Mis-steps in the Dance of Faith

9/16/09 You might have noticed that in the last few days I’m becoming verbose again in my blogging. Believe it or not, as Larry suggested, I’ve been trying to simplify---separate and simplify, emphasize nuggets only or get to the meat of the matter. Oh well! You might have also noted that I am up early, even early for me. For a gal that needs eight hours, I’m going to have to start going to bed before 7 o’clock.

As I stated yesterday, though not very succinctly, God has been getting my attention and answering some of my prayers from my daily devotional readings---which obviously are best done early in the day. God Calling (a book that inspired our Jesus Calling author) was the other one on 9/14 to remind me………”this cry of the human heart ………expresses the soul's progress.” I was feeling as if my faith was slipping and right away the title, “When Faith Fails” hooked me.

• “As a soul realizes Me and My Power, and knows Me as Helper and Savior, that soul believes in Me more and more. At the same time it is more conscious than before of its falling short of absolute trust in Me.”

Believing more and more and yet at the same time feeling my utter lack of faith---such tension I was feeling!

Mark 9:24 "Lord, I believe. Help Thou mine unbelief" is often the cry of my heart.

Simply put in God Calling:

• “The soul's progress - an increased belief - then a cry for more faith - a plea to conquer all unbelief, all lack of trust.

• That cry heard. That prayer answered. More faith, and at the same time more power to see where trust is lacking.”

I felt like I was trying to do my faith dance with 2 left feet but God………..heard the cry of my heart and spoke to me through His Word and a morning devotional.

If I should say, "My foot has slipped," Your lovingkindness, O LORD, will hold me up. Psalm 94:18

God’s Word doesn’t say there won’t be mis-steps throughout our lives, only that He’ll be there to keep us from fallin’ headlong.

The dance/steps (translation mine) of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way.
When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand. (Psalm 37:23-24)

It’s also good to have a fellow believer to encourage you as you execute your dance of faith day after day, year in and year out.

If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Eccles. 4:10

So, I’m going to put my dancing shoes on and “boogie” on out the door and down the road to work.

Jude 1:24 “Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling…..and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,…. To Him be the glory! A-men and A-men!

SIMPLY STATED or NOT!!

9/15/09 Whatcha readin’? Folks ask me that all the time and I hesitate to answer because “reading” for me doesn’t necessarily mean a book in its entirety. Just yesterday, I finished book #2 in a “new to me” mystery series, with a historical British setting, about Sherlock Holmes and his soon to be wife. My fellow mystery lovin' reader friend, Tricia, recommended it knowing my penchant for mysteries set in England that I can “mostly read”---meaning sometimes I might skim a little as I get tired. Then I picked up #4 in the “Dearest Dorothy” series, a light and easy read, actually a little hokey at times, for those who are at least in their 6th decade---plus I can relate to the title. So you see how frivolous my book choices can sometimes be, especially at bedtime.

But I began my day with several devotional books and as always at least one or two gave me pause for thought---you know THOTS. Oswald Chamber’s, My Utmost for His Highest dealt with simplicity. The irony of that is I then poured into many, many books in search of “simplicity.” That means I’m reading bits and pieces of them all at once. As a librarian, I can make good use of an index or table of contents to cut right to the chase. Thus, it’s not unusual for me to have a few books going at once, an example of lack of simplicity in my reading tendencies. I tend to clutter up many aspects of my life in the “simple” pursuit of simplicity. You see, simplicity is very complex, at least for me. There’s inner simplicity and outward simplicity and corporate simplicity………..I know all of this because for the last few weeks, Richard Foster has been my “author study.” It was my way of trying to pare down my reading by just focusing on one author. So, stacked beside my bed are Celebration of Discipline (a reread from the 80s), Spiritual Classics, which he edited (52 devotionals by St. Augustine, Thomas Merton, Fredrick Buechner, A.W. Tozer, G.K. Chesterton, Thomas More, Martin Luther King, Jr., Amy Carmichael, Milton, Tolstoy, Gerard Manley Hopkins, and more), Life with God: Reading the Bible for Spiritual Transformation (a new book which I have just started) The Challenge of the Disciplined Life and Freedom of Simplicity. In Freedom of Simplicity, Foster states “simplicity is not merely a matter of having less stress and more leisure. It is rather an essential spiritual discipline that we must practice for the health of the soul.”

Also “thrown in” with pertinent bookmarks (in my ever growing stack) are Whitneys’ Simplify Your Spiritual Life: Spiritual Disciplines for the Overwhelmed, Merton’s Thoughts in Solitude, Kathleen Norris’s The Cloister Walk and Nouwen’s, Inner Voice of Love along with Anne Graham Lotz’s, The Magnificent Obsession, which I will read in its entirety.

