Pilgrim Footsteps

It's been a frustrating few (well, several) months. Every time things take a little break, more just begins to build up again. As I was talking with God last night, I was feeling very messy and weighed down. He told me I was carrying too much and I had to give it to Him. "I know, God, but how? How do I give it to you?" Knowing me so intimately, as He knows each of us, He told me to write down what I'm carrying. One topic after another came quickly from the end of my pen. Seven topics (with sub-specifics) later, I had quite a list of very honest things that I was carrying and a much lighter feeling. It worked. (Of course it did; if God says to do it, it will work.) I felt lighter, less worried and weighed down, and my mind and heart were clearer and ready for a good night's rest. So may I suggest that you try this as well? If you're feeling weighed down, messy, overwhelmed, etc (and especially if you like words as I do), take a moment to write d...

I’ve stood in grand cathedrals overlaid in marble and gold and it was cold and empty as a whitewashed tomb, leaving a bad taste in my mouth and hurt in my heart. Was this not meant to be a house for the Church? A meeting place for a spirit-filled people? Because it isn’t that. The grandest of cathedrals I’ve been in are not picturesque and classical works of architecture. They’re a place in the woods, surrounded by God’s own creation; rocks by the ocean, the incessant pounding of the surf a simile of God’s heartbeat of love; a room with deep blue tile and basic furniture full of worshippers with tears on their faces; a school built of cement and block and rebar. It’s not the building that makes a cathedral truly beautiful, but the hearts of worship within it.

The road under my feet was thoughtlessly familiar, past farm houses, barns, fields, a creek, and sporadic bicyclists that I gave a smile and a nod or wave to as they went by. The occasional car bumped down the pitted road full of potholes that were perpetual puddles if not in drought. As I walked, I had a chat with God about my future and what was ahead and all that stuff that a 19-year-old had to say the summer before her last college semester. The truth that He spoke into my on that walk lightened my steps over the gravelly country back road. I can leave my books because Your Word is the only book I need. I can leave my old writings because my words are Yours and You are the books I will write. I can leave my memories and mementos because You are my past, present, and wonderful future. I can leave my familiar culture, the familiar ground because You are the air I breathe and the ground on which I stand. You are my familiar; I am at home in You. I can leave ...

I decided to write about the topic that I recently spoke on at my old high school's Wednesday morning bible study.  But I'll start out with a little background. When I received an email asking me if I would like to speak, I said yes and wrote the date in my planner.   However, I had no idea what to talk about. Whenever I speak somewhere, I always wait for God to give me the idea, so I know it's what He wants me to say, and it is important to me because He laid it on my heart.  But this time, it certainly was taking a while!  Finally, I heard a little urge on not planning. Not planning?! How was I going to get away with that topic when there would be teachers listening?   But God wasn't finished explaining yet.  So finally, my lesson was ready - Planning with a disclaimer - allowing for God's spontaneity.  And here is the lesson that grew and was presented. From grade 2, I had a lot of plans.  They have changed over time, a...

Finally, Part 4 of what I learned about the early church while reading through Acts. This will highlight a few stories and sum up all of my posts. They had some incredible things happen When God is involved, incredible and truly awesome things happen. And truly, it is always unexpected. After all, God does what he wants (Psalm 115:3)! Some of these instances have been previously mentioned in more general terms, but they were some I really enjoyed and wanted to use to point out once again their way of life. The church prayed without ceasing for Peter when he was imprisoned, and he was visited by an angel and freed. When he returned, they thought at first that he was a ghost. (Acts 12:1-17) Some Jewish leaders who got mad at them "laid their hands on the apostles" and put them in prison. And angel came at night and opened the doors and freed them and told them to "tell the words of this life" to the people. (Acts 5:1820) They stoned Paul...and he...

Here is Part 2 of what I learned about the early church through reading Acts.  They used the power of Christ in them In the second chapter of Acts, those in the upper room, waiting together for the Comforter as Jesus told them to, were filled with the Holy Spirit. They used that Holy Spirit power of God working through them, as was intended! They prophesied, saw visions, dreamed dreams, did signs and wonders. They healed and delivered people from demons. This was how God was showing them to live and work, through the power of the Holy Spirit, of Christ in them, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).   They exhibited the power of Christ in them, and many knew it. For example, people waited for Peter's shadow to fall on them as he passed (Acts 5:15)! Everyone brought with sickness of unclean spirits were healed. When Paul sen out pieces of cloth he had toughed, people were healed and delivered (Acts 19:12). They rose the dead through the name of Jesus (Acts 9:3...

Acts has been on my mind a lot lately, and in my prayers.  When I read Acts, I do not see the churches today that exist in America, or many first world countries.  I see something different, something that we are missing today in the contemporary Christendom.  And it makes me sad at all that we are missing out on.  So I began a study as I read Acts, recording how the early Church functioned.  So here is part one of what I found. They were in one accord (and I don't mean the Honda joke) In the very beginning of Acts, the followers of Jesus, doing as He commanded them, were waiting in one accord to receive the Holy Spirit. Because I love words and knowing exactly what was trying to be said, and since Acts says more than once about them being "in one accord," I decided to look up the definition of "accord," as a noun, since that is how it is used. Dictionary.com says that it means "proper relationship or proportion; harmony" [ok, so the early church ...

