Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Wow!
The ladies in my Wednesday morning Bible study have just officially blown me away! I'm leaving today to speak at the Women's Lifestyle Evangelism Conference, which is a 3-day, 3-site event. To say I"m a little nervous is a vast understatement! Although I've been speaking for about 15 years now, this is by far the largest event yet. My precious friends just prayed over me, gave me a stack of cards to take with me and read for encouragement on the road, and set up a prayer team to pray each day during the exact times I'll be sharing my story. What a GIFT! I am so grateful for them, and that God has used them to build me up, spur me on, and give me the courage to speak boldly for Him. God surely knew what He was doing when He gave us friends!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Interruptions
On Sunday, my pastor said something that I just can't get off my mind. He was preaching about prayer, and specifically about praying with thanksgiving. It was very well presented, and I was taking notes and nodding along in agreement with all he was saying. He gave an example of praying in the morning and asking God to control our day and to bring us opportunities. Amen, I thought! For the past several years, I have been including that as part of my daily time alone with God. I've been asking him for guidance throughout my day, and for ways to show His love, and I've been privileged to see God working. I was feeling pretty good about myself! I was doing what the preacher said! Dr. Winburn then started to talk about how often, after we pray a prayer like that, we find our day interrupted. Things happen that we weren't expecting, and it just throws us off. Oh man! Tell me about it!
Then, he said something that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.
" God is in charge of your interruptions. Give thanks for those, too."
Whoa. I'm not exactly sure what he said after that, because those words continued to ring in my heart and mind. I mulled that over throughout the day, and I realized how true his words are. Those so-called interruptions are often OPPORTUNITIES that God is bringing into my path. They are part of the "ordering of my day" that I pray about so fervently. Many times, I do know that God has allowed me to see that, and to know that He has brought certain circumstances together in order to allow me to be part of His work that day. Other times, I miss it completely.
Today, my day was interrupted several times, and because I was looking for it, I saw clearly what God's purposes were for those encounters with those specific people. Praise God my eyes were opened today, because I was given a very unexpected opportunity to share the story of how Jesus changed my life. Thanks for that interruption, Lord!
So, here's the thing that's been on my mind. If it is true that God is in charge of our pesky little daily interruptions, then what about the BIG interruptions? You know, the kinds of interruptions that intrude on our dreams, plans, and goals: my father-in-law's brain tumor, my mom's dementia, the trials that so many of my precious friends are dealing with.
Whether God causes or permits these things to come into our lives, for me, it is a comfort to know that nothing will come my way that has not passed through my Father's hands first. He has entrusted each of us with different "interruptions" in life, and from each one, we are given an opportunity. We can either allow those challenges to make us bitter and angry, or we can allow God to use them to teach us, help us grow, and mold us into the image of Christ.
The choice is ours. I choose to thank Him for the interruptions, for being with me to hold me as I walk through them, and to ask Him to continue to make me more like Christ.
"And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose ...In all this, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:28 & 37
Then, he said something that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.
" God is in charge of your interruptions. Give thanks for those, too."
Whoa. I'm not exactly sure what he said after that, because those words continued to ring in my heart and mind. I mulled that over throughout the day, and I realized how true his words are. Those so-called interruptions are often OPPORTUNITIES that God is bringing into my path. They are part of the "ordering of my day" that I pray about so fervently. Many times, I do know that God has allowed me to see that, and to know that He has brought certain circumstances together in order to allow me to be part of His work that day. Other times, I miss it completely.
Today, my day was interrupted several times, and because I was looking for it, I saw clearly what God's purposes were for those encounters with those specific people. Praise God my eyes were opened today, because I was given a very unexpected opportunity to share the story of how Jesus changed my life. Thanks for that interruption, Lord!
So, here's the thing that's been on my mind. If it is true that God is in charge of our pesky little daily interruptions, then what about the BIG interruptions? You know, the kinds of interruptions that intrude on our dreams, plans, and goals: my father-in-law's brain tumor, my mom's dementia, the trials that so many of my precious friends are dealing with.
