Everyday Hero

Greetings to you, Songbirds!
     It seems most appropriate that yesterday, December 7th, that we in the United States remember the bombing of  Pearl Harbor in 1941, for I have been pondering our topic for today for about a week now, so I think it's time to put the pen to paper and see where God leads us with it. I want to talk about HEROES.
     There were many heroes on that day 72 years ago when our nation was attacked, I personally had an uncle that was stationed at Pearl Harbor when it took place. Many were lost, many were wounded, all were brave. We owe them a great deal of gratitude we could never fully express. Most people would agree the actions of so many were, indeed heroic that December day in 1941.
     There are many directions we can look to find our heroes. Some say that we just don't have many heroes these days...I beg to differ! The reason for this leads me to the kind of heroes that I would like to explore further. I believe that maybe we just aren't looking in the right direction to find them, because if we were, we would surely see that they do still exist. I started thinking of this last Sunday while sitting in church...
     Seated right next to me was a young mom who brought her three young children by herself, who fully believes that God can still reach her husband, even though her husband doesn't realize that yet.
     As I survey the room I would see an older woman who lost her husband recently, they had been married some twenty five years, and now she is facing her days without him.
     I would see a young husband and wife who committed everything they had to the Lord to be missionaries in a foreign land, just to be faced with the young father of three diagnosed with a rare brain tumor.
     I would see a young couple passionately committed to the ministry of adoption and have adopted three children from China, while raising five children of their own.
     I would see several women who come on their own each Sunday, not because they are widowed, but because their husband chooses not to come.
     I would see young single men and women who are seeking to honor God in their single walk, which is not an easy task.
     I would see youth who are hungering after God, all the while trying to figure out who they are, let alone who God is.
     I would see a husband and wife as they struggle to take care of  their grown son that has severe disabilities and the husband is in a wheelchair with debilitating disabilities himself.
     Believe me when I say, my list could go on and on, and this is just one small room. This is just one breath and one heartbeat away, not only from each of us, but from our Savior, Jesus Christ, who SEES everyone of them and who is their ultimate HERO.
     For those who have looked to Him, HE is their HERO because they are more than conquerors thru HIM Romans 8:37 NKJV, that when they are weak, then He is strong II Corinthians 12:10 NKJV, that NOTHING that they face is impossible with HIM Luke 1:37 NKJV, that even though they may walk through the valley of the shadow of death, they shall fear no evil, for HE is WITH THEM and will comfort them Psalm 23:4 NKJV.
     Yet, while He walked this earth, many disregarded who He was...maybe because He came in the form of an ordinary man? An "everyday" man? 
     How about you? Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Is He your HERO? It's not too late! Hebrews 3:7-11 NKJV  If you are a child of God, you have the potential to be an "everyday" hero, you just have to look in the right direction, and many times you don't have to look any farther than the mirror...
     This song titled "Hero" by Abandon reflects our "everyday" Hero...it is my prayer that we always look in His direction 'til we see Him face to face.

He walked the dirty streets, famous for nothing...

Blessings,


Songbird

Grace Like Rain

Greetings, Songbirds!

     I have missed our time together! I recently saw a video played on T.V. that got the wheels spinnin', and this post is the result! I have a question for you;  How would you describe yourself? Do you think the description is accurate? What do you think others would say about you? And God, what do you think He thinks about you?
     I want to show you this clip, even though it is aimed at mothers, I think anyone can relate to it...just fill in the blank. It's titled A New Perspective for Moms it was created by Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC.

     Any dry eyes out there? My daughters are moms themselves now, but I still boohooed! I could relate to all of these moms. I tell people that our girls turned out so well despite the fact that I am their mom, and I mean it. It really struck a cord with me and got me to thinking just how skewed our view is of ourselves, especially in relation to the important people and things in our lives.
     I like to think I know myself pretty well. I know how flawed I am! I can rattle off every negative aspect of my personality with no problem. BUT my positive traits? What I like about myself? MUCH harder to come up with. And compliments? Do they make you as uncomfortable as they do me?
     It seems as though we view ourselves on how well, or how poorly we think we have performed. We base it on what we define as a success or a failure. That is why I think it is so very difficult for me to take any credit on how totally AWESOME all three of our daughters are. They turned out so well, despite the fact that I did SO MUCH WRONG while they were growing up.
     So, if we base our perspective on who we are as a person on how well or how poorly we perform, how do you think that affects our perspective toward our relationship with God? I can tell you, that for me, I have struggled in the past with the idea that God was in a constant state of anger with me. It is hard (if not impossible) to grow intimacy in a relationship with someone to whom we think is constantly angry toward us.
     Grace can be such a hard concept to grasp. We have to erase the perspective we hold onto so tightly that how we perform is who we are. We forget that our relationship with God is based on grace and who He is.
    They say men tend to base their identity on their occupation, yet their occupation is what they do, not who they are. Women really can't cop out of that statement because we do the same thing, we just focus on whatever we have poured our lives into, either our children, our jobs, or our talents in other areas, etc..
     Truth is, it's not about what we do or have done. It is about who HE is and what HE has done for us! That's GOOD NEWS! That's THE GOOD NEWS! Grace is received at the cross, sealed by the blood of the Lamb...FOREVER. BOOM!
     My song and my prayer for us all today, is that we REST in this magnificent truth, which is that acceptance has already been imparted to us, we just need to receive it! We can take a big sigh of relief, instead of a big sigh of despair as did the mom depicted in the video. We can experience grace, Grace Like Rain  pouring down, just as the song by the same title is so beautifully illustrated by Todd Agnew .

