Confession 249: The Presence

The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. 
After the wind there was an earthquake,  
but the Lord was not in the earthquake.   
After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. 
 
 And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
     

When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Have you been in the presence of God, lately?  Tell me, what did you hear?
Blessings and Peace,
Sara 

Confession 247: Refreshment

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 At the end of a busy week, I find myself in need of refreshment for my soul.  I love that I can go to the Word and find what I need.  Here is some “refreshment” from Psalm 19.

Blessings and Peace,
Sara
The law of the Lord is perfect,
    refreshing the soul.
 
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
    making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right,
    giving joy to the heart.
 
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.
  
 The fear of the Lord is pure,
    enduring forever.
 
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.

Confession 256: Kite Flying

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 I took you from the ends of the earth,
    from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;
    I have chosen you and have not rejected you. 
 So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:9-10
  
My oldest started Kindergarten a couple of weeks ago.  It's great, and he loves it, and we are slowly finding our rhythm in this new stage of life.  But, like most transitions, it wasn't an easy one to make.  Parent Night was especially difficult for me.  So many emotions coursed through my body.  Anger and bitterness emerged as I dealt with the fact that I am not working in the school which my son attends.  I've had to let go of the picture in my head of us walking to and from school together, sharing our days with one another.  And there were the tears which stung my eyes as I walked through his new classroom and watched him explore his new "home'. 
 
In sharing all of this with a friend, I received from her this encouraging word.  
 
 
"Our children are like kites.  We hold the string at the end of the kite, and when they are first born we keep the kite string very short and they are right by us.  As they get older, we continue to let the kite string out, so they can grow in their independence.  You are just letting your kite string out a little more with this step, but remember you are never letting go of the string that ties you to Garrett.  Just think of the parents taking their kids to college.  Whew!  Their kite strings are really getting long, but no parent ever lets go of the end of the string."
 
As I was reading her e-mail, it occurred to me that this analogy is true for our relationship with God, as well.  God says, "I am with you".  Jesus reiterates that in the Gospel of Matthew when he tells his followers:
 
Remember, I am always with you until the end of time.
Matthew 28:20
 
Even so, there are times in this life when we feel as if we are being carried away by a strong wind.  We feel as if we are a kite that has broken off from it's string, tossed and battered in the wind.  It can be easy to forget that God is still there holding onto our string.  Why doesn't he reel us in?  Because, what would we learn if he did?  How would we grow in our faith if God never let us ride on the wind? 
 
In Hebrews 6 the author speaks of the importance of Christians growing and maturing in their faith.  We can't grow in our faith if God protects us from all the ups and downs of life.  Time and again Scripture shows us that it is through the struggles of life that real faith emerges.  It is in those times of trials that God is able to show us his mighty hand. 
 
 
And so, he lets us fly through both the gentle breezes and the raging storms of this human life.  However, no matter how far we fly, God never lets go of the string.  Through it all, he charts our course and leads us where he wants us to go.


And so, as hard as it will be as my children grow and mature, I rest assured that there are stronger hands than mine holding their line!!




Blessing and Peace,


Sara











					

		
		
			





			
				



	
	

					
Confession 255: The Pastor’s Wife
			


	


				

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Call me lazy, but with the start of school (at which I work and just got promoted from paraprofessional to Teacher’s Assistant), the start of play practice (of which I am directing) and the start of youth group (at which I am helping) I haven’t had a lot of time to keep up on the blogging!!  I’m starting to get a schedule worked out, but it’s definitely an adjustment period.  Therefore, I am re-posting a piece I wrote and published over on Cooking Up Faith a few weeks ago.  If you’ve already read it, I’m sorry.  If not, let me know what you think!!


Blessings and Peace,
Sara 


 


To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.


1 Peter 5: 1-3








I met my husband at seminary.  He was working toward a Master of Divinity degree while I was working toward a Master’s in Christian Education.  I was drawn to him the first time I saw him.  It wasn’t long before I realized that I had met the man God intended to be the one I would walk with through this life.  Of course, that also meant that I would soon become “the pastor’s wife”.  That was not something I had ever planned on!  




