I wonder...

"There are two kinds of authors: those that make you think, and those that make you wonder."

"...so let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the AUTHOR and perfector of our faith...."
 
I've been thinking a lot about the word, "wonder." Maybe it's because I just got back from India and Nepal. with everyone commenting on my photos- I noticed a common theme. Scenario:
 
Person: "How was your trip?"
 
Me: "Amazing! India and Nepal were beautiful....!"
 
Person: "I saw you went to the Taj Mahal! I'm so jealous! It's beautiful! Breathtaking!" Etc etc.
 
Me: "Well...yes...it was..."
 

 And let me tell you - I was so unbelievably in awe of this world wonder!

We can point back to when the Taj was first constructed to see just how impressive and intricately it was built. An Indian king built the Taj after his wife died during childbirth. He had precious stones from all over the world engraved in the white marble, and used things like elephants, ramps, and more than 20,000 people to complete this effort, etc.

I could go on and on about the impressive-ness of this wonder of the world because I STILL can't believe I was there to see (and touch) it!

 
 
But I'd rather get to the point. After seeing this picture, God hit me. 

"Why don't you "jump" over My wonders?"

After all, this is a world wonder. Built by man. Sure, it was built by several men. Several brilliant men. Talented men. Devoted, dedicated, ahead of their time, creative, powerful men! Sure, it's withstood many attempts of ruin, the elements, etc. But still, man made this.

As impressive as the Taj is, (and I think its WAY ok to marvel at it), how much MORE should we be marveling at all that God has made?

A few days later, He'd deliver another punch - and wow me all over again.

That, my friends, is Mount Everest. The highest point in the world. Made not by man. In its magnitude, and height, and beauty! WOW.

I say all of this because I feel like the Lord lit a fire in me to re-evaluate what I think is wonderful. He wants me to recognize the majesties HE has made, and recognize HIS skill, and HIS brilliance, and HIS craftsmanship.

I came home from my trip with a new lens to recognize wonder, and to appreciate the wonders God DID make for me in this life. And I didn't have to look far.

That's my new niece, Kinsley Dawn. Born a few short weeks after I got home from Nepal. And that's her dad - my oldest brother. LOOK at her. Tiny. Precious. And a God-made wonder of my world. 

Sure, looking at the Taj Mahal, you begin to think -but here - God asks you to wonder. Your mind itself begins to ponder the magnitude of God and you begin to contemplate, "HOW?" He created a life. A human-being.

Not only the world and everything in it, but He created you and me. So impressively, delicately. With our different skin colors, talents, unique personalities, and He even numbered the hairs on our heads. Not only that, but God has plans for EVERY contigency of your life. Just think! He planned for my brother to meet his wife. He planned their marriage. He planned their love for one another to lead to pregnancy, He planned the miracle of birth into their futures. And then He gave them a little wonder of the world.

 
 
 Every step with God holds something wonderful. I'd say all we have to do is jump.

-J

Tow Trucks

Rather than blog about how long it's been since I've last blogged, I thought I'd just get right to it.


Earlier today, I got stuck behind a tow truck that looked similar to the one in this picture. If you'll give me a second to vent, I think this post will come full circle.

Tow trucks are annoying. Am I right? They're never a sign of something good. It's usually expensive, and completely inconveinent. Not to mention the person driving them is usually less than sympathetic for your need of their services.
So, you could say I have a beef against tow trucks. A great example of a first world problem.

As I complained about not being able to see around this tow truck, during 5 o'clock traffic, after a long day of work, it hit me. Some people call it an epiphany, some call it an "ah-ha moment," but I'd like to give credit where credit is due. The forgotten God, the Holy Spirit, HIT me. Like a tow truck. He's good at that. 

So, let me unfold my thought process for ya. As I'm stopped behind this truck, I began examining its parts, thinking, "what exactly does it take to tow a car?"

1. Look at the cross bar. Man.
What a picture of what God is all about. He's my tow truck. His function is to pick me up when I'm not runnin' anymore, or when I'm stuck in park in the wrong places.

2. Then I remembered my first thought; "Tow trucks are expensive."
So is following Christ. It costs everything. And admitedly, it can feel inconveinent. When God comes to our rescue, it's not always in the way we expect it. And it usually isn't. Nor is it on our time schedule. However, tow trucks arrive precisely when they get there.

3. Next I thought, "the drivers never seem polite. They're always in a rush."  I think I get that stigma from a movie. And I'm instantly reminded of how patient and merciful our God is, even when we don't deserve it. The truth is, we park ourselves in places we shouldn't be all the time. And yet we cry out against the One who delivers us out of the spots we're not supposed to be in in the first place. Crazy, but true.

4. Again, I thought: "Tow trucks are hard to see around in all this traffic."
Funny how accurate that is of God. Sometimes it's impossible to see where our help is in the middle of the every day. But on the same hand, it's right in our faces - almost obvious. I loved that I couldn't see past the "cross" of this truck in the midst of the traffic. (I think you're following my analogy pretty well, so I digress.)

5. Lastly, I thought, "well, at least we have tow trucks when we need them." What a cheap view of God's purpose in our lives. When we need Him? Come on, Jordan. We ALWAYS need God and His assistance. I got the biggest lesson out of this thought. When you're stopped on the highway of life and you can't seem to go any further, you need a tow truck. But you have to be the one to call. You have to call to get it to come to your rescue.  Telling them exactly where you're at, the truck is able to come pick you up.

How big is our God that He's made a way for us even when we're in the wrong places? When we're broken, or feeling stuck. Or even sometimes when we have to stop because things are getting dangerous. Even when it's our own fault that our "cars" break down. Lack of maintenance will do that. All the while, His assistance is only a call away. You need only examine the cross.

Probably never look at a tow truck the same.
I hope you don't either.

