tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30636583329089876922024-03-13T14:54:47.188-07:00Down Gardenia LaneDown Gardenia Lanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12187706590120492318noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3063658332908987692.post-27011091569056207622013-04-28T11:47:00.000-07:002013-04-28T11:47:01.963-07:00God's Chosen People
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This past week, my family and
I visited Philadelphia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kevin’s ongoing
experimental eye treatment requires follow-up visits which we have turned into
annual vacations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year we decided
to take the girls and show them the many historic spots of that great
city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We built many great memories this
past week, enjoying that time away as a family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Kevin made the comment that the hotel room seemed much more comfortable
this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I agreed that it did indeed,
and yet we weren’t sure why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At one
point, Kevin mentioned that he understood what it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s the girls,” he said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That’s why it seems like home.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I agreed wholeheartedly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Philadelphia has grown into
my heart in the past four years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve
probably made 7 or 8 trips out there, and truly God has given me a love for the
city, as well as the people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each time that
beautiful, familiar skyline comes into view in my small plane window, my heart
always leaps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And each time I watch that
same skyline fade out of view past the window, my heart always feels a bit of
sadness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truly, Philadelphia has made
its way into my heart.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The day we were to leave,
Friday, I told Kevin that I wanted to walk once more around the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He gave me his blessing, and I left him with
the girls to finish up the last minute search of the hotel room for any lost
items that may have been overlooked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I started walking toward
Independence Hall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My heart thrills each
time I see the sight of this great building where God brought together the
people and circumstances to form this great nation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our Nation’s history is an amazing testament
to our great God indeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no
other explanation for why the impossible became possible…13 absolutely
different and very self-centered colonies came together in compromise and an
attitude of serving the greater whole rather than themselves alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I stood on that beautiful
green lawn stretching out in front, I noticed a woman jay-walking across the
street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I quickly realized she was the
same woman I had talked with briefly the day before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is the kind of lady that sticks in your
memory…you won’t easily forget her, and she does not fade into any crowd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She appears homeless, and rolls a small pink
open-top cart behind her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The layers of
sweaters and the pink child’s sweater that she has draped around her shoulders
immediately alert in my mind that this is the same woman from the day
before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A choice is immediately before
me…follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and go after this woman, or follow my
fears and continue my stroll.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I chose the former, with much
trepidation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I walked down my side of
the street to cross at the crosswalk (no jay-walking for me!), I lamented the
fact that I had nothing to offer…no tract with the Gospel, no money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt empty-handed and cheap, until the
Spirit of the Lord whispered into my ear… “Silver and gold have I none, but
such as I have give I thee; In the NAME OF JESUS CHRIST of Nazareth, rise up
and walk!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had everything I needed to
speak to this woman…the NAME OF JESUS!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Courage poured into my heart as the Lord Himself ministered to my need
of the hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I crossed over Market
Street, and quickly followed the path I had last seen her take.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spotted her with her pink roll cart sitting
on a park bench as she sorted through the items inside (the same exact position
I had found her in the day before).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
said, “Hello.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked up,
startled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started again, “Hello, we
met briefly yesterday.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She replied,
“Oh, yes, you are the woman with the children.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The day before, the girls and
I had taken a short walk around the backside of our hotel as we waited for our
taxi driver to arrive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had walked
down a beautifully cobbled foot path past a Jewish Synagogue, and that is where
we had met this woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told her “Good
morning.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked at me, and I
ventured further, “It’s a beautiful morning.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Yes, it is,” she had agreed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
then said emphatically, “My skin has a problem right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I AM NOT on drugs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am going to a doctor this afternoon.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now that the Lord had brought
her back into my path a day later, I asked her how her doctor visit went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Honestly, I thought she may have made that
up, but she quickly told me all about it in a way that I felt that she truly
had seen a doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(She later mentioned
that she was going to the doctor because someone did this to her skin…that it
was a legal issue.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then said, “I am
glad the doctor was able to give you answers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve been praying for you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She said, “I am a woman of
prayer as well,” to which I replied, “Oh, you are a Christian!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She immediately corrected me, and said, “No,
I am not a Christian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am a Jew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My Messiah is still coming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is NOT Jesus.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then said, “Oh, so you are one of God’s
chosen ones!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I could see her face light up
with joy that someone recognized who she was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“I am indeed,” she happily replied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“I am one of His chosen people.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I am thrilled to meet you, a
Jewess,” I replied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I have been
fascinated with God’s chosen people for some time, if not a wee bit envious,
but I am very thankful that I have now been counted as one of His through
Christ.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Oh, no, you are not one of
