Laziness: The Subtle Enemy

Recently I have been reading a fantastic commentary on the book of Hebrews as part of my devotions. (Insert nerd joke here). In all seriousness, Hebrews: An Anchor for the Soul by R. Kent Hughes has been incredibly challenging and thought-provoking. Please allow me to digress for a moment and further my status as a nerd by encouraging you all to try reading something new (like a commentary) to shake up your reading "ruts". The new things you discover may surprise you!

Back to my main point...the other day I read the portion about Hebrews 6:11-12 which states, "We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised."

The challenge here is to "show diligence" in our relationship with Christ. Hughes states "Spiritual sluggishness is a danger that looms over all of us if we do not work against it..."

He then quoted from the book The Seven Deadly Sins Today, by Henry Fairlie and his chapter on sloth:

"Children are too idle to obey. Parents are too sluggish to command. Pupils are too lazy to work. Teachers are too indolent to teach. Priests are too slack to believe. Prophets are too morbid to inspire. Men are too indifferent to be men. Women are too heedless to be women. Doctors are too careless to care well. Shoemakers are too slipshod to make good shoes. Writers are too inert to write well. Street cleaners are too bored to clean streets. Shop clerks are too uninterested to be courteous. Painters are too feckless to make pictures. Poets are too lazy to be exact. Philosophers are too fainthearted to make philosophies. Believers are too dejected to bear witness..."

The portion that most challenged my thinking was this: "Today's culture has come very near to making a religion of sloth. Carried to the ultimate, it separates us from God because it erases caring. Humanly speaking, apart from the mysteries of God's sovereign workings, more souls perish from sloth than from outright disbelief."

How sobering. How often am I tempted to give in to sloth? Do I allow myself to be satisfied with doing what is "sufficient" instead of striving for what is excellent? Do I pass up opportunities to share Christ or demonstrate Christ to others out of passivity?

My prayer is that I would live a life of diligence in each and every area. After all, life is too short to waste, souls are too precious to go unheeded, and eternity is too imminent to be ignored.

Cranial Epiglottis

Chances are if you are a member of the human race something similar to the following has happened to you. You are engaged in a normal conversation with a family member, friend, or maybe even making small talk with a complete stranger in a grocery store, when out of nowhere, it happens. A thought forms and before your conscious brain has time to react, your mouth has conveyed the thought into spoken words, words that hang in the air in all their shining lack of brilliance, insensitivity, or downright unkindness. You stand in the awkward silence, wishing to retract them, but finding it far too late. Only a sincere apology, time, and a good dose of humility will begin to undo the damage caused by a thoughtless 'slip of the tongue'.

As I pondered this uncomfortable phenomenon known as 'open-mouth-insert-foot-syndrome' a fascinating idea suddenly struck me. Do you all remember the little body part we possess called the 'epiglottis'? This ingenious flap of cartilage has a very important function. In the action of swallowing it covers our windpipe to stop food or drink from entering and effectively preventing us from choking or drowning. The beauty of it is that this action is totally involuntary on our part. We don't have to think, "Ok, now I need to close off my trachea," each time we swallow, it just happens!

Wouldn't if have been great if God had created us with a cranial epiglottis? An organ that effectively shuts off communication between the brain and mouth whenever an insensitive, sinful, or stupid comment is about to escape between our lips. Instead of opening my mouth and doing some permanent verbal damage, my cranial epiglottis would spring into action and shut down the brain wave carrying the message to my mouth.

For a brief moment I lamented the fact that this wonder organ does not exist in reality, but then I realized that, as a believer in Jesus Christ, I do possess a cranial epiglottis of sorts…it's called the Holy Spirit.

God's Word promises that all those who trust in Jesus Christ receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." (Romans 8:14)

His Word commands us to walk by the Spirit. "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16)

His Word commands us to watch the type of speech that comes out of our mouths. "Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving." (Ephesians 5:4)

May our prayer be the same as that of King David…
"Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!" (Psalm 141:3)

(There's nothing like a Biblical prayer for a Holy Spirit guided cranial epiglottis!)

May we all pray for the power to walk (and talk) in the power of the Spirit today.

Two Thoughts

Tonight I simply want to share with you the thoughts found in two poems written by Amy Carmichael, a passionate woman who served the Lord in India for most of her life. May these words cause us to pause and consider the truth...and may the prayer of our hearts be the same.

Come, Lord Jesus

Because of little children soiled,
And disinherited, despoiled,

Because of hurt things, feathered, furred,
Tormented beast, imprisoned bird,

Because of many-folded grief,
Beyond redress, beyond belief,

Because the word is true that saith,
The whole creation travaileth--

Of all our prayers this is the sum:
O come, Lord Jesus, come.


