Extreme?

Jesus commands us to go
It should be the exception if we stay

It's no wonder we're moving so slow

When God's children refuse to obey

-Keith Green

Perhaps if it was only a man speaking words such as these we could sign them off as extreme and unnecessary. But when the Spirit of God whispers them as truth, we dare not turn a deaf ear. If we are our Lord's bond servants, our ears are pierced, and we hear Him.

It should be the "exception" if we are to stay? But Lord, that makes it sound like everyone is called to go and follow you.

Yes.

It makes it sound like everyone is commanded to leave their home and loved ones and friends and possessions to go and bring your Kingdom to this world.

Yes.

It makes it sounds like we are to go and die!

"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."

Lord, this seems so harsh! So extreme!

Yes.

But "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."

-----------------------

Perhaps Keith Green was considered extreme. Perhaps what Jackie Pullenger did (and still is doing) was considered extreme. Perhaps what Katie in Uganda is doing, with 13 kids at 20 years of age, is considered extreme and unnecessary. But then I see my Lord, running through His temple with a whip removing the filth of corruption and evil. What was that considered? If He came to your church today with a whip, full of zeal for His house, prepared to ruthlessly remove anything that does not bring glory to His holy name, would you welcome Him? Or would there be a different reply?

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There are some who would have Christ cheap.

They would have Him without the cross.

But the price will not come down.

-Samuel Rutherford

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Extreme? No, just the GOSPEL.

C^aBa C^aBa C^aBa!!!

One week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't believe it!!!!!!!!!

In one week I leave for Russia!!!!!!!!!

How Much?

"Ours must not be the love which asks 'how little?' but 'how much?'

We must look upon the world, with all its delights and all its attractions,

with suspicion and reserve.

We are called to a higher Kingdom,

we are touched with a diviner Spirit.

It is not that He forbids us this or that comfort of indulgence;

it is not that He is stern, demanding us to follow a narrow path.

But we who love our Lord and whose affections are set on Heavenly things

voluntarily and gladly lay aside the things that charm and ravish the world,

that, for our part, our hearts may be

ravished with the things of Heaven

that our whole being may be poured forth in

constant and unreserved devotion

in the service of the Lord who died to save us."

-Amy Carmichael

More Colorado Pictures

Colorado

Set Apart Girl Conference 2009

So many girls!

That was my first thought as I found a seat in the Panorama Room for session #1. But as I sat there watching them all enter I could suddenly feel the presence of God so strongly, and it was so overwhelming that I was almost crying. How amazing to think that God brought each one of these girls to this place, for reasons perhaps unknown to them, and that He loves them each intimately and has a special plan for each of their lives.

Quite a few people have been curious about this conference that Nana and I went to, and when we came back they were curious as to what it was about. Since the subject was basically one, and yet wide and varied in all it's aspects, it takes more than a simple 5 minute chit-chat conversation to explain. Since it's easier for me to write, I will try it that way. I describe it as some of those "excellent things" that I have fallen in love with of late. (see proverbs:)

Here is a little glimpse into what each session was about. It is mostly from portions of my notes and may not necessarily flow together very smoothly, but for those who want to know a little of what it was about, here it is:

Session One: The Lost Art Of True Beauty

{What it Means to Be Set-Apart}
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dying that He might live;

decreasing that He might increase

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What is the secret of great living?

Entire separation to Christ and devotion to Him.

Thus speaks every man and woman whose life has

made more than a passing flicker in the spiritual realm.

It is the life that has no time for trifling that counts.

-Amy Carmichael

--------------------------

There are some who would have Christ cheap.

They would have Him without the cross.

But the price will not come down.

-Samuel Rutherford

-----------------------

If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Matthew 16:24,25

Session Two: The Sacred Code Of Honor

{Reflecting Christ in the Daily Life}

----------------------

Tell me in the light of the Cross,

isn't it a scandal that you and I live today as we do?

-Alan Redpath

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James 4:4

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A pure heart is one to which all that is not of God is strange and jarring.

-Tauler

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Questions to prayerfully ask:

Where do I spend the best hours of my day?

Where do I turn to for rest, enjoyment, and pleasure?

Are there things in my life that I can't imagine giving up?

-----------------------

Areas for consideration in the light of the Cross and the Word of God:

{Gossip}

{Guys}

{Crude/Coarse Jesting}

{Free Time/Entertainment}

{Conduct}

{Manipulation}

{Social Status/Popularity}

{Future/Career Ambitions}

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God's primary purpose for us is not that we would be happy,

but that we would be holy.

