God as Redeemer: Replacing Loss with Something Only He Can Give

Have you discovered that God wants to redeem things that you never dreamed possible?

Well, I have embarked on that discovery and I believe it is one of the most beautiful and

touching things about God.  I am understanding that this is nothing less than solid

evidence of His love for me, so it changes my perspective of things I believe I

had lost.  I also believe, knowing the character and faithfulness of God, that I will see

possibilities in my life like never before.

Time and again in His Word God shows His redemption.  And because He has already

redeemed the most important things in my life.  He has redeemed me from hell, from second

death, from condemnation, from sin. His words cause me to be expectant and hopeful about

what God can do in situations of extreme loss.

In Isaiah, He asks, "Is My hand shorted that it cannot redeem?"  And in the book of

Jeremiah, He says, "I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked and I will redeem

you from the grip of the terrible".  So I know that no matter what has been lost or

stolen in my life, God will restore it in some way.    In Psalm 34, God tells me that

He redeems the soul of His servants.  Of course it's always in His time and His way,

but I know that there will come a point when I no longer feel the pain of certain losses.

The Lord has shown me lovingkindness and tender mercies.  In all things, I worship Him

as my God and my Savior, my Protector and my Deliverer and my Redeemer! His praise is

always on my lips no matter what the circumstances, because He has graciously showed me

that He alone knows how to repair and rebuild no matter how much damage has occurred.

I am confident that I will never experience any loss so great that He cannot restore or redeem

it in some way.

Lord, thank you for loving me so great that You desire to restore my life in every way.

Redeem me and revive me according to Your Word. (Psalm 119:154).  Draw near to my

soul, and redeem it.  (Psalm 69:18)  Redeem me and be merciful to me.  (Psalm 26:11)

Thank you for all the redemption You have already worked in my life, please continue

to redeem my life in ways I never dreamed possible. I proclaim that You alone, God, are

the God of Impossibilities!  You are Faithful.

Useful in His Hands

1 Peter 4 says that Christ suffered "according to the will of God".  For me, it's predominately the last 2 years that I've been able to better understand what God is after in His dealings with me, in my sufferings.  Of course, at the time of what God was putting me through, I had no understanding of what God was doing and why He was allowing it.  Do we ever?  It has only been by His grace and my chasing after Him in chunks of solidarity....craving His voice... that I am able to know and understand why He has allowed certain suffering in my life.  God has strengthened me as no other time in my life.  He has supernaturally transformed me to more intentionally live for Him.  He has made known His Lordship over my life and what His desires are for me and He has loved me so sweetly.

Hoping each day that I live with His divine perspective planted in my heart.  I am basking in His love for me that He would do this in my life.  I am so thankful that I am on the other side of those sufferings in some sense.  I am so thankful that He chose me to be His bond-servant. it's the only true way to really live! Containing His Joy and having the honor of reflecting Him!  He has taught me how to live with contentedness where I am... to view this life as saints that have gone before me and carrying a quiet longing for Him as I journey nearer to that time.  I really DO love my Savior with all of my heart, mind and strength and I will serve Him all the days of my life.  How could I not?  He has given me peace that surpasses all understanding.

I WANT RENEWED

I want God to deliver me!  I want to be renewed this year.  I want God to change my emotions, attitudes, and patterns of thought.  I want Him to take all of the pain endured the last couple of years and turn them into beautiful praise for Him!  I want Him to pour out His Spirit upon me and make my heart open to receive all He has for me.  I want Him to make my mind clear so I can better understand His Word.  I am humbly asking Him to refresh, enrich, enlighten, free, fulfill, and HEAL me.  That He will breathe life into the dead areas of my existence.  That He will infuse me with His power and His JOY!  I am asking Him to fill my empty places, liberate me from bondage, take away my fears and doubts, grow my faith, and give me the pearl of great price: PEACE.

For now, I am praising and worshipping Him, no petitions, just that He would do a mighty work in me!  Simply  basking in His love and tenderness for me.  My heart wants to express my utter dependence on Him, my total submission to Him.   David spoke of praising God constantly.  He said, "I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth." Psalm 34:1.  I want to do this, I want this great blessing.  I want to really seek the LORD my God, and I am told in His Word that if I seek Him with all my heart and with all of my soul I will find Him.  I want this!  My spirit is longing for Him in a new way! John 4:23 tells me, "The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him".  He wants to reveal Himself, His glory, and His power to those who look to Him.  What a treasure, I want this treasure!  My heart and my spirit are longing for Him to fill it.

