Sunday, October 24, 2010

Identity.


Recently I had a dream that I believe was from the Lord.

 I was standing in the ocean with water up to my knees and my sister was standing next to me. I was holding my wallet in one hand and my license in the other. I accidently dropped my I.D.  into the ocean and had to scramble to get it as is rode up and down in the choppy water. This happened a few times in a row, I just wasn't paying attention to it and it would slip out of my grip. Eventually I did not retrieve it quickly enough and it was drawn out to sea, far out into the horizon. I became aware of a presence behind me on the shore. There was an overweight woman in a black bathing suit under an umbrella on the sand. She served as a "voice of wisdom" in my dream and had a New Jersey accent and a little bit of an attitude (don't tell me God doesn't have a sense of humor).

She said, "Oh don't worry about it honey, I've had that happen lots of times. Just pray that He'll bring it back to you, and He will."

I prayed and my license floated back to me. I picked it up and she chimed in again.

"Well no, don't be an idiot! Now that He has given it back to you put it in your wallet where it belongs!"

And so I did.

I woke up and God showed me that this was His answer to all of the prayers I shoot up to Him about identity.

Sometimes we drop our identities into things around us like it was a piece of trash, into unhealthy relationships, into hopes that our bosses will affirm us, into getting an A on that next test, into our possessions, looks, etc.

There is a place for our identities and His name is Christ. It sounds cheesy but He is our wallet, He is where our I.D. belongs and is most secure.

The problem is that we MUST be intentional. If we keep dropping our identity  into the ocean it is going to float so far away that we won't know who we are anymore.

I dare you to pray that God will bring it back, all of who you are and who He created you to be. But once He does it is up to you to pick it up, put it securely in Him, and make sure it isn't dropped again.
The main point in all this is that we are precious, our identities are precious to the Lord, and if we treat them like they are nothing we might lose out on everything He created us to be.

There is more to come on this subject that God showed me, so look out for more clarification in part two!

<3

Friday, October 22, 2010

denominations spenominations. and coffee.



I have gotten myself into a little routine I am loving. I workout early in the morning and then head across the streets for a cup of coffee, time reading scripture, praying, and writing. Today I was feeling guilty for not getting out of the house until 9am as compared to 5am. However, doesn't God always surprise us with His will when we think we have made a mistake?


As I sat in my seat, covered in sweat and reading scripture, I heard a sweet elderly woman's voice coming from behind me.
"Are you reading scripture??" she said.
"Yes," I replied.
"Oh, good for you sweetie! Do you have two minutes to hear a story about romans 8:28?"
"Ummm, sure?"

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.

She told me that her and her husband were very worried about her son who was a sheriff in Moreno Valley, CA because of the gangs in the area. They began to pray everyday for his safety, thanking him in advance for any problems that would come up because they knew He would use them for good. 

A few weeks later her son pulled over a car full of gang members and was shot 3 times. One went through his shirt pocket and was caught by his bullet proof vest. Another grazed his wrist. Another went through his abdomen and out his back. Miraculously it did not rupture any organs or his intestines, he was perfectly fine.

Here is the kicker, this happened over 20 years ago and this woman, Ruth, was still beaming with joy about it.

Our conversation moved on and she told me she was part of a catholic movement that was involved in planting home churches with very tight community. I shared about my wonderful church, Antioch, that has the same heart although a different denomination.

As she walked away I began to realize how beautiful the interaction was. So  often there is a nasty divide between denominations and even churches. However this morning over espresso, the word of God and his loving miracles brought two women of different generations together with nothing but love.

We are the church, of every denomination, and I love to see the Spirit moving all of us in the same direction of tight, loving community.

Thank you my loving God and Friend.

Monday, October 18, 2010

rainy afternoon


The Rain :: J.L. Borges



The afternoon grows light because at last

Abruptly a minutely shredded rain
Is falling, or it fell. For once again
Rain is something happening in the past.

Whoever hears it fall has brought to mind

Time when by a sudden lucky chance
A flower called “rose” was open to his glance
And the curious color of the colored kind.

This rain that blinds the windows with its mists

Will gladden in suburbs no more to be found
The black grapes on a vine there overhead

In a certain patio that no longer exists.

And the drenched afternoon brings back the sound
How longed for, of my father’s voice, not dead.

[From Dreamtigers, by Jorge Luis Borges, translated by Harold Morland]