A Text From God

It was a bad day.

A little thing shook me and I got upset. Not just upset. Angry. Down right mad. At God. I felt like He let me down, like He didn't care, like my efforts didn't matter, like He didn't notice or care and I just had to suck it up and do what He said.

And I didn't want to. I thought I deserved better.

But God is God and when you follow Him you don't have a choice in these matters, so I spent the day trying to move on. Without success. Every time I thought about it, the tears (and anger) came. I prayed about it, very honestly I might add (read: I let Him know exactly how I felt). He knew anyway and there was no point in hiding it. I prayed and cried and whined and pouted.

By the end of the day I knew what He wanted from me. I knew I had to do it. But I wasn't happy about it. He had disappointed me. (For those of you feeling very worried for me right now, it's okay. God is big enough to handle these sorts of emotions. Have you ever read the Psalms?!)

The next morning I was still a little upset, but resigned myself to the fact that you can't question God. There was nothing I could do about it. I mean, how do you change God's mind? If it's the plan, you gotta follow it. It doesn't matter if you don't like it.

Yeah. I probably didn't have the best attitude about it.

But that didn't stop God from dazzling, from reminding me of His love amid my displeasure. In something as simple as a text message, He reminded me that He cares.

The friend who typed the text was totally unaware of the angst, anger, and disappointment of the day before. She had no idea. Her words made me stare in disbelief.

"I dreamed about you last night. In my dream I was hugging you and you were very, very sad. I thought I better check and make sure you're okay."

How could she know?! She couldn't! I felt as if I got a text from God Himself saying, "I see you, Tami. I know this is hard for you. It's going to be okay. I love you."

And suddenly the words of Psalm 73 came to life. It was the beginning of my surrender, the start to giving in to God's perfect plan with an attitude of trust rather than defeat.

When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

Psalm 73:21-24

Though I was hurt and angry, He was with me the whole time. He understood. He made sure I knew He did.

He sent me a text.

What causes you to distrust God? Have you talked with Him about it? Are you willing to give it up to follow His perfect plan? When your heart's not in it, will you trust He is with YOU always?

When you're willing to get that personal with Him, you too may get a text from God.



Photo Credit: Johnathan Lyman

Having a Thing with God

Everything familiar to my dear friend is stripped from her. Moving took it all away. And there's not much I can do about it. I stay in contact, text, call, visit even, but each day she gets up in a new place and does it alone. I can't be there to help her. Though her husband is, and cares deeply, he can't fix it for her either. She continually makes a conscious choice to be content, to push herself out of her comfort zone, to make it work, though her heart is elsewhere. No one can do it for her. She does it alone.

We all have things like that. This summer I went to Africa with a group of people I didn't know. No one close to me can share the feeling I get when I look at my pictures. No one knows the stirring in my heart as I tell of my experiences there or remember how God showed Himself strong. They can be interested, but they can't really get it because they weren't there with me. I did it alone.

I do some speaking engagements and while I have people praying for me and supporting me, I still have to stand before a bunch of strangers and talk. I'm the one agonizing over what to say. I'm the one who deals with the butterflies. They can't do it for me. I do it alone.

No doubt you have similar experiences. Maybe you're fighting an illness or struggling with a child or facing financial difficulty. Maybe you're in a funk you can't get out of or confused about the next step to take. Maybe your job is stressful or your relationships taxing. Those around you can be loving and supportive, but they can't do it for you, can they?

Why is that? Why does God give us things we must do alone?

He's jealous for us.

That's right. He's jealous for us. He wants us all to Himself. He wants the opportunity to make it His special thing with us.

You know how a married couple has intimate moments they share only between themselves? These things, besides the sexual union, bind them. Think about having a child, of witnessing the birth of a new creation together. That child, a piece of each of them, ties them together forever.

We share intimate moments with family and friends, conversations that are personal and precious, actions that speak louder than words. We feel close because we've shared something special, something not all are privy to.

And so I wonder if those things we "do alone" are God's way of grabbing special time with us. If we are alone, the only thing we have is Him, right?

No one understands the flood of emotions that grip me when I walk up to a podium. But God does. He knows it and He fills me and He knows how I feel when He does. It's our thing.

