Yes! Found it!

I have thought about this Girl Talk post hundreds of times since it came out a year ago. I finally found it in the archives.

The reason I think about it is because it comes up so much, in my life and in those around me. We worry about and fear things that aren't even realities. Especially us women, if we are honest. Our minds are spinning over the what-ifs - big ones and small ones. Examples in my life right now: miscarriage, difficult labor, deaths of loved ones, etc. Or, on a more day-to-day basis, maybe I wonder if a parent (of a 5th grader) is mad at me, when I don't even know if that's true.

The phrase that literally LEAPED out of me from this old post was that there is NO grace for our imaginations.

Here's a snippet, so you can see what I mean...

We would do well to heed Elisabeth Elliot’s wise reminder that there is no grace for our imaginations. None. It’s simply not available. God is not waiting in the wings to help us through whatever horrible imaginary trouble we can conjure up today. But His goodness is stored up and will be abundantly poured out whenever we walk through a real trial.

Read the whole post here.

Just like the Girl Talkers, I have found this very helpfully personally and in ministering to others. When friends come to you with burdens about the "what-ifs" try to point them to the fact that there's not grace for our imaginations, but whatever REALLY happens, God will be gracious and near.

This is a good truth to preach to yourself.

After all,
Proverbs 31:25 (English Standard Version)
25(A) Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.

Go!

Over time, God has given us a burden for the area surrounding our local church here in Louisville. Our street has exposed us to some of city life (we're used to the constant "music" of sirens, have had a bike stolen,etc), but if you keep traveling, the scenery keeps on changing and things get rough. If you go even just a few streets over from our house, it's a whole different world. The inner city. Last night, we were driving around after going out to eat, just looking at the neighborhoods around us, and it struck me that it's sad that a lot of life is still segregated. I really think that. There are poor and hurting, lost and lonely, down and out folks just miles from other parts of the Ville that are so squeaky clean, well-kept, safe and white. I am not nearly as burdened as I should be. However, two things have increased my burden lately. Not to mention the fact that our neighbors in our building do not know Christ. We long for them to. We are sharing with them as God opens doors and builds our friendships. And Dustin's Basketball guys - fighting, stealing, hardened. Yet God is at work in some of them. The lost are everywhere. We have the truth they need to hear.

So, the two things that have increased my all-too-small burden, that I recommend to you -

1. This post - My Child Is An Inner-city Missionary

2. ...and this song, which is on a cd that Dustin received for his birthday.
I really encourage you to read through the words, even if the genre is not your style. And, then, be encouraged to GO and run with your beautiful feet, wherever He takes you, wherever you live...
Beautiful Feet by LeCrae & Dawntoya

"I pray y'all listen-- it's all a true story."
"How beautiful are the feet of those that bring the good news." (From Isaiah & Romans)

Carlos was born in killa cali, was walking down an alley
he caught a bullet in his head that left him bleeding badly.
He lost everything at that moment except for his life
he lost his hearing, lost his movement, even lost his sight
He laid there in a coma, but man nobody cared--
the Gospel preached in his neighborhood? Nobody dared
But 'los got up out that coma and was able to hear
a missionary shared the gospel to his open ears
He got saved, got trained, got discipled
back to the hood, you could find him preaching the Bible.
He led a homie to Christ that's from the same hood
part of a church plant, come on now, aint His name good?
This is a blessing; I'm stressing that this is not the norm
we need leaders and believers to help carry it on
But who would minister in this sinister part of town?
I pray if Jesus is calling you that you would be found

Go, go, go (run with those beautiful feet)
Go, go, go
You hold the truth that saves, so run and shout it to the world
They can't believe in something they ain't never heard
Go, go, go and run with those beautiful feet

Eric used to go to Bible study as a kid
he got older, started doing what the hood did
A rival gang caught him slippin, tried to take his life
but then the gun jammed on him, so them beat him nice
He woke up in the hospital singing Bible songs
Praise God he had a place to learn the Bible from
But then he gets saved and wanna preach Christ--
they make him change his whole culture, whole way of life
He gotta get him a bachelors, wear a suit and tie,
go to seminary, by then all of his boys will die
Jesus came to invade culture outta Nazareth
and used a couple fisherman who people saw as hazardous
The feet are beautiful if only they'd go
if ain't nobody in the hood preaching, how will they know?
See, Eric is better used taught truths in his context
somebody please plant a church in his projects.

