Don't be easily offended

I always thought that was pretty good advice until one day my dad sat me down to talk about marriage. He said to me, "Heather, a lot of people are going to tell you to not be easily offended, but the reality is there is never a good reason to get offended at all. There is nothing that anyone can ever do or say to you that is as bad as what you did to Christ, and Christ did not get offended...He laid His life down for you."

Just something to think about.

Share it!

Philemon 1:6
"I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ."

I have often heard it said that we are to "know God and make Him known." I think this scripture suggests that we know God through making Him known.

Have you ever experienced this?

Whenever I get together with a certain girlfriend of mine, we always talk about what God is doing in our lives. As we ping-pong our thoughts, I always feel a change in my spirit. It's an awakening...a realization that God is who He says He is, and He does what He says He will do.

The bible says that there is power in the word of our testimony. This power is not just for the sake of the one listening...it's for you too! It brings life, it brings an awakening, and it brings an understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.

Try it. Share your faith...tell someone what God has done for you, and see what happens!

Fear

I think I have managed to make every mass mailing list known to man. Here is a rundown of my inbox... "UN looking to create One world government," conspiracy theory, impending global disaster, and, once again, Obama has plans to destroy the universe, etc, etc.

My greatest frustration in receiving all of these fwds is that all of them come from other Christians. I guess my question is this, where does our hope rest?

I heard someone speak of fear vs. faith not too long ago and they said something like this...

"Faith is believing that God is big enough to do the things that He says He will do, and putting our trust in Him."

"Fear is believing that satan is big enough to do the things that he says he will do, and putting our trust in him."

In 2Kings 6:15-17 the servant of Elisha wakes up to find that the entire city is surrounded by enemy chariots. He is immediately filled with fear. Then Elisha says this prayer, "O Lord, open his eyes so he may see." Then the servant looks out again and sees the hills full of horses and chariots of fire from the Lord.

Elisha's servant was only focused on the problem until God opened his eyes and gave him hope.

I realize that a one world government is coming, the Antichrist is coming, natural disasters are coming, oppression, cancer, death and the end of the world are all coming. But God says, "I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."

So basically, this is my subtle way of saying, please remove me from your mailing list. Thanks.

Psalm 24:3
Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face, O God of Jacob.

Are there idols in my heart keeping me from standing in the holy place before God?

Lord, forgive me from my sins. Create in me a clean heart. If there are still idols in my life, please reveal them to me.

Eyes on the Lord

Psalm 25:15
My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.

I like this verse. I try to picture myself literally caught in a snare. Isn't it most natural to get focused on the thing you are trapped in. I know if I were in a snare, my eyes would be on the snare trying to figure out how the heck I was gonna get out of it. God wants our eyes on Him, even in the midst of our struggles. We can't figure out life without God.

Lord, You are faithful. You never leave me even in my times of trouble. Help me to see You there with me and help me to keep my eyes on You instead of on my problem.

the problem and the Solution

Gen 15:1-2a
After this, the word of the Lord Came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward." But Abram said, "O Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless..."

This verse punch me in the face this morning. Not even a full-caffeine, pumpkin spiced, organic chai latte (mmmmm) could prepare me for that!

Did the man just ask God, "what can you give me?"

I'm offended. I'm offended for two reasons:

Firstly, I'm offended that Abram has the audacity to ask the Creator of everything, the Giver of all good things, the Father of life, Big Man himself, "what can you give me?" God just gave Abram a vision!!! God is trying to tell Abram that He is the "I am", and all Abram can think about is what he feels he is missing.

Secondly, I'm offended that this whole thing doesn't seem to bother God one little bit!!!! It's like God expects it. God takes Abram outside and says, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars - if indeed you can count them."

If I was a bible author I would have written this story like this:
God: I AM
Abram: no you're not
God: yes I AM
Abram: no you're not
God: yes I AM
Abram: hmm...ok, maybe you are.

I am imagining I read this today, because there is most likely a situation in my life that looks remarkably similar to this one. Am I focused on my problem, or resting expectantly in the arms of my Solution.

Lord, I want to trust You. I want to believe You are who You say You are. Please build my faith. Tear down my pride that gets between Us. Help me to see You as all I need. I don't want to live in what's missing...I want to know the abundance of trusting You. Lord, please speak to me about my life.

I am your portion. Do not look to be satisfied in other things. I will fill you up. When you are thirsty, let Me fill you with living water. When you are tired, I will be your strength. In your problems, be still and know that I am God.

Thank you, Jesus. I will choose to walk today with my eyes on You.

Cast the net.

Good morning, Lord. I'm tired today. I'm so grateful for your voice that draws me in. Awaken my spirit.

Luke 5:5

But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."

My mind is caught up in my situation, and I don't know if I totally trust the work You are doing. I don't understand.

Do not rely on your own understanding. I have said, "Come, let us reason together." My ways are higher than yours. Submit to my Word. Repent of Your sins and follow Me.

Lord, show me the sin in my heart.

Your sin is pride. You trust yourself. All good comes from Me. Nothing has value unless I give it. I created you and give you breath. I am the wonderful counselor. I can see what you can't even dream of. I know what you cannot learn. I am what I say I am.

Lord, forgive me for my pride. Teach me to walk in humility and trust Your work. Change my heart, that in my doubt, I would still cast the net out one more time. I love You. Praise You, Jesus, for Your mighty greatness and excellent mercy.

A Word for my children

Hallelujah, Jesus. Thank You for waking me up today. Thank You for new mercy each morning. Thank You for meeting me here. Who am I that You are mindful of me? Help me to overcome my temptation today. Give me strength to serve You. Be in my home. Protect my children. Help me to show them Your love. Lord, please show me how You see my children.

Anjali's heart is tender. She already understands how to love Me. She is a servant, so praise her in her service. She desires to show herself worthy. Do not break her spirit with discipline...she does not require harsh punishment. Tell her about Me. Do not be deceived; she is not too young to begin to know My heart. I long for her to come to me.