Make Me Thy Fuel

From prayer that asks that I may be
Sheltered from winds that beat on Thee,
From fearing when I should aspire,
From faltering when I should climb higher,
From silken self, O Captain, free
Thy soldier who would follow Thee.

From subtle love of softening things,
From easy choices, weakenings,
Not thus are spirits fortified,
Not this way went the Crucified,
From all that dims Thy Calvary,
O Lamb of God, deliver me.

Give me the love that leads the way,
The faith that nothing can dismay,
The hope no disappointements tire,
The passion that will burn like fire,
Let me not sink to be a clod:
Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.

Peru Blog Update

Click here to visit my Peru blog and read the latest update! T-minus 29 1/2 hours till lift-off!

A Tangible Jesus

This afternoon I completed reading the book "Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America" by Mike Yankoski. In this book, Mike relates the story of he and his friend Sam as they make the decision to give up their comfortable lives and live for 5 months as homeless men on the streets of some of America's largest cities. These two Christian college students were on a journey to find out if their faith in Jesus was real; even when separated from every comfort with which they were familiar.

Throughout their journey, Mike and Sam learn what it is to go hungry, to go without a shower for weeks at a time, to live in constant danger and with the constant worry of where they will get their next meal or where they will sleep that night. They also learn to look at people through different eyes. They are forced to look behind the grime, to ignore the smell, and to see the true need of broken, desperate people who need so much more than a good meal...they need a Savior.

The most convicting point which this book got across was this: In order for people to know this Savior, they first need to see the love of the Savior demonstrated in the lives of those who profess to know Him. It was heart-breaking to read how seldom "true Christians" reached out to Mike and Sam on their journey. One man told Mike and Sam he was "praying for them", yet failed to meet their simple needs for food to eat and shoes to wear.

I have been touched by this book. Even though I do not live in an area where it is common to see homeless people on the streets, there are countless ways in which I can reach out and share to help others in need. For starters, I plan to go through my closet before I leave for Peru and donate a bunch of clothes to our Community Assistance Center for people in need. However, in less than three weeks I will be living in a third-world country in a city of 8 million people where it is very common to have beggars on every street corner and little children singing on buses in order to earn money. I will have more opportunites than I can count to reach out and share with those in need.

Will I take the opportunities that come? I pray that I will. It is one thing to tell people that God loves them...it is quite another to show them by the way we live our lives.

How will you live Jesus to those around you?

"...Then the righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'"Matthew 25:37-40 (NLT)

It Won't Be Long...

Heaven has been on my mind a lot lately. There are certain times in life when the reality of heaven becomes infinitely more precious...this week has been one of those times. This week as I said goodbye to some dear friends for at least a year, remembered the anniversary of the passing of a dear woman of God, and learned of another dear man who went home to glory, the longing for heaven became even more intense.

What am I looking forward to about heaven?

No more goodbyes. What sheer joy it will be to enjoy the pleasures of heaven alongside so many people who I loved and shared so many memories with on earth. How precious to know that all because of Jesus, we will spend eternity together and never again have to experience the pain of goodbyes and separation.

The absence of sin. Do you ever wish you could just drop-kick the sin nature inside of you? There are times I would love to give it a crushing blow to the jaw and scare it away for good. Unfortunately its not that easy. The war against sin has to be fought daily for as long as I live. Imagine the freedom of living without the burden and struggle against sin. The very thought of it brings tears to my eyes and fills my heart with thankfulness. Someday the struggle will be over.

The presence of the Lord. All the other joys heaven holds pale in comparison to this one. One day I will stand in the presence of my Savior. One day I will see the Lamb of God "who takes away the sins of the world." One day I will see the scars that bear evidence to the great price He paid for my freedom. One day I will worship Him and sing His praise with a perfect voice, in a perfect body, in a perfect place. There will be no greater joy.

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." Jude 24-25

New Blog Announcement

Please allow me to introduce to you...my new blog!

Perspectives from Peru

This new blog is strictly for the purpose of providing people with updates about my ministry in Peru. I hope to post prayer requests, pictures, and general updates about what is happening in the ministry.

However, don't be alarmed...I will still be using this blog (Perspectives) as frequently as I am able to continue to post my thoughts, music, songs, and other random things that strike my fancy.

I look forward to bringing you, my followers, along with me on this exciting journey!

What Faith Can Do...

Time to share a favorite song with you all! (Hang around me long enough and you'll realize I have a new favorite song pretty much every day) :-)

Blog Hopping...

Today I had the privilege to write a "guest post" for my bloggy friend, Christy! She gave some of us the wonderful opportunity and challenge to write about the topic..."What I would like you to know..."

I immensely enjoyed the chance to write for her, and write about a topic dear to my heart...missions! You can read the post by clicking here!

Road Trip!