So far I’ve posted the introduction as well as the verses of water.  Now it is time for the deeper and higher aspects.   Habakkuk 3:10 mentions all three aspects that I was searching for, so it’ll make a good connection point.  “The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high.” God is to be worshiped everywhere, from the deepest to the highest! So where shall we begin?  How about in the deep. “In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also,” says Psalm 94:5.  In the deepest place, God is still in control and we are still in his hands.   God is in the very depths that we cannot descend to.  He is everywhere!  The deep also seems to be where God’s wisdom and depths of knowledge are, where we can only try and get to know Him better.  Daniel 2:22 says that “he revealeth the deep and secret things...

There seems to be two different kinds of water mentions in the Bible: water that represents troubles, and water that represents cleansing, life and blessings.  I didn’t bother to write down the verses where it is representative of trouble, since that is no the context in which I am finding the water theme, and if I wrote them down too, I’d be recording every single verse with that word in it. There is a sense of water being a cleanser, for instance in Leviticus 11:32 (as well as Numbers 8:7 and other mentions in the Old Testament), “And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.”  Also in Ezekiel 36:25, "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I clea...

I will be writing at least two parts that go with this topic: first of all, there needs to be background explained (not too much, don't worry!), then the most recent development, and then (which I am still working on) I will be sharing some Biblical studies I did on the topic.   So to begin, at the New Year's worship that our youth group had, Ryan played a bunch of songs that had been special to us throughout 2014.  As I listened (songs such as "Oceans," "Sinking Deep," "You Make me Brave," etc.), I realized a common theme to the songs and then I realized it was also present just in what God was doing: water, waves, etc.  I mentioned it to Miranda and she agreed.   Next came what happened at the youth retreat, which I mentioned in the post "Refreshing Joy."  But in case you didn't read that, or you need a refresher on it, here it is again. During a pause in worship, Kyle told Miranda and I that he got a picture of a ke...

I realized something that, really, we should all realize a lot earlier than I did (which was just the other weekend): True laughter is not from something being funny, it is from feeling joy.  It seems like a pretty simple concept, but I really think that many people miss the point.  I mean, think of it this way - everyone who goes to a third-world country sees destitute and starving children who laugh and giggle often and wonder why they are laughing.  Because they have joy!  They do not need "funny" or things to make them happy, they have joy!  And yet in America and other world powers have everything they need to make them "happy" and hanging out and joking makes things "funny," but what about true joy?  Happiness and joy are most definitely not the same thing. True joy makes you laugh.  True joy is a tangible taste on your tongue.  True joy makes you want to dance and sing.  True joy comes from God.   So, I started right i...

We think we’ll drown, not trusting the One Who waits just ahead of us, reaching out His hand. We think we’ll fail, not noticing the One Who is smiling in encouragement, knowing our worth. We think we’ll lose the battle, not seeing the One Who needs only His command to win the war for us. We do not trust the power we have Christ in us, the hope of glory. We do not claim that power as ours, to Heal the sick Move mountains See visions Bring miracles. We fear, and He whispers to us, “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? With God all things are possible.” Part of my inspiration for this poem was the powerful verse, Colossians 1:27: "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:" We have Christ in us!  We need not doubt that all things are possible through Him who gives us strength!

*For this poem, which I got during a late night worship with my youth group (so, I wrote it around 1:30 AM), God gave me the idea for two different endings; however, I couldn't and still can't decide which is the best, so I give you both and you can choose which fits you better.* She looked inside the door one day, Curious what was inside. To her disappointment, it was another door, This one of a glass so opaque Nothing was visible. She tried to brush off the dust, But when a few particles drifted away, Still she could not see though. Determined to see though to the other side She scratched with her nail Decided that if it was dirt She would scrape it off until it was clean. She was sure there was crystal clear, Sparkling glass underneath. Her efforts got her nowhere The glass was as opaque As the very beginning. “Won’t you help me, please?” She uttered the words quietly at first. To her delight, the glass became Suddenly lighter. ...

Without the fire we’ll never fly to the heart of heaven… Flames flicker Jumping through the darkness Unafraid To send sparks into the darkness. This fire, meant to refine, Can be painful sometimes But only at the first touch. Once t he flames consume the dross… Lay it all down for the heart of heaven… …It no longer hurts. Instead, it empowers. Only a life flamed by fire Is a life worth living. After all…only hot or cold, Never lukewarm. A Holy Fire is the only one That does not destroy. This fire brings joy everlasting. *This poem was written by inspiration from Jason Upton's song Burning in the Sky.   The words in italics are his lyrics, not my words!*