Our Faith

I read this today...twice. I'll explain more later why reading it twice was significant...but it is a really great little devotional (even if the beginning is a bit cheesy-- I think all Christians tend to be a little cheesy, no?). Hope you enjoy!

Today's Truth
Hebrews 11:1 "Faith means being sure of the things we hope for. And faith means knowing that something is real even if we do not see it" (Hebrews 11:1, ICB).

Friend to Friend
I have a love-hate relationship with the movie, "The Last Crusader." The hero, Indiana Jones, is constantly hovering above some bottomless pit or dodging bullets, flying knives or hoards of sinister enemies and nasty creatures that are trying to kill him and prevent him from completing his mission. It is exhausting to watch! One part of the movie stands out above the rest as terrifying moments go.

As usual, Indiana is on the run and comes to a chasm he must cross in order to obtain the Holy Grail. No bridge. No net. No ropes or hat tricks - just air, and nothing but air.

At this point in the movie, I am looking for a tangible resolution to Indiana's predicament. Maybe a hidden elevator built into the side of the abyss or an alternate route to the treasure. You know, something you could touch and see and ... well, explain.

Instead, the treasure map dictates a ridiculous solution that makes no sense at all but demands a huge step of faith. If Indiana will just step over the edge of that bottomless pit ... a bridge, a rock wall will appear. Right! How about that bridge appears and then Indiana traipses across it?
Nope. That is not the plan.

Even though I have seen the movie several times, my stomach still lurches as Indiana closes his eyes, takes a deep breath and cautiously steps out into air and the seemingly bottomless abyss. If the treasure map is wrong and the wall does not appear, Indiana Jones will surely plummet to his death. Fortunately, the clue is correct, the wall does appear and Indiana Jones races across to safety, resuming his quest.

Gideon and Indiana Jones have a lot in common when it comes to faith. "Am I not sending you?" God asked Gideon, as if that fact explained it all. Actually, it does explain it all. In order to experience the power of God, we have to be willing to step out in faith, even when it seems there is no way and no solution to the problem at hand and our strength is gone. God will strengthen us as we go. He is the Way Maker and the only thing that really matters is the fact that God sends us.

The Coast Guard has a motto: "You must go out but you don't have to come back."  A powerful life is fueled by the kind of faith that steps out in obedience and lets God worry about whether or not we come back. At the center of every challenge is an opportunity for trust in God to work.  Every problem contains a concentrated opportunity and offers the option of stepping out in faith. 

The highest truths God has to offer are rarely wrapped in a beautifully wrapped or elegantly presented package and handed to us on a silver platter. I am convinced that our Father takes heaven-sent treasures, buries them at the heart of a huge problem, then watches and applauds when we have what it takes to break that problem apart, finding the wealth hidden there in the darkness. The words of Isaiah say it well.  "And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness - secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name" (Isaiah 45:3 NLT). Some things cannot be learned in the light. The greatest treasures are often buried in the deepest pits and require a step of faith to discover.

We all have faith. We go to a doctor we don't really know and are handed a prescription we cannot read. We then take that prescription to a pharmacist, a total stranger, who presents us with a mysterious bottle filled with pills that we swallow - all in faith. Our problem is not so much a lack of faith but where we place that faith.

Billy Graham said, "Most of us do not understand nuclear fission, but we accept it. I don't understand television, but I accept it. I don't understand radio, but every week my voice goes out around the world, and I accept it. Why is it so easy to accept all these man-made miracles and so difficult to accept the miracles of the Bible?"

Hebrews 11:1(ICB) "Faith means being sure of the things we hope for. And faith means knowing that something is real even if we do not see it."

Faith is built upon trust. God wants us to trust Him - even when we do not understand what is happening or can explain the circumstances. Even when nothing makes sense and everything seems wrong. It is easy to trust Him when the seas are calm and the skies are clear but the strength of our faith is measured in the midst of a raging storm. A crisis always reveals what is really inside. What life does to us depends on what life finds in us. Faith is a deliberate choice to believe God, to walk through our fear, knowing we can trust Him every step of the way.