His chosen people unless you are Jewish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Christ lived, I believe, but He was not the Messiah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our true Messiah is still coming,” she
replied.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“With all due respect,” I
said gently, “I believe He has already come, and died on the cross in our
place, so that we might go free, so that we might be able to have a personal
relationship with God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His name is
Jesus.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“No, No, No!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus was not the Messiah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t believe all the terrible reports that
they made about him that he drank the blood of his followers, BUT he was not
the Messiah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our Messiah is still
coming!” she repeated even more emphatically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I could see that I had reached an absolute block in our
conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this point, I tried a
different approach.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Okay, I understand that we
believe very differently about this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
are entitled to believe as you choose, just as I am.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She nodded her head emphatically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“However, we do have something in
common.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We both serve the same Old
Testament God.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She nodded her head, and
appeared very interested. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Would you mind if we prayed
together right now?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Okay,” she said,
hesitantly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“You pray for me in your way,
and I’ll pray for you in mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would you
like to go first or shall I?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“You go first,” she said
quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Now, I am going to pray the
way that I normally do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please don’t be
offended if I say something that you do not agree with, because I am sure that
I may.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I understand,” she
said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You HAVE to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have to pray the way that you believe.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Accepting her offered grace,
I placed my hand on her and proceeded to pray.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thank
you, Lord, for this beautiful morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank
you for this lovely park, the trees, the birds, the warmth of the sunshine…all
of which speak Your Name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you for
all the people that are in the park this morning, each one uniquely created by
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you for my lovely new
friend…(PAUSE).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I looked at my new friend,
and said, “You know, I haven’t even gotten your name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is your name?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She replied, “Hannah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My name is Hannah after the Old Testament
Hannah, you know, Samuel’s mother?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I replied, “I love your name,
Hannah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s beautiful and the story of
Hannah and Samuel is one of my favorite.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Mine too,” she replied.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We again bowed our heads, and
I began once more…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thank you for my lovely new friend Hannah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you for helping her to find answers at
the doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you that her health
issues are being cared for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pray
health and wholeness to Hannah’s body for Your glory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pray that You bless her with every
spiritual blessing, and give her peace and a greater understanding of You.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you that we were able to meet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Jesus’ Name, Amen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She said, “That was a very
nice prayer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, for us, we pray...<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Shalom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I personally love that way of beginning to
pray.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She obviously didn’t know
where to go next with her prayer, and so she began speaking to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the midst of speaking to me, she would say
something like, “Give Amanda and her family health.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later it was “Give Amanda and her family safe
travel today.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was obvious that she
wasn’t entirely comfortable with the idea of praying and the idea of a personal
relationship with God was entirely unfathomable, which made sense considering that
Christ would not have paved the way for that to be possible, since she was yet
awaiting her Messiah.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Through her prayer, however,
I felt completely cared for by her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
was offering me a piece of her heart, and I received it gladly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then her prayer began to get
very personal and revealing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And
I have very much anger in my life, because of what others did to my family,
because we were Jews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anti-Semitism
(behavior discriminating against Jews) has destroyed so many of my family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mother came from Romania and she and my
grandparents were very unjustly treated by Nazis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And many people hate Jews, and I have hate in
my life for people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But now that I’ve
met Amanda, I know from the love in her heart that this is not always true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some people like Amanda love Jews and I now
wish to be more constructive with the anger in my life, because not everyone is
like what I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">At that point, I understood
what God’s purpose was for me in speaking to Hannah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted Hannah to know Christ’s love, and
He used my faltering attempts to speak that love to Hannah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Hannah’s mind, Christians were responsible
for the hurt to her family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Adolf
Hitler, among many others, did his destructive work in the name of Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many others proclaim Christ and yet do not
love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yet, she could not deny, that
here before her was a Christian who loved her, and not only her, but her Jewish
heritage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God had been preparing me for
this assignment for many years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Probably
nearly a decade ago, God gave me a love for His chosen people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I received a card with a picture of Jerusalem
on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I taped the verse “Pray for the
peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you.’” (Ps. 122:6).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many times I would glance at that card, and
whisper a prayer for God’s chosen people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Through those prayers, my heart grew more and more in love with God’s
chosen people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I spoke those words