Are you overwhelmed yet by just getting a glimpse of my pursuit of simplicity? You’re probably wondering how I can get to my bed. Or why do I work so hard at the simple stuff?

Taylor Park said it well (9/9/07) when he described “contented simplicity” as godliness---satisfaction from within (my inner being/soul) that comes from knowing who I am in Christ. Nothing else needed! Chambers said it succinctly/simply and that’s where my thoughts began and now end. “Simplicity is the secret of seeing things clearly.” I’ve come full circle and I can see clearly now. If you can’t because I’ve muddled your mind, go to http://www.myutmost.org/

But God…………"The simplicity that is in Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:3 He must be asking, “Isn’t that simple enough, Dotsy?”

Now that you’ve had a glance at my “spiritual stack” tell me what’s in yours.

POP-POP'S BIRDS

9/14/09
What a season this has been for hummingbirds for us. Our three feeders on our breakfast area window have provided entertainment for us all summer---especially Mommar and our grandboys. The ”hummers” seem to arrive in pairs and then challenge each other for the sweetened “green” water that has been provided for them. Though taking limited “sips” at one time, they seem to eat constantly. Larry, aka Pop-Pop, takes good care of all his birds. He makes sure that there is plenty of nourishment available. He should have stock in Wal-Mart and Wild Birds Unlimited. But the result has been gold finch, cardinals, black-capped chickadees and woodpeckers---downy, red-bellied, hairy and even one pileated. He looked like Woody Woodpecker he was so big. They return again and again to take in the food that Larry so lovingly supplies. He even has special varieties that appeal to the different species of birds. If he were awake, I’d ask him what they were---apart from the “cake” for the woodpeckers they all look like seeds to me, though they vary in size and some are “oily.”

When I allow the Spirit of God to nourish me as I open My Bible, I too am nourished by just the “food” that I need. Otherwise, I can fill up with junk food that the world throws at me and miss the sweetness of the Word of faith. Junk food---the kind that doesn’t nourish your soul---just empty words and false promises. Like Larry’s beloved hummingbirds, I need to be constantly nourished on the food that is right for me. How about you?

Feed on God’s Word today that you might feed others.

Choose the Jeremiah 15:16 the version that is best for you.

Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts. (NASB)

When your words came, I ate them; 
they were my joy and my heart's delight, 
 for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty. (NIV)

Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. (KJV)

Clueless in Memphis…..

9/11-12/09…..about Alzheimer’s/dementia. Oh, I can “google” it and figure out that our situation is somewhere between stage 4 and 5 of the 7 stages but…………..that doesn’t help the emotional pain, the frustration and the guilt. Yesterday, I joked that I could have our loved one “wander” the halls to help out at the school’s ACT testing b/c she’s good at that (actually she’s better at constant sweeping)---and I laughed---b/c sometimes we need to “lighten up”---then I felt guilty for making light of a situation that I know weighs heavy on all of us as well as her. Frankly, it breaks my heart. Here is someone, whom I love, who needs constant care and attention and I don’t have a clue what is God’s best for her. I need answers so that I don’t continue to be “sleepless in Memphis” as I try to figure it all out.
I know the answer---it applies to all of life’s situations and circumstances. It boils down to faithfulness, fruit of the Spirit, facet #7. (My faithfulness---those actions that exhibit in my life my love for the Lord and my faith in Him) Faith---that’s the anchor that holds. Regardless of the circumstances/situations or what I know about them, I can focus on what I know about Him and His truth.
Michèle has taught me to focus on what I know.
Here’s what I know---

• I love Mommar and want what’s best for her and so does God.

• I don’t know what that “best” is---lots of factors for entire family at stake.

• Alzheimer’s gets progressively worse.

• I cannot “figure it out,” control it or manage it.

But God…………..

A few THOTS from today’s scripture search:

Galatians 6:9, 10 Let us not lose heart in doing good………. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. (THOTS: PTL---Praise the Lord---Mommar is a member of the household of faith)

Ephesians 6: selected verses
7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men (THOTS: continue to serve Him—it will overflow to all situations)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might (THOTS: His strength, not mine)
18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, (THOTS: PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!)