Let's Pray
Father, I am tired of living a life that can be explained and understood in human terms. My heart longs to walk by faith, counting on Your strength instead of my own, knowing that You orchestrate every step to illustrate Your power made perfect in my weakness. Today, I choose to trust You instead of demanding an explanation for what is happening in my life. Right now, I choose to walk through my fear and step out in faith.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Scripture tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please God. Matthew 17:20 also tells us that even a tiny amount of faith pleases Him. "I (Jesus) tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

A mustard seed is tiny, but once planted, it grows into a huge tree. Jesus said a little bit of faith can have incredible results. We don't need a lot of faith - just as much as a mustard seed to produce great results. Why? Because our God is an awesome God and our faith depends on Him.  

What is the greatest storm in your life today?
What step do you need to take to face that trial with faith instead of fear?
What is keeping you from trusting God and stepping out in faith?

Bones

I am obsessed with this song as of late:

Fighter Verse

"Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with a deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him."
(Philippians 2:12-13)

Running: Good for the Body and Soul

Running has a way of bringing all thoughts to the surface. I find that I have mini-revelations, moments of unspeakable joy and excitement, and moments of sharp pain and sadness while on a run. It is a bit frustrating, because I feel like I can sort out my life and see things with a different, greater clarity while I'm running and communing with God, yet when my run is over, often I forget all of the great thoughts that I had and wanted to write down when I got back home. But such is life.

It is interesting to see that while running I can do some of my best thinking, and I think it might be because I have cut out a lot of the distractions from my life as soon as I set foot on that trail. All physical feelings--both good and bad-- set aside, a long run for me can be simultaneously wonderful and awful. I do not always want to trudge through some of the memories and thoughts that surface during my run, and by golly, I try my darnedest to shove them back down. But sometimes I get lost in a stream of consciousness and I just float along with it as my legs and arms mindlessly pump back and forth, propelling me down the road.

The other day I found myself lost in a particularly painful thought-flow, but from it I had one of those mini-revelations. I had been feeling physically tired, emotionally and spiritually weary, and just somewhat lonely. I began to think about relationships in my life, their importance, and how I have been wounded in them. This of course was the sharp, stinging pain that I tried to stuff back into it's dark little corner in my heart. But that didn't happen. I found myself asking those difficult questions of myself that cut right to the heart of the issue. Why have I felt so hurt in so many relationships? Why do my wounds always seem to be so deep and gaping, taking too long to heal (too long in my opinion), and leaving scars that seem to affect future relationships?


And I was hit overwhelmingly by a realization that made my heart tired. I have forever been the quiet, reserved, introverted, self-conscious girl. I have spent much of the past few years battling this and begging God to help make me into a confident, independent woman who embraces all he has for me. The confidence I lack has caused me to build this wall around my heart, because too many times I have felt the crushing blow of being let down or deeply hurt by someone with whom I had trusted my true self. This wall makes it difficult for me to open up to, feel comfortable with, and be myself around new people. It takes me a long time to develop a solid relationship with someone in which I can truly divulge real thoughts, feelings, and tidbits from life. I have always envied, coveted even, the outgoing, fun, magnetic personalities of others. I am surrounded by so many of them. Seriously, I must be drawn to them in my desire to be like them...all my closest friends seem to possess these personalities!

So, with my glacial pace of relationship building, I am testing out whether I can truly trust this person. And I am the type of person who will care fiercely, deeply, and passionately about someone whom I trust and love. Then comes the most heart-wrenching realization of all: with nearly every single relationship in my life, I believe (or at least strongly feel) that I am the one who cares more about the other person. My loyalty, trust and affection for those I love is not returned in such great measure-- what a searing feeling of rejection. This hurts, because we all want to be loved and cared for deeply, especially by those we love.

That's odd; mustn't this be how our Heavenly Father feels? He loves us more deeply and completely than we can even comprehend. He sent his only son to die for us on a sinner's cross, and we were completely undeserving. He loves us and cares for us with a fierceness, depth, and passion that is unfathomable, yet we reject him all the time. We don't love him back as much as he loves us. My Heavenly Father knows and understands this rejection and hurt that I sometimes feel so acutely, for this is his experience with all of mankind. Imagine his sorrow and anguish at the thought of those who do not even believe in his name. He loves them with a boundless love, yet they do not even possess any small amount of love for him.

