Bold faced type proudly proclaims the product, the news, the gist of a story. It's the hook.
Bold colours like in an autumn landscape create joyful oooo's and aaaah's.
Bold men and women venture deep into the ocean to explore places unknown.
Bold is different. It stands above the constant hum of daily life.
Wait a minute...I thought Christians were supposed to be humble. Or are boldness and humility actually partners?
What?!
How is that even possible?
In Christ it is. It's a paradox.
Being a bold Christian means I have chosen to march to the beat of a different Drummer. I think that says it all because being a Christian is being different. Praise God!
I don't know if I shared that I have been anxiety free for a while now. I am even downright happy!
In mulling over the amazing healing the Lord has brought into my life, I realize that my behaviours have changed. I sing louder. I am not afraid to face a new piece of flute music at Friday night worship team rehearsals. Not that long ago having to sight read a piece would have sent me on an anxiety merry-go-round.
I find myself checking in with what's going on inside and end up wide-eyed in amazement at the transformations that have taken place. I feel different. Better. Free. I laugh a whole lot more.
To be bold is to live without shame, without fear. Or better yet, bold is doing something even when I am afraid simply because I trust in the Lord who is with me in all things. He's always got my back.
Being bold is leaping out of the boat. It's washing feet. It's turning the other cheek. It's letting go of living by the sword.
It's living the paradox of humble boldness and, like a candle draws a moth, we are a light unto the world. All praise, honour and glory to our Lord, Jesus Christ.
"Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." Eph 4:23-24
Saturday, 29 April 2017
Friday, 28 April 2017
Heroes by Susan L.
Affirmation, day 30. "I am blood bought." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
The civilian who ran into a burning building to pull an elderly man to safety is honoured with a Cross of Valour for her selfless act. The Canadian soldier who sacrificed his life to save his brothers on the battlefield is posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. The Golden Retriever who leapt into a raging river to save a child is given the Dickin Medal for canine bravery.
We need heroes. We need to celebrate their accomplishments because it offsets the grim realities of the evening news.
Super Man, X-Men, Wonder Woman. The comic book industry has made a fortune because we need to see the world saved over and over and over again. We need to see that evil can be vanquished. Usually following the bad guy laughing maniacally over his plans to take over the world. It never happens.
We need these stories about overcoming adversity. They have been part of human culture, probably, since we could talk.
I'd never really thought about Jesus as being a super hero but He did what heroes do, die to save someone else. Actually, a whole lot of someone elses.
He didn't need a cape. Simple robes were sufficient. He didn't need boots that could make Him fly. Simple sandals protected His feet from the stony roads He travelled. He didn't need a mask or a helmet to protect a secret identity. Simple truth was very clear about who He was.
For a time, the world loved Him. That love became a threat to those who wanted to control their world and the people under them. The status quo was very profitable.
And a hero's tale of epic proportions begins the moment our Hero died.
The Bible tells it all. Stories of resurrection, rebirth, renewal, grace, and love. Stories of truth, justice, peace and hope. Stories of miracles, deliverance, faith and brotherhood lay within its pages.
I am humbled to be part of this eternal story. I am honoured to be among His chosen. Most of all, every time I take communion I am reminded that He loved me enough to lay down His life and pay the final price to save my soul.
Hmmm, it turns out I don't need Wonder Woman after all.
"I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected." Hab 2:1
The civilian who ran into a burning building to pull an elderly man to safety is honoured with a Cross of Valour for her selfless act. The Canadian soldier who sacrificed his life to save his brothers on the battlefield is posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. The Golden Retriever who leapt into a raging river to save a child is given the Dickin Medal for canine bravery.
We need heroes. We need to celebrate their accomplishments because it offsets the grim realities of the evening news.
Super Man, X-Men, Wonder Woman. The comic book industry has made a fortune because we need to see the world saved over and over and over again. We need to see that evil can be vanquished. Usually following the bad guy laughing maniacally over his plans to take over the world. It never happens.
