She Knows What She Believes

We take Deuteronomy Six seriously and do our best to talk about Jesus daily as we eat, as we pray, as we walk along the woods, as we do our schoolwork together. We fail many days as humans to live this out fully in front of our kids and they know it. But in our weaknesses, Jesus is glorified if we're humbly apologizing to each other and admitting we're nothing without Him. Still, they need to own it for themselves. It doesn't matter how often we take them to church, how much we say "grace" at dinner, they must personally receive Him into their lives and follow Him whole-heartedly by their own free-will. And so, we were thankful when our oldest girl said she and some friends had been talking a lot about baptism and she desired to show the Lord (and everyone) she was serious about Him being front and centre in her life.

Pastor Dan, her youth pastor, just had to begin with a comment about her being a Toronto Maple Leafs fan. She did a mini cheer :)

Then he asked her to share a bit of her story. She spoke with confidence about how she was raised in a Christian home but it wasn't until she began attending the evening services where our young adults' pastor talked each week, that she was moved in her heart to really believe for herself.

(Oh, how I love mentorship beyond the parental role! The Lord uses many people along the journey.)

He prayed for her life and future, for God to use her through her dance or her great personality :) or whatever He has for her. He prayed for her to remain close to Jesus.

Forty-four of her friends and family came to the church that night in support. Four little girls leaned forward on the pew as they witnessed a girl who publicly professed what she knew to be vital.

And then she went under, she with all her humanness and sin and passions and love for Jesus.

Rising up out of the water symbolized being washed clean, being alive in Christ, killing the old life through repentance (turning from your sin). Jesus commanded it but also demonstrated it for us so we'd understand better. We identify with His dying and resurrection, although He was perfect and sinless.

Meghan will begin to know in a deeper way who she really is and to Whom she really belongs as she continues to hide His Word in her heart. Yes, she'll still sin, like the rest of us, but she'll know she's been covered by the blood of a Saviour Who gave His life for her and rose again to give her eternal life. As she houses the Holy Spirit and listens for His voice, it'll be easier to make wise choices. She'll encounter tough things, salvation and baptism don't exempt her from that, but she'll know how to face trials with a God who desires to carry her through and who gives her insight on how to live.  It's not just a religion, it's relationship with the Creator of the Universe. Meghan knows what she believes and she chose to follow what He told her to do. It's that simple. It's that amazing. God will change your life forever, if you allow Him to.



Your Perspective Is Everything

They had been noticing how the hawk always sat perched upon the cross of our church steeple, and so my pastor and his wife watched thoughtfully one day. The idea came to Patricia that our perspective is always clearer from the cross and she mentioned the profoundness of it to her husband. A sermon was born in that moment.

Since Pastor Mills was unable to get a photo of the bird, he had his assistant find one on the Internet for him and he placed it on the large screen one Sunday for all of us to see. He quoted his wife and preached how different life looks when we view it through what Jesus did for us on the cross. It was powerful.
I was determined to see that bird in order to etch the idea in my mind for good.

One evening, a couple weeks later, I rounded the corner to the church to take my children to their rehearsal. One of them pointed and exclaimed, "Mommy, look, the hawk is on the cross right now!"

I was quite excited since I had my camera in the van with me. I pulled my vehicle in a good location and opened my door. Climbing onto the edge of the running board, I held my camera up and took a shot. Just as I did, a second hawk landed beside the first. My children cheered and I began to picture the collage of photos. What a beautiful scene the Lord had set for me to photograph. The sky was illuminated with sunset's glow, edging the clouds and now a second bird?The kids ran into the church and I left during their practice. When I returned, the second hawk had disappeared and I travelled around the church, shooting different angles. I so desired to capture that lone hawk in flight! I held my camera up for quite some time and it wouldn't move. I silently prayed, Lord, this is Your bird. Please call to it and make it fly. I felt a little silly asking such a request but why not? Immediately, the hawk fluffed up it's wings and flew away. I praised God! How fun :)

I was able to create a framed collage for Pastor Mills and Patricia to show them how inspired I was by the truth of these words. And as I read Ann Voskamp's post for today, I am reminded once again that joy is always possible because, "Joy is the fruit of gratitude. And gratitude is rooted in perspective."