I can identify with God in this feeling of of loneliness and rejection and unequaled love. Jesus was straight up rejected by some of his disciples--his closest friends! In the hours before his crucifixion I think he experienced loneliness and rejection in every pore of his body. In comparison to all of this, those small stabs to my heart seem pretty ridiculous. Yet, I know that God wanted me to know that he understands those feelings and he shares in them; and I am sharing in his suffering as well. In that acute pain of rejection and loneliness I am being molded more into the likeness of my perfect Father in heaven. His image is one that has and is bearing the sorrow of loving those who do not love him back equally. That is our amazing God. I am overwhelmed by the tremendous love he chooses to send to wash over us every single day. I can cling to that love and be comforted in knowing that I do not suffer alone, and that my suffering is not in vain.


"For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him."    (Philippians 1:29)


Yet again, God continues to use the difficult, wearying, trying things in my life to test and refine my faith. And all I can do is choose each day to praise God, no matter what season I am in, and to pray that he continues to refine me through the flame. 1 Peter 1:6-7 has become such a solid foundation for me in difficult times. Praise the Lord that he is sovereign, and that he knows what is best for me. So, I will gladly share in his sufferings in this life, knowing I have an eternal prize that outweighs everything.

"Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."   (Romans 8:17)


"For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ."    (2 Corinthians 1:5)

To Pray As We Ought

"And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed." -Matthew 26:39

There are several instructive features in our Saviour's prayer in his hour of trial. It was lonely prayer. He withdrew even from his three favoured disciples. Believer, be much in solitary prayer, especially in times of trial. Family prayer, social prayer, prayer in the Church, will not suffice, these are very precious, but the best beaten spice will smoke in your censer in your private devotions, where no ear hears but God's.

It was humble prayer. Luke says he knelt, but another evangelist says he "fell on his face." Where, then, must be thy place, thou humble servant of the great Master? What dust and ashes should cover thy head! Humility gives us good foot-hold in prayer. There is no hope of prevalence with God unless we abase ourselves that he may exalt us in due time.

It was filial prayer. "Abba, Father." You will find it a stronghold in the day of trial to plead your adoption. You have no rights as a subject, you have forfeited them by your treason; but nothing can forfeit a child's right to a father's protection. Be not afraid to say, "My Father, hear my cry."

Observe that it was persevering prayer. He prayed three times. Cease not until you prevail. Be as the importunate widow, whose continual coming earned what her first supplication could not win. Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.

Lastly, it was the prayer of resignation. "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." Yield, and God yields. Let it be as God wills, and God will determine for the best. Be thou content to leave thy prayer in his hands, who knows when to give, and how to give, and what to give, and what to withhold. So pleading, earnestly, importunately, yet with humility and resignation, thou shalt surely prevail.

-Charles Spurgeon

Heart of A Missionary

When God calls there are no regrets. We are not called to a place, we are called to HIM. We are not called to comfort or success, but to obedience.

"The missionary heart cares more than some think is wise, risks more than some think is safe, dreams more than some think is practical, expects more than some think is possible."

Fighter Verse

This week's fighter verse is a continuation of the passage from the past two weeks:

"...that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of god the Father."  (Philippians 2:10-11)

No Dark Corners

This was yesterday's blog post on the Lenten Blog Tour  that I have been following. I really enjoyed this one:

http://www.jrdkirk.com/2011/03/19/no-dark-corners/

Hope in the midst of heartache

I wanted to share this blog with anyone and everyone, because it is so heartbreaking, yet inspirational. Jack Keller, the man whom this blog is about is a wonderful man of the Lord that I have the privilege of knowing through the Landecker family (my second family growing up). I cannot help but tear up while reading Jack's story and the blog posts that his wife Sarah has been writing during this difficult journey. There is so much deep, tender love and steadfast faith shown in this blog, because it is flowing from this family. Please keep the Jack and Sarah Keller family in your thoughts and prayers.

http://jackkeller.org/

Devo for the day

I read this devotional this morning, and it was very eye-opening and challenging. I want to be more conscious of the things that hinder me from doing what God wants me to. Those are the things that I need to crucify on my cross. Lord, search my heart and point out anything that does not please you or aide in my spiritual growth and progress. Thank you for loving me despite the ways that I love the world above you. Cleanse my heart and lead me in your ways.