    ...And grace my fears relieved. Amen.

Blessings,


Songbird

 

10,000 Reasons...and More!

Dear Songbirds,

     This post has been in the making for several weeks now. I even abandoned it at one point and started working on a different topic...but the Lord seems to be bringing back to this one. It would seem the Lord has His hands full with just trying to keep me focused on the task at hand sometimes! 
     We're going to explore the process of waiting. Recently Invisible Illness Awareness Week took place and I had intended on writing more on the subject of being chronically ill and how waiting on the Lord plays such a big part in that. BUT GOD seems to have broadened my perspective (once again) from my own personal situation more to the lives of those around me (as it should be).
     I don't know of anyone who really enjoys waiting for anything, and that includes me. Yet, we are faced with that prospect every single day. From the most mundane of tasks such as waiting in lines, waiting to be served in restaurants, waiting to speak to a LIVE person on the telephone (I"m not bitter)! heehee!, waiting, waiting, waiting!
     Then there are the times that I really want to focus on and that is when we are waiting for hours, days, weeks, months and yes even years or even never in our lifetime for something in our lives to come to fruition. It's an interesting thing, waiting. In doing so, I have discovered that God uses those waiting times as an essential learning tool in our lives. It reveals a lot about who we are, what we believe in, and where we place our priorities.
     I believe God does not waste time and if that is the case then He has a purpose for delaying or even preventing certain things in our lives. As I have said in the past, how we respond to our circumstances (including having to wait) reveals what we believe about God. Do we believe He loves us when we have not been healed of an illness, such as in my case? Do we believe He really is in control, even though our world seems to be spiraling out of control? Do we believe He is just and righteous when we see such pain and suffering take place in our world such as the recent shooting in Navy Yard  in Washington, D.C.? Do we in essence, believe He is who He says He is in His Word when we wait and wait and wait and in the meantime nothing seems to be happening, much less getting any better?!?!
     These are honest questions. They are not new by any means. We aren't the first ones to be asked by God to wait on Him. Maybe better said would be that it is a mutual waiting period between us and God. We are waiting for God to move at His "appointed time" to act in our lives. That includes our participation one way or another...even if, and maybe especially if our participation means it is not yet His "appointed time".
     Dr. Charles Stanley shares these possible reasons God may ask us to wait:  1). He is getting things ready.  2). He must purify our motives.  3). He is teaching us to trust Him. 4). He is protecting us from oftentimes things we don't see, sometimes we never see--but He sees it. 5). We make our greatest impact in our Christian life when we choose to wait upon the Lord and watch God give and provide or promote whatever it might be in  His timing--then those who watch us--those who are our friends--then those whom we work with--look at us and think "Look what he(she) got and we used to wonder why he(she) didn't do this or he(she) didn't do that---well, now I see". It sends an awesome testimony of the reality of God, the truthfulness, trustworthiness of God. We win and the people around us win! He has specific reasons for asking and for telling us to wait on Him and they are all good, because HE IS GOOD.
     Dr. Charles Stanley  has been quoted as saying: "Our willingness to wait reveals the value we place on the object we are waiting for." Then begs the question, do we value God enough to wait for His "appointed time"? It can be painful to wait and we reason that if we can just do something to "hurry up the process" or a figure out a way to end our current situation, that the pain will go away. I have found that not to be the case. We may temporarily distract ourselves, thinking the pain is gone...but then it rears it's ugly head back up again and most of the time it brings with it even more sorrow than before. I say, kill the beast at hand and let God be done with it once and for all...however long that may take.
    Remember the Charles Stanley quote I just mentioned? Is that not enough reason? When we think of all the attributes of God, can we really even in good conscience question Him when He asks us to wait? As our song says today...He gives us "10,000 Reasons" and MORE to praise Him in every circumstance...even when we are asked to wait.
     Not sure what to do while you wait? Praise Him. God's Word says "The Lord inhabits the praises of His people." Psalm 22:3 NKJV   If that is the case, then that should be enough. 
     My song and my prayer for us today is that the 10,000 reasons and MORE that He has given us to praise Him is enough, even in the waiting.

...10,000 reasons for my heart to find. Selah.

Blessings,

Songbird

At the Sound...

Greetings, Songbirds!