We need these stories about overcoming adversity. They have been part of human culture, probably, since we could talk.
I'd never really thought about Jesus as being a super hero but He did what heroes do, die to save someone else. Actually, a whole lot of someone elses.
He didn't need a cape. Simple robes were sufficient. He didn't need boots that could make Him fly. Simple sandals protected His feet from the stony roads He travelled. He didn't need a mask or a helmet to protect a secret identity. Simple truth was very clear about who He was.
For a time, the world loved Him. That love became a threat to those who wanted to control their world and the people under them. The status quo was very profitable.
And a hero's tale of epic proportions begins the moment our Hero died.
The Bible tells it all. Stories of resurrection, rebirth, renewal, grace, and love. Stories of truth, justice, peace and hope. Stories of miracles, deliverance, faith and brotherhood lay within its pages.
I am humbled to be part of this eternal story. I am honoured to be among His chosen. Most of all, every time I take communion I am reminded that He loved me enough to lay down His life and pay the final price to save my soul.
Hmmm, it turns out I don't need Wonder Woman after all.
"I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected." Hab 2:1
Thursday, 27 April 2017
I am Blessed. Eph 1:3 by Susan L.
A tickle starts somewhere under your eyeball deep inside your skull. One eye begins to water. The nose joins in. Then the other eye. Facial contortions that would please a silent movie director ripple over your face as you blindly search for a tissue. Nope. An elbow will have to do.
At a hundred miles an hour, air is painfully forced through your nostrils.
The sonic boom is met with a startled yelp from the person sitting in front of you on the bus.
"My goodness," they say, "Bless you!"
Okay, that was fun but what does it really mean to be blessed?
Blessings are the divine inheritance God has put aside just for me, for us, for everyone.
Jesus died to make us heirs to His kingdom.
It's not the kind of kingdom that comes with a castle, a moat and a throne. The treasure room sits empty of a golden hoard. It has no boundaries to its lands because it reaches around the world and into the heavens.
Every person in His kingdom is of royal blood.
It's hard to live up to. Maybe because I can't. At least, on my own.
His kingdom is backwards. Victory is won by doing nothing except choosing to surrender my life to Jesus time and again. It's not like helplessly waving a white flag surrender of utter defeat because a white flag is the banner of rebirth and renewal. It means I need Him. It means I want to live according to the calling with which I have been called.
It means I want to live in and through God's blessings because by doing so, He can use me to bless others with life and light and hope.
I am blessed in all that I do, the writing, art and music.
I am learning to embrace the blessings of who I am in Christ.
That, my friends, is a work in progress.
"But to each of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift." Eph 4:7
His priceless gift was His life.
At a hundred miles an hour, air is painfully forced through your nostrils.
The sonic boom is met with a startled yelp from the person sitting in front of you on the bus.
"My goodness," they say, "Bless you!"
Okay, that was fun but what does it really mean to be blessed?
Blessings are the divine inheritance God has put aside just for me, for us, for everyone.
Jesus died to make us heirs to His kingdom.
It's not the kind of kingdom that comes with a castle, a moat and a throne. The treasure room sits empty of a golden hoard. It has no boundaries to its lands because it reaches around the world and into the heavens.
Every person in His kingdom is of royal blood.
It's hard to live up to. Maybe because I can't. At least, on my own.
His kingdom is backwards. Victory is won by doing nothing except choosing to surrender my life to Jesus time and again. It's not like helplessly waving a white flag surrender of utter defeat because a white flag is the banner of rebirth and renewal. It means I need Him. It means I want to live according to the calling with which I have been called.
It means I want to live in and through God's blessings because by doing so, He can use me to bless others with life and light and hope.
I am blessed in all that I do, the writing, art and music.
I am learning to embrace the blessings of who I am in Christ.
That, my friends, is a work in progress.
"But to each of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift." Eph 4:7
His priceless gift was His life.
Wednesday, 26 April 2017
I am Blameless 1 Cor 1:8 by Susan L.
"It's not my fault. I can't help myself. The devil made me do it."