to Hannah, I did not say them out of obligation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I truly love her and her people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I know that God allowed her to feel that
love.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I do not worry that I have no
“fruit” to show for my encounter with Hannah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She is, as of the point of our conversation, still lost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She does not know or believe that Christ has
set her free from sin and death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has
rejected Christ; she believes that her Messiah is yet coming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I planted seeds within her
heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She now cannot lump Christians into
one Jew-hating group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She now has
received Christ’s love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is now
forced to rearrange her thinking, and process this new information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe that Hannah will know Christ as her
Messiah, in God’s timing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was not my
assignment to rescue her, but rather to love her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I rest that He is her Messiah, not me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am simply grateful that He used me to plant
a seed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Down Gardenia Lanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12187706590120492318noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3063658332908987692.post-38662761280968535542010-06-22T11:58:00.000-07:002010-06-22T12:45:56.977-07:00Jesus, the Sweetest Name Given in Heaven and on earthMy brother Robert recently incubated some pheasant hen eggs. Around twenty came into the world full of life, ready to make the most of their days here. But three little ones were immediately aware that life can be a place of suffering. Their little legs wouldn't do what they had been created to do. My heart bled as I watched their movements. They so desperately longed to do what instinct told them they could do...walk about freely. I so desperately longed to fix their legs and help them to walk freely, to free them from their prison, and the certain death that would follow such a handicap. They would never survive, helpless even to get a drink for themselves. I wanted to help, but instead, I could only watch helplessly. My daughters stood with me silently watching, eyes wide with sadness as they became aware of the suffering of these tiny birds.<br /><br />I couldn't tear my eyes away from them...I cried silently inside, "Oh, God...God...help." I didn't cry only for three little pheasant chicks, but for all the suffering in the world and everyone affected by it. God created a beautiful world, perfect in every way. He wanted us to enjoy the beauty and serenity of it; instead we chose our own way. He didn't stop us from choosing our own way; He could have, but then would He truly be love? Forcing us to stay with Him where we are safe? Even though He knew what we were opening ourselves up for, He let us have the free choice to walk away from Him. Imagine the stabbing pain in His heart as He knew what our now-chosen father Satan, would do with us? He knew that our choice to serve ourselves and have our own way meant that we opened ourselves up for the enemy of our souls to wreak whatever havoc on our lives that he chose. He even knew of the suffering of three little pheasant chicks thousands of years later, that would be a result of this choice for man to be his own.<br /><br />And He cared! Praise God He cared!!! He would not leave us in the pit we had dug, but chose to offer us a way out. We still have a free choice, and no one will make it for another. It is yours alone to make, but the way out is there. The hand of salvation is offered and we can walk in freedom from the hand of the enemy! JESUS, the sweetest name in all of Heaven and earth...there is none other name given wherewith we can be saved! Praise Him! When He hung on that cross bearing all the sin and suffering of every soul that has ever and will ever tread this sod and said, "IT IS FINISHED!", He meant that. At that moment it was finished. Those who believe in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins now reign! We are sons and daughters of God, with Christ's own righteouness imputed to us! When God looks at me, He doesn't see Amanda as the sinful person that she is. He sees me as Christ, fully righteous. 2 Cor. 5:21 "God made him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." And so, even though three little pheasant chicks still suffer unjustly, even though the battle seems lost, THE WAR IS WON! Hang in there, dear brothers and sisters in Christ! We reign because of Him!Down Gardenia Lanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12187706590120492318noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3063658332908987692.post-56777222043182598072010-04-30T03:59:00.000-07:002010-04-30T04:30:19.691-07:00Recognizing IdolatryHow many 'idols' do I have in my life? This question has been burning in my mind for some time. A few months ago, my daughter Ava was going through a toy catalog with a typical carnal mindset. Every page that she turned to, she said, "I want this for my birthday and this for my birthday and this for my birthday." I went before the Lord for wisdom in how to get to the root of this materialistic attitude that I saw in her. It was tempting to simply deal with her behavior (the typical 'if you ask for one more thing, you'll get nothing'), but I knew that her heart was where she really needed attention. God revealed to me that her heart was building idols out of the things in that magazine. Idolatry? You may think that is too harsh of a term for a three-year old. However, truth remains that <em>anything</em> that we want more than God, we are idolizing. I went to Ava and asked for the magazine. I told her that it had become an idol and that we would have to put it away for a time. She shed tears, but handed the magazine to me willingly. After about two weeks of distance from the magazine, God poured out onto Ava's heart the strength that she needed to look at the magazine without idolizing it. Praise His Worthy Name!Down Gardenia Lanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12187706590120492318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3063658332908987692.post-9477919796050013212010-02-06T11:58:00.000-08:002010-02-06T12:06:36.794-08:00A Fresh PerspectiveLast night as I was lying in bed waiting for sleep to overtake me, my mind was reflecting on my many shortcomings and weaknesses. I said to Kevin, in a rather discouraged voice, "I am so weary of dealing with my flesh." Once more we lay in silence, until Kevin, tongue in cheek, said only this, "I like your flesh." We laughed together and enjoyed a special moment of shared tenderness.<br /><br />I am so blessed by a husband who loves me without reservation, who is my spiritual leader, and yet, at just the right moment, gives me a fresh perspective and helps me to laugh at discouragement. In Christ, we ARE overcomers. Because of this TRUTH, we can laugh at the hopelessness of becoming holy, because it isn't us that does it. We can rest in Him.<br /><br />Thank you, God, for the blessing of a husband who is just plain FUN to be around, and who keeps this serious-minded woman from caving in on her own seriousness.Down Gardenia Lanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12187706590120492318noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3063658332908987692.post-38633120443956090692010-01-30T11:50:00.000-08:002010-01-30T12:07:42.303-08:00Blessed be His NameIt is only right for me to give my Maker some sugar after all He is to me...God, you are awesome! Thank you for all the good and perfect gifts that you give. It is fast becoming a joy to give up my will for Yours. "He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it."<br /><br />Well, hello! I am Amanda Swartzentruber and we do live down Gardenia Lane. Lots of life happens here and we are blessed. We are a household striving to serve the God of the Holy Scriptures, and although we are most certainly unfinished, we are finding the grace to overcome as the needs arise. (And do the needs ever arise!!!) God is so faithful. May you find refuge from the storms of life in His arms...blessings to you and yours.Down Gardenia Lanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12187706590120492318noreply@blogger.com0