Rose from Brier

These last few weeks, I have really been combating fatigue--physical and spiritual. I am really tired. When I get tired physically, it is really challenging to have good quiet times with the Lord because of falling asleep! Yikes! (BUT, I am working on that whole schedule thing)

These last few weeks, I have also been working on organizing our Church Library and stumbling across some AWESOME books. I mean awesome. The first one to pique my interest was a small, worn book by Amy Carmichael (it's listed in my "What I'm Reading" Page) that she wrote while she, herself, was sick in bed. So often, as we listen to missionaries and pastors, we forget that they are actually people too. I think that one of the most touching things about this little book is the fact that she is honest. Here Amy lies, just a few rooms away from hundreds of kids that love her to bits and need her--and she has no strength to "be of use" besides sending notes of encouragement. For someone who is a "go getter", that is the definition of agony. She voices her disappointments, but also turns it into a lesson of finding the joy she learned while lying there--staring at the walls. It is pretty incredible.

All this to say, I want to share something with you! Whether you are battling illness, tiredness, or even just having a rough week, I really pray that you are encouraged by this little blip from her book!

Roses from Brier (Chapter 8)

[...] I cannot say that I love my chains (illness) in any literal sense whatever, nor do I feel that we are meant to do so. Our Lord did not tell the women who was bound to love the cords that bound her. But, [...] I believe that He can give it to us to find something truly lovable in that which (while he allows it to continue) is His will for us.

Disappointments, for example: in a quiet procession these weary little things have entered this room. After the foot began to mend other troubles came, one after the other, pulling me up just when it seemed as though I might soon begin to walk. As each corner was turned we thought it would be the last--but there was always another.

But one of the first of these disappointments was lighted by something so sweet and dear that I knew at once it could not only be for me, but MUST be for you who know so very much more than I do of such matters.

One of our Fellowship members was at home on furlough, and he was to return to us on Feb. 25; I had set my heart on being up and ready to meet him and the new brother, whom he was bringing with him. I was sure that I should be at the Welcome Service when (a special) song was to be sung. For a month or so before hat date it had seemed that this would be. Then hope gradually faded. I was still in bed when they came, not even in a chair. 

That morning, while the chiming bells of welcome were being rung from the tower, I was far more in the midst of that beloved crowd in the House of Prayer than here. And I ached to be there really, not just in spirit--ached till everything was one ache; then, each word as clear as though it slid down the clear chiming bells, this little song sang within me:

Thou has not that, My Child, but Thou hast ME, 

And am I not alone enough for thee?

I know it all, know how thy heart was set

Upon this Joy which is not given yet.

And well I know how through the wistful days, 

Thou walkest all the dear familiar ways, 

As unregarded as a breath of air, 

but there in love and longing--always there.

I know it all; but from thy brier shall blow

A rose for others. 

If it were not so I would have told thee.

Come, then, say to me, 

My Lord, My Love, I am Content with Thee.

"From thy brier shall blow a rose for others." In the hills of South India, there are tall and beautiful bushes of wild roses. The roses are larger than ours at home and of an unforgettable sweetness. But they were not called to mind by these words. I saw rather a little, low, very prickly bush in an old-fashioned English garden; it was covered with inconspicuous pink roses. But the wonder of the bush was its all pervading fragrance, for it was a sweet-brier. And I saw one who has long been in the land where no thorns grow, cutting a spray from the bush, stripping the thorns off and giving it to me. May these, for whom a rose from my brier may be caused to blow [...], always find no pricking thorn on the stem of this rose from my brier.

I think that when He whom our soul loveth comes so near to us, and so gently helps our human weakness then [that] becomes a present truth. We are born over the oppression that would hold us down, we mount up on wings, we find secret sweetness in our brier. But it is not of us. It is Love that lifts us up. It is LOVE that is the sweetness. 

Is the one who reads this in a great weariness, or the exhaustion that follows a sore hurt, or in the terrible grasp of pain? He who loves as no one else can love, who understands the uttermost, is not far away. He wants us to say, He can give it to us to say, "My Lord, my Love, I am content with Thee."

-Amy C.