     "Sticks & stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me"...REALLY??? I wonder who came up with that one!?! Speaking from my own experience, I am here to say that could not be FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH! How about you?
     Today I want to talk about the power of our words. Or maybe more importantly, the power of  God's  Word(s). I may never get this thought wrapped around my "thick skull"...that by the power of God's Word creation came into existence. We see it in Genesis 1 NKJV starting in verse 3..."THEN GOD SAID...THEN GOD SAID...THEN GOD SAID..." all the way through the end of the chapter. It boggles my mind!
     Not just that, but just the very breath of God had the power to breathe life into the first man Adam according to Genesis 2:7 NKJV.  We catch a glimpse of the breath of God bringing forth life!
     The book of  James NKJV, specifically James 3:1-12 NKJV speaks about the power that our own words have, both to good and to bad. I want to focus on the good for today. As an example, Antoinette Tuff became an "everyday hero" by helping to thwart a school shooting in Decatur, Georgia...keep in mind the power of our words.
     "Everyday Hero" indeed. The power of her words, that I believe were God given, saved many lives that day. Her words to that young man that day were more powerful than any bullets, any confusion, any fear, any evil intent, any hopelessness, any circumstances that were taking place, even any force of weaponry our own police and s.w.a.t. teams had available JUST OUTSIDE THOSE DOORS. Her words were more powerful ONLY because they were God breathed.
     That young man fully intended to leave collateral damage strewn all across that school campus, ultimately ending even his own life. BUT GOD fully intends collateral healing be strewn across the heart of every man willing to turn to Him. I think He displayed it that day.
     Antoinette Tuff did not have any way of knowing the gunman's deepest need, BUT GOD did! She was used by God to reach him through that great need, which was love.You know, in the past when I have heard the phrase "love conquers all"" or "love is more powerful than hate"...etc., etc.. it sounded cliche to me, BUT GOD's love IS exactly that. We just witnessed it on that tape. You have probably witnessed it in your own lives. I have witnessed it in mine. There is no denying it. God has saved me, mostly from myself, more times than I can count...how? THROUGH HIS WORDS of love to me (and to you).
     She shared with the gunman some of her past struggles...do you think she has a clearer understanding of why God may have allowed some of the devastating events in her life in the past? She surely sees now how He was able to use those hurts of hers to minister to the gunman! Genesis 50:19-21 NKJV What was meant for evil, God meant for good and in the process many lives were saved. I pray that this lesson does not go by us!
     Antoinette Tuff became a sort of Esther, "for such a time as this" August 20, 2013. Esther 4:13-14 NKJV. Just an ordinary woman in her ordinary life, called in an instant to do an extraordinary task for God...she obeyed and God was able to show Himself through her in a mighty way because of her obedience.
     My prayer and my song for us today is that we never forget that God is for us. If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:30-32 NKJV There is hope, there is ALWAYS hope. It can start with just one word...JESUS. And who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Romans 8:31-39 NKJV
      I do not want to bombard you with video clips today, but if you would like to see the story behind the song "Your Great Name" by Natalie Grant, I think you would be blessed by it.
     Our song for today is Your Great Name .


      JESUS...at the sound of Your great name, every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that You are Lord. Philippians 2:9-11 NKJV  BTW, the first word out of Antoinette Tuff's mouth when she knew her ordeal was over was "JESUS"...through her tears of relief. Amen.


Blessings,



Songbird

Redemption...is it Worth the Cost?

Greetings Songbirds!

     I apologize for being away so long, I hope you will forgive me! It's been a busy Summer and I just can't seem to write amidst a busy schedule. As much as I have thought of you these last couple of months, I was unable to put pen to paper. So, here we are much later than I wanted, but here none the less! Thank you, if you haven't given up on me! I pray that we all get a touch from God through this post today. I want to share this article written by Trevin Wax and passed on to me by one of my sons-in law:

Do the Angels solve the problem of Evil?  

      For many skeptics, the problem of evil is the biggest hurdle to believing in God. David Hume put it memorably:

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then is he impotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then is he malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Whence then is evil?

Christians have a difficult time with this too, no matter what response we offer.

• If your answer is free will, then why did God create a world in which, through His foreknowledge, He knew people would reject Him and cause untold suffering?
• If the answer is “to bring about a greater good,” then why is so much suffering (so much of it seemingly gratuitous) necessary?"

Dostoevsky’s Ivan Karamazov didn’t think either answer satisfying. In one of the most poetic descriptions of the end of time, Ivan imagines the Christian answer:

I have a childlike conviction that the sufferings will be healed and smoothed over, that the whole offensive comedy of human contradictions will disappear like a pitiful mirage… and that ultimately, at the world’s finale, in the moment of eternal harmony, there will occur and be revealed something so precious that it will suffice for all hearts, to allay all indignation, to redeem all human villainy, all bloodshed; it will suffice not only to make forgiveness possible, but also to justify everything that has happened with men.

But then, Ivan adamantly rejects this vision:

Let all of this come true and be revealed, but I do not accept it and do not want to accept it!

Why? He can’t imagine a greater ending that would make present suffering worth it – particularly the suffering of innocent children. He tells the story of an abused little girl and then makes clear his reasons for rejecting Christianity:

Can you understand why a little creature, who can’t even understand what’s done to her, should beat her little aching heart with her tiny fist in the dark and the cold, and weep her meek unresentful tears to dear, kind God to protect her? Do you understand why this infamy must be and is permitted? Without it, I am told, man could not have existed on earth, for he could not have known good and evil. Why should he know that diabolical good and evil when it costs so much? Why, the whole world of knowledge is not worth that child’s prayer to dear, kind God’!

“It costs so much.” For many, that is the rub.
Even Christians have a hard time with this.

• Why does God permit human evil to spread?
• Why did He knowingly create a world He knew would be broken?
• Why did He knowingly create people He knew would turn against Him and bring destruction upon themselves and the world?

Whether the response given is the “free will” defense or the “greater good” scenario, the heart of humanity still wonders, Is it worth it? Is it worth the cost?

The angels seem to think so.

In 1 Peter 1:12, the apostle tells us the angels long to look into the gospel reality we experience. We don’t know why, but God chose not to provide salvation for the fallen angels. They fell and remain fallen.
But the innocent angels, those who didn’t bow the knee to Satan’s schemes, those who didn’t join the heavenly revolt against the Maker of all things – they look wistfully at the experience of redemption that we know through the gospel. 

