Grace for the messy middle

I usually write about what I know, but today I will write about what I don’t know. I don’t know what I’ll eat tomorrow, when we’ll need new tires, and I certainly didn't know who would win the Super Bowl. I don’t know where her life is going, or how he’ll respond to my words. Honestly, I don’t know what God is doing in my own heart & life much of the time. What if it is better that we know so little about the future? Could it be merciful of God to show us such a small part of where our story, or a friend’s, is going? Why do we desperately grasp for control, when we are assured so little? How can we live into the mystery without being paralyzed by our lack of control? 

I love this quote, but find it much harder to live:

“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.” -Rainer Maria Rilke

Living into the mystery of life, one day at a time, and letting go of control, can be liberating. You won’t find a formula for this peaceful, contented and messy life. By nature, we humans like things to be defined, black and white, bottled up and sold for a reasonable price. Honoring the mystery and unresolved nature of life…is a sacred journey. Embracing grace as we take slow steps forward, and many more backward. I am often harsh with myself for not knowing exactly how to respond to X situation or Y comment. Much of life is gray; words from the friend who kindly shared the above quote. I’m beginning to understand just what she meant, and it is both freeing and terrifying. 

In this season of life, I feel safer with the black and white; it is much easier to stay where I’m comfortable, or work towards the expected, rather than stepping out into the gray, with passion and conviction, despite the resistance I might face. But it is equally dangerous for a bold and self-assured individual to risk without wisdom, like a bull in a china shop, so confident in his/her opinions and choices that hearts are damaged left and right. Staying in step with the Spirit is the only way forward. I’ve been hearing Jesus’ words roll around in my head over the last few days - I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Holding onto this truth will lead us forward, and most likely, in very different ways. Will we allow our fellowship with Christ to inform our way forward, his words to become ours, his life to continue through ours? 

I’m becoming aware of how little I desire fellowship with Christ, but long instead for results, answers, direction. Prayer becomes empty when it is devoid of fellowship. In the same way, life becomes empty when we are always looking for resolution, eager to find answers and completion. The messy middle is where life really happens: tough conversations you were brave to attempt, pursuing a new venture with no guarantee of success, offering thanks and praise when the answers still don’t come. This is the substance of life, not the extras. What I do know, and am coming to embrace more assuredly, is that he is WITH me regardless of the path I take. Keeping company with Christ, in the midst of the unresolved, directly affects our posture towards others as we all ‘fail forward’.

Can we give each other grace, and assume the best of each other’s hearts, even if we make very different choices, and come to strikingly different conclusions about gray issues? Can we remember that we are all 'in process'? There are certainly truths to live and be transformed by in the Word, directives that are not up for dispute, but I grieve at the judgement I see in my own heart and others’ over the gray areas. Find kind companions, who open new possibilities and bring unexpected joy, wrapped up in mystery just as we are. Be kind to your own soul as well. Embracing the tension of our responsibility and our Creator’s wise guidance in each choice, deepens our trust, joy, and peace. Resist the urge to leave the waiting rooms of life too early, or approach the next assignment with a consumer mindset. But do leave the waiting room when it is time, even if the knees still wobble. 

Sacred rhythms such as the Sabbath, fellowship around the Word, daily worship and generous living refresh our souls. Buoyed by these graces, we can patiently look for signposts and clues along the way. But let's not forget to lose ourselves in the wonders of nature, a child's laughter, and the deep unknown places of God's heart, expressed through a friend. I have a small sign above my kitchen sink that simply says, LIVE. One small word, with a very powerful message. Live today, entering the beautiful possibility of the unresolved season you are facing; perhaps you’ll find me waiting there too. There is glory in the messy middle, just as much as in the decision made, the project completed, the child all grown. Can we find grace for our hearts and others’ hearts as we stumble forward?

Bible passages for further study: Matthew 6:25-34 and James 4:13-15

What are your questions? Will you honor your heart in the midst of your unfinished story? Who will you invite into your mystery?

