Lysa TerKeurst _{Leading Women in the Adventure of Faith}

Welcome to the P31 Encouragement for Today friends… the verses you are looking for are just below.

There was a season of my life that was very dark.  When my baby sister died very tragically and unexpectedly, my entire world flipped upside down.

What I knew to be true suddenly became questionable.

Is God good?  If so, why this?  And if I never know why, how can I ever trust God again?

Hard questions.  Honest questions.  Questions that haunted me.

Until.

One day I got a note from a friend.  A girl I not so affectionately called my “Bible friend.”  She honestly got on my nerves with all her Bible verse quoting.  I wasn’t on good terms with God at that point in my life.  I didn’t want to believe God even existed.  And I certainly wasn’t reading the Bible.

I made all of this very known to my Bible friend.  But in her gentle, sweet, kind way… she kept slipping me notes of truth with gently woven verses tucked within.

And one day, one verse, cracked the dam of my soul. Truth slipped in and split my hard hearted views of life open just enough for God to make Himself known to me.

Jeremiah 29:11

Personally.  Intimately.  Relentlessly.

I held that simple note with one Bible verse scribbled on the front in my hand as the tears of honest need streamed down my cheeks.  My stiff knees bent.  And a whispered “yes God” changed the course of my life.

I will never doubt the power of a simple note again.  Especially when it contains God’s word that will go forth and will accomplish things human reasoning can’t. I love that about God’s word.

If there’s a note you need to send to someone special today, here are some of my favorite Truth Words…

1 John 5:14 “This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”

Psalm 34:4 “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.”

Zephaniah 3:17 “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”

Hebrews 12:28 “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. ”

Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”

2 Thessalonians 3:5 “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”

Habakkuk 3:19 “The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer, he enables me to go on the heights.”

Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.”

Micah 6:8 “And what does he Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”

I failed at being a wedding planner.

No one wants a planner who gets so undone by the neurotic mother of the bride that she throws up in the parking lot right beside the guest sidewalk.

Really, nothing says, “welcome to my wedding” quite like that.

I failed at being a kitchen gadget saleswoman.

No one wants to see the tip of a thumb sliced off into the veggie pizza at the exact moment I was promising how safe this gadget is.

Awesome.

I failed at being a cafeteria lady at a private school.

My assistant decided her arms were so dry she needed to coat herself with our spray butter.  When we took the trash out later that day, we both got attacked by bees and forgot about the pizza in the oven.

Kids don’t take kindly to burnt pizza.

I failed at being a receptionist.

It’s never a good idea to just succumb to those sleepy afternoon feelings and lay your head down on the desk.

Bosses don’t like workers who snore.  Even if they are pregnant.

Yes, I failed at a lot during those years where I was trying to figure out what to do with my life.  At the time each of these things felt like the worst that could have happened.  Now, I think they were the best worst things.

Had these things been successful, I would have never discovered the joy of being in the ministry I’m in now.

I see this same theme woven throughout many stories in the Bible.

In Matthew 8:23-24 we find Jesus getting into a boat with His disciples. “Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat.”  Worst thing.

But in verse 26 Jesus got up and rebuked the winds and waves and things turned completely calm.  The disciples were amazed.  Best worst thing.

In Acts 5:12 we find the apostles being arrested and thrown in jail.  Worst thing.

But in Acts 5:13 we find an angel of the Lord opening the doors of the jail and bringing them out.  Later we find them with so much confidence they boldly proclaim, “We must obey God rather than men!” (v. 29)  Best worst thing.

I don’t understand why we have to go through cruddy stuff.  And I certainly know there are many worse things to go through then what I’ve mentioned here.

We live in a broken world full of broken people.  But isn’t it comforting to know God isn’t ever broken? He isn’t ever caught off guard, taken by surprise, or shocked by what happens next.

He can take our worst and add His best.  We just have to make the choice to stay with Him and keep following Him through it all.

Even neurotic mothers of the bride who make wedding planners’ stomachs work in reverse- can become best worst things.

After all, she gave me some great examples to pull from nearly 20 years later while writing Unglued.  Oh I kid.  Kind-of.

This is the last of my Dream Center recap posts. If you missed the other two you can click here and here.

