Holiness: Love for my Beloved

Do you ever wear pants? Can you cut your hair? Can you wear makeup? Why don't you wear jewelry? Never ending questions, day after day after day they ask with curiosity and sometimes scorn. And day after day my answers surprise them when I tell them yes I can wear pants, jewelry or make up and yes I can cut my hair. They often laugh when I tell them I can but I choose not too as they assume I'm simply brainwashed into believing it's my own choice. I can do any thing they might ask I am after all physically capable of doing so however out of love for my King I choose not to. It's all a choice. The real question is why I make that choice. 

Why? That's the question I love to answer. Ask me why I do or don't do anything with regard to modesty or holiness and the answer is always the same. I love Jesus and so I choose to dress or act in ways that show my love for Him. You see, we are the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-27) and when a bride loves her husband it is her desire to please him. On that most basic level it is my desire that Jesus be pleased with me and so I live and dress in a way that I hope will be pleasing to Him. Holiness is an outward expression of my inward love for Jesus. It's an expression of my desire to please Him and furthermore to be like Him. 

There's an interesting phenomenon that occurs when a couple has been together for long enough. The more time they spend together the more alike they become. I rememberwhen I was dating my first boyfriend I started picking up habits and likes and dislikes from him. For a simple example I used to hate sausage pizza. After a while though his favorite became my favorite and I still like sausage pizza years later. The same is true with our relationship with Christ. The more time we spend together the more alike we become. Our likes and dislikes become the same. Our desires become the same. We become alike. 

However there is a key difference in this relationship. In my relationship with Christ only one of us can change and that's me. In Malachi 3:6 He declared that He is The Lord and He changes not! Scripture is clear that He is the same yesterday, today and forever. So if He does not change and is always the same then there is only one way that we can become alike. I have to be the one that changes. I have to become like Him. For us to be like a long married couple becoming alike over time then I must change. I must become like Him. And if I am going to be like Him then I must know what He is like. 

There are many good words that can be used to describe The Lord: loving, powerful, wonderful, omniscient, the list could go on for all eternity. However there is one trait that stands out. The angels cry out one word to describe Him: holy. Of all the things God is his holiness is one of the most oft mentioned. The angels cry out "holy, holy, holy" and as Sproul put it “The Bible says that God is holy, holy, holy. Not that He is merely holy, or even holy, holy. He is holy, holy, holy. The Bible never says that God is love, love, love, or mercy, mercy, mercy, or wrath, wrath, wrath, or justice, justice, justice. It does say that He is holy, holy, holy, the whole earth is full of His glory.” And so if I'm going to become like Him that means I must become holy. In His word He even tells to be "holy for [He] is holy" (1 Peter 1:15). So the more time I spend with Him, and the more like Him I become then the more holy I become. 

And so because I love Him I do what I know will please Him. Because I love Him I spend time with Him. And when I spend time with Him I become like Him. And to be like Him is to be holy, to act holy, and to live holy. I don't dress like I do because of rules. I don't dress like I do or act like I do because a man told me to. And contrary to one popular opinion I don't dress like I do to protect the men from their own lustful ways (another post for another day). I dress and act like I do because I love Jesus and I want to please Him and be like Him. "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine" (Song of Solomon 3:6) and I want to make my Beloved happy and I want to be like Hm. And so I do all things, not even just the outwardly obvious things like clothing, with a desire to please Him because I love Him. So when you want to know why I do something there is a simple one word answer: LOVE. 

This was written as an answer to an assignment by my pastor to the young people and college and career as part of a series he is teaching. To listen to that series or any other sermon from our church click here. If you attend my church and have read this whole thing I apologize as you'll be hearing it again on Wednesday night. 

The Powerful Potential of Plastic Chairs

Chairs before service in the last church we visited in Lima, Peru

You've all seen them -- plastic garden chairs, the seemingly official seating choice of churches on the "foreign" field. You'll find them in churches large and churches small, though why I've never known. Why those chairs in particular? Why not pews, even the most basic wooden bench, they can't be that expensive, says my American brain?

But there's a flaw in my American brain. My brain likes clean, neat spaces, rows that don't get messed up, and easily determined seating capacities. My brain thinks inside the box.

Outside the box is found the answer. Plastic chairs allow you to start with 50 chairs for those you know will show but when God shows up and 100s more arrive you can add more rows until you reach the door. When there are more people than chairs you put them up and stand -- allowing more people in God's house. When the sermon has ended and the people gather eagerly to pray you can get them out of the way -- allowing all to gather at the altar without the limiting confines of immobile pews creating an arbitrary size limit on the altar area.