When a hard story is the best story // keeping your heart alive to hope

Sweet friends. You've stopped in again to let me open up my heart and share the good news of the Gospel in the midst of our brokenness. Perhaps you've seen bits and pieces of the story the Divine Author has written across the pages of our one flesh life this year. The job loss, the weeks of travel, the moments of joy and reconnection with family, the darkness of losing a mother I never knew but gave me so much in Paul, the renewed desire to give our lives fully to vocational ministry, the desire for little ones, new and unexpected callings, moving a-g-a-i-n, and the unforgettable brilliance of Grace in the midst of it all. It has been an uphill, tearful, and yet joyful season. I am quickly reminded of the Cross as I write, the Story of Grace in the midst of darkness, as the story His followers thought should be written one way had a dramatic, painful, and yet gloriously eternal and necessary twist. It was the hardest and best Story ever to be written.

Perhaps you are living a hard story, a painful story that you never wanted and would gladly write yourself out of if you could, yesterday. I know. I've been there. In some ways, I am there. And yet, it's in these dark and confusing moments where we find the deepest Grace, the most profound connections with those we love, and the most dramatic growth possible. There's no other way to move forward sometimes, except through the darkest valleys. We all live for the happy days, the days when life 'makes sense' (at least to us). We see the wicked flourish, the unlikely prosper, the ungrateful and selfish expand their broken families endlessly. Disease abounds, governments make unwise decisions, women make choices that bring death and not the freedom they crave.

And yet. Or rather, but God.... This masterful HIS-story maker and life-story production manager is at work writing an epic story through our brokenness. He is turning the effects of the fall, our sin and the broken systems in which we live into something glorious, beautiful and breathtaking. If you are written into His eternal playbook as His adopted child it's happening in your home, closer yet, in your very heart. Pretty amazing, I think!!

But it hurts. It really hurts. Some days, who am I kidding, most days, it is easier to distract ourselves from the pain with anything that works... could be something harmless, could be something damaging and deadly. You know what your go-to method is. To be clear, finding ways to lift our hearts and bring us joy in good and godly ways is not to be denied. In fact, we are called to rest and allow our hearts space to breathe. God often allows pain to heal our hearts. The pain could be a result of our sin choices, the sin of others, or the brokenness we daily face because of the fall in the Garden (See Genesis 3). Life just doesn't work the way it was meant to. Are there good and healthy ways to keep our hearts alive but at the same time not ignore the deeper work going on within us?

What happens to our hearts when life hurts? Does our heart stay alive to hope or does it slowing stop beating? Do our relationships die or do they grow stronger? Do our callings become stronger and more obvious, or do our dreams slowly die? This is where the battle lies, and the enemy wants nothing more than to turn our hearts to stone...to kill, steal, and destroy the life that is growing within us as we are daily renewed in Christ. How do we fight for our own hearts, and the hearts of those we love to keep beating with purpose, joy, conviction, and intentional focus on Gospel living?  There are never easy answers. At least I haven't come up with any! But looking to the ancient paths given by our Maker are the surest ways to lasting hope and joy. May I humbly encourage...

~ The Living Word. Ingest it in small amounts, big amounts, listen on audio, read online, read the old-fashioned hardbound, read it in Spanish or Greek. However you can get His words into your soul, please DO. The Psalms bring me relief in hardship like nothing else. Read good Christian books, fiction too!

~ Pray & confess. With a friend, as you shower, as you cry, give kisses, wash dishes, or wish the day would end. Pray honestly, one word at a time if needed.

~ Be thankful. There are apps, there are notebooks, you can text it to your friend, or post it on FaceBook, or across the sky. But thankfulness will breathe life into your otherwise dreary day as few other things will. Ask God to help you when you're not thankful, and thanking Him for the Grace He gave on the Cross is a good place to start.

~ Honesty. With your spouse, a friend, yourself. There's no need to look pretty when life is messy. I've tried it - with horrible results!! I like the Day One app for a place to record my thoughts and prayers.

~ Care for your temple (Romans 12:1-2). Sleep, eat your veggies, take a walk or yoga class. Taking care of yourself, even when you don't feel like it, will reap huge dividends. I find that taking care of myself physically and emotionally reminds me of my worth in Christ. You are worth the effort, friends! But - ahem - dark chocolate might help too!

~ Give yourself extra grace. Being hard on yourself when life is hard is just...pointless! But we all do it. God is looking at you with deep compassion even if you've made bad choices to get you where you are right now. Beating yourself up in the midst of your struggles will just compound the difficulties.

