more from chapter 2

August 2, 2010
It’s amazing to me how we’re provided with so many signs along the highway, but it is our choice to follow them. We don’t HAVE to stop at the stop sign that God puts in front of us; no one forces us follow his road map, but it seems to work out so much better when we do.
So why is it so difficult sometimes to obey the signs? Why do we let worry sink in and overtake the wheel? Our faith can be so small sometimes, and we can’t quite make out what the sign ahead of us says because we aren’t close enough to it yet. We could veer off and travel alone, but why not hold fast for a few more yards and watch the sign become closer and clearer? Could it be because we are afraid?
Afraid of what road the sign might lead us down, and afraid that this road won’t be the one we had in mind….or maybe just afraid that it will be too hard.
I’ve learned this week that the road God has set before me is not exactly what I would have chosen. I don’t think I can handle working with kids chuch and sometimes I don’t have the courage and faith to say and do the things that I know the spirit is leading me to do. But that’s the way the highway is supposed to be. If I could handle the road alone, I wouldn’t need signs and I would get the glory. But God gives us a seemingly impossible task sometimes to show us that he is a lot bigger than us and it is only by following his signs and his spirit that we can succeed.
I just saw a great example in Ezekiel 37 1-14. I don’t think that the things that happened in that passage could happen by following our own signs and giving in to fear and lack of faith. In fact, I am certain that they couldn’t have.
And again in 1 Samuel 13 the Israelites hide from the Philistines in caves because they fear they will be overtaken by a large army. They were scared…worried you might say…because things didn’t go the way they had planned. But instead of faithful submission, they foolishly chose their own detours. Of course, they ended up in a ditch.
When it’s raining so hard that we can’t see the road, Papaw has always taught me to keep my eyes on the yellow line in the center and make sure I keep the car directed towards that line. You never just pull over, there may be a ditch lurking on the shoulder that you didn’t quite see. As long as you focus and drive slowly and carefully, you will always be safe. Heck, you may even have to come to a complete stop for a second…but you DON’T get off the road.
Bottom line: Christ is our Ebenezer (1 Sam 7:12). He has brought us this far on the journey, and he will carry us home if we let him.

August 9, 2010

“For God did not give us the spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self- discipline”
2 Timothy 1:7
I haven’t written in a while because we’ve had visitors in town. Teresa and a friend have been hitting a little highway of their own and road tripping across America this summer. After hearing all of their stories and seeing how spontaneous they have been living, I’m wondering why I don’t live more spontaneously myself. I feel like sometimes we get caught up in routine and doing things the way we always have, and forget what joys life can bring us if we surrender control and let it not be so structured. It was nice to be reminded of that.
So to catch you up on the journaling, yesterday I had to officially teach kids church all on my own for the first time. I told the kids the story of King Saul and how he lost his kingdom because he didn’t obey all of Gods commands in the battle against the Amalikites (1 Sam 15). He says later on that he did this because he was scared of the people, so he gave into them. We played Simon says, and the kids who obeyed everything that Simon told them to do won a crown.
So often I don’t press into all that God wants to give me in his kingdom because I’m scared of what it may mean that I have to give up. I’m learning just how prideful I am and just how much I hold myself up higher than other people. That is a harsh realization to come to on your own, but Gods gentle way of rebuking us makes it seem a lot less like punishment and more like progress.
I wanted to stress to the kids just how simple it was to give in to other people’s opinion just because we are scared of what they will think of us, but more than that I wanted them to know that there was a way of overcoming this….they DO have a choice!
I’m sure no one ever sets out on the highway intending to get lost in a desert or total out there car, but when the moment comes to take enough control of the wheel to choose the right path, we just aren’t strong enough to do it alone. Then, I remembered a verse from your journal on worry that clearly pointed to the encouragement that I was looking for, 2 Tim 1:7. The spirit of timidity that causes us to lack courage to stand up for what our spirit knows is right is NOT from God! When we are standing at that cross road debating our path, all along we usually know when we choose the wrong one. Isn’t it great to know that we don’t have to deprive ourselves of the road that leads to the kingdom because we are scared?
God wants to give us power, love and self- discipline…fear is GONE when he is guiding us.
Instead, power to overcome temptation is granted.
The ability to love those we alone can’t forgive is granted.
Strength to have control over our addictions is granted.
Why pass up the sign that points to all of these things for a crooked, dead end path?

Aug 18, 2010

So many people before Nehemiah failed at their attempts to rebuild the city. I’m not sure how many people, but I can conclude that there must have been something that Nehemiah did differently.
One thing I’m learning is that when we are building the wall that Christ has called us to, we will face opposition. I learned that while reading and teaching Chapter four of Nehemiah to my kids Sunday… and it was then confirmed on my way home when I got ran over by a Yukon and totaled out my car. Good thing I have a God that fights for me who protected me from this opposition…and I walked away with only a scratch and a massive headache to remind me how blessed I am. Funny how even when I do turn my head to look at the cows, I’m still protected. Nehemiah had a shield, the Honda had airbags.
I love how when we fight with our swords and shields, everything that the enemy throws at us in life can be used to make us stronger and more driven to build our walls. I bet that really pisses him off….and stomping in his face is actually really fun.
So I’m back on the highway again. I have to start school at Southern tomorrow and be in a wedding Saturday and teach children Sunday. This time I will be more cautious driving and I will follow the signs God has set in front of me. His road signs make it so easy to fall in love with him even more. He is surely directing my paths and protecting my ways. When I worry about those paths, I’m tempted to follow my own signs…but submission leads to success…so I pray that I will be obedient!