A little talk with Jesus

While in Texas my children listened to many CDs driving around. My mother has a kids’ cd that has many old hymns on it. Raney just loved it! She would sing and sing. One of the songs is “Just a little Talk with Jesus”. The refrain says, “A little talk with Jesus makes it right” but Raney would sing…. “A little talk with Jesus makes ME right”.

I laughed because so many times that is true! There is self-satisfaction in reading God’s words or praying and saying to ourselves… “See…I am RIGHT!” But we have to be careful in how we allow those thoughts to manifest themselves.

Just a little difference in words but it can be profound. Now, talking to Jesus does make us feel better, but it doesn’t always make us ‘right’ as in correct!

However, I think many of us make assumptions of what God is saying…and then we generously share those thoughts with others.

We get the idea of prayer, and reading the Bible out of whack. Rather than going to Jesus to align our thoughts with His…we try to make His words JUSTIFY our actions, thoughts, and ‘holier than thou’ attitudes. I am not saying this always happens but that it CAN happen…and very subtlety.

Matthew 7:1-5 says, "Stop judging, so that you won't be judged. For with the judgment you use, you will be judged. And with the measure you use, you will be measured. "Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when the beam is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you will see clearly enough to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

Humility. A character trait sorely missing in many of us at times. We must check ourselves often and allow God to work out the motives in our heart. Do we want to be ‘right’ so that we can be more like Jesus? Or are we wanting to be ‘right’ so that we tell others they are wrong and in doing so- puff up ourselves?

It is a dangerous line to walk and one I wanted to bring to light.

Not a new thought by any means. We all struggle with this. Our goal is to be Holy like God. When I find myself feeling some self righteous thoughts- I try to take a step back and just allow my life to speak for me- allowing God’s words and my time with Him to be my focus, rather than pushing my own agenda.

Jeremiah 17:9-109 "The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? 10 But I know! I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve."

Heritage of Faith

Heritage...women in the Bible...female relationships...Women of Faith...

I read a book a while back called The Red Tent. It is about the relationships of women in the old Testament- particularly Leah, Rachel and kin. I don't know that I would recommend the book- but one thing stood out to me and that was the importance of female relationships. Let's be honest- relationships among women can be really difficult. There is the unspoken competition, the PMS 'you are getting on my last nerve' reactions, the ups and down of weight, the comparisons, etc, etc. However, there is also strength. We, as women, have the ability to walk along side one another in a way that men can never have.

And in our families...we women can be the bearers of faith- passing down faith and our relationship with God to the next generation.

When I was home this past month, I went through some things that mother had kept for me. I came across an email that my grandmother had sent me. She never went to college, her life was not easy by any means, her love wasn't always felt by all... but she was a woman of faith and I saw it, experienced, received it and counted on it. It is one of the reasons I miss her. This email was in response to an email I had sent out in regards to Todd not getting a job- it was in the time of our 18month desert experience where we didn't have any income. Two weeks later we were interviewing for a job at Frontline. Isn't it funny how God works?

March 29, 2004

Hi Todd and Julie,

I wanted to say thank you for keeping us informed on what is going on in your life. There is no need for me to tell you that we all have things that don't work out the way we want, but that God is in control and all is well. I thank God for your faith and leaning on God to direct your lives. Enough said, except I thank God for both of you and your dedication in following him.

I don't know if you use the Upper Room or not, being an old Methodist I cannot get a way from it. If you do use it you have probably seen today's devotion, but just in case I felt it fit my life as well as yours. I would like to share a part of it. The title is "Out of the Fire", scripture is 1 Peter 4:12-19. It talks of a forest fire and how after the fire things come to light. New plants spring up and it is God's way of bringing new life. The last paragraph says, "Like those forest fires, the fiery trials we endure are forces that can produce spiritual growth in our lives. God uses these experiences to refine us. To be sure, we are changed forever by the fires, but the purifying of our hearts and minds also allows seeds of spiritual maturity to take root and grow."

I think this applies to everyone, but I wanted to share it with you today. Please know we love you and you are in our prayers. Give the kids a big hug!!

Love, Grana

My response:

Grana, Thanks so much for sharing. Todd and I really appreciated your words...it brought tears to my eyes to realize what a gift I have in having a grandmother that actually pursues her faith on a DAILY basis- your wisdom (and don't send me an email saying Grana isn't wise) is wonderful. I love being at least a 3rd generation woman of God.

* The pictures above are from Raney's 1st birthday and dedication. We dedicated her at home among friends and family and had Todd's mom, my mom, my grana and myself pray over Raney. I wanted her to be surrounded by strong women of faith. All of our faith, over the years, had been tested and yet was still strong.*