Thursday, May 19, 2011

the art of losing me

so I am sitting in a conference, worshipping the God that I love, when I listen, really listen to the words of the song I am singing.

The song called me to the process of losing me.
The song inspired being consumed from the insight out.

as I listened and sang and worshipped, I wondered. I've been indoctrinated into the mind set, the system of beliefs that I need to find myself, be on a journey of self discovery to fully succeed. That the moment of perfection will be when I see my role, grasp it, pursue it, and thrive in it.

and yet, if I start of journey of losing myself, really losing myself in the path of love, in the quest for Christ following, then I am told I will gain everything.

it's counter to all I know, all I fight for, and all my actions convey. if I were to really lose myself, allow myself to be consumed, I am no longer.

I am no longer in control.
I no longer know.
I do not have the coordinates.
I am not the leader, but the follower.
I release, relinquish, resolve to give all.

and that's terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time.

what about today?

in the space that we live in, on the planet called earth, in the country that we reside, on the street that we call home, things happened today.

someone was born today.
someone learned how to speak, or to crawl, or to walk, or to run today.
someone mastered the concept of multiplication today.
someone shared their snack today.

someone was kidnapped today.
someone was killed today.
someone was buried today.

someone believed in Jesus for the first time today.
someone called out for help and found a friend today.
someone met their future spouse today.

may 19, 2011. everyday ordinary and all together extraordinary.

what about today impacted you?

Saturday, May 7, 2011

dedication prayer

Lord God,
We come before you today, praising and thanking you for hand picking these girls to be a part of these families...we acknowledge that it is through you that life is given and as breath was breathed in, physical life began. We ask Lord for another day to come when spiritual life will be a part of each of these girl's lives as well. A day when they will accept the gift of salvation found in Jesus Christ alone by crossing the line of faith and believing in you.

Lord God, as they grow may they, as daughters of the King, seek you first.
whenever they are sad, may they find comfort in you.
whenever they are weak, may their strength be found in you,
when they are feeling hopeless, may your light shine brightly,
when they know joy, may they thank you,
when they delight in blessing, may they worship you,
and when they find relationship in others, may they honor you first.

Bless their siblings, their parents. Give insight and understanding in the task of parenting.
Draw these families together in love, in peace, and in the hope of the kingdom to come. Bless them with more than they can possibly think or imagine.

We pray this in the name of Jesus,
Amen.

Monday, May 2, 2011

a new ancient path

Reading God's word and prayer brought about this new ancient path...

"See, I am about to do a new thing, now it springs up!" Isaiah 43:19(paraphased)

years back, while doggedly pursuing God to discover my life's mission God spoke to me.

My mission is to communicate God in a visual way.

I haven't visited that mission lately.
I've been busy. I've been distracted. I've been absent.
So, with renewed passion, I began praying, with other voices raised up, we began praying...a new beginning, a new thing in my stalled-out-life and it's this. It sounded familiar, I am aquainted with it, I know it well:

A return to my mission, the ancient path of communicating God in a visual way.

And so, after years, I picked up the pencil today and made a mark. Mark after mark on sketch paper, line after line, visualizing what I really see and not what I think I see and a joy came back that I haven't felt for a long time. I am an artist, called by God to communicate Him in a visual way. That's my mission.