Honestly, my soul.

I heard on the radio that one of the reasons we need to sit and be still and read the Bible is because there are so many voices distracting us, it can be hard to hear what is going on in your soul above the din.
That made sense to me. They gave the example of David, who spoke to his soul "why are you down cast?" He knew his soul was downcast. To know that, you need to listen. I have been trying to listen, and I'm not sure. Are you in a confused state, O Soul? Or are you locked shut by a combination I have forgotten? Or are you quietly speaking, and my hearing has gone dull?

I do know about my thought-life-- and that I have been listening to my thoughts rather than speaking to them... Finding that (once again) listening leads to drifting...and unbelief....such a viscous cycle. So I will pray.  I will pray honestly (I don't desire you God., as I should...I desire marriage and sex and esteem from friends and success at work and comfort much more than you right now). And I will ask for help (to know my soul, and most of all, to know and treasure Jesus much more.)

Some encouragements via blogs and email....


John Piper writes
"I use the acrostic I. O. U. S as I come to the Bible.

I. Incline my hear to your testimonies. Psalm 119:36 (Since my heart is inclined to sleep and to work and to lots of things other than the Bible.)
O. Open my eyes to see wonders in your word. Psalm 119:18 (Since my heart is so often dull and blind to the wonders of the word.)
U. Unite my heart to fear your name. Psalm 86:11 (Since my heart is often divided and distracted in many directions)
S. Satisfy me with your steadfast love. Psalm  90:14 (Since my heart is so tempted to be satisfied in other things."

Dan Porch writes
"Two very strong messages need to rest in our hearts and minds as we walk through this week.  The one is the reality that lustful living leads to unbelief … so fight it! We read from Hebrews 3 around the breakfast table this morning and heard this reminder … you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.  The enemy of our soul is so very crafty.  We begin to long for and lust after the offerings of this world without even realizing it.  And before we know it, we are walking in unbelief.  And an unbelieving heart leads us away from the living God.  It is a spiral downwards.  And so we need to encourage one another in the second strong message given to us on Sunday morning!

We fight lustful living in a delightful and amazing way.  We fight unbelief with worship … not drudgery or duty … but delight!  We remember Paul’s prayer for the Colossian church, and we enter into it … joyfully giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.  We worship the Father and are strengthened in our belief … our faith … our confidence that the greatest treasure is not found by sharing in what this world offers, but our greatest treasure is found by sharing in and walking with Christ in this life and the next." 

May God grant me the combination to know my soul, for the purposes of knowing and honoring Him. To worship Him and joyfully fight. Oh Lord, have mercy.

Passion & Need

Vocation is where our greatest passion meets the world’s greatest need.
Frederick Buechner

His eye is on the sparrow

Psalm 40:1-5 Tree of Life

I've been absent from the pen (err, keyboard) and writing and thinking about things on this blog. However I must say it's refreshing to feel the weight of burdens lifting. Next week I'll say goodbye to being a graduate student for good when I defend! It's been such a journey to even consider going to school- and what to study- and where! And to apply, and be accepted, then to make it through it...I haven't pondered it that much because God opened up an incredible job! My unemployment was short and sweet, and I've been pushing to finish up this last step. I'm seeking and praying for His grace next week...and even tomorrow... knowing "his eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me...I can sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm freeeeee...His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me!" (the old spiritual, sung by Abigail Wasburn, play count 45 in Itunes)

Science would be impossible

"Science would be impossible without the truth of the Christian worldview" -Justin Holcomb, from the Resurgence on "Why Science Needs the Christian Worldview".  It's a short, clear article that makes 9 arguments of how nature and our human experience point to God. Without from the world's functioning as a rational, uniform and 'fit together' sort of place, studying nature in a systematic way (a.k.a. science) would have been pointless. 

In fact the presupposition that we live in a designed place and can study it because it is consistent (not random) occurred because of a Christian worldview of a Creator designing all that we see (and don't see). Think of our friends Mr. Newton, Mr. Da Vinci, Mr. Galileo- though their thinking got them in trouble in their day, it also came from this worldview. 

Today science assumes nature has a rational order but takes God out of the picture and, in some cases, mocks those who believe in God or an intelligent designer. These 9 reasons encourage my timid, fearful self who can feel insecure about being a Christian in science. I hope they challenge someone who would be opposed to a Christian worldview and start a discussion, too.

But for you

Conditional

Fearing

the Son
Promises of the

Sun Rising 

in Goodness

Perfection

Rightness

Healing

Helping

FREE

Joy

Leaping

Dancing

Fearless

Fullness

Skipping

Singing

Overflowing

Child-like

at last.

Joining in with the whales and stars

Poems and thoughts from Louie Giglio, 9/22/2011 @ The DesiringGod National Conference

"This world is messed up at an amazing magnitude." -LG

Crying.
Sing a new hallelujah.
Reach across the table.
Reach across the ocean.
Reach to my neighbor.
Can I, when I don't know what to say?
When she has hurt me so much?
When I have done this?
May your blood drop into the hard soil of her heart,
soak in,
break up the clods,
so roots can sink in,
yes, so
gospel roots can sink in and
grow.
and flourish.
Tears that sing of his faithfulness.
Tears that sting of brokenness.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Worship happens wherever God is.

The ripple effect of Grace.

We are not all here at our leisure
But under the mandate of the grace of God.

The Universe's primary function is to 
give 
praise to
God. 
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"Wrecked, and not put back together in a simple form or fashion." -LG


Whoa is me, I am lost.
Wrecked, deep. Done.

Wrecked by sinful condition
Searing grace of God
To hear the question
"who shall we send?"
"Send me."

Light steps
miles- coming quietly
never still and shining
brilliant, wading deep in the
song of glory to the one who sees

Who reaches down                       this city
Unconditionally                             this day
Who breathes                               this family
Sets in place                                 this body
People for this time.

the community

“A thing is right only when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the community; and the community includes the soil, water, fauna and flora, as well as the people.”  - Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac, 1949 (Via Friends of the Mississippi River, pic from National Wildlife Foundation).


Oh, Aldo. Sometimes he just hits the spot. I've got the broad community of soil, water, fauna and flora on my mind as I just returned from a refreshing weekend with new friends; folks who are passionate about Jesus and restoring creation. It was a privilege to spend the weekend in Northern Michigan at Au Sable (and to be a member of the Grad Fellows program this year) and to get into deep conversations about research, outreach, physics, networks, and of course, porcupine poo. Hurray for snow- hikes and cross country and a night of broom ball under the nicest pole barn I've ever been in! I'm brimming with thanks to our Creator, who designed us for rich fellowship like this! I feel reinvigorated to fight for the things that preserve communities, as Aldo says, and I'm thankful to know other fighters-- to be reminded I am not alone. Praise to the one who made this wondrous world and cares deeply about all of its inhabitants.