Your Cross is You

Remember, you are only an instrument. Not yours to decide how or when or where you act. I plan all that. Make yourself very fit to do My work. All that hinders your activity must be cured.

Mine is the Cross on which the burdens of the world are laid.  How foolish is any one of My disciples who seeks to bear his own burdens, when there is only one place for them - My Cross.

It is like a weary man on a hot and dusty road, bearing a heavy load, when all plans have been made for its carriage.  The road, the scenery, flowers, beauty around - all are lost.

But, My children, you may think I did say, "Take up your cross daily, and follow Me."

Yes, but the cross given to each one of you is only a cross provided on which you can crucify the self of yours that hinders progress and Joy, and prevents the flow through your being of My invigorating Life and Spirit.

Listen to Me, love Me, joy in Me. Rejoice.

Fighter Verse

continued from last week:

"he [Jesus] humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names..." 
(Philippians 2:8-9)

SSS: Some Sweet Songs

Thoughts from the Lenten blog

"Lent is a time of releasing our grasp on things we never really had in the first place; in other words, the stripping of illusions of control. It’s a time of paying attention to the calling of God, of “preaching Christ crucified” by willingly crucifying our desires for safety and comfort. It is a time of consciously following God’s wisdom rather than worldly wisdom, which would say in the face of global poverty, “just write a check,” at best, and “ignore and avoid” more commonly."

To experience the bittersweet, to taste defeat, then brush my teeth

This past week I found out that I was not accepted for the Future Leaders program at McLean Bible Church. To me, this was a taste of defeat. My initial reaction was of great disappointment; I had really been hoping that this was the next step God had for me, because I truly believe that God wants to mold me into a leader: teach me, challenge me, train me, equip me...then at some point after that send me out. My plans were obviously disrupted.

But there lies my problem. In asking myself why I was so upset that I wasn't accepted, I realized that I had failed to truly TRUST God's will for my life. I had set aside his agenda and picked up my own, expecting him to bless me in and and open up the way for me. I knew that if I didn't get accepted to the program that it was God answering my prayer to close doors so that I may know his will. But I wasn't truly believing it. My idea of the "perfect" next step in my life is not the same as his, and I now see that I wasn't completely submitting to God's will. I only wanted to submit if his plan was the same as mine.

But God's will and his timing is perfect. My plans and timing usually are way off. This is why it is so wonderful that I have a loving and sovereign heavenly Father who is in control of my life. If I were actually in charge of my life in the way I sometimes think I am or wish I am, my life would be total chaos and I would probably be miserable. I would also lack purpose, because how would I remain steadfastly focused on Jesus? Well, I wouldn't. So praise God for his loving kindness, his goodness, his faithfulness, and his sovereignty. The pressure is off me to order and plan my life perfectly, because I can surrender my life and hopes and dreams and plans to God, knowing that he will place all those pieces together in a perfect and beautiful masterpiece.

So I am praying that God would help me to be patient in waiting on him to speak and move in my life, because it WILL be at the perfect time and in the perfect way. I will meditate on Psalm 27:14:

"Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord."

And I am praying that God would help me to remain focused on what is important, what is essential, and what is central in life. I tend to get too caught up in what the next step in my life is. I'm always looking for the next thing to work or move toward. It's my task-oriented personality. I am driven and motivated by having a goal to work toward and accomplish.

I ask God, "So what's next? What's my new focus? What is my goal? What am I working toward?" And as all these questions enter my head and heart, God is saying, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Let's not get carried away. I am your focus. I am the only thing in this life of lasting value."