May has been a busy month...I am very behind on blogging. (Not that I am very regular to begin with) This month started out with a trip to West Virginia to pick up my brother from college! Allow me to share a few fun pics from the trip!

We left bright and early at 6:30 am.


Roughly eleven hours later...this sign welcomed us to the State of our destination.


The school my brother attends.



Me taking in the scenery at the New River Gorge!



This is an amazing bridge spanning the gorge. Apparently, people bungee jump and even sky dive off of this bridge once a year!



The purpose of the trip! My "little" brother, Nate and me...somehow I always manage to cut off his head in pics we take together, because he's just so tall! :-)



Posing with Christie, Nate's girlfriend who came home with us for a week!


Stay tuned for more pics of May adventures!

"They" said it first..."they" said it better

I like quotes...ok, I really like quotes. My philsophy about quotes is: Why try to say something myself if someone else has already said it better?

I know the blog posts have been fairly short and infrequent recently...I hope to remedy this soon. But for now, enjoy some current favorite quotes to ponder.

"Someone asked me, 'Why do you go there?' (meaning the mission field). I said 'God takes your heart and puts it there. Either you follow your heart or live without it.'" --Missionary John Leonard

"Whatever you are...Be a good one." --Abe Lincoln

"I sometimes wonder whether all pleasures are not substitutes for joy."--C.S. Lewis

"God does it and man sings it. God speaks and a hymn is the mysical echo of His voice."-- A.W. Tozer

"There are some who bring a light so great to the world that even after they have gone, the light remains." --Anonymous

"Outside of the resurrection of Jesus, I do not know of any other hope for this world."--Konrad Adenauer


Each of these provides enough to mentally "chew on" for a while. The next time I post quotes, they will be of a lighthearted nature. ;-)

Thoughts from Proverbs

A few words of wisdom from the wisest man who ever lived...they made me stop and ponder for a while today. (Taken from Proverbs 17 in the English Standard Version.)

"The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts." Vs. 3

"Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker..." Vs. 5a

"Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends." Vs. 9

"A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool." Vs. 10

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." Vs. 17

"Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding." Vs. 27

Dueling Ninjas

Time for a fun Sunday music post! Check out this great video of the song "Dueling Ninjas" :-) Trace Bundy can do things on a guitar that would be next to impossible for the average person...to hear more of his music visit his website here.

Remembering a New Beginning

Today (well technically tomorrow, on May 8th) marks the one year anniversary of my graduation from college! Five wonderful, challenging, life-changing years of my life. I hold so many dear memories in my heart from those special years; and many more have probably already been forgotten.

Looking through old photos and reading old journal entries from during that time period bring a smile to my face. I relive the drama and excitement that each year held. More than anything, the many life lessons I learned and the dear friendships that were formed will be treasured for the rest of my life.

People say that your college years are the best years of your life. I agree that they are wonderful, unforgettable times, but deep down I hope they are not the best years. That would mean that at the age of 22, I had nothing better to look forward to!

I will remember; I will laugh and maybe occasionally shed a tear over the sweet and sometimes even painful memories from those five years. But I firmly believe that my God has something great in store for the years to come.

The best years are not over; life does not end at college graduation, it merely takes on a new dimension. God's work is not finished...and I am excited to watch His plans unfold.

What's so amazing about grace?

In his blog "Stuff Christians Like" Jon Acuff had a great quote about blogging in a recent post. "When it comes to blogs, 80% perfect and published will always change more hearts than 100% perfect and stuck in your head."

Those words are quite true. In fact, today I am following his advice and writing about what has been 'stuck in my head' for a while. (Even though it may not yet even be to the 80% perfect stage)

In a previous post I mentioned how I've been thinking a lot about arrogance vs. humility in the Christian life. This topic has still been on my mind often. Here I present to you some of my thoughts on the subject and would be interested to hear your responses.

It will come as no surprise to any of you to hear that within the realm of Christianity there are a broad range of opinions about how one should live his or her life. (Just to be clear on terms, when I refer to 'Christians/Christianty' I mean those people who profess a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as their Savior from sin. Those who hold that forgiveness and eternity in heaven can be attained through Christ's work on the cross alone and not from any good works or rules) That being said, there is one thing that many Christians often have in common (beyond trusting in Christ for salvation). Sadly, this one thing is arrogance.

To illustrate, I am going to compare two different sides of the realm of Christianity.

Some Christians fall on the side of "Legalism". While they do trust in Christ, they also believe that in order to be a good Christian one must dress a certain way, act a certain way, follow a specific set of rules, use a certain version of the Bible, etc. And often, they can look down their noses at others who do not believe as they do about these things.