"They make me so frustrated!"
"Why does so-and-so make my life so difficult? If only they would change, things would be much better."
"If God were a loving God this wouldn't have happened!"
Blame is all about looking for ways to justify and hold on to toxic emotions.
Blame grants permission for hurtful actions and poor choices.
Blame is a way of validating those behaviours and choices.
Blame gives the gossip fodder.
Blame gives the abandoned and the wounded the right to hold onto anger and bitterness.
Blame erases the need for responsibility, accountability and self-determination.
Blame is the dark throne of judgement.
Blaming is far easier than looking in the mirror.
Whew. That came down pretty hard, didn't it? Yet, by identifying the darkness, the Light begins to shine into the deepest corners.
I am grieved that all of these attitudes have been a part of my life at one time or another. Thank You, Lord, for Your gentle convictions that are helping me be better than I am. Thank You for encouraging me to purge what is unacceptable in Your sight from my heart and soul.
It's only been through His tender tutelage and care that I have been able to stop thinking of myself as a victim. Yet, as part of the healing process, I had to be one for a while. It helped me come out from under the suffocating blanket of being blamed for the hurtful choices others had made. I was burdened by false responsibility. By being a victim, I was able to break down what was mine to own and what needed to be given away.
The ability to forgive and be forgiven has happened one layer at a time.
Making a conscious choice to forgive is like launching a bomb that blows blame to smithereens.
Grace then has a place to build her garden: the ravaged, upturned grounds where blame once grew.
"I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." 1 Cor 1:4-9
"They make me so frustrated!"
"Why does so-and-so make my life so difficult? If only they would change, things would be much better."
"If God were a loving God this wouldn't have happened!"
Blame is all about looking for ways to justify and hold on to toxic emotions.
Blame grants permission for hurtful actions and poor choices.
Blame is a way of validating those behaviours and choices.
Blame gives the gossip fodder.
Blame gives the abandoned and the wounded the right to hold onto anger and bitterness.
Blame erases the need for responsibility, accountability and self-determination.
Blame is the dark throne of judgement.
Blaming is far easier than looking in the mirror.
Whew. That came down pretty hard, didn't it? Yet, by identifying the darkness, the Light begins to shine into the deepest corners.
I am grieved that all of these attitudes have been a part of my life at one time or another. Thank You, Lord, for Your gentle convictions that are helping me be better than I am. Thank You for encouraging me to purge what is unacceptable in Your sight from my heart and soul.
It's only been through His tender tutelage and care that I have been able to stop thinking of myself as a victim. Yet, as part of the healing process, I had to be one for a while. It helped me come out from under the suffocating blanket of being blamed for the hurtful choices others had made. I was burdened by false responsibility. By being a victim, I was able to break down what was mine to own and what needed to be given away.
The ability to forgive and be forgiven has happened one layer at a time.
Making a conscious choice to forgive is like launching a bomb that blows blame to smithereens.
Grace then has a place to build her garden: the ravaged, upturned grounds where blame once grew.
"I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." 1 Cor 1:4-9
Tuesday, 25 April 2017
Bells by Susan L.
"I am betrothed." Hosea 2:19-20
And I am stuck with no idea where to start.
Maybe by breaking down the word, "betrothed" I'll get somewhere. It means to be promised to and held to that promise for a year. In Jesus' day, it meant the bride price was paid to her parents.
I can't seem to get the songs from the musical, "Fiddler on the Roof" out of my head. It's about a Russian Jewish family with four daughters in the early 1900's. The father struggles to ignore age old Traditions in order for his daughters to be happily married to their loves. He was even forced to break an agreement with the local butcher for the hand of his eldest daughter (set up by a matchmaker). The butcher was older than him! It's full of tender, poignant sweetness; both funny and heart wrenching at the same time.
He was a father who loved his daughters and was willing to do anything for them. Including breaking the rules.
If an earthly father can care so much, how much more does our heavenly Father care for us?
God's Word says it all.