Whether God causes or permits these things to come into our lives, for me, it is a comfort to know that nothing will come my way that has not passed through my Father's hands first. He has entrusted each of us with different "interruptions" in life, and from each one, we are given an opportunity. We can either allow those challenges to make us bitter and angry, or we can allow God to use them to teach us, help us grow, and mold us into the image of Christ.
The choice is ours. I choose to thank Him for the interruptions, for being with me to hold me as I walk through them, and to ask Him to continue to make me more like Christ.
"And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose ...In all this, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:28 & 37
Saturday, January 24, 2009
When it seems like chaos...
As I looked out my window this morning, I noticed that there were leaves flying around everywhere. At first, there seemed to be no rhyme, reason, or pattern to their movement---only chaos. As I watched, thinking about the unseen force that was moving them, I wondered about their wild, jerky movements. They didn’t fight or strain against the wind. They simply moved where the current took them. Then, as I continued watching, a group of leaves began to spin around crazily, and then fell into a perfectly round and unbroken circle. It looked as though someone had placed each one in exactly the right spot, end-to-end, using great care. How many times are the details of my life like that? How often lately has it seemed that everything is spinning around, and I feel like no one (least of all me!) is in control? Oh Lord, thank you for the beautiful reminder that what I often see as chaos and confusion is about to be made into something beautiful and awe-inspiring. Thank you that you weave all the people, details, and circumstances together, just as You would have them. Lord, please use your unseen hands to continue to guide every detail in my life. Help me to enjoy the exciting and thrilling parts of the ride, and to hold tight to You when it gets bumpy and crazy. Help me to trust that ultimately, you are placing it all together in exactly the right spot.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Loss (from September 2008)
Loss. The word conjures up images of pain, tears, searching, and emptiness. We don’t want it, but we all must face it. Sometimes, we fight so hard to hang on, and we strain with all our might to stem the tide of impending change. At other times, the acceptance comes quickly, but the sadness lingers. Whether the loss is immediate and unexpected, or a long and difficult process, the hurt it brings is real, cutting, and often leaves a deep and visible scar on our soul.
Losing something or someone close to us can leave us feeling helpless and debilitated. The sorrow can put us in a state of helplessness. Yet, we must move forward. So how do we press on? What do we bring with us as we walk the journey that can move us beyond the current pain? How do we honor and remember what was, while we learn to live and prosper with what is?
Years ago, as I watched my first husband struggle through a horrible fatal illness, I went kicking and screaming into my grief. Not only did I refuse to cry out to God, I tried my best to keep Him away. After all, wasn’t He the one who could have prevented all of this? But even in my defiance, God loved me enough to pursue me. “Fear not”, he said to me, “for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name. You are mine.” (Isaiah 43:1) When I was in the pit of my pain, my precious Lord was there to pick me up. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the muck and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. (Psalm 40:2) It was through the most excruciating time of loss that I began to look for peace, and I found it only in the Prince of Peace himself. As I reflect on that time, I realize how much molding and shaping the Lord did in my life, and how beautiful my relationship with Him became during those difficult years. Without that experience, my walk with my Savior would not be the rich and deep fellowship I am now able to enjoy with Him.
Now, I am facing a different but equally painful type of loss. My precious parents are moving from their home of 55+ years and are going to a retirement center. While the place they are moving to is beautiful and the amenities are wonderful, it is simply not “home”. As soon as my siblings and I learned about their move & had only begun to deal with those emotions, we got a second blow. My mother, who has given her life for her Lord and her family, has been diagnosed with dementia. It is still in the early stages, and there is hope to change the course somewhat with medication, but the fear of the unknown and the sadness we feel are real. As I’m facing the loss of my childhood home, and the change that age is bringing to all of us in my family, I am choosing not to fight this time. My choice now is to embrace all that it means to feel this loss. Had I not been blessed with the parents and family I have, there would be no sense of sadness. If my parents weren’t followers of Christ, our home would not have been the place of nurture, safety, laughter and encouragement that it is. If our lives weren’t so full of meaningful, beautiful memories, there would be no fear in my Mother eventually losing hers. No, instead of fighting, this time I am choosing to thank God for every moment of pain, because it is rooted in a deep and profound blessing in my life. Even more, I choose to ask God to help me and my whole family see His abundant provision and love in this new phase of life, and to look for His mercies that are new every morning.