I know Kaitlyn is difficult for you. I have made her strong. She will serve me with intensity and I will call her into deep communion. Allow her to make decisions, but teach her discipline. Be consistent. Her spirit is loyal, so she will be hurt easily. Hold her more often. Give her security.

Curtis is a strong warrior. His weapon is joy and he strikes fear to the enemy. Guard his heart and mind. He will watch you, and your life will speak deeply to his spirit. Be quick to apologize. Live for me. He will follow your lead and he will be a great leader.

Lord, give me grace as I train my children. Restore unto me the joy of my salvation. Help me not to grow tired. I love you and I want my home to be a reflection of Your glory. Show me things you would have me change. Help me to choose discipline.

Believe

Isaiah 55:10,11
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Lord, give me faith to believe You for what You say. I want to know Your will and be able to see it return to You prosperous. Lord what would you like to speak to me?

My Word is faithful. You can count on what I say. I know You don't understand, but I cannot be defeated. I cannot be thrown off. I have a purpose when I act, and I accomplish what I decide is good. Do not fear your enemy, but trust my promises. I will provide for you and I order your steps. Listen to me and believe me for what I am doing. I am doing a new thing. Trust Me.

Walk with Me

My mind wants to figure You out. Why do You give so much and let us squander? Why do You take away? Why does my heart long for You even as we sit together? How do I know You better? How do I learn to love you? Why do I feel like I can't catch You, even when I know You are not running from me. Teach me your truth, Lord. Teach my heart to believe You for what You say is truth. Help my unbelief. Strip me of my pride that calls me worthy. I want to come before You transparent. Expose my sin and cover me again.

This world is your wilderness. Walk with Me and let Me use it to teach you. Humble yourself before me. Don't grow weary in your questions. I am the answer. Believe Me. Believe in Me. I designed you to find your ability in Me. I created your heart to long for Me. I am your God. I have set you apart and I have saved you for myself. We will walk as lovers. We will test this world together and you will find Me faithful. What I say I will do, I will do. What I say will be, will be. I am God. I do not live in time. I do not fail. I do not abandon. You do not have to understand Me to believe. You were made in my image, but your heart is wicked. Your only pure emotion on your own is your desire for me. I placed that in you. I have made a longing in your heart and I am here to fulfill you. Breathe deep My love for you.

Surrender

John 7:37-39
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." by this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Revelation 22:1,2
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

Psalm 1:2,3
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

John 15:4-8
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Lord, You are my life source. I am thirsty in this dry land. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for not giving up on me...for standing between me and death and not letting me follow my wicked heart. Lord release Your Spirit to flow in my life. I need living water. Without you I am nothing. I have desired to bring fame to myself and I have neglected your calling for my life, yet You have spoken that my righteousness is as filthy rags. Lord search me, know my inner thoughts and the sin that finds refuge in my mind. Expose the garbage that I've called holy. Give me a new heart and a new mind and new eyes to see who You are. Lord, I'm tired of religion. I want to know You. Show me Your heart. Speak to me Your truth. Give me Your living water, which sustains me. Speak and I will listen. I long to hear Your words and commune with You. I will wait patiently for Your voice.

You have seen My heart and know My ways. You have heard Me calling your name. Now, let go of those things that keep your heart captive. Turn to Me and love what I love. Be refreshed in My river. Bathe and be cleansed. Drink and be satisfied. I've longed for you to know Me. I am Jesus, your Lord. I have walked your path and carried your burdens. I have covered you before My Father and called you beloved. I have collected your tears and I have not forgotten your pain. I have walked through your wilderness and stood by your side. I am all-powerful, I am all-knowing, I do not need your wisdom or your understanding. Surrender to My will and find rest in Me. You seek Me, but feel I have hidden from you. You knock, but doubt that I will answer. I am the Alpha and Omega. Nothing is greater than I. Do not look to the right or the left, but push forward. Allow Me to lead you. Allow Me to do a work in you. Quiet yourself before Me and obey My words. I am here. Drink and be filled to overflowing.

journal

Lord, thank You for always showing up. I long to know You and know Your will for my life.

Seek Me, and you will find Me. I have never left. I sit and wait for you to come. It is My will to meet with you. I desire to walk with you in the cool of the day. You are my daughter and I long to speak with you. Delight yourself in Me. I am your portion. Drink and be filled.

need some feedback - journal

I went to the park today for my usual run (as of 2 weeks now :-). Normally I meet a girlfriend, but today I was alone. As I ran I focused my heart on Jesus.
I ran past a woman walking a dog. For a quick second, I had a picture in my mind of myself talking to her.
Now here is my question. Is it possible that this spontaneous thought was the Holy Spirit?
I continued running feeling a little stressed that I may have missed an opportunity to share Jesus with someone....so...out came the fleece :-)
"God, if that was you putting that thought in my head, please keep her on my path and allow me to pass her again. I promise this time I will talk to her."
Sure enough, half a mile later, here comes the woman with the dog. I stopped and asked her if we could walk together. She said she couldn't stay long but we talked for a minute...another thought came to my head, "You will see her again." I quickly said, "I try to run here every day," hoping that I could help God along in creating another meeting.
So here is my God-sized question: When I think I hear God say, "You will see her again," can that be God if it doesn't happen? He didn't say you may see her or you should pray you run into her...He said "you WILL."
Another idea hit me. Discipline.
Maybe God orders divine opportunities based on disciplines in our lives. I am running every day, trying to create a discipline in my life. As I create discipline God is able to count on me, "Heather Marshall will be running in the park every morning from 8:40-9:10 and she will be meditating on who I am."
Have you ever tried to meet a friend and just found that they were always late or cancelling last minute, or just never had enough of a plan to be dependable. I wonder if that is how we are in our walks with God when we lack discipline. Maybe God is trying to order our steps, but we keep not showing up.
Back to my question. I would really love to have your opinion, so here it is again. When I think I hear God say, "You will see her again," can that be God if it doesn't happen?
I am leaning toward if it doesn't happen, it wasn't God.

