Still Alive:

Just a note to all my faithful friends and blog readers out there...this blog is still alive. 

This has been a busy season in life, and I haven't had much time to write.  Thank you all for reading, and for your continued comments and support throughout. 

I can't wait to get back to writing!  In the mean-time, please share any verses you have been contemplating on or learning from...I would love to hear what God is doing in your lives and it will help spark some of my future devotions.

Thanks for your faithfulness. 

Free to Forgive: If Joseph did it- so can you...

Genesis 45: 4-5; 15
"I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you...

...And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him."

On our anniversary, my husband and I went to a show put on by Sight and Sound Theaters portraying the life of Joseph.  It was awesome, to say the least, and I highly recommend everyone taking the time to go see it.

There was something really special about seeing the life of this man in "real life".  It's easy to read through the story in Genesis and make light of the severity of experiences that Joseph lived through.

But beyond the severe dysfunction of Joseph's entire family, the betrayal by his brothers, being sold into slavery and totally disowned, and spending years of his life in jail...there was something glorious about the story of Joseph.  Sure, he had high points in his life as well - being second in command to Potiphar and Pharaoh, having all of Egypt at his fingertips, and being powerful beyond any man...his real moment of power came at the very end of the story.

His real moment of power came when he forgave.  You never consider the anguish that Joseph must have experienced when he finally saw his brothers again after years of isolation.  The betrayal, the pain, the rejection and the heartache that came with seeing their faces and hearing their voices.  You never consider the memories that must have come flooding back, and the feelings that he had managed to stuff away for years.

For Joseph, seeing his brothers again opened the flood gates of the pain in his past.  Pain that was so severe and unjust.  Pain that he had carried around for many years.  Pain that he was no longer willing to claim as his own.   

It's hard to wrap my brain around this kind of forgiveness.  Forgiveness that is not granted based on the merit of the one(s) receiving it.   Forgiveness that is not based on the abilities of the one releasing it.  It is forgiveness founded solely in a supernatural grace that Jesus Christ bestows upon his desperate children. 

He bestows it because he understands the salvation that comes when we are able to let go.  He bestows it because He knows how un-forgiveness can rot the soul and destroy the spirit.  He bestows it because he knows that ultimately, that is where freedom can be found.  He bestows it, because he too has been rejected, abandoned, forsaken and misunderstood...yet he forgave. 

It's true that unforgiveness is like an acid that destroys the container which harbors it.  It's easy to become that tight-sealed container, holding on to our bitterness for dear life.  But at the end of the day, for us to truly be men and women who are free- we must be willing to pour it out.  We must be willing to let go of the power that others have over our lives on account of our bitterness. 

Not because others are deserving of our forgiveness...but because we are undeserving of bitterness.  We deserve better than that.  We deserve freedom.  We deserve peace.  We deserve forgiveness. 

Lord, grant us the power to forgive. 

Two Are Better Than One: (Hang in there you Single ones....)

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. 

[***Disclaimer: If you are single...don't tune me out.  Read to the end.  There's some good application for you at the very end...and try not to gag in the meantime]

Today is my wedding anniversary.  My husband John and I have been married for three wonderful years.  It's hard to believe that the time has gone by so quickly, yet at the same time it feels as though we have been together forever.  It feels right.  It has since the beginning. 


Many years ago I didn't believe in soul-mates.  I wasn't sure if God had one person planned out for each of us...like Adam and Eve.  But when I met John my perspective on this took on a transformation.  It feels too right for it to be some sort of coincidence or "good match".  It feels like destiny...what I was made for.  I was made for him, and he for me.

I used to believe that singleness was the "better route".  Don't get me wrong, I had a strong desire for marriage, but I always wondered whether or not I was sacrificing my relationship with God in order to be married.  I'm glad my perspective changed on this topic, because in marriage I have found depth to my relationship with God that I could have never imagine existed. 


Two are better than one in so many ways.  First of all, my husband encourages me.  He picks me up when I am down.  He fuels my spiritual fire when it feels like burning out.  He makes me laugh when I am sad, and challenges me to keep going when my strength has run out. 