Yes, loss still hurts, and some scarring will probably take place as I walk through this passage in life’s journey. This time, I won’t fight. Instead, I choose—moment by moment-- to give my pain and my fears to the one who bears the scars of my sin. It is only in those perfect, beautiful, nail-scarred hands that I know I will safely make it through.
Maria Owens
September, 2008
Losing something or someone close to us can leave us feeling helpless and debilitated. The sorrow can put us in a state of helplessness. Yet, we must move forward. So how do we press on? What do we bring with us as we walk the journey that can move us beyond the current pain? How do we honor and remember what was, while we learn to live and prosper with what is?
Years ago, as I watched my first husband struggle through a horrible fatal illness, I went kicking and screaming into my grief. Not only did I refuse to cry out to God, I tried my best to keep Him away. After all, wasn’t He the one who could have prevented all of this? But even in my defiance, God loved me enough to pursue me. “Fear not”, he said to me, “for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name. You are mine.” (Isaiah 43:1) When I was in the pit of my pain, my precious Lord was there to pick me up. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the muck and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. (Psalm 40:2) It was through the most excruciating time of loss that I began to look for peace, and I found it only in the Prince of Peace himself. As I reflect on that time, I realize how much molding and shaping the Lord did in my life, and how beautiful my relationship with Him became during those difficult years. Without that experience, my walk with my Savior would not be the rich and deep fellowship I am now able to enjoy with Him.
Now, I am facing a different but equally painful type of loss. My precious parents are moving from their home of 55+ years and are going to a retirement center. While the place they are moving to is beautiful and the amenities are wonderful, it is simply not “home”. As soon as my siblings and I learned about their move & had only begun to deal with those emotions, we got a second blow. My mother, who has given her life for her Lord and her family, has been diagnosed with dementia. It is still in the early stages, and there is hope to change the course somewhat with medication, but the fear of the unknown and the sadness we feel are real. As I’m facing the loss of my childhood home, and the change that age is bringing to all of us in my family, I am choosing not to fight this time. My choice now is to embrace all that it means to feel this loss. Had I not been blessed with the parents and family I have, there would be no sense of sadness. If my parents weren’t followers of Christ, our home would not have been the place of nurture, safety, laughter and encouragement that it is. If our lives weren’t so full of meaningful, beautiful memories, there would be no fear in my Mother eventually losing hers. No, instead of fighting, this time I am choosing to thank God for every moment of pain, because it is rooted in a deep and profound blessing in my life. Even more, I choose to ask God to help me and my whole family see His abundant provision and love in this new phase of life, and to look for His mercies that are new every morning.
Yes, loss still hurts, and some scarring will probably take place as I walk through this passage in life’s journey. This time, I won’t fight. Instead, I choose—moment by moment-- to give my pain and my fears to the one who bears the scars of my sin. It is only in those perfect, beautiful, nail-scarred hands that I know I will safely make it through.
Maria Owens
September, 2008
Here We Go!
For awhile now, I have toyed with the idea of blogging, so today begins a new adventure for me. My desire is to be transparent, to post lessons the Lord is teaching me, and to have some fun along the way!
To start, I'm going to post some writing I've done in the past several months. Then, my goal is to write at least once a week.
I look forward to seeing where all of this goes...
Choosing to serve Him,
Maria
To start, I'm going to post some writing I've done in the past several months. Then, my goal is to write at least once a week.
I look forward to seeing where all of this goes...
Choosing to serve Him,
Maria
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