So Dear Friends, whether you are learning full contentedness or feeling the prick of a painful thorn through illness, may you be born up over by the Strong arms of Jesus, and press through--eyes fixed on His face. May we press in to His side, and in turn "spread the aroma of the knowledge of Him everywhere" as a sweet English Rose (2 Corinthians 2:14). And, as always, trust Him. His is enough for our every need. His word says nothing can separate us from His love, so believe Him at His word. Run to Him, friend. He is ready to help. Day or night, sickness or health. His love is real and goes beyond that of only emotion. He just does. 

In His Love,

(Photo Source: Google)

Renewing Your Strength

I feel like every time I post, the posts just get longer and longer. I suppose it could be me growing long winded. *teehee* But, truthfully, I am learning that funny things happen when you actually study scripture. Call me crazy, but when you spend time looking into the Bible, prepare yourself for your jaw to drop. That is usually what happens to me. :)

Take Isaiah 40:31. God has been giving me almost daily encouragement the last few weeks that correspond with this verse (waiting is a very common theme in life). So as I was sailing through my Isaiah reading the other night, I was just sitting on my little bed...thinking.

"Those who (1)wait for the Lord

will (a)gain new strength;

They will (b) mount up with wings like eagles, 

They will run and not get tired, 

they will walk and not become weary."
~Isaiah 40:31~

Incredible promises, right? Waiting on the Lord, Him granting us a new strength that will last as we run and will not become weary. As a young women who is a little bit tired, this is always a breath of Life for my Spirit. 

And then...I noticed cross-references. *eye-brow wiggles*. I love it when there are cross-references. I get excited. Really excited. It is like a treasure map, showing us how to "dig in" even further.

First, the little (1) is where you could also put in "Hope in the Lord", instead of wait. "Those who hope (feeling of trust) in the Lord."...those who trust God will gain new strength.

Second, the little (a):

• Job 17:9
  "Nevertheless, the righteous will hold to his way, and he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger."
• 2 Cor. 5:8-10
  "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; Perplexed, but not despairing; Persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed, always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the Life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh."
• 2 Cor 5:16
  "Therefore we do not lose heart, but although our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day."

Sin kills us--maybe not obviously (sometimes it can be very obvious), but it kills our spirits. Those little things we leave..those addictions, those unconfessed lies, the lust, that hatred you harbor...it eats at our hearts, our conciseness, and our spirits. These things may feel good at times, but it kills you quietly, for it is never satisfied with "just a little". Those addictions become stronger, those lies build, it becomes easier to hate and harbor bitterness (leading to self-pity). If left alone, each of these things will grow and grow like the disease it is.

If you talk to someone who has been saved through Jesus' mercy from a life of these things, he feels "set free" as if burdens have been lifted. Even as Christians, when we confess our sins to the Lord, He forgives us and lifts these burdens off of our shoulders. He strengthens us by taking the accusations and condemnation of sin. As we hold to the way of Righteousness--the way of Jesus Christ--our spirits grow stronger and stronger through every trial. Even as our physical bodies (like 2 Corinthians) begin to fail with age or through incredible persecution like our Brothers are suffering in the Middle East right now, we can be filled with a Breath of Life every day--Just as 2 Corinthians 5:16 says "we are being renewed day by day"!

The Little part (b) from "mount up":

• Exodus 19:4
  "You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles wings and brought you to Myself."
• Deut. 32:11
  "Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that hovers over its young, He spread His wings and caught them (the children of Israel), He carried them on His pinions."
• Luke 18
  -A parable of a widow who went persistent to a Judge, pleading for justice. The Judge, fed up with how much she kept coming, decided to grant her wishes, even though he didn't believe in God. "And will God not bring about justice for His afflicted ones, who cry out to Him day and night?" (vs. 7)
• 2 Cor. 4:1
  "Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart."
• Gal 6:9
  "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary."
• Hebrews 12:3
  "For considering Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

I love the picture of the Lord being like an eagle--His gentle wings covering His children in a protective gesture, shading and sheltering them. He protects us. Some translations talk about "pinions" instead of "wings". For those of you who don't know exactly what "pinions" are, they are the stiff feathers on wings that specifically help in both thrust and lifting the bird as it flies. God sustains us as we fix our eyes determinedly on Him, pushing forward with endurance to be close to Him (like the eagle) and in obedience. He gives us the thrust and the strength to climb the heights. Just as the widow in Luke 18 was persistent, so we must be persistent in "doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary" (Gal. 6:9). Where God says to go, when He says to speak, or when He says "stay put and wait"--there is where we must persist until He moves us. Don't lose heart if your work seems fruitless or things are not going as planned!