However, others of us fall on the side of "Grace". We believe strongly in God's sovereignty, election, and the freedom to live by grace without being trapped by a list of rules. And we look down our noses at those "legalists" and think, 'How can they be so blind to the freedom that we have to live and serve without fear?' 'Why do they think they're so much better because they do such-and-such?"

And those on both sides of the equation puff up with pride thinking that they have somehow arrived and are pleasing God by the way they live more than those 'poor Christians' who have not yet figured out what it means to walk in newness of life.

How arrogant. How sad. How true.

What is the answer? I have been driven to tears of frustration over this and have more than once marvelled that God so patiently puts up with His squabbling children.

That is what is so amazing about grace; the fact that God chooses to forgive and save any of us. The fact that I will spend eternity in heaven with that brother or sister in Christ who I thought was so wrong about 'such-and-such standard'. When it comes down to it, none of us will be in heaven because of the way we lived, how we dressed, or how much we understood theology. We'll be there because God, in His mercy, offered us forgiveness and chose to make us His children.

We are left with no choice but to be humble.

"He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit." Titus 3:5

"But avoid foolish controversies, geneologies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless." Titus 3:9

"For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord." Ephesians 5:8-10

7 Random Things!

Better late than never...I am joining in the fun (even though it is now Wednesday morning) and linking up with the Sassy Single Bloggers at Exemplify to share seven random things about myself!

Here goes...

1. I love to think deeply about things and have a tendency to over-analyze. It is a blessing and a curse.

2. I believe true friendships should last a lifetime.

3. People tell me I look like my mother, however, some people also tell me I look far younger than my actual age of twenty-something. I find this to be highly frustrating at times. :-)

4. My dad and I share the same sense of humor and some random personality quirks.

5. I have a deep fear of worms.

6. I will try eating almost any food at least once (except aforementioned worms).

7. I speak nearly fluent Spanish and would love to learn a couple more langugages someday! (possibly Greek and French)

Thats all for now, folks. Thanks for letting me share a little of myself with you all!

"Faithful Joy"

You are about to read what could possibly be called the most unusual proposal of marriage ever. This is a letter written by Adoniram Judson, the great missions pioneer to Burma, to the father of Ann Hasseltine, the woman who would one day become his wife, asking for his permission to marry her. Judson does not mince words; in fact his honesty is brutal, but his passion is soul-stirring.

"I have now to ask, whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see her no more in this world; whether you can consent to her departure, and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of missionary life; whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean, to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India; to every kind of want and distress; to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death. Can you consent to all this, for the sake of him who left his heavenly home, and died for her and for you; for the sake of perishing, immortal souls; for the sake of Zion, and the glory of God? Can you consent to all this, in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory, with the crown of righteousness, brightened with the acclamations of praise which shall redound to her Savior from heathens saved, through her means, from eternal woe and despair?"

"Her father let her decide. She said yes." (Don't Waste Your Life: by John Piper pg.158)

By the way, Ann died in Burma as did Adoniram. They sacrificed everything for the One to whom they committed their lives.

In less than four months I will be embarking on a year-long short-term missions trip to Peru, South America. The very thought makes my heart race with excitement. I love missions. Although it is not likely that my trip will be filled with the dangers and hardships that the Judsons had to face I find myself asking, "Would I be willing to suffer as they did all for the glory of Christ?" "Am I willing to commit not just to a year, but to a lifetime of foreign missions service if that is what God should choose for my life?"

My prayer is that my answer will be a resounding 'yes.'




"God does not call us to ease, but to faithful joy. He is closing in on some of you, smiling and with tears in his eyes, knowing how much of himself he is going to show you—and how much it will cost." -John Piper

Who is Jesus?

True humility can never be attained without a proper perspective of the greatness of our Savior. One of the most fascinating things about the Bible is that from its first chapters in Genesis to the end of Revelation, amid all the other fascinating stories, poetry, and drama, its central theme is Jesus Christ. One song refers to it as the "thread of scarlet, woven in time".

This reading was done by our choir a week before Easter Sunday. It describes who Christ is in each book of the Bible. Each time I read this it moves me. Read it all the way to the end and let the truth sink in. Let us take time today to medidate on who Christ is to us. It will be impossible to walk away from that meditation with a heart of arrogance.

NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES

In GENESIS Jesus is the Ram at Abraham's altar
In EXODUS He's the Passover Lamb
In LEVITICUS He's the High Priest
In NUMBERS He's the Cloud by day and pillar of fire by night
In DEUTERONOMY He's the City of our refuge
In JOSHUA He's the Scarlet Thread out Rahab's window
In JUDGES He is our Judge
In RUTH He is our Kinsman Redeemer
In 1st and 2nd SAMUEL He's our Trusted Prophet
And in KINGS and CHRONICLES He's our Reigning King
In EZRA He is our Faithful Scribe
In NEHEMIAH He's the Rebuilder of everything that is broken
In ESTHER He is the Mordecai sitting faithful at the gate
In JOB He's our Redeemer that ever liveth
In PSALMS He is my Shepherd and I shall not want
And in the SONG OF SOLOMON He's the Beautiful Bridegroom
In ISAIAH He's the Suffering Servant
In JEREMIAH and LAMENTATIONS it is Jesus that is the Weeping Prophet
In EZEKIEL He's the Wonderful Four-Faced Man
In DANIEL He is the Fourth Man in the midst of a fiery furnace
In HOSEA He is my Love that is forever faithful
In JOEL He baptizes us with the Holy Spirit
In AMOS He's our Burden Bearer
In OBADIAH our Savior
And in JONAH He is the Great Foreign Missionary that takes the Word of God into all of the world
In MICAH He is the Messenger with beautiful feet
In NAHUM He is the Avenger
In HABAKKUK He is the Watchman that is ever praying for revival
In ZEPHANIAH He is the Lord mighty to save
In HAGGAI He is the Restorer of our lost heritage
In ZECHARIAH He is our Fountain
And in MALACHAI He is the Son of Righteousness with healing in His wings

In MATTHEW Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God
In MARK He is the Miracle Worker
In LUKE He's the Son of Man
And in JOHN He's the Door by which every one of us must enter
In ACTS He is the Shining Light that appears to Saul on the road to Damascus
In ROMANS He is our Justifier
In 1st CORINTHIANS our Resurrection
In 2nd CORINTHIANS our Sin Bearer
In GALATIANS He redeems us from the law
In EPHESIANS He is our Unsearchable Riches
In PHILIPPIANS He supplies our every need
And in COLOSSIANS He's the Fullness of the Godhead Bodily
In 1st and 2nd THESSALONIANS He is our Soon Coming King
In 1st and 2nd TIMOTHY He is the Mediator between God and man
In TITUS He is our Blessed Hope
In PHILEMON He is a Friend that sticks closer than a brother
And in HEBREWS He's the Blood of the everlasting covenant
In JAMES it is the Lord that heals the sick
In 1st and 2nd PETER He is the Chief Shepherd
In 1st, 2nd, and 3rd JOHN it is Jeusus who has the tenderness of love
In JUDE He is the Lord coming with 10,000 saints
And in REVELATION, lift up your eyes, for your redemption draweth nigh, He is King of kings, and Lord of lords.

True Humility...Attainable?

I've been thinking a lot recently about arrogance and pride vs. meekness and humility. There is a lot I wish to say about this subject, but I will save it for some future posts. For now, my prayer is that God would simply rid my heart of the arrogance and pride that takes such a deep root, and that He would replace them with a humble reverence for Him.

Once again it all comes back to perspective...my sinfulness in light of God's holiness; my utter unworthiness compared to the Lamb who is worthy; my finite humanity exposed to the great "I AM".

The prophet Micah said it well...

"'With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?' He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:6-8

Morning Person?

I read an interesting article today. Maybe I should try some of these tips in order to more effectively cut off my ties with my beloved snooze button.

I am skeptical, however...changing my love of staying up late and sleeping in is no small task. In general, my fear of being late to work is the only thing that drags me out of bed in the morning. I'm up for trying something new, though. So if I do try some of these tips, I'll let you know how they work! :-)

Cultural Corner

Today it is time for a fun and random post! Allow me to introduce you to my favorite spot in my room...I call it my 'cultural corner'. I do not consider myself to be a good decorator at all, but this one little corner holds very special meaning for me and is my best attempt at doing something 'artsy'. :-)

Here is the whole shelf



Most of these decorations were brought back from Peru, South America after I lived there for 11 months during my Junior year of college. On the left is a tiny nativity scene that is carved inside one of their famous hats. The pot and coin-purse are both hand-crafted and painted.



The next three hand-painted plates in the background of each shelf are my absolute favorite items from Peru. They are so beautiful and reveal much of the culture.
This shelf also contains Peruvian money and a little wooden flute that is a typical instrument within the country.



Excluding the background plate, this is my African shelf! I have never been to Africa personally, but I have several sweet friends who have gone and been kind enough to bring me back some beautiful treasures!



This plate is partially covered up by a picture of my teammates and me taken during our missionary interinship/study abroad in Peru. The random chopsticks came from another friend who went to China one summer!



I hope you have enjoyed this cultural mini-tour and glimpse into my life! :-)

What are your favorite spots in your own rooms?

The Day that Changed History

Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ! He lives, He offers forgiveness from sin, and He gives salvation freely to all who call on His name. There is no greater joy.

See, What A Morning - Keith & ...