Philippians 1:9-10 9…..my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best (THOTS: the more I know Him—insight into who He is, the more I’ll be able to discern best for all of life)

Colossians 1:10-12 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father (THOTS: have others pray these verses for all the Liles…….as I grow in knowledge of Him, I’ll grow in knowledge of how to handle all situations, even those like Alzheimers which I don’t understand--again it’s His strength, not mine)

James 1:2-5 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. (THOTS: I was only going to check out v. 5 and then God had me read preceding verses---find joy in this, Dotsy b/c it can mature your faith which will result in perseverance in acts of faithfulness---fruit facet #7)

We all have struggles and if you have insight for me in caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease, please share your wisdom---it could be the nugget God has for me.
That’s where I am today, where are you?

The Faith Facet

9/10/09
Fruitful Growth in the Faith=Faithfulness (Fruit facet #7)
I hadn’t planned on blogging tonight----but God………..He is faithful when I am not. What a comfort that is!
Here are a few things I know about faith and faithfulness:

• Faith springs forth from God’s love that is “shed abroad in my heart.” He is the source of my faith.

• He is the “author and finisher of my faith.” (Hebrews 12:2)

• Without faith, it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6)

Sermon Jottings from II Peter 1:3-8
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue (moral excellence/goodness), to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Verses 3-5 describe the basis of our faith and verses 5-8 give us qualities that supplement our faith---four of which are mentioned in our Fruit of the Spirit verses (must be important if God repeats them elsewhere) These are qualities that need to be cultivated in our lives so that in our faithfulness others see Him, our faithful witness, the One who is called Faithful and True.

Steve Collums, a godly teacher during his lifetime, simply defined orthopraxie, the right practice of right doctrine---knowledge of Him---as "living out what you believe." In these verses, I see faithfulness in our lives as giving back to Him who is the Source of our faith.


Prayer: May all who come behind me find me faithful. May they see, or remember, faithfulness in my life as I respond to my faith in Him. May all who know me or know of me in generations to come see my life as a dance of faith! A-men.

“Tuckered Out”

9/7/09 “All labored out on Labor Day”
If you wonder where I’ve been lately, you’re not the only one. I’m not sure myself---I think I’ve been on someone else’s schedule for me---and that’s not even counting work responsibilities. Yesterday morning I had a few minutes to get on my face before the Lord and cry out. As always He heard my prayer---the responsibilities, appointments, schedules and situation did not change. Yet, in His faithfulness, He met me right where I was. I didn’t have my dancing shoes on but He realized that I needed to sit out awhile and regroup and restore. Actually, I could have used a foot rub---maybe some salve and bandages like ballerinas use to rev up their tired feet and legs might have helped as well.
Restoration. It’s what I have to do on weekends these days. It’s necessary especially in my prayer life. I have so-o-o-o many friends with such prayer concerns right now and I need to have extra time to be in His presence and to approach His throne of grace on their behalf. Prayer revives me but it takes time.
Right now commitments are real and time-consuming. Therefore, I need to see His purpose in them. If I can’t, then I need to realign my life with His until I see clearly the path that He has for me. Only then can I confidently claim His strength.

The LORD is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;

Therefore my heart exults,
And with my song I shall thank Him. (Psalm 28:7)

Those who know me well, know that I’m up past my 8:30 bedtime. But God……………………..
It’s never too late to meditate!

Surely Goodness

8/31/09 Surely. Surely. Surely.
Roget gives all kinds of synonyms for this word; Absolutely, Certainly, Clearly, Definitely, For sure, Incontestably, Indisputably, Indubitably, Indeed, Of course, Unquestionably and Without a doubt.

Surely goodness and mercy (love, KJV) shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Think about this verse. After all, it is Monday...and Monday's are for meditation!

3/2/09 entry
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: A two-year old at my son’s church recited the 23rd Psalm which her dad posted on GodTube. It is precious. It also spoke volumes to me when she kept trying to add “surely” before many of the verses---that’s the way I see it now—surely He restores my soul, surely He is with me and surely His goodness and mercy will pursue me---It’s a sure thing.

It is surely His goodness so we can count on it---it is indeed a sure thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3buLQoCN6KY

GRACIOUS GOODNESS

8/30/09 Goodness gracious sakes alive, I think I’ve taken so long to get through the fruit of the Spirit that many have forgotten why I am writing about these traits. That is one of many sayings that I learned at the feet of my grandmother, Margaret Louise (Mama) Davenport---a lady of gracious goodness. You see, like UCLA coach, John Wooden, that was as close to profanity that she ever got--- ''My goodness gracious!'' just a grandmotherly trademark, of sorts.