It doesn't matter so much what I'm doing right now or what I'm going to be doing in one year, 5 years, 10 years; what matters is how and why I'm doing those things. Am I doing this or that because I believe God has asked or called me to? Am I doing it with joy and gladness in my heart, working as unto the Lord and not for man? Am I seeking to glorify God in it?

I know that I want to become a missionary overseas at some point in my life. I am constantly evaluating what I am currently doing and what I might do next that will move me closer to that "goal" in my life. My goal has a physical and material value, but it is also a temporal one. At the end of my life I don't want to know that I spent all my tie, energy, and resources pursuing a goal (however purely motivated or well-meaning), instead of pursuing my GOD, my FATHER, my SAVIOR, the LOVER OF MY SOUL. He is my life.

So again, it doesn't matter so much what my life looks like currently, or what the future might look like; what matters is that I praise the Lord in it. That I seek his will for each day and ask him how I might glorify him in every word, action, and thought. How might I praise my God and bring glory to his name today? I don't want to get bogged down in seeking, wondering, and worrying about a tomorrow that is not promised to me and is full of uncertainty. God reminds me of what he spoke to my heart not too long ago about remaining focused on him:

"My child, it does not matter. It is not for you to know right now. It only matters that you surrender it to me now; today, and each day after, if I ask it of you.
You are not promised tomorrow. Why get entangled in the unknown and unsure?
Trust in Me today. I will provide you what you need to get you through each day, just as I provided enough manna for the children of Israel. 
Look at ME. Why cast your eyes aside, only to lose sight of me each time? Look at ME. I am the answer. I am the way."


What a great reminder. Defeat doesn't have to be a discouragement and hindrance for us. My taste of defeat was bittersweet, because while initially it's not so easy to swallow, God is using this to instruct me and build my faith. This is just another opportunity for me to choose to trust God and his will over myself and my own plans. Once again, I must refocus, set my eyes on Jesus, and lay aside my worries that hinder my pursuit of God and all that he has for me. Then I might better live for the Lord's renown.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great crowd of witnesses, let us strip off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
(Hebrews 12:1-3)

And as the Relient K song says, "To experience the bittersweet, to taste defeat, then brush my teeth." I'm going to go brush my teeth and get ready for the day God has set before me.

Lovin' Me Some Lent

Since today is the first day of Lent, I have been thinking about what I am going to "give up" for the next 40 days. But every year when I choose to fast from something I always give up before I make it to Easter. Now this may be due partly to a lack of discipline, but I also think that it stems from something a little deeper: I don't really have a true grasp on Lent and what it means for my personal faith. I want Lent to be a period of time where I am preparing my heart for Easter, so that it may be used as a tool to help me grow in my faith and be more intimate with God. I fear that I have been too caught up in the superficial level of lent where people try to give up chocolate, hoping that Lent will provide them with the motivation they need to properly kick start some diet.


I decided that if I was going to observe Lent this year, I was only going to do so with a truer understanding of the background and meaning of Lent. Then I would prayerfully consider where my heart is and honestly evaluate what my faith life looks like. So, I started researching. And I also found a blog that I am going to follow a Lenten blog that will walk through different passages of scripture each day and provide a reflection to help keep our hearts centered on Jesus. 
(This is the link: http://lentenblogtour.wordpress.com/2011/03/09/march-9-lenten-reflection-matthew-41-11-keith-mcilwain/). 


In my research, I found out some great things about Lent. Lent originated in the early days of the church as preparatory time for Easter It is meant to be a season of soul-searching and repentance, of reflection and taking stock. This is why many people fast and devote themselves more fully to prayer during the Lenten season: so that they may search their hearts and draw closer to the Lord. And here is my favorite part: By observing the 40 days of Lent, the individual Christian imitates Jesus' withdrawal into the wilderness for 40 days. 


I decided that I would love to observe Lent this year with the mindset that I am imitating Jesus' withdrawal into the wilderness. This seems especially pertinent in my life right now, because I am realizing that in my busyness I am not allowing myself to withdraw from the world and fully into the presence of the Lord on a regular basis, or very often. The less I am able to do find "alone-time," the more I realize how much I crave it. We are created to be in communion with our Lord and Savior, so we are going to feel unbalanced and weak and weary if we are not continually entering into his presence and tapping into his well-spring of life and restoration. God is our source, so we should be starting our days off spending time with him.