~ Fellowship. Hold onto friends and family. Tightly. Look for every chance you can to spend a moment together with someone you love, whether on the phone, over coffee, a movie night, doing chores, whatever! Don't be afraid to reach out to someone new - I'll bet he/ she needs a friend as much as you do, and sharing your struggles honestly will open up more of your heart as well as theirs.

~ Look to eternity. If you are His child, all pain and tears will pass away, and our joy in Christ will far outweigh the pain and suffering of this life. I know very well how hard it is to wrap your mind around this truth, so ask God to help you live with eternal hope. Preaching it to myself as I type!

~ Find rest in the fellowship of His suffering, knowing you will never face the depth of pain and sacrifice that He bore for your sins, but that He is also a gracious High Priest who understands. He will meet you there, in deep and profound ways.

I recently started reading The Hardest Peace and have been so deeply moved and impacted by Kara's words. One point in particular that blessed me immensely are her comments concerning Proverbs 1:33, and the promise that as we rest in Him, He will remove not the disaster, but the dread of the disaster. Fear causes us to live in agony as we imagine the impossibility of future circumstances (often not imagining the God of Abundant Grace with us there!) But He will keep you in perfect peace as you turn to Him, as you walk the ancient paths... slowly replacing fear of pain, with faith in the One who suffered the deepest pain.

Fighting for our hearts,

Ruth

Praise Him for Difficult People

You might choose going to the dentist rather than praising God for difficult people.  Both can be pretty uncomfortable!  Praising Him for the difficult people seems crazy, right?  But God tells us to thank Him in all circumstances....to consider it pure joy when we face trials of many kinds (James 1).  Trust me, I am not speaking from a pedestal concerning this topic at all.  I have a hard enough time loving people that are kind and supportive!  God tells us to love our enemies, to pray for them (Matthew 5: 43-48).  But to praise Him for those people?  That's quite a stretch.  When I take time to praise God for the difficult people in my life, I'm acknowledging that He is in control, and that the relationships I struggle with are for my good....planned and sent my way by the loving hand of my Father.  When I praise God for these people I am reminded that God has compassion for them, but also for us as we walk through the trial.  He is not distant but is attentive to our cries for help (Psalm 34:18).  Praise Him as the One who has endured every manner of trial and temptation, and yet continued to love (Hebrews 4:14-16).  He has the strength we need to continue loving and serving the difficult people in our lives.

(Important note: Keep in mind, of course, that if you are in a physically, verbally, emotionally or spiritually abusive relationship that is definitely not something that God wants for you!  Please seek help and safety for yourself. The 'difficult people' I'm referring to in this post are those who make our lives unpleasant or difficult but do not constantly belittle, mistreat, or harm us.  That is a hard line sometimes, so pray for discernment, please.)

I hope this video is encouraging for you....Don't lose hope in your journey to love the difficult people in your life.  If God be for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)!?  Chris Tomlin, Our God is Greater:

Video about difficult relationships by Tenth Avenue North, Losing:

 

Praise Him for His people {Day 6}

My hubby was away this past week, and in his absence I realized again not only how much I love that dear man, but also the beauty of Christian community.  I was terribly nervous about Paul traveling across the Atlantic, and finally had an appreciation for how my mother must have felt every time one of us 8 kids flew around the world (which was often!)  This past week I was encouraged and supported by numerous friends through prayer, lunch together, fun activities (pedicures, farmers' market, movies, etc.), overnight stays, phone calls, texts, and the list goes on!  

It is such a privilege to have a good man.  But it is additionally wonderful to have supportive friends when that man has to be away!  It is such a beautiful thing to see the face of Christ in the family of God around me.  And speaking of that wonderful man, I'm going to sign off from blog world so I can spend more time with him.

Psalm 133:1-3

Behold, how good and pleasant it is
    when brothers dwell in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil on the head,
    running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
    running down on the collar of his robes!
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
    which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
    life forevermore.

Praising God for His people....

Ruth

Take a look at this page for links to previous posts in the series....