I also learned, “What in the Sam Hill?” from her. That was her other equivalent of cussin’ though I’m sure she had no idea that it was a euphemism for “what the devil.” She just heard Jimmy Stewart use it in What a Wonderful Life, that classic black and white TV show we watched every Christmas for as long as I can remember. She was too full of goodness to have even known how to “put on” swearing or as Galatians 5:20 labels it, discord (NIV) or outbursts of anger. (NASB) In her Spirit led life she “put off” all those vices.

Galatians 5:19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these,….

Mama Davenport gave no space in her life to "things like these." She “put on” the Fruit of the Spirit day in and day out as no one else I have ever known.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control….

Reminder: Theses qualities (plural noun form ) are a part of the Fruit of the Spirit. Fruit is singular---it’s all of these qualities together that make up the single picture that reflects the Christian life/walk. What does your picture look like? What are you reflecting to the world? I remember Mama’s goodness because God’s goodness was so evident in her life. How will someone remember you? Will His goodness shine through”

Suffice it to say, just as many of us learned gracious goodness (all those manners we were taught to “put on”) at the feet of our parents and grandparents, we will learn of His goodness as we sit at His feet.

GOODNESS: "FRUIT TRAIT” #6

8/27/09
Discipleship Tools taught me that goodness is the engagement of love! I think most of these qualities of the fruit of the Spirit are an overflow of love, His love. Cole taught me that the Greek word for goodness is the same as for virtue. Virtue is moral excellence and is the character trait that is valued as being good. What does it look like? People of goodness display integrity, honesty and compassion to others. Goodness compels/allows us to do the right thing---even when we don’t feel like it. The opposite of virtue is vice. Interestingly enough, the definition of vice lists everything from an immoral habit i.e. prostitution, gambling and drugs to mild failing in character. Hm-m-m a vice is a vice just like a sin is a sin---no real degrees of sinning even though our human nature tends to “rank” our sins. Obviously the more our lives are filled with goodness/virtue, the less room there is for those vices. So then the more we are filled with Him…..well you get the idea. Move over Self!
So, how do keep from wandering away from His goodness. One of my all-time favorite hymns, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” holds a reference to His goodness in the last verse.

O, to grace how great a debtor
daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here's my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.

It’s His goodness that keeps me from wandering, His goodness that restrains me from SELF. In my flesh, I’m so prone to wander. And it’s His goodness that keeps us merciful and scrupulous as we deal with others. Goodness is virtue in action and endears us to others. Ah but for the grace and goodness of God………
Tonight just “goodness facts” but next time it could get personal. That’s what God does every time I Trust Him On This Subject (or scripture)---He brings it on home to my plate. So I’m going to “serve” those THOTS up to you. Hope it won’t be too hard to digest.

PRAYERFUL PLEA

8/26/09 Prayerful Plea is the request from one whose writings have blessed so many of us, Sarah Young.
During these past eight months of my MAC journey so many of you have told me that you are “on the same page.” It’s become our way of sharing the fact that we’re reading the devotional, Jesus Calling, every day. Many times we have joked that the daily entry was written just with us in mind. I don’t know what Jesus Calling said to you today, but this part _______ (fill in the blank yourself) was written just for me!! My part from the August 26 entry dealt with needing to detach from the disturbances around me and to quit striving for control.

Sarah Young is the author of our shared book and she is asking for folks to prayerfully plead on her behalf. Here’s an excerpt from an e-mail I received this week from Cindy Cole in response to questions about Sarah’s health.

Sarah Young . . .who is in Kansas City undergoing treatment for Lyme Disease . . .in a letter from Sarah dated August 5th, she said, “Stephen (her husband) has to leave Kansas City August 18th . . .a wonderful Christian family will take care of me after he leaves. Please pray for them and for me during this difficult time. My level of disability has increased markedly since I’ve been on IV antibiotics, especially the vertigo, weird brain sensations, and weakness. I’m scheduled to begin IV antibiotics again on Monday . . . I’ll need prayer that my liver will cope with the treatment this time . . . and that the treatment will be effective. My twelve weeks of treatment will end on October 15th or l6th, and I need to get strong enough to travel all the way back to Perth. This is not only a prayer request, it is a PRAYER PLEA. I have never felt so helpless in all my life!” Sarah began IV therapy on July 23rd . . . has a treatment every morning at 6:45am and another every afternoon. She said, “This is a grueling regimen . . . seven days a week for three months.” Steve and Sarah are missionaries in Australia.

As one of her faithful readers, I feel it is a privilege to go before the Throne of Grace on her behalf. I hope you’ll join me. A card of encouragement might be nice as well!!

Sarah Young
c/o Donna Mastalio
10804 W. 118th Terrace
Overland Park, Kansas 66210