Wednesday, April 29, 2009

joyful uncertainty

The spiritual life is the life of a child. We are not uncertain of God, just uncertain of what He is going to do next. If our certainty is only in our beliefs, we develop a sense of self-righteousness, become overly critical, and are limited by the view that our beliefs are complete and settled. But when we have the right relationship with God, life is full of spontaneous, joyful uncertainty and expectancy.

Jesus said, ". . . believe also in Me" (John 14:1), not, "Believe certain things about Me". Leave everything to Him and it will be gloriously and graciously uncertain how He will come in – but you can be certain that He will come. Remain faithful to Him.

- Oswald Chambers, "The Graciousness of Uncertainty", My Utmost for His Highest, April 29th

Live free! Live in Daddy's affectionate love!

Monday, April 27, 2009

top priority

“I want to propose to you that freedom is a top priority in Heaven, because it is what makes relationships possible. Heaven’s culture of relationships is vastly different than most everything we see on earth because God, the Father, is less interested in compliance and much more interested in love. This is the reason that He is trying to prepare us to live absolutely free lives in an environment of unlimited options more than trying to keep us from sin. This is the heart of Loving Our Kids on Purpose, and so I would like to show you how to love your own kids with this goal in mind.”

- Danny Silk, Loving Our Kids on Purpose, p. 36

I just received this book from Amazon.com and I can't wait to dig in. It came highly recommended by Wayne Jacobsen.

Live free! Live in Daddy's affectionate love!

Sunday, April 19, 2009

boston revisited

As I reflect on my first Boston Marathon one year ago today, several good life lessons come to mind –

The first lesson has to do with the dreams Father drops into our hearts. Five years ago, if you’d told me I’d be running the Boston Marathon a few days before my 49th birthday, I’d have thought you were delusional. It’s amazing what can happen when we open our minds to Father’s possibilities and embrace the dreams He puts in our hearts.

The second lesson has to do with the way Father relates to us as unique individuals, personalizing the gifts He gives and the blessings He bestows, all of which are designed to deepen our friendship with Him. The Boston Marathon was Father’s special gift to me. He gave me the vision to see it, the passion to pursue it, and the strength to finish it. The Boston Marathon was our race, a shared experience between Father and son.

The third lesson has to do with the various roles Father plays in our lives and His desire to be involved in each and every detail. Throughout my Boston Marathon experience, Father was my ever-present trainer and coach, giving me practical wisdom and encouraging me to persevere through the challenges of training and the race itself. Our partnership, working together as one, made the Boston Marathon a life-changing event.

Thank you, Father, for such a special gift!

- Lindsay

Live free! Live in Daddy’s affectionate love!