Finding {and being} a cherished friend

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a difficult time." Proverbs 17:17

Life is busy, social media fills some of our relational needs, and our communities and families are fractured.  Where are we to find those real, meaningful, and needed friendships to carry us through the trials of life?  Oftentimes, even looking in many churches does not seem like a realistic solution either: programs keep us busy, kids' activities conflict with our ability to be involved, and people go unnoticed. 

My goal here is not to provide an easy answer, because honestly, there isn’t one.  My struggle over the years to form these lasting relationships has been fulfilled in some seasons, and been very much a drought in other seasons.  I can offer a few suggestions, but also want to point us to Jesus, who promises to be the primary solution to the deep loneliness we can feel, regardless of how many friends we have on our Facebook pages. 

Just this week, I sat with a mentor who gave me a very helpful word picture for healthy relationships: that of a two ladders balancing against each other, perfectly holding each other’s weight as they met at the top.  Imagine something similar to an upside-down ‘V’.  A healthy friendship develops gradually, she said, as each person takes a step up or down in the level of intimacy and time spent together, reciprocated by the other doing the same.  At times, one of the friends will take a step down, and the other will likely respond in kind.  Such is the ebb and flow of organic, wholesome relationships.  Unfortunately, our culture prevents this natural development of relationships in many ways, as stated above.  Even more, we are all wounded sinners in some way because of the fall (Genesis 3) and our relationships are not without sinful words and actions, walls we build up towards each other, and lack of love and interest in the other’s needs. 

What are some small things I’ve found to be helpful?  

Expressing genuine interest in each other!  Think of the Genie’s quote from Aladdin: “Enough about you, Casanova. Talk about her.” What does your new friend enjoy?  How can you bring that up in conversation, or even share those experiences together?  Offering to pray about his/her concerns through a phone call, email or text message is another great way to show you care. 

Looking for friends in your stage of life is normal, but I’ve found that meeting up with women with different commitments than myself can make planning times together easier.  Is she single and you’re married?  Have her over for a quick afternoon tea during your children’s nap times!  House isn’t clean?  Offer to bring a coffee and dessert over to her when your husband gets home.  Are you retired?  Maybe you can get involved with a youth event at your church.  Even serving at one car wash or pancake breakfast can help you get to know someone who may need a friend or become one! 

Be willing to share, willing to listen.  I won’t trivialize this: opening up or allowing another to open up and be vulnerable is not easy, and it certainly takes time to get to this point.  I’ve found that joining a small group at church or community league of some sort is a great way to make connections that lead to one-on-ones later, in which vulnerability might be more natural.  But be patient, because again, this takes time.  I’ve found that opening up too much can be overwhelming to some, or perhaps you are burdened by emotional conversation.  I can’t overemphasize the need to pray for and about your relationships.  God’s timing in developing these kinds of deep ties is perfect- He knows when you will need someone and when you will be needed. 

Perhaps the friendship will just be fun and lighthearted for a while, and you need to really unload an emotional burden?  Don’t feel badly about getting a few counseling sessions so you can return to your marriage and friendships with more to give back.  On the flip side, I’ve formed some of my best and deepest friendships with people when I was going through major trauma in my life and had no choice but to be raw, honest, and in need.  That’s okay too!  Just keep your expectations for your friends in check.

I must end with the best solution to our deep soul needs, however, finding friendship in Jesus Christ.  He will never turn you away when you need to talk, feel burdened by life, or need wisdom for the trials you are facing.  His answers are in the Scriptures, but He does speak in other mysterious ways- through a song, a spiritual book you’re reading, or a small, kind gesture from an unsuspecting person at the grocery store, etc.  Thank Him for those times He reveals Himself throughout your day, and look for ways to honor Him with your time and resources.  He is honored by your trust in Him, and you’ll find that the more you depend on Him throughout the day in prayer, the deeper your friendship will grow. 

Do not lose heart in this spiritual battle we all face to form deep, lasting connections with friends and family.  Remember, that’s what it is!  We have an enemy who wants nothing more than to destroy every avenue from which we could find encouragement to love God, especially that of friendships.  But He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).  He is the Victor over every failed relationship, and can and will turn it all for our good and His glory.  Remember the forgiveness we have been granted in Christ, and offer that to everyone in your life...including yourself! We’re all still learning how to build reliable, meaningful friendships.

