what stirs my affections?

Hundreds of students singing to their Heavenly Father

at the top of their lungs simply because He loves them. 

I love this.  

rainy days.

confession. 

secretly, i enjoy rainy days. they put me in a reflective mood. makes me move slower and take in all that the day has to offer. my heavenly father knows that i needed to slow down my mind today. so, thank you for the rain...

getting into you

when i made up my mind,

and my heart along with that

to live not for myself, but yet for God

somebody said"do you know what you 

are getting yourself into?"

when i finally ironed out

all of my priorities

and asked God to remove the doubt

that makes me so unsure of these

things I ask myself, I ask myself

"do you know what you 

are getting yourself into?" 

i'm getting into you

because you got to me

in a way words can't describe

i'm getting into you

because i've got to be

You're essential to survive

i'm gonna love you with my life

when he looked at me and said

"i kind of view you as a son"

and for one second our eyes met

and i met that with a question

"do you know what you

are getting yourself into?"

i'm getting into you

because you got to me

in a way words can't describe

i'm getting into you

because i've got to be 

you're essential to survive

i'm gonna love you with my life

i've been a liar and 

i'll never amount to

the kind of person you 

deserve to worship you

you say you will not dwell on what i did

but rather what i do you say

i love you and that's what you're getting 

yourself into

i'm getting into you

because you got to me

in a way words can't describe

i'm getting into you

because i've got to be

you're essential to survive

i'm gonna love you with my life

He said, i love you and that's what you are getting yourself into

- Reliant k

taken.

Last night, I went to see the movie, "Taken", with some friends. What I watched was not what I was expecting. It is a movie about a father and a daughter. She decides to take a trip overseas. While she is there, she is kidnapped and sold for sex. The father then sets his mind on finding her and does not give up. He pursues and fights and pursues and fights. I walked away from this movie with mixed emotions. I walked away with a sense of pride and protection by knowing that the God that I serve is my perfect Father who pursues me and fights for me and protects me at all costs. I saw an example of His love, His deep love for His daughters. When we are caught up in the ways of the enemy, He finds us, fights for us, and frees us from all of our adversaries. I also walked away with a deep hurt for those women in the world that are being sold into prostitution and sex. It cuts me deep to even try to put myself in that position. A life full of feeling worthless and lack of feeling treasured, how can one think? 

This morning I read Psalm 10, again being reassured by the Father that He is there. He is taking care of His people. 

"In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;

let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised. 

For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul,

and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord...

he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket;

he lurks that he may seize the poor;

he seizes the poor when he draws them into his net...

Arise O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; 

forget not the afflicted,

But you do see, for you note 

the mischief and vexation,

that you may take it into your hands;

to you the helpless commits himself; 

you have been the helper of the fatherless.

O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted;

you will strengthen their heart;

you will incline your ear to do justice 

to the fatherless and the oppressed,

so that man who is of the earth may strike

terror no more."

He is faithful to the oppressed and beaten. That is what I cling to this morning with my heavy heart. 

bob and joan.

Recently, I was presented with the opportunity to travel with my staff team to the wonderful (and extremely cold) city of Boston. We worked with The Boston Project, an amazing ministry centered around being the hands and feet of the gospel. They are spending their days serving the homeless and those in need of an extra hand. I was very taken aback at the rarity that I do this in my own personal ministry. However, with the grace of the Lord, I am compelled to learn from my lack of service in my past, and move on to find ways to serve His people. 

While we were there, we met an older couple that The Boston Project has served many years. Their names were Bob and Joan. We entered their warm home with precious Joan taking our coats and as we were handing them off, wide grinned Bob comes slowly around the corner with a big "Well, Hello!" You could see all over his face that this moment with us had been a deep anticipation within him all day long. He walked us, with walker in tow, into the room where we would be visiting. He then begins to share with us the reason why this room was his favorite room in the whole house. He points with his finger to the picture on the wall. It is a beautiful picture of Jesus. "I like to sit here and look at Jesus," he says. Already tears are springing up in my eyes for the beauty that is pouring out of this couple. Immediately we begin by telling them our names and why we are here. Joan is up and about placing cookies and chex mix in our hands and pouring hot cider that she had made into mugs for us. Joan is a sensational caretaker. And you can tell she enjoys serving. An attribute of Jesus that she understands. There is something very unique about this couple that I haven't yet mentioned. They are an interracial couple. As soon as we get past the greetings, Joan proceeds to tell us their story. An interracial couple of their age is very rare due to the timing of when they fell in love. They tell us the many obstacles they had to face, the judgement and the scorn. Joan's mother did not approve. They couldn't find a church that would marry them. Finding an apartment to live in was even difficult. No one approved. Even when they had children, it took people a while to understand that Joan was their mother, even though she was white. People just didn't look past the color. Bob would discuss the moments of the two of them having to sit in the back of the bus, and the back of theaters. Each one of us sat there with tears streaming. How could this precious couple been treated so poorly? To me, this couple is the beauty of innocence in their old age. They have been through so much, but yet, they were not bitter, they were not giving us a civil rights speech. They were just telling us their story with such peace and forgiveness that can only flow from the Spirit. 

"Blessed are the pure in heart, 

for they shall see God."

Matthew 5:8

"Innocence. Purity. Child-likeness. Wonder. These are the attributes that we must walk in if we hope to see God's majesty... Innocence is at the root of who we are meant to be, and must remain at the heart of who we are. Imagine entering heaven with a higher level of innocence and wonder than when we started our journey with Him!" - Graham Cooke

I hope that when I am their age, I have the same kindness and joy and love pouring out of me to others that they showed to me. They displayed Jesus within them.