So. From Isaiah 41:30:
1) Those that Trust and Rely on God will gain the strength and Hope they need.
2) The more we release the sin or distractions that hold on to us, the more God can take those burdens and bondage that tie us down--and we gain freedom in Christ.
3) God, Himself--the Creator of Heaven and Earth, the One who has a name for every star, the One whom all of Creation knows  and praises--He is our protector and shelters us.
4) PUSH  forward in eagerness to serve Him and be fruitful for His glory. He promises to sustain you, to give you the "thrust" of endurance you need, and as you spend time with Him, truly TRULY you will find "rest for your soul"--even when trials come (Matthew 11:29)!

Resting Under His Wings,

(Original Image: google)

Tried and Found True

One of my favorite things to do in my prayer time is to open up to a Psalms, and earnestly re-present it as a prayer to the Lord. It is sweet that I can agree with King David, and the faithfulness of a God has not changed. Isn't that incredible to think upon? The same God that David so earnestly loved is the same God who willingly comes and sits beside us. The same Captain of Hosts that victoriously led Israel against armies twice their size, He is the same one who puts His arm around us when we kneel beside our bed. He who sustained David during the days of being pursued continuously by Saul--this Master is the same one who sustains us with His faithfulness even hundreds of years later.

Still, His name remains to be Faithful.

 David was a king--a man who made decisions that affected an entire nation, not just his own household. Talk about pressure, huh? I love how the Psalms are filled with "Oh, Lord, please stretch out Your hand and rescue me!" and then "Praise be to the God who rescues Israel!". 1st and 2nd Samuel are filled with the challenges and triumphs of God's faithfulness to a man after His own heart--and Psalms is almost an accompanying journal of the heart cry of David during these trials. A small window into the thoughts of a Warrior King (poet) whose only hope was the Lord God. And the victorious Psalms are past  tense. God has  done this. One Psalm even pauses, almost mid-sentence, halting the petitioning with a statement: "You answered me." Fact.

Here's a cup of Living Water to savor. Think of this as advice from a King who has tried and found his faith to be placed rightly in Jehovah:

"The Lord sustains all who fall

and raises up all who are bowed down,

The eyes of all look to You, 

and You give them their food in due time.

You open Your hand

and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in all His ways

and Kind in all His deeds. 

The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, 

To all who call upon Him in truth.

He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;

He will also hear their cry and will save them."

~Psalm 145:14-19~

Today, if you are struggling with Faith, if you are walking in the belief that you've slipped off God's radar, or stumbling over guilt from your past--read through a Psalms. Remember that God has not  changed. The Lord is  Kind. He is  gracious. He does  satisfy the desire of every living thing (as a father, so fulfills desires that will good for us). He is near--not some far off entity sitting on a cloud, frowning at you. He also hears our cry--He actually listens. 

My challenge to you: in your own quiet time, take a psalms and offer it up to the Lord as your own prayer of faith.

"You sustain all who fall

and raise up all who are bowed down.

[...]You are righteous in all Your ways

and kind in all Your deeds.

You are near to all who call upon You.

To all who call upon You in truth.

You will fulfill the desire of those who fear You.

You will also hear their cry and save them."

It truly becomes a prayer of Faith...which is one of the sweetest things in the eyes of the Lord! 

In the Arms of One Who Remains Faithful, 

Anna

(Image source: Google)

Come and Drink

One of the most remarkable things to me about the Old Testament is how it points to Jesus. It points to the Gospel, to our Salvation, to our freedom from the slavery of sin and the expectancy of Heaven. It is pretty amazing. Last night, I met a friend at a restaurant for our weekly Bible Study. We have been walking through Exodus together and I have looked forward to every meeting! :) How often do we get a chance to plunk our Bibles down on a visible table and pray for each other in public?