-Elizabeth Elliot

Session Three: The Sacred Shield

{Removing Breeches, Putting on the Full Armor of God}

--------------------------
The only saving faith is that which casts itself on God for life or death.

-Martin Luther

-----------------------

Common areas of harassment from the enemy:

Fear?

Anxiety?

Depression?

Guilt?

Confusion?

Insecurity?

--------------------------

Eph. 6:10-11

------------------------------

The book of Nehemiah is an excellent study in FORTIFICATION.

Fortification is the victorious life that we are called to, which God has purchased for us by his blood. Let us therefore fear... (Heb. 4:1)

----------------------------

Another good study in the Word is: Our God vs. the enemy.

God's pain versus the enemy's pain.

Light vs. Darkness

Father of Lights vs. Father of Lies

Discipline vs. Abuse

Bridegroom vs. Harsh Husband

Shepherd vs. Roaring Lion...

--------------------------

The first step in Fortification is identifying the breeches.

What access points does the enemy have?

Common breeches:

Unconfessed sin

Sinful strongholds

Satanic objects or activities

--------------------

What do we feed into our minds?

--------------------------

The second step is making a sacred list of every area in need of fortification, understanding the power of prayer, and wrestling in it.

The third step is wrestling until the break of day.

--------------------------------

He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find Him the rest of the day.

-Andrew Bonar

Session Four: The Sacred Season

{God's Amazing Plan and Purpose for Singleness}

-----------------------------------
This session was amazing. Krissy, Eric's sister, shared her story with all of us. It is such a beautiful picture of God's faithfulness and love. When Krissy was very young, around twelve years old, she set herself completely apart for her LORD and her future husband, even as every other young person around her was doing the complete opposite, including her brothers.

Eric described some of their life growing up, how Krissy didn't care about popularity or guys or clothes like the rest of the teenage girls around her, but befriended the outcasts and oddballs in her school and found her joy in her Lord. Eric and Mark would mock her; their nickname for her was Saint, and from their tone it was not a compliment. Eric laughs now because here he is now, years later, and he and Leslie are holding a conference called "Set-Apart Girl", and saint means set-apart.

Krissy was joyful and fulfilled in her Lord Jesus all through her single years, obeying Him and trusting Him and serving Him. She wasn't waiting around for God to bring her a husband, but rather pouring herself out for her Savior. It wasn't until she was in her early thirties that God brought her husband Scott into her life, and the story of that is amazing and beautiful. (And thoroughly hilarious when Eric helped Krissy tell it.)

There is lots more to her story, and it's worth looking into. They include it in several of their books, or you can listen to a short podcast of it in Leslie's podcasts at Set Apart Girl.

------------------------------------------

At lunch time on Saturday a group of us girls gathered around Krissy and asked questions. I don't remember the question that one of the girls asked, but one of her reply really caught me. With a joyful smile and huge excitement she proclaimed: "Right now, you have the Perfect Husband!" She was so sure; she knew this deeply, experientially, truly; I was transfixed by her words, chosen so carefully and prayerfully, spoken so gently and yet like pure iron. She extolled the awesome qualities of our Husband, the blessedness to be only His, to belong to only One, to be single, to be Single-Minded! She laughed. "When you marry, you marry a man, and men are sinners! But if your Lord would have you love a man, a sinner like yourself, He will teach you how."

Listening to this woman was beyond inspiring. She is old enough to be my mother, and yet her spirit is like that of a young girl. She knows Wisdom, and she shared Him freely, joyfully, and lovingly with a little group of girls from across the nation, from ages 15- 30, all so different and yet joined in one central Bond, who hunger for Him.

Session Five: The Sacred Claim

{The Beauty of a Poured-Out Life}

This session was perhaps the most life-altering for me. The need is huge, too huge for 200 young girls to ever meet on their own. But that was not the point. The point is the greatness of our God, who has called us and empowered us by His grace to obey. May we seek to GO.

As Mary of Bethany, may we pour our most priceless possession, even our very life, at the feet of our Redeemer. Even if the world mocks. Even if those who call themselves His "friends" mock. Even if it appears unnecessary, ridiculous, or extreme. May we GO. Lord, whatever it means in our own lives, may we go!

I won't try to describe what we heard in this session right now, but be assured that you will hear more of it in the future!