I can't adequately retell my experience standing under a mango tree in the Rwenzori mountains, listening to a group of women praise God in a foreign tongue. I thought my heart would burst with God's goodness. I can't explain it to you, but God gets it perfectly. It's our thing.

I don't know what it's like to wake up in a different community every day and start my life over like my friend has to, but God does. He loves her so much He wants her all to Himself. He wants to be her only source of strength and comfort. He wants a thing with her.

Are you doing something alone right now? Could God be drawing you to Himself? Could He be wanting personal time, a chance to build intimate memories with you? Don't see the aloneness as a curse. Look for the blessing. Find Him in it.

Start a thing with God.



Related post: Some Things You Have to Do By Yourself

Photo Credit: Christolakis

God Things Don't Have to Be Huge

After I agreed to join my friend, Kelly, on a trip to Uganda, I booked a flight to Colorado to spend the weekend with her before we headed out with a team of people from her church. But about a month before I was to go, she told me she would be going to Africa earlier which meant I would be traveling a long way with a group of people I've never met. And I'd have a weekend in Colorado without her or anything to do.

I panicked at first and thought about changing my ticket to meet up with the team at the airport on Monday, but God kept telling me to keep the ticket I had. Friends assured me God had a reason for it. Kelly made arrangements for me and I sucked up the anxiety, trusting God had a plan.

Kelly's brother and sister-in-law picked me up from the airport and housed me. They've been very nice and accommodating. Their niece is going on the trip also and only knows Kelly too, so hanging out with her and her family has been good for us all.

But other than that and spending time with Kelly's family, the weekend has been ho-hum. I was excited to meet a woman who's been praying for me and this trip before I even knew I was going, but she wasn't able to come after all. We went to church hoping to meet the other team members but couldn't locate them. We've just been killing time all weekend and to be honest, I'm very impatient to get the show on the road already! There's been no confirmation of why I needed to come early and be away from the people I love longer. The weekend's been plain odd.

And yet in a way that only God can do, He gives me the first lesson of this trip. This morning He reminded me that though I may not see it, He is still working. I'm all hyped up about this trip, anticipating the amazing ways I will see God, but He's telling me to remember I may NOT see anything remarkable. I think He's telling me not to expect huge God sightings or incredible encounters with people. I am to be there, willing to do whatever needs to be done. God's way of doing things often involves performing the mundane faithfully. Serving in Africa means getting up and going through each day the same way I would at home, tackling whatever comes along.

It doesn't have to be huge to be a God thing and you don't have to go to Africa to see God work. Even there I'll find the ordinary, the uneventful and monotonous. God dwells in the midst of ALL of life. He lives among us in the dull and the everyday. He often works in small, undetectable ways.

So as I fly off tonight, I'm leaving my expectations behind. I'm going with the same attitude I use in my life in Nebraska. I'll do what's before me and know God is there whether I see Him or not.

This is the duty of any Christian, is it not? We are to do the job given us no matter where we're called to be. Forge ahead, friends, in the tasks ahead, knowing God is living among you.

Even if you don't see it.

Leaning

I lean into her chair.

On those days I feel emotional, inadequate, tired, I lean into her chair, gaining strength from her presence. Sometimes she'll pat my hand, my arm, my thigh, but mostly she just sits there letting me invade her space. Though nothing is said, I find assurance and comfort being near a friend who knows me well.

I do it with my husband too. When I'm anxious or uncertain or insecure, I'll lean into him, soaking in his unspoken acceptance and love. No matter how weak I feel, I know where I stand with him. I know he's on my team, faithful, strong, consistent.

But sometimes the chair next to me is empty.


Sometimes I feel alone in a room full of people, my real self cowering within as I listen. I'm not sure those present would give me the benefit of the doubt, would give the grace or mercy I long for when the day's been long or the night too short and my own strength wanes. And I can't overlook the fact that sometimes you have to do things by yourself. What about those days? When the people who give me comfort are not near and I find myself alone, then where do I lean? How can I find the oomph to carry on with no person who believes the best nearby?

Is it possible to lean into God? It sounds weird, really, the idea of leaning into a Presence you cannot see. How do I learn to lean into Him?

Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for on You do I lean and in You do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my inner self to You.