As we were talking, we just began discussing in depth about the incredible things God did and how it is such a testimony for us as followers of Christ. One main pattern I have been noting is how God always causes His people to be thrust into situations where we have the opportunity to trust Him, see His hand, AND He gets the glory--or we can run and complain. The latter usually ends up in discipline or separation from Him. : / Or also thinking about how much patience He has with us! Whew. He has a lot of patience.  Sometimes I think with me, especially. :D

~

But one of the things God showed me last night was this:

" When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah (bitterness). And the people murmured against Moses, saying "what shall we drink?" And he cried to the Lord; And the Lord showed him a tree,

and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet."
-Exodus 15:23-25-

Initial reaction: "Oh, huh, cool. He did another miracle!".

That was my first reaction too. Over a million people, walking around in a desert, needing water. The only immediate source of water was a body of water, but it was incredibly bitter. Imagine needing something desperately, it seeming to be right in front of you, yet you cannot physically bring yourself to drink it?  God heard the cry of His servant Moses, and showed Him a tree, which turned the bitter into sweet. The undrinkable into refreshing.

God showed me something a little different, in addition to how incredibly He provides for His children. As a Christian, the Lord leads us all over the places in our walk with Him--through deserts, mountains, cool misty mornings, and dry barren lands. His purposes include 1) testing us by actually having us put into practice what we profess with our mouths and 2) conforming us into the image of Christ. As a christian, we often are brought to places where we are required to drink a bitter cup. Often it "looks" like disappointment of great aspirations, death of a loved one, being falsely accused, etc. It tastes horrible--often causing our noses to crinkle and the usual "bleck!!!" face, as we push it away in disgust. We would usually do anything to not have to drink it. However, like water is a necessity to keep us physically alive, difficulties are a necessity to keep us spiritually alive. We grow spiritually by being tested spiritually, and God draws us to himself even more closely during these times. As Moses cried out to God, so should we cry out to Him. For He hears us. Just as simple as that.  In the same way the Lord pointed Moses to the tree, so does He point us to a tree--The Tree of Calvary. The tree upon which a blameless man named Jesus surrendered himself, in order that we might live.

When we submit ourselves to Christ, bearing that cross while fixing our eyes on Jesus, God causes a sweetness to spring forth. Not one that we would necessarily volunteer to GULP down buckets of pain, but when we willingly put ourselves in Jesus' hands--saying "Lord, I don't understand, but I don't have to. I choose to trust you. I choose obedience to One who knows better"--He does something incredible.

He gives us Himself.

He gives us His peace, His joy, His love, His promises, His faithfulness, His companionship--Himself. How incredibly precious is it to enter into hardship with the God who created your soul, and knows every part of your DNA because He made it? He causes the bitter to become bearable because of the sweetness of himself. Praise God!

Like I said, just a little different perspective but a good reminder for myself in pressing forward! As you press forward this next week, seek obedience and trust, even in difficulty. Then, as you take a sip of every situation, with your eyes fixed on the Cross, watch as He fills you with Joy and Peace. When you cling to Him, He will not fling you off callously, despite our unworthiness. He will gather you gently in His arms, put His hand on your head, and will carry you. For our Lord is Gentle, Pure, Kind, full of Mercy and Tenderness. He is beyond worthy of all we can give! :)

In Him, 

Glorious

In the last few weeks, I have been earnestly pressing into the presence of God and fighting some intense battles against the enemy. There are some exciting things going on in this new season and my heart just earnestly wants God to be glorified. A few nights ago, as I was praying, I asked that God would strengthen me, and show me His will for me. But above all, that He would be glorified. After I finished praying, I opened up my trusty "Strengthen My Spirit" devotional and found this.

"God's great design in all His works is the manifestation of His own glory. Any aim less than this would be unworthy of Himself. But how shall the glory of God be manifested to such fallen creatures as we are?

Self must stand out of the way that there may be room for God to be exalted; and this is the reason why He often brings His people into difficulties: that being made conscious of their own folly and weakness, they may be fitted to behold the majesty of God when He comes forth to work their deliverance.