Fasting during Lent is the part everyone knows about, but how many people really take it seriously or have the right motivation in it? I know that I haven't always in the past. Fasting is something that I find very interesting but also do not think I'm very knowledgeable about, so I read a little about fasting. I found this to be very helpful yet challenging:

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.—Luke 6:12, NIV

We talk about “imitating Christ,” but we only want to imitate whatever He did that fits our tastes.

Some of us are deeply concerned about social issues, so we seek to “imitate Christ” in His concern for the poor and needy. We run homeless shelters and soup kitchens; our churches house AIDS clinics and AA meetings. We rent our building to a start-up congregation, and we have joint services with a different denomination.

Some of us are deeply concerned about moral issues, so we seek to “imitate Christ” in His confrontations with the Pharisees. We picket porno shops and demonstrate about abortion; our churches work with political candidates. We hold youth rallies and family nights to build good values and we hold alternative celebrations for teens where no alcohol is served.

Some of us are deeply concerned with doctrinal orthodoxy, so we seek to “imitate Christ” in His teachings. We give classes in exegetics and Biblical languages; our churches host guest speakers on archaeology and hold public seminars on prophecy. We host trips to the Holy Land and we educate each member on every doctrinal point.

But how many of us retreat to a mountain to pray for a whole night just because we have important decisions to make the next morning?

How many of us fast, as Jesus fasted, as an adjunct to prayer? Jesus never ran a homeless shelter. He never picketed for new legislation. He didn’t start study groups on end-time events. But He prayed all night on the mountain, and once He fasted for forty days. Are we truly imitating Christ, or are we rationalizing our behavior?

This really challenged me to make it a priority to spend time in the quiet of the morning with the Lord every day. There is nothing wrong with me taking time in the afternoon or evening to have my quiet time with God, but there is something different about sitting in the quiet stillness of the morning in the presence of the Lord and beginning your day with him. Mark 1:35 shows us that even Jesus went away to be with God before the day began:

“Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.”

Jesus is our example. Jesus needed time alone with God to recharge, to quiet himself, to be strengthened, and to commune with God. This is the time when he spoke with God and God spoke to him and led his son. If Jesus needs to spend isolated time with God in prayer, then we definitely do too! Also, Jesus did this early in the morning before his day even began and before he even interacted with the disciples or anyone else. Communion with God and being still in his presence was how he started each day.

It is my prayer that I could be disciplined to rise early each morning to be alone with God before starting each day. I am also praying that this will become a practice that I maintain throughout the rest of my life, not only during the seasons when it is easy for me to do so. What a different mindset I would have after allowing God to quiet my heart and speak to me, and after asking him to go before me in everything the day holds for me, trusting him with the details. I want to begin my day with the Lord and I want him to go before me in everything I do. I want to make him a priority and give him the first and greatest part of my day. It is something that I am going to commit to doing for the Lenten season. I will need to continually pray for discipline to go to bed early, to be wise with how I spend my time, and to fight the desire to hit snooze.

I am also going to fast one day a week during Lent so that I may imitate Christ's example in the wilderness. Fasting is a spiritual tool for believers to seek God's presence, because we no longer have Christ here among us on earth as the disciples did. (Luke 1:19, 20): Jesus explains that the disciples do not need to partake in fasting practices while he is with them, because fasting is a practice to seek the presence of God. When Jesus is no longer with them, then they will return to fasting practices to seek the presence that they no longer enjoy in the flesh. I want to use my weekly fasting as an opportunity to be devoted to prayer and seeking the presence of God. I am praying and expecting great things this Lenten season. 

Fighter Verse

This week's fighter verse to memorize:

"You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a salve and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross."      (Philippians 2:5-8)

Voices of Haiti

This is a little bit old, but it was so moving, so I wanted to share it:

http://voicesofhaiti.com/photos