Session Six: Answering the Guy Questions

{Shaping Guys into Warrior-Poets}

----------------------------------------

This session was excellent too. Eric ended up doing it with Leslie, which was really cool. Guys, you probably would have been a little uncomfortable as Eric boldly proclaimed exactly what a real man is like, and you might have been even a little more uncomfortable as he set manhood first into three categories, then rated it from 1-10. Yep, it would have been funny to see your face. But it was good stuff. If you're curious, perhaps you would be interested in reading Eric's books God's Gift To Women, and The Bravehearted Gospel. But it's a lot to describe, so I will try to share another post on the subject later on.

All in all, it was amazing. Eric and Leslie's hunger for God is unquenchable. Their joy and love for Him is contagious. It wasn't the truth that they proclaimed that hit me as much as their lives. Even the way they relate to people, especially their son Kip's tummy mommy Bex, who also attended the conference, is nothing short of a picture of Christ's love. Bex is a young girl just like me, just like two hundred other girls, and we share a common song: we have been called out of darkness and into marvelous light, that we might proclaim the praises of our Lord. What a blessing to meet girls like her.

Well, that's all for now!

Rise Up

"Rise up, you women who are at ease,

Hear my voice; you complacent daughters,

Give ear to my speech.

In a year and some days you will be troubled,

you complacent women; for the vintage will fail,

The gathering will not come.

Tremble, you women who are at ease;

Be troubled, you complacent ones;

Strip yourselves, make yourselves bare,

And gird sackcloth on your waist...

...Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high,

And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,

And the fruitful field is counted as a forest.

Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,

And righteousness remain in the fruitful field.

The work of righteousness will be peace,

And the effect of righteousness,

Quietness and assurance forever.

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Isaiah 32:9-11, 15-17

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"Yes, the LORD will give what is good;

And our land will yield its increase.

Righteousness will go before Him,

And shall make His footsteps our pathway."

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Psalm 85:12-13

Anticipation

Oh God, my heart is steadfast;

I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.

Awake, lute and harp!

I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise You, O LORD, among the peoples,

And I will sing praises to You among the nations.

For Your mercy is great above the heavens,

And Your truth reaches to the clouds.

Psalm 108:1-4

I will hear what God the LORD will speak,

For He will speak peace

To His people and to His saints;

But let them not turn back to folly.

Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,

That glory may dwell in our land.

Mercy and truth have met together,

Rightousness and peace have kissed.

Truth shall spring out of the earth,

And righteousness shall look down from heaven.

Yes, the LORD will give what is good;

And our land will yield its increase.

Righteousness will go before Him,

And shall make His footsteps our pathway.

Psalm 85:8-13

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When we arrived at the airport this morning we were told that our flight was cancelled. They were able to book us another one with a 12:22 departure. So here we are back at home and I feel like I've already been up all day; I got up at 3:15. I hardly sleep before trips, I've been that way since I was little. But I got a little more rest the past few hours, and we will head up to the airport again in an hour. It's good that we're heading over a day early already! God knows best, and perhaps the reason that He causes us to wait for things in life is because it gets us to wait for Him.

"I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope.

My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning---

Yes, more than those who watch for the morning."

Psalm 130:5,6

This is just a tiny example, but

"There is no great with Thee, there is no small,

For Thou art all, and fillest all in all."

-Amy Carmichael

Nana and I are so blessed, and so excited to be going to this Set-Apart Girl Conference.

Thanks for all your love, support, and prayers.

Come

This is a portion of a sermon by Paris Reidhead called So Great Salvation.

Ever Brighter

Who is she who looks forth as the morning,

Fair as the moon,

Clear as the sun,

Awesome as an army with banners?

-Song of Solomon 6:10

But the path of the just is like the shining sun,
That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.


-Proverbs 4:18


He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.


-Psalm 37:6

...Then your light shall break forth like the morning...

When? How?

...If you take away the yoke from your midst,
The pointing of the finger, and speaking of wickedness,
If you extend your soul to the hungry
And satisfy the afflicted soul,
Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,
And your darkness shall be as the noonday...

-Isaiah 58:8, 9-10


"I live in the wonder of Your love
You rise like a sun in my heart..."

-"Sing Over Me" a song by Bethany Dillon

For the LORD God is a sun and a shield;
The LORD will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly.

O LORD of hosts,
Blessed is the man who trusts in You!

-Psalm 85: 11-12