I remember sitting in a council meeting when my husband and I were introduced to a new congregation some years ago.  After Chris had talked about some of the things he wanted to do, one of the members looked at me and asked, “So, what are you going to do in the church?”  I completely froze.  What was I going to do?  I had no idea there were any expectations for me!  




Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to serving the church.  God has equipped me with my own set of gifts and has given me opportunities to use them in every one of the congregations we have served.  However, it is Chris who was called by God at a young age to go into formal ministry.  It is a role he takes very seriously, and he throws his entire being into shepherding his flocks.  Therefore, I try and support him in that.  I serve as a confidant, a critic, a think tank, an editor, a fielder and a fan.  




One of the most difficult aspects of being a ministry spouse is watching the person you love be hurt by members of the congregation.  There can be a dark underside to church leadership where church members become more interested in personal power than in being a follower of Christ.  I have, on occasion, watched as Chris’ integrity has been attacked and as his intentions have been misrepresented and miss communicated.  It is heartbreaking as a spouse, because when he hurts, I hurt. 




Furthermore, when your pastor’s family is hurting because of the church, the congregation’s ministry will suffer.  It’s so hard to motivate yourself to walk into the doors of a church and engage in relationships with people when your family is hurting because of the words and actions of fellow believers.  It’s hard for a pastor to engage in effective ministry when he/she is constantly feeling the need to put defenses into place.




Please don’t think that being part of a ministry family is not a rewarding experience.  I love this life that God has called us to!  I get the opportunity to love on and encourage people on a regular basis.  It’s one of my favorite things to do!!  I love leading women in Bible study, working with our youth and engaging in mission projects.  We are blessed right now to be serving a congregation that is full of Christ’s love.  They have adopted our children and seek to love and nurture and lead them into a life with Christ.  God has given us opportunities to bring others to him, to help our community, and to be in relationship with many different people.  God is working in the midst of our congregation, and what a joy it is to be able to work alongside him!!




Now, when someone asks me what I’m going to do for the church, I know what to say.  I’m going to do whatever God calls me to do in whatever fashion he wants it done.  And I’m going to continue to seek him and to grow in him so that when my race is finished he might say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”



					

		
		
			





			
				



	
	

					
Confession 244: Kindergarten
			


	


				

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Our oldest son is starting Kindergarten tomorrow, and I have to confess that my husband and I are having a harder time than we expected letting him go.  My dad assures me that he will, indeed, come home again.  But it’s so hard not to be there when they take these first steps into big-kid-hood!!  My husband wrote a beautiful article the other day that gets to the heart of what we’re both feeling, I think.  So, I twisted his arm to let me share his words.  He doesn’t like people to know he has a sensitive side! 🙂


Blessings and Peace,
Sara


  


“Back To School” 




Teacher meetings began last week, back to school or meet the teacher night is tomorrow and Thursday will be the first day of school.  Another year full of possibilities, another year full of potential.  Highs and lows, successes and failures, opportunities seized and opportunities lost, chances to shine and excel, new friends to meet, new love to explore, heartbreak to experience, victory and defeat, championships to be won and lost, and above all lessons learned.




These are just some of what is typically experienced during a typical school year, although we all know there is no such thing as a typical school year.  It begins with such promise and excitement, new clothes and hair styles, new school supplies and high hopes.  




This school year has me feeling a little sentimental.  On Thursday morning we send Garrett off to Kindergarten.  The new backpack has been purchased (Lego Star Wars, of course), all the supplies have been carefully purchased and placed in said backpack (complete with Spiderman pencil box), the school clothes have been carefully picked out and the excitement mounts.  Garrett has asked so many questions about school and what he might experience.  He is worried about people thinking he is silly.  He is worried that his favorite new shirt might not be all that cool.  




