The Party of a Lifetime

I don't know about you, but I love parties. Of any kind. It usually means delicious food, great music, and good times with family or friends.

If you were invited to the party of a lifetime, wouldn't you drop everything to go? Of course you would. You get that fabulous invitation in the mail, and you RSVP...immediately. There is nothing on your calendar that would keep you from going to this party.


Well, in Luke 14, Jesus tells a story about this grand party where many are invited, but when the day of the party arrives and the food is ready, the invited start making excuses. One has to go stare at a piece of land he just bought. (Sounds quite boring to me.) Another has to go and try out his new oxen. (Work instead of a party, really?) And yet another person has the excuse of just getting married. (Ok, that would might warrant a little validation, but why can't you just bring the wife?) 


A couple of things stood out to me. 

• These that have made excuses have ALREADY rsvp'd to the party. They have already accepted the invitation. 

          ...How many times have I said yes to God and then not followed through with my commitment? I said yes with my mouth and no with my actions.

• The guy going to look at his land obviously got wrapped up in his property...his stuff.

          ...Though I am not tempted to go and stare at my belongings, I can very easily get distracted and consumed by my stuff. Even the maintenance of the stuff can be overwhelming.

• The invitee that had to go experiment with his new workhorses (aka oxen) seemed to have his work as his first priority.

         ...Ok, so farming is not a temptation for me. But, the very ministry to which God called me can often take precedence over the amazing God that did the calling.

• The final person to make an excuse for not actually coming to the party was the one who had just married. Marriage is obviously very important, but enough to warrant turning down the party of a lifetime?

        ...This one is hard. My family is a gift and one that I have been given to love, protect, and nurture. However, my family must see that God is my number one priority. Putting God first enables me to be the wife and the mother I need to be. 

God invites. We need to say yes with our mouths AND our actions. And all these other things? Trust God with them. There will always be things that vie for our attention.

What about you? Have you said yes with your mouth and no with your actions? Are you distracted or consumed with your stuff? Your work? Your family?

We don't want to miss this party!!!

Learning every day...

Kelli

And friends...if you are on Facebook, I would love to have you join my ministry page where I post scripture, encouragement, and take prayer requests.  Click here...

Who do you say that I am?

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.  Matthew 16: 13 - 16

I have been wrestling with this Scripture all week during prayer week at our church. 

What about YOU, Kelli? Who do YOU say that I am?

You are the Christ. You are Lord.

Then why do you live your life at times as if you are Lord?

You are the Creator and Sustainer.

Why do you seek sustenance elsewhere?

You are my Rock, my Shelter.

I want to be, but you often look for security in others.

You are the Healer, the Great Physician.

Do you really believe this? 

You are my friend.

I long to be your BEST friend. The one that you run to before you call, tweet, or post.

Lord, help me to live in a way that reflects the words that I       speak. Help my words to be... more than just words.

Kelli

When Peace Blooms

To say that I don't have a green thumb would be an understatement. In fact, my family laughs when I bring home a new house plant. I don't care. I love plants in my house, even though my love does not materialize in the caring of those plants. Yes, I forget to water, I never fertilize, and I hate repotting anything. But, I try. And a few hardy plants have chosen to stick with me. 

One of those loyal plants is a "peace" plant that I was given after my grandfather's funeral. The plant lives in my bedroom near a window and its green leaves tell me it likes it there. It has even re-seeded itself and I can see baby peace plants. But it never blooms. When I investigated why my peace plant never flowers, the only answer I could really find was that the conditions have to be just right for it to bloom.

Last Tuesday afternoon after I got home from a full day of ministry at church, I received a phone call from my dad. He reluctantly expressed to me that his biopsy results had come back positive for prostate cancer. Many of you know that my mom was re-diagnosed with lymphoma about a year ago. Two parents with cancer at the same time stinks. It really does.

My honest thoughts: "I hate cancer... It's not fair... Will both be going through sickness and treatment at the same time?...  Life is hard... Jesus, please come back soon."