Journal

Lord, how would you have me show more love and respect in my life.

Honor your husband. Give him praise. Tell him often what he means to you. Pray for him.

Journal from 9-12-09

I was at a women's conference when I began to feel a heaviness in my heart. I was starting to think about different women in my life and the issues they were dealing with. I started to feel pressure, "What if I've said the wrong thing, what if I don't know what to say next time...what if...I can't fix them."

Ahem...prideful...I know.

I quieted my spirit and this is what the Lord spoke to me:

I am the Wonderful Counselor, you are My vessel. Only My guidance can heal. Pursue Me, know My heart, live My message.

Journal from 9-10-09

Thank you, Jesus. Thank you for pursuing me and loving me. Your faithfulness is overwhelming. Thank you for giving Yourself to me and for accepting me as your own. Restore to me the joy of my salvation.

You are My child, whom I love. I have called you back to Myself and have given you hope. I desire to be your Lord and I call you chosen. Delight yourself in Me.

Praise You, Lord, for Your never ending mercy that is new every morning. Breathe life to my spirit.

Journal from 9-9-09

My mind wants me to believe, just as the Israelites did, that hearing from You is for someone else - that I am not qualified. The Israelites chose Moses to hear for them and I have chosen men and women in my life to hear for me. But the Lord confides in those who fear Him. I want to know You in such a deep way that You would confide in me. I will stop depending on my own mind, and I will know the mind of the Lord that He may instruct me.

Fighting for Righteousness

Matthew 5:6
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

Our battle in becoming righteous cannot be won without a fight. Are we fighting or are we relying on past prayers and confessions to get us through?

Shacking up with Sin and Regret

Proverbs 29:6 (NIV)
“An evil man is snared by his own sin, but a righteous one can sing and be glad.”

One of the greatest ways to combat sin is to simply cease to give it the opportunity to happen. If we knew a recovered drug addict that kept cocaine in their cabinet, we would call them foolish, yet this is how many of us live with our struggles. We choose to co-exist with sin…hoping that we are strong enough to resist the temptations that surround us.

Making it Stick

Proverbs 11:14 (NASU)
“Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in the abundance of counselors there is victory.”

Our past mistakes have a way of slowly creeping back into our lives when we’re not looking. They live in the back of our minds and in the dark shadows of our hearts. They remind us of our weaknesses and try to convince us that we aren’t really free. Part of overcoming a struggle is getting rid of the dark shadows where it takes cover. If we are going to make these changes stick we need to be open. Find people to share past struggles with, find people to confide in when you are being tempted, and find people to walk in accountability with. We were not created to fight this battle alone…every time you choose to make yourself accountable to someone, you add a warrior to your battle line.

the stands still

I was standing at the sink this morning, giving attention to some very neglected dishes, when I heard my girls start giggling. They were sitting at the dining room table transferring cheerios in and out of different containers.

Do you ever have moments where time just slows down, almost to a stop, and everything just seems right with the world?

As I stood there watching two of the greatest loves I have ever known play with their cheerios, these lyrics played on my ipod, "You are worthy, You are worthy of my child like faith, and of my honest praise, and of my unashamed love."

For that moment, all the stress of my day was lifted. I raised my hands in worship. It's amazing how perspective can change so suddenly. My kitchen sink...now my altar, the unswept floor...suddenly holy ground. 

I realized again what I've known all along, God doesn't just want me on Sunday mornings. He wants me all the time...when the dishes are dirty, when the laundry needs folding, when the kids are screaming, when dinner is burning...when life is happening. 

Life is not about life...Life is about Jesus. 

I guess I just needed to be reminded of that today.

Throw a stone, kill a flock.

I wrote a post like this not too long ago, but the Holy Spirit just keeps impressing this idea on my heart. 

Do you ever wonder why God doesn't just do His work by Himself? Why Israel had to paint their doorposts with blood for the passover? Why the disciples had to go find the food for Jesus to multiply? 

In 2Kings 4 there is a woman who's in need of a miracle. Her husband has passed away and she is in serious debt. Her creditor's are trying to take her sons as payment. She goes to Elisha for help and Elisha sends her around to all of her neighbors to collect jars. She has a small amount of oil that she begins pouring into the jars. As the jars fill up the oil is multiplied until she is able to fill every jar. Elisha then has her sell the oil and she is able to make enough money to pay all her debt and have some left over.

So why all the hoopla? If God wants to help the woman pay her debts why doesn't He just do it...make money rain down from heaven?

Ever hear of the saying, "kill two birds with one stone"? God likes to throw a stone and kill a flock.

God isn't satisfied with just providing for this woman. He is in the business of making Himself famous. He likes to create a testimony that is big enough for everyone to have a piece. Elisha, the woman, her sons, all her neighbors, and even the creditors have now been affected by this one mighty act of God. 

When we help...when we serve...when we get involved...we are choosing to be a part of the miracle taking place. 

What are you doing to be a part? 

Living Sacrifice

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship."
Romans 12:1

I've been thinking a lot lately about my body being a living sacrifice. What makes a body a holy and pleasing sacrifice? What does that even mean? Is it using my gifts to bring glory to God? Is it honoring God in the things I choose to be apart of?

What if this scripture is really, literally, talking about our physical bodies. If it is, what kind of sacrifice are we giving...is it holy and pleasing, or feeble and lazy?

In Genesis, there is a story about two brothers, Cain and Abel. Cain is a farmer and Abel is a shepherd. Cain brings some of his fruit as his sacrifice to the Lord, and Abel brings portions of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord is pleased with Abel's sacrifice but not satisfied with Cain's.

Both brother's brought a sacrifice, but only one was accepted. Abel gave from the best of what he had and his sacrifice was holy and pleasing. Cain gave...but he didn't give his best.

If we all decided today to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, what would God's response be? Would He be pleased with our offering? Would He find it lacking?

I don't know about you, but my sacrifice could use some work.

