Babies Change Everything

The world is still rejoicing these days over the birth of the royal baby, Prince George of Cambridge.  His arrival was heralded by commemorative coins and gun salutes, and the world now eagerly awaits the day he will become King of England. My family has had an addition of its own recently, as well – my sister had a baby girl on August 8. Despite the obvious differences between the two new arrivals, they both are having the same effect on their respective families. Sleepless nights and altered routines aside, they have brought tremendous hope and joy to these two sets of families that could only have been imagined before. It reminds me of the verse I Corinthians 13:12 – “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.” Ultrasound pictures can only give a dim picture at best of the new life that’s about to come into the world, but that just gives that first face-to-face experience a fire all its own.

The fuel for the fire, of course, is the painful labour endured by the mother directly before the miracle comes forth. Are you in a season of labour right now, longing for the birth of a miracle? Just as with the birth of a baby, we don’t know when the labour will start, when it will end, or how long it will endure. We can try to plan and prepare in our own strength, but it is God who will bring the miracle in His perfect time, and with no guarantees for an easy delivery. However, He does promise us that the joy of the miracle will completely overshadow the pain of the labour that preceded it: “A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.  Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you” John 16:21-22.

We must also remember that when our miracle ‘baby’ comes forth, it is just the beginning. We must dedicate it back to God. Babies grow to influence many other people, and have babies of their own. So whatever your dream is, when it arrives, don’t hold on to it too tightly. Allow God to use it for His glory and the extension of His kingdom.

After all, the birth of the royal baby can barely hold a candle to the One born some 2000 years ago - heralded by songs of brilliant angels that filled the night sky - for we know that His dominion will be from sea to sea, and of His kingdom there will be no end.

Ruth-Ellen W.

Encountering God

Recently I had the opportunity to be at part of our district youth camp. As always, there was a mass of teens with more energy and enthusiasm than I have ever had! For some, this is something they and their family have always done, for others it was a new and perhaps even an uncertain experience. Then there were others who were hard to figure out . . . do they even WANT to be here?!

As camp began I watched and observed two individuals who seemed to be dragging along some baggage, and certainly some attitude with it! I found myself praying for these two every time I saw them in those early hours of youth camp.

During the first service I could see them across the room and I found myself compelled to pray for them. Then in the final minutes of the service I felt like I should begin to intercede for them and I even moved from where I was sitting to quietly stand behind where they were sitting. Throughout the rest of the week as I thought of them I prayed for them. I prayed they would personally encounter God, the walls they had placed around themselves would begin to come down, I prayed for their hurts and I prayed they would make a personal decision to commit their lives to Jesus. (Just for the record, these are OUR “church” kids who are struggling and wrestling with their own personal decision to give their lives to Jesus.)

It was interesting during the final service, as the band so aptly led us in worship, I watched many of our youth and young adults stand at the front singing from their hearts as they worshiped the Lord. And there at the front, a little off to the side where two individuals worshiping God, who began camp with some serious attitude and they were going to be leaving camp changed and different. How do I know they were changed? You could tell by their posture, where they sat, who they sat with and the peace and contentment on their faces – also, one of the adult leaders confirmed they had had a significant encounter with God that week.

I am more and more convinced when we feel God’s nudging to pray and intercede for someone we need to do it! Whether we’re standing next to the individuals or whether we sit at a distance – there is power in prayer.

I had a lump in my throat as I praised the Lord for the decisions made by these individuals, as I watched them physically worship God in public. My heart is thrilled to know these two are beginning a relationship with Jesus at this young stage of their lives.

What a difference an encounter with God can make is the life of an individual!

2 Thessalonians 1: 11-12 says, “So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

Jo-Ann P.

LET. GO.

I just ran in to grab SOMETHING – I don’t even remember what I went in for – and saw that my floors had enough ‘leftovers’ on them to feed a small army. The washing machine had stopped, which meant I needed to empty the dryer (into the basket also known as the air hockey table). “I should throw in another load” I think to myself, tidy up a few things in the basement. I go back upstairs and see a few dishes that should be put in the dishwasher, which has clean dishes in it. Empty said dishwasher and fill it again, go back outside, sit down at my computer and remember what I went inside for in the FIRST PLACE!! Is it just me or is the list of things needing to be done in a day getting longer by the minute?

And there is a voice in my head saying “let go.” Let go of your expectations. Let go of your own ideas of what ‘life’ looks like. Let go of the expectations of everyone around you.

LET. GO.

I sit back in my chair and watch my kids splash around in the pool. I let the warm summer breeze wash over me and I breathe deep. Deep in my heart I know this moment is never going to happen again and I should enjoy it, but my mind can’t help but think of all of the things I need to get done.

My journey this year has been a tough one. I’ve learned immeasurably more than I have in the collective years I’ve lived before this one! I’ve learned that NOT letting go becomes a poisonous and constrictor-like snake that slithers in and slowly, ever so slowly, suffocates and chokes the spirit of God right out of me. This snake-like spirit sits in our churches, in our schools, in our workplaces and without us knowing it takes our breath away; the very breath that God breathed into us, the very breath we use to praise Him, the breath we use to utter our thankfulness to Him, the breath we use to LIVE and LET GO. As I sit here writing this I, again, am moved to tears at the graciousness of God and His perfect love. Letting go is HARD, it’s conscious, it’s deliberate and it’s the only way to survive this crazy, beautiful, wonderful life. The laundry will get done. While I’m enjoying the laughter of my children across the yard I’m PRETTY SURE there isn’t a sweet little vacuum fairy inside sucking up last night’s dried spaghetti. (I just checked, and in fact my little fairy friend must have had other plans, the spaghetti remains.)

