by Stacey | Jan 9, 2014 | Devotionals, reflections, and encouragement
I was sitting at the dining room table reading online articles when it happened. God stitched two seemingly unrelated stories together with the Holy Spirit’s thread. One about gluttony and one about paying off debt. God convicted me of sin in that miraculous moment—that moment when my ears tuned into His voice, ready to listen. I heard from God loud and clear.
Sin hid behind an attitude of need.
The truth is, I need far less than I think. My kids need far less than I think. We live in a society that is constantly bombarding us with the lie that we need more. And I believed it.
Supersized meals. Homes with rooms we never or rarely use. Closets of overflowing clothes.
Excess.
Previously, I’ve likened gluttony to how I feel after Christmas dinner. Stuffed beyond belief. But I’ve been tossing the idea around that biblical gluttony is anything in excess.
“At its simplest, gluttony is the soul’s addiction to excess.” ~The Socially Acceptable Sin, by RELEVANT Magazine.
That brings gluttony far closer to home than I like. Especially right now, as our family searches for a new home in a city more expensive than our last. And now I wrestle with some uncomfortable questions:
Do I really need a bigger kitchen? Do I need more space – or just want it? What are our real, actual, bare bones needs in a new home?
I hate to admit it, but I don’t like the answer.
I’m learning that I want far more than I need. I want to be comfortable. I want to have space. I want, I want, I want. What I need is to want what God wants. To be satisfied with His provision. To praise God in the plenty and the want. To refuse to allow material things or circumstances dictate my happiness.
Because the real truth is, some of God’s greatest blessings are hiding behind that thing that is difficult to surrender.
Does that mean I’m going to stop praying for a house big enough to give our kids enough space to play, to be located on a street where it is safe to ride a bike, in a neighbourhood where they can make friends? No. I’m not going to stop praying for that. But, I am also praying that in the end, I will want what God wants for our family – whatever that may be, and rejoice in His provision of it.
May I lay it all down, hold nothing back, not even my silent hopes and dreams, giving it all to the One who has already granted me far more than I deserve, to do with as He sees fit. Lord prepare my heart to receive your gift with joy.
by Stacey | Jan 2, 2014 | Devotionals, reflections, and encouragement
2014 was ushered into our home about 2 hours shy of the midnight moment. We tucked the Tiny Trio into bed about 9:30pm and whispered goodnight. We woke on January first to Facebook updating us on many promises made as the clock struck twelve.
People all around the world promised to make changes. They declared they would lose weight, redecorate, or finally de-clutter. These aspirations are great, but they didn’t capture my hopes for the upcoming year.
In 2014 and I want to draw closer to God. I paraphrase Beth Moore to express my deepest desires.
I want more than a discipline for God’s Word. I want to hunger and thirst for Him more than anything else. I want His Word to come alive afresh, and to ruin me for all other loves except God.
Here are some tools that I use to aid me in this quest.
- Bible memory tool: Scripture Typer
- Bible reading plans and online bibles: Bible Gateway
- Daily inspirational reading and a tab to many free printable helps by Ann VosKamp: A Holy Experience
- Jesus Calling: an App of short thought-provoking words of reassurance, comfort, and hope by Sarah Young.
Maybe this year, one of the tools in my kit can aid you in drawing closer to your Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, and Lord. To Him be all glory and power.
by Stacey | Dec 26, 2013 | Devotionals, reflections, and encouragement
If then we have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set our minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For we have died, and our life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then we also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death therefore what is earthly in us: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these we too once walked, when we were living in them. But now we must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice,slander, and obscene talk from our mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that we have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven us, so we also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, to which indeed we were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in us richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in our hearts to God.
And whatever we do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Dear Father, may it be so.
by Stacey | Dec 12, 2013 | Devotionals, reflections, and encouragement
The closer we get to Christmas the louder it gets. I can almost hear Bing Crosby crooning away. His deep timber rouses images of glistening snow, jingling sleigh bells, and rosy-cheeked children.
And I love it.
But my dreams are more complicated than pretty ideas of snow and sleigh bells. They don’t revolve around Santa slipping down the chimney or leaving out cookies and milk. They are more than dreams. They are prayers.