"but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself may not be disqualified."
1 Corinthians 9:27

Psalm 94:19

"When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul."

Ladies Accountability Group

First off, I wanted to say thank you to all the ladies who have participated in this group so far...I have been so blessed and have made some great life changes already!!
Tonight we will be talking about our personal relationships with God, so bring your notebooks and some goals you'd like to start working on. We will be meeting again at the carlson building at 7pm.

I know there are many women who are wanting to be apart of this group, but can't get away from the house for different reasons...well, we may have a solution. We are working on setting up a conference call each week for the discussion hour of our group using skype. High speed internet is required but the service is free. If you are interested in being apart of the group via the web let me know.

Hope to see you all tonight!

Heather
mrscmarsh@yahoo.com

Standing in the breakers.

"Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me." Psalms 42:7

When I was a kid my mom took me and a few neighbor kids to the beach. I had been sick for awhile so I wasn't allowed to get in the water. It was a beautiful day, sunny but not too hot. I sat on the beach trying to entertain myself while the other kids swam. I decided, in my boredom, to build a sand castle. Before long I was creating quite the masterpiece. I was very focused on my task, creating tunnels and doorways. Then behind me, I heard my mom start yelling, "wave!!!....wave!!!" I turned back around just in time to see a giant wave heading straight toward me. There was nothing I could do...it was too late. The wave hit me...hard. I flew backward and did a somersault. My head hit the ground and I took in a mouthful of water.
As the wave receded, everyone came running to my aide. I just sat there...stunned. Not ten seconds earlier I was happily building my sandcastle...I was dry...I was on my feet...I was in control.
Everyone who went to the beach, including me, had gotten in the water. We were all wet. The only difference...everyone else chose to get in carefully. They stuck their toes in to see how it felt first...they went in slowly...they waded in and out at their leisure. I was overcome...I was out of control...I had been swept over.

It's easy to try to experience God in small manageable portions...to just stick our toes in, but David compares God to a wave...a breaker that sweeps over us. This is the way we are made to interact with God. Notice it doesn't say, "Deep calls to shallow; come stick your feet in."

Be overpowered...be out of control...be swept off your feet by your magnificent creator.

Something for Nothing.

I spend a lot of time looking for ways to get what I want without paying for it. I clip coupons on occasion, I love sales, and who can resist the old bogo...buy one, get one free! I don't have any problem paying less for something than it's value.

And it's not just things... I step on the scale after having a gym membership for one week and I am disgusted that I have not lost a single pound! I finally decide to spend a minute with God and I can't figure out why I can't hear Him.

I put so much value on the return but very little value on the sacrifice.

In 2Sam, David goes to a man named Araunah to buy some land to build an altar. Araunah is eager to help and offers the king the land, threshing sledges, ox yokes and oxen all at no cost. I love David's response, "No, I insist on paying for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing."

David knew it wasn't just about the offering, but about the sacrifice. God deserves nothing less than full price.

God was please with David, and Israel was spared.

Don't be afraid to make sacrifices. We can't out give God, and we will never be disappointed in the return.

theSHIFT ladies accountability group

Ok ladies, as promised, here is the information for the new ladies group starting up...

Who: College age and 20 something's ladies

Who NOT: men and children (no exceptions Bruce!)

What: A group designed to help young women grow stronger spiritually, relationally and physically through accountability and good old fashioned fun!

When: Every Thursday night from 7-9pm.

Where: The location will be on the following schedule
1st Thursday of the mo. - Barnes and Noble
2nd Thursday - Fusion room at Element Church 600 Carlson
3rd Thursday - Fusion room at Element Church
4th Thursday - Marshall's house 1611 Gold Dust

This group is going to focus on 4 main areas of accountability. The first Thursday of every month, beginning this Thursday, we will be talking about relationships, the second Thursday health and fitness, the third Thursday our personal walk with the Lord, and the fourth week will be a planned service project. We will plan extra fun events for any month that contains an extra Thursday!
How to prepare:
I recommend getting some sort of journal. We will be sharing our goals and struggles with one another and keeping updates on our progress as we hold each other accountable.
For fitness nights I recommend coming in comfy clothes...on occasion we will be working out together (I plan on wearing comfy clothes every Thursday...what's better than hangin' with my girls in my jammies!?!?)
This group in general will be equally led and shared by all members, however, Macey and I will be the contact people if you have suggestions, concerns or questions.

Hope to see you at Synergy this Thursday at 7!!

Surrounded

"When it rains, it pours."

Why does it seem that life sends struggles in numbers; when the enemy attacks, he comes from all sides.

In 2 Samuel, the Israelite army is in this situation. The Ammonites have decided to attack. Not only that, but they have hired Aramean foot soldiers to attack at the same time from the opposite side.

It's never easy to fight a battle in two directions is it.

A girlfriend of mine came up with a great idea for a small group. There's no leader and no curriculum...just a group a women getting together to help each other through life's battles.

Joab, the commander of the Israelite army had the same great idea. He gathered one group of men to fight the Ammonites and sent Abishai with another group of men to fight the Arameans. Before deploying Abishai, he gave him this instruction, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to come to my rescue; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to rescue you."

If you are a college/20 somethings woman and you are feeling like your battles are coming at you from all directions, I would like to invite you to be a part of this new group. We will be meeting on Thursdays from 7-9pm. For more information, please email me at mrscmarsh@yahoo.com or contact curtis at curtis@elementweb.net

It's time to stop fighting our battles alone. I love you ladies and I got your back!

He stoops down...

The other week my daughter, Anjali, received a greeting card filled with stickers from Grandma Marshall. She was so excited (stickers are one of her greatest joys).

We are currently trying to instill the idea of gratitude in our children, so I suggested to Anjali that she write a thank you card to her grandparents. She was thrilled with the idea, so I gave her a pen and card and she began writing furiously while she expressed herself aloud, "Dear grandma and grandpa, Thank you for the stickers! I love them so much! I was so happy to get stickers. I like stickers very much. Thank you for sending me stickers. They are princess stickers...i love princess stickers. Love, Anjali."