He whose life is one even and smooth path will see but little of the glory of the Lord, for he has few occasions of self-emptying and little fitness for being filled with the revelation of God. They who navigate little streams and shall creeks know but little of the God of tempests; but they who "do business in great waters," these see His "wonders in the deep". Among the huge waves of bereavement, poverty, temptation, and reproach, we learn the power of Jehovah because we feel the littleness of man. 

Thank God then if you have been led by a rough road. It is this that has given you your experience of God's greatness and loving-kindness. Your troubles have enriched you with a wealth of knowledge to be gained by no other means: Your trials have been the cleft of the rock in which Jehovah has set you that you might behold His glory as it passed by."

I cried as I was reading this. It was such a gentle reminder that my life isn't mine. I have died with Christ, crucifying my will, my flesh, and my desires, and I have become his willing servant. It was as if water from heaven had been poured over my heart. I serve a tender and kind Master, who is the definition of Holy and worthy of all I could ever give--and so much more!

My continued prayer for this week is more of Him, less of me! I want to see the full glory of God revealed through my life--in my words, my actions, and in my heart. May my "self" stand out of his way, and may I continue to be "fitted to behold the majesty of God when He comes forth to work (my) deliverance"!

In Him, 

All In A Name

Faith: Compete trust or confidence in someone or something (according to Google).

For those of you who do not know, Faith is my middle name. No, seriously it is. There are a few different reasons which I was dubbed with this name, but the main one being that my parents prayed that I would become a woman whose trust was fully in God. Needless to say, I am still learning. But the last few days, God has given me 2 big sips of living water to savor regarding Faith. If you don't mind, I would like to share them with you. *My apologies if you do mind...*
Sip#1

I keep asking God to grant me more faith, to teach me how to have faith, and to open my eyes to ways he has been faithful. As I was reading in Romans about Abraham, a man who is known for his faith. I had another moment where I felt like I was seeing a verse for the first time.

"No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. This is why his faith was "reckoned to him as righteousness" ~Romans 4:20-22
Sip#2
"A little while ago, you were on your knees saying, "Lord, I fear I have no faith: Let me know that I have faith." Was not this really, though perhaps unconsciously,  praying for trials? For how can you know that you have faith until your faith is exercised? God often sends us trials so that our graces may be discovered and that we may be assured of their existence."
In addition to that, I am praying also that God would increase my praise AND give me new songs to sing for Him. For He is worthy of all praise, admiration and glory!

Abraham's faith grew as he gave glory to God--he was able to trust God as he praised God. Then it hit me. The times when I am able to believe God wholeheartedly is when I am praising or worshiping Him. The more I praise Him, the more I am able to believe He will do what He says. Even the times where my heart is hurting so painfully that I can barely push the words "Praise God" out of my mouth, when I do, there is a chip in the burden settled on heart. Even though faith is choosing to believe, I am beginning to see that an increase of Praise is an increase of Faith. 

Sip #2 was actually a little harder to drink, yet it is a true and good word. It is from Charles Spurgeon's "Strengthen My Spirit" (pg. 119). You ready for this?

You should have heard me after I read this--I busted out laughing and saying "oh no! I just did that!". Of course no one wants bad things to happen; in fact, we usually go out of our way to avoid bad things. For me, I am so accident prone and so many things have happened to me the last year that my immediate response was "Oh no! Should I actually be praying for faith?! How about some Joy? or creative ways in Development of Quality time with family!? That sounds safe, right?"

Pretty pathetic, huh?

But then God reminded me of what I had read the day before--Praise increases Faith. Why would we want a wimpy faith, a faith that has not been tested and proven as TRUE? There MUST be a testing, so that there is a glorification of God. By choosing Faith, we choose trials. But, we are choosing GOD.

So. I've decided to continue to pray for faith. (Whew!) ;)

So, friends, Praise Him! Choose to have faith in Him who IS able. For Faith does not just describe him--He is called "Faithful and True" (Rev. 19:11). It is one of His names!

In Him who's Name is above ALL Names, 

~Anna