Psalm 143:8 (AMP)

I hear His loving-kindness? How? Do I saturate myself with His Word? Do I listen to Truth in song and watch for His goodness and rest in what I know to be true? Do I lay my concerns before Him and cry it out and wait patiently? Will this bring the same peace I feel leaning into a person I love? Will it make my spirit sigh and my breathing slow? Will it usher in calm?

I say yes. And so on the days I find no one to lean into, on the days the task seems scary and my stomach churns, I will lean into Him. I will believe He loves and accepts me. I will be still and know that He is God. I will remember in quietness and trust is my strength. I will search for gratitude when I don't understand and recite His Word when anxiety swells. I will know He never leaves me.

I will lean into Him.

And He will be there.

How do YOU lean into God?



Photo Credit: ana branca

A Moment Away From the Grind

Sometimes God touches us in a way that leaves us changed. I experienced that recently and this song reminds me of it. There is no way to explain to someone the peace of God's presence. You have to encounter Him for yourself. But I hope pausing to listen to this may give you a glimpse.


There is joy and peace and comfort in surrendering ourselves to an all-powerful God, friends. May He draw You near this day.

Playing it Safe

My 16-year-old son came home yesterday saying this was going to be the year of getting out of his comfort zone. "I've been praying for more confidence," he said, "I think this is how I get it."

He's decided not to play it safe.

For the majority of my life, I've lived pretty safe. I've followed the expected pattern. I finished high school, then went straight to college. I picked a field of study that gave me a predictable job, majoring in math and getting a teaching certificate. I got married, had children.

Playing it safe is respectable, admirable, smart. Isn't it?

I've always thought so, but when I read the Bible, God does not let His kids play it safe. Hagar returns to Sarah who mistreated her. Rahab hides the spies. Abigail defies her husband to soothe the anger of David. Esther approaches the king though she could be killed for doing so. Mary says, "yes," though she surely will face public humiliation.

All respond to God's instructions, His unconventional instructions. None play it safe.

And all see God at work, up close and personal.

This makes me squirm. I want conventional. I want predictable. I want safe.

Am I willing to say I want God more?

I've long had a fascination with missionaries. I can't understand giving up the comforts of life to live among people who may or may not accept your message. I want to be that altruistic, but I'm not. How do they do it? Are they able to follow God's leading because they experience Him in a deeper way when not playing it safe?

I must admit my few forays into the unsafe zone have shown me God in a real and convincing way. We got married while we were both in college. We bought a house in an uncommon way. We raised (are raising) four children on one modest income. As a result, we've seen God provide in unusual ways. We've seen miracles. We've been forced to wait patiently for His plan and learned to value what He does.

But it's been scary sometimes.

Many times I've prayed for God to show Himself more real, to help me grow in a certain area, to appear in a miraculous way. He answers my prayers in unsafe ways, like praying for patience bringing more opportunities to be patient. I get unexpected trials, assignments that are too big for me, experiences I'd rather not go through.

Instead of seeing it as God leading me through the desert to the Promised Land, I think He's forgotten me, rejected me, wants to punish me. All the while He's saying, "Trust Me even when you can't see. Don't play it safe."

So I have to ask myself some tough questions. Do I want to experience more of God if it means leaving my comfort zone? Am I willing to do hard to know Him better and grow in faith? If I play it safe, will I miss being part of God's work? Will I miss knowing Him in a deeper, more meaningful way? Do I want to risk that for personal safety?

My fearful human self whispers, "I want You, God," but my pulse quickens. What if it hurts? What will He require of me? I can't know and I suppose that is the gift we give Him--trust without knowing. So I pray, "Yes, Lord, whatever You want," but ask for His mercy to come alongside. I breathe deeply and hang on.

Is God leading you out of your comfort zone to draw you closer to Him, to show You more of His love? Do you think Christians can play it safe?



Photo Credit: James Jordan

Back to the Grind

I really don't want to write this post. I'd rather be stretched out on the couch watching t.v. with my cute husband.

Sigh.

Life has been a whirlwind since we returned from our lovely trip. We're back to activities every other night, me in my office, him in the living room on the nights we're actually home, making dinner and doing laundry and hoping I find the time to clean the house and taking kids to appointments and all our fall activities in full swing and short nights and early mornings and the necessity for caffeine.

You think I got too used to taking it easy?

