The Importance of Building a Bench ~ Simply Tuesday

"When I want to climb the ladder, what if instead I tore the ladder apart and used the wood to build a bench." (Emily P Freeman, Simply Tuesday: Small-Moment Living in a Fast-Moving World)

I've had a lot of practice of small and lonely this past year. A lot of slowing down. I've had a lot of days that feel like Tuesdays. That day that you have to just keep on going, moving forward, when you are not even halfway through the week and you could race on toward the end of the week or actually slow down and appreciate or at least take notice of the small moments that are making up your life.

Cause you are actually alive, waking up each morning and breathing. Do you jump out of bed and head out into the hustle without even realizing you are still here? Living, breathing, moving?

Do you ever consider that every breath you get to take make up your moments? And the harsh reality is that those small moments may be small, but they may also be hard. They may be ordinary, but they may be frustrating and threaten to paralyze you with fear.

I've laboured to breath, and I've struggled to appreciate the small, hard moments.



We are to pour out our lives, and "by the mercies of God, to present [our] bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is [our] spiritual worship." It's the surrender of our lives to our Lord, our adoration of Him with all of our heart, strength, mind, and soul that is our worship.

Some say the story I've been living is an amazing story. And really, because of God's grace, it is. But, I have to admit, when I get lost in the loneliness, and caught in the strongholds of this fast-moving world, well, to me, it's just my life. And I want to scream, "Hello, this is my life we're talking about." My small, ordinary non-flashy moments that are being strung together to make my life. Not some fictional character in a great story to keep you turning the pages to see what will happen to her in the end."  I confess, there are times, when I've thought an entirely different plot line would suit me much better.

"…people don't need fancy and flashy, they probably just want regular. They don't need a fixer, they need a journeyer. They just need to sit on a bench with someone else so they know they are not alone." (Emily P Freeman, Simply Tuesday: Small-Moment Living in a Fast-Moving World)

I've been learning to accept what God has called me to, for His glory.

I've been learning that there are worse things than dying—not really living or staying alive with no real impact and failing to live the abundant life Christ offers.

I'm a slow-learner when it comes to things pertaining to the soul—the things unseen. How often my pride and self-love get in the way and make me stumble. But God, in His mercy and grace, He reveals my sin and humbles me, brings me down and causes me to surrender to His holy love. He helps me to tear down the ladders and build benches so there is more compassion and less comparison even when I am tempted to build high, impenetrable walls.

One of the ways He has been teaching me is by allowing others to journey with me.

As an introvert, and a back-yard dweller—where there is privacy and protection, I've been learning how much I need to come to the front yard—where there is vulnerability and openness, and embrace community. To build a bench, to share our stories, our struggles, our simple moments that make up our lives.



And what I'm finding is a love for others like I have never had before.

When we take these small moments, share our simple and sit down on the inside and make room for our souls to breath our eyes are opened and we see the bigger picture.

May we never focus on the small. Our eyes need to be fixed on Jesus—the Author and Finisher of our faith. "In Him, we live and move and have our being." The One who came to dwell among us, took on flesh, humility, and became sin that we might become the righteousness of Christ that we might forever dwell with Him.

"When confronted with heartbreak, fear, questions, longing, frustrations, and grief, this new life means instead of running to build our cities of protection, we can set out on a different road. This road may include loneliness, obscurity, hiddenness, and silence. It may be narrow, lined with danger, and filled with darkness at times. But we have a light that will not go out and cannot be turned off. The light of Christ burns bright within us, and wherever we go we will not go alone." (Emily P Freeman, Simply Tuesday: Small-Moment Living in a Fast-Moving World)

{Emily P. Freeman's newest book, Simply Tuesday: Small-Moment Living in a Fast-Moving World releases today in the U.S. She has given me much to think about in the words she shares. I was taken with this idea early in the morning on the first Tuesday on this year while my life was like a string of Tuesdays and Emily introduced #itssimplytuesday on Instagram. It's a rather lovely place to sit and share snippets of our lives.}

Hope of The Resurrection {Words of Life Wednesdays ~ A Link-up}

{Join us below for Words of Life Wednesdays with a link-up of your post.

We'd love to hear how God's Word has been nourishing you.}

We have groaned for new life. Hoped.

It has come.

Wounds of winter past, the deadness of sin has passed away.

Sure hope of spring eternal, the new life has come.

***

He took his children and together they planted bulbs of garlic in dark soil before the cruel winter settled and it's winds whipped us down. All winter the old life died.

We waited.

And there in the spring, it came up.

New life.

The old had passed.

The new had come.

We rejoiced.

Oh, the joy of new life.

***

Because of the resurrection we have been given hope.

Nothing is impossible with God.

We do not need to stay in the wounds of the winter, the deadness of sin.