In other words, there is something greater about being fallen and raised again than merely being innocent.
There’s something more beautiful about redemption than innocence.
There’s something more attractive about grace to the undeserving than reward for the meritorious.
There’s something more amazing about restoring peace to a shattered world than maintaining peace in pristine conditions.

Maybe in our heart of hearts, we can’t get past the problem of evil because we don’t know the full extent of the beauty of redemption. We have a hard time drilling into our hearts the eternal perspective of Paul, who said the sufferings of this present time – as horrific as they are – cannot be compared to the glory of the future (Rom. 8).
Sometimes, you feel like you’ve got to turn from preaching to poetry. To that end, here’s how Andrew Peterson reflects on this question:

And when the world is new again
And the children of the King
Are ancient in their youth again
Maybe it’s a better thing
A better thing
To be more than merely innocent
But to be broken then redeemed by love
Maybe this old world is bent
But it’s waking up
And I’m waking up
‘Cause I can hear the voice of one
He’s crying in the wilderness
“Make ready for the Kingdom Come”
Don’t you want to thank someone for this?   End Article.

     Oh, the beauty of redemption! One of the best "take aways" among others, for me from this article is this: 
"But the innocent angels, those who didn’t bow the knee to Satan’s schemes, those who didn’t join the heavenly revolt against the Maker of all things – they look wistfully at the experience of redemption that we know through the gospel." 
     My song for us today is titled "Redeemed" by Big Daddy Weave. This version is integrated with the redemptive testimony of  Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame. My prayer for us all today is that if we are believers that we realize the beauty of our redemption so that non-believers around us may see that beauty and realize it (He) is WORTH IT.

Amen,


Songbird

     

Beloved

Dear Songbirds,

     I have missed our time together! I would like to start today's post with a Scripture; "As you do not know what is the way of the wind, Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything". Ecclesiastes 11:5 NKJV As this Scripture states, there are things that are allowed to happen that just cannot be explained. Only God has all the answers...sometimes He reveals those answers, sometimes He doesn't.
      So much has taken place since our last visit. Just a matter of hours after I posted my last entry on Songbird, the tragedy in West, Texas took place. I was up half the night watching the coverage in disbelief. It seems as if, almost daily,  there has been one tragedy after another.     
     From bombings, to West, Texas, to tornadoes...it can be overwhelming just trying to process it all. The constant barrage of tragedies that have taken place recently remind me of someone in the Bible. His name was Job. I am also reminded of his response and his commitment and love toward his God no matter the circumstance, no matter the tragedy, or I should say the multiple tragedies that he faced.
     Tragedies are nothing new, in fact, in  Mark 13 NKJV  Jesus warned  His disciples (thus all believers) of what is to come in the end times. We should not be caught off guard when tragedies abound...they are inevitable.
     In other parts of the world outside of the United States, many people have suffered many things that we, as U.S. citizens may never have to face in our lifetimes. We are the freest nation on earth, yet we seem isolated at the same time. As devastating as events have taken place in the U.S. lately, many countries around the world live with devastating events as well, sometimes on a daily basis. If nothing else, recent tragedies here at home should give us more urgency to care for others worldwide, whether spiritually or otherwise.
     I say all that, not to negate the effects of  recent events, but to attempt to put into perspective that there is still so very much to be grateful for. There is a bigger picture than the one right in front of us. God has a plan and it includes "the" world not just "our" world.
     There should be comfort in knowing that NOTHING catches our great God off guard. As our Pastor has said in the past, "He's got this"! Remember, the enemy had to get God's permission and was limited by God on his actions toward Job Job 1:12 NKJV...I believe that applies to every child of God.
     I am speaking to fellow believers when I say that I believe there is a danger that if we are not careful in such times that we can lose our perspective and start identifying ourselves as victims. I reject the idea that any child of God could ever be categorized as a victim. God's Word says 2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
     To clarify, we have all at one point or another been a victim in the sense that an event has taken place in our lives that has caused great distress or pain, maybe even on a recurring basis. Yet, in my opinion, the word victim defines a temporary event, not a permanent identity. In other words, it describes what happens to us vs. who we are. I know from my own experience that once a person is able to distinguish between the two and accept them as truth that it can be both liberating and life changing. I John 5:1-5 NKJV
     I know many of you are aware of the crisis my husband and I went through in our marriage. It was during that great trial that God revealed this truth to me. It may be hard to believe (understandably so) that there are so many reasons I am grateful to God that our marriage went through the trial that it did, and this is only one example of why. The fact that I know that I know that I know that my identity  is not based on the events of my life, but the event that took place on the cross through Christ Jesus is a "game changer" for me.
     How about you? Are you able to distinguish between the events of your life and the identity you have as a Christ follower? Or, maybe you have never experienced the "game changing" transformation that takes place once you surrender your life to Christ...it's not too late! Maybe you've been searching for a "way out" of the bondage that may seem to be engulfing your life right now. You may feel that victim is the exact term you would use to define your identity and existence.
     Freedom from your bondage is just one heartbeat away...just one decision away! It comes in the form of a Savior who chose to take the shame, the guilt, the torment and everything they represent on your behalf so that you no longer need to view your identity as being a victim. Instead your identity becomes that of a victor! I John 5:1-5 NKJV
     Victor and victim are terms that indicate a struggle or battle. They remind me of an analogy regarding battle God brought to my mind in 2004 while writing my devotional titled "Standing Still". It is this: Can you imagine a war where the rank and file decides not to listen to or even seek the commands and leadership of their superior officer? Do you see the chaos and defeat that would take place if that happened? Is it really any different in the battles of our lives when we choose to act on anything less than that of our Superior Officer? This is a paradox of Christianity, that we must submit in order to conquer. It is as easy and as hard as that.
     We tend to think submission equals weakness, when in truth, it unleashes God's great power and allows Him to fight our battles for us! II Chronicles 20:17 NKJV AMAZING! I believe that Job understood this and it is why the enemy was defeated in Job's life.VICTOR.
     The enemy will NEVER be able to have the intimate love relationship with the Father that He has granted to His children. I am only thinking out loud right now, but I wonder since the enemy does not have that relationship with the Father, if he truly could (can) grasp the bond and the power that it holds, therefore underestimated (underestimates) that power.
     Or maybe he does grasp it and is so very envious and jealous that he feels the need to destroy it at all cost, because he knows he will NEVER be able to experience it himself. Worse still, the enemy may realize that we may also underestimate that power, therefore he can score an easy victory (temporary though it may be) over us. That would indeed be a tragedy.
     Regardless, he lives a defeated life and would love nothing better than for God's children to live the same way. Sadly, the defeated life that he has is of his own choosing. I would think that regret plays a role in Hell's experience...just my opinion.
     The choice is up to us, Songbirds. Always has been. My prayer and my song is that if we are Christ followers that we act in obedience and love toward God, just as Job did, no matter the tragedy and no matter the circumstance. And if by some chance you are reading this and have not ever made the decision to follow Christ, I pray that you make that decision today....He loves you (us) with an everlasting love and that love has the power to set you (us) free...Jeremiah 31:3 NKJV.

