My Faithful God

This season with the Lord has been palpable. It was so intense at first with the crystal clear message that He will take care of me. Lately, He's been teaching me different things... things I've never really given much thought to before. Maybe these intense feelings are due to the materials that I've been reading and hearing... all intertwined messages... so maybe it's just the recurrence of topics that makes it seem so vivid to me. Maybe not. Maybe it's my faithful God speaking loud, and clear, and letting me know the Greatness of who He is.

Over the past few months, I feel like he's been pulling back the veil for me. The first thing I started to hear from God was very simple.

I am BIG. 

I read a devotion from my home pastor (who is super, crazy talented and a phenomenal teacher) about the size of God. Please, let me share.

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaim his handiwork." Psalm 19:1
Nothing helps us comprehend the majesty and power of God with greater clarity than nature. Whether it's the canopy of stars at night or the array of animals and plants during the day, creation is a choir that enthusiastically sings praise to God. 
One of the affirmations creation makes about God is that He is GREAT! Here's an idea of how great. If we could travel the speed of light (186,000 miles per second), it would take 100,000 years just to cross from one side of the Milky Way galaxy to the other. Let me help you appreciate that a bit- traveling at the speed of light would allow us to go all the way around the earth (at the equator nonetheless) about 7.5 times in a second. Wow, that's fast! And astronomers tell us that there are literally 170 billion galaxies like the Milky Way in the observable universe. now, let's bring this all into perspectie. Isaiah 40:12 states that God measures these galaxies by the width of His hand....

I just got to the end of that sentence and got lost in the mystery of Him for weeks. I couldn't shake the grandeur of Him. He measures galaxies with His hand....

But then, I also read a book called 'Love Does' by Bob Goff. The message of the book is simply putting love into action. It's a great book of how God used this man's willingness to love extravagantly in world changing ways.  I follow Bob and twitter and one day he posted this:

"Raid in Southern India today. 5 arrested. Ten year old girl rescued. God searches relentlessly for each of us."

He searches relentlessly for each of us. 

This same time period, our church released their amazing new worship CD. (Please consider downloading it from itunes and be evermore blessed.) Below are the lyrics to one of my favorite songs. Click here to listen.

The skies are Your design. You amaze me.

Still you make Your place in my heart.

Darkness trembles at the light of Your grace,

Still your mercy stands for me. 

You formed the corners of the earth with Your hands.

Yet You gave Your life for me. 

The oceans bow at Your command. You're mighty!

Still You whisper peace to me...

This creator God.  His greatness is beyond our finite comprehension. The ultimate authority of everything... He measures galaxies by His hands... yet he is in relentless pursuit of His children. For Me. For You. We are the ultimate desire of His heart. In the midst of the cosmos, he is faithful to speak peace into our hearts. I can not understand. I can only shake my head in amazement of His mercy. 

"Christ dazzles me and stirs within me such feelings of amazement that I can never get over Him."
AW Tozer

Shortly after this, I started hearing another message. I'm positive due to the reading of 'Love Does'... 

DO, now.

Until now, I've never really felt the call for missions. My faith has been a receiving faith. Fill me up. Teach me. Move me. I also have a young 'un, so whenever opportunities to serve have been offered, I've had a solid excuse on why I couldn't be involved. I'm having a major change of heart. I was blessed to have been raised by a woman who DID. We grew up in clothing banks and food drives and camps in service of others. I knew the fulfilling feeling of helping others even from a wee one. But, somewhere on the road to life... i seemed to run out of time to help others. 

I don't have the finances to pay people's bills, or the sense of security to go into the inner city neighborhoods alone, but I know God is just telling me to open my eyes... the need is great, and if I will continue to focus on Him and long to be used, He will show me where He can put my feet to the ground in His Name. So I've been praying 'Lord, let me help' on repeat. Opportunities are opening up before me. Thoughts of future service are coming together. The desire to go on a mission trip one day is now deeply rooted within me. I want more than anything for my child to grow up like I did. Knowing exactly how to love and serve because it was shown so often to her. I want her to know that our front door is a revolving door where women can walk in our house and learn about Jesus. Or where they can come and we will pray over them. I want our home and our life to be a place of unhindered love and compassion. 

A few weekends ago, I had the opportunity to serve at a christian retreat in Mississippi called 'Emmaus'. My mom was the director of this particular camp and my whole family served. It was a women's week at the camp and I was able to walk alongside of these 'campers' (for lack of a better term) for four amazing days. The stories. The hurt. The healing. The laying down. The freedom that these women experienced was like nothing I've ever experienced. Literally watching the reflection of God come to these women's faces as they learned to truly live in God's grace was magnificent. I could not have more gratitude for my mother for allowing me to serve these women whole heartedly for 4 days. She filled this desire for me... and left me totally convinced that my place now is in pouring myself out so that others can feel the engrossing love of the Father. 

This quote reminded me so clearly of our gracious God in the midst of this weekend: 

"For Christ and the soul are made for one another, and when they are brought together, deep speaks to deep and wounds answer wounds.' E. Stanley Jones

Oh, Amen Amen Amen. 

As of today, He is already teaching me more... a new message. I can't wait to share. Until then, I continue to look around and see Him everywhere. His goodness written all over each new day. I am so thankful that He is giving me a changed heart, and open hands, and confidence to walk in faith where I am sure that He is leading. Lord, pour me out....