God's Word:

"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!"  Jn. 16:33

"Letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace." Romans 8:6

I went to bed that Tuesday night desiring to rest in God's presence and peace, but constantly battling the tears, the fears, and the unknown. 

When I woke up the next morning, there it was. My plant that never blossoms had a solitary bloom forming right in the center of its green. I know it is just a plant, but it was such a tangible reminder of God's love for me. His promises. His presence. His peace.

Peace had raised her beautiful head. Peace was blooming - not only among the green leaves of my plant, but in my heart. To the world, the condition of my life and the life of my family is pretty unstable. But to God, the condition of my heart is just right. Ready to receive His grace, His mercy, His healing, His peace. Ready...to bloom.


Lord, for some crazy reason that I do not understand, you have given me the opportunity and the privilege to minister to others. May this current situation in my life be another way to glorify You, to encourage others, and to grow me in a way like never before.


Kelli

joining with Jen at SDG...visit some other great blogs there!

Deny Myself?

Then he (Jesus) said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."

I want to be His disciple.

I want to follow Him.

I want to live and walk with Him.

But deny myself?

... like when I wanted to  did eat that second, yummy, warm brownie that my sweet friend brought to community group.

... or when my child wanted to tell me about his day and I wanted to have my own space and my own quietness.

... how about when Jesus was waiting for me to spend my first moments of the day with Him, and I chose to sleep.

... what about desiring to read anything I can get my hands on - blogs, magazines, great books and in the process I neglect the very Word that speaks life into me.

... and then there's the hoping that God would fix everything in my life that is broken so that I can live comfortably.

I have a lot to learn. I have a lot of self to deny.

“Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. " Luke 9 (the Message)

Would you join me on this journey? 

Kelli


joining with Joy at

Are You Ready to Fight?

Have you noticed that Satan will always try to interfere with someone radically following Jesus?

... the enemy has NO POWER.

"Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4)

So, are you ready to fight?

Know that you are in a battle. The enemy has come to steal, kill, and destroy. Your joy. Your dreams. Your hope. Your passion. Your relationships. 

Know who your enemy is. Though your enemy may appear to be your spouse, your child, your friend, your boss, whomever... we don't wrestle with flesh and blood. If you are in Christ, your enemy is Satan himself. He wants you to think others are your enemies so that you will destroy your own relationships. 

Know who fights for you.  ^"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Ex. 14:14) Sometimes He calls us to be still. Sometimes He arms us for battle. But regardless, HE IS WITH US AND FIGHTS ON OUR BEHALF. You are not alone in this fight, my friend.

Know your ammo. We can't walk into a battle ill-prepared. And we have everything we need to fight! So know your ammo - your belt of truth, your breastplate of righteousness, your boots of peace, your shield of faith, your helmet of salvation, and your sword - God's Word. So, put it on!  Every.day. every.moment. (Ephesians 6)

Know who wins. Have no doubt. Do not be discouraged. Resist the enemies ploy to render you paralyzed and ineffective. Because we know who wins this thing. JESUS CHRIST IS THE VICTOR! He wins! He's already won. And He is on your side. 

Are you in a battle today? Are you aware of who your real enemy is? Do you know and believe and live like your God fights for you? Do you armor up every day -- so you can take your stand? And above all...do you know Who wins? Please share your comments so that I can pray for you. We are in this together!

Kelli  


Joining with Jen at...

and Ann at:

Don't Get Distracted by the Bright and Shiny!

Thanks to all of you who watched my first vlog! I had such a great time doing it, I am sure you will see more. If you missed it, click here.

The idea of walking with God has captured my attention. If you asked me about my journey with God, I would tell you that I have be "walking with God" for the past 30 years or so. But as I feel God spurring me to focus on "walking" with Him this year, I am looking very carefully at these words.

I am reading through the Bible this year. And a few days ago, I was in Genesis 5. It is an easy chapter to skim through and even skip. It's the one with all the genealogy. But sandwiched in the middle of the sleeper chapter is this wake me up section:

When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. ²² After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. ²³ Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. ²⁴ Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. Genesis 5: 21 - 24

Another version says, "walked steadily." What makes this so thought provoking is that none of the other people mentioned in this chapter talk about their "walk" with God. My commentaries support the idea that walking with God denotes a constant relationship in which pleasing God and communing with Him are the focus. 