     Our song for the day is by Jason Gray titled  Remind Me...   Beloved.

Amen, 

Songbird

Even though...

Dear Songbirds,

     Here we are again...mourning a national tragedy. Many are still reeling from the Sandy Hook Elementary Shooting that took place just 4 months ago. Now we have the Boston Marathon Bombings. As God leads, I will write more on the latest tragedy we, as a nation face. I feel that I still need time to process it all.
     In the meantime, I would like to share Psalm 20 NKJV as a prayer to all who are hurting right now:

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
² May He send you help from the sanctuary,
And strengthen you out of Zion;
³ May He remember all your offerings,
And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah

⁴ May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,
And fulfill all your purpose.
⁵ We will rejoice in your salvation,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners!
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

⁶ Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven
With the saving strength of His right hand.

⁷ Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
⁸ They have bowed down and fallen;
But we have risen and stand upright.

⁹ Save, Lord!
May the King answer us when we call.

     It is my belief that He does answer us when we call, as His Word tells us in Psalm 17:6-9 NKJV. My song and my prayer for today is titled Psalm 23 sung so beautifully by Kathy Troccoli.
 

        ...You are there. Amen.

Blessings,

Songbird

Game Changer

Greetings, Songbirds!

     Today's post is inspired by some of the lyrics in the song I shared with you last time. The song is titled, Jesus, Friend of Sinners by Casting Crowns. The lyrics come at the end of the song and they are "You are good, you are good, and your love endures forever."  They may not seem significant unless we really stop and think about what that really means for God's creation.
     God has so many attributes, and we will never be able to truly comprehend all that He really is, but until I really focused on the fact that God is GOOD, I feel I was missing out on a very important aspect of His character.
     My husband and I facilitated a marriage reconciliation group for several years and one time we asked the group to name some characteristics of God...not ONE of them mentioned the fact that God is good. To tell you the truth, I kind of expected that.
     It seems that this characteristic of God gets passed over, as if, yes He is good...BUT. BUT, what?!?! To me, the fact that He is good is a game changer, so to speak. So much so that when we decorated our front hallway in our home, we displayed generational pictures of both sides of mine and my husbands' families and stenciled Psalm 100:5  right in the middle of them, here is a photo of the Scripture:

     This Scripture serves as a reminder to me and to everyone else who may enter our home, that we serve a GOOD God. It may be because of what I have shared with you in the past about my perception of how I viewed God and how I perceived He viewed me that this characteristic of God made such an impact on me. That is why, in my life, it became a game changer...I'll tell you why:
     If God is good, then He means me no harm...Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV. If God is good, it means that His love never fails toward me...I Corinthians 13:8-10 NKJV. If God is good, it means that His mercy is new every morning for me ...Lamentations 3:22-24 NKJV. If God is good, it means that He is my refuge, my fortress, my deliverer when I trust in Him...Psalm 91 NKJV.
     My God means me no harm, His love never fails, His mercy is new every morning, He is my refuge, my fortress, my deliverer...and so much more! That is something to shout about! What is even better, He isn't just my God, but to all who believe, He is their God too! Those promises are for us all!
   That, Songbirds, is something to sing about! Our God makes it easy to love Him even in the worst of times when we see Him for who He really is...GOOD! Because we know He is on our side. Do you know what that means?!? It means Romans 8 NKJV can be our anthem...(v 31) can be the only question we need to ask when faced with trials, which says; What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Who can be against us, indeed!?! We have been made conquerors through Him and His great love for us...(vs. 37-39).  
     Game changer!!  It doesn't matter where we've come from, doesn't matter where we've been, doesn't matter what we've done, doesn't matter what's been done to us, doesn't matter, doesn't matter, doesn't matter!! Game changer!!!
     All that matters is that God sent us His game changer in the form of a Savior...His Son...His name...Jesus Christ. When we accept Him as our Savior, game changer!! Because of Him, our lives are changed forever!! In Him we see the goodness of God incarnate!!
     My prayer and my song for all of us today is that we seek out the goodness of God and share it with those around us. The song titled This Man by Jeremy Camp illustrates His goodness and love for us through His Son beautifully.