Secondly, my husband sharpens me.  He is the mirror I need to see my flaws...some flaws I would have never been able to see alone.  Because, deep down we all think we're perfect.  We need someone to give us a reality check every now and again and gently remind us of who we really are. 


Thirdly, my husband loves me.  His love is the most tangible thing I have ever experienced to the love of Jesus Christ.  In so many ways, when I look at my husband, I see the qualities of Jesus.  He challenges me to love him in this kind of way.  To love severely, selflessly, richly, and fully.  To love with no strings attached.  To love the way our Lord Jesus loved us...giving everything so willingly and without reservation.

Now that I am married, I feel that both my love for and my service to God have found a new avenue for growth.  And in a good marriage- that's how it's supposed to be.  Two are better than one in so many ways.  There has to be proof of that in every day life. 

The beauty of this companionship, though, is that it isn't limited to just marriage.  In fact, it shouldn't be.  Whether single or married we need people in our lives to encourage us, to sharpen us, and to love us.  This concept is found all over the New Testament with the focus on community and companionship among believers.  My last post on community highlights this idea. 

And for those of you who are surrounded by community, but single...and waiting....continue to wait.  There is nothing more glorious than being married to the right person.  But there is nothing more miserable than being married to the wrong person.  I see this sad reality every day in my counseling office.  Women and men who are in agony and pain because they didn't wait patiently for God's best.  Lives shattered, destroyed, and broken because they settled for less than best. 

So wait for the best.  Wait for the best because you are worth it.  Wait for the best because you deserve it.  Wait for the best because it's out there and in God's perfect timing, you too, will experience this kind of companionship.

And for those of you who are happily married...take time today for an anniversary of sorts.  Take time today to remember and cherish the gift that God has given you in your spouse.  Take time today to encourage them, to sharpen them, and to love them.  And take the time to let them know. 

I love you John Fileta.  Happy Anniversary my love. 

Koinonia: On Christian Community vs. Isolation

Acts 2:42-47
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the communion, to the breaking of bread and to prayer...All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need…They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.

I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel as though I need people.  On a certain level, I find that being around people brings a sense of freedom.  It allows me to take a step outside of myself (even if ever so briefly) and interact with others, considering them rather than me.

I believe community with others is one of the things that makes me a better Christian.  It is only when I am around people that I have to actively "hold my tongue" from speaking every foolish word that comes to my mind.  It is only in community that I have to deliberately put others first, considering them better than myself.  It is only in community that I am forced to love and be loved, to give of myself, and to learn how to be sensitive to the needs of others.  


I believe this is the reason Jesus encouraged community during his life here on earth.  Not only did he encourage it, he lived it out.  He created community wherever he went.  He allowed himself to not only rub elbows with the people around him, but to rub hearts.   

The word Koinonia is used to describe community in the Greek New Testament.  It is defined as "intimate participation" with others.

I don't know what your experience has been, but Koinonia is something that has been missing in my view of Westernized Christianity.  We have watered down "intimate participation" to the point where we consider community shaking the hand of the person in the pew next to us at church (and only when we are prompted to do so, mind you), and then going on our way.  I hardly call that intimate. 

We have lost something in the transition of generations, we have lost the giving and receiving of self...and in the process, we have lost a piece of Christ Jesus.

There is something powerful about joining with other believers.  There is something unexplainable that happens when God's spirit is united in men and women of different shapes, sizes and colors.  You see, we weren't made to do this Christian life alone, yet for some reason we keep trying.  

The people in Acts were filled with joy, praise, and gladness in their community while many American Christians are filled with loneliness, isolation, complaints, and dullness in their faith because they are trying to do it alone. 


It's not a personality type, or the difference between an introvert and an extrovert.  It's not a matter of location, schedules, or obligations.  Those are just likely excuses. We were all made for community if we allow ourselves to take a few steps outside of ourselves and try to live life Christ's way.

So go the extra mile.  Introduce yourself, make that phone call, invite them over for dinner, open your home to others, give of what you have to those who need it, do what it takes, but at the end of the day, seek to live a life of Koinonia, a life of intimate participation, a life of giving of yourself.