The point: This is not your usual walk. This is not a leisure stroll in which you look at everything along the way and even get distracted by something bright and shiny (as my intern would say.) This is a walk with intention, with deliberation, with focus. This is a walk with one goal: to please God, and God alone. Sure sometimes God may call us to slow down, to rest, to ponder. But we are still following His lead.

So, now I ask myself the question and I am asking you as well:  How long have you truly walked with God? 


Unfortunately, I cannot say 30 something years. There were many years where I strolled at my own pace. I chose my own path. Other times I was easily distracted by the things of this world - other people, money, goals, success, myself. And certainly I spent many years under the destructive spell of a desire to please others. 

So, what about you? Are you "walking with God?" Or does your walk look more like a leisure stroll or a zig zag path led by the distractions of this world? Are you more interested in God's approval or the approval of others?

Lord, we need You. We need You to walk with us and show us how to walk with you. Focused. At your pace. For Your pleasure. And You alone.

Desiring to walk with God,

Kelli

Are We Willing?: My First Vlog and Guest Posting at KIP

Come join me over at Keeping it Personal today where I am guest posting... my post goes along with the vlog.  It's titled... NO EXCUSES! (this is the link) 

So, friends, following hard after Christ requires sacrifice. Are we willing? Would love to know your thoughts today...comment here or over at KIP.

I'm ALL IN...are you?


Kelli


Linked up with Stephanie at One Word Wednesday

My One (or Two) Words for 2012

Ok, I am back from a semi-break from blogging. I have managed to post blogs the last few weeks, but they have been reposts of some faves that some of you might have missed. Thank you for the break. Between holiday activities and family needs and frankly, my own need to rest and rejuvenate, the time was necessary.

But I am ready to get going again! I have spent the last week pondering this year of 2012. How would it be different from 2011? What lessons have I learned? What do I want to continue? To put aside? What do I need to work on? What is the Lord calling me to do?

Lots of people in blog world do resolutions. I always evaluate my former year and look to the next year (or years), but I rarely call my "goals" resolutions. Other people come up with "one word" for the year ahead. As I began to pray and ask the Lord for goals or "one word," two words consistently emerged. As I struggled with going against the grain and having two words instead of one, I remembered (miraculously!) that these two words stem from the same Greek word. Before you call me heady or smart or quit reading, let me explain.

Thirteen years ago when I was in seminary, I took three semesters of Greek and I LOVED it. (Please keep reading!) But after ten years of not continuing to pursue Biblical Greek, most of the words have escaped me. But there are some that I remember...the rest I have to constantly look up.

Anyway, back to the two words. The word "live" was the first word to come to mind as I was praying about 2012. Live. Just live. Live for Him. Live graciously. Live unselfishly. Live audaciously. Live spontaneously. Live radically. Yes, live was my word.

And then on Sunday, January 1, as I sat in church and celebrated my 32 years of knowing Jesus Christ, the word "walk" continued to surface. "Should I change my word, Lord?" "Is it walk instead of live?" Walk in it. Walk with Me. Walk, even though you don't know the path.

As I pondered this, the Lord brought the Greek word "peripateo" to my mind. I remembered (again, miraculously) that this word was used to mean BOTH live and walk in the New Testament.

When I looked up some verses where this particular verse was used, it was no surprise that Ephesians 4:1 was present. Just a month ago, God had given me that verse as a potential new direction for a project I was working on. And here it was again. No surprise. 

"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to LIVE a life worthy of the calling you have received." (NIV)

"In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up in here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk - better yet, run! - on the road God called you to travel. (Message)

What does this mean for me? There's no more sitting. No more watching. No more dreaming. No more letting fear bench me. It is time to "peripateo." It is time to truly LIVE and WALK out my calling with my God. 

So, what's your "one word," your goal, or your resolution for 2012? I would love to hear. Let's hold each other accountable!