Plastic chairs take the limits off. Plastic chairs are full of potential.

Lord help me to take the limits off. Help me think outside the box.

Our Song

Our song -- every couple has one -- that special song that makes you think of the other person. Maybe it's the song you heard on your first date. Maybe it's a song that tells a story similar to your own. Maybe it's just a song you both like. It gives you goose bumps to hear it and leaves you soft and sentimental, maybe a little misty eyed. It's a different song for everyone, but that's what makes it special. 

Right now I don't just have one song that's "our song." There's several. And they change often. But there's always at least one -- special to where our relationship is right now. There's always at least one song, usually several that make my heart skip a bit and my eyes mist. But these aren't songs that bring to mind a special person. No these are songs that make my heart flip thinking of my dearest love, the one who laid it all down for me, the lover of my soul, my one and only savior, Jesus.

Right now these are our songs, songs that make me stop anything I'm doing and cry in thanks, songs that make me feel His love, songs that remind me of all He's done and all I get to do.

Closer

"What Can I Do?"

You Are Holy

Victor's Crown

So, those are "our songs" right now. What are some of yours? Maybe I'll find another one to add to my list. Keep worshipping my friends. Keep communing with Him. And when you find that song that makes you stop and pray no matter what you're supposed to be doing listen to it often!

New Year

A new year. A fresh start. A blank slate there for writing on. A chance to improve and put the failures of the past behind. This day is so full of promise. The world is full of people with zeal for changes and self improvement. A month from now most have failed but that doesn't have to be you -- or me. 2014 can be different. 

2013 was an interesting year full of many highs but not all I would have wanted it to be. It was a year of triumphs and tears. A year in which I moved forward in many ways and found myself lacking in others. But today is a new day. A day to go higher. A day to go further. A day to do all He asks me to do. So this year I have one word on my heart: Faithful. A reminder that He is always faithful and a reminder to myself to be faithful in the small things that are easy to forget. Faithful.

This year I'm not posting my resolutions publicly but I will say I've taken steps to ensure they go beyond today -- at least the truly important ones. Step 1 is accountability. I'm working together with friends on some of the same things to make sure we keep each other on target. Step 2 is making the goals manageable -- each month has it's own goal -- often to be determined by the previous month's success. Don't let 2014 be another year wasted. Go. Do. Create. Make it great. It's a whole new year with 365 days to use for His glory!

Giving and the Wonders of Social Media

I'm a fan of social media. It's a fact and those who know me know it well. It has its faults and issues I'll admit. But it has some wonderful qualities as well. I'll address the flaws at some later date but today I'd like to talk about the good sides.

It's magical the people you can come in contact with who you'd ordinarily never meet. Several weeks ago I was over on Evy's Tree's blog and she featured a fundraiser she was doing to help fund an adoption for Emmy over at It's Just Emmy. I'd never encountered Emmy and her blog nor the amazing adoption loving community on Instagram. I didn't need any more hoodies so I didn't buy one even though I found Emmy's story touching. However as I clicked through some of her other posts I found another fundraiser. This one was for a print of a lovely quote by Amy Lou. 

When the Lord places a calling on your life He also provides the map & the lamp to guide your path. All you have to do is follow.

I loved it and bought it immediately. Later on I got the print and Amy Lou had sent me several extras as well. The generosity this stranger had astounded me. To do a fundraiser for someone whom I believe she's never met AND through in extras with purchases she was already making no profit on was amazing. 

As I continued to look at her posts and those of others I was inspired by their giving ways and the friendships formed among these women. I watched in amazement as Emmy has continued to host fundraisers for other adoptive parents after sweet Georgia's adoption was fully funded. I watched strangers give to people they'd never met. Somewhere along the way their attitudes rubbed off on me. Not only have they inspired me to make time to be crafty and create beauty instead of worrying about making it perfect they have also inspired me to give. This week I found myself reading a post by someone on Facebook who frankly occasionally annoys me. However a post that would previously have irritated me instead inspired sympathy. I still have to check my attitude on a regular basis but after the influence of these lovely ladies I instead decided to find a way to bless this person who is obviously going through a rough patch. Later on I was shopping and about to buy a second pair of boots (obviously a want not a need) and then remembered a little girl from my church's bus route wearing sandals last night when it was 35 degrees outside and headed over to find a pair of flats for her instead. 