Daddy is worried too.  It seems like it was just yesterday that I held that little boy in my arms for the first time, him already holding his head up high and looking all over, taking in his surroundings and this strange new world he had just entered.  Now, in a couple of days he enters a new world where Mommy and Daddy can’t be there to catch him if he falls, we can’t be there to sooth him when someone hurts his feelings, we can’t be there when he needs us.   




Now, I know that he doesn’t need us as much as we think he does, but this new world he is excited about exploring is inevitably going to cause him joys and pains, he will meet new friends and also have his feelings hurt by others, he will learn many lessons, some through pain.  For a parent, standing back and watching, knowing that pain is going to come and that there is nothing I can do about it, is hard.  Our little boy isn’t just beginning school this week, he is entering a new world that is out of my control.




Countless reflections come to mind as I think about how God watches over us, his children, as sees all the pain and hurt that is in front of us.  As I think of the anxiety I have about Garrett starting school and going slightly beyond my control (although that boy has never been controllable), I wonder about the feelings God must have as He watches his children everyday hurting each other, making decisions that will lead to pain.  He could intervene, he could stay by us in a way that would ensure we never experience any of this, could protect us in a bubble and shield us from all potential harm.  He could do all that, but he doesn’t.  He knows that we will never become who we are created to be unless we experience pain and hurt, highs and lows, joys and sorrows.  God could protect us, but in the end, it would do us more harm.




So now, with my eyes starting to get misty as I think about walking away from Garrett on Thursday morning, leaving him alone to learn and experience, I must have faith that my Heavenly Father will be with him, (and me) as he begins to navigate this new, and not always easy, world.


As always, it is a pleasure to be your pastor and in ministry with you to a God who loves us enough to allow us to grow through all sorts of experiences.




Blessings,


Chris



					

		
		
			





			
				



	
	

					
Confession 243: Fan or Follower
			


	


				

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For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.  Romans 2:13




My husband just began a sermon series on the book, Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman.  The premise of this book is that many of our churches in the United States are really good at making fans of Jesus, but not true followers.  He says that our sanctuaries have become more like stadiums, where pastors and worship teams work to make Jesus more attractive and appealing to folks to get them in the door.  Sunday worship becomes the week’s entertainment, but not much more.  Churches work hard to make Jesus “cool”, which is really the last thing Jesus ever wanted to be.


 


I finished up a Bible study this weekend on the life and teachings of the Apostle Paul.  I was trying to decide where to go next.  I like alternating Bible study using book guides with Bible study using God as a guide! 🙂  I decided to light on the book of Romans for a bit because, quite frankly, I don’t like it.  I know that in the realms of theological study this statement is absolute heresy!!  The Book of Romans is the foundation of our faith!  Martin Luther actually taught that it should be memorized word for word by all Christians!  However, I must confess that often when a passage of Romans is presented to me to read all I hear in my head is: “Wahmp, whamp whamp, whamp whamp….”  (Do you get the Charlie Brown reference?)  It’s too heady for me, which is precisely why I felt convicted to spend a little more time digging deeper with the Spirit through Romans.  And what did God give me?  A verse that ties in perfectly with the things I’ve been thinking about these past few days!!  God never ceases to amaze and inspire me! 🙂




Paul says in verse 2:13 that it is not those who hear the law who are righteous, but those who do something with it.  It’s not enough to go to church every couple of Sundays and politely listen to what the pastor is saying about the Word of God.  It’s not enough to go to a women’s event once or twice a year and feel good about God.  It’s not enough to listen to K-Love while driving to and from work and occasionally humming along to the songs.  That’s what fans do.  God doesn’t want fans.  He wants followers.  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said.  






If we simply take in the Word, then our lives never change.  God wants to come bursting into our hearts and start rearranging furniture, not sit down and have a cup of tea!  The life of a follower is one of action.  We hear God’s Word and act on it.  We bring his Word to others.  We seek out ways to show his love to others.  We think and meditate on his Word.  We let it soak into our souls so that it may pour out of us into the world.  Do you know what Jesus called those who merely heard and recited the Law of Moses, rather than putting it into practice?  White sepulchres; pretty tombs.  There was nothing there beneath the surface.