Your blog friend, 

Ruth :)

Amazing August 2012

Hello friends,

I trust you enjoyed this week thus far, as I have (my school week is over, so the weekend starts tomorrow...).  Now that it's September, the weather is getting crisper, the leaves will turn soon, and the hot tea....wait....it's Florida!  Okay, so at least I'll be sipping hot tea (currently, peach is my fave :)  Though the summer doesn't officially end for a couple weeks, with school starting it feels like fall is right around the corner.  And I must say, August was a month full of awe.  Not awful.  How did we twist that word?  Here are some highlights:

~starting on J.R.R. Tolkein's masterpiece (Lord of the Rings) with hubby
~welcoming Florida friends back who were away for the summer
~beach trip
~Costco membership (yes, that place is great!)
~listening to One Thousand Gifts, again
~learning growing in contentment
~first few weeks with my sweet students
~easier transition (than I expected) into my *very own* classroom
~my patient, wise, and long-suffering hubby
~Starbucks dates and board games (I think Scrabble is the only one I can win, however...and that is because of Mom!!)
~surprise Panera lunch & chai tea with a friend (brought to my doorstep--can you believe it?)
~phone calls with old friends
~updates from the Perry Farm
~back-rubs!
~dinner guests
~visiting with friends
~forgetting my password to Pinterest (a hidden blessing!)
~and many, many more....

Blessings on your evening from sunny (and stormy) Florida,

Ruth

Connecting brings courage

This world is a flurry of activity, whether you are entering pre-school, or spoiling your grandkids (or somewhere in between!)  And there's this crazy somewhat-constant fact of nature:  the globe spins faster and faster that older you get!  Can anyone tell me why that is?  Regardless, today I'm participating in 'Five Minute Friday' with Lisa-Jo over here.  You can play along on your blog, too!

The topic is:  'Connect'.  So here I go:

I sat in the $15 chair, with threadbare arms, but it made for a comfy seat, an even more comfortable chat....She leaned back, and asked me:  "So how are you doing?"  I gave a few 'easy answers,' and finally got around to the issue that I was really struggling with.  It seems like I am better friends with my struggle than I am with this dear lady (my fault of course!), and it pains me to realize that I'm still struggling with this heart issue.  Do I not love my Lord?  Do I not love my husband?  We peel back the onion together....she lets my heart open, she treats the wound, and we close it up again before she leaves.  Just like the Great Physician ordered.  She's got a busy day ahead of her, as do I, but as I close the door behind her, I realize that she's given me a gift, one that's just as shiny as my wedding ring that arrived today (lost stone + lifetime warranty = grateful wife :).  She gave me courage...to keep fighting the good fight.  She told me she thought something I did was courageous, even though I didn't feel it to be especially so.   I was just doing what God has birthed in my heart.  And this gift given to me from the Lord, from my friend back to me....is this what I can give to my students?  To my husband?  Can I call out what I see and bless them with the precious truth of their worth just by listening?  This is what I hope to do more of.  Listening, blessing with words of life, connecting over big and small things.  What a beautiful thing, given best in the darkest of times.  

Hosea 2:14-16: 

Therefore, I am going to persuade her,
lead her to the wilderness, 
and speak tenderly to her.
¹⁵ There I will give her vineyards back to her 
and make the Valley of Achor
into a gateway of hope.
There she will respond as she did
in the days of her youth, 
as in the day she came out of the land of Egypt.
¹⁶ In that day—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
you will call Me, “My husband,” 
and no longer call Me, “My Baal.”
Blessings to you,

Ruth

July 2012 Memories and Thanks...

Hello blog friends,

I trust you had a wonderful July, and that your summer is ending well (gasp...is it really almost over?!)  I have been moving, travelling, visiting with friends and family, and prepping for my new teaching job!  Here are some of my favorite memories & thanksgivings from the past month:

~all the help from our church friends for our move!
~finding the lovely place where we are now living, and at a great price, location, etc.
~celebrating ONE YEAR in Florida!
~my sister and her family visiting us
~Paul's high school and college friends visiting

My adorable nieces and nephews at our annual WI Perry Family Reunion

~eating too much pizza, ice cream and junk food
~having fun with my school-year prep/lesson planning, and presentation
~travelling up to PA to see friends and family
~getting all settled in our new place, including hanging up pictures and curtains!
~joining in long-distance games and Skype chat with my family reunion up in WI (hopefully we can go next year...and see the darling kids posted here in the pics!)
~killing lots of roaches in our new place
~setting up new routines, finding new places for cheap dates :)
~God opening doors for us to serve in our new church (have we told you how much we LOVE it?)
~discovering the Emeals service (you might love it too!)