I’m praying for a white Christmas. A Christmas where my loved ones and yours might wake to discover a covering of white sent to erase a lifetime of stain.
A Christmas where the silent night is broken by a baby’s cry. Where a teen-age mother wonders at the God-child she holds in her arms. Where this truth is embraced by all who hear it proclaimed.
I praying for a Christmas where I truly appreciate how one holy night fulfilled ancient prophecy that led to a cross. How that innocent baby grew up and died, making it possible for me to be declared white as snow.
My white Christmas.
Don’t misunderstand. I love the warmth that comes when Crosby sings. I love the emotional swell in my chest when the cast swings open the stage doors and reveals the delicate flakes of white drifting to the ground. I watch the holiday classic every single year. But really, deep down, I want more than that. I want more than a cup of warm cocoa in front of a blazing fire.
I want a white Christmas that means something. And I bet, deep down, so do you.
by Stacey | Dec 5, 2013 | Devotionals, reflections, and encouragement
What happens when God fails to live up to my expectations or when He says no? It’s a heavy thought. Why doesn’t God fix things?
This train of thought chugs downs a track full of questions. If faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains, does a stationary mountain depict a lack of faith? Does God require faith that He can or that He will?
For many, this is where the locomotive goes off the rails. The freight cars hauling faith, trust, and hope pile under the uncomfortable question: What will I do if God says no?
Enter: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are three regular guys from the days of old. They are not super heroes, just normal guys desiring to live a life of great faith that honors their great God.
Just like me and you. Normal people desiring to live a life of faith.
When they refused to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue they were condemned to execution by fiery furnace.
Have you been there my friend? Knowing that God can redeemed your situation, but also knowing that He might not?
These guys respond to the charge against them without hesitation. “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image you have set up.”
These guys speak straight to my heart. Can God save them? Yes. But would He? They had no idea. God can – you bet He can – but He might not. They leave us with a better question to ponder. What will I do if God doesn’t answer the way I want Him to?
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego declared before entering the furnace that even if God didn’t save their physical lives they would obey Him. God’s possible inaction in no way implied He was unable. They understood what many of us potentially miss, just because God doesn’t answer the way we expect, doesn’t mean He is not acting.
“If you have a God great enough and powerful enough to be mad at because he doesn’t stop your suffering, you also have a God who’s great enough and powerful enough to have reasons that you can’t understand. You can’t have it both ways (Timothy Keller, King’s Cross).”
*first posted Sept 5th, 2011
by Stacey | Nov 7, 2013 | Devotionals, reflections, and encouragement
I love how the black night gives way to a burning force edging over the horizon. How light floods the surface of the earth.
You can’t miss it. You can’t deny it. It just is.
Everyday
It gently eases over the edge. Melting. Warming. Inviting. The cold night surrenders to the blaze and newness occurs.
New day.
New growth.
New heart.
A daily surrendering to blazing love. A yielding to light. Exposing the darkest corners. A throwing back the shutters and tilting my face upwards into the heated love of the Son.
A melting of hardness. A warming of cold. A breath of new life into this tired body. A birth of new prayer.
Prayer dependant upon the Light.
O God, my perfect and good Father, may you continue to develop Godly character in me, a humble heart, and a tender spirit. May life’s difficulties produce growth. A deeper dependence on You. A giving over of my will and desire to Yours.
May the lost dream make way for a new dream. A dream that is more than I could ask for or imagine. I plan my steps, but yield the path to You, O Lord. You determine my way.
My big prayers:
An affordable house that meets our family needs in Brantford, Ontario. For hearts ready to receive what God provides.
For God to give wisdom to the people making decisions for Harvest Brantford. For all ministry roles to be filled with the person God has specifically chosen and equipped for that role, and that our personal preferences and ideas will not get in God’s way.
For a favourable response from the publisher regarding my novel—soon! For a future in teaching and encouraging others to use their talent and passion for writing to glorify God.
Would you pray with me? For me? These are my big prayers. I want God’s way over my way, and far too often I get in the way! May I surrender my dreams and desires to Him. This does not come naturally. But it is what I want. Please pray with me.
