Walk on the Water - Britt Nicole

Wow. <3

Called to be.... comfortable?!?

If the title didn't make you cringe... politely put - something's wrong with you! But really, that's basically what I've been working on for the past while now. I realized over the summer just how much stock I put in being "safe" and being "comfortable" (even as backward as my versions of those are compared to normal humanity...) when Jesus never called me as His disciple to be either. So often I get caught up in being the "princess daughter" of God that I forget that I am also a disciple. One of the biggest stereotypes of royalty that I know at least I have is that royal persons sit in over sized, velvet plush throne-chairs (to me "throne" just sounds so uncomfortable - so I will call it a "throne-chair") :) and order others about. I tend to forget just all that actually goes in to the privilege of sitting on that lush seat - all the concern standardly implied by that position. To paraphrase Prince Philip from Princess of Thieves, "A King is expected to do something ABOUT them!" (referring to dealing with war, taxes and plague). Well... I'm a princess, right? Then doesn't that mean I should be doing something about the world's condition in the name of my Father, the King, not just sitting around fantasizing about princes and worried about peas...? I think it does!
So often I find myself guilty of focusing on the "peas" of life - my comfort and future security, that I forget the "peasants" in my charge - those who have not heard the gospel and even those who have and need discipleship! The funny thing is - I've noticed that whenever I'm focused on my "peas" - I'm not happy. Ok - so that's not so much funny as it is eye opening...
Maybe... maybe this phenomenon happens, and just maybe this unrest stems, from the fact that I'M NOT SUPPOSE TO BE COMFORTABLE!
If I'm called to be like Jesus - He had no place to lay His head...
If I'm called to be like Jesus - He didn't have a back up plan...
If I'm called to be like Jesus - He had a heart for people not security...
If I'm called to be like Jesus - He went smack into the middle of situations that the "holy people" of His day avoided and were made uncomfortable by...
If I'm called to be like Jesus - (and I am) why don't I look like Him?
This next statement may or may not surprise you, but we are ALL called to INTENSE mission work! We are all called to live our lives - every moment in a RADICAL way. A way SO different from the world and compromise that they look at us and wonder why we're so different. Maybe, for you, this isn't across the globe. I honestly think the harder battle is here. At home. It makes me think back to a book I just finished that basically said "if we can't be Jesus to our families - why should others believe us?" Yikes! I know so many times I put on a "Jesus face" for the world and strip it faster than nail polish remover does varnish when I'm around my family! But that's just it, isn't it? Jesus doesn't call us to wear a "face" - He asks us to have a LIFESTYLE. A lifestyle that follows His example - a PERFECT example. A lifestyle that points people to the King with every action we do. A lifestyle that, perhaps more than we think, isn't easy and isn't meant to be comfortable...
So how are you doing? Are you enjoying your throne-chair? If I can just say one thing - we could sure use the help in the field. I know it's not easy, I KNOW it's not comfortable, but based on His promise - I promise you it's WORTH IT! What do you say we start getting out of our comfort zone and truly wear the name we claim?

Somewhere Between the Altar and the Door

How many times has a second guess been long enough to kill the mission?
Ya, ya, ya - I know... I'll clarify. Ok, how about this:
How many times have I "thought better" and settled because of it. Seeds of doubt are a horrible thing to have to fight because they are in your head- you can't fight them with normal tactics- it's a mind game. The problem that I have continually encountered and seen so many other Christians stumble because of is just that: doubt. There are so many ways to go with this - so many "sermons" I could preach. But that's not what I want to do. I don't even know what I want to say, I just want it to resinate in a way that greatly reduces the victories Satan "wins" because of our doubt.
The account of Peter walking on water comes to my mind. I once heard it pointed out that Peter didn't doubt Jesus when he began sinking - rather he realized exactly what it was he was doing, then realizing that it wasn't physically possible, doubted and began to sink. How many times as Christians do we "get smart" with God and even when we're not 100% sure exactly HOW (and I'm sure that's more often than not), we're suppose to "walk by faith and not by sight" (2Cor5:7). I was confessing doubt to my mentor, explaining to her that I had begun really thinking about what it was I felt God calling me to do and all of a sudden I felt SO inadequate and a bunch of "what if's" rushed me. She countered with "We're all inadequate. Besides, if we were adequate, wouldn't that be pride?" She went on to cover that, of course, there's a difference between having a gift and using it and being adequate. Some things we can do adequately because we are good at them, but that's not all we're called to do. Ultimately, it's God doing the work, anyway, right? So... 1)Why are we worried about being adequate, because 2) God's not going to let something HE wills with HIS name on it fall flat on the ground because He didn't come through. That's just goofy. And sadly, a lot of times, this is what my "reasoning" boils down to. I'm reminded of one of my favorite poems. Here's a snippet, see what you think:

"We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, talented, fabulous, (used by God)?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
...
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us."