Mom, brothers, sisters, and lots of cute kids at our recent reunion

~and much, much more!

Also, I wanted to let you know that because of my busyness with the beginning of the school year, I will try to post once a week at most, and then hopefully get back to more frequent posting as we get things running smoothly in my new classroom :)  Please pray for me with this new endeavor, as I am excited and nervous to have my own classroom!

Your blogging friend in Christ,

Ruth

It's the Little Things: Walking with My Hubby

Today I'm linking up with the Time-Warp wife's Titus 2sdays!  This link-up features homemaking, marriage, housekeeping, and Titus 2-related posts!  Enjoy!

As I think back on this, our first year of marriage (actually 13 months in 2 days), I think about a little habit that has become foundational for us.  Every day, 2-3 times a day, we take a walk together, discuss what's on our hearts, and in the mornings, we make it a habit to pray as we walk together.  On the really hard days, we pray together at night too.  (We've had nights with tears, thoughts of the unknown future....and prayer is the BEST solution to our concerns.)  While it might only be a short walk (15-20 min) or a longer walk (25-30 min), it gives us the chance to find out more about each other in a very natural way.  For men, I've heard its easier to do something while we talk, and for me, as long as we talk (a lot :) I'm pretty happy.  I'm so thankful that Paul makes it a priority to call me at lunch every day, and we walk 'together', though I am home and he's at work.  Sometimes there is nothing earth-shattering to discuss, but other times, there is a conflict that needs to be resolved, and this practice keeps it from getting blown out of proportion.  (Besides, laughing at the ducks in our apartment complex, or tracking down our neighborhood owl is pretty entertaining!  Cheap fun is our style.)

Our walks started when we were dating :)

We have the luxury of time right now, not having kids or many big responsibilities, so it is easy to work in all this time together.  But I've heard many couples say that even just a little 15-20 min talk at the end of the day, when the kids are in bed, is something they are able to make a habit.  Having this practice as a habit makes it hard to ignore issues, which is good for both of us as 'pleasers'.  We would never get around to discussing conflict if not for our walks and talks!

These walks make me feel so loved and cherished by my honey and I am so thankful for his conviction that we do this.  Often when we are frustrated, taking a walk is the answer, even if we don't talk much.  Just getting out and away from the situation for a while is helpful.  (It also helps when Paul brings home his meat-lovers pizza from work, so we don't grow in ways we'd not desire :)

What do you do together that you can't live without?  How do you find ways to connect with your spouse on a regular basis?  Leave a note in the comments so we can all benefit!

Have a blessed day,

Ruth

Community: the Good and Bad, all Shared

Source

I've been in some good community groups, and some bad....some in between.  I've had friends that have walked with me through hard times, others who have walked away when times are not so enjoyable.  It hurts.  But I have found, by and large, that community is worth the risk.  The nitty gritty of knowing and loving someone well, and getting hurt by them, hurting them back, even though not intended.  The need for forgiveness, over and over, and over again.  It brings me joy and life in a way nothing else does, apart from my Jesus, and my wedded love.  The middle months of this past year have been lean on community.  We've struggled to get settled in a church home, really feel at home, and now it seems that the end of that season is around the corner.  We're settled in a good body of believers now, and so thankful, overflowing with thanks.  These people are real, and kind, and full of Truth.  The worship encourages and challenges us, and most of all, there is love.  Older men and women to look to for counsel, younger men and women, children, to encourage in their journey.  Plenty of life to live together, mistakes to make, triumphs to be had.  And so today, as I look forward to the regional community groups that start for our church next week, my heart is full with thanks, with joy.  I have been hurt by community, but I am ready to risk again, for the joy and hope of what Christ made possible for us on the Cross.

I hope you will take the plunge into real community too.