The announcer on K-LOVE yesterday said her pastor made a good point in church Sunday. There's no use waiting for life slow down. It won't.

Boo. I thought that station was supposed to be positive and encouraging.

And yet, there's something exhilarating about a full life. I get to do a lot of cool things. Though I pine away for less to do, I enjoy relationships and contact with some amazing people. I see God at work.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 10 :10

A full life is God's gift, His blessing, a chance for an intimate glimpse of God. If I begrudge it, do I allow Satan to worm his way into my head and convince me God isn't good?

I won't take that chance. I'll be happy for my lively life. I'll be thankful and press on. I won't complain, but do the next thing, trusting He'll help me get it all done. There's no need to worry over my schedule. This chicky's got God on her side.

Visit Melissa at Ingrafted Thoughts for more impressions of this quote.

Alongside and With

“Yes, I understand that turning back or waiting for others slows you down, but only at first. The deliberate extension of goodness, generosity, and wisdom always wins out in the end.”

Lisa Bevere
“Lioness Arising: Wake Up and Change Your World”

She stayed with me.

I told her to run ahead, to get the kind of time I knew she could, but she wouldn't.

"I'll finish," I assured her, "I'll have a stinky time, but I'll finish. You don't have to worry about that."

"Oh I know you'll finish," she said.

And still she ran alongside me, without regard for her own finish.

The race was tough and I hated everything about it except having her next to me with her constant stream of truth. When we reached the finish line, my time was good for me and hers was four minutes more than her last race.

I appreciated her kindness then (and still do), but now I wonder if there may be a lesson in it. How can I "run" alongside others? How can I help them reach the finish line? What do I need to give up or let go of for the sake of another? What truth needs to be whispered in someone's ear to enable them to keep going? How can I learn to be that selfless?

After the race she told me, "I decided before we ever came that I was staying with you. This was your first race. I wanted to experience it with you."

And there's the key to coming alongside. We look at it as an opportunity to experience God's grace with someone, not as a favor to them, but as a privilege. Though it may cost us personally to turn back or wait on or run alongside another, the long term benefit is the chance to see God work. How exciting does that sound?!

Go ahead, my friends, leave your comfort zones, your routines, your busy lives and extend yourself today. Expend some personal time and energy for the sake of others. What grace is waiting to be experienced with someone?

I'm excited to find out.

For more thoughts on this quote, visit Nina at Mama's Little Treasures.

God is God

"The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised."
In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
~ Job 1:21b-22 ~

God is God.

That's what Job is really saying here.

God is God.

And as such, He is entitled to do whatever He deems necessary for His purposes to prevail. Good. Bad. Ugly. Difficult. Unexpected. If we worship God, we worship Him in ALL His work, not only the acts we like.

God is God.

Most of the time I can handle that, just letting God be God, but honestly there are times I don't get how He functions. There's the story of Jephthah in Judges 11 where he vows to the Lord, "If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph . . . will be the Lord's, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering." God gives Jephthah victory, but the first thing out of his house to greet him is his daughter, HIS ONLY CHILD. Jephthah stays true to his vow and kills her. Why would God require that?! Why did one slip up take away Moses's chance to enter the Promised Land? Why would God choose Jacob the deceiver over Esau the eldest?

God is God.

Why does God have mercy on whom He wants to have mercy and harden those He wants to harden? Why does He choose some and not others? Why did He draw me to Himself?

I don't understand. I can't explain it. Is it because I can't fathom the greatness of God? If I truly grasped His immense power would I even pose the questions? Is it my arrogance which doubts His judgment? Do I not see clearly because of His gracious dealing with me, holding back His might? Has His self-control babied me? Has my life been too cushy to recognize His sovereignty?

God is God.

I may not understand it. I may not even like it sometimes. But if I can't accept His authority He's not my God. He's just another person in my life. When I try to explain Him, I put Him on a peer level, not in a position of worship.

God is God. He won't be reduced to anything less, no matter what we think. Our acceptance is irrelevant.

God is God.

Join our host Miriam Pauline at MiPa's Monologue for more impressions of this quote.