Go, go, go (run with those beautiful feet)
Go, go, go
You hold the truth that saves, so run and shout it to the world
They can't believe in something they ain't never heard
Go, go, go and run with those beautiful feet

In Luke 4:16 on down to 21,
Jesus says he's the Messiah, says he's the chosen one
But more than that he quotes Isaiah, that shows that our Savior
targets oppressed, captive, blind, the broke and I'm saying
He had a heart for the poor, had a heart for the low
and 1st John 2:6 is way we should go
In Deuteronomy even tho they under the law,
the tithes every third year the poor'd get em all
And I ain't sayin you wrong if you live in the burbs
I'm sayin turn your attention to the hood; we hurting
Man, if you ain't burdened, please pick up your word and
tho this world is going down, while we here we can serve him
We bring this to the streets because we knew the streets
I pray that more would be burdened to have beautiful feet
You never knew the streets but truth is what you preach?
I pray to God you'd be burdened to have beautiful feet.

Go, go, go (run with those beautiful feet)
Go, go, go
You hold the truth that saves, so run and shout it to the world
They can't believe in something they ain't never heard
Go, go, go and run with those beautiful feet

Eek!

Anyone else feeling overwhelmed lately? This time of year - between piles of grading, 5th grade kids (and parent issues), normal fatigue (and added pregnancy fatigue), dishes, deadlines, lesson plans, conferences, etc, I am tempted to despair.

Thankfully, the Lord brought something to mind this morning that has stayed with me all day and given me much comfort.

It is from Scripture, but mingled with a Valley of Vision prayer, which I don't have in front of me.

So, it goes something like this - "I have found that there is nothing so true as this - that apart from Thee, I can do nothing."

This makes me lean, depend, beg, pray, rely, ask, cast cares... and there is a gracious Father who is an ever-present help.

Put your armor on...

"O Church, Arise"
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music

O church, arise and put your armor on;
Hear the call of Christ our captain;
For now the weak can say that they are strong
In the strength that God has given.
With shield of faith and belt of truth
We'll stand against the devil's lies;
An army bold whose battle cry is "Love!"
Reaching out to those in darkness.

Our call to war, to love the captive soul,
But to rage against the captor;
And with the sword that makes the wounded whole
We will fight with faith and valor.
When faced with trials on ev'ry side,
We know the outcome is secure,
And Christ will have the prize for which He died—
An inheritance of nations.

Come, see the cross where love and mercy meet,
As the Son of God is stricken;
Then see His foes lie crushed beneath His feet,
For the Conqueror has risen!
And as the stone is rolled away,
And Christ emerges from the grave,
This vict'ry march continues till the day
Ev'ry eye and heart shall see Him.

So Spirit, come, put strength in ev'ry stride,
Give grace for ev'ry hurdle,
That we may run with faith to win the prize
Of a servant good and faithful.
As saints of old still line the way,
Retelling triumphs of His grace,
We hear their calls and hunger for the day
When, with Christ, we stand in glory.

Introducing...

Baby Butts!

We got an early ultrasound (my doctor usually only does them at week 20), due to the fact that I had some reasons to be unsure of my due date. (It IS November 9, and the counter is only 1 day off, I think.)

I suppose it will be hard to see on the blog, but give it your best shot. It was incredible to go and hear/see the heartbeat, see the baby wiggling (a camera ham already, the lady said), see the head, arms and legs. And, what's more, when I met with a friend here for discipleship and showed her, (she was a labor and delivery nurse) she pointed out even more in the top picture. In the top one, the baby is facing you, and you can detect eyes/eye sockets (look for 2 little tiny black dots), chin, curled up arms and legs (sweet stubs, rather)... a little gummy bear-looking, if you will. She also said part of the head is really something else (I forgot what she said... a shadow?), so if you put your thumb over the right side of the head, you can find the eyes a little quicker, if that helps.

Anyway, we are marveling at God's handiwork, as he knits our child together. He's doing a grand job! :)