""Therefore, behold, I will allure her, will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her. I will give her her vineyards from there, and the valley of Achor as a door of hope; She shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt. And it shall be, in that day," says the Lord, "That you will call Me 'My Husband' and no longer call me 'My Master.'" Hosea 2:14-16
I researched the valley of Achor. It was a reference to terrible trials that had happened in the past. It seems to me that it is also foreshadowing Christ's sacrifice on the cross.
My heart and head feel like they are about to explode. I need to think on this a while longer. For the first time in my walk of faith, I think I can embrace the idea of having a Bridegroom watching over me and waiting for the day we meet face to face. Amen!
And I am stuck with no idea where to start.
Maybe by breaking down the word, "betrothed" I'll get somewhere. It means to be promised to and held to that promise for a year. In Jesus' day, it meant the bride price was paid to her parents.
I can't seem to get the songs from the musical, "Fiddler on the Roof" out of my head. It's about a Russian Jewish family with four daughters in the early 1900's. The father struggles to ignore age old Traditions in order for his daughters to be happily married to their loves. He was even forced to break an agreement with the local butcher for the hand of his eldest daughter (set up by a matchmaker). The butcher was older than him! It's full of tender, poignant sweetness; both funny and heart wrenching at the same time.
He was a father who loved his daughters and was willing to do anything for them. Including breaking the rules.
If an earthly father can care so much, how much more does our heavenly Father care for us?
God's Word says it all.
""Therefore, behold, I will allure her, will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her. I will give her her vineyards from there, and the valley of Achor as a door of hope; She shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt. And it shall be, in that day," says the Lord, "That you will call Me 'My Husband' and no longer call me 'My Master.'" Hosea 2:14-16
I researched the valley of Achor. It was a reference to terrible trials that had happened in the past. It seems to me that it is also foreshadowing Christ's sacrifice on the cross.
My heart and head feel like they are about to explode. I need to think on this a while longer. For the first time in my walk of faith, I think I can embrace the idea of having a Bridegroom watching over me and waiting for the day we meet face to face. Amen!
Monday, 24 April 2017
I Belong To God, John 17:9 by Susan L.
Be longing...wanting to be part of something bigger than myself, to be in community and relationship, to be needed and accepted. To belong.
The devil made sure I always felt my square peg personality would never fit in with others because there only seemed to be round holes no matter where I went. Round hole personalities were ruthless in guarding their territory. Maybe because they were afraid someone might find out they were square pegs, too.
I learned to lie, to hide my feelings, to be a chameleon who adapted and modified my behaviour in order to be accepted. My true self got lost in the wastelands of the wilderness.
Oh, I worked really hard at being everything others expected me to be but ended up failing miserably. I could never do enough to earn love and acceptance. It ended with me being cast aside like unwanted trash. For this, I am eternally grateful, because in being rejected, in reaching the end of the great pretending, I have found a better life than I ever thought possible.
I belong to God, now.
"You are worth loving," He told me nearly a decade ago. He's spent the last decade showing me why by tenderly and gently unravelling the lies I believed of myself and others and even about Him.
Because He belongs to me.
"I (Jesus) will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." Jn 14:18
The devil made sure I always felt my square peg personality would never fit in with others because there only seemed to be round holes no matter where I went. Round hole personalities were ruthless in guarding their territory. Maybe because they were afraid someone might find out they were square pegs, too.
I learned to lie, to hide my feelings, to be a chameleon who adapted and modified my behaviour in order to be accepted. My true self got lost in the wastelands of the wilderness.
Oh, I worked really hard at being everything others expected me to be but ended up failing miserably. I could never do enough to earn love and acceptance. It ended with me being cast aside like unwanted trash. For this, I am eternally grateful, because in being rejected, in reaching the end of the great pretending, I have found a better life than I ever thought possible.
I belong to God, now.
"You are worth loving," He told me nearly a decade ago. He's spent the last decade showing me why by tenderly and gently unravelling the lies I believed of myself and others and even about Him.
Because He belongs to me.