"With Joyful Grief"

Good Friday. Two thousand some odd years ago, this was a day of pure despair. Imagine the utter hopelessness which the followers of Christ must have felt. Mere words cannot possibly capture the magnitude of their grief.

Yet today, we look back on Good Friday and see a day filled with hope. With the words "It is Finished", history and eternity changed forever. And in the most powerful visual aid imaginable, as the veil of the temple ripped in two from top to bottom , God revealed that the barrier between man and himself had forever been removed.

God had died for men. Jesus died for me. For you.

Savior, with joyful grief, I thank you.

My Jesus Fair
Text and music: Chris Anderson & Greg Habegger

My Jesus, fair, was pierced by thorns,
By thorns grown from the fall.
Thus He who gave the curse was torn
To end that curse for all.

Chorus:
O love divine, O matchless grace-
That God should die for men!
With joyful grief I lift my praise,
Abhorring all my sin,
Adoring only Him.

My Jesus, meek, was scorned by men,
By men in blasphemy.
“Father, forgive their senseless sin!”
He prayed, for them, for me.

My Jesus, kind, was torn by nails,
By nails of cruel men.
And to His cross, as grace prevailed,
God pinned my wretched sin.

My Jesus, pure, was crushed by God,
By God, in judgment just.
The Father grieved, yet turned His rod
On Christ, made sin for us.

My Jesus, strong, shall come to reign,
To reign in majesty.
The Lamb arose, and death is slain.
Lord, come in victory

Copyright 2008 churchworksmedia.com

Palm Sunday

Time for sharing a couple more music favorites.

I am a huge fan of Keith and Kristyn Getty; modern-day hymn writers who write beautiful, theologically sound music. They are my inspiration. This song is to the tune of Londonderry Air (Danny Boy), a gorgeous melody, made even more powerful by these touching lyrics.

What Grace Is Mine - Keith & K...

"So I will go wherever He is calling me. I lose my life to find my life in Him. I give my all to gain the hope that never dies. I bow my heart, take up my cross, and follow Him."


The next is another favorite of mine by Chris Tomlin. Next Sunday I am playing this song as our choir sings it in the Easter program. I get chills each time I play it.

Amazing Grace (My Chains Are G...

Today's theme appears to be grace. A fitting theme for every day.

Something to Think About

I found this today and thought it was interesting enough to share with all of you. It ends with the haunting question, "So what does it all mean?" I'd love to hear your thoughts and I may share my own sometime in the future.

How to Have a Good Sick Day: 5 Simple Steps

It happens to all of us...one day we are going about our normal lives, and the next we find ourselves dizzy, stumbling out of bed with stuffed heads or nauseous stomachs, and wishing there were a nearby rock to crawl underneath and die. If you have ever experienced this feeling, I offer you some simple steps to make the most out of your sick day. May they help you cope with the aches, pains, monotony and bordom.

1. Choose an appropriate spot to exist. A chair, a bed, a couch; wherever you feel most comfortable remaining for extended periods of time. My personal preference is the recliner.

2. Arm yourself with enough Kleenex, cough drops, and vitamin C to supply a small army.

3. Choose your entertainment for the day. Some suggestions include: A favorite 'feel-good' movie such as "You've Got Mail", a laptop for blogging and Facebook purposes, a good book (mine is currently 'Los Numeros de la Experanza' to get in some Spanish practice), an i-pod for music that makes you want to get up and dance. Or not.

4. Don't forget the doctor's orders, 'Drink lots of liquids'. My favorites in times of sickness happen to be Sierra Mist and orange juice (not mixed together, that's gross!). However, I am hoping that milkshakes also count.

5. Keep a cell phone nearby. Not only is it useful for maintaining contact with the outside world, it also helps keep track of how much time remains till you can take your next dose of wonderful, life-preserving, elixer from heaven, cold medicine!

With these steps in mind you can conquer any sick day with style. However I would not recommend taking a picture.

The Little Things

I love "little moments".
(I am not referring to said country song of that same title. That is another topic entirely)

"What are little moments?"you may ask.

They are those times during the day where God sends tiny reminders of His love; moments that bring a smile to your face and a bubble of joy to your heart.

Here I give you just a small sample of my recent "little moments".

-Holding a new baby.

-Hearing a child laugh.

-Sharing a great big belly laugh with my family.

-Receiving a card, e-mail or text from a friend.

-Waking up and realizing it is not morning yet, but there are still hours left before the alarm goes off. (This is huge; I may elaborate further in a future post :-)

-Meeting John (a man with Downs Syndrome) while at work and having him remember my name and blow me a kiss as he left.

-Singing outloud to my favorite music while on the drive to work.

That is all for now.

Have any of you experienced some special "little moments" recently?

Please share.

