It's Real

{sidenote: please go to www.sheseeks.org to read a powerful post that goes along with my post, this morning}

I am still living in the afterglow of what happened in my heart yesterday.

I was hit in the face by the power of the very Gospel I base my life upon. I was reminded of its unique ability to change lives. I was reminded of its impact. I was reminded of its message of truth, love and selfless service. I didn’t think I needed the reminder. But I did.

Without going into all the details, let it just suffice to say that the past two weeks in my house have been rough, at best. Others in the church have experienced the same thing. We’ve been tested and tried and felt weary and generally discouraged in certain moments. But we’ve pressed on, believing God for the outcome…knowing that His Gospel and the cause of Jesus Christ never comes up void, no matter what trials have to be endured to get there.

So as I sat in worship yesterday and listened to the Gospel preached boldly and unashamedly, it hit me square between the eyes. It was as if God had given me new eyes to see and new ears to hear, as if I were a child in my spiritual infancy hearing about the miracle of who Jesus is for the very first time in my life. It took my breath away. It shattered my complacency and moved me in the deepest places of my soul, agitating calmed waters that longed to be stirred.

The Gospel jumped off the pages of my Bible, jumped into my bones and infected me from the inside-out. Rarely do I remember a personal moment such as this one, in the bazillions of church services I have sat in in my 37 years of life.

After the service ended, in the midst of men in black shirts working their tails off to break down the stage and lights and serve God with their hands, I noticed a tall, young man making a beeline for my husband. He was weeping, almost uncontrollably. I watched as my husband took him to a side room, much more private than the one they were currently in. To respect their conversation, I won’t go into all the details of what was said between them. But what I will tell you is that this young man, who no one remembers inviting to our church, showed up, became infected by the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and went from death to life in a matter of 5 minutes behind a make-shift stage in a rented room.

And I was reminded, again, that the Gospel is so very real.

As I reflect on it this morning, I am still shaking inside from being hit between the eyes by the saving power of Jesus Christ. I’ve seen other people come to Jesus – many of them – in my years as a believer. But this one had particular impact on me. Maybe it was because the battle the week prior was strong and heavy. Maybe it was because of the reaction of a strong, healthy-looking young man weeping openly in front of people he didn’t know.

But I suspect it is more.

I believe I needed to be jolted back to the reality of Jesus Christ at this particular moment in my life. I believe I needed to go back to the beginning and remember what it feels like to fall madly in love with Someone who isn’t sitting in front of you but is more real than your own family. I believe I needed to see a tangible reason why all the hard work and effort of a fledgling, start-up church where people serve more than they are served is not only worth it, but gravely needed.

All I can tell you is that I sit at my computer this morning wanting to love God harder, serve God stronger, and share His message in a bold, new way. The Gospel has, once again, infected my being and I cannot write about anything else until I remind you of what I was reminded of yesterday…

It is real.

Romans 1:16 – “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…”

Glass-House Living

Confession time.

I just made a mad dash home to update this blog.

In the midst of dropping off my daughter for a playdate and taking the boys to Chick-Fil-A for some grub, I received a text from my girlfriend, Gwen, to let me know that my devotion, Secret Places, was running today on Girlfriends in God {www.girlfriendsingod.com}. Some of you may be stopping by for the first time after reading that devotion. Some of you may be my already-established friends who have come by to see what is new with me. Regardless, I am so glad you arrived here. As you have probably already noticed, I am sorely behind in posting.

My apologies. :)

But I have been spending time this summer being a wife and mom...breaking in my new role as pastor's wife/church planter...launching a new ministry with Proverbs 31 {She Seeks}...and formulating the beginning stages of my latest book. It's been a fun and rich summer. And may I say...B-U-S-Y, busy.

Not too far into my summer full of all these things, I came to the stark realization that I would need to make sure I was not starving my relationship with God in the process. Otherwise, a padded room and white buckled jacket were not too far off. The truth is, good things can go bad when God is put on the back burner for glorious activity. In all of my roles in life right now, the most important thing I can ever do is make sure He and I are in a constant state of communication so my life doesn't get off track. It's so easy to do, and many of us do it.

