assurance

photo of Poperro taken by Hilary Wyatt on her phone... :)

To the child of God, there is no such thing as accident. He travels an appointed way. The path he treads was chosen for him when as yet he was not, when as yet he had existence only in the mind of God.

Accidents may indeed appear to befall him and misfortune stalk his way; but these evils will be so in appearance only and will seem evils only because we cannot read the secret script of God's hidden providence and so cannot discover the ends at which He aims.

When true faith enters, chance and mischance go out for good. They have no jurisdiction over them that are born of the Spirit, for such as these are sons of the new creation and special charges of the Most High God.

While sojourning here below, these children of the eternal covenant may pay token tribute to nature; sickness, old age and death may levy upon them, and to the undiscerning eye, they may seem to be as other men. Here, as in all its other judgements upon Christianity, the world is completely fooled by appearances, for it cannot see that these believing ones are 'hid with Christ in God'.

The man of true faith may live in the absolute assurance that his steps are ordered by the Lord. For him, misfortune is outside the bounds of possibility. He cannot be torn from this earth one hour ahead of the time which God has appointed, and he cannot be detained on earth one moment after God is done with him here. He is not a waif of the wide world, a foundling of time and space, but a saint of the Lord and the darling of His particular care.

All this is not mere dreaming, not a comforting creed woven as a garment to warm the shivering hearts of lonely, frightened souls in a dark and unfriendly world. Rather it is of the essence of truth, a fair summation of the teaching of the Bible on the subject and should be received reverently and joyously along with everything else which is taught in the Scriptures of truth.

AW Tozer, Chapter 1, 'We Travel an Appointed Way'.

chance

photo by retrotraveler, processing by me

My bible study group is going through Esther at the moment, and I learned something this morning that has me so thoroughly excited and blessed, that I must share...

Evil Haman (an Agagite, so descended from Agag whom Saul was supposed to kill but failed to do so (cf.1 Sam. 15). In short, Haman was descended from an ancient enemy of the Jews, hence his motivation for genocide...) is casting lots for an auspicious day to 'destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews' (Esther 3:13). It finally falls on the 12th month, and Haman manipulates King Xerxes into letting him have his wicked way.

This is where it gets truly exciting. Having settled on a lucky day to commit mass murder, the king's scribes were called together on the 13th day of the first month to issue the decree of destruction all over Xerxes' vast domain. In short, Jews would get the news on the 14th day of the first month. OK, so what? Well, check out Leviticus 23:5 for what else takes place on the 14th day of the first month. Exactly - the Passover. A coincidence? I think not. While Haman was cackling in gleeful anticipation at his cruel cunning, God was showing Himself sovereign and giving His people hope. He was tempering the blow of Haman's decree by reminding His people of a time long ago when He delivered them from death (cf. Exodus 12). If He could do it then...

So nothing, NOTHING happens by chance. God is looking out for you, and His grip on you is much stronger than it sometimes feels.

Want even more encouragement? Listen to the lyrics of this song.

comfortable

So, I like comfortable. And familiar. And to a degree, predictable. I reason that I've experienced a ton of change in my life so maybe I'm owed a degree of stability. Yes, well that hasn't been working out so well for me, in case you're wondering. Events are conspiring against me, and I know who's behind them...

Anyways some friends, Melvyn and Becks, pastor a church plant in the city of London. They rent an office in the OM building, so occasionally Melvyn will come by and share what God's been saying to him. The other day, he came into my office really shamefacedly, and mumbled something about God not giving him any peace until he invites me to their church. I knew Melvyn and Becks have been praying about me getting involved with their ministry. Without making any commitments as far as my involvement, I said I'd come along to their service this week, really trying to hear God about this. I mean, it's one thing for someone to say 'Thus saith the Lord', but we do need to practice discernment, right?

So anyways, I went. Seriously, it is really a fledgling enterprise; young in more ways than one - in fact I was one of the oldest people there, which was a very strange feeling, especially as I work with people who generally are an entire generation older than me. This church was populated entirely by 12-years-olds. Ok, there were no 12-year-olds and everyone was extremely lovely and welcoming, but everyone seems very, well... young. Most of them are students. I was asked no less than three times what kind of music I listen to. Seriously, no one has asked me that since high school. Obviously, no one knew any of the artists that I mentioned, because I win awards for my lack of trendiness.

