Thx for the shirt Bella!

Wow, did you know that if you are ever LOOKING to be treated like a freak, you should wear a t-shirt that says, "I Love Jesus"?

For Mother's Day my husband took my kids shopping to buy me something.  Sweet 5 year old Bella decided on a gorgeous pink t-shirt with the words, "I love Jesus" across the front.

I LOVED it and was so excited to wear it!  Can I just tell you that over and over my mind has been boggled by the reactions to this shirt?!  I would not believe it if someone had told me this would be the case! 

You may think I'm talking about non-believers, but honestly I'm talking equally about Believers in Jesus Christ as well as non-believers.  Here are my conclusions (assumptions? I must admit) 

non-believers look at you like, "Uh oh, run", "Bless her heart" (which is often the NICE way both Christians and non Christians say, "idiot" ha!) ....these really don't bother me so much.  Anyone that knows me well, knows that being around non-believers does not intimidate me at all....in fact I prefer their company to the religious!  

But the Christians even freak out!  Now THIS cracks me up!  Like, "Why must she wear it so bold?" or they act like they didn't even see it.  

I gladly admit that over the past year or so, (pre t-shirt) I have become a sold-out believer that the Jesus in you should be WAY more evident by how you ACT than what you say or wear...but I never dreamed a shirt that boasts about the One who has changed EVERYTHING about my life would bring such controversy!   The last time I wore the shirt, I said to myself, "I think they'd all be more comfortable with me wearing a shirt that said, "I love Barney!"

One last note, while I'm in this mode, ha....

Tonight I was pretty blown away an encounter.  

I am a border-line, no I'll admit it....addict to fountain drinks.  While this is pretty much frustrating me for health reasons, it has had a very unexpected perk!  The guy, Sean, at the closest convenience store and I have become great friends.  Every time I walk in, he shouts, "AHhhhh my favorite customer!"  (yeah, I know he probably says this to everyone but it's cool with me :)  

Sean is from Pakistan and is a devout Muslim.  He is about the nicest guy you'll ever meet.  So positive, outgoing and educated.  About a month ago, he asked me what I believed (no, I wasn't wearing my shirt ;) ha.  I told him that Jesus Christ had absolutely turned my hopeless life into something I could never have accomplished on my own.  That now I had something that no circumstance or person could ever take away from me....real JOY and peace.  And you know what?  That didn't change his treatment towards me whatsoever.  I love it.  

So over the past year or so, (pre-tshirt) I have come to some pretty strong conclusions about my faith.  I believe that Jesus modeled something for us that the Western church has almost completely forgotten.  R-E-L-A-T-I-O-N-S-H-I-P!!!

From my own experience being raised in church...now I know this will offend many but I must be honest about MY experience....church has been way more about GATHERING information and strategy to get people to OUR church.  

May I be so bold as to say, "How dare we?"  

This is not what MY Jesus modeled!  He didn't sit at the temple and demand that people change their ways and then come to where He was!  He went to them IN LOVE.  He showed extreme compassion!  He sat, spent time and ate with those that the 'religious' would NEVER entertain.  In fact, the only ones He was harsh with WERE the religious scholars who thought themselves holier than others and loaded them down with unattainable standards!

Back to my story about Sean tho....sorry about that Dennis Miller rant.....i lost myself!  

So tonight, after months of hanging out with Sean, introducing him to my kids, etc I went to get a drink and took him a couple home-made brownies.  His eyes lit up, "You MADE these?!"  Yep, don't let that scare you! ha!  

While I'm talking to him this man walks in and pretty matter of factly asks Sean, "Where are you from?"  Sean replied Pakistan.  The man asked, "What language do you speak?"  Sean rattled off several (man, I'm jealous!) but not including Spanish.  

Then the man turns to me and says, "Well, I know that YOU know Him (doning the shirt) and here you go."  And flips Sean and I both a silver coin and walked out.  I was like, "Huh?  What was that?!"  

I looked down at the coin and I kid you not the coin was a message about Jesus in SPANISH!

I'm doing a lot better about not judging people, but come on!  Righteous anger is ok huh? lol.

People, we as Believers must get a grip.  Until we value the PERSON and a RELATIONSHIP with them more than resting our head on the pillow= certain that we 'checked' off the 'Christians witness box'....we are fooling ourselves!  

Whew, jumping off the box....sorry about that, well maybe not.  I'm really passionate about LIVING His love.  

People don't care what you KNOW till they know you CARE.