A Prayer for Knowledge and Joy

Grant me, even me, my dearest Lord, to know Thee, and love Thee, and rejoice in Thee. And, if I cannot do these perfectly in this life, let me at least advance to higher degrees every day, till I can come to do them in perfection. Let the knowledge of Thee increase in me here, that it may be full hereafter. Let the love of Thee grow every day more and more here, that it may be perfect hereafter; that my joy may be great in itself, and full in Thee. I know, O God, that Thou art a God of truth; Oh, make good thy gracious promises to me, that my joy may be full. Amen.

Augustine of Hippo
taken from the Mosaic Bible, p. 196

Havah--A Book Review

I've never posted a book review on this blog. I don't like reading them, so I don't write them. But the book I am about to plug stirred up so much in me, I feel compelled to bring it to your attention.

The book is Havah: The Story of Eve. Its author, Tosca Lee (a woman who lives in Lincoln), has done a marvelous job of weaving story with spiritual truth. Her depiction of the beauty of Paradise makes one wish to be there. Imagine living in a perfect world, void of evil and conflict, in perfect unity with your spouse, all of creation living in harmony. Her presentation of Eden makes the Fall all the more tragic, causing me to feel their loss, and ours, for the remainder of the book.

I gained a new appreciation for how Adam and Eve's mistake affected marriages for all time. Before the fateful bite, Adam adores his mate, seeks solace in her, enjoys and drinks her in. Afterward, he is distant, always working, brooding, distrustful, unwilling to own up to his own mistakes. She resents his blame, his long hours away from her, his attraction to other women and yearns for healing in their relationship. It made me think our sin not only separates us from God, but also from the marriage relationship God intends for us. How can we represent our Holy God as one, carrying around the ill feelings brought on by our sinfulness?

Twice while reading this book I was so moved I had to get alone with God for a while. It forced me to face questions like,

Why do You feel distant, God?
Why do You punish us with life here on earth?
Why does there have to be so much suffering, so much pain?
Why does life have to be so hard?
What have I done to hamper my children's destinies?
What if You don't find my sacrifice acceptable?
Why do You delay, God, when I call to You?

Often the characters seek after God, longing for a glimpse of Him, a whisper of His presence, a shiver of His touch. They grow despondent thinking God has forgotten them. They are never quite satisfied with life as they know it. They feel they are missing something. Sound familiar? It brought to light the truth of Ecclesiastes 3:11, He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

It is a beautiful book, one I have thought on often since finishing it, one with an important message. I had the chance to meet Ms. Lee at a book signing in December. She signed my copy, "I wrote this with you in mind." When handing it back to me she explained. "I know I didn't know you when I wrote this book, but I wrote this for every woman." As I read through her novel, the truth of her inscription was evident. Havah is every woman, with the same emotions and struggles and yearnings (although she seems to have a much better body image than most of us). While at times it was difficult to read because it hit too close to home, letting myself feel it and ponder over it was therapeutic. Persevering through the tough stuff was well worth it. In the end, as Adam dies, Havah gains an understanding into the suffering she has endured, something we can hold on to as daughters of Eve. If we can't be united with God as in Eden, He gives us the gift of wanting to be, causing us to look harder for Him, to know a better life exists in the next realm.

I walked away with a greater sense of the mystery and supremacy of God, and tremendous gratefulness for the gift of the Holy Spirit, God's presence with us always that Eve did not experience.

If you only read one book this year, read Havah. It will touch your soul.

The Only Way

It is the only way.

She dabs her eyes through the entire worship service, the pain too fresh. Her husband steals nervous glances at her and she does her best to avoid them. She doesn't understand why God let it happen, this tragedy, one whose healing will take much time. Though she's angry with God, she is here, trying to make some sense of the incomprehensible. There must be a reason. There has to be a bigger plan in place. This can't be all there is. Where are you, God?

He watches, His Spirit hovering close, His heart breaking alongside hers. He knows what it is to lose a son. Will she trust Him though she doesn't understand and hurts so bad? Will she hang on long enough to see the loss lead her and others to something better?

It is the only way.

He makes bad choices. Even though he knows it, he does it anyway, often feeling helpless to stop himself. He is in a rut. Life is always the same, boring, without purpose. How does one find meaning in life? His experience with church has not helped. All he sees is a bunch of people trying to make themselves feel better, a place that wants his money, but doesn't address the emptiness he feels.

A loving God sees. How can He explain the fact that all are hypocrites? How can He show him He understands the hopelessness? When will he accept His love?