There is a way to life.

But it is to die to self.

To be alive in Christ.

"Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures." {1 Corinthians 15:3}

{Also linking with Coffee For Your Heart}

An InLinkz Link-up

Words of Wisdom for the Weekend ~ Children of the Light

"The gospel offends in that it makes a man face himself, and it always tells his that selfsame thing . . . 'Men love darkness rather than light', that is the trouble, and the gospel alone proclaims it. It stands as light in the heavens and it should be revealing itself through all of us amidst the problems of this dark, miserable, unhappy world of men.   

"But thank God we do not stop at that. Light not only exposes the darkness; it shows and provides the only way out of the darkness. This is where every Christian should be jumping to the task. The problem of man is the problem of a fallen, sinful, polluted nature. Can nothing be done about it? We have tried knowledge, we have tried education, we have tried political enactments, we have tried international conferences, we have tried them all but nothing avails. Is there no hope? Yes, there is abundant and everlasting hope: 'Ye must be born again'. What man needs is not more light; he needs a nature that will love the light and hate the darkness . . .   

"Christian people, you and I are living in the midst of men and women who are in a state of gross darkness. They will never have any light anywhere in this world except from you and from me and the gospel we believe and teach. They are watching us. Do they see something different about us? Are our lives a silent rebuke to them? Do we so live as to lead them to come and ask us, 'Why do you look so peaceful? How is it you are so balanced? How can you stand up to the things as you do? Why is it you are not dependant upon artificial aids and pleasures as we are? What is this thing that you have got?' If they do we can them tell them that wondrous, amazing, but tragically neglected news, that 'Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners', and to give men a new nature and a new life and to make them children of God. Christian people alone are the light of the world today. Let us live and function as children of the light."

~Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount 

{Email subscribers listen to Kari Jobe's song, 'We Are' by following this link.}

***

{Words for Wisdom for the Weekend: These are words that I have been challenged or encouraged by that I have read throughout my week that I kept pondering; words that I couldn't get off my mind and heart throughout my week.  

For other Words of Wisdom for the Weekend posts see here.}

Who Am I? {Victorious} In Christ {Day 31} #31Days

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, 

for those who are called according to his purpose. 

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, 

in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 

And those whom he predestined he also called, 

and those whom he called he also justified, 

and those whom he justified he also glorified." 

(Romans 8:28-30)

 

Home.

There is nothing like coming home.

Before we find our way home we run through an old covered kissing bridge, attempt to shoot a family photo on the timer setting, and finally fill our tummies at the old Cracker Barrel in Amish country.

And he's licking the last of the sweet syrup off his plate (I know, I should be horrified that he's licking his plate! and in public!!), but I'm stopped short at what he says as he puts his plate back down where it belongs. All day, he's been counting down the hours to his birthday (who am I kidding? he's been counting for months). 

He turns 8 on the 31st of October. He's been trying to convince us that he'll be king soon, just like the boy he was named after in the Bible became king when he was 8 years old.

He tells us that he knows that there are great battles and on the day that he celebrates his birthday, he knows that there are some who celebrate evil. But he says he will put on the full armour of God because God always wins his battles. And he doesn't need to be afraid of the evil because the Lord is with him.

I really can't stand that he was born on the 31st of October. I cringe at the thought of it every year. It was the only day during the whole pregnancy that I really hoped would not be the day of his birth. But when I woke up just after midnight on the 31st, two full weeks before his due date, I knew that he would be born on the very day I was hoping I could avoid. 

On the eve of his eighth birthday, we drive 9 hours, 750 km(460 miles) home. Through and around villages, up and down peaks and valleys in the Appalachian Mountains, through the States and further up and further in a few hours north into Canada.

We pack in like sardines among the suitcases, pillows, parcels, perplexus balls and other activities for the journey. We listen to 'Charlie's Choice', skip through 'Secret Garden', watching only the parts that don't scare the three year old, endure battles of she's too close--he's bugging me--and she smiled at me, make a couple quick pit stops and try to make all cozy as the dark settles and the wheels roll on and the minutes fade and we gain ground on our way home.

We cross the border just before midnight and when we roll into the driveway a couple of hours later we say a quiet Happy Birthday to the birthday boy. Then we all fall into our beds that we had crawled out of four days earlier in the wee hours of the morning to take a small holiday to see 'Noah' at the Sight and Sound Theatre, where the 'Bible comes to life'.

My heart broke afresh when we saw the ark door slam shut and heard the wails of those who were outside of the ark. Only Noah and his wife and three sons and their wives were saved on the ark when God sent a flood to destroy all living things on the earth because the wickedness of man was so great that God was grieved in His heart that he ever made man.

My heart burst with gratitude for the grace shown to those inside the ark.