On Falling In Love: Circumcision II

Matthew 22:37
Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'

John 14:15
"If you love me, you will obey what I command."

You might be wondering what in the world Falling in Love has to do with circumcision. Before you get carried away, let me try to explain.  A couple weeks ago I wrote a post about Freedom in Christ and commented on the topic of circumcision.  In that same post, I also discussed the tendency of Christians to become legalistic and rule-driven, rather than relationship-driven.  That post got some attention...and a desire from my readers to do a follow-up on the other end of that spectrum. 

And with these thoughts in mind, I am following up to that post out of fear of escorting readers to the other extreme of freedom.  You see, although I never want to come across as a legalistic, rule-based believer- at the end of the day I also not want to come across as a "do whatever the heck you want" kind of believer. 

So let me begin.  I typically don't pay much attention to Christian Radio.  Unless the song playing is by Hillsong United, I don't tend to give it too much thought.  But just the other day I was driving to work and this song caught my attention. 


Give me rules
I will break them
Give me lines
I will cross them
I need more than a truth to believe
I need a truth that lives, moves, and breathes
To sweep me off my feet
It ought to be

More like falling in love
Than something to believe in
More like losing my heart
Than giving my allegiance
Caught up, called out
Come take a look at me now
It's like I'm falling, oh
It's like I'm falling in love

Give me words
I'll misuse them
Obligations
I'll misplace them
'Cause all religion ever made of me
Was just a sinner with a stone tied to my feet
It never set me free
It's gotta be


There is something special about the words of this song by Jason Gray.  There is something special because it is emphasizing the importance of relationship.

And in my opinion, with relationship comes much bigger obligation than with rules.  Trust me, as a married woman, I know this to be a fact.  I have always viewed my the connection between relationship and responsibility in this fashion:

I love my husband.  And because I love him I do my best to do the things that he would appreciate.  I try to keep the house clean.  I bake him his favorite cookies.  I wash his clothes...and sometimes I even fold them.  I do these things and more because I am absolutely head over heels in love with him, and I want him to know this.  I have always thought about obedience to God's commands in this sense.  Purely, out of love.


Now, imagine if I came home from a long day of work to a list tacked on the wall of John's "Do's and Dont's".  Wash my clothes, iron my shirts, sweep the kitchen, weed the garden- and on and on and on.  In all honesty my first reaction would be: "REBEL!  Not doin' it.  No way, no how, no when.  Who does he think I am?"


The reaction would be entirely different...my heart would sink in following his rules rather than thrive in doing these things out of love.  In a sense, that miserable list would take away my joy.  And I guess, there lies the key in all that I am trying to say today: LOVE.  Relationship.  Rules and Responsibilities cannot stand apart from those things, or at the end of the day they are a "stone tied to my feet".  And nothing more.


It causes me to really examine my relationship with God....because the moment the relationship is weakened and is no longer watered by love (And believe it or not, it's only weakened because of me...God usually does his part to keep it strong, go figure) I sink into a dangerous path of do's and don'ts that take away my joy and cause the seed of rebellion to begin to take root in my heart.  It's a toxic seed.  A seed that can quickly seep into every part of my being. 


So at the end of the day, the law still has a part of the picture.  And a good part.  But for it to mean anything at all....it must be fueled by love.  It's more like Falling in Love than something to believe in. More like losing my heart, than giving my allegiance...It's like I'm falling in love.

"Anne, this is Jesus. Jesus, this is Anne.": On Proper Introductions to Jesus

Mark 16:15
He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."

I met a woman today who didn't know who Jesus was.  "That dude with the tan skin and beard?" she questioned.

No clue who he was.  No clue what he wanted.  No clue what significance he had on world history...much less her very own life. 

I was kind of surprised by this response from her.  But more so, I was surprised by the fact that I had known her for 4 months and only now just realized that she had never had any exposure to God's love, for she had never had any exposure to Jesus. 

I guess it's hard to fathom that there are people in America who have grown up clueless to the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I mean, I can understand the Bedouins living in the deserts of Africa or the tribes in the jungle of the Amazon...but, central Illinois? 