So, out of my comfort zone and then some. It's a small congregation of just over thirty people, so there's no hiding in the back row. The rational part of me knows this a good and exciting thing - I want to be involved. But the reticent, insecure part of me is screaming.

God really showed up in the service. It was exciting (albeit insanely loud considering it was such a small space, and I didn't know any of the songs - how much do I sound like Grandma...) and these people really have a heart for Jesus and for the lost. That's something I want to be a part of. Afterwards, we all (pretty much) trooped down to Starbucks and hung out, which is when the music interrogation took place.

The thing is, of the things I want to change about my life right now, my church isn't a high priority. I feel like I've settled at my current church after a long season of feeling displaced. I know people, I have a seat, for goodness sake, and people who have invested in my life. So, to go from suburban church where I get 'well-fed' to inner-city youth ministry, which needs to grow in depth and maturity...

At the same time, my ministry-involvement is minimal at my current church: Cornerstone's a well-oiled machine that functions just fine without me. So, if God is opening a door here I really want to follow him through it. If this week's alloted chapter in The Pursuit of God teaches us anything, surely it is 'let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me'.

So, basically, I know what I need to do. I just need wisdom to transition well from Cornerstone. I'll be sad to leave friends there, but I guess I need to go where I'm going to grow and where I can help others grow. And that's not comfortable.

dad

My dad had a biopsy done a week ago, and he got his results back yesterday. Long story short, it is cancer, though a slow-growing one. Treatment should begin in two weeks. We'd value your prayers.

blank cheque

[This] name, Jehovah, is used almost uniformly in connection with that earthly people to whom He brought Himself into covenant obligations, the Children of Israel. To the Gentile nations, He was just God. But to His chosen people, to whom He had pledged special promises, He was ever Jehovah. The fact that this Name was intended to have a special significance to them is made clear when God says to Moses, "I am Jehovah: and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by My name Jehovah was I not known to them" (Exod. 6:2-3). Quite obviously, then, this name is meant to convey to them a new and
precious revelation. What is it?

The special revelation which this name gives is that of the grace of God. "I am" is an unfinished sentence. It has no object. I am what? What is our wonder when we discover, as we continue with our Bibles, that He is saying, "I AM whatever My people need" and that the sentence is only left blank that man may bring his many and various needs, as they arise, to complete it!

Apart from human need this great name of God goes round and round in a closed circle, "I am that I am" which means that God is incomprehensible. But the moment human need and misery present themselves, He becomes just what that person needs. The verb has at last an object, the sentence is complete and God is revealed and known. Do we lack peace? "I am thy peace," He says. Do we lack strength? "I am thy strength." Do we lack spiritual life? "I am thy life." Do we lack wisdom? "I am thy wisdom," and so on.

The name "Jehovah" is really like a blank cheque. Your faith can fill in what He is to be to you just what you need, as each need arises. It is not you, moreover, who are beseeching Him for this privilege, but He who is pressing it upon you. He is asking you to ask. "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:24).

Just as water is ever seeking the lowest depths in order to fill them, so is Jehovah ever seeking out man's need in order to satisfy it. Where there is need, there is God. Where there is sorrow, misery, unhappiness, suffering, confusion, folly, oppression, there is the I AM, yearning to turn man’s sorrow into bliss whenever man will let Him. It is not, therefore, the hungry seeking for bread, but the Bread seeking the hungry; not the sad seeking for joy, but rather joy seeking the sad; not emptiness seeking fullness, but rather Fullness seeking emptiness. And it is not merely that He supplies our need, but He becomes Himself the fulfillment of our need. He is ever "I am that which My people need."

Oh, the grace of it, the surprise of it! Why should He? What claim have we on Him for this? Even man before the Fall had no claim on his God for this, much less man who has rebelled and fallen, and most of whose needs and miseries are but the result of his own sin! But that is grace and that is God.