-J

Capital C.

"We've drifted away from being fishers of men to the keepers of the aquarium." -Paul Harvey

Morgan Chilulu, an African pastor of a small church in the midst of the AIDS pandemic once said, "A Church that lives within its four walls is no church at all."

Sometimes I think there's a hole in the Church. We need only read our church bulletins to see where our priorities have been placed. How many annoucements involve programs that focus more on meeting OUR needs than the needs of those outside the church?

It's not that churches shouldn't minister to their own members, but that there should be balance. A balance between interal  and external ministry.
When our churches become spiritual spas in which we retreat from the world, we're doomed to lose our saltiness. And then we can't impact our culture.
I know a lot of people that GO to Church, expecting something. Entitlement creeps in instead of worship. Their hearts are far from the teachings of the Lord. They come to be entertained, to be noticed, or even to hide. Why do we do that? What does the Lord OWE us?


Maybe there isn't a hole in the Church, but there sure are some holes in its members--myself included.

The Church is God's hope for the world. Does it feel like that to you?

Revival will come when the Church believes it will--because the Lord is able.
"Return to Me, and I will return to you..." Lord, I believe that. Help us to be obedient and to be found diligently doing Your work--all of us.

Redeemed, JAS.

A true confession...

...I need to blog more.

But sometimes your hands are just too full and you can't find the time to digitally journal it down.

Other times, your heart is just too full and there's nothing you can really say.

 

Either way, life is brief, isn't it?

Make it count.

Redeemed. And remaining more than a conqueror... JAS. <3

 

Here's one story to start it off!

"Growth demands a temporary surrender of security."- Gail Sheehy

Surrendering security is exactly what I did. I was nervous about having any major disruptions in my life. I was the least likely recruit in the cause of the poor--and now that I have seen, I am responsible.
Growing up in America, we've always seen the commercials about the hungry children dressed in rags. These commercials are usually accompanied with Bono's endorsement, or a Sarah McLaughlin song. You know what I'm talking about. However, these past two weeks have opened my eyes to the heart of the Father. I feel as if I realize this beautiful love story even better now that I have seen a glimpse of God's love for ALL people. Poverty, disease, and squalor had eyes and faces that stared back, and I have seen, smelled, and touched the pain of the poor.
I wanted to share one story (of hundreds) that I encountered while in Kenya that struck me to the core. Meet Ann.

Rather than tell of what the sin of the world has done to her, or pay the devil any mind to the tragedies she's been a victim to, I'll glorify God by telling who she is in Christ. She is a 15-year-old whom Christ died for. She loves music, working in gardens, and wants to become a nurse one day. Looking at her circumstances, you'd think her hopes are hopeless. Let Ann be the first to tell you that God isn't a god of circumstances, but of power. And everything is possible when you're on His team. 
As I sat in morning worship with my newest Kenyan friend, I felt world's apart and wondered how God would use me to encourage her. Well, He did. But He used her.

I'd brought my Bible and let Ann hold it. She grabbed me so suddenly, pointed to my name imprint and said, "What is that?" I told her that was my first and middle name and she said, "You see now. God has placed us together since the time of your birth--you can see it there. My name and your name." Whoa. Seems so simple, doesn't it? But when you think of the majesty of God, He really did place us together since before either of us were born. I was meant to be in Africa that day. And I was meant to meet Ann. Holllly crap.  You can see the letters surrounding in the above picture. Here's a piece of what Ann's letter to me said:

"Heaven is depending on you. Heaven is watching you. And everytime you feel tempted and trial comes remember heaven is waiting on you."

Beautiful, isn't it? That's God. She is a child of the King. And holds a piece of my heart. World's apart, and still, we are sisters.

God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet. I'm so glad that God called me to that place.


Redeemed, JAS.

P.S. I'm processing through pictures--so be patient!

What To Say

"Activity conquers cold, but stillness conquers heat."

I read this today and my interpretation of it reflects my emotion. A few months ago, I was completely downcast. A fellow Christian had criticized me to an extra low point. I felt shame and unworthiness. Hindsight taught me that the devil attacks believers in the most unsuspecting of ways--including feelings of inadequacy and regret. And for every bit of perfection that comes from Christ, the devil has come up with a counterfiet to it. Sneaky fellow.

BUT then there's God. Shame doesn't come from Christ. Inadequate emotions are the devil's playground and he will pounce if given the chance. Let no one caught in sin remain inside the lie of inward shame. Amen to that.

"Activity conquers cold, but stillness conquers heat."
I stayed active. Doing God's work, doing MY work, school work. Working. I didn't take my hand off the plow. Most people would say I burn the candle at both ends, and I believe that's true to an extent. I conquered the "cold" that came from the feelings of shame and desolation with activity. I put my weapon of truth back in my hand, and got BACK TO WORK.

Now, as I encounter "heat" from my oppressors, I've chosen stillness. Vacationing with my family, cutting back on working, and hanging out with friends. I'm being still.
I believe God has used every scenario in my life to get to me the moments I live in each day. He has given me all I need, because HE is all I need.

Fear knocks at the door, faith answers, and nobody's there.

Redeemed, JAS.
(:

Jesus wasn't crucified...

"...I am recovering the claim that Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves, on the town garbage heap, at a crossroad so cosmopolitan that they had to write His title in Hebrew, Latin and Greek.  It was the kind of place where cynics talk smut, thieves curse, and soldiers gamble.  That’s where he died.  And that’s where Christians ought to be..."

-George MacLeod

God is SO big. Less than 10 weeks away from getting on a plane to step into a world I'd have never known if I didn't know Him. You're crazy if you don't get to know Him too. Praying for the lost today, more than ever.

God is beautiful, and we are made in that image. Let's live like beautiful people.

-Redeemed, now and forever-

JAS.