It was a sobering moment.  But it got me thinking.  There is a reason that Jesus specifically commanded the disciples to first go to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and then to the ends of the earth.  I used to think that Jesus chose some random towns to send off his disciples.  But there was a strategic plan in choosing those towns in that particular order.  Sharing the gospel had to start locally before it went globally.  It had to start in Jerusalem before it could move on. 

Because, you see, the gospel spreads like wildfire.  It has to start in the center and spread outward if it is going to have the greatest effect on the world. 

Where is the center?   

Wherever you are today. 

That's all it comes down to.  Today.  The town that you are living in, the street that you are walking on, the job that you are working in....the people surrounding you on a day to day to day.  It has to start with them. 

It's great to have a heart for overseas mission, but in all reality, that heart is dead if it hasn't reached individuals across the street.  To burn with passion for the world, you must also burn with passion for your community.  To burn with passion for the gospel, it has to start with the small steps.  It starts with opening your mouth.  It starts with taking the risk.  It starts with letting go of all assumptions and wearing your heart on your sleeve.

I shared the gospel with this young woman today.  We spent a long time chatting about Jesus and answering questions about who He was and why He came.

There was no miraculous transformation at the end of our chat.  No crying, no hugging, no saying the "sinner's prayer".  Nothing dramatic.  But there was one small seed dropped on fertile ground.  One small seed that had never been there before.  One small seed that now has a chance to take root...to grow. 

I may never know what happened to this woman, or the conversation that we had today.  But one thing I do know- Jesus was introduced to someone for the first time.  "Anne, this is Jesus.  Jesus, this is Anne"

And from what I know of Him, He's a pretty charming guy....I think He can take it from here. 

To Sleep or Not To Sleep....On Time with God

Psalm 132:3-5
"I will not enter my house or go to my bed- I will allow no sleep to my eyes, no slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob."

You may have noticed the past couple of months my posts have been few and far between.  If I manage to post once a week lately, I've accomplished something.  Where as before, I had so many thoughts buzzing through my mind and emotions in my heart, lately, I have found myself struggling to find inspiration.


There is a reason for that.  Some would blame it on the fact that I have been working over-time lately.  Others would say that maybe it's because I am pregnant and have lost the energy that I once had.  While both of those things are true- the reality is, the busyness of my life has kept me away from the source of my inspiration: God.

I'll be completely honest- it's been a struggle lately to prioritize.  My husband and I are in a season of many transitions.  There seems to be so much to do during the day to prepare, and at the end of it all my earthly body cries out for one thing: SLEEP. 

I think that's why this passage strikes me to the core.  It's referring to the one human desire that we all long for and need.  Sleep.  But in this passage, the author has learned that though his natural desires may long for one thing, his spiritual desires must take precedence.  He learned to see his relationship with God with an intense desperation.  Something that could not be replaced or looked over.

Westernized Christianity makes this so difficult, doesn't it?  Our supernatural desires are covered up so easily by the natural ones...and there is never a loss for things that can replace our spiritual longings.  Our society thrives on giving us physical things to try and replace our spiritual needs.  Everything from our sexuality, to our stomachs finds a way to trump our relationship with God.

And we let them.  We let these things sneak into our lives and become our priority.  We let ourselves put God's word and His presence on the back burner, taking advantage of the love that we know will never leave us.

I am guilty of this, today.  I am guilty of allowing God to remain on hold until I was able to really "get things done".  There is a reason why I have lost my inspiration to post...I have no fuel.  And the most dangerous part of all, I have seen my spiritual starvation seep into other parts of my life as it has effected my attitude and my heart with the ones I love.

So, at the end of the day there is nothing more to say about this topic.  But, there is something to be done.  And I'm going to go do just that.

[For anyone that needs some ideas on where to start with a daily relationship with God, check out that link.  Also, there are some good links below:]

Daily Bread Scripture Reading and Reflection:
Crosswalk:
Oswald Chambers: 
Max Lucado Daily Devotion and Reading: