Worship in the dark

Can you worship in the dark? No I'm not talking about the absence of electricity, candles or anything that produces light, I'm talking about the darkness of life. The answer is yes, you can and should. If we broaden our vision and look at what's happening more than just inside our bubble of conformability then we would see so much more that God is wanting to show us because we have so much more to learn. In seasons where we feel distant from God or when we question Him with the "whys" we need to remember that He is sovereign. 

In the United States we are more than privileged, we are extremely blessed but I don't think this makes us any more blessed than those who don't live in our country. We're able to worship in most cases without fear of persecution however imagine living in a country that forbids your ability to praise, worship and teach Christianity, imagine having to live in secrecy, hiding your bible because if being found it would mean death. Here in our privileged society we also have access to somewhat decent healthcare but imagine living somewhere it's not readily available or affordable and if becoming sick was a death sentence. These are the things I think about, why do some have and some don't?

The truth is God reigns. I don't believe think that He causes pain or darkness without purpose. I believe He uses every situation whether it's persecution, sickness or any of life's seasons that causes the light to dim into dark for the purpose of worship and for praising Him. Jesus hung on the cross for us not to question the failures of society but for us to live freely in the comfort of knowing Him and though trouble may happen and darkness may fall, we have to remember...there will always be day 3.

Read: Romans 8:32, John 11:4

Curtian call

Growing up I played the flute and piccolo and secretly my dream while in high school was that I wanted to play in a Boston Pops orchestra and travel the world. It was a dream...

The last time I picked up my flute was 13 years ago and it's remained safely in it's carrying case since. I've taken it out a couple of times to try an remember the feeling, remember the happiness I had when I played. I once tried to put it together and play but the pads and in need of replacement and music was not heard. It wasn't the same. Something that used to give me such joy had been locked away for years, not being exposed, not being cared for and not being admired.

Do we do the same to our Savior? Is he treated like a commodity in which we pull only when needed? Is He kept safely away in a case and occasionally admired? Honestly, I used to think that way. I could do life on my own, that the decisions that I made were mine and no one was going to influence me...I'm independent!

Don't put God in a dark case and bring him out when convenient. When you go through a dark season in life where you feel locked up, or neglected and perhaps you need your pads replaced, remember that the ONE who created you is the maestro. Sometimes the seeds that He plants, need darkness to take root, to start the growing process. So don't stop playing, keep reading the music, keep tuned to what the Lord is teaching you and you'll see that your curtain called is on the season, not on your life.

Find the good in everything and learn that in the darkness, the lamp at your feet will show you the way to the stage.

Psalm 119:105

Life Buckles

I love dragonflies, they have such a huge meaning to me. I collect them and even have a tattoo of one. Here's why. One my first dogs, Cody loved to chase them, running and jumping after them was comical to watch. I loved this part of his personality. He was a basset mix, long and low to the ground and sweet as pie..and boy did he love his momma, and I loved him. Cody was 3 years old when something changed, something switched in my sweet boy and he became aggressive towards other animals and humans alike. I tried everything, special "boot camp" training, meds and diet changes but nothing helped. He attacked the other dogs and he attacked my dad and I. The meds he was put on made him in to a zombie and he had to be separated from the pack to avoid confrontation...this was not quality of life. Shortly after his 4th birthday on July 3rd, 2009 I made the decision to release Cody from his earthly pain. It was the hardest decision I had ever had to make, he was my boy, my baby, but I couldn't see him suffer any longer. The consensus between the vet and others was that he had a brain tumor, which could be the explanation to the sudden change in his behavior. 

I was mad at God for a long time after. How could He have allowed this to happen.? Why did he not heal Cody? 

Years following my heart started to heal, I am the prodigal daughter. I returned to the One whom through all my trials, never left my side but stayed consistent in His love. Cody and I shared the part of his life that the Lord had written in my story, but unknowingly to me through all the pain and blame I imposed on myself, the Lord was using this to bring me back to Him. 

Through the buckles of life the Lord is the constant. If you look back at all the trials you have encountered in your life, can you see where He was in the mess of it all? Can you see that He had never left? Sometimes we are so blinded by our circumstances because we want to protect ourselves from pain that we forget to look down and see the Hand that holds us up and challenges us to embrace the buckles through life so that we will choose to embrace the Love, the Grace and the Forgiveness that He so freely gives.

Read: Acts 2:25-27