And if you want to read something funny, I am guest posting over at Tammy Karasek's blog, "Tickled Pink Tammy." Here's the link: A Lesson for Life, Literally.  Would love to have you jump over there and join us! (you can give comment love here or there!

Living and Walking,


Kelli

Happy New Year! and a Repost of my #1 Blog Post this Year!

32 years ago today, I started on a journey with my Jesus. Yes, I accepted Christ on New Year's Day! And so this day is very special to me as I remember and give thanks for my salvation and my relationship with the Lover of my soul. Six years ago, my daughter who is now 12 prayed to receive Christ on New Year's Day as well. It seems only fitting today that I repost when my son, Ryan, started following Christ personally. "My soul rejoices in God my Savior!"

Originally posted July, 2011 (my #1 post this year)

"Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it you can be sure she'll call her friends and neighbors: "Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!' 10 Count on it--that's the kind of party God's angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God."   Luke 15: 8 - 10 (Message)

I will never forget the day that Ryan and I were riding down the road in the "Swagger Wagon,"  aka minivan, and we were discussing my nephew's upcoming baptism.  Ryan was four at the time and had many questions (not unusual) about Jesus, baptism, God, etc.  His main question was, "Can I be bap-i-tized?"  I explained to him that baptism was an outward sign of an inward decision.  That baptism followed accepting Christ into your heart as your Savior and Lord.  He waited a few minutes.  And then I heard him say, "God...Jesus...both of you guys...would you come into my heart?"  "Ok, Mom, now I can get that bap-i-tized thing."  Well, I didn't doubt the Lord drawing Ryan to himself.  I didn't even doubt Ryan's decision.  I wasn't quite sure what to do.  So, I told my husband about it and we decided to just wait and see if Ryan brought it up again.  He didn't.  

Fast forward three and a half years.  I have always felt secure in the fact that the Lord had already started a work in Ryan.  But now that Ryan was older and he was learning more and more, I wanted him to solidify that decision to follow Christ.  The Lord really laid on my heart in January of this year to pray fervently for Ryan to truly understand what it meant to accept Jesus as his Savior.  So, I began to pray.  And I asked others to pray.  I knew God was working.  I could tell by Ryan's prayers, his questions, and his change in behavior.  He went to overnight Kids Camp for the first time this year.  God stirred.  He moved to a third grade Sunday School class with Mama Carol (a kid loving, Scripture teaching, woman of God!) God stirred some more.  

This week is VBS at Christ Community Church.  Last night was my night to teach.  The story:  Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.  I had recruited a friend of mine, Garrett, to help me teach it by portraying Peter.  Garrett did a phenomenal job in sharing how Peter must have felt when he blew it with Jesus...denying him 3 times.  I asked the kids, "Anyone in here ever felt like they blew it?"  Ryan raised his hand and said, "1000 times , Mom, you know it, 'cause you're my Mom."  I smiled.  And then I reminded the kids that God forgives, that God loves them so much that He sent His son Jesus to die for them and their sins, and that He rose again so that we could live forever with Him!  "If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, tonight's a great night to do that.  If He is calling you, listen to Him."  I prayed with the kids and dismissed them.  On the way out, Ryan came and hugged me and said, "Mom, I want to ask Jesus into my heart and...I want to be digested as soon as I can!"  "Digested?"  "You know, Mom, the water thing?"  "Oh...Baptized."  "Yes!  That's it!"

We came home.  He shared the news with Bekah and Daddy.  We all four (now a house full of Christ followers!) sat down as Ryan prayed to receive Christ into his heart.  He told Jesus he wanted Him to control his soul and his life.  (His words.)  And then the three of us took turns praying over him and blessing him.  Chris (my man) thanked God that his son was now also his brother.  Bekah prayed for Ryan to "fully embrace his relationship with Christ."  I prayed that God would bless him and have him do AMAZING things for the kingdom.  It was GLORIOUS!  

And yes, there's a party going on right here!  A Celebration to last throughout the years! (Forever!) Won't you join us at the party?  We have a place reserved especially for you.

God bless you in 2012! And if you don't know Jesus...I would love to introduce Him to you. He is the King of Celebrations!