- Roy Hession, We Would See Jesus

molly rose

This, my friends, is the heartwarming tale of a rock. Worn by the cares of time and tide, she was swept up onto a beach. Cold and alone, cut off from all who loved her.

So sad, I know, but take heart - this story has a happy ending.



My mother was walking along the beach when she spotted the lonely rock. Taken by the rock's unusual shape, she picked it up and brought her to London, where she was placed in our garden.

Meanwhile, a little girl was despondent that she was not allowed to have an animal as a pet. After mulling it over, we decided that a rock would make an excellent pet. The aforementioned rock was fetched from our garden, cleaned, given eyes and the name 'Molly Rose'.

However, before I would hand over the rock, I had a condition. Molly Rose needed a good home - the little girl had a week to create one. And so she did...



Molly Rose settled in quickly, and they both lived happily ever after, even though one of Molly's eyes fell off after two days. I'm told she now has a dress, which more than makes up for her impaired vision.



THE END

{the reading group} SLI Week 7

This week, we read chapters 12 and 13. Beth asks...

1. Based on Chapter 12, name one “I already knew that” moment and one “that’s new to me” moment, if either applies.

2. Based on Chapter 13, how does a weak will play into our insecurity?

* Wondering what on earth is going on? Click here.
* Catch up on the conversation so far here. Or follow the original LPM discussion here.

{the reading group} SLI Week 5

Halfway though the book, and there's only one chapter set this week - Chapter 9. According to Beth, "everything ahead of us hinges on this experience". Let's press on to pursue security...

1. Do (don’t just read but actually do) Chapter Nine. In your comment to this post, simply reflect back on your time with God and share anything specific that you received from it.

2. Look up Scriptures that have to do with strength, power, and victory. Pick five Scriptures that speak most powerfully to you right now – five that you feel like you need the most – write them on the inside of the back cover of the book, and share them here - be sure to include the reference.

THEN, ladies, read them OUT LOUD. Restate them in first person between You and your God.

* Wondering what on earth is going on? Click here.
* Catch up on the conversation so far here. Or follow the original LPM discussion here.

{the reading group} SLI Week 4

Beth poses four questions this week based on chapters 7 and 8...

1. What part of Chapter 7 hit home with you most and why?

2. Based on your journey so far in chapters 1-8, list your own personal top three reasons why it’s time to deal with your insecurity. (We’re not looking for right answers. We’re looking for YOUR answers. Don’t copy off your fellow sojourners’ papers on this one. Grin.) So that you don’t get your numbers confused here, list your 3 reasons under A.B.&C.

3. Based on Chapter 8, briefly describe a recent trigger of insecurity and whether or not it got a rise out of you.

4. Also based on Chapter 8, what does dignity mean to you?

* Wondering what on earth is going on? Click here.
* Catch up on the conversation so far here. Or follow the original LPM discussion here.

play

The true object of all human life is play. Earth is a task garden; heaven is a playground.
G K Chesterton

workspace

Let me take you on a tour of my workspace, whether you want to or not. I'm a chronic over-sharer. Humour me. Life is art, after all.

I do in fact have a relatively large office all to myself, but I tend to 'nest' in this corner. The previous inhabitant painted one wall a soothing sable brown. On it, there is (as you can see) a large cork board with phone numbers, memos and inspiring images, quotes and Scripture. On another board on the adjacent wall, I have pinned up prayer letters and photos of people I want to be in prayer for.

Light streams in through a large window to my right (just beyond the calender/baubles) in the morning, as I listen to George's voice. In case you are baffled, I type George Verwer's correspondence. Yup. Pray for me. :) He does occasionally put on a funny voice or accent to liven things up on those mp3 files. Occasionally he'll crack a joke or whistle a tune...

I also have music constantly playing in the office - whatever I'm in the mood for at that particular time. At the moment, it's the dulcet strains of Arvo Pärt. Want to listen?

Not pictured, my teapot, which sits on my windowsill. I trundle down the two flights of stairs with it several times a day to make fresh pots of tea in the Sun Lounge.

