build this city for God

draw us
draw those who are passionate for Your Providence
draw us together and let us build this city for YOU!

moaning, groaning, whining, pining...
please set your people free
to step out of the boat
to go out on the limb

to stop professing and start proving our passion
arise, O Church of God in Providence and build

although
it takes perseverance & faith
obedience & love
work & sacrifice

although
it will cost us everything
to fulfill our high calling
it is all worth it... to hear the great "well done!"

Jimmy & Julia too!

I saw a movie last night, "Julie & Julia" and it made me ponder my own life...
PBS was the channel of choice in my home in the 80's and some how my son and I
began to watch Julia Child somewhere in between Sesame Street and Electric Company.
I remember that everyday after Kindergarten, yes he was that young... he and I along with my youngest one, Cara, would watch Julia together after lunch.
We bought (the now old and parchment book) "From Julia Child's Kitchen" and began our culinary adventure. Can you imagine the flour flying around my kitchen as my 2 little ones delighted in helping Mommy create culinary delights for Daddy.
I think our most memorable celebration centered around the creation of Jimmy's 10th B'day cake affectionately called "Gateau en Cage". I remember his glee as he tapped on his caramel dome and shattered the strands over the entire cake in order to share his sparkling treasure with all of our guests.
I believe that the best part about our times around our kitchen is the reward of knowing that although it may have been a bit messier and took a whole lot longer to complete every recipe
we undertook; both of my children were able to cook very well on their own by the time they were 12. What a delightful outcome (that will last a lifetime) of our fun in the kitchen with Julia!

blessed by death

if I die to myself
......I am blessed

dying to my flesh; I am alive to the spirit
so easy; so hard

to miss the best...or simply rest
...............................in Him

~selah

not many fathers

Father
~ a man who has begotten a child
~ to accept responsibility for...

let Fathers arise in America
in strength
in love

standing by Mothers
protecting their children

that abortion will be abolished in our land forevermore...selah

un consolable

a heart so gripped that tears flow freely
another abortion on Point St...
...and then another, and another...

the sign says Planned Parenthood
but what is the plan... genocide

how ignorant, how robotic they stand at their posts
stoic faces, mocking looks
.......................................with eyes wide shut...
escorting them into their death camp

the abortion factory
where the refuge of regret is flushed into eternity
a cycle of murder
...a culture of death
........streets running with innocent blood
there will be a reckoning...

...and there on the sidewalk sits one like Rachel...

"A precious voice is heard in Providence,
lamentation and bitter weeping.
She is weeping for our children;
she refuses to be comforted,
because they are no more..."

thank you Lord for compassionate ones,
may they see a reward for all of their labors
may life be the banner over our city once again
may God have mercy on America
and may His will be done on earth through us...
selah

arise and build

" 13 Be strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be dismayed...
Arise and begin working; the LORD be with you....
Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God.
Arise and build the house of the LORD God;
to God be the glory.” 1 Chron 22

The Lord be with you, I have heard that in church all of my life...
a hope, a blessing, a greeting... a reality

Courage, like peace is a sign of Christ's presence.

a manifestation of our faith, belief, trust in His promise to always be "here"
I am always safe... to be and to do all that He has asked of me...

Saints of old believed it and changed the world

in the strength of the knowledge
of His will for them...

Be strengthened today dear faithful saint of the Lord

for He who is faithful and true is surer then the sunrise
the God of peace will be with you ~Phil 4:9
with God you shall do valiantly ~Ps 46:7
with God all things are possible for you ~Matt 19:26

SO, Arise and begin working...

set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God.
I say, Arise and build the kingdom of the LORD God
and to God be the glory!
~selah

AGAPE

AGAPE

I read in a book by Harville Hendix that...
A very long time ago the Greek leaders wanted to find an end to wars.
They were tired of fighting (they were killing off each others kingdoms)
and they wanted to forge a permanent peace.
What they came up with gave birth to something called AGAPE.
They found that in order for people to be able to slaughter others
they had to visualize them as non-humans.
Negativity, stereotyping...it seems that when we group others
together as a race, a nation, a religion...using a derogatory term.
When we dehumanize others it is easier to hurt (kill) them.

The Greeks decided to change their way of thinking.
Instead of killing those who entered their land they decided
to befriend them.
AGAPE meant - when you are in my territory (on my land)
I will make you safe.
AGAPE was a transformational love that made an enemy an ally (friend).

Sounds familiar doesn't it...
Paul choose to teach the Corinthians about such love in his writings.
LOVE, charity, agape...is a God idea.
........................................IS GOD..........
May, we, the Church receive deeper experiential understanding on this love.
Our Father is Love and because we are His children we can have the same love.

"let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us" 1 John 4

~selah

living on many planes

did you ever wonder why people are sometimes confused
with the things that you say
or is it only me....

I have recently come to understand
how complex/mosaic our thoughts may seem to others
when we dwell on many levels at once...

as we stand on the abyss of tomorrow today
looking out to the reality of a physical world
yet looking up in our periphery to the spirit world above

we stand in a place of understanding the big picture
between heaven and earth we stand
knowing there is a hell below...
waiting for those who have rejected truth

living in the now/not yet of time
suspended between time and space
knowing all of this may soon be over in the twinkling of an eye...
we respond to the urgency of His Spirit and beckon them to "come"

such an assignment
to hear the mind of God
and translate His heart
...to those who are His
...those that He loves
...those that He gave His Son to redeem...

sometimes it feels like too much to bear
the misundertsandings, the rejection, the slander
and then He causes me to remember...

for God so loved the world
our Father so loved the world
and so must we...selah