Refugees and Snowflakes

This is my Father's world! 

Every now and then I get a glimpse of my Father's best work and it is truly awesome! 

The other night I attended a meeting with refugees in Worcester. There were people from Africa and Asia, some who had lived in camps and run from flying bullets in their attempts to escape persecution and war. What a joy to worship with them and to hear them thanking God in their native tongues! 

Five in particular shared testimonies of what God brought them through and how they were able to come to this country and get a good education, some from Harvard and other prestigious universities. They've received help and the tools to make a difference. And now, God is leading them to return to be part of the rebuilding of their native land. They want to be used to bring light into the dark places.

This too, is an incredible new direction for their lives. Whether as a civil engineer or politician, they are returning to be part of the solution. These special people are sacrificing the comfort and safety they have come to love in order to serve God in their struggling homeland. Like Moses, God is leading them back to become leaders and game changers. How inspiring! 

After the meeting, I stepped outside to a beautiful snowfall. I didn’t even know it was going to snow. When we had gone into the Journey Church, the world was dressed in dull and ordinary colors. When we came out, it was shimmering with crystal!

Astounding, surprising God! I stood there in the middle of the parking lot smiling. A light snow floated down like grace from above, gently covering our brown earth and making everything sparkle like NEW again.

Makes me feel like a little girl about five, looking up in wonder at zillions of sparkly lights floating down from heaven! Dozens of them landed on my eyelashes, making me blink in delight. They brushed across my face and lips. I could feel the tiny sensations of cold and taste the freshness. Exhilerating!

Take a moment and look at this.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06jO7tKKBiQ

This is another gorgeous picture of the handiwork of divine promise and transformation. 

God makes the impossible look easy!  Whether it's taking lives wounded by war and  devastation and producing strong leaders and victories for the nations, or simply refreshing our world with incredible beauty, I am reminded that He does all things well. 

Just as every snowflake is unique, every life is a unique expression of a loving Creator. This is our opportunity to shine and make the world a more beautiful place.

What is your vision for the world? Let your light shine that your Father may be glorified. 

Texting God

In a conversation with one of my children over the holidays, it was fun catching up on our spiritual lives. Of course, everyone’s busy with work and families so I asked about her prayer time.

“Do you still take time to pray?”

“Well,” she started slowly, “not in regular conversations.”

“What do you mean?”

“Mine are more like text messages. I text God,” she said.

“Like what?”

“Like, Thanks God. Or, that’s a pretty sky, Lord. Or, I could use your help right now God.”

She got me thinking about what it means to walk with God, sharing life with the Heavenly Father. What does it mean to “pray without ceasing,” as 1Thes. 5:17 commands?

Maybe texting isn’t such a far-off notion. It’s the constant stream of thoughts that bends God-ward.

I was riding the T to Boston recently and noticed how every face was turned toward a cellphone. Nobody was talking to or even looking at another person. Everyone rushed onto the train and pulled out their handhelds to scroll through messages or send them.

We’ve become a texting society. Every move and idea, every accomplishment and notable thought makes its way to social media. You text your spouse and kids and check in constantly. You post about what you’re doing, eating, reading, and where you’re going.  

You text EVERYTHING and check in constantly with someone you love!

And so we should with God. It should be as natural and as delightful as texting your best friend.

After all, God is your constant companion, the only One who will NEVER leave you, and the only One who will never tire of an endless stream of lol's and smiley faces! He truly CARES about every detail of your life! Even the very hairs of your head are numbered! 

Are you talking to Him today? He wants to share life with you!

1Thes 5:17-18 "...be unceasing and persistent in prayer; in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus."

Amplified

What are Holidays For?

I remember when we moved in to a jungle tribe near the borders of Indonesia, the people said we would learn their language by eating their native food.  They believed the local food would teach us the tribal tongue, an unwritten language we sought to understand. 

Truth is, it’s the time spent around the village fires, with all the activities and observations and sharing life that opens us up to learn. It’s cultivating relationships and sharing our stories. Yes, that happens when we eat together.

Everything that we are, all that we hold dear in belief, belonging, and behavior, we experience as a life-long journey with the people we love. Created for community, the sharing makes us truly rich and soulfully healthy.

It’s no wonder all our holidays have a huge focus on the food and the mealtimes.  It’s not just about the savory flavors of stuffing and pie, but the cherished memories they stir to life.

I love to make rolled sugar cookies just the way my mother made them. There’s no question, these are “the best” when the dough chills for three hours and I roll them out on a floured board. I cut them into stars and angels, frost with white icing, and add a light coating of colored sprinkles.

The more they resemble my mother’s Christmas cookies or her perfectly fluted pie crusts, the more beautiful they are! They take me back home, and revive treasured memories. You see, my parents have been gone nearly 40 years, but making, smelling and enjoying these foods is delightful.

Holidays are heaven-sent reminders of what’s important in life. Whether it’s a birthday such as the one I had before New Year’s, or Christmas, or Hanukkah, which I celebrated with my son’s family this month, we light candles and sing and make a lot of noise.

We gather together with the people we love (and don’t always get to be with) to exchange gifts and party! We rehearse the old stories, laugh at things nearly forgotten, and remember who we are. In the midst of all the gala and festivities, our roots grow deeper.