It is the only way.

Hurt and heartache abound. People are shackled by forces they aren't even aware of. No matter how hard they try, they can't get it right. There is only one way to make sense of the pain, of the labor of human existence. Father, Son and Holy Spirit settle the matter. Their love for mankind necessitates action. They must know the limitations of the creation, must have a way to prove They can relate. There can be no special favors. The Son must enter as an ordinary man, facing the same struggles, feeling the same sadness and sorrow, experiencing the same temptations, walking the same path.

It is the only way.

A baby is born with no great fanfare. The Son of God comes into the world and many, even those who have been watching for Him, scoff. They, we, want more? He gives and gives, yet people criticize. They doubt and they mock, not only while He is on earth, but for all time. The Gift's power never decreases and is for all men, in any country, situation or time.

God has given everything He has for wayward children, stubborn and ignorant. Is it worth it for the few who will see?

The Holy Trinity, in one accord, says yes.

It is the only way.

So wrap our injured flesh around you,
breathe our air and walk our sod.
Rob our sin and make us holy,
perfect Son of God,
perfect Son of God.

Thank You, Lord. Merry Christmas.

Mesmerized

I can hardly take it.

Really.

God is just too much.

The last two days have brought me up close and personal with His Spirit at work in people I love. Unexpected glimpses of Him have left me speechless. Wow.

Wow.

I'm completely jazzed and amazed and consumed with reflective thoughts. I find myself staring into space thinking. I linger in a chair, gazing out the window, lost in my head. (To my IRL friends--I know what you're thinking. Trust me. It's worse than usual.) I can't sleep, recalling what I've seen. And I'm not getting squat done at my house!

But you know what? I really don't care. I don't care that my kitchen's a mess and I only got two loads of clothes washed today. I have no guilt for spending a fortune on lunch or slapping together nachos for dinner. It doesn't matter that I need to lose a little weight or have a zit forming on my chin. Having a title or amazing credits to my name means nothing.

None of it matters because I've seen God!

I've had a front row seat to His transforming power. I know, I know my Redeemer lives. My body is actually tingly with excitement.

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure.
Psalm 16:9
Wow.

He is real. He is living. He is working.

You know I have to sing again, right?

How can I keep from singing Your praise?
How can I ever say enough?
How amazing is Your love.
How can I keep from shouting Your name?
I know I am loved by the King
and it makes my heart want to sing.

Keep doing Your thing, God. Wow.

Finding my words

How do you explain God?

I can give you plenty of reasons why God is far-fetched. How can He know everything about us? How can He listen to the prayers of an entire planet at the same time? How can He stand by and watch people hurt? How can He take the lives of innocent children in accidents? How can He bring thousands of people to their death in a natural disaster? Why would He let those who follow Him risk their lives to meet together? He doesn't make sense.

Yet as I think about how to refute such things, I am blank. When someone says, "How can God be in this tragedy?" I have no answer. When they ask, "Why would a loving God let this happen?", I am speechless. Oh, I can come up with the standard responses, "God is in control", "You just need to ask Jesus in your heart", "Trust in the Lord". But those answers seem too pretty. I absolutely believe them, but they're too churchy, too pat, not real. If I'm a Christian and those answers turn me off, what do they do to skeptics?

What is wrong with me that it is easier to come up with questions regarding His existence than it is to come up with original ways to explain Him? Why do the trite, cliche answers of Christendom annoy me more than the trite, cliche phrases of the world? Is it because God is so much more than our answers? Is it because you can't explain God, you can only experience Him?

And why do I TRY to explain God? I can't explain why I love my husband. I can tell you what I like about him, what I find attractive about him, yet I don't feel the need to defend my feelings for him to anyone. Others may think I'm stupid, I'm ignorant, I'm crazy, but it doesn't bother me in the least. I love him, period. Why can't I think of my relationship with Jesus the same way?

This frustrates me so much because I WANT to point others to God. I want them to experience the same peace I do. I want them to know there is more to this life. I want them to have the assurance they are more than what the world tells them they are. I want them to see His transforming power at work in their lives. And I feel so inept because they want specific answers and I have so few. God is too big to be explained and my meager attempts to do so always come up short.

How do you explain God?



Photo Credit: killermonkeys