...Would you take the place of this man? Would you take the nails from His hands?

Game changer!

Amen,

Songbird

On the Side of Grace

Greetings, Songbirds!

     I thought I would start off today's post with a question. What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word "church"? 
     I will share with you my own experience and it may be quite different from yours, or you may be able to say "me too".  As a child I know my family attended church when I was younger, but after about the age of five years old or so, we stopped attending...if I recall correctly, at least on a regular basis. My family was of the Presbyterian religion at that time. Frankly, growing up, I couldn't tell you what that meant and have come to look more at the Word of God and what He says than a label on a religion (so to speak) when discerning such matters.
     Fast forward to the time I was saved, which was at the age of 21. I may have shared this with you before, but I was saved as a result of reading a book titled Confessions of a Happy Christian by Zig Ziglar. The back of the book laid out the plan of salvation. I had never heard it before, or if I did it did not "click" with me. Well, that time I "got it" and I accepted Christ as my Savior. So I figured the first thing I needed to do was find a church and in a short time I did find one.
     There was so much about church and naturally God's Word and what being a Christian really means that I had no clue about. But, I figured if you're a Christian you go to church and you get baptized and give your tithes and you do everything else you're told to do, because after all, you have to act and be and say and do all the right things...otherwise you (I) would be a bad Christian. Or maybe a bad girl, same difference I guess. It was and sometimes still is very hard to accept the law of grace which has been bestowed on such a wretch like me (as the song goes).
     Since I came to accept Christ at the age of 21 and was not in church a good part of my life, I did not face some of the challenges that someone growing up in the church may have to face. That is a good thing, because I have been good at creating enough of them on my own!
     I believe, this all has to do more with our perception of God than with our perception of the church. I believe my thought processes at the time of my salvation reveal my thought processes concerning God at that time. I had this perception that I brought into my relationship with God that I still had to prove myself to gain His acceptance. I knew full well in my head that the price had already been paid for my past, present and future sins. But, it did not resonate with me because I had this subconscious perception that God was angry at me. Angry at what, I don't know. All I know is I dealt with it through my actions.
     So, what is the solution? How does someone go from feeling as if they can never gain acceptance from an angry God to running into His arms in times of great joy and in times of great distress? Come to find out, it has been way less about me and way more about Him...go figure! He pursues us as His Word says in John 6:44 NKJV, not the other way around! Blows my mind to think about it! He loves us so much that He made a way of escape for all who believe by this love 1 John 4:10 NKJV, AMAZING!
     I think His love for us is the key to our acceptance of who He is. When we are able to start accepting His love, our whole perception changes. It did for me, anyway. To realize He isn't who I thought He was, first off, what a RELIEF! But then to realize He is so much more and still loves us, WHOA! We who are believers have been reconciled with God. Not because of anything else but the willing, loving sacrifice Jesus Christ gave on our behalf!
     You might think that God has taken a big risk on bestowing His love upon a creation that turned their back on Him. In fact a creation that is at enmity with Him. You would think. I have thought that myself in the past, but I have come to believe that there is absolutely no risk involved when it comes to God loving His creation. I am speaking from His stand point. He is God...what is He risking?...His reputation? I've learned the hard way that God can take care of Himself and His reputation without my interference...in other words, if I act on faith and trust He will do what His Word tells me in a given situation, then He is plenty capable of taking it from there! He has proven Himself time and time again to me...when I let Him...OUCH.
     On the other hand, us humans (at least me) have been guilty and still am guilty at times of making a choice away from love, just because I think the risk is too high. It might be the price of the investment it takes (time or resources), or of rejection, of being hurt...again, being judged by others, etc., etc.
     We do not have to be afraid to love others! 1 John 4:17-19 NKJV says this:  Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.
     You may know the testimony of my marriage being reconciled, if not, my post dated Sept. 5, 2012 titled "Voice of Truth" shares a portion of it. If so, then you may recall that the above scripture was given to me by God almost immediately when our marriage was in crisis. God was (is) teaching me to love as He loves me. He chose my marriage relationship in 1992 to be a lesson of His love in a way I had never experienced.
     At a time when others would have said the risk was too great, my God told me there was no risk involved when I placed my trust in Him...He was right by the way! An amazing thing happened when I made the choice to love back in 1992...my perception started changing in every relationship I had.
     I view the "church" differently since then as well. God's Word tells us in Ephesians 5 NKJV that Christ is the bridegroom and we, His church are the bride...not only that, because He loved the church so much, He laid down His life for her. The church, therefore, in my eyes is sacred and cherished and loved by God. If that be so, I have an obligation to treat her as such.
     How do we live that out? My hubby and I have a saying we try to live by, which is that we would rather "err on the side of grace" than choose not to bestow kindness and love toward someone who may not seem to be "deserving" of that love. Risky? I don't think so.

     I learned that marriage is a picture of Christ and His church and if I want to convince anyone that I am a true follower of Christ, what would I be saying about Christ and His church if I walked away from my marriage without an attempt to love the way I was so graciously shown love when I did not "deserve" it? Or for that matter, when anyone crosses my path that does not seem to "deserve" it? As the video titled Behind the song Jesus, Friend of Sinners by Casting Crowns  explains.