I don't say this for you all to know that I did something "good" but to marvel at the impact these giving ladies that I've never met have had on me. Social media can be a time wasting, depressing technology, but it can also connect us with people better than we might without. It can allow others to influence us and vice versa. It's amazing. Find someone who makes you want to be a better person and follow them. Let their light ignite yours.

AYC Peru: Want to Help? Pray!

As our AYC trip swiftly approaches I am grateful for everyone who has prayed, donated, and spoken many words of encouragement. I have no doubt the next few weeks will change my life altogether for the better. I have one final request though: keep praying!

Bro. Jury (our chaperone) sent us the following prayer focus that I'd like to share with you all.

1. Protection (from thieves, accidents, diseases, etc)
2. God opens the way before us (this includes the ease of our travels without problems i.e. airport security, no mechanical difficulties or delays, etc.)
3. Favor (for God to grant us favor first of all with HIM, with the church and the heathen, business and otherwise, wherever we go)
4. That God will make us a blessing to His church and people, use as instruments for His Glory
5. That people will come to know Him as a result of our efforts
6. That God will teach us things through our Brethren whom we will get to know and know God better as a result

All of these are important things, but I would especially like to ask you all to pray for our protection. I have had a friend experience a bad accident on another AYC trip (But my God had his hand of protection on her still -- blog post to come detailing His divine work) and I've known of many who have had to spend part of their trips in hotel rooms sick with this virus or that illness. 

We covet and appreciate your prayers during this endeavor and are confident that God will encamp angels round about us during this journey. Pray that many people will be touched and blessed by God in Peru and that both the Peruvian church and the AYC Peru team would be forever impacted. Continue to pray for AYC Dominican Republic today -- they have made it back to Miami and are all traveling home today, and for AYC El Salvador -- on the ground until next Monday! 

AYC Peru: FAQ

I just want to take a minute to answer some of the frequently asked questions about my trip. This post is accurate as of it's posting but information is subject to change as there are still many things we don't know.

What organization you traveling with? I'm traveling with Apostolic Youth Corps, a division of the United Pentecostal Church International. AYC is a combined effort between the Global Missions Division and the General Youth Division to send young people overseas to be an active part in missions work. This particular trip is also sponsored by another division of the UPCI, Campus Ministry International. 

Do you know anyone you're going with? I do not know one soul on the trip personally. Through facebook, texting, and phone calls I have become good friends with two of my group members but we have yet to actually meet. I know of a few of the people through mutual acquaintances but essentially I'm going with 25 strangers.

How many people are in your group? As best as I can figure from counting email addresses there are 23 of us in the group. We will be traveling with 2 chaperones, David and Holly Jury, and with the Showalters, our host missionaries.

When are you leaving? We depart on Friday July 12 from Houston. We'll be flying out about 4 in the afternoon. The group will assemble in Houston throughout the day and leave together at that time. We will arrive in Lima that night at about 10:30.

How long is the flight? The flight from Houston to Lima is 6 hours 30 min. It is direct and they claim they're going to feed us. It will be the longest I've ever flown and the highest altitude, so prayers for my sensitive ears are appreciated.

How long will you be there? We have 9 actual days in the country plus 2 travel days. We will be actively in Peru doing things other than sitting on planes from July 13-July 21. 

Where in Peru are you going? We are going to Lima, Arequipa, Juliaca, Puno, Lake Titicaca, Cuzco, and Macchu Picchu.

What are you going to be doing? Honestly, I don't really know. Whatever they tell us to do haha. I do know that we are going to be participating in at least one church service in every place except Macchu Picchu. We will even be in a service on a UPCI Island Church in the Uros man made Islands. Because our trip is sponsored by CMI it is probably safe to assume we will do some work in colleges and universities there. I also know we will be doing evangelism. There is sight seeing on the schedule but except for Macchu Picchu it is combined with street evangelism, etc. No time will be wasted.

Will you have access to the internet? At times yes. The two hotels we know so far do claim to have wifi but I will not be paying international data charges so access will be limited to when wifi is available.

Are you going to be uploading pictures while you're there? When wifi is available I will upload pictures to Instagram (which will also post to my facebook and my twitter feed). I also plan to blog as time and internet connections allow.

Will you have your phone? Yes BUT it will be in airplane mode all the time. Phone calls will cost me $2.89 a minute, sending a text will cost me $0.50 and receiving one will cost $0.05. DO NOT TEXT ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you would like to send me a message you may either facebook message me or download the app WhatsApp and send me messages that way.

Got more questions? Post them in the comments! That's all for now folks!