I wasn’t in the mood to be messed up.

I put my head against the headrest of the plane, closed my eyes, and whispered, “There’s no way.” It was late summer of 2003 when my world collided with what seemed like a cruel invitation from God: adopt two teen boys from war torn Liberia.

All the reasons why this wasn’t a good idea tumbled before me. Honest reasons. Understandable reason. Solid reasons.

Who would do such a thing?

Missionaries would be much more qualified. Missionaries with grown kids and multi-cultural experience. People much more spiritual than me. People specifically called to this sort of thing.

Not this disorganized, white woman, who thought Liberia was in South America.

Not a woman with three little girls. Not someone who couldn’t find the video she rented a month ago and who paid so many late fees at the library they should have named a shelf after her. Maybe two shelves.

Definitely not me.

But it was me.

The invitation was mine.

And I knew it.

God wasn’t asking us to adopt these boys only because they needed us.

God was asking us to adopt these boys because we needed them. In the worst kind of way we needed to be rattled to our core, stripped of our comfort, and dared to glance past our own mailbox.

No matter how many times I whispered over and over, “there’s no way,” this nagging sense of possibility wouldn’t leave me. It wove its way through every fiber of my being until I stood up and shifted everything I thought my family would be with one weakly whispered, “Yes.”

And though it was it hard, it was good. Very good.

Now here I sit 8 years later with the same nagging sense of possibility.

About the Dream Center. About what I found there. About how something in my soul shifted and won’t shift back. About a joy I feel that can’t be explained.

How in the world do you find joy- real joy- in midst of a place like the Dream Center? A fresh joy- like make you feel more alive then you’ve felt in a long time joy in the midst of crazy, crazy brokenness?

I couldn’t understand it until this morning when I made a little exchange with God. I gave Him all my questions about what I’m supposed to do. He gave me back His word.

And I’m just going to go ahead and warn you now, you might want to stop reading this post right here.

Seriously, now might be a good time to turn off the computer and go to the Target dollar aisle. Because you won’t get messed up and ruined for good at the Target dollar aisle. And I won’t be offended if you go.

I get it.

I wasn’t in the mood to get messed up either.

But getting ‘messed up’ is sometimes the only way we’re propelled to ‘get up.’ And when we ‘get up’ and do what God’s people were designed to do, we start living the joy we’re supposed to have.

So, here goes… don’t say I didn’t warn you.

“… If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:10-11

Wow. I love God’s word.

I love how clear it is.

It’s answered a lot for me.

And once again, I’m messed up in the best kind of way.

What do you think of these verses? How do they speak to you?

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This weekend I will be speaking at First Baptist Church of Portland, TN. I would be honored  to meet you at this conference. Everyone is welcome.

And for those who live in or near TX, I will be speaking at Kelview Heights Baptist Church in Midland, TX on August 26-27. Everyone is welcome. Make it a fun girls weekend.

Today, there will be a moment.  No one will snap a picture of it.  It probably won’t make it into the journals of those who journal.  Or linger in the thoughts we carry with us to sleep tonight.

It will come.

It will go.

It will slip by seemingly unnoticed. But its affects won’t slip.  They’ll stay.  And if fostered, grow to epic proportions.

This moment where something creeps into our heart and pulls our focus from right to wrong. It will be just a hint of distortion. The smallest amount.  But a slight and seemingly insignificant amount of skewed thought will take root.

And grow.

Beyond what you can even imagine.

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is where Moses goes to Pharaoh and sings that song, “Oh Pharaoh, Pharaoh, woah ohhh, gotta let me people go.  Huawh!  Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.”

Totally a loose translation but you know what I’m talking about.

But here’s an astounding chain of events to trace and consider.  Why was the nation of Israel in captivity?  Why was the entire nation of Israelites- all God’s people- all twelve tribes- enslaved in Egypt?

As I trace this story backwards I find it’s because of one seemingly insignificant moment.

The course of history was changed because a few family members got little cranky and a little jealous of their brother Joseph.  Envy and anger slipped in.  Just a hint.  But just enough.

It doesn’t take much.

Joseph was thrown in a pit and eventually sold as a slave.

Years went by.

Years of heartbreak and confusion passed.

