Attention!

The first week here in Nashville, we were ready to jump in and start trying new churches. We wanted to get connected somehow, someway, somewhere. We decided to go with some friends to their church for our first shot. As we all walked through the doors together, there was already a familiar face. However, he wasn't familiar because I knew him, but because I knew of him. A well known band member and even solo artist. I had stars in my eyes and caught myself trying to spot him in other areas of the church as we settled in for service. I had to tell myself to stop. I've been known to tell other people “They're just a person,” and here I was acting as though this person was something more. I'm not sure what got into me.

It's hard here in Nashville to not get starry eyed when Michael W. Smith stands behind you at the airport, and Faith Hill and Tim McGraw live down the street and go to Starbucks, and Jamie Lynn Spears is in town visiting her lawyer once a month, and Taylor Swift just bought a condo downtown to sit in her window and write songs. I know I enjoy the 'celebrity encounter' just as much as the next person, but why? Just to tell a story? Who made them so important? Are they just as important in the kingdom of heaven? Would I be so excited if I ran into Matt Chandler? Or Rich Nathan? Or Andy McQuitty? Or Rick Warren? Or John Edlridge? I wouldn't be telling the truth if I tried to answer yes.

My parents work for a company that has blessed our family time and time again. In both of my parents positions in management, they have been allowed special privileges or given coveted gifts and it was often because of “who they knew”. As their daughter, I have been privileged to some of these things as well. Instead of taking it as a blessing from God through these people, I began to see things in the world's eyes: It's not what you know, but who you know.

There's been a conviction in my heart about my pride. I realize that practically my whole life I've been placing everyone on this scale of who is better than who, and who I want to be like, and who I don't want to be like, and so on and so on. I see myself better than some and less than others and this has caused me to work, not for Christ and with Thanksgiving, but to prove to people around me who I am and who I can be. It isn't very fulfilling.

The cool thing my eyes are opening to see is, I work for an upside down kingdom. I work for Christ and not the world... and the least of these is the greatest (Luke 9:48).

James 2:1-4 My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim that you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people more than others? For instance, suppose someone comes into your synagogue dressed in fancy clothing and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in shabby clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor,” - well, doesn't this discrimination show that you are guided by wrong motives?

So, who are you paying attention to?

Exposed

A few nights ago, Kevin and I went for a walk. It had been raining and the ground was wet. As we walked along we spotted countless worms just wriggling their way across the sidewalk and street. It's such a curious thing to see these dirt dwellers willingly expose themselves to a foreign territory... outside of their natural protection of the ground.

As I'm watching all of these worms slide across the concrete and gather in small clumps, trying not to step on any, all I could think was 'there is something about the water they love!' It's as though the moisture in the ground doesn't compare to the feeling of just pure water on their skin, so much so that they expose themselves to dangerous elements such as pedestrians, cars, and birds. After some research, I found that coming out of the dirt when it rains makes it easier for them to breathe. (Worms breathe through their skin by a gas exchange. They have a mucous on their skin that allows this gas exchange to happen. They can breathe easier squirming across a wet ground in the rain than they can in moist dirt. Thus, they surface during rain.)

So, I've decided I live like a worm. I feel comfortable in my little dirt hole. I can hide things down there... dirty things that no one can see. I can squirm around and create my own little space amongst my sin and no one can see beyond the surface unless they dig... dig real deep.

But then it rains. The Holy Spirit pours down and begins to seep through that dirt... those sins I've packed away, and man does it feel good. It feels so good I want more. I'm drawn to the fresh feeling of His presence. So, I push upward into Him. Next thing I know I'm coming out of my dirty little hole... covered in dirt, but He continues to rain down and gently wash away my sins. There I am, exposed, but I breathe clearly. I'm outside of my comfort zone and the home I've made for myself, yet I've never felt quite this good before. It's so freeing.

I'm exposed and vulnerable, but so are all the others who chose to push through the dense, dark grime they've been living in for the pure feeling on His presence. That's when we draw close together as a community. We have nothing but God and each other to keep ourselves clean.

Every now and then I have this desire to dive back into that dirt and start digging a new hole, but then I remember how awesome His presence is, I don't get very far before I come back out.

John 4:13-14 Jesus answered and said to her, Whoever drinks of this water shall thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

I'll see you in the rain.

Kicking and Screaming

On our last trip to Nashville before we actually moved, we met up with a friend of ours named Brady. A pretty cool kid we met through Donny and Nui Ohana. He's from Nashville and knows quite a bit about the scene and he took us to a cool cafe to eat lunch.

While we were out with him, he told us a story of this kid from his church. The church he goes to isn't on the best side of Nashville. One day he walked outside with some people from his church and saw this kid jumping around outside and playing and doing what 4 year olds do. They tried to talk to the kid and let him know he should go inside... it wasn't the safest place to just be playin' around. The kid kept ignoring their warnings and requests. Finally, Brady picked him up and took him inside to his parents. He explained, “He was outside playing and I didn't think it was a good idea for him to be out there alone.” His parents thanked Brady while the kid was yelling, “I hate you! I will never forgive you!!!” Brady got down on his level and asked him, “Do you love your parents?” The kid replied, “Yes.” He asked, “Do you want to see them again?” Again the kid replied, “Yes.” So Brady explained, “Well, if you play outside here, someone might take you away and you might not ever see them again.” The kid thought about this and then replied. “Oh. Well, I'll forgive you, but I'm not happy about it!!!”

Of course, after hearing this story we were all giggling. Such a smart kid... =D

But I thought about this a little more. How many times am I doing my own thing and then God comes along and tries to redirect my path, yet I ignore him? So he tries to warn me again and I continue to ignore him. So he has to pick me up and move me while I'm kicking and screaming the whole time. Then he finally sets me down and explains why he had to move me and my response is “Oh!”

God always knows what is best for me. He sees the bigger picture. However, I sometimes get all caught up in doing my own thing that I neglect my relationship with him, or I ignore him. Then I feel like I have the right to get mad at Him when he removes me from endangering myself.

A popular verse that comes to mind is Jeremiah 29:11 - “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

So, why would I get mad if he has plans to prosper and not harm me? I like to do my own thing. I'm hard headed. I don't like to be told what to do. It's just how I am. However, I can't know everything. I'm not bigger and better... and I don't always know what is best for me. I can't be prideful and think I can do things on my own. I have to be humble and allow for God's direction.

Another verse that I think of is Isaiah 55:8-9 - "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

I have to find comfort in these words. If I truly think about it, I should be glad that I'm not in control of my own world and my own life. I would screw it up so bad!!!

So, next time God is gently redirecting my path, I hope I listen instead of throwing a fit and looking like a fool.

-Regina

Ps. If you want a good verse to read, Isaiah 55 is a great read. I read through the whole thing again when I looked it up for this blog and it amazed me with His infinite glory. If you click on the title of this blog, it will link you to the passage. Enjoy, seekers.