My heart pondered how those inside of Christ have been redeemed at the foot of the cross and we stand sure in the ark of Christ. Where evil does not triumph and the purpose of Satan to steal, kill, and destroy cannot harm us for Christ's purpose was to give life in all its fulness.

And the journey home, may be long and tedious and even dark at times, but in Christ we stand victorious. 

Christ adorns us with His righteousness and we put on the full armour of God and fight battles in this life, endure pain and suffering, enter His presence with thanksgiving, till one day He will take us home to be with him for all eternity and be glorified in Him.

We don't know the hour when we will be called home to glory, but we do know that this is the day that the Lord has made and what He has promised is true. Each and every day, from the rising of the sun to the setting of the same, the name of the Lord will be praised.

The battle belongs to the Lord. Until we become fully like Christ, we will walk this narrow road, letting the light of Christ shine in this darkness, claiming who we are in Christ, all to the praise of His glory.

So my boy-king, will put on the his armour--his belt of truth, helmet of salvation, sword of the Spirit, shield of faith, feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, breastplate of righteousness--and rub shoulders with his neighbours in our community on the night of his birthday and boldly claim that he is a soldier of the King of Kings.

And although I wish we could ignore this day altogether, where some elevate darkness and worship death, we will proclaim and celebrate life, rejoice that God's sovereignty reigns and His providence prevails and the whole earth and all that is in it belongs to Him, and marvel that by His grace we are safe in the ark of Jesus Christ.

As we journey, "we must trust in His love, rely on His grace, we must learn how to rest in His loving embrace"* and long for the day when He will take us to be with Him and we will behold His face and know that we are forever home.

"Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; 

but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, 

because we shall see him as he is."

(1 John 3:2)

*lyrics from song in 'Noah'

***

This is Day 31 and concludes the series: 31 Days: Who am I? {In Christ} Who is the I AM. 

You will find the complete series here. 

I invite you to follow on  Facebook and Twitter.


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Who Am I? In Christ ~Word-Art Printable~ {Day 30} #31Days

"For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. 

That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. 

And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ . . ."

(2 Corinthians 1:20-22, ESV)

To print word-art, click here.

One more day to complete #31Days for 2013: Who Am I? {In Christ} Who is the I AM.

Before we wrap up this series, I'm recapping with some word-art, including the aspects of which we barely began to scratch the surface and so many more that we could have dug into a wee bit, but the month ran out of days.

What a glorious position to be in: In Christ. May we utter our Amen to God for His glory.

***

This is Day 30 for the series: 31 Days: Who am I? {In Christ} Who is the I AM. 

Day 29{Servant}

You will find the complete series here. 

I invite you to follow on  Facebook and Twitter.


Enter your email address to subscribe to A Soft Gentle Voice and have this series delivered to your inbox.   

Who Am I? {Servant} In Christ {Day 29} #31Days

" . . . just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, 

and to give his life as a ransom for many." 

(Matthew 20:28)

"You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had . . . " 

(Phil 2:5)

" . . . but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, 

being born in the likeness of men. 

And being found in human form, 

he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, 

even death on a cross.

 (Phil 2:7, 8)

In this me-generation, with far too many seeking approval of men, demanding to be served, climbing ladders of success and fame, submersed in social media, with much focus on followers, likes on Facebook, tweets, Tumbler, selfies, and tribes, how on earth do we have this same attitude as Christ Jesus?

In our insecurities we feel we have to make something of ourselves.

In our pride we think we deserve everything.

But Christ, made himself nothing, took the form a servant.

He girded himself with grace, clothed himself with compassion, with love was born in the likeness of men.

Lowered himself and with humility, hung naked on a cross, with no regard for his reputation.

Demonstrated his love while we were undeserving and still sinners.

In Christ, this is to be our attitude. 

To follow him, not to be concerned with followers.

To love, not to care about likes.

To lower ourselves, not proudly elevate our position.

To extend grace, not consumed with what we get.

To proclaim the gospel of grace and mercy, not just please with flattering words.

To serve, not to perform.

To wash the feet of others. The stinky, dirty, calloused, warty feet of those who cross our path.

To give our lives for them.

To the praise of His glory.

It's not the comfortable place to be.

But it's where we trade our insecurities for In Christ-security.

May He grant us the power do make ourselves nothing and we will see that He has already given us everything.

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? 

Or am I trying to please man? 

If I were still trying to please man, 

I would not be a servant of Christ.

(Galatians 1:10)

***

This is Day 29 for the series: 31 Days: Who am I? {In Christ} Who is the I AM. 

Day 28 {Sealed}

You will find the complete series here. 

I invite you to follow on  Facebook and Twitter.

Enter your email address to subscribe to A Soft Gentle Voice and have this series delivered to your inbox.   

Who Am I? {Sealed} In Christ {Day 28} #31 Days

"In him you also, when you heard the word of truth,

the gospel of your salvation,

and believed in him,

were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,

to the praise of his glory."

(Ephesians 1:13-14)

In Christ.

Sealed.

Stamped.

Secure.

Guaranteed by the Holy Spirit.

For all eternity.

To the Glory of God.

***

This is Day 28 for the series: 31 Days: Who am I? {In Christ} Who is the I AM. 

Day 26 {Heard}

You will find the complete series here. 

I invite you to follow on  Facebook and Twitter.

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Who Am I? {Heard} In Christ {Day 26} #31Days ~ Words of Wisdom for the Weekend

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 

from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 

that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened 

with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, 

being rooted and grounded in love, 

may have strength to comprehend with all the saints 

what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 

and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, 

that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, 

according to the power at work within us, 

to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, 

forever and ever. Amen. 

(Ephesians 3:14-21, ESV)

"For  those who are in Christ, he serves as a mediator, bringing our prayers to God. And since God the Holy Spirit dwells in those who are in Christ, our prayers are by the Spirit, through the Son, to the Father. He hears your spoken words, unspoken thoughts, and unclear longings. This one fact is utterly astonishing. God's heart is always inclined towards you, his face set towards you, and his ear open for you. This explains why the Bible invites us to 'pray without ceasing' about anything, anytime, anywhere.    The Christian life can become very overly complicated, and we can overlook the majesty of simplicity. As a reminder that God is our friend, to whom we should talk to regularly, not because we have to but because we get to, the Bible includes prayers. One example is Paul's prayer is Ephesians 3:14-21, of which one theologian has said, 'No prayer that has ever been framed has uttered a bolder request.'   Imagine sitting with Paul in his jail cell. Picture him rubbing his aching joints and scarred body as he gets down on his knees in a wet, cold filthy hole in the ground, and raises his voice in prayer. To listen in on Paul's prayer life as he speaks from his heart amid great suffering and prays for Christians, including you, to understand the depths of God's love and be filled the fullness of God, reveals to us who he truly was. ~ Mark Driscoll, "Who Do You Think You Are? [emphasis added]

***

This is Day 26 for the series: 31 Days: Who am I? {In Christ} Who is the I AM. 

Day 25 {Together} ~ Day 28 {Sealed}

You will find the complete series as it updated here. 

I invite you to follow on  Facebook and Twitter.

Enter your email address to subscribe to A Soft Gentle Voice and have this series delivered to your inbox.   

***

{Words for Wisdom for the Weekend: These are words that I have been challenged or encouraged by that I have read throughout my week that I kept pondering; words that I couldn't get off my mind and heart throughout my week. 

For other Words of Wisdom for the Weekend posts see here.}

Who Am I? {Together} In Christ {Day 25} #31Days

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, 

glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth . . . 

And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace."

(John 1:14, 16)

This world can be a lonely place.

Ideals and illusions of perfection drive us further apart.

Fears force wedges between us.

Masks conceal and get in the way of true community.

Not willing to be vulnerable, we neglect the fact that we need each other.

*


I gather with women and am grateful to share my story and who we are in Christ.

I am given strength to be vulnerable as prayers are presented at the throne of a gracious God.

Wet eyes around the room tell me I am not alone. As we tear down our fences, Christ in His love will build us up together.

In Christ, we are being built together.

Christ came in sinful flesh. Light shone in the darkness, that sinners could, by the Spirit, become children of God and shine as lights in the world.

We have been called Saints that have been set apart for God ~ together with God.

Dwelling in His very presence and His very presence dwelling in us.

We have seen the glory of the only Son, the One who became flesh and dwelt among us that we might together be a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Christ Jesus being our foundation and support. The One who holds all things together.

In Christ, we all, the beautiful body of Christ, His Bride, His Church, receive, grace upon grace.

Together, we lay ourselves down, to be built up together in Him.

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, 

but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 

built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, 

Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, 

being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 

In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. 

(Ephesians 2:19-22)

Email subscribers can listen to this song, 'In Christ', by following the link here.
***

This is Day 25 for the series: 31 Days: Who am I? {In Christ} Who is the I AM. 

Day 24 {Perfect} ~ Day 26 {Heard}

You will find the complete series as it updated here. 

I invite you to follow on  Facebook and Twitter.

Enter your email address here  to A Soft Gentle Voice and have this series delivered to your inbox.

***

Also linking with Five Minute Friday at Lisa-Jo's place. This week the prompt is: Together

Officially, the rules are:

1. Write for 5 minutes  {Full disclosure: I spent more time on this post}

2. Link up at Lisa-Jo's  and invite others to join in.

3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community...