Her thoughts were priceless...the only problem...Anjali is two years old and she doesn't know how to read or write. I, on the other hand, do know how to write :-) I could have allowed Anjali to dictate to me what she wanted to say to her grandparents...I could have written it out perfectly. When they received it, the words would have been clear and easy to understand.

So why did I let her write it? Because I know that the imperfections in Anjali's letter are what make it so special to her grandparents. They don't want a well written thank you card from me; they want the random, heart felt scribbled card from Anjali...it's perfect.

We serve a mighty God. Everything He does is perfect, but He also sees the power in our imperfections. He is made strong in our weakness. I think this may be what David was expressing about God in 2Sam when he says, "You stoop down to make me great." God brings Himself to our level and uses us in our imperfection. Amazing.

the Encounter

This Easter Element Church had over 1200 people walk through its doors (hundreds more than previous weeks). I guess there's a sense of obligation this time of year, right? Jesus was beaten, died on a cross, and rumor has it...he did it for us. Why shouldn't we feel obligated to remember.

The interesting thing is, now it's over...Easter has come and gone and so have thousands of people who, most likely, won't be seen again until December 25th.

Religion is about something that happened...a child was born, a man was crucified, a book was published, and a religion was formed.

Relationship is about something that happened to YOU. God sent His only son, because He couldn't imagine losing you. He let His son die, because it was the only way to get you back. He gave His word so that the path to Him would be clear. And now He spends His days creating experiences in your life that will allow you to know Him.

In order to go from religion to relationship there must be an encounter. We must have personal experiences with God.

In 1 Samuel, God tells Samuel to anoint Saul king. When Samuel tells Saul that he is to be the new king, Saul responds something like this, "Me? I'm a nobody?"
Saul didn't understand his value to God...he needed an encounter.

In 1Sam 10:2-7, Saul gets his encounter. Samuel tells Saul (paraphrased), "When you leave today, you are going to meet two men and they are going to tell you where your donkeys are. They are also going to predict the words of your father. From there, going up to Bethel you will meet three men. They will be carrying 3 goats, 3 loaves of bread and a wine skin. They will offer the bread to you and you will take it. Next you will meet some prophets. They will have instruments being played before them and they will be prophesying. Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and YOU WILL BE CHANGED INTO A DIFFERENT PERSON. Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you."

God gave Saul three unique encounters in order to build his faith. Saul was no longer trusting his own ideas, he was a different person...a person who had experienced God. Once we encounter God, we are different. Our experiences build faith, and our faith builds a relationship, and our relationship stops us from being Easter Sunday Christians.

Jesus gave me Diarrhea

Funny story...

A few weeks ago I was lying in bed and I could not fall asleep. I was thinking about Jacob and his family. In Gen 35 Jacob wants to build an altar to God, so he asks everyone in his family for all of their idols and jewelery. He then uses them to build his altar to the Lord. It is strange to me that these people are moving around, following God, waiting for His commands and believing His promises and yet they carry around idols in their bags. And it doesn't stop with Jacobs family. The Israelites continue struggling with idolatry through their journey in the desert and even in the promised land. As I was lying there, unable to sleep, I just couldn't understand how people could genuinely follow God, while storing idols in their bags.

Then, out of nowhere, I felt very convicted. The Lord was saying to me, "Heather, you have idols. You may not be worshiping them now, but you keep them in your backpack and carry them around with you. When you feel that I'm not enough...you turn to them."

My first thought was, "I do not... that's ridiculous." The Lord then began to reveal some of my idols to me and I realized it was true. Then I said the prayer that changed everything, "Lord, do whatever it takes to get rid of these idols."

The next morning I woke up and told Curtis about what the Lord was speaking to me. Curt asked me what idols the Lord was convicting me about, and my response was, "Just a lot of things."

A few days later, I got sick...really sick. It started slow but then got exponentially worse. I was sick for two weeks and by the end of the second week I was ready to call a specialist. To say I had diarrhea is like saying God is big...it just doesn't really do justice to the situation. I lost 8lbs in one day!! I wasn't really talking to anyone about what was going on, (diarrhea doesn't make for a great topic of conversation) but Curtis mentioned some of my symptoms to his mom. Immediately she told him that she had had the same problem and she found that she was lactose intolerant. The same thing had also happened to his sister. Immediately he called me and told me to try cutting out dairy. So I started my lactose free diet and within a couple of days I was cured!!!

Now you are probably wondering how this all ties together. A couple weeks earlier when I was telling Curtis about my middle of the night idolatry conviction, I hadn't been completely honest with him. I was vague about the conviction because I was embarrassed. You see, the main thing that the Lord convicted me about was ice cream!!!!!!! How was I supposed to seriously tell my husband that the Lord had kept me awake most of the night to confront my love of ice cream...that is just completely humiliating! But after Curtis mentioned being lactose intolerant, I just had to laugh. I was immediately reminded of my prayer, "Lord, do whatever it takes to get rid of these idols." When Curtis got home I confessed to him the truth about the conviction. He thought it was hilarious of course. We agreed...Jesus gave me diarrhea :-)

I hope my story makes you laugh, because God is funny. I also hope it allows you to look into your own life and see if there are any idols in your backpack. Pray about it...God answers our prayers :-)

Waiting on God.