     I want the song titled Jesus, Friend of Sinners  to be my prayer for us all today, dear Songbirds. May we choose to make a conscious choice to "err on the side of grace" keeping in mind that only by His grace are we in His presence for eternity. He risked nothing and neither do we when we choose to love as we are loved. Amen.

 

 "Nobody knows what we're for, only what we're against when we judge the wounded".

 ..."and blessed is he who is not offended because of Me"...Jesus  Matthew 11:6  NKJV\


 Songbird

BUT GOD...

     Greetings, Songbirds! It has been way too long since we met! Unfortunately winter is hard on me and I just have not been up to writing until now. I do hope you forgive me for my long absence!..."nuff about me! I'll get started on what has been on my heart as of late.

     Last time we were together the phrase "Where're you gonna' go?" was used in the lyrics of the song I shared with you, titled Dare You to Move by  Switchfoot. This phrase got me to thinking, so I thought we might explore it together. 

     I'm sure you know already the answer I will give...we can say it together...God! This sounds good when you read it, just go to God when you're in pain. Just go to God when you've been devastated by betrayal. Just go to God when you're so grief stricken, you can't even think straight, let alone function normally. Just go to God. 

     It sounds so easy. I know from experience,that, at times it is very difficult, even for a believer. I believe what may make it difficult is OUR view of GOD, but also how we think GOD views US. We may say we love Him. We may say we trust Him. We may say, not unlike Peter, that we would never deny Him...yet when a crisis arises, how do we respond?

     Until we seek Him and truly start to get a greater understanding of His character, I don't think we can possibly have a clear view of WHO GOD is and HOW HE views US.

     For many years, I had this view toward God that He was mad at me, or even worse yet...just not interested. I was a believer, I tried to do "everything right" yet, I still felt as if I was failing Him. It's that picture in your mind of Him just waiting to level the gavel against you, or the hammer, etc. I think you know what I mean! It was either that, or Him being so disinterested, that what I did or did not do did not matter one way or another to Him.

     BUT GOD, in His graciousness, has revealed to me over the years...especially during times of crisis, that He has already passed sentence on me, not based on my behavior, but on what Jesus accomplished at the cross. I have been found not guilty because of the blood of Jesus, and for no other reason. Grace over law (legalism). I knew that in my head for many years, but did not start to grasp it until He tested me to prove it...that's how gracious He is.

     How did He prove it to me? I'll tell ya'...He answered me through my questioning, not unlike with John the Baptist. John the Baptist asked, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” Matthew 11:3 NKJV My question was similar, mine was, "'Are You truly who You say You are?' because if not, I'm not going to make it." I can tell you, He proved Himself in spades!

     I only had to abide by the same thing John the Baptist and every other believer must abide by in order to grow in an intimate relationship with God. It is found in Jesus' reply to John which was this: "Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:  The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”  Matthew 11:4-6 NKJV

     Oh, man! Accepting that Jesus made the blind see, the lame walk; the lepers cleansed, the deaf hear; even the dead raised up and the poor having the gospel preached to them, you might expect that from the Messiah, but then we come to verse 6..."And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” OUCH. "Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me." With that small verse, the LORD challenges US to let HIM show US how HE views US.

     In John the Baptists' case, I believe Jesus was telling John that he could trust Jesus was truly the Messiah, even though Jesus chose not to save him from such a senseless cruel death. I believe that is what He is conveying to each of us when faced with a crisis. It did not make sense humanly speaking, in John's day, BUT GOD was in control THEN and HE is in control NOW. You may be questioning that last statement. I understand. I have been there. Many times. I will share with you a few examples in my own life:

     BUT GOD was in control when my mother (who was 39 years old at the time) was just one month pregnant with me when my oldest sister was killed in a car accident. She was 18 years old and had just graduated High School. "And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” 

     BUT GOD was in control when I was born eight months later into a still grieving family only to be attending my first funeral when I was 6 weeks old because my father's mother had died unexpectedly. "And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

     BUT GOD was in control when my parents separated when I was three years old and subsequently divorced when I was five years old. The next eight years, myself and two of my siblings were raised in a single parent home."And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

     BUT GOD was in control when my father suffered from mental illness and had bouts of angry outbursts and had extended absences away from the family. Throughout my whole life, contact with my father was infrequent. "And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” 

     BUT GOD was in control, even though my mother suffered many things in her life. Her behavior could be erratic and unstable at times. "And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”     

     In essence, BUT GOD was in control when I was brought into this world with chaos swirling all around my family. I could go on, but I'll stop at my childhood..."And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

     Can we trust a God that will allow much pain and suffering in our lives? There are so many unspeakable horrors that go on in our world every day, yet God allows it. WHY?  

     I have shared with you before that I do not have all the answers. My goal is to lead you to the One who does. I only know what I have experienced and believe, and what I believe is this;  God is good, God is in control at all times, God loves us, God is faithful, God hates sin and it's consequences, God is not helpless or caught off guard by ANYTHING, God does not know hard, God is our defender, protector, refuge, God is ALL we need. He is the Great I Am, the Alpha and Omega...I could go on! 

     I truly believe that the only reason I hold to these biblical truths so strongly, is that God has on numerous occasions brought me to a place that I call a "crisis of belief" and I had to choose whether or not to be offended because of Him, or obey and follow Him, trusting that everything He does is for our good and for His glory. The result has been indeed blessing upon blessing, upon blessing. 

     For further reading on John the Baptist and this subject, I highly recommend a book titled The Prisoner in the Third Cell by Gene Edwards.  