Gratitude:

1216. moments in creation that take my breath away
1217. the joy of being able to capture this gift to give it away
1218. that it truly is possible to have joy, no matter what my circumstance is, if I only have gratitude
1219. that there truly is always something to be grateful for
1220. although it's been a couple of weeks of entitlement and spoiled children, they just might be catching onto the gratitude thing
1221. how they're all reading incessantly
1222. how she feels her ILS class is making her so much smarter
1223. how my non-reader now wants the fattest of books just so she can say she's read them :)
1224. how I'm running out of spare change for hot chocolate dates with my readers who've completed their books
1225. the way she sweeps onto the stage in the Wizard of Oz play and blows us away with her confidence
1226. the way my other girl memorized her lines immediately
1227. the way she uses her dancing skills on the stage as the Cowardly Lion
1228. the way he keeps asking me, "We're just doing this for fun, right, Mommy?"
1229. how I said I didn't want to join this play this year and how God just brings details together so that we remain connected to people I believe He wants to our lives
1230. more items wrapping up for the school year
1231. how my sister-in-law had a tumor removed this week from her brain and continues to joke about getting her hair shampoo'd
1232. how her spirit is beginning to enliven again
1233. the success of the surgery
1234. how family rallies around when they're most needed
1235. the forgiveness and grace of a friend I messed up with (the tongue is unruly, I tell you!)
1236. the way he loves his new model airplane (that would be my BIG boy)

Capturing A History Of Faithfulness

I find my way to an aisle seat for a good view of the platform, and I plop my camera bag on the next chair. I search the familiar faces, nod and smile, and commence photographing the faithful congregation of Stoney Creek Community Church. I'd done this same thing before, in celebration of their twentieth, and here I am again, rejoicing alongside of my childhood friend, at her little church.

It all began with just four of them, Pastor and Mrs. Clarke, my friend and her sister. They left a prestigious life behind to embrace the call to the ministry in another province. Many times they struggled through hardships no pastor ever wants to encounter, but here we all are at twenty-five years, praising God for His faithfulness.

I have vested interest here. You see, when I was a teenager, and times were tough, it was this couple that wrapped their arms around me in their living room and prayed over me. It was their daughter, who remained my friend over the years, us having babies together and celebrating milestones. And so, as I travel the sanctuary, focusing and clicking the shutter button, I'm capturing not only faces, but saints who have persevered and designed a welcoming place for the weary life-travellers of this city. I watch as person after person step forward to share how they've been changed here and loved--I too, am silently one of them. We know that the Lord is first and foremost in this haven.

With an ear to the pulpit, I float quietly about the room, as they had asked--an invisible historian. The congregation laughs, I see them wiping tears. I am moved. I am humbled. I love it here and they do too. One couple speaks and sings, another couple shares their thoughts, children sing and play instruments, a celebration blanket is presented, Scripture is read, stories are told, and the Pastor tells of God's goodness to him and his family. And as we boldly raise our voices in the Doxology, the unity of the body of Christ in strong in this room.

God bless you, Pastor and Mrs. Clarke and family. You reflect God's faithfulness to us. I love you.

Gratitude:

1064. persevering Christians who don't abandon their faith through tough circumstances

1065. for those who've returned after abandoning--He's faithful to forgive and receive you back, no matter what!

1066. Virginia and Yvonne who have taught our little group so much about hearing God's voice

1067. for Yvonne's blankets

1068. a bride's excitement and tears during her shower... she's waited so long :)

1069. sisters who always give me something to think about after we've been together

1070. a vision of promise coming to fruition