Do you ever feel like life is going nowhere...like time is standing still? Sometimes I just feel like an overwhelming passion is brewing inside me, but there is no outlet...no huge task I can poor my fire into...no huge world problem I can solve with my fervor.
I was thinking about Joshua today. Until recently, whenever I thought of Joshua, I would think of him scouting out Canaan and having faith that God could overcome the enemies of the Israelites; or of him leading the march around Jericho believing God would give His people the city. But recently I've been thinking about Joshua as a young boy. Joshua was the aide to Moses, while Moses was leading the Israelites. Anywhere Moses went Joshua also went. When God summoned Moses to speak with Him on the mountain top, Joshua was there. When called called Moses to the tent of meeting, Joshua was there. Exodus 33:11 is talking about God speaking with Moses in the tent of meeting, "The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent."
I can't help but wonder what the heck Joshua did in the tent of meeting without Moses? My imagination loves to run away with stuff like this. It must have been kind of overwhelming to be such a close witness to the power of God at such a young age. What an amazing opportunity!
At this time, Moses is pretty much the only guy that is truly God's "friend"; he is the only one having this kind of communion with God. And young Joshua is the only one getting to witness every moment of it. I wonder if Joshua ever felt left out when God and Moses were talking. I wonder if he ever thought to himself, "I could talk to God like a friend too...if only He would turn His attention to me and use me." I bet sometimes Joshua felt so filled with passion for God that he didn't know what to do with himself. It is no wonder that when Joshua faced the people of Canaan or the wall of Jericho, he was completely ready. The fire that had stirred in him from childhood could finally be released.
I pray that the fire in my heart will continue to prepare me for the call God has put before me. And I pray that I will never resent the waiting period; this is where I learn the character of God, so I can trust Him when He asks me to move.

NOT what I ordered!

Have you ever sat down for a nice meal at a restaurant, only to find that when your order shows up it is completely different than what you asked for? There are two types of people in this situation...people like my husband who would rather eat the wrong meal than make a fuss...and people like me, who spent the last 15 minutes dreaming about the perfect meal and can't imagine eating it any other way. I simply cannot stand when my order is wrong. Now, in most cases, a wrong order is simply a misunderstanding, but imagine if it wasn't. Imagine if after looking over your order, the waiter thought to himself, "Does she really need fries with that burger?...She might be better off with a side salad, and maybe some steamed broccoli." How frustrating would that be! Then, imagine the waiter coming back to the table and trying to explain his logic...I would be so confused, and probably a little offended.
I was thinking about this the other day while I was having my quiet time, and ironically Jeff spoke about my thoughts so clearly this past Sunday (If you missed it, it's a must see at www.elementweb.net).
In my life, I have clearly put in my order...I have let God know exactly what I want. I've been waiting in anticipation for everything to come out right. Then out comes the meal.
"Um...this is all wrong. You see my husband ordered the helicopter pilot with a side of fencing coach. He went to the Air Force Academy so it's the only meal that makes sense for him. I ordered the full-time ministry with the side of mommy/wife combo. I went to bible school...so this meal just fits me." Then I kindly ask my waiter with the nail scarred hands, "Do you think I could speak to your manager?"

God knows that sometimes we order things that aren't right for us...sometimes our order will clog our arteries and corrode our hearts. But I still always wonder when my order comes up wrong, "Is this God giving me what is good for me, or is satan trying to throw me off course." I think the only answer to that question is...who is waiting on me? Have I lined myself up with Christ so that I know my open doors are from Him, or am I living selfishly and receiving orders that comply with the desires of my human nature? If Christ is waiting on me (and I am waiting on Him), the order will always come out right.

the Leper

My devo reading for yesterday was in Numbers. Chapter 5 deals with those in the Israelite camp with leprosy. It's pretty sad to think about their lives...the Lord says, "send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them." There is seemingly no opportunity for healing. The bottom line...God is pure, you're not, so out of the camp you go. I can't imagine how horrible that must have been.
It makes me think about the leper in Luke 5:12, "While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, 'Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.'"
Jesus was horrified and replied, "um...I'm Jesus, I'm pure and perfect. How dare you even approach me. You are defiling my path, please leave the city at once...oh, and make sure you yell 'unclean' on your way out!"
Ok, that's not really what happened. Jesus saw the man and had compassion. He said, "I am willing." Then He did something wonderful...He touched the man. I have to wonder how long it had been since this man had been touched, how long it had been since anyone had seen him and not been completely disgusted by his appearance. Jesus could have healed him from a distance, but He didn't...He touched the man...He placed His perfect hands on a torn vessel and there was complete healing.
Think of what our lives would be like if we didn't have Jesus. He doesn't just provide us a way to heaven. He meets us where we are. Where our imperfections once put us outside the camp, they now are an avenue for God to be great through us.

The Flower Dream

I had a dream.
I saw God kneeling beside a pathway. He was working intently, preparing some soil. Opening the ground, He planted a seed. As He worked, the seed grew. A flower began to bloom. He took gentle care watering and grooming the flower. After a while, when everything was perfect, He stood and returned to His throne. He waited and watched with anticipation. On the edge of His chair He sat staring at His creation. Then, in the distance, He saw me. I was walking the path. Barely breathing, He continued to watch. I walked quickly, with purpose. Like a breeze, I came and went, not taking notice of the gift He had left. With a sigh, He sat back. He thought to Himself, "It was perfect, but she missed it." After a few moments passed, He got up and returned to my path. Again, he knelt down and began to create. He spared nothing, putting every bit as much effort into this flower as the last, "Maybe this time she'll notice...maybe she'll smile...maybe she'll realize how much she means to Me." He worked until, once again, He saw me down the pathway. He returned again to His thrown to watch in anticipation. My walk was slower this time. There was a new look in my eyes...a desire...a longing. I approached the flower and stopped. It was perfect...the most beautiful flower I had ever seen. I knelt and admired the work of art. Smiling, I rose to my feet and continued on my way. "It worked! She smiled!" God thought to Himself. I have to do it again. Over and over God returned to the path, making sure each time the gift He left was just right. The more flowers I saw, the more I was filled with the understanding of God's love for me. I began, occasionally, picking the flowers. As I would see people along my path, I would give them a flower. I took pleasure in watching them find the same joy in this creation that I had found. Eventually, my path was completely overrun with the most beautiful assortment of wild flowers. Anyone who crossed paths with mine stopped in amazement. Some picked the flowers, and continued to carry them down their own paths. I began to realize that my life's path was beginning to change the paths of others' lives. I couldn't help but stop and worship. "Thank you, Lord, for giving me this gift to pass on to others. Thank you for using me. What an amazing God...how creative and brilliant your plans are...to plant a flower to reach so many people!" That is when I heard the soft voice of my Father, "I planted that flower to see you smile."

