An Evening With Chris Tomlin

When Andrew Watson, the founder of Soaring Wings Ranch called me earlier this week to see if I could take some shots of the Chris Tomlin Benefit Concert, I responded with a "sure, I would love to." After I got off the phone, I started jumping up and down like a little school girl! What an adventure!

The meet and greet/photo time prior to the concert was precious. Each child at the Ranch got to take his/her pic with Chris. Chris was so kind to come do this benefit for the kiddos...I am so excited about the exposure the Ranch received as a result!

The concert itself was amazing. Chris has such a gift of leading worship during his concerts...pointing all the glory to Christ and not himself. It was such a precious, unified outpouring of hearts to One Savior. My favorite part was when he sang the chorus of "How Great is Our God" in different languages. (Kelli--he even sang it in Russian!) I love it when I am reminded that people of every tribe and nation will be represented in Heaven, worshiping the same God who made us all.

Take A Stab!

Does anyone want to attach a bible verse to this picture? I have one idea, but I am not sure it is the best. As my 3 year old would say, 'Come on! It be fun!'

Aughts and Anys, Anyone??

There was another concept in Catherine Marshall's book, "Something More," that really resonated with me. She titles it "Forgiveness: The Aughts and the Anys." The premise is that of Mark 11:25, "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your father in heaven may forgive you your sins." The KJV sounds more fun with "aughts against anys."

This can be a tricky subject. Are we really to forgive those that are going against all moral code and the Word of God? What about those that are executing evil to the most degree? After all, God gave us a sense of justice. Shouldn't we execute it in these situations? Shouldn't we judge and hold them to the high standard? Well, I guess that is it. God didn't ask us to be judges.

Forgiving all aughts and all anys sounds pretty all-inclusive to me. The way I understand this concept is that we aren't agreeing with the offense against us, but releasing our rights to judge to the One who has the sole rights to do so. It means that the person can still be as wrong as possible, but I choose to withhold my judgment from him.

Do any of us have unanswered prayers? What if this is the reason why?? Even small offenses can fester and when left unforgiven, hinder our prayer lives. When we forgive, we are able to release the person to be himself. What if our hindrances against the person are hampering God's work in his life?

Catherine Marshall recommends writing a list of all "aughts against anys." I really didn't think I had any, but I asked the Holy Spirit to bring things to mind and I am already on #10! (I don't think I am through, either!) She then says to forgive each person and release them back to the Father so that he might work in their lives.

She gave incredible personal examples of people giving up their personal judgments, small and large. You wouldn't believe the way God worked in those people's lives to bring about redemption and restoration! She even reminded readers of the martyr, Stephen, who, while being stoned to death, uttered that God would not "lay this sin to their charge." And what did God do, but transform Saul (who was there that day) into Paul, great apostle to the Gentiles!

So, if you want, you can join me on my experiment of writing and casting away all my "aughts against anys." I can't wait to see the results!

Testament Focused

"Heart of Stone"
Ezekiel 36:26 "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."

"Looking Up"
Psalm 121:1-2 "I lift up my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth."

"Pattern"

Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will."

"Chains"

Philippians 1:12-14 "Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly." (Thanks for being a good sport, Dad! And, no, I am not going to tell everyone that this is what happens when a guy decides to get married; that would be silly!)

"Spiritual Drink"

1 Corinthians 10:3-4 "They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ."

Botanical Garden

Fayetteville has a Botanical Garden that is just awesome. It makes me happy!

Look at this flower! Isn't it amazing and unique?

Doesn't she just make you want to smile?

Makes me happy, I am telling you!

If you are my Dad, don't forget to see the post below!

Mini Vacation

We had such fun on our mini-vacation with my family in NWA. It was a joke...every time the boys would ask to do something, my Mom would say, "Sure, we are on vacation!"

We crammed about everything possible in the span of 4 days! While driving back home, Cade said, "Man, that was the best 4 days I have ever spent in Fayetteville and Springdale!" He loves to be on the go and this trip didn't disappoint!



Wednesday, we went horse riding with Amelia...which you saw!



Thursday, we went to see my friend, Pam, and her 3 boys which are close in age to mine. She is also pregnant with her 4th boy! Yay! They all loved swimming and playing upstairs in the playroom. I think I could have come back in 3 months and they never would have realized I had left.



Friday, we went to Lokomotion. They played mini golf and laser tag, rode go karts and bumper boats, and dwindled away tokens in the arcade. After "boy play" time, we decided we needed some "girl play" time at the mall. Which, by the way, is not much fun with three boys in tow. Cade was in awe of the Food Court. I keep forgetting that he has rarely visited a mall!

Friday night, we went to eat the best catfish ever and then visited with my Grandparents for a couple of hours. Eli ate a ton of food and then crammed 3 different desserts down. Someone even got engaged while we were there! Gotta love it!



Saturday, we went to the Botanical Gardens (those flowers deserve their own post) and then to see Sir at the farm and help him load hay into the barn. The kids, of course, loved this. Sam wasn't so sure about the huge tractor at first, but loved it once he climbed aboard.

We then went to see Ice Age, Dawn of the Dinosaurs. I thought it was absolutely hilarious. We had the theater to ourselves, which made our outbursts even louder. Mini also enjoyed dancing in the aisles.

Mom and Mini loaded up the boys with new shoes and clothes and I got them some fall things at a great consignment store.



Then, I sadly packed and started the journey home with three boys, one of whom was desperately worn out and thankfully, slept the whole way.

