a 99% with God.  He wants our all.  He reminds us that we cannot serve two masters, not even a tiny bit, because then we become divided in our thoughts and allow ourselves to become confused.

Take, as a physical illustration, the building of a railway...  If two teams begin at opposite ends and work towards each other, their calculations must be exact.  (We are currently watching a similar project take place in the Tampa area as a section of an expressway is being constructed to connect two other, parallel highways)  If either team is off by even minor calculations then entire project could be a disaster and not align the way its meant to.  Over a long project, just a single, half-inch miscalculation can offset the ultimate alignment by feet or even miles.  So too with our actions.  Whether it's a school assignment, an employer's instructions, or God's directives for us, if we veer off by just a little, we will miss the ultimate goal.  Very few parents I know ever give their children instructions or a task that does not have a reason; so too with God.  He always directs us in ways that will refine us, use us in the lives of others, lead us to blessing.    Occasionally, blessing is given out of complete grace but is also generally withheld from those who choose a regular pattern of disobedience.

Now the tough part of all this...  How many of us struggle with the exact same issue??  Partial obedience...  How often do we rationalize that our sacrifice is "good enough" rather than our best?  How often have we been prompted by the Holy Spirit to do something out of our comfort zone, thrown a bit of ourselves at the situation, then backed away slowly (or even turned and full-out ran!)?  It's like feeling the prompting to sit down with a cup of coffee next to a beggar and find out their story but instead handing them a $5 and going on your way.  It's like finding out there's a need, whether local or collective, within the body of the church and just adding a little to your tithe check assuming someone else will step up.  It's like knowing someone has a problem but instead of coming along side and helping, you offer to pray for someone else to.

God is calling us all to a greater level of obedience and sacrifice.  It involves hard work, getting our hands dirty, answering up EVERY time.  Because, if all of us answer up every time all the time, we will emulate the early church.  We will be a family that thrives and grows.  We will be tired but in a blessed contentment sort of way, not a burned-out-from-obligation sort of way.  I'll be honest, I struggle deeply with this myself.  I'm blessed with a home that, by American standards is modest, but by world standards, is nothing short of opulent!  Do I feel motivated to keep it clean and beautiful?  No.  Do I want to iron my husband's shirts and make his lunch as a quiet blessing to send him off to work with?  No.  Do I want to change diapers in the nursery at church?  No.  Is it what God is telling me to do?  Yes.  Will I?  Ah... that's where the rubber meets the road...  Will we choose the momentary comfort of selfishness?  Or, will we choose blessings immeasurable and unknown that follow obedience?

We recently got to meet a young family who are preparing to join a team in Scotland and launch a church.  They have sold much of their belongings and are packing up what remains to venture across the Atlantic and do what most of us would never dare.  We would find good reasons for it too... "We can't afford to", "It would traumatize our kids", "I'm needed here (whether work, family, church, etc.)", "We can't afford to", and "We can't afford to" are very often the main reason we all think of when we're backing up the thought popping into our heads that says either "I wish we could do that but..." or "That would be exciting but...".  That same young pastor, however, convicted me today with this Facebook status update:  "The more I observe others lives, and my own heart I have come to believe that one of the greatest enemies to the mission of God is our own entitlement. #denyself".

Now... if you will excuse me, I have a floor to clean, shirts to iron, and some seeds to plant... because I also know that my sons will learn a little from my words, but a lot from my actions.

Don't Fret, Pet

I've felt led to post something the last couple days but was at a loss what to write.  I went digging into some "e-votionals" that I wrote a couple years ago for a group of us who were praying and fasting corporately.  The following has been slightly modified but it's a topic that's been on my heart recently.  I pray it ministers to your heart...

We've all heard it said that "money is the root of all evil" (though it's actually "all kinds" rather than "all").  However, I suggest that fear is the greatest culprit for evil.  Every issue we face that I can think of can be traced back to fear or a variation thereof.  Anger, rage, lust, jealousy, coveting, thievery, murder, extortion, complacency, over-acheiving, neglect, you name it, they all come back to a fear of something.  Fear, on its own is a sin but opens the door to propagate a myriad of others.  However, God says: "I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you.  I said, 'You are my servant'; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.  So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  "All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish.  Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them.  Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all.  For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." (Isaiah 41:9-13)  Let God know what you struggle with and together He can help you find and address the root fear, repent of it, and forgive anyone whose offense planted it there.  

Last year my husband had the opportunity to fill in on a Sunday morning for our pastor to deliver the message.  His topic was "Fear Not" and during his sermon he shared that in the Word, God reiterates over and over, with varying terminology ("fear not", "be not afraid", "be anxious for nothing", etc).  In fact, it must be vitally important because He tells us that 366 times!  That's enough for every, single day of the year... including leap year!  Another beautiful thing is, that no matter what we fear, God has already made us promises to the contrary.  There is absolutely nothing we face that God has not already dealt with and promised you He would take care of.  Not job loss, not death, not terminal illness, not natural disasters, not family feuds, not crime, not tragedy of any sort, is outside God's reach and thus, you have no reason to feel anything but peace day in and day out.  I know, I know... it's the application that's tricky.  For the average one of us, living in complete peace is something of a biblical fairy tale that only legends lived, long ago and far away.  But that's not what God wants for us.  He wants us to "go in peace" and "sin no more".  In fact, I wonder, if we're at complete and total peace, is it possible to sin?  If we trust Him completely for everything then will we, theoretically, not be susceptible (or at least way less susceptible) to the temptation of sin?  As I was searching on the topic, with plans to use a small, simple scripture reference, I came across this passage and I had to include the whole thing...