I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be a pretty tomb.  I want my life to be vibrant.  I want deep springs of water bubbling forth from my soul.  I want to be a follower, running out on the field instead of sitting in the stands.  It’s hard work, there’s not a lot of glory here on Earth, it’s not glamorous and there’s a greater chance of injury.  But Paul says God’s followers will be declared righteous in the end.  And what could we ever hope to earn more than the favor of our Lord and Creator?




Blessings and Peace,


Sara



					

		
		
			





			
				



	
	

					
Confession 242: A Special Guest
			


	


				

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I'm so excited today to be hosting one of my favorite bloggers on my site.  Cooking Up Faith is a beautiful blog full of wonderful thoughts on faith and some fabulous recipes to boot!  After you read this post, go on over and look around at Cooking Up Faith.  You'll definitely go back for more!! 











Ever feel like you’re one step away from falling deep into a pit? We often question every decision we’ve ever made, and the ones we are making even now.  



 We wonder if we’ve got this all together – work, parenting, as a child of God…are we doing enough…are getting it right?? 





A tightrope walker will usually be okay on the rope as long as she’s balanced and looking straight ahead. 






  









But when she looks down her foot starts to slip, her legs wobble, and she’s one second away from falling.





She falls, but a cushion below catches her, bounces her back up.





When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your love, O Lord, supported me. 


When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul. 


Psalm 94:18-19





We fall daily. Not so much our failures. Though we have many in Christ Jesus there is no condemnation, no judgment, no punishment. 

It’s our eyes that fall – away from God and on to ourselves.


Our feet start to slip, our legs wobble, and we are one second away from falling into a pit of despair, anxiety, depression, insecurities. 

Yet, His love is there, His Word is there. We open up our Bibles and our hearts call out to Him; and our cushion catches us.

And we bounce back up. 

One of the best things I’ve ever done for myself is buy this little book…










It is full of scriptures arranged by topic; such as prayer, motherhood, God’s love, joy, strength, ect. 

I carry it around with me throughout the day. I even bring it with me in the car and read through it at stop lights. 

Being constantly in His Word is our constant source of hope and help in this fallen world. 

May our eyes not fall…may they be steady and balanced on Him. 

How gracious God will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you.
Isaiah 30:19










					

		
		
			





			
				



	
	

					
Confession 241: Drought
			


	


				

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We are in the midst of a drought.  The earth is dry, it has not rained significantly in 62 days, the grass is dormant and crops have withered.  The trees are going from green to brown; dead leaves litter the scorched earth.  The heat is unrelenting. We pray for water.




Like our land, our souls can wither in the midst of a drought.  Our hearts become hard and brittle.  Our hope burns up, scorched in the fires that life in this broken world can bring.  Our voices, once lovely and pure and full of the goodness of God become dry and scratched from the burning of bitterness as we search for meaning, as we long for purpose, as we thirst for wholeness.  We pray for water.




A woman comes to a well alone.  The day is hot.  The sun beats down upon her, another burden she is forced to bear.  Her soul is parched.  She prays for water.


A man sits beside the well.  He is alone.  He has no bucket, no pitcher, no means of drawing any water.  The woman is cautious.  There is no one to hear her call.  There is no one who would come if she did.


The man studies her.  “Will you give me a drink?”  His eyes hold no malice.


The woman stops.  Her pulse quickens.  She does not yet trust him.  Yet she needs to draw from the well.  She does what life has taught her to do.  She takes the defensive.


The man does not leave.  Nor does he come closer.  He stays waiting by the well.  “If you knew who I was, it would be you asking me for a drink.  And I would give you water to quench your thirsting soul.”


The woman studies the man.  The sun is hot, but her skin is cool.  She is afraid.  “Who are you?”


The man smiles.  It lights his face.  Hope emanates from him.  “It does not matter.  I know you.  I know your soul is parched.  This water you draw comes and goes.  But I have a water for your soul that will last forever.  Come out of the desert.”






