hi. i'm amy.
and this is the overflow of my heart.
01.14.2009 Day 15 -- They say everyone has 15 minutes of fame. See if you can somehow get on T.V. or into a newspaper within one week.
The timing of this day couldn't be better. I may have planned that in order to be successful...who can blame me though? ;) So, here are my latest writing accomplishments:
01.11.2009 Day 16 -- Sweet 16. That's the year that you get your driver's license. Take a drive somewhere just for the enjoyment.
I ended up off of Baxter Ave., at Cave Hill Cemetery. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the drive:
Alpha and Omega, beginning and end
He brings life to all who call on His Name
The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin
He is the vine, we are His branches
01.10.2009 A few days ago, in my New Year's Resolution post, I mentioned the great mystery of Emmanuel, God WITH us. As if this isn't enough to fill us with a great awe, 1 John reveals an even greater wonder--God IN us. And in these chapters, John describes a love that is made complete through obedience.
I was challenged this week to think about how often I describe my actions with words that convey an emotional conviction; an "I feel like God is calling me to [this]" type of statement. While I don't question the legitimacy of those moments, I think about how inconsistent and bias my feelings are to my own will.
Perhaps it would be more beneficial to speak of the times where I was committing myself to a certain action out of simple obedience to the Word of God.
The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
01.3.2009 Day 18 -- Most people graduate from high school around age 18. Find an old high school friend on Facebook and say hello.
I chose my dear friend Maura that I haven't talked to in...well, I don't remember the last time we talked! It's ironic, because her mom just sent me "Three Cups of Tea" (a book about Afghanistan) via my mom... But anyway, Maura and I had some great high school memories together. I've never met someone that can make me laugh more than she can! We were the best friends with the inside jokes that no one else understood. Plus, she's a beautiful sister in Christ whose sincerity and thoughtfulness has always been an encouragement to me. PTOF FOREVER Kapushki!!! (it's a long explanation)
Day 17 -- There's a girl's magazine called Seventeen. It may not be your vice, but you know you have one. Choose one bad habit you'll consciously work to overcome this year.
I have a few bad habits, but if I'm going to choose one that I know I'll put the effort toward working on this year (sounds a little "New Year's resolution"-ish...perfect timing!), I would have to say that hanging up my clothes would probably be at the top. My laundry never makes it from my dryer to my closet in a timely manner, thus making ironing a daily chore.
12.28.2008 Questions are haunting. They beg answers that are not always easy, they expose a reality that is not always comfortable, and they are usually asked in times of uncertainty. I spent the majority of my high school and college years as an aspiring journalist, learning how to become a good "question asker". I suppose my personality always lent itself towards this field, as I have often been a person with a lot to say on many a subject, but rarely the discipline to direct the questions back to my own life.
And that's where the importance of accountability comes in. Even the most self-aware people lack the ability to confront themselves with their own questions, thereby often revealing inconsistencies about how one lives compared to what one says. Writing in a public medium, such as a blog, is one (rather impersonal...but still legitimate when used appropriately) way to hold myself to the standards I challenge others with.
But this post isn't on the importance of writing or blogging or even accountability. Lately, I have been in what can only be described as a state of mourning for the world around me. Sure, it's Christmastime, so there's lots of joyful things to be thankful for! But there is something deep within my soul that is not at rest. I suppose that's what the whole chapter of Romans 8 is about. When you really believe everything that it says in there--that we who are in Christ already have victory over death, the Spirit of God lives in us--those words have power. Despite any hardships I may have faced (or will come in the future), I have no reason to doubt that God is FOR me. Amazing.
But who is proclaiming these words of God as truth to those who need it? Who is spending time meditating in the presence of God to hear His voice? And who is seeking to know the Word of God with all of their heart, mind, soul, and strength?
Where is the voice of God in our culture?
I remember the first sermon I ever heard Bill Hybels preach at Willowcreek in 2000. He talked about how to discern the voice of God, and gave 3 specific ways to hear His truth. The first was through the Bible, God's Word. The second, through daily quiet time spent in prayer and listening. And the third, through wise and godly counsel from people who sought God through His Word and prayer. The "voice of God" can be a rather mysterious concept, so as a young Christian, this made sense to me.
But it's occurred to me that Christians aren't doing this in our culture. This blog by Pastor Mark Driscoll speaks of the addiction to noise that all of us living in this technology driven age suffer from. It'd be rare to find someone that disagrees. And as a good friend pointed out last weekend, if Christians were to sit in a circle as though they were in an "AA" meeting, how many of them would begin with the statement, "Hi, my name is ____. I've been a Christian for 10+ years, but I still struggle with reading my Bible every day."
During Christmastime, we are reminded that God is Emmanuel--that He has been, and will always be with us. And this truth separates us from most other worldviews--that God would come in human form to live among us, and then invite us into relationship with Him. Nothing is more beautiful.
But today, as I sit alone in the stillness of a moment with God, I know He is there; yet I have trouble hearing his voice. And as I look at the world around me, I see a place that has made it perfectly clear that there is no room for the truth of God, no time to seek His Word, and no purpose in silence. My mourning comes from a sense of urgency to wake up to this harsh reality.
My responsibility to declare the Word of God has never been greater. To do this, I must commit to seeking the Lord--not only in community and fellowship, but in silence and in solitude--by humbly asking to be given truth and courage in the midst of a culture that is often void of the voice of God.
To start the new year out right, I've challenged myself to spend 4 hours (which would be half of my work day if it wasn't a holiday) on New Year's Day in solitude. From that point, I am going to ask the Lord what He would have me commit to Him on a weekly basis as a true Sabbath, departing from the influence of the world for the purpose of hearing from my God.
To my readers, I challenge you to spend AT LEAST one hour in silence on January 1st. And as always, if you decide to take my challenge, I'd love to hear about it. We are not to despair over our fallen world, but rather to take hope in the future glory. Be encouraged by seeking the Lord together and celebrating the blessing of Emmanuel, God with us.