"But if it were I, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him.  He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.  He bestows rain on the earth; he sends water upon the countryside.   The lowly he sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.  He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success.  He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are swept away.  Darkness comes upon them in the daytime; at noon they grope as in the night.  He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth; he saves them from the clutches of the powerful.  So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.  "Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.  For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal.  From six calamities he will rescue you; in seven no harm will befall you.  In famine he will ransom you from death, and in battle from the stroke of the sword.  You will be protected from the lash of the tongue, and need not fear when destruction comes. You will laugh at destruction and famine, and need not fear the beasts of the earth.  For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the wild animals will be at peace with you.  You will know that your tent is secure; you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing.  You will know that your children will be many, and your descendants like the grass of the earth.  You will come to the grave in full vigor, like sheaves gathered in season.  "We have examined this, and it is true.  So hear it and apply it to yourself." (Job 5:8-27)  It's a much longer passage than usual, I know, but what a promise!  What blessed assurance!  My mom tells me that my great-grandmother used to tell her "Don't fret, pet."  What an excellent summation of the above passages!  

Change the World

I posted some time ago entitled "Butterfly: Affect"; about what an impact small actions, choices, words, etc. can have on our world.  It was inspired by a small book written by Andy Andrews; quick, easy, and extremely empowering read... I highly recommend it.  I reference it now because I want to tag onto my most recent post regarding our fifth baby who is waiting for us in the arms of Christ.

We had a beautiful memorial for him.  Part of me, honestly, wonders why... The logical side of my brain says that was kind of an unnecessary use of our time and resources... No one knew him, he never even took a breath...  However, the emotional and spiritual side of me says that every (and I mean EVERY) life matters and we chose to celebrate that.  As Dr. Seuss taught us, "a person's a person, no matter how small".  God says He has a purpose and a destiny for every life He creates.  We knew, even in the moments of our deepest ache of loss, that God had destined for Tobias to "accomplish" something in only 32 weeks worth of heartbeats.  Because of the impression Andrews' book made on me, because of the peace that God-given frame of mind brought us, we chose to use butterflies as a theme for the memorial.  I used the example of the chaos theory of the butterfly effect in what I shared that day and we finished the memorial with a release of monarchs outside the church.  Sadly, one butterfly remained in the box after we opened it but even that was a little "kiss" from God... I took it home, and carefully glued it to a piece of paper that says "You flapped your wings in secret... And changed the world".  It's in a small frame on my dresser now.

God is showing us the impact that Toby, our little "butterfly" is already making on the world.  The care team at the hospital sent us cards thanking us for the privilege of helping deliver him, friends have shared our story with others to bring them comfort and encouragement amidst their loss, I have people coming to me who need someone to talk to about their own experience, the link for the previous post is being passed, reposted, and shared, and the stats show me that Toby's story has reached as far as Poland, England, China, and Romania.

God is using a tiny baby, who never took a breath of air, to change the world.

He wants to use your tragedy too.  He doesn't want us to stay victims; He wants us to be victors.  He wants us to see our tragedy through Him, not try to see Him through our tragedy.  He wants us to see an opportunity to praise Him, honor Him, glorify Him, and serve Him in that ordeal.  Tragedy needs not be tragic.  You have purpose.  Your pain has purpose.  You have a destiny to reach into someone else's life and let them know they are not alone.  I can reach out to a woman who just lost a baby.  Maybe you can reach someone who lost a spouse.  Maybe you're battling a disease or other physical malady.  Maybe you survived a violent attack.  Maybe you're just... surviving.  Whatever you're going through, wherever you are, He has dropped you, like a pebble into a calm pond, with a plan to use those ripples to reach shores you may never see.

There's a family we got to know while part of a church up in Washington for a time.  Their 15 year old daughter, Jacoby, is a level 9 gymnast (for those that don't know much about gymnastics, this is just a level or two shy of the "elite" level where the Olympians compete).  Almost three months ago she was practicing her bar routine and, in the middle of the double-back dismount she's practiced countless times, she "got lost" mid-air... She opened up at the wrong time in her rotation and landed on her neck. She immediately lost feeling from the chest down.  Already she has been through surgeries, a long hospital stay, a lot of rehab, and adjusting to life in a chair.  We have followed the family's ordeal via their blog, Get Well Jacoby, prayed for them, and praised God for how He is using their story to reach people.  In the first week after her injury her dad said in a radio interview that they can now empathize with a group of people they never could before.  They do not know how much motion, feeling, or function Jacoby will ever regain (though she is working as hard as she can to get back on her feet!) but they do know that God has a plan for this and they have, the entire time, continued to praise Him for it.

I cannot remember the exact passage but during a study of Revelation I remember us discussing that there will be two different "judgments" before Christ (we were cross referencing between several books as we studied so I'm not sure the passage was even in Revelation); one being the judgment where Christ determines whose names are in the books of Life and Death; the other is the "bema" judgement.  "Bema" was the platform where an official presided over a contest and where victors were presented awards for their accomplishments.  I remember us discussing that this particular judgment will not take place at the end of our individual lives but rather at the end of everyone's lives.  One reason we pondered for this is because of our "ripples"...  Your story won't be complete until everyone else's story is complete whose life you touched.  Whether directly or indirectly, your life will affect other lives for generations.  You don't need to win a Nobel prize to change the world.  God can use you to change the world with even the smallest, seemingly mundane, actions (or, even, INactions if He calls you to not do something).

I know that praising God in the storms of our life runs counterintuitive to our nature.  It doesn't make sense to thank God for trials, does it?  That's like thanking a cop for a speeding ticket, a patient thanking a dentist for a root canal, an athlete thanking their coach for a brutal workout, or an employee thanking their boss for a heavy work load!  However, the testimony we bear beyond our trials correlates directly to how deeply we cling to and trust Him as those storms rage.  God wants to use you to change the world... will you let Him?