-Marianne Williamson *(added by me)

If you call yourself a Christian- you are a child of God. Do you get that?! You! Son/Daughter of GOD! Why then are we so afraid of doubt? Why then do we allow doubt to have such and immobilizing grip on us? We have the power to fight back - to WIN - if we would just take advantage of it! If we truly are who we say we are - why don't we act like it, and maybe, just maybe, show doubt the door.

The Lifetime of a Moment

This is a post, I wrote while at camp this summer, but wasn't able to put on here until now...

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The Lifetime of a Moment

I was walking across campus tonight and noticed that the night sky was unusually bright. It was perfect. For any of you who know me, that’s a HUGE hug from God to me. I love it.

My mind wandered to the girls I’m working with this week. Two of them are unsaved and one has managed to test me in every way possible – and it’s only day one! Day one of week six! It’s incredible to believe how long it’s been, I’ve never been much of a summer girl, so the fact that I’m working through my summer to the effect of basically not having one hasn’t really bothered me. But on week six, it’s finally hitting. I’m realizing that, selfishly, I’d kinda like a break that lasted longer than two days split over three. I look around and I see my fellow workers reading books and carrying on much desperately desired adult conversation while their children play, contentedly enough, a few yards away. My own fleshly desires scream to join them and right when I decide it’s really ok if I “slack” a little (I mean this is a DESERVED slack if anything EVER was!) My sweet little trouble child runs up, tackling me in a hug and voicing yet another complaint. I don’t know whether to smother her in an instinctive embrace or scream because she’s about put me at wit’s end! I struggle with coddling and providing the love she’s crying out for and shooting down her incessant whining. How do I show God’s love while refusing to permit a negative environment? I wish I could just grab a book and tell her to go play. But this is a moment – handed to me on a silver tray. Yes, it’s week six. Yes, if it’s possible I “deserve” a break. But it hits me and I realize: every moment I take for me, I take FROM her. From this precious treasure I’ve been given for the short span of four days spread over five. Every moment I take for me – I steal from her. Time stands still like it does with the literal and actual realization of every moment. Like when you realize right after “I do” that you’re actually married. Like when you see your child’s face for the first time and realize there’s no going back. Like the instant the headlights are all you see and the next moment is black. The realizations that make you catch your breath.

Now, I’m not talking about self-negligence. I’ll be the first to tell you that you can’t help others if you haven’t taken care of yourself. But think about it. The chance to take advantage of every moment and change a life for eternity! WOW! What an opportunity! What an honor! And yet we live our lives waiting for the “moment of a lifetime!” while the lifetime of each moment passes us steadily by. I hug her back and manage some sort of effort at turning her thoughts to positive things using godly reasoning. My flesh rolls its eyes and I am reminded that I am called to walk in the Spirit and not of my own strength. I call on Him and set my book down. I’ve been given the privilege of modeling and presenting the most important thing in the world to these girls and I have less than a week to do it. And I’ve been given the privilege of seeing the lifetime of a moment.

“Do not grow weary in doing what is right for in due time we will reap the reward if we faint not.” ~Gal 6:9

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Two days later, my precious little girl accepted Christ as her personal "boss and rescuer" <3>

What's the Difference?

So... after an amazing summer (I hope to post a blog that I scribbled down during this past summer later) I am glad to say I've learned a lot. As great as that is, the biggest lesson I learned is that if I don't actively apply the lessons I learn, they might as well have never have happened. Duh! Ya - I know. But how many of us live that? It makes sense - it's a head knowledge - but what's the difference? If I actually believe it - what's the difference? How am I any different than anyone else? How are my standards, morals, actions, motives - how is my lifestyle - any different? And what's the point of believing something if it doesn't change who I am?

What's the difference?

I was discussing this with a friend toward the end of the summer posing the question "what's the difference" and they replied with something I hadn't even thought of: "One's a liar."

Huh! So not only am I smudging what God would have me to be when I am suppose to be the light of the world and sharing the truth - I'm flat out LYING if I don't follow "I'm a Christian" with God's desire for my lifestyle. At least they aren't claiming to be something they're not... Ouch! That hit me hard this summer. I was around over 1000 girls this summer who all knew that I am a Christian -and I was made sharply aware of the fact that they were looking at me to see what exactly that meant. The amazing responsibility and opportunity that placed before me was overwhelming in the best of ways. It challenged me to step up my game and live what I claim. It challenged me to be different - truly different - not just in word but in lifestyle. I hope with all that is in me that I am able to rise to the challenge and represent Jesus Christ faithfully. I hope to be different.