the encounter

when you step back and look at life – i mean really step back. 

when you take a look at the things that bring the greatest meaning.  when you look at the things that bring the greatest frustration.  some things become a bit more clear.

the more i demand my way, expect my comfort, give in to desires for myself, the less satisfied i am.  these are the same impulses that create crazed dictators, mass murderers, and common criminals.  they want what they want without regard to another person’s welfare.

scale of course makes a difference.  yet these impulses are the same.  and they come so natural, so organic to who we are as humanity. 

its a curse for the reverse.  live for what you want and satisfaction will completely illude you.  live for your own way and only find greater pain, confusion, and dissolution.  

the curse is broken when we go in reverse:  humble, honest, broken, serving, giving, caring, loving, selfless, authentic, forgiving.

live instead to bring others joy; find personal delight in serving, surrender, and sacrifice; live with humility, gratefulness, and to bring others joy and something unusual happens:  satisfaction, contentment, peace, meaning, joy, unending love, purpose.

For even the Son of Man did not come to served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.  mark 10:45

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Some of you may recall the prayer requests shared for Lanessa Allman last year (She attended UMHB with Phil, the Nash’s and myself.)

Last year she was struck with encephalitis and several other complications after giving birth to her fourth son.

And now that she’s had time to heal and recover, she’s put her story into words and self-published a book, “Restored – To the Land of the Living.”

Lanessa shares on her blog:

I am SO excited to finally write this post! Eleven months ago, I went through a hard trial that almost took my life. As most of you know since this affected my brain, I wanted to write it down so I would not forget the promises and blessings I got from the ordeal. Plus all the lessons I learned about our Lord and myself.

The book is now available for purchase, and before you order it, I ask you read this blurb so you will know the “mission statement” about the book.

I liked to blog, and my writing extended to that before I had Clark about a year ago. The only other writing I might have done in earlier years is some prayer journaling. So, let me explain I am NOT a seasoned, or trained writer…I have not attended writing conferences, and I self-published this book to be honest. I have to remind myself almost everyday that I got confirmations on all my decisions and my husband was behind me every step of the way.

To self-publish is to pay a company to design your book and print it in a book format. I did this with the full knowledge that I might never get back in profit what I paid out to the publishing company. And that is okay. I did not do this for that reason, in fact I want to give portions back to the church that did so much for me. I tried to keep the cost of the book down to a minimum so it is fairly small, thin and paperback. A mere $2 a book is my royalty, but if I just get one comment back that this story helped/uplifted/or inspired someone- that is my reward.

I’m looking forward to reading all that God has done in and around Lanessa through her life changing trials. I hope that through stories like Lanessas, we can continue to learn that “scar tissue is stronger than regular tissue” and that God is good – even in those moments of despair.

To order the book:

Click HERE
OR
call 888.519.5121.

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In recent years I’ve become more and more of a pacifist and a much stronger voice for non-violence. I know in many circles that’s often scoffed at. I’m OK with that, its not the most popular stance a person can take.

But then I read Eugene Cho’s blog post today about Fatima bint Mohamed bin Uthman Al-Mutairi.

Fatima was a 26-year-old Saudi woman who was killed by her own brother in August 2008 simply because she followed Jesus Christ.

Eugene shared Fatima’s story as a parallel to the life of Paul – who was vilified, imprisoned and hated because he was a “traitor to his people, the Jews.”

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from the book:

Most sinners loved being around Jesus.  They enjoyed his company, sought Him out, invited Him to their homes and parties.  Today most sinners don’t want to be around Christians.  Unbelievers tore off the roof to get to Jesus.  Sometimes they crawl out of the windows to get away from us!  Why is that?  What did Jesus show them that we don’t?  Grace.  People sensed that Jesus loved them, even when He spoke difficult words.  He was full of grace and truth.  He drew them out of the night like a light draws moths. 

its painful to hear, but painfully true. 

• something’s wrong in our day when we delight in being obstanant, treasure our offensiveness, and reject compassion, mercy, and grace. 
• something’s wrong when we have forgotten we too are cut from the cloth of sin
• something’s wrong when we forget that grace is not just something that once appeared to us, but something that we are desperate for every moment.
• something’s wrong when we say grace rescued us, but is far from the way we relate to others.

remember what rescued you.  thank God for it. bathe in it.  now show the greatness of it, by showing it to someone else!

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Seth Godin shares ::

• When you love the work you do and the people you do it with, you matter.
• When you are so gracious and generous and aware that you think of other people before yourself, you matter.
• When you leave the world a better place than you found it, you matter.
• When you continue to raise the bar on what you do and how you do it, you matter.
• When you teach and forgive and teach more before you rush to judge and demean, you matter.
• When you touch the people in your life through your actions (and your words), you matter.
• When kids grow up wanting to be you, you matter.
• When you see the world as it is, but insist on making it more like it could be, you matter.
• When you inspire a Nobel prize winner or a slum dweller, you matter.
• When the room brightens when you walk in, you matter.
• And when the legacy you leave behind lasts for hours, days or a lifetime, you matter.

And above all else – you matter to a God who loves you more than you could ever imagine! No matter what you do, what you’ve done or what you’re going to do –

He loves YOU!

Brennan Manning writes:

“For His love is never, never, never based on our performance, never conditioned by our moods — of elation or depression. The furious love of God knows no shadow of alteration or change. It is reliable. And always tender.”

He loves YOU!

(And so do we.)

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