3.14.2020 - week 46
on the upside and downside of fear(s)
proverbs 2.6-7
for the lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity.
if you really want to know, you go to the source.
that’s true for rumors, it’s true for bachelor tell-all’s, it’s why presidential auto-biographies sell so well. on some level we all know, that anything or anyone filtering the truth leave us without a clear or complete picture. its why people are so frustrated by tv news, it always feels a bit off center.
i love this scripture because it focuses my heart back on the source, god’s wisdom as revealed in his word. it’s easy to look to personal experience or advice from friends or therapists or christian culture and leave god’s wisdom to the side.
wisdom is applying information to action.
knowledge is the information part.
understanding is the is application part.
both come from god.
so if you want to get better, get more from the source, not the aggregator or commentary
right this very minute, there is great temptation to consume news and sermons and netflix and family fun. do all those things, just make sure your main thing is getting insight directly from the source.
KG Korner
(a few wise words from lady kristen macdonald)
Her little voice, her ringlet curls, her thoughts, her sense of humor, her squishy hands, her love for a Cookie Monster blanket while watching tv, her nurturing care for her brothers and those who are sad. If you haven’t gathered yet I am referring to the beautiful gift of God that is in my hands in the picture above, Felicity Rose. When anyone asks me about her or points to the three boys and then her, noticing the gap in their ages I always refer to her as my answer to prayer.
As I have prayed diligently now for months about something the clarity with how I look at that answer to prayer in this picture is illuminated. I can’t help but at this moment have tears stream down my face because God brought her in his timing not mine but yet it was perfect timing. He brought me another feisty and spirited child when I thought I needed a calm fourth. He made her beyond perfect as he saw fit to show me that he hears my prayers, he is at work even when I cannot see it and he knows when, what, who, where is best for me.
James 5:16b says, “the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
You see, we had three healthy boys who were/are the apple of our eye. I was thrilled to be a mom of boys but my heart longed for one more child. I was prayerful that it would be a girl if God allowed it but I knew very well that you can’t choose what God gives you - He knows best. After no success after a year in ‘our time frame’ I decided I couldn’t handle the stress and pain of the negative result and so it seemed that God had showed us that our family would be these three boys. He also revealed to me that this was no trial, I had three healthy boys and I needed to find gratefulness right then and there. I could pray for the desire in my heart but I also needed to trust the one who knows best. I surrendered it fully to him (which took awhile) and I got rid of every baby item I owned.
About six months later, Luke suggested that we pursue pregnancy again. He has said some crazy ideas to me but this seemed one of the most outlandish ones... but as we prayed I felt that if God blessed us with another child this would certainly be his doing and if he didn’t I could trust him still. Three months later I was pregnant and sixteen weeks in we found out it was a she! This felt like and still is a miracle of all miracles to me.
This year I have found that in the deepest part of my inner being that this baby girl was born when she was so she could be my pal and tangible joy in one of the hardest years of my life. His timing is best. I don’t say that my daughter is perfect to boast or say she has no flaws, that girl can sin when she’s not even trying to... I say she is perfect because God made her in a wonderful way that shows me daily that he answers prayer better than we could ourselves.
I’m not sure what you are praying for today, but I do know that the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. You may not see the end result you are hoping for today, I know I don’t yet BUT as you continue praying I believe the answers of your past prayers make great reminders of what he can do in your future.
cup of leadership
i have been pretty down. lots of things on my mind,
past and present have had me pretty discouraged.
i have come to see that i have a leak, not a lack. my bills are (mostly) paid. i enjoy the people i am ministering with. i have some new friends who really speak life into me. my family and i are healthy. my knucklehead sons make me laugh constantly. my daughter is finally starting to like me. my wife is more beautiful inside and out than ever. i have lost weight, its march madness season (it was when I wrote the first draft ), i have books galore BUT it’s not enough.
my cup of courage has a little hole in the bottom. so no matter how much i and others pour into it each day, it’s still empty when i wake up tomorrow. lots of people have this problem. for some it’s a mental health thing. for others unhealed trauma. for others a consequence of lots of bad choices. for some, it lasts a week at the end of winter when it won’t just finally be spring.
for me, it’s some of that stuff, but also some stuff I’m holding that I have to release. some unforgiveness i have let fester a bit. some jealousies that weren’t snuffed out as quickly as they should have been. some things unresolved that i have no path to resolve at this moment.
in my current state (which i am working thru and will get past), MORE won’t help. more bible reading or prayer or encouragement or opportunity or money or sex or sunshine or laughter or or or … until the rip in the bottom is patched, i will keep leaking.
if you have been stuck for a bit, maybe consider that more might X not be the antidote, you might have a leak not a lack.
book review
a riveting inside story of a massive crime bust, this is a true page turner. the story of the ‘silk road’ the online store for drugs and weapons that grew from nothing to over a billion a year in sales in a few short years. the firsthand details the writer was able to pull together paint a vivid picture of the criminal and the various law enforce officials hustling to catch him. you also get an intriguing picture into the mind of someone who is willing to cause damage for personal gain. it’s amazing how easily we perceive evil motives in others. even those causing great harm typically see themselves as doing something important and good.
if you are looking for a spring break or quarantine read, check this out.
content this week
on welcome to the war this week, bishop tells an INCREDIBLE story about the time madonna saved the easter service at faithful central.
i got great feedback on this message, 5-4-3-2-1, which pushes us from james 3 to really really really watch wisely our words.
verse of the week
the nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
the lord of hosts is with us; the god of jacob is our fortress.
psalm 46:6-7
2 pieces of good news I saw this week
1. because you can use the laugh, here’s dwight schrute from the office discussing how to prevent the spread of germs
2. my brother landon has released an amazing curriculum from his bible walkthrough videos. a truly fantastic project … check it out.