Conformed or Transformed?

The following is a post from my former Pastor and friend. It touched my heart and I wanted to share it with you and pray it speaks to you as well. I went to my cousin's memorial service this week. You would've loved Ed, he was a great pastor and a fun guy. I find myself sitting next to some of you in the stadium of questions. You know the place - it's the crowded arena that holds all of us who have had an experience that doesn't seem to fit in the game of life. I hugged Ed's wife, who now is without a husband, a father for their kids, a pastor, and even a church. I stood in the stadium next to her and felt a fraction of her pain. We cried. I walked and talked with my other cousin who is now without his younger brother and himself racked with pain from cancer - we talked about God, about questions, about hanging on. The stadium is often quite full. As I work my way out of the stadium I'm looking back making some observations. 1. The stadium of questions rarely h...

I have found myself saying "That's just not fair!" this week. I have experienced frustrating situations that I would allow to consume me. I have let my mind wander and have experience a cluster of destructive emotions. I had valid reasons to be angry; valid reasons to fight; valid reasons to quit. So, if that is the case, why would I say "it's not fair" and out of the same mouth "God is up to something great"? Perspective. It comes down to perspective. In all of our situations, whether or not we can see it, God is up to something great! Through our situations, we may find ourselves saying: • How could God let this happen? • This isn't fair! • If God cares about me, why is he allowing ____________ to happen? Our life is a short little speck in light of eternity. God has seen all of the past thousands of years and he already sees the next thousand years. He knows everything we have ever done and will ever do. He knows what will happe...

I want to share a quote from a friend that she posted on her facebook this week. It has totally encouraged me in my faith. "To know that God watches my back is so wonderful. I say I trust Him to take care of me only to find that when it comes down to the wire, He outlasts my faith. Just when I wonder how I am going to make things work, He reminds me that it is His timing, not mine and comes through the Victor at the final bell. I am humbled." I am in the process of starting a church in Interlochen, Michigan. It's an exciting time, but we have not been able to get into a building. There is NO question in my mind that this is what we are supposed to do, but why hasn't God opened up the doors to the right place for us? We have one option, but I am just not at peace about that quite yet. God's timing is NEVER late. I trust in that and reading her quote reminded me once again, that He WILL come through and I just need to keep my eyes on the Savior and not look in...

Psalm 62:5-8 says Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people;pour out your hearts to him,for God is our refuge. My soul finds rest in You My fortress and my rock My hope for life my hiding place My refuge and my God In You I've found my home My shelter from the storm And I'll pour out my heart to You And lean upon Your throne I will put my trust in You I will put my hope there, too I will stand upon Your word And I will not be shaken I will let my praises show Holding on to what I know Because I know You're always there And I will not be shaken I will not be shaken (Repeat) I will not be moved I'm leaning on the throne Because You died for me And called me to Your own And even when the strongest winds begin to blow I will stand my ground I will not be moved I will not...

There are so many areas of my life that I have been bringing before the Lord. I am staying focused and worshipping and serving Him while I wait. Listen to the words of this song.... While I'm Waiting John Waller The Blessing I’m waiting. I’m waiting on You, Lord And I am hopeful I’m waiting on You, Lord Though it is painful But patiently, I will wait I will move ahead, bold and confident Taking every step in obedience While I’m waiting I will serve You While I’m waiting I will worship While I’m waiting I will not faint I’ll be running the race Even while I wait I’m waiting I’m waiting on You, Lord And I am peaceful I’m waiting on You, Lord Though it’s not easy, no But faithfully, I will wait Yes, I will wait And I will move ahead, bold and confident Taking every step in obedience While I’m waiting I will serve You While I’m waiting I will worship While I’m waiting I will not faint I’ll be running the race Even while I wait I will move ahead, bold and confident I'll be taking ...

I run to You. When the waves around me are crashing from the storm.... When I'm in the stillness of the redwood forest and not a sound is heard... When I am in a crowd of people and feel all alone.... When I sit on the edge wondering where you are.... When I am filled with excitement that I cannot contain..... When I don't feel I can go on.... I run to You. Your love reaches. Your love touches. I run to You. Where it's always safe and I am held. I run to You. The One who never changes. I run to You. I run only to You. Jesus.

An amazing amount of time has passed since I posted last. I shared with you my trip to Cancun, Mexico and it seems life has been hectic and I haven't "felt" like writing much. There has been much going on with me personally and I just don't feel like I have had much to say at times. What possibly could I say that might make any type of difference? I don't wanna talk just to talk, so I have been pretty silent. So, what do you do when you don't FEEL God. What happens when you are in the valley and not the mountaintop? I know that sometimes when we don't feel God it's because of things in our life that shouldn't be there, but at other times, it's just a time when God seems silent. That doesn't mean that God is farther away. It doesn't mean that He isn't still in control or care about what is going on in your life. It's in these times when I don't FEEL God that I realize that this is where my faith comes in. As it is talked abou...

There is a great post about criticism and hurts on Perry Noble's site. We need to stay focused on playing our game for an audience of One. Only what God says counts! It's so easy to get our eyes off the good things and focused on the one bad thing. If 10 people say good things and one person says a bad thing, that is where we, by nature, focus. If 10 people say bad things and God says "Good job, I'm pleased!" then that's all we need. Today I play for an audience of One. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdX-77UhwgU

As we look at what happened at Virginia Tech this week, we don't have answers, no matter how much we analyze and pick it all apart. This song came to mind as I wrestle with things in my own life and watch others and their struggles....when answers aren't enough....Praise God! there is Jesus! Listen here: http://cdbaby.com/mp3lofi/randymayfield3-01.m3u You have faced the mountains of desperation You have climbed, you have fought, you have won But this valley that lies coldly before you Casts a shadow you cannot overcome And just when you thought you had it all together You knew every verse to get you through But this time the sorrow broke more than just your heart And reciting all those verses just won't do When answers aren't enough, there is Jesus He is more than just an answer to your prayer And your heart will find a safe and peaceful refuge When answers aren't enough, He is there Instead of asking why did it happen Think of where it can lead you from here And a...

Isaiah 40:29-31 says "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Psalm 16:11 says "You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 says "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body." I am so thankful that my emotions are not truth. Only God's Word is truth and doesn't change. When I am weary, God has all the strength I need to make it. When I am confused, God has the map and is there to gui...

On the way to school this morning, my daughter found an old tattered dollar in the console. She asked if she could have the dollar and I told her no. She replied, "But Mom, it's old and torn." I asked her if an old dollar and a new dollar were worth the same amount and she said "yes". I explained that just because it was old and torn doesn't change it's value. She is six, but she understood that and still wanted the dollar. I am reminded that it doesn't matter where we have been and what has happened to us or by us. God still sees us as valuable in our torn and tattered state. He wants to use us for His glory. Just like the torn and tattered dollar, we still hold our value. As I got done explaining this concept to my daughter, the Mark Schultz song came on the radio "Broken and Beautiful". How appropriate. Read these words or click the link to the song and listen from his myspace page.... Mark Schultz - Broken & Beautiful There’s a bu...

I watched the Passion of the Christ movie for the very first time today. We had it at our church a few times, but I always helped with the kids and never actually got to see the movie. Here are the notes from my journal: So much to say and yet no words.... He offered pardon and received none. He offered love and received hate. (and then after a time of intense prayer....) these songs: Jesus, I love you! I worship and adore you! Glorify your name in all the earth! Glorify your name! Glorify your name! Glorify your name in all the earth! Spirit, I love you! I worship and adore you! Glorify your name in all the earth! Glorify your name! Glorify your name! Glorify your name in all the earth! Father, I love you! I worship and adore you! Glorify your name in all the earth! Glorify your name! Glorify your name! Glorify your name in all the earth! Lord, I come to you. Let my heart be changed, renewed. Flowing from the grace that I've found in you. And Lord, I've come to know, the weakn...