Eventually, Joseph landed in a position of great power in Egypt and had authority to provide food for his family.  So, all 11 of his brothers and the all of their families moved to Egypt.  Joseph and his 11 brothers make up what became the 12 tribes of Israel.  As these tribes multiplied they became the nation of Israel.

After Joseph died, “Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came into power in Egypt. ‘Look,’ he said to his people, ‘the Israelites have become much too numerous for us. Come let’s deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.’ So they put slave masters oven them to oppress them.”  (Exodus 1:8-11)

So, the entire nation of Israel suffered oppression and slavery.  Why?

Because a few brothers on an ordinary day got a little jealous and allowed anger and envy to slip in.

And the moment it slipped in, the course of history changed.

In a moment.

May we never assume our moments don’t matter.  The decisions we make every second of every day matter.

There are no little moments or little sins.

There is a domino affect to it all.

So, I fall hard upon soft grace.  I thank God for this realization. I ask Him to make my soul even more sensitive, more aware, more in tune to my constant need for forgiveness. 

Though I am weak, I walk in the strength of utter dependence. 

And I refuse to beat myself up for mistakes made yesterday.  Today is a new day.  A new chance to set things going in a different direction.

Joseph’s brothers had years to try and rescue Joseph- find out where he was- help him- set their past mistakes right. 

Years.  They had years.  But they never did set about to turn things around. 

Oh sweet sister don’t let today slip by.

Moments matter.

Watch for a moment today where you are given the choice to let anger, envy or something else negative slip in.  Recognize it.  Refute it. And replace it with God’s spirit of love.

Welcome to those of you visiting from my Encouragement for Today devotion. We are doing a fun giveaway today! See details below.

I thought it would be fun to show you this quick video of a new DVD Bible study project that was recently released with my  book, ‘What Happens When Women Say Yes to God’.

Have you ever struggled with knowing when God is speaking to you? Have you longed to experience Him in unexpected ways? God can take your willingness to simply say yes and transform that into something truly powerful and beautiful.

Something that changes you.

Something that changes the world.

This DVD includes my 6 favorite 30 minute messages all in one package. And the new interactive workbook is the perfect companion to go along with this teaching.

I’ll be giving away 3 Bible study kits of ‘What Happens When Women Say Yes to God’ which include a book, workbook, and DVD. Leave a comment below and I will announce the winners on Monday.

In Matthew 3:17, God made a powerful statement about Jesus, “This is my Son, whom I love; with whom I am well pleased.”

I found a new perspective in this passage when I realized that Jesus had not yet gone to the cross, performed miracles, or led the masses. His Father was establishing Jesus’ identity before He started His activities. Jesus heard God, believed God, and remained filled.

In Christ, God has given us a new identity (Romans 6:4). But, unlike Christ, we forget. 

We look to fill our days and our lives with activities and performances —for mankind and even for God. Our humanity makes us hungry people. It is similar to the phenomenon of being satisfied with a large dinner only to wake up the next morning feeling famished. Truth comes in and fills us up. But, our cracks, crevices, and circumstances are like drains pulling the truth out and leaving a hollowness that can haunt. 

Therefore, we must stand moment-by-moment in the reality of our identity before we resume our activity. Grasp the truth and rub it deep.  Let it sink in quickly and resist the drain of the day’s performances. “You are my daughter, whom I love; with whom I am well pleased.”

Well pleased because of who you are- not what you do.  Well pleased because of an unfathomable, unconditional love- not earned but simply given.

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A little P.S. to today’s blog post.  I am finishing up a big writing project today and would so appreciate your prayers.  I’d also love to see you in Birmingham this weekend.  Oh how I praise God for the amazing privilege to spend some time encouraging and loving on my sisters who have experienced such horrific realities.  The pictures coming in from the tornado ravaged areas are almost too much for my brain to take in. 

But we are coming with arms of compassion, hearts of love, and humble whispers of hope.  Oh sweet Jesus, use our fragile words to breathe life and encouragement back into my hurting friends.

We’ll also be taking up an offering this weekend to support relief and restoration efforts.  If you are anywhere near, please come.  It will be a very special weekend.

For more information on registering for the more intimate pre-conference I’ll be leading, click here.

For more information on registering for the weekend conference, click here.