Brothers

So I'm reading about Moses and Aaron, two brothers who have been chosen by God to be leaders amongst the nation of Israel. By the time I get to Exodus 31, these two men have been through quite the adventure. They've seen God get Pharaoh to release the Israelites, they've seen God part the sea and then turn and drown the entire Egyptian army, they've drank water from a stone, they've feasted on bread and meat straight from the hand of God. Over and over they've seen God miraculously come through for them.
Sometimes, when I read stories like this I think it would be so easy to have faith if I lived back then...I would never doubt God if I were able to witness these types of miracles.
Then chapter 32 comes and totally blows all my theories.
The Israelites are waiting for Moses to come down from the mountain. He said he was going to meet with God, but he's been gone for so long. They begin to wonder if he is ever coming back. They start feeling neglected and impatient. Aaron starts feeling the pressure of leading alone. The people are discontent...they want an answer, they want solutions, Aaron has to act. So, what does he do...he finds a God alternative. No big deal, just simply meeting the need as a leader. The people need a god to worship and the One they had is seemingly nowhere to be found. So Aaron molds a golden calf and they begin to attribute all the wonders of the God of the universe to their new graven image. "Oh, golden calf, thank you for saving us from the Egyptians...thank you for meeting our needs." Aaron served the cool-aid and everybody drank it.
It's mind boggling to me...how did Aaron get here? How did the entire Israelite nation get here? How did they witness so many miracles and then turn at the slightest bit of adversity. It's simple, their relationships with God were solely second hand.
Aaron was living like so many Christians live today. We go to church, get a message, and maybe even catch a vision. Someone tells us that we are called, so we jump on board and ride the wave. Then out of nowhere, we find ourselves in a different situation...God seems distant. We think, "maybe it had nothing to with tithing...maybe I was just good at budgeting" or "maybe the healing had nothing to do with God's power...maybe the doctors just had all the answers." We start being able to logically attribute every miracle in our lives to something or someone other than our Creator, because we never actually met Him face to face. And before we know it, we are chanting nonsense to a golden calf, and have completely lost track of where we've been.
The big difference between Moses and Aaron...Aaron was holding on to the coattails of another man's relationship with God, while Moses was climbing the mountain and meeting God face to face. It is not enough that our parents believe or that our pastor has faith...we have to have our own tent of meeting...our own experience where we come before God and get to know Him. Then, when He seems distant, we will know the truth and we will wait on Him.

Getting to know me.

I sat down with a book today called, "All About Her". Curtis and I both received copies of these books when we were first married to help us get to know each other better. Funny enough, over 4 1/2 years later, they are still both blank. I'll admit, I've almost tossed them on many occasions. To my husbands dismay, they were about to be shipped to goodwill not more than a month ago.

At first I kind of thought it was silly that he wanted to keep them. Doesn't he already know my favorite restaurant?...what I like to do on a rainy day?...and do I really want to put all my clothing sizes in writing???
But as I opened the book today, I started thinking. It is so wonderful to have a husband who still wants to pursue me. He doesn't even care if he already knows the answers to every single question in this book...he just enjoys the gesture of me continuing to reveal myself to him.

It makes me think about my relationship with God. The God I serve knows the exact number of hairs on my head. He knows my thoughts before I think them. He knows my answer before He even asks the question. So why does He ask? Why does he tug on my heart?
Because He's crazy about me. He loves to pursue me and be pursued by me.

My husband knows that I love him, but he still enjoys it when I whisper it in his ear. I think God feels the same.

I love you Curtis.

God requires action

I was reading in Exodus about the first passover. I find it interesting that the Lord had the Israelites take the blood from a lamb and put it across their doors to avoid their firstborn being killed. It's not like God didn't recognize His own people. He wasn't passing by each home wondering whether it belonged to an Egyptian or an Israelite. He didn't have to keep them up all night, slaughtering animals, eating hastily, painting doorways with blood, and burning leftovers...he could have just let them sleep right through the whole thing. So why didn't He? I think he was faith building. Letting His people know, "If you obey me, even when it doesn't make sense, I will be faithful and deliver you." He was giving them a role within a testimony that they would be able to proclaim to generations to come. He was preparing them to walk through the wilderness. Psalms says, "When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought joy to my soul." What does God's consolation look like?...it's not a big hug or a pat on the back...it's not a promise that trouble will not come again. It is the testimonies in our lives. The times that we look back on and say, "When we obeyed the Lord, He made a way for us." I'm thankful that God let's us play an active role. I don't want to be sleeping through my miracle.

Running from miracles.

Today I decided to take the girls to McDonald's playland. While watching them play I was approached by a man who noticed my element church hoodie (how could he not...they're so sweet!) He asked me a lot of questions about the church and what we believe. From there, he talked about knowing that he was on "satan's short list" because he was not afraid to pursue the Holy Spirit. It reminded me of the promo video for Jeff's next sermon series, The Wild Goose Chase. You can check it out at:
http://www.elementinsider.com/
Between the video and my conversation with this man, I have been thinking a lot about the idea of living life in an intense pursuit of the Holy Spirit.
I often become content with my Sunday school Jesus, who always calms the storm and never rocks the boat.
Yesterday, in my quiet time I was reading about the Lord calling Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. So there Moses is, tending the flock, when he notices something strange....a bush is on fire. And even though the bush is on fire, it does not burn up. At this point, Moses doesn't know that he is in the presence of God...all he knows is that normally, when bushes are on fire, they burn up. So he goes in for a closer look. Then, out of the burning bush, God decides to speak and informs Moses, a man who stutters and has horrible stage fright, that he will be marching up to Pharoah and demanding that he let the Israelites go free. So now Moses is at a crossroad, he can ignore the call of God on his life and return to tending the flock, or he can drop everything and pursue the adventure that God has presented to him. The only problem is that Moses doesn't feel adequate...the mission is to scary...it's too dangerous...it isn't possible. I guess it must have slipped his mind that the God of the universe it speaking to him through a bush! It is easy to see the risk instead of the miracle. A couple verses later the Lord tells Moses to throw his staff to the ground. As soon as Moses does it the staff turns into a snake. What does moses do?...is he convinced that God can do anything?...nope...the man runs! Why?...because he sees a snake! Again, it is easier to see the risk than it is to see the miracle.
The story challenges me to look past the fears in my life that keep me from really pursuing God. I don't want to run from miracles...I want to pursue the One who makes all things possible.

