Proof

Proof. It's something that we seek throughout our lives, sometimes intentionally, sometimes totally unaware. And it's something that the world looks for in us. In those of us who call ourselves Christians. Proof. Proof of His love.

There's a song (shocker!) that I absolutely love by For King and Country, "Proof of Your Love". There's one particular release of it that I could keep on continuous loop all day. It's a release with a spoken part about I Corinthians 13 (at about the 2:30 mark in the video). Maybe it's the Aussie accent, maybe it's the interpretation...but it gets me every time. And reminds me that without love to back all that I say, all that I do, all that I accomplish, all that I learn, I am bankrupt.

Bankrupt.

It would be like Jesus performing all of the miracles, teaching all of the great sermons, socializing with outcasts. Then skipping the cross. Skipping the part that was the proof of His love, His identity. It would all have rung hollow without the promise of eternity being fulfilled...by His LOVE.

When He allowed Himself to be beaten and hung on a cross to die, like a common criminal, He allowed his LOVE for mankind to become fully realized. He set the greatest example of all for us to follow.

So why do we, as Christians, so often forget the love aspect of all that Jesus did. We see things that are contrary to the Bible's teachings and take action. In ways that are contrary to Jesus' teachings. Then we wonder why the world looks as us and wants no part of our Christianity.

Yes, we live in a sin-filled world. A world that will always run contrary to God's word. A world that will always look to disprove its teachings. But why do we provide the ammo they need by the way we respond? Why do we show such a poor representation of Jesus?

As this Easter season is upon us, reflect on His love. Reflect on his teachings. Reflect on his methods. No, He didn't win everyone over. He was still nailed to a cross. But in His unending, unfailing love His prayer even on the cross was for forgiveness, "Father, forgive them. They know not what they do."

What have any of us as Christians, especially in America, endured for the cause of Christ greater than what He himself endured? There's nothing. Nothing greater than what He endured. If Jesus, with all He endured, could act in love while being tortured on the cross, there's no circumstance in our life where we can't do the same.

As this Easter season is upon us, let our LIVES be the PROOF of his love. We live in a hurting and broken world. A world that so desperately needs his love. And world that's looking to us to be the proof. Let my life be the proof, the proof of your love.

Butterflies and Such

Spring is a season I really have to kind of make myself get into. I don't really like the warming temperatures, the pollen, the exposure of my extremely white legs because it's too hot to wear jeans. I much prefer weather that seldom if ever creeps out of the 60's that allows me to live in boots and sweaters. But here I am, in the beautiful Texas Hill Country, welcoming in Spring...a little more enthusiastically this year.

One day last week I took the puppy outside. As I wandered the yard with her waiting for her to do her business, I noticed our trees were really starting to bloom. Lots of new color. Signs of life. Then I saw it. We have this bush/tree thing, the kids call it a peanut tree. Huge lavender blooms were all over it. One stood out. This one bloom had an amazing butterfly on it.



I stood there a stared for a minute. It actually took me a minute to remember that I had my phone in my pocket. As soon as I did, I grabbed it to take a picture. But even after the picture, I stood a watched the butterfly. In the midst of all of the color, all of the blooms, here was this new life. This beautiful, vibrant life. This sign, that after the cold, harsh winter (ok, maybe not so cold OR harsh in Texas) that new life comes.

That beautiful yellow butterfly was such a beautiful reminder to me of God's faithfulness after a dark, cold season. After the winter of life has stripped the color, the vibrancy, the life from everything around you, there is a spring. And in that spring there is new life. There is growth. There are blooms. There is vibrant color. There is a butterfly that has survived the cold of winter, growing and fighting to emerge from its cocoon...full of everything that reminds us that Spring brings life.

Dry Bones

If you've followed my blog for any length of time, you've probably figured out that music is one of the ways that God most often speaks to me. And this time He used one of my very favorite worship songs right now, The Great I AM. Seriously, if you don't know this song, listen. Now. No really, you can come back and finish reading this after you catch the song.

I love this song. Every time I hear it, I can hardly stand still. It's one of the best out there right now. But for as many times as I've heard this song, for as many times as we've worshipped to it at church, today it was like I heard part of it for the first time.

I want to see dry bones living again, singing as one.

I don't know who wrote the song or what the meaning of that line is to them, but today God spoke so clearly to me. Just before this line, the song talks of loving like Jesus...loving the world and hating the dark. Today, as I sang that song, my heart began to break for those who have known the love of Christ, who have walked with Him, yet, for whatever reasons, have now turned away. Those "dry bones" that so desperately need to live again. My heart broke for those in my life who once were close, but now are far from Christ.

Any of us who have walked this journey with Jesus for any amount of time know that there are seasons of drought, seasons of famine. But, like the Israelites wandering in the wilderness, God always sustains us. We may be in a dry season, but we still have His life flowing through us. But these "dry bones" to me are so much more heartbreaking than a dry spiritual season.

Dry bones have no hope. Dry bones have no promise. Dry bones have no life. And I really think it's a completely different lifelessness than never having known Christ at all. These dry bones have once been filled with the hope, the promise, the life of Jesus and now have nothing. This has lingered with me all day. And all day I've been burdened for those people that are the "dry bones" in my life...those who need life breathed in again.

My prayer all of today has been to see "dry bones" living again. And singing as one with me.

Who are those in your life that are "dry bones"? My prayer for you is that you will see "dry bones" living again. And standing with you singing as one: "Hallelujah, holy holy. God almighty. The Great I AM. Who is worthy, none beside thee. God almighty. The Great I AM."

It's More About the Where

You've heard it your whole life: "You reap what you sow." What you sow. And it's true, you really do. But in a recent message, that old saying took on a whole new meaning.

You sow kindness, you reap kindness. You sow love, you reap love. You sow hard work, you reap success. You sow time, you reap growth. That all sounds great, right? But where are you sowing?

Have you ever thought about that? It's not justwhat you sow, but where you sow. If I want to be successful in my job, I sow the work, the dedication, the time it takes to be successful. If I want to be a good friend, I sow the time, the effort, the loyalty needed to reap friendship. If I want to be fit and healthy, I sow the work, the dedication, the sacrifice it takes to get there. But those are the easy things, aren't they? Those are the things that most of us already do...every day.

So what about the things that really matter? Is my marriage what it could be? Maybe, if the answer is no, that's where I should be investing more of my sowing. How are my connections with my kids? Would they say I'm really plugged in? That I really listen? That I turn away from the the tv or computer when they want my attention? Maybe, if the answers are no, that's where I should be investing more of my sowing. Where's my relationship with Jesus right now? How often to I crack open my Bible? How often to I pray...that doesn't involve a meal? When was the last time I went to church? If the answers are border on "it's been a while", then for sure that's where I need to invest more of my sowing.

If you're anything like me, you sow where you reap the most affirmation. You sow where you reap the most appreciation. The thing is, if I'm sowing as I should in my Father and what His best is for me, I'll have the affirmation, the confidence, the peace that I need in my life. And when I'm finding those things in Him, it's so much easier to see that if I SOWED more into those things that matter most, I'd also REAP more in those things that matter most.

It's not just what you sow, it's where you sow. Choose wisely.