The Horse Whisperers

The boys and I are on a mini vacation! We came to see my family for a few days. Amelia and Trey have a couple of horses and we went riding! Cade and Eli sat on Cashew and Sam and I rode Miss Kitty. Amelia led Cashew for the boys. We loved it! It was hot! Everything went great til some dogs spooked the horses. I managed to keep Sam on I on, but he was ready to go home after that little leap and sprint. Trey's parents also have a pony that just had a baby! He is the cutest thing. Cade turned into a horse whisperer; he has such a tender heart for young animals. Mini tried her hand at colt wrestling which turned out to be very entertaining. Really, she was just trying to catch him so we could pet him, but he is a fast and strong dude!

Testament Focused (round 312) :)

"Key"
1 Chronicles 9:26-27 "But the four principle gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the responsibility for the rooms and treasuries in the house of God. They would spend the night stationed around the house of God, because they had to guard it; and they had charge of the key for opening it each morning."
"Broken"
Psalm 34:18 "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

"Tongue"

Psalm 35:28 "My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long."

The Polar Bear Post

Because I love them!

Here I Go...

I just knew God was going to test me in my new little experiment of "praise." So, here I go: I praise you, Jesus, that the transmission on our van is going out and will cost $3200 to replace. I praise you that it didn't happen while on the road later this week by myself with 3 boys. Thank you that I am not stranded on the side of the road. Thank you that we caught it before things got ugly. I praise you that we only have 2 payments left on our van.

Relinquishment and Praise

I am going to muddy through these next paragraphs in an attempt to make sense of something...more for myself, I am sure. After reading the fabulous book, "Something More," by Catherine Marshall, three chapters spoke to my heart so personally that I needed to get down some thoughts. She wrote the book later in life, after much hardship, which included losing her husband at an early age and later losing two grandchildren. Her faith after these tragedies did not seem immediate, but more of a lifelong journey of increasing trust in the Sovereign One.

I have struggled with God's character and how it doesn't always seem to be on display in this fallen world. I know Jesus was all about healing and wholeness when he walked the earth, but seeing it as I walk the earth sometimes creates a discrepancy. I understand that we live where Satan rules, but seeing God's Lordship even in this is hard for my feeble mind to grasp.

I think this dichotomy is where God wants to meet us. He wants us to know that he is for health and life, but He also wants us to see Him in our illness or tragedy. He wants us to come to a place where we recognize His Lordship over it. Marshall says, "Disease is of Satan's kingdom, but God had allowed it for me. Blame it on Satan I might, but see God in it, I must." We have to surrender, to relinquish our supposed authority over our lives and those we love. We must bow down to the One who created us in the first place.

It isn't easy to recognize God's authority in every situation. Illness. Abortion. Suicide. Just because God isn't for these things doesn't mean that He isn't Lord over them or will use them for His purposes and glory.

Marshall quotes Matthew 10:29-31..."Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not, therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows." Amazing concept: she says the Greek word for 'without' implies an emotion much deeper than sympathy or empathy. It literally means that a sparrow won't fall "without the Father's participating presence."

I had to ponder that one for a bit. Anguished over my sister being all alone in her last hours of life, the Holy Spirit whispered that she wasn't alone at all. He was right there with her...his participating presence never left her side as she left this world into the next. In a vain effort to understand "why" he would allow this tragedy, I have finally relinquished my right to know. He was Lord that day with her. Marshall says, "Therefore, nothing can happen to us without His knowledge, His consent, and His participating Presence as Savior." It would only lead us to conclude that God is in everything. I have felt frustration and guilt that my prayers for my sister were not enough. They failed her. My relinquishment to accept God's Lordship over the most horrific day of my life has stripped away the condemnation.

Unfortunately (for our pride), relinquishment isn't where the journey ends. Marshall says it is only a "stopping place on the way to praise." Umm, I am sorry, can you say that again? "Praise." Tears are pooling up in my eyes as I think about this. Could it be that he actually wants us to praise Him for the biggest hurt of our entire lives? It sounds simple enough, I mean, Paul said to give thanks in everything, for this was God's will. But, why does it seem so hypocritical to utter vain words of praise, knowing that our hearts do not really reflect those words? Marshall says, "Obedience means turning your back on the problem or the grief and directing your eyes and attention toward Me. Then I will supply the emotion to make the praise real."

Could this be the "missing link" in my Christian walk? Should I really have been praising him for the roaches that were in my garage? Praising him for the fact that my son was having a hard time with potty training? Praising him that our financial situation was so dire for so many months? Praising him that my sister died that day? What if God "steps into unhappy or even disastrous situations in our lives when we thank Him for the situation itself?"

The Bible often talks about us offering up a sacrifice of praise. This concept would totally make sense in this light. It isn't a sacrifice if it doesn't cost us something, right? Quite often that sacrifice looks like giving up what we think we deserve. Self pity has no place in a tabernacle of praise. God and His perspective can finally reside instead. If we are able to praise Him for everything, wouldn't this be the supreme form of faith? And if God inhabits the praises of his people, wouldn't praise be the quickest way to his heart? The quickest way to see a turn around? The quickest way to healing and wholeness? The quickest way to answered prayer?

So, I have started a little experiment. Praise. I am going to try it in all things. I may not believe the words as I am speaking them, but I will trust God to supply the emotion. I have already seen Him work miracles! I started praising God that my son wasn't figuring out the potty thing. Guess what? He goes now...by himself whenever he needs to. I have started praising Him in other things and starting to see a harvest as well.

I am not belittling all that you or I have gone through. Do you have a wayward child? A hopeless marriage? Only $100 in the bank account? Ravaging cancer? A boring and tedious job? God's participating presence is in it all. Will we choose to praise him anyway? I think Satan will do everything to hinder us from reaching that conclusion. May God give us grace to do otherwise.