Off to a Great Start

Day one of the prayer week was exactly what I needed. Chad hadn't been able to take a real day off in a long time. When that happens I usually don't take a day off because I feel guilty when he works and I don't. One of my fears is to be lazy... but that's for another blog post. Back to the point. With Chad's day off we were able to take time together talking, dreaming, encouraging, challenging, praying. My heart was so full by the time we needed to pick up our kids from school. I can't express to you how thankful I am for Chad. Sometimes I'm tempted to not talk too much about how great he is because I don't want to make people uncomfortable, but I don't care today. He is an amazing husband to me. He leads me in such a way that I become a better person. He challenges me to be a better leader. He partners with me in parenting to raise our kids. I'm so inspired by how hard he works, how much he studies, how he takes criticism with grace, how he never complains. The insight he has into scripture is profound. Through this season of waiting on so many things, he continues to keep his eyes on Jesus and trust in his perfect plan. He is a strong, intelligent, amazing guy. I really like him.

Later in the day I was pondering relationships that are also tied into leadership. It can be such an amazing adventure to lead with friends, and it can also be a complicated mess. My prayers are for godly wisdom in dealing with relationships, that I would be pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

To finish the day, about 20 ladies of Moxie met to pray. Throughout the day I had asked God for an agenda for the women's time together, but I felt in my spirit that he desired to lead the time. I showed up with only a couple of ideas for our prayer time. We started in... the women prayed. Brief words or phrases of God's attributes and gifts we were thankful for filled the room. Scripture was read. A time of confession of personal sin and areas we were afraid to let God have control over moved us into sincerity. It was deep, heavy, and authentic. The way my friends opened their mouths in obedience was beautiful. I believe speaking the dreaded things out loud is a step towards freedom. Many, many steps were taken last night. But our time didn't end focused on us. The over-all theme of the end of our time together was boldness in sharing Jesus with our friends. Again, the authenticity was moving. We want to share Jesus, we are often afraid, we want change, we believe he will draw our friends to himself. Thank you, Jesus, for meeting us last night.

Hope and Expectation

Second Mile's annual week of prayer and fasting begins today. Each year we set aside an extended time to focus on the same topics as a body and petition God on behalf of one another, our city, and the world. We distribute a prayer guide for people to follow which helps keep us all on the same heart beat of prayer throughout each day. If you are out of town and would like to pray with us you can view the prayer guide here.

Personally, I feel like this year God is asking me to focus on discipline and consistency. As life has gotten more full with the schedule of my family and the growth of our church, my own personal discipline has become lax. My desire is to be a woman who is focused on Jesus. I pray that my love for Chad reflects the love I have for Jesus. I want my interaction with my kids to come out of an overflow of time spent with him. The ministry I have with the women of Second Mile should be Spirit-filled and laced with the goodness that I find in Christ. To be honest, I've been tired. I haven't been disciplined and consistent in spending enough time with God or in taking care of myself. The Spirit has definitely been convicting me in this area and drawing me to himself. This lack of discipline has trickled down to how I eat, exercise, read, and even create boundaries in ministry. This shift has made me feel slothful, lonely, and discontent.

The funny thing for me is that discipline has never been something that was difficult for me. If I wanted to work to do something, I did. If something big needed to be accomplished, I worked to accomplish it. I've often been described as a "make it happen person." Glory to God that he has increased the parameters of my life in such a way that I can no longer "make it happen." This fresh call to discipline and consistency is a beautiful reminder that God is at work in my family and our church. The bigness of what he is doing is more than I can handle. He is calling me into a deeper, more dependent relationship with him. I'm excited. And, to be honest, I'm wondering what is next. How will things get bigger? What challenges lie ahead? I know. I know. Do not worry about tomorrow. Today has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34)

I truly pray that this week in our family of Second Mile, we all take this time seriously. This isn't the only week we pray together, but this should propel us through the year to seek God as a body. I pray that individually we ask God to speak to us, convict us, nurture us. I'm also praying that corporately we will not just be focused on talking to God, but listening to what he wants to say. I know whatever he desires to say to our church it will definitely be worth listening to!

Hosea 10:12 Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground for it is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

Moxie Memorizers

The response to Moxie Memorizers has been so exciting for me. About 40 people have responded and I'm sure there are a few who are joining that haven't spoken up yet. Thanks to all of you for being excited about this with me. I wholeheartedly believe this is going to be life transformational for us.

One of the main reasons I'm excited is because of the personal responsibility this will require. If you are mentored, your mentor is part of your growth process. Sundays bring teaching from someone else that has studied the depths of a passage. Conferences and bible studies also rely on others to help bring personal growth into your life. All of these are great tools that God has designed to help us grow in our knowledge and understanding of him, but memorizing scripture is up to you. I can't memorize your verse for you, your mentor can't, your pastor can't, your accountability partner can't... It is up to you. You will have to take the personal responsibility to write down the verses, study them, review them, and learn them. But, good news! I can promise that the Holy Spirit is going to be your Great Helper! You will spend time the to ask Him to write these verses on your heart. You have to take personal responsibility, but it is through his anointing and strength that your life will be transformed. You can't change your own life through scripture memory, but you can put the verses in your heart and mind and allow Him to work his amazing grace. Pretty awesome, don't ya think?

I chose my first verse of the year as a verse of hope. I'm truly hoping God is doing a new thing in my life and in Second Mile this year. I'm asking for it.

The second verse was very exciting for me because it says his eyes are on us when we fear him and hope in his love. Usually, we hear people say, "Keep your eyes on Jesus." That is a great thing to do, but I'm much more excited about his eyes being on me because there are times that I feel like I'm in a famine need his deliverance.

To comment leave your name, verse, and translation to let us know what verses you are doing for January:

Angel Is 43:19 See, I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up! Do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. NIV

Ps 33:18-19 The eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in the famine. NIV

Because our group is small-ish feel free to add anything to the comment you want. I'm always interested in things you have to say about this process. Several guys have mentioned that they read my blog and some are memorizing verses, too. Don't be shy guys. We love to hear from you. This isn't a woman only blog. If it was, I would have chosen a pink background. Lead out, gentlemen!

It is going to be great reading all the comments for the next few days! Let's hear what your working on. And, it is never too late to join in the fun! If you haven't signed up yet, just jump right on in!

Praying for My City

University Medical Center Memorial

Our local hero, Daniel Hernandez. Morgan wanted to talk to him. She said, "Last night in your speech you said you aren't a hero, but I think you really are." He gave her a big hug. Such a sweet personable guy. We should all be praying for him because as the chaos and attention subsides, he will probably have some very difficult images and memories to process through.

There are so many signs, flowers, candles, stuffed animals, and variety of other articles people have placed to show their respect and support. A picture cannot capture the intensity of it all. If you live in Tucson, please go, pray, and experience what is taking place in our city.

Congresswoman Giffords' office at Pima and Grant

We made this sign and the kids lit a candle.

We were at both memorials for about an hour and a half. They were mostly quiet, but asked questions as they needed. They each shed a few tears. Morgan was frustrated that some of the signs didn't seem to be relevant. Esther immediately noticed a statue of Buddha and a sign about Mother Earth. Kyle told me that the energy around the memorials was very sad and heavy. Carah cried and held on to my side a lot of the time. We prayed together for the victims' families, for Congresswoman Giffords, for the other people who were shot and are recovering, but we mostly prayed for our city. I love hearing my kids pray for Tucson.

The Israelites were living in exile...like we are. The world isn't our home. It is full of darkness, pride, selfishness, corruption. But, we seek to escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires and live for Jesus. As we do this, we seek to prosper our city, to pray for it, to live in such a way that the city and its people benefit. This tragedy has spurred me on to urgent prayer for Tucson, but God has also used it to convict me of the fact that I should be praying with fervor and urgency consistently. I hope and pray that we do not experience grief as a city like this again, but I know that God's sovereign plan will be accomplished even through the evil intent of a murderer. Take time to read the passage below and ask God to remind and teach you about living as a passionate exile, one who seeks to prosper the city you live in to the glory of God and for the sake of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

Jeremiah 29:4-14 The Message

This is the Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel's God, to all the exiles I've taken from Jerusalem to Babylon:

⁵"Build houses and make yourselves at home. "Put in gardens and eat what grows in that country. ⁶"Marry and have children. Encourage your children to marry and have children so that you'll thrive in that country and not waste away. ⁷"Make yourselves at home there and work for the country's welfare. "Pray for Babylon's well-being. If things go well for Babylon, things will go well for you."^8-9Yes. Believe it or not, this is the Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel's God: "Don't let all those so-called preachers and know-it-alls who are all over the place there take you in with their lies. Don't pay any attention to the fantasies they keep coming up with to please you. They're a bunch of liars preaching lies—and claiming I sent them! I never sent them, believe me." God's Decree!^10-11This is God's Word on the subject: "As soon as Babylon's seventy years are up and not a day before, I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. ¹²"When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. ^13-14"When you come looking for me, you'll find me. "Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed." God's Decree. "I'll turn things around for you. I'll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you"—God's Decree—"bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it.

Fragrant Reflection

I was greeted with an unexpected experience when I stopped by Congresswoman Gabby Giffords’ prayer memorial today. Walking closer to the signs, rosary beads, gifts, flowers, and candles, a sweet smell became noticeable. It wasn’t a strong, overwhelming scent, but subtle, soft, and warm. It hadn’t occurred to me that the scent of the many flowers and candles would be part of the experience, but it certainly was. As the breeze would pick up, the smell would grow stronger and then, just like the breeze, stillness would set in and the subtlety would return.

I decided to go by on my way to another meeting because I’m planning to take my kids there this afternoon. I needed to have my initial private reaction without them because they are easily distracted by my tears. Being present to help them process will be my purpose. At first I was overwhelmed by all that was going on around me. The colors, the signs, words of prayer, hope, and encouragement, so many flowers and candles, people, the smell, cars honking to show support, and even church bells in the distance.

But that smell. It just hung over me. Such a beautiful smell.

Many of you know that smell is a big deal to me. Chad (and my friend, Emily) often say that I make smells up, that my smell memory often confuses me into thinking a smell is real. Maybe they are right, or maybe my smeller works better than theirs, but whatever the case, smell is one of my favorite senses. Esther can’t smell a thing and I’m often sad for her. I can walk by a house in our neighborhood at dinner time and instantly be brought back to times we arrived at my grandmother’s house in time to eat her chicken and rice. Or I can walk by a man in the grocery store and remember sitting in my dad’s lap as a little girl after he had showered and shaved. Or I can walk by Miss Saigon’s trash can and feel like I’m right back in China behind my favorite restaurant. Smell is a powerful tool for memory in my life.

As I walked around the prayer memorial today, God used the fragrance of the candles and flowers to remind me of Psalm 141:2. “May my prayers be set before you like incense, may the lifting of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.” I cried. Again.

Oh, that my prayers would be set before him like incense. If the smell of today’s incense is any indication it means that my prayers would be humble, sincere, not so busy and full of too many words, that they would grow stronger as the breeze of his Spirit prompts me, that they would be constant and always noticeable...in a good way...to those around me.

I will continue to pray for healing in our city, that many Tucsonans will find and trust Jesus through this horrible tragedy. I pray that as we continue to face the horribleness of this dark world that our prayers and lives would be a fragrant offering to the Most High God.

Moxie Memorizers!

It's time.

It's time for me to blog again. It's time for me to get back into routine. It's time for me to practice self-control.

It's time for all of us to focus on a new year. It's time for us to look to the Most High God. It's time to ask Him to crown our year with bounty. (Ps 65:11)

And guess what?! It is time for us to memorize some scripture together!

Many of you know that I follow Beth Moore's blog. She recently re-started the Living Proof Ministries Scripture Memory Team. As I was reading about it I thought I should join the team for accountability. As I pondered it more, I realized that some random lady in Alabama would not be much accountability for me. I needface to face, or at least, friend to friend accountability. The idea of joining the team sadly slipped away...until the next morning. Then I realized we could have our own team of memorizers! I can't explain to you how giddy I became!

This is going to be so great.

We are going to follow the same basic format that Beth M. set up. Every person who wants to be part of this will commit to memorize two verses a month. I know that some of you can memorize more than that, but if you are just starting out, I want to ask you to only do two verses per month for the first three months to make sure you have your system down. After that feel free to add one or two more to your list.

You can use a memory pack which I will have at the gathering for awhile. Emily is making a variety of colors to choose from. This is the system I've used since 1991. It is great for review. I can keep my old verses in biblical order. It fits in the palm of my hand for easy access and review.

Or you can use a spiral to keep your scripture. This method can keep your own personal history in order. Label the spiral as your 2011 memory verses. The flip chart will make for easy review and it will be exciting to see how God speaks to you through-out the year in your own little personal Bible verse journal. You can even decorate the front for more motivation.

Whichever method you choose please write your verse by hand as it will make it more personal and aid in writing it on your heart. (Prov 7:2-3)

Either way has it advantages and disadvantages. If you have any questions at all, please, please ask. If you don't ask it is just one more barrier to completing this wonderful goal. Just imagine! When we stick with this, at the end of the year we will all have at least 24 new verses in our hearts and minds that God will use to transform our lives! It's really quite exciting!

This is how we will keep it together as a team. Every month on the 15th I will post about what we are doing. Your job will be to comment on the post with your name and the verses and translation you are memorizing for the month. If we decide we want more access to share what we are learning, I will make it possible for us to share on the 1st and 15th of every month. And, talk to one another. Let your friends know what you are doing. Doing this in community will only add to the likelihood of success. (Ecc 4:9-10) This is what it will look like:

Angel H. Isaiah 43:19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. English Standard Version

See? Easy.

At the end of the year we will have a get-together to celebrate all the God has done in our hearts through this refining process. We will share verses with each other, stories of his faithfulness, and hopes for the coming year of more verses that will be written on our hearts.

Finally, please respond in the comments if you are going to participate. Please don't miss out on the opportunity for God do use his word in your heart and mind to bring transformation. Many of you have heard me say that scripture memory is the discipline that God has most used in my life for healing. When I'm struggling, he often uses a verse in my mind for encouragement. When I need to pray and don't know what to say, a passage that I learned years earlier pops into my head. When my own words of worship just don't seem to be enough, a powerful passage of his majesty comes out of my mouth.

If you don't know where to start, this is one of the very first passages I memorized. It will help you start this journey off with the right motives and focus.

Psalm 119:9-11 (English Standard Version)

⁹How can a young man [or woman] keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
¹⁰With my whole heart I seek you;
let me not wander from your commandments!
¹¹I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.

I can't wait to hear from you! Email me if you have more questions. I'm so excited to be part of Moxie Memorizers!! Ready, set, go!!

Slackin'

I know. I've been the biggest blogging slacker on the planet this past month. There is a growing list of topics I hope to blog about rolling around in my brain. Tonight is not the night I plan on clicking the keyboard to post something fantastic for you to read. That will have to come another time.

• Moxie ladies, I have a some great ideas rolling around in my head for the coming year. I'm So Excited!!

• Our Christmas Cord of Hope outreach just happened. I have thoughts I hope to communicate.

• Some good family stories should be documented on this blog.

• Chad has been talking a lot about Second Mile cliff jumping that I'm hoping to write about.

Mostly I'm putting these topics out there as a form of accountability for me to actually write about something. To be honest, I thoroughly enjoy blogging. Communication is something I highly value. The challenge of clearly and purposefully stating my ideas, opinions, and stories excites me. So, I will get back on the band-wagon. I will stop being a slacker. I will discipline myself to write, write, write.

But maybe after Christmas... :)