Just as I wrote about in my devotion this morning, secret places aren't established overnight. They are habits and sins built up over time that cause us to hide from God, rather than stretch out our lives openly before Him. But addictions to food and sex and spending aren't the only "secret place" addictions that can take over our lives. We can also be addicted to doing...going...performing...pleasing...striving...controlling. These things are a bit more subtle and may not be noticed, but rest assured that they can be just as damaging as those we consider more overt strongholds in our life. That is where we must make sure we are constantly checking in with the Creator of the Universe, who knows us far better than we even know ourselves.

May I encourage you today, friend, to check in with your Creator? May I encourage you to open up your life before Him, with no hidden agendas, nothing to hide and no hint of selfish pride? There is great peace in a safe, authentic relationship with God. On the other hand, there is great anxiety in not being real before Someone who knows the pattern of how your heart beats every second. I know, because I have lived both ways.

So, whether you are taking on new roles in your life like me or trying to break free from old ones that have long needed to be weeded out, join me in pursuing a truth-filled, transparent relationship with the best secret keeper of all time.

Pull your shades up...open up the blinds...and enjoy the view from inside your glass house.

Seeking Him

Welcome, friends, to my blog!

To say I am excited about the launch of the amazing new ministry to 18-29 year old women called She Seeks is quite an understatement. Knowing that Proverbs 31 and the She Seeks team has the opportunity, via the web, to pour into the lives of young women we can't physically reach out and touch is an incredible thought. August 10th could not come fast enough for us, and finally...we are here...and we are launched!

{insert loud applause and a couple of woots here.}

If you are a woman, 18-29, I want you to know that as the coordinator of She Seeks I am committed to relevance, authenticity and truth in everything we do. Our entire team is.

If you are of a different life season but you know of a woman of "seeker" age, please relay to them that message and send them our way. :)

Regardless...if you read my devotion on Proverbs 31 this morning or hopped over to sheseeks.org and read my inspirational entry there, please know that my heart's desire is to speak truth into the life of women. It is among my greatest of joys to get to journey with women to pursue Jesus Christ. I am far from perfect, and I will be the first one to raise my hand to say I need Jesus the most. But I am at the place in my life that I am completely ok with acknowledging that I am completely desperate for Him.

My prayer for you today is that wherever you are physically...emotionally...and spiritually -- in whatever life season or circumstance or place in your journey -- that you will open up your heart to the greatest relationship you will ever have and to the greatest Person you will ever know.

He wants you to seek Him with all your heart, and He stands ready to be there when you do.

Peace.

Well, She Speaks has come and gone for another year, and I find myself back at the computer tonight, working again. Hanging out with my literary agent this weekend was a highlight, but she gave me some serious assignments on her way out of town. So here I sit, re-working a proposal I thought was long ago completed on a book I am jumping out of my skin to write. I totally heart her for pushing me to write better, but...

{whew.}

I am not afraid to admit that it's slightly hard for me to concentrate, because I am thinking about all I have to do to get out of town for a few days with my family. I am thinking about the ministry of She Seeks that is getting ready to launch on August 10th. I am thinking about the 327 emails I need to respond to. I am thinking about what to do with the dog while we are gone and what to pack and what loose ends to tie up before I leave.

And as I'm thinking about all these things, my little girl bounces into the room and stands in front of me. Toothless and tanned, she grins as she says, "I love you, mom." I look her over and take in all of her cuteness. My eyes rest on one of her tiny ears, most of which is covered with a shiny, trendy symbol.

Peace.

I know it's silly, but the meaning behind those $8 earrings spoke to me.

And I was reminded that in the midst of a busy schedule full of commitments and contracts and obligations, peace is still available, accessible and possible.

Just as it is in the midst of trial, misunderstanding and disappointment.

Which should encourage all of us since if we are not currently in one of those places, it will not be long before we find ourselves back there, again.

So to my friends who came to She Speaks and got news they didn't want to hear...and to my friends who have been in one of those places I mentioned or may well be by the time they read this post...and for all the other readers in between who just need to remember that Jesus is in the business of bearing the deep burdens of our heart while carefully carrying our everyday stresses...I say to you tonight, the same word I most need to hear...

Peace.