I am asking God to revive me, to ignite my God-given passion for HIM!  I want Him to be my focus and experience His love so abundantly!  When I am praising God, the tornados of life will still swirl around me, but I believe that I will see God move on my behalf.  I understand the hidden power of praise.  It's not me saying, "I'll give it everything I've got, and the Lord will bless it," but rather it's the Lord saying, "You just bless My name, and I'll give it everything I have."  It's His character.  He wants my love and my worship and praise, oh He deserves this and so much more.  In only Praise and Worship of Him, this is my dwelling place for now.  I want His kindling afresh and His JOY overflowing!  "As the deer panteth after water, so my soul panteth after You!

 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.”   Psalm 91:1-2

Sometimes a Song Says It Perfectly!

This beautiful song by Big Daddy Weave,
Every time I listen,
I am singing these very words.
To set the tone for future blogging, I think this is fitting.
Because,  I "Could Not Have Said Any Better."

If I told you my story
You would hear Hope that wouldn't let go
And if I told you my story
You would hear Love that never gave up
And if I told you my story
You would hear Life, but it wasn't mine

If I should speak then let it be
Of the grace that is greater than all my sin
Of when justice was served and where mercy wins
Of the kindness of Jesus that draws me in
Oh to tell you my story is to tell of Him

If I told you my story
You would hear victory over the enemy
And if I told you my story
You would hear freedom that was won for me
And if I told you my story
You would hear Life overcome the grave

If I should speak then let it be
Of the grace that is greater than all my sin
Of when justice was served and where mercy wins
Of the kindness of Jesus that draws me in
Oh to tell you my story is to tell of Him

This is my story, this is my song
Praising my savior all the day long
This is my story, this is my song
Praising my savior all the day long

Living in These Truths!

He calls you beloved (Romans 9:25).You are his treasured possession (Deuteronomy 7:6).You are His child (John 1:12, Romans 8:17).You are free (Galatians 5:1).You have been redeemed (Ephesians 1:7).You have been and will be restored (1 Peter 5:10, Colossians 1:13-14).You have been and can be forgiven (Hebrews 10:17, 1 John 1:9).

I am FREE and living to only PLEASE HIM!

How Do I Describe the Last Two Years?

If anyone would ask me to describe the last two years in China, I would have to say something like: God literally took my life and shook it up!  When I think about it, it's still so shocking to me.  He used my obedience in ways I would've never dreamed and He changed me more than I thought possible.  While we were preparing to move I didn't even think about being changed, really.  When you serve cross-culturally, I don't believe most people even think about what God is going to do to them.  I didn't. And I'm happy I didn't know what was coming, I would have been scared to go. He knew that though.  He also knew that His Mighty Strength would be enough for me in my weakness.  

I still cannot believe what He let me be a part of!  It was extremely hard at times with many struggles, but what I received is way more than I would have ever thought or imagined.  It was because of obedience.  It was because He knows what's best for me,  I don't.  We think we do, but we don't.

If Glenn and I would have said, no, we would have missed some of the biggest blessings of our life!  Making life-long relationships with Chinese students, sharing the "greatest news" with some, getting to be in the classroom with them each week doing our best to teach them our language, living life with them on campus, worshipping with some, celebrating with them in their accomplishments, listening to their hearts.... And in all of this, becoming changed more for Him!  We LOVE Chinese students so much and in the years to come we look forward to building relationships with more Chinese on campuses, continuing communication with all of our Chinese friends still in their homeland, ministering to our Chinese friends that have come abroad and sharing with many how the hardest thing that God asks you to do will actually bless your socks off!  You won't believe what He will do with your "yes"!

Something Beautiful I Have to Share.

O LORD,

I marvel that thou shouldst become incarnate,   be crucified, dead, and buried.The sepulchre calls forth my adoring wonder, for it is empty and thou art risen; the four-fold gospel attests it, the living witnesses prove it, my heart’s experience knows it.Give me to die with thee that I may rise to new life, for I wish to be as dead and buried   to sin, to selfishness, to the world; that I might not hear the voice of the charmer,   and might be delivered from his lusts.O Lord, there is much ill about me — crucify it, much flesh within me — mortify it.Purge me from selfishness, the fear of man, the love of approbation, the shame of being thought old-fashioned, the desire to be cultivated or modern.Let me reckon my old life dead   because of crucifixion, and never feed it as a living thing.Grant me to stand with my dying Saviour, to be content to be rejected, to be willing to take up unpopular truths, and to hold fast despised teachings until death.Help me to be resolute and Christ-contained.Never let me wander from the path of obedience to thy will.Strengthen me for the battles ahead.Give me courage for all the trials, and grace for all the joys.Help me to be a holy, happy person, free from every wrong desire, from everything contrary to thy mind.Grant me more and more of the resurrection life: may it rule me, may I walk in its power, and be strengthened through its influence.

- “Crucifixion and Resurrection” from The Valley of Vision