The Beauty of a Woman

For Lindsey Glasier, as she turns 21...

The beauty of a woman

Is not in the way she combs her hair

But in the gentle care she gives to a friend

When life is too much to bear

The beauty of a woman

Is not in the clothing that she adorns

But in a humble heart of compassion

That mourns with those who mourn

The beauty of a woman

Is not in the color of her eyes

But in the worship that she expresses

To the Lord who holds her life

The beauty of a woman

Is not in the shape of her physique

But in the way she loves her neighbors

The poor, the needy, the weak

The beauty of a woman

Comes out of her heart for the Lord

When His light shines in her life

And in heaven her treasure is stored

A Broken Heart

Do I really want to ask Him

To break my heart for what breaks His

Would my world ever be the same again

Would I ever see through my tears

He weeps over our sin

And our sin is everywhere

He hurts when we hurt

It would be more than I could bear

Would I ever pass by a neighbor

Without asking about his day

Without caring about her heart

Instead of hurrying on my way

Would I ever pass the homeless man

Begging on the street

Without looking him straight in the eyes

And allowing our souls to meet

Would I ever allow an orphaned child

To go hungry or without a home

Without doing everything I could possibly do

To let him know he is not alone

Would I ever again look into my own heart

Without feeling the weight of my sin

Without recognizing the sacrifice He made

And that He would do it all over again

Lord, I want to pray for you to break my heart

Over the same things that break yours

But teach me how to be strong, oh God

When You give me your eyes for the poor          

And when you show me the truth of a person’s life

And it breaks my heart more than I can bear

Let me love them in the same way you would do

Show them You in the way that I care

So, yes God, I DO pray

Break my heart for what breaks Yours

And let my brokenness bring glory to You

My healer, my protector, my Lord

We battle not against flesh and blood...

Like a gentle breeze it swirls around me
This breath from another realm
It moves through me and suddenly I sense it
It's the lie that overwhelms

It tells me I'm not good enough
It tells me they don't care
These people that surround me
Would be fine if I weren't here

The Truth tries to find its way in
It battles for first place
But I give in to the lie that I believe to be truth
And let my mind accept its embrace

I listen to it as it whispers
What good are you to them?
They don't need you; they don't want you.
And the heaviness sets in

But then...

NO, I say, Evil One back away!
You are not welcome here.
My mind does not belong to you
I will fight you without fear

I am loved beyond all measure
Thoughts of me bring joy to His face
You will not convince me otherwise
You are a liar, a deceiver, a disgrace.

You had your chance to be loved by Him
You gave it all away
Your pride and arrogance was your downfall
Your need to be in first place

But God holds me in His mighty, gentle hands
He gives me a purpose and a hope
His glory and strength will reign in me
His peace in my spirit overflow

He has placed in my path people of faith
Who love me for exactly who I am
You will not take them away from me
With your lies and your evil plans

So praise God from whom all blessings flow
For His Spirit, His Peace, His Truth
That the father of lies has no power here
In the heart of one saved by You

You asked for it...

As some of you know, I have applied to Regis University's Masters in Counseling program.  I'm hoping to begin there this fall.  This morning, I went to the final stage of the application process...a "group interview"...SCARY!!!

The thought of a group interview was nerve wracking!  I wanted to "be myself", yet make sure I said all the right things.  As the interview day was approaching, my thoughts were more and more on myself...what will I say...will they like me...how should I act...what should I wear...should I be outgoing and funny, or quiet and mature...on and on...

So this morning, as I was driving through rush hour traffic on I-25 trying to get to the interview on time, I began to pray.  I asked the Lord to calm my worries and fears.  I asked him that whether I get into to program or not, to please allow me to glorify Him in some way during the interviews today.  "Make this time about you Lord, not about me."  I figured if I don't get into the program, at least today was not wasted if I've honored Him in it. 

I arrived at Regis a little bit early...whew!
We started with a large group meeting where the faculty was introduced and we were given an overview of the program.  Then the dreaded moment arrived...we split into small groups (5 in our group) for the "interview".  (insert scary music here...)  We were told by the faculty member overseeing our group that we would be asked 3 questions, one at a time, and the group would simply discuss while the faculty member observed (and took notes...more scary music here).  Okay...take a deep breathe...(I'm still praying.."let me glorify you Lord, let me glorify you...this is not about me, this is about you"). 

First question..."In private practice all counselors serve someone or something.  As a counselor, what or who will you serve?"

Are you kidding me?  I have to smile as I think about it!  God said, "You asked for it...here's your chance." 

I don't know if my answer will help or hurt me in the application process.  I do know, though, that I had the opportunity to proclaim that I serve Christ.  All in all, no matter what happens, that makes today a good day.

How to fight...

My son was on the school bus one day this week and heard another kid call him a terrorist. Really? Why?  Because we lived in the Middle East for 18 months?  My first instinct was anger and fear…

• Anger that my son was called a name
• Anger that anyone could be so ignorant as to label someone as a terrorist simply because they spent time in the Middle East
• Fear that my son might be hurt or bullied because of a decision we made to live overseas.

Some friends suggested trying homeschooling or (at least) getting him off that bus and driving him to school. I know these comments come from a spirit of love and protection (mixed with a little fear).

And the truth is that the boy on the bus was also speaking from a spirit of fear (where all bullying comes from, really)…but, we don’t fight fear with more fear.

We fight fear with Faith…

• Faith in a God who is bigger.
• Faith in a God who loves.
• Faith in a God who hurts over our sin, not for his own sake, but for ours.
• Faith in a God who wants nothing more than to pour his grace on us (and on that kid from the bus) so much so that it can’t help but overflow onto others.
• Faith in a God who has a plan that is so much bigger than any of us, and could do it all himself, yet allows us to be a part of it.

And…

• Faith in a God that will use my son, and me, and you in the lives of people who are filled with fear…to show them faith.

 

A Poem

He hovers over the city…invisible
His heart wells with compassion…love…grace…desire
His Spirit begs their understanding…”let Me in”

He hovers over them…barely containing his grace…his soul begging to let it go free.
His Spirit roams…searching hearts for an opening, even a small nick in their armor of deeds.
Oh to lift that armor off of their shoulders; for them to feel the lightness…like air…freedom.
Oh, to be allowed to pour out His grace…to rain it down on them…
To flood the streets, the homes, the Mosques,
With the one thing they are missing.

He begs to His Father, “Forgive them, for they know not what they do.
They are trapped by the evil one…the one who disguises himself as good…the one who disguises himself in culture, tradition, religion.
They know me as a prophet…I want them to know me as the Son of God
They know me as a teacher…I want them to know me as the Truth”

They measure their deeds, they strive to please, they work, they toil, they labor…in vain.
To release them from that strain…that’s why He came.
Again he begs, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

He hovers over this world…
His heart wells with compassion…love…grace…desire
His Spirit begs their understanding…”let Me in”

He hovers over me…
His heart wells with compassion…love…grace…desire
His Spirit begs my understanding…”let Me in”
He whispers, “To release you from your strain…that’s why I came.”