My new favorite song...

You're everything I could want

That I could need

If I could see

You want me

Could I believe?

'Cause You're perfectly

All I want, all I need

If I could just feel Your touch

Could I be free?

Why do You shine so?

Can a blind man see?

Why do You call?

Why do You beckon me?

Can the deaf hear the voice of love?

Would You have me come?

Can the cripple run?

Are You the one?

To raise me up

From this grave

Touch my tongue

And then I'll sing

Heal my limbs

Then joyfully I'll run to You

'Cause You're everything

And I'm alive and I'll

I'm alive and I'm free.

David Crowder Band

...Acts 4:34 describes the early church:

“There was not a needy person among them.”

This is what the church does.

Every member will have his needs met.

God will test us to see if we are a church or a club.

- John Piper

Love is Vulnerable

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable."

“Jesus does not say, ‘Come to me, all you who have learned how to concentrate in prayer, whose minds no longer wander, and I will give you rest.’ No, Jesus opens his arms to his needy children and says, ‘Come to me, all who are weary and heaven-laden, and I will give you rest.The criteria for coming to Jesus is messiness. Come overwhelmed with life. Come with your wandering mind. Come messy.”
—Paul Miller

I want it NOW!

Malli's first shopping trip to TOYS 'R US.

While in Toys 'R Us today, I thought it would be fun to let Malli sit in a precious, little pink car. As soon as her little fanny made contact with the seat, she gripped that steering wheel and smiled that infectious smile of hers. It was so cute watching her as she opened and closed the plastic door, honked the horn, and instantly figured out how to drive! Her excitement even drew a small audience of fellow shoppers. See picture above!

HOWEVER...

Never did I imagine that she would become attached to it so quickly. All was good until I tried to remove her from the plastic vehicle. Her squeals drew the attention of not only fellow shoppers, but the full staff of the Toy 'R Us management team. It took much effort along with a quick draw of Gerber sweet corn puffs from my over-sized bag to quieten her down and distract her. For a minute there I was tempted to buy the darn thing and even pay the extra ten bucks for the already assembled version! Her parents beat me to it....they decided to buy it and give it to her on her first birthday (June 18).

You know, I got to thinking about Malli's meltdown and I confess I am just as impatient in my spiritual walk. I want answers to my prayers NOW. I really am tired of waiting. If screaming would bring results, I would sure let 'er rip! Remember Veruca Salt, the fictional character from the Roald Dahl novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? She regularly exerts petulant behavior in order to get what she desires, and even her parents are not immune to her outbursts. In other words, she's a brat! Well, my grand daughter is NOT a brat (yet) but I have determined that I am...at least in my spiritual life.

There is hope though...I am reminded tonight that my Heavenly Father loves me. He wants good things for me. In His timing he will answer. He loves me and wants the best for me. I know He cares about my every need Matthew 7:11 says So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who keep on asking him. Waiting upon God protects me, deepens my trust in Him, forces me to seek His ways and brings Him the most glory. Psalm 27:14 says Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Keep asking.

Wait.

Be of good courage.

The Paradox of Grace...

"... He who insists he is right will be pronounced wrong,

while he who admits he is wrong will be declared right.

The righteousness of God is only given

to those who stand in the sinners place.”

- Stanley Voke

Fearless

Much of my life I have lived in fear. "Fear of rejection" had a firm grip on me for far too long. Now that I seem to have slain that dragon it seems I am stumbling on the "fear of the unknown." The "what-ifs" trip me up throughout the day and hold me captive.

Micca Campbell writes, Right thinking leads to right living. As we practice taking each stray thought captive, our thoughts begin to reflect the mind of Christ, and so do our actions...Fearless living is achieved when we take captive every thought that doesn't line up with God's truths. Either our thoughts can take us captive, or we can take them captive. The difference lies in where we place our focus.

For me to have that abundant life, a life free from fear I must surrender my fears and keep my eyes on my Saviour replacing my thoughts with His thoughts. Philippians 4:8 says
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable----if anything is excellent or praiseworthy---think about such things.