So now you know where I am at the moment. Pray with me, please, that I'll have a clear sense of how best to spend my time, both in terms of being faithful with what I have on my plate at the moment, but also wisdom and discernment for moving on...

freedom

Freedom (n.): To ask nothing. To expect nothing. To depend on nothing.
~ Ayn Rand

I came across that quote this morning, and I thought 'How devastatingly sad!' To me that definition speaks less of freedom than of complete isolation.

Surely freedom comes when we hope in God, expecting that He will work on our behalf as we seek His glory, depending utterly on Him. After all, He's the one that came to set captives free. He tells us we don't have because we don't ask...

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
2 Cor 3:17

doing nothing

Spot the daisy.
Which, by the way, was not my idea.
Also, on hindsight, moisturizer would have been a terribly good idea. Oh well...

realize

via Mighty to Save

away

(49/ 365) Paper map hearts, originally uploaded by Bombus Design.

Just a reminder that I will be on an AIDSLink presentation team in Switzerland and Germany from the Thursday, April 8th to Tuesday, May 4th. I'd really value your prayers for the team to work well together, effectively communicating Christ and the challenges of HIV/AIDS around the globe.

{edit 10/04} I had hoped to keep you posted via the blog, but have limited internet access, so will be updating via Twitter instead. See my latest Tweets in the sidebar...

irrelephant

(via Moving Intangibles)

flump

cherryblossom, originally uploaded by sheelajoy.

–verb
1. to plump down suddenly or heavily; flop.
–noun
2. the act or sound of flumping.

So that's me at the moment. I've flumped.

Having spent a significant portion of today crafting a newsletter, I then failed to attach said letter when sending emails to all and sundry. My email account suspects me of being a spammer (due to the large volume of emails I tried to send out, both with and without attachments), so has blocked me. Now I found out that the prayer letter magically reformatted itself, and so parts of it can't be read. {buries face in hands and sobs}

I was going to do another {friday's five}, but quite frankly only feel equal to curling up in a darkened room. And wailing.

Please send help.

{cake on friday} almost...

lemon cake, originally uploaded by sheelajoy.

Truth be told, I've been really rubbish with the no-carbs things since Christmas. I blame the cold weather combined with birthdays and other cake-related events. Excuses over. I'm turning a new leaf as of now. Really. Anyways, you're not interested in my dietary woes...

Enjoy a picture of cake. I can confirm the real thing was rather lovely. The sort of cake you enjoy on a rainy Sunday afternoon with an enormous mug of tea and a gently humorous novel about the inhabitants of an English village.

we rest on thee

...you guys go on..., originally uploaded by aphasiafilms.

We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender!
We go not forth alone against the foe;
Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keeping tender,
We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.

Yes, in Thy Name, O Captain of salvation!
In Thy dear Name, all other names above;
Jesus our Righteousness, our sure Foundation,
Our Prince of glory and our King of love.

We go in faith, our own great weakness feeling,
And needing more each day Thy grace to know:
Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing,
“We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.”

We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender!
Thine is the battle, Thine shall be the praise;
When passing through the gates of pearly splendor,
Victors, we rest with Thee, through endless days.

- Edith G. Cherry (sung to the tune of Finlandia by Jean Sibelius)

* * *

Last week was quite challenging - physically and otherwise, not least because we had George and Drena's 50th wedding anniversary event. Photos of that to follow.

At the start of the week, however, on my drive home from Bible study, the gorgeously rich Finlandia came on the radio. It made me think of this hymn, which then continuously came to mind through the week as I fumbled along, feeling great weakness, in need of great grace.

I hope this jubilant song blesses you today.

overcoming

Orange Frost, originally uploaded by The Ginger Pixie.

'I begin to think, my Lord, you purposely allow us to be brought into contact with the bad and evil things that you want changed. Perhaps that is the very reason why we are here in this world, where sin and sorrow and suffering and evil abound, so that we may let you teach us so to react to them, that out of them we can create lovely qualities to live forever. That is the only really satisfactory way of dealing with evil, not simply binding it so it cannot work harm, but whenever possible overcoming it with good’.

- Hannah Hurnard (from Hinds Feet on High Places)