The woman is overwhelmed.  Something breaks within her.  A trickle of water begins to flow.  She looks back at the town from which she came.  Would they believe?  Could there be a river of life in this desert place?  She lays her bucket on the ground.  “Please stay.  I’m coming back.”




And Jesus said, “….whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”  John 4:14






Blessings and Peace, 


Sara



					

		
		
			





			
				



	
	

					
Confession 240: Wait and See
			


	


				

					

		
				

			




Recently, my husband and I took our oldest son to be seen by a medical specialist.  We had hoped in the course of our consultation to get some answers to some problems our son had been having.  We came in expecting a plan of action to be put into place.  Unfortunately, instead of walking away with answers, we only had more questions.  And our hoped for plan of action became a wait and see.  My husband and I left the doctor’s clinic feeling angry and frustrated, confused and discouraged.  What were we supposed to do now?


As Christians, we can sometimes have a similar experience in our walk with God.  We go to God seeking answers for problems that arise in our lives and come away with more questions.  We ask God to act and are told to wait and see.  It can be frustrating, unsettling, and discouraging when we perceive that God is not showing up in our lives when we need him most.  But it is also in those times of perceived silence or indifference from God that our faith can deepen and grow.  We have to dig down deep to our spiritual roots and find the promises that God has planted within our souls.  We have to remember God’s faithfulness to his people throughout the generations of time and choose to believe that even though we can’t see him, we can’t hear him, we can’t feel him that he is there working to bring about his perfect plan for us.  We have to settle ourselves to wait and see the victory that God is bringing in his way and in his time.


The Lord reigns forever;  
    he has established his throne   for judgment.


He rules the world in righteousness  
    and judges the peoples with equity.   


 The Lord is a refuge   for the oppressed,  
    a stronghold in times of trouble.   


 Those who know your name   trust in you,
    for you, Lord, have never forsaken   those who seek you.   


Psalm 9:7-10




My husband and I went back to our GP the day after meeting with the specialist.  He was able to give us answers where the specialist couldn’t.  He shared in our frustrations and developed a wait and see plan of action that we were comfortable with.  He reassured us and validated our feelings and concerns.  He took time to care for us.




How much more will God our Father care for us in all aspects of our life!  God knows what we are going through, he understands all of what we are feeling, he knows when we are scared or hurt or disappointed or confused.  And unlike our medical professionals, God is working on our problem before we realize we even have one!!   Although God may ask us to wait and see, he never stops working on our behalf.






I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord  
    in the land of the living.   


 Wait   for the Lord;
    be strong   and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.


Psalm 27:13-14




Blessings and Peace,


Sara  



					

		
		
			





			
				



	
	

					
Confession 239: Patience
			


	


				

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But for that very reason I was shown mercy   so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience   as an example for those who would believe   in him and receive eternal life.  1 Timothy 1:16









Patience is not a virtue I have in abundance.  I don’t like waiting.  I always skim ahead about 50 pages in books I’m reading before I put them down to do something else.  I get frustrated when my children don’t do things immediately after being directed to do them.  My husband and I dvr all of our favorite programs so we don’t ever have to sit through commercials.  So, this verse made me smile today as I read it. 












Paul tells his adopted son Timothy that God showed him mercy so that God could have the opportunity to display divine patience.  I love that Paul recognized the fact that God would need a lot of patience in dealing with him.  Paul was, among many things, always brutally honest!!  Truth be told, however, this verse could really be applied to any and all of us.  




I don’t know about you, but I have a sneaking suspicion that God requires a lot of patience in dealing with me.  I am stubborn and bull headed.  I value independence and don’t often listen carefully to what God might be trying to say.  I can be willful and proud. Oftentimes, God has to smack me upside the head with his equivalent of a spiritual frying pan to get me going in the right direction.  God has showered me with his unending patience; he stands next to me and waits for me to turn to him, to listen and to follow.  





God is always there patiently waiting for each of us.  He waits for all of his children, arms open, ready to enfold them into his loving embrace.  God patiently waits upon us.  I think I would be well served to reflect some of that patience back on others today!





Blessings and Peace,


Sara