"I (Jesus) will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." Jn 14:18
Saturday, 22 April 2017
I am a Believer, Romans 10:9 by Susan L.
Yes. Yes. And yes! With a capitol "B"!
What does that mean, though?
It means sacrifice because of the One who sacrificed so much in order to reconcile us with God. Hmmm, that line has been used many times to shame fellow believers. This is not my intent. It's not religious sacrifice or even about living according to the "rules". It's not about giving stuff up because I have to. It's about understanding and embracing the calling with which I have been called.
That calling is the sweetest love song ever. Even if I never changed, Love would be there.
But believing is about being changed. Not over night. Not right away. That's where grace comes in. We don't ask our children to run before they can walk. God doesn't ask that of His children either.
The greatest and most difficult sacrifice I have ever been called to make is a sacrificial offering of gratitude. It means praying thanksgiving for the bad things that have happened. I've prayed thanksgiving for the people who did the bad things. I've even been called to give thanks for the devil because without knowing evil, I cannot know good, better or best.
This opened the door to being truly thankful for the experiences that provided opportunities learn about the love of God.
Offering a sacrifice of gratitude opened doors for me to discover who God says I am because gratitude is like a pry bar. It give Love a gap to carefully lift the sealed lid of the tomb and uncover all the treasures it holds within.
Any archaeologist worth their weight unpacks ancient treasures with meticulous care. Everything is photographed, documented, measured and labelled before it is ever moved and shared with the rest of the world. I've watched shows on TV where skeletal remains have been found. The archaeologists treat these human remains with tenderness and respect, honouring the story they tell.
God is the Great Archaeologist. The difference lay with His Son who can and will make the dead rise and live. If we are willing.
Why do I believe?
Because I have learned to be vulnerable. Because for the first time in my life I have zero anxiety. Because my heart is filled with hope and excitement for the future. Because I am no longer afraid of goals. Because the cloud of grief and sorrow that hung over me for so long is gone. Because, even if there are trials in the future, in Christ, they will fall aside and victory will be ours.
But most of all, I believe because I have no idea how I kept going so long without Him.
"That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."" Rom 9:9-13
What does that mean, though?
It means sacrifice because of the One who sacrificed so much in order to reconcile us with God. Hmmm, that line has been used many times to shame fellow believers. This is not my intent. It's not religious sacrifice or even about living according to the "rules". It's not about giving stuff up because I have to. It's about understanding and embracing the calling with which I have been called.
That calling is the sweetest love song ever. Even if I never changed, Love would be there.
But believing is about being changed. Not over night. Not right away. That's where grace comes in. We don't ask our children to run before they can walk. God doesn't ask that of His children either.
The greatest and most difficult sacrifice I have ever been called to make is a sacrificial offering of gratitude. It means praying thanksgiving for the bad things that have happened. I've prayed thanksgiving for the people who did the bad things. I've even been called to give thanks for the devil because without knowing evil, I cannot know good, better or best.
This opened the door to being truly thankful for the experiences that provided opportunities learn about the love of God.
Offering a sacrifice of gratitude opened doors for me to discover who God says I am because gratitude is like a pry bar. It give Love a gap to carefully lift the sealed lid of the tomb and uncover all the treasures it holds within.
Any archaeologist worth their weight unpacks ancient treasures with meticulous care. Everything is photographed, documented, measured and labelled before it is ever moved and shared with the rest of the world. I've watched shows on TV where skeletal remains have been found. The archaeologists treat these human remains with tenderness and respect, honouring the story they tell.
God is the Great Archaeologist. The difference lay with His Son who can and will make the dead rise and live. If we are willing.
Why do I believe?
Because I have learned to be vulnerable. Because for the first time in my life I have zero anxiety. Because my heart is filled with hope and excitement for the future. Because I am no longer afraid of goals. Because the cloud of grief and sorrow that hung over me for so long is gone. Because, even if there are trials in the future, in Christ, they will fall aside and victory will be ours.
But most of all, I believe because I have no idea how I kept going so long without Him.
"That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."" Rom 9:9-13
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