Produce from God

Today my son Ethan, 8 made the most amazing observation.  He goes, “Mom, lately everyone we meet , it seems like they want to do something for the kids.”  I stopped walking and had to smile.  You’re right E.

You see, about a month ago, I came to a place where I was LOVING what we were doing but honestly I was pretty worn out, more physically than anything.  I was running our family home, you know - groceries, laundry, school, homework, lessons, housework, you name it and trying to keep our times with the kids consistent and full.  This included- regular phone calls, driving them and their families places, grocery shopping to cook for 20+, planning something for us to do and talk about, phoning those that help us out to try to keep us all in touch, etc!  Please don’t take any of that as griping…I had NO DOUBT that God had called us to be a regular part of their lives, but I was tired and feeling like I was doing everything half way! 

When I went to Mexico a month ago I had a great time with God.  It seems like sometimes we have to get away from all the NOISE to really hear Him uninterrupted.  Which, for a mom---when does THAT happen?! Ha!  While I was away the Lord did such a work in my heart.  He confirmed in many ways that what we were doing WAS His idea and not ours.  Whew, that’s really important to me.  But I also began to see, as I suspected, HOW we were doing a lot of things that were more OUR idea than His.  I didn’t sense displeasure, just that it was causing a burden He didn’t intend. 

So what do you do with that? 

I did all that I usually know to do.

PRAY!  “Ok, Lord, really really GLAD this is YOUR idea.  Now will you please send all the resources that YOU have intended for what we are doing?!?!  THANKS! “ (Probably a little longer but not much J)

That was a month ago. 

Would you like to hear just a few of the stories of His faithfulness!?

Well, when I got home I was talking to a friend and TOTALLY out of character I just poured out a frustration of mine and asked her to pray with me.  You see, I’m a TERRIBLE cook.  Not only that, I DON’T like to cook!  So not only was I shopping for meals that I don’t know how to cook, I was grumbling WHILE cooking them, and then serving this gunk to an understandably not very eager group.  Then I’d grumble some more while I dumped all this wasted nasty food.  Honest huh? 

Turns out, God loves our honesty!  Like He doesn’t know what we’re doing and how we feel anyway?! Ha! 

Less than ONE day later a family calls offering to provide the food for our group that week.  I was dying laughing!  Oh but of COURSE you can!  It was delicious and totally freed me up to be ME while I was with the kids!  Not over the stove grumbling, oh brother!

A few days later another couple calls and says, “We feel like God put it on our heart to provide food for your next gathering.  Would that be ok?! “  Now, I’m cracking up!  Oh God, do You just laugh at us when we are surprised by Your faithfulness?!”

So the next week, that family not only provides the food but they came, stayed and fellowshipped with the group….rapping and all.  At the end of the night, they said, we’d like to do this for you every other week until God says something different.

There are so many other stories I could tell.  And hopefully I’ll put them in other entries but fast forward to what led my son to make that comment today.

A last minute change of plans landed me and 5 kids at Hunter Park.  While they were running around playing I was reading a book, TRYING to catch up on something when the Holy Spirit prompted me, “HELLO JULZ, you are missing a gorgeous day, kids playing and strangers all around with your nose in that book!”  I was like, “Hmmm, O….K…..” closed the book and took like 3 steps, seriously!  When a guy goes, “Whatcha reading?” 

Gotta be honest in my mind I was thinking, Oh man, when I tell Him the title he’s going to think, “Oh great, one of THOSE!”  But instead he says, “Tell me what it’s about sounds good!”  That began the most beautiful hour of sharing!!!

Long story short, this couple has been healed by the Lord of 2 very serious diseases.  He shared with me that the Lord had led them to fast and pray and when they did, He encouraged them to focus on what they were putting INTO their body.  This led to a journey that now has them growing organic produce and co-op’ing it. 

Then I shared with them a bit about our journey the Lord has us on.  As I shared I could tell that they were both getting overwhelmd and kinda jabbing each other.  Turns out the Lord has been telling them to look for poor children that they could tithe produce to.  Hmmm, you guessed it!  We GLADLY accepted!

Now tell me, I had NO CLUE even 30 minutes before that I would be going to Hunter Park that day.  It’s on the other side of town for crying out loud! 

We may feel a huge responsibility to plan our days for the Lord but today I am overwhelmed with His ability to order the steps of the righteous.  That His Word IS a lamp onto my feet and a light onto my path even when I don’t see what lies ahead.

Thank you Lord for being You and loving us so very much.