Goals

Jeff's last sermon challenged the church to set realistic goals that we can pursue over the next 21 days to create habits. I thought I would blog mine, so that I can have some accountability as I try to make some much needed changes in my life. So...here they are:

1. Set a consistent time during the day to have my devotions...I have decided to do my devotions during the girls' nap. It is the most quality time I have (due to morning sickness) and is the most guaranteed right now.

2. Verbalize what God is doing in my life. When I share what God is doing in my life it makes it more real to me. I have decided to give a testimony to at least one person each day about what God is doing.

3. Give up a bad habit. I have decided to give up drinking soda. I have actually not done too badly limiting my soda lately, but I think it is something that I easily struggle with and I would like to just give it up all together.

4. Have intentional prayer time. I have decided to break my prayer time into intercession, worship, and meditation.

These are the four things for now that I would like to pursue in the next 21 days. I am looking forward to what God does in my heart and also looking forward to continuing to add to the list and work toward living the perfect day, every day.

What are we waiting for?

I was reading in Gen 42 today. Egypt and all the surrounding lands were in the middle of a 7 year famine.
"When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons,"Why do you just keep looking at each other?" He continued, "I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die." vs. 1-2
I think it is kind of funny how, like Jacob's sons, we often sit around waiting for God to send a solution to our problems. We think, "man, I'm hungry...if only I had some grain like they do down in Egypt. Maybe today God will provide some."
Psalm 139:4 says, "Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord." God knows our thoughts and needs before we even speak them to Him. I'm not suggesting that we should not pray about our situations. I'm simply wondering if, in many cases, God has already provided what we need if we will just choose to take action.

Daily reminders

Curtis posted a blog around the New Year about having new month resolutions instead of new year resolutions. It's a great idea and a great way to be continually lining ourselves up with God's will.
When Moses was leading the Israelites, he had them put tassels on their cloaks to remind them of God's commands, so that they would walk in obedience to Him. This is a challenge to me...what resolutions has God put on my heart and what "tassels" can I put in place to remind me to walk in obedience and stick to my resolutions? It is so easy to forget our convictions and aspirations when regular life is happening all around us. Sometimes we need an alter of stone or a tassel on our cloak to keep us in line.

It takes faith to live in the promised land

I guess faith is my current weakness and thus the topic of my thoughts again today. I was reading in Numbers 13 and 14. God had brought His people out of Egypt, through the desert and now to the place He had promised...only the promise didn't look like what the Israelites had expected. Sure, there was the milk and honey thing...grapes, pomegranates, figs...amazing land for crops and hope for a future and freedom. But there were also giants, strong men living in the land who, undoubtedly, would not just hand it over. The thought of facing this adversity was enough to make the Israelites want to run back to the arms of the ones who enslaved them. At least in slavery they knew what to expect.
Isn't it true in life that our real bondage comes through the false comforts we cling to, and the belief that the promised lands are too risky?
The truth is there are ALWAYS giants living in the promised land.
Satan wants to stand directly between us and God's blessing, screaming in our faces, "Hello! There are giants here! If you come any closer they will destroy you! Go back to where you came from...you are making a big mistake!"
It takes faith to live in the promised land.
It takes understanding...if God is for us, who can be against us?
So what do we do when satan stares us in the face and challenges our promises? Shall we politely hand over our inheritance and turn back to regular life?...content to just be surviving? Or shall we charge the land and claim our promise with full force? I say we take what God has given us and settle for nothing less. How exactly do we do that... I have no idea :-) But I'm working on figuring it out.

Where are we going?

Last week, out of nowhere, Curtis asked me how I would feel about starting a college ministry in Laramie, WY. For those of you who don't know, we are a military family...we will be here for no more than a couple of years and then be sent on. Maybe that helps you imagine what was going through my head. Like a good wife, I responded something along these lines, "Sure, sounds good. Let's pray about that!" What I was really saying was, "Ok, let's stop talking nonsense...I'll let God work this craziness out of you." 

Although short, the conversation stirred a lot of emotion in my spirit. Why does God plant these dreams and desires that don't seem to make sense. One minute we feel lead in one direction and the next somewhere completely different. Maybe it is just our human nature to be discontent with where we are. Maybe it is our deep desire to walk blindly in complete chaos with only the comfort of our Creator to sustain us. 

A couple days after my conversation with Curtis I was reading about Abram. "The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you." Gen 12:1. The part that really gets me is that Abram just did it!!! What the heck? Who does that?

I think my response would be something like this, "Sure God, I love You and I am willing to do whatever You ask of me...I'm just going to need a few details before we get started; How's the housing market?...schools?...what kind of neighborhood are we talking?...will I need to get a large breed dog?...how shall I start preparing for our new ministry?...when I leave this tent, what exact direction shall I begin walking?"

I guess maybe I don't truly believe that God will work out the details, because that's my job and I'm really good at it.

So how did Abram do it? How did he relinquish all common sense and just choose to follow blindly? I have no idea! 

Lord, work in me a faith like Abram's, so that I can walk in faith without having to know the details.

Why blog?

I can't say that I am super open when it comes to my personal life and aspirations. I am a military wife...often uprooted and somewhat disconnected. Today's sermon was about getting healthy in mind, body and spirit (http://www.elementweb.net/). For whatever reason, I felt like this blog might be a good first step in getting healthy. Feel free to make yourself a part of my journey.