P.S. Don't forget to look for them

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

Enjoy a couple of the songs that I have been pondering this afternoon...they are special to me for many reasons.

The Call (Soundtrack) - Regina...

The Line Between The Two - Mar...

On the Job: Incidents and Insights

Tonight at work a part-time co-worker was sharing with me his love for animals. Now please understand, I enjoy animals. They can be cute and fun and furry little companions. However, not all of this nameless co-worker's animals have fur...

He owns a python.

The very thought makes shudder.

Then he proceeded to tell me about several of his dogs (a rotweiller among them), guinea pigs, and mice. (However the mice were strictly for 'breeding purposes'...let your imagination go where it will...apparently pythons have to eat something).

Oh wouldn't life be dull if everyone was the same?!

P.S. My to-do list from yesterday was a success! I am going to try it again for tomorrow...but this time it is a secret.

To-Do List

It is Sunday night... the responsible voice in my head tells me it is time for bed, but part of me wants to prolong the inevitable.

Does anyone else struggle to find the desire and joy to begin a new work week? Every Monday (and sometimes more often than that) I start giving myself a "mental pep talk" to get in a positive state about the challenges that must be faced in the coming week.

I want this week to be productive (see previous post), and my favorite way to be productive is to make lists! So I will start my Monday to-do list...

-Devotions
-Work out
-Straighten up room
-Pack away box of old room decorations
-Pack supper for work
-Send a card to a friend
-Go to work
-Come home and sleep!

That should be sufficient for now... :-) The trick is getting everything crossed off by the end of the day!

Who else functions by making lists? Tell me about your methods to stay motivated and get things accomplished! I always welcome your brilliant suggestions!

Is it Profitable?

*Warning: This post may cause spiritual discomfort.

I have recently been reading the book 'Don't Waste Your Life' by John Piper. (If my grandparents are reading this, this book was a graduation present from you, and I aplogize that I haven't gotten it read sooner. However, I believe reading it now is divine timing)

To say that certain points in this book have been convicting is an understatement.

The past couple of days I cannot shake the question 'Is it profitable?' from my mind.

How much of my life do I spend on things that are unprofitable; things that have no true or lasting value and are utterly insignificant when it comes to eternity?

How often am I consumed by culture, media, and other distractions that take my focus off of God's Word or other activities that could have more meaning?

For example...television (I realize that I am stepping on toes, my own included). A quote taken from the book states...

"What is happening in America is that television is transforming all serious public business into junk....Television disdains exposition, which is serious, sequential, rational, and complex. It offers instead a mode of discourse in which everything is accessible, simplistic, concrete, and above all, entertaining. As a result, America is the world's first culture in jeopardy of amusing itself to death." Ouch.

I am not completely anti-television...but maybe I should be.

How much of life have I wasted by simply 'turning off my brain' in order to relax, instead of pursuing something to stimulate my thinking?

Television is not the only life-waster. There are many other pursuits that can suck me (and you) away from what is meaningful and eternal and significant.

So I come back to the question, 'Is it profitable?' My desire would be to look back on each day and see that the work I did, the conversations I held, the things I achieved, the entertainment I read or viewed were not a waste, but were of real, significant value. Profitable.

What things are sucking the life out of our lives? What can we do to change this?

"Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever." 1 John 2:15-17

For Uncle Steve

While hunting through a random closet in our house today, I discovered this...and being the curious person that I am, I tried it on.



It is my dad's old track jacket from high school! What a fun discovery! The sad part is that it fits me. (Apparently my dad was quite small in high school)

This post is for you, Uncle Steve, #1 fan of Blue Earth sports! Hope it brought a smile to your face. :-)

Sneak Preview

I don't have time for a long post today, but I am too excited right now to skip posting altogether.

The future is exciting, folks! An opportunity has presented itself and I am joyfully anticipating all that this year could hold...

At this point I cannot share details, but I can at least make you curious...

It involves this...


and this...


and this...


and this...


and most importantly, this.


For now I will leave you hanging, but there is much, much more to come!

Green Thumb

I gave in to a whim this week and purchased a little plant for my room. Really I have no idea what possessed me to do this, except that I am growing tired of winter and this seemed like a tiny piece of spring.





I would like you to meet my African Violet. It is a cheery addition to my room and I hope my 'gardening' skills are sufficient enought to keep it alive for a long time!

Follow Me

He said to them, 'Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?'" Mark 8:34b-36

These verses have been weighing heavily on my mind today.

Anti-Valentine's Day...or Not

I greeted today with mixed emotions.

Earlier this week I thought Valentine's Day would come and go as any other normal Sunday and I would be just fine with it. However as the day drew nearer, and as I saw more and more husbands and boyfriends frantically running into my store to buy thoughtful cards and flowers, my heart started to feel that familiar pang that always comes with the remembrance of bittersweet memories.