     My song and my prayer for us all today, is that we choose not to be offended because of Him...(He is not our enemy), but be held by Him instead. The song by Natalie Grant titled Held  expresses this very poignantly.

      

This is what it means to be held

How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life

And you survive

This is what it means to be loved

And to know that the promise was

When everything fell we'd be held... Psalm 91 NKJV

 "Can we not wait for one hour watching for our Savior?" Selah.

Blessings,

Songbird

    

What Happens Next?

    Greetings, Songbirds! I have missed you! Writing requires my full attention and I have not been able to provide that as of late. This post has been in progress for weeks, and I am hoping you will forgive my delay.
     I would like to start with a quote from a twelve year old boy named Justin Kievit:  "Sometimes winning isn't always the right thing & isn't the most important thing." Justin Kievit spoke these words in an   interview that aired on Good Morning America in December of 2012.
     Justin was referring to a wrestling match at his middle school in Tennessee in which he was asked to wrestle on the mat with Jared Stevens. Jared is also twelve years old, but Jared has severe cerebral palsy. Justin allowed Jared to pin him to the mat, allowing Jared to win the match.
     As one commentator reported, it was a story of courage and character on both of the boys' part. Jared wanted so badly to know what it felt like just to be able to be on the mat like the other boys. Justin was wise beyond his years and had such compassion for his opponent, that he chose to impart to Jared something even greater than Jared's expectations.
     Justin's response was not a surprise to those who know him. His coach specifically chose Justin because Jared's coach asked him to be placed with a boy with a big heart...Justin immediately came to his coach's mind. That decision set the wheels in motion for what took place between the boys.
     I share this story to illustrate the fact that our capacity to show compassion and dignity to others is a reflection of who we are as human beings.When I began writing this post, the events that took place in Connecticut at Sandy Hook Elementary had not yet occurred. Afterward, there seemed such a contrast in behavior that I felt led to explore it.
     These two stories carry such stark contrasts in behavior that they elicit more questions than answers, or so it seems.  Such as, what state of mind would a person have to be in to commit such horrific acts that took place on December 14, 2012 inside Sandy Hook Elementary? How can a person be so detached from any feeling at all toward another human being, much less the most vulnerable and innocent of all? These are the questions that haunt me.
     Man's inhumanity toward man is nothing new. The danger is, and in my opinion, has always been, when society ceases to have empathy toward one another. Justin Kievit had compassion toward Jared Stevens because he was able to empathize with Jared's struggle of living with the disease of cerebral palsy. In the absence of empathy comes the absence of compassion.
     Justin and Jared's story highlights all that can be good in man. The assailant in the Sandy Hook massacre highlights the worst. The actions taken on December 14 were devoid of  humanity. Where does that leave us? What is the difference between these young men? I am not smart enough to have the answers to all of these questions. My goal in writing you today is not to give you answers. My goal is to lead you to the One who does.
     Only God knows how men can view other men as less than human. In my opinion, that is the only way these events could take place. I discussed in my post "Louder Than Words" the impact touring the Auschwitz concentration camps had on me. It became very clear during that experience that evil was allowed to take place because the absence of humanity had taken place. That absence of humanity was a result of the absence of empathy.
     The captors in the concentration camps viewed their captives as animals, as less than human. My question is; HOW? I do not have an answer for me or for you. I wish I did. I hesitate to show you these pictures. Yet I feel led to at the same time because they are a graphic example of the inhumanity I am grappling to understand. They were taken as a remembrance of those who suffered such evil:

Broken baby doll and baby clothing.

Children's shoes.

Brick and hay cubicle beds (?) meant for multiples of  8 to sleep in.

Eyeglasses.

Prosthetics...
This display spoke volumes to me, as I have multiple health issues.
I would have not been allowed to survive for very long because
I would have been "defective" in the eyes of the Hitler regime.

Human hair.

Blankets woven from the human hair that was confiscated...void of humanity.

Gas canisters used in the gas chambers.

      Once again...void of humanity. Evil personified.

      These are but a few of the images we captured while touring Auschwitz. Such devastation. So many indignities to so many. All because of man's inhumanity to man. What more proof do we need of our desperate need for a Savior?  No more proof is needed.  All one has to do is observe man's behavior toward one another. I believe the only thing holding back complete evil in this world is God Himself and that day will end when no man knows Mark 13:32-37 NKJV. 

     In my post titled "Better than a Hallelujah" dated December 19, I said that our nation had just "had the wind knocked out of us" and we were all just trying to remember to breathe. This was in response to the events that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary five days prior to that post. 

     Our nation is still grieving and will continue to do so, yet in the midst of our grief there comes a point that we must decide to move forward because in the meantime, we have work to do! We must not grow weary of doing good!  Galatians 6:6-10 NKJV

     We can move forward because we serve a High Priest who has great empathy and compassion for us   He set the example to show us the way to love others even in the midst of devastation and indignities. Hebrews 4:14-16 NKJV.    

     My song and my prayer for us today is in the form of a challenge for us all, in fact it's a dare. Like the song titled  Dare You to Move by the band Switchfoot. Please take a listen to it when you are able.   
   What happens next? What happens next?...I dare us to move, I dare us to move, I dare us to lift ourselves up off the floor!...maybe redemption has stories to tell, maybe forgiveness is right where we fell...we have work to do! Romans 12 NKJV "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good". (vs 21)

Blessings,

Songbird