On my refrigerator door sits a picture I took on a beautiful vacation a few years back. I reminds me to LET GO and LET GOD do and be and move in me.  It reminds me that when I don’t let go, the little things become the big things and the big things become the very things that destroy me and suffocate me. For me, letting go means taking an inventory of the things I can control, those I can’t control, those I want to control and the things I feel are out of control. My list gets smaller everyday – with extreme prayer and faith. And along with that comes great peace and joy and a greater revelation of who I am, whose I am and who He’s creating me to be. It’s a journey. It’s a hard one. But I refuse to let my spirit be panicked as I watch my kids grow up before my eyes, life change, circumstances arise. I choose to LET GO. I choose to separate my head and my heart and let the Spirit of God bring peace to my restless soul. I continue to journey to wholeness and draw nearer to the only one who will bring that journey to completeness. I won’t hear my kids say “mom, come outside and watch me jump into the pool, watch me ride my bike, watch me pass this level on my DS, watch me to a flip on the trampoline (I MAY not watch this one . . .)”. I won’t hear them say it because I will be right beside them, letting go of MY expectations of today and the things that I HAVE to do and enjoy a few things that I WANT to do. These moments are fleeting . . . these days are short and I’m letting go . . .

“So Jesus rebuked the wind and the raging waves. The storm stopped and all was calm!” Luke 8:24b

Tara W.

Reminders

Throughout the summer I've been reminded of the beauty of God's creation. I've had the opportunity to listen to the birds chirping, feel the warmth of the sun on my skin and pause in the busyness of life to enjoy the peace of creation.

I love Psalm 8 and it's reminders to us.

"1 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent (majestic and glorious) is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory on [or above] the heavens.

2 Out of the mouths of babes and unweaned infants You have established strength because of Your foes, that You might silence the enemy and the avenger.

3 When I view and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained and established,

4 What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him?

5 Yet You have made him but a little lower than God [or heavenly beings], and You have crowned him with glory and honor.

6 You made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet:

7 All sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field,

8 The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

9 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent (majestic and glorious) is Your name in all the earth!"

Psalm 8 (Amplified Bible) 

Jo-Ann P.

Try A Little Tenderness

“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Colossians 3:12-13 (NLT)

We’re pretty good at compassion, aren't we? We care about people who are suffering. We pray for those who are sick. We bring food to new moms and grieving families. We donate money to help people who are suffering in war-affected and developing nations. Our hearts go out to folks we see on the news when tragedy strikes. We are soft-hearted and kind women; we would go out of our way to help a loved one in need, or to offer an ear to someone who needs a friend.

We strive to be non-judgmental; we work to see others as they are seen by God, and to be patient and accepting of those who are different from us. We seek to forgive others and to understand that they are imperfect and human. We allow that folks are doing the best that they can, and offer support when they fall, because no one has EVERYTHING figured out.

But here’s the twist that never ceases to amaze me. We find it terribly difficult to be compassionate, accepting and non-judgmental WITH OURSELVES. I've seen it everywhere:  the women in my family, the women in my circle of dear friends, the women in my church, the women I see in my role as a counselor, the woman I see in the mirror . . . we SO struggle with this!

We struggle with allowing ourselves to be less than perfect. We can be so hard on ourselves, so ungracious. We say things to ourselves in the mirror that we would never say to another woman in our lives. We don’t allow ourselves to make mistakes – we refuse to let ourselves off the hook without harsh consequences. We berate ourselves, blame ourselves, punish ourselves . . . HOW DARE WE BE HUMAN?!?!

This is not God’s way. God does not desire us to be kind to others and treat ourselves like dirt.  In fact, we are commanded to love our neighbour as we love ourselves – the fact that we take care of and love ourselves is a given. Before we can love anyone else, we have to know how to love and care for ourselves.

What would happen for us if we read the above scripture in a slightly different way? What if WE were included in the list of people who deserve our care and compassion?  What if it sounded something like this?

“Since God chose you to be the holy person he loves, you must clothe yourselves with
tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for your own faults, and forgive yourself when you make mistakes and are human. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive yourself.”  (My paraphrase)

What gentleness and compassion this would bring to our internal dialogues! I believe there is something profound about the deep importance of women seeing themselves as God sees them – precious beyond comparison, wholly loved, completely accepted, and tenderly cherished.

Self-compassion is not indulgent. It’s not arrogant. It’s not prideful. It’s the humble acceptance of our imperfections and our humanness. It is the act of compassion for ourselves that is totally rooted in our secure identity as the Beloved of God. It opens us to restoration, healing, change, and growth . . . because these things do not flourish in a state of shame, but in a state of Grace.

My prayer for you is that you catch even the tiniest glimpse of our God’s enormous, gigantic, extravagant love for you – exactly where and whom and how you are right this very second – and that you are able to allow that love and tender compassion inside, into your own dark places where you need it most today.

Arlene M.