Blessings
Ruth

Take a peek over here at Gypsy Mama's Five Minute Friday.  Come back next Friday for another link-up!

Togetherness and Redemption

Source

Togetherness.  It is a central tenet of the Christian faith, seen in Genesis, Revelation, and everything in between.  It is seen in the Trinity, at the birth of Christ, and at the Cross.  In the Old Testament wanderings through the wilderness, the start of the apostolic church in Acts, and the journeys of Paul through the New Testament.  Do you see it in your life?  Do I see it in mine?

Most of all, I see it as God has brought me through challenging times.  Without those dark valleys, I probably would have continued to rely on myself.  Growing up I was blessed with the togetherness of a lively farm family, and then blessed with togetherness in college, post-college during traumatic events, on mission trips, and now in marriage.  Each season has had its successes and failures, but it has largely taken place in close community.  I believe this is the crux of redemption in our lives....the working out of our faith and our struggles, as we live in togetherness.

And that's a focus I'd like to have here on this blog, a little more than I have.  I've posted my life verse, Isaiah 58:12 up on my header, to remind me that God has called me to togetherness, redemption, and helping others see redemption in their lives too.  I want to hear your stories, and I'll be getting that process geared up soon.  How has God redeemed 'the messes and mundane' of your life through togetherness?  There's really no other way to be redeemed.  For whether you have walked alone (with God) or walked hand in hand with dear friends, you were never alone.  What a beautiful reality we all have as followers of Christ.

Together with you,

Ruth

PS--head over to Gypsy Mama to see today's Five Minute Friday Link-up!

Who I Am In Christ: Friend of God

Some new, and very dear friends...

My name, Ruth Ann, means beautiful friend.  Sometimes I have been that, other times I have not.  What does the word friendship conjure up in you?  Do you have someone that has been an incredible, long-suffering and patient friend?  Have you struggled to find a soul-connection with anyone who will even try to understand you?  Have you had plenty of friendships, but they have been all about fun and surface-y conversation?  Friends come in all shapes and sizes.  But we have a friend who sticks closer than a brother, our Savior, Jesus Christ.  "One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24. 
Read with me our next passage in the series, 

John 15:15 (NIV)

¹⁵ I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.


I teared up when I started meditating on this passage last week.  It is such a gift and privilege to be called a friend of the Most High God.  You see, this Friend cannot be compared to the dearest friend in your address book.  This Eternal Friend made the ultimate sacrifice, and continues to intercede for us daily, at the Throne of Grace.  That's a pretty serious commitment!  Read some of the benefits of this friendship in Psalm 103:

Psalm 103 (NIV)

Of David. ¹ Praise the LORD, my soul;
   all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
² Praise the LORD, my soul,
   and forget not all his benefits—
³ who forgives all your sins
   and heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the pit 
   and crowns you with love and compassion,
⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things
   so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
 ⁶ The LORD works righteousness
   and justice for all the oppressed.
 ⁷ He made known his ways to Moses,
   his deeds to the people of Israel:
⁸ The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
   slow to anger, abounding in love.
⁹ He will not always accuse,
   nor will he harbor his anger forever;
¹⁰ he does not treat us as our sins deserve
   or repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
   so great is his love for those who fear him;
¹² as far as the east is from the west,
   so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
 ¹³ As a father has compassion on his children,
   so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed,
   he remembers that we are dust.
¹⁵ The life of mortals is like grass,
   they flourish like a flower of the field;
¹⁶ the wind blows over it and it is gone,
   and its place remembers it no more.
¹⁷ But from everlasting to everlasting
   the LORD’s love is with those who fear him,
   and his righteousness with their children’s children—
¹⁸ with those who keep his covenant
   and remember to obey his precepts.
 ¹⁹ The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
   and his kingdom rules over all.


The only appropriate response is PRAISE, see below....
 ²⁰ Praise the LORD, you his angels,
   you mighty ones who do his bidding,
   who obey his word.
²¹ Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
   you his servants who do his will.
²² Praise the LORD, all his works
   everywhere in his dominion.
   Praise the LORD, my soul.


May we all turn our eyes to this great Friend and Redeemer, who does not treat us as servants...so that we, in turn, may choose to serve Him with deep gratitude!  Amen and amen.


Blessings to you,
Ruth