I started to wish that I would not have to acknowledge the presence of this "holiday".

However, I awoke this morning to realize that Valentine's Day had arrived un-invited (bringing with it a beautiful winter wonderland of snow). The day also arrived with a card and lots of chocolate from my parents (maybe its not all bad).

As much as I may have wished it away...I am not anti-Valentine's Day. Yes, there were a few tears shed...but tears are temporary. This day is about so much more than the celebration of romantic love.

It is a celebration of love. Period. And as I was poignantly reminded in church today...Jesus is love personified.

Today I choose to celebrate Christ's love for me...and I choose to rejoice in the fact that I can now, in a small way, share that love with my family, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, and others with whom I come into contact each day.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Meet the Press

I do not always stray into the realm of current events and politics on my blog...although perhaps I should do so more often.

At any rate, my dad showed me this article, written by Dr. Kevin T. Bauder, president of Central Baptist Theological Seminary, and I thought it was an excellent read. Not only does Dr. Bauder deal with the media uproar surrounding the Baptist missionaries charged with kidnapping in Haiti, he also brings out some very solid, logical lessons to be learned from this incident.

Read it...and tell me what you think.

Behind the Name

Have I mentioned before that I love the title of my blog? I put quite a bit of thought into the naming of my little corner of the web.

Perspectives.

What does the word mean to me? It is a reminder of the joy that is found in being able to express the essence of me (complete with my thoughts, emotions, convictions, passions and quirks).

This word is also a constant reminder of what my life is to be like as a believer in Jesus Christ.

Life is all about perspective...living with an eternal mindset. As a follower of Christ, my entire life is to be formed around a Biblical perspective with a focus on Heaven.

Sometimes there are days that help bring my perspective back to where it should be. Yesterday was one of those days. I work at a secular job and there are many days which test my ability to maintain a Heavenly perspective.

However, yesterday I found myself in the office of my manager for a 'performance review' which turned into an incredible opportunity to share my faith.

Here are just a few of the questions I was asked...

"So, you're not all about making money, are you?"

"What do you think Heaven will be like?"

"Have you thought about being a minister?" (This one made me laugh :-)

"At what point in your life did you decide, 'This is what I believe. This is what I am going to follow?'"

How thankful I was at that point for my solid, Biblical education which allowed me to have some concrete answers for him! And what a blessing to be reminded, through a conversation with my manager, of the purpose for which I am living.

Pray for Haiti

We showed this video in church tonight as a reminder to keep the grieving nation of Haiti in our prayers.

This is a touching original song composed by Abigail Higgins after the tragic earthquake in Haiti.

What a wonderful reminder..."There is still good news...He still sees."

Dream Job

I had an interesting conversation with my boss yesterday. He frequently questions me about future plans and nearly always ends up trying to convince me to pursue a long-term career with our company. Yesterday was no different. However, as I spoke about hoping to move sometime this summer and looking through my different options he asked me, "Heidi, what is your dream job?"

I didn't know how to answer him.

How do I explain to a world so driven by status, money, and power that my desire has never been to plant myself firmly on the corporate ladder and begin the ascent? How do I convey to my co-workers that I want to spend my life serving the God who, to them, means little more than a casual swear word?

I can mutter some things about hoping to move overseas, or about finding a bi-lingual job but deep down I find myself wrestling with what God's purpose might be for this "career" side of life.

My true 'dream job' would be ministry. Serving as a missionary or pastor's wife, using Spanish, leading Bible studies, reaching out to people, playing and writing music, authoring a book, the list could go on.

Unfortunately, this 'job' doesn't always pay much, and doesn't sound very impressive to those whose life goal is to make lots of money, be powerful, and die rich and happy.

These are just some of the thoughts bouncing around in my head recently. I am trying to figure out how this 'dream job' fits into my life currently as a single college grad working a full-time and a part-time job and living at home.

For now I will sit still, keep praying, and, as always, keep thinking.

Knock, Knock...Who's There?

When you can't be original....copy someone else! I do not normally live by this rule, but today I couldn't help it.

I have been starved for originality lately. Therefore, when I saw my friend Melissa's idea (which she also copied) I decided to follow in her footsteps.

So please tell me...who is out there? If you read my blog (frequently, occasionally, or even if its your first time) leave me a note and tell me why.


I am curious

A Belated 'Happy New Year'

Well, friends, I have finally gotten around to posting something on here in the New Year. 2010 is already 13 days old. I kept hoping for a brilliant inspiration to strike me so I could write a truly eloquent first post of the year. Apparently I'm running short on inspiration.

So, rather than leave you wondering where I've been any longer, I will at least share a song with you that has recently become a favorite. Every time I hear it I get chills...meditate on this, and enjoy!