New Birth

My heart is full to the point of bursting. The call came at 2:00 this morning. “Mom, you’ve got a granddaughter.” Not able to sleep with the wonder of it all. Quickly packing a suitcase. Jumping in the car for the long drive across several states. Finally, we arrive at our daughter and son-in-law’s home. I approach, somewhat shyly, this new little life, my first grandchild. As I take her in my arms, I don’t ever want to let go—she’s beautiful in that way of newborn babies. In that moment, she became mine; part of my heart and soul, to be loved forever.

And then, it occurs to me, does God feel this sense of wonder as He looks at me, his child?  I love this child even though I didn’t carry her as I did my own children. I love this child even though it was my daughter who gave her birth. How much more God must love me. He created me, he molded me, he cared for me and he drew my heart to His, until at last I turned to him as my father. And yet, I wonder, does he feel a certain shyness as he approaches me? Does he feel a sense of wonder in who I am and who I may become? Does He, as a father, hope that I will love him with all of my heart? I am in awe tonight that the Mighty God of the Universe looks at me the way a new dad looks at his daughter—full of joy and the promise of a love that will last forever.

Maybe it’s just not that Hard

My sons downloaded a new games to my computer today. Maybe you’ve played it. It’s called Logos Quiz. The point of the game is to identify brand names by their logo or even part of their logo. As I was cooking dinner I listened to Matt and Joel calling out the names of dozens, if not hundreds, of brand names. Most of them were brands we’ve never bought, stores we’ve never shopped at, and cars we’ve never driven. And yet, they knew them. Why? I supposed it’s the constant exposure of advertising. Maybe you think that they’ve watched too much TV and I suppose that could be true. But if we can learn all of that passively, without paying attention to the ads… maybe there is much we could learn about things we care about.

As I talk to women every day, I often hear, “I just can’t memorize the Bible. It just won’t stick in my head.” And I have to wonder, could it be that we aren’t exposing ourselves often enough to Scripture, reading it often enough, to absorb it the way we do the ads which constantly bombard us. So, that’s my challenge to you and to me. Am I willing to expose my heart to the words of Scripture on a constant basis until I just know them? Will I read them, think about them, and absorb them? I think I will learn far more than I think I can. It certainly has more value than knowing all those logos!

My Heart to Yours

I’ve been resisting blogging for a long time because, well, frankly, I like to see a friend’s face when I speak to them. I thrive on long conversations over a cup of coffee. I love looking into someone’s eyes and seeing into their heart. I’m a follower of Jesus, and nothing gives me greater joy than sharing insights from the heart of God, during those conversations.

I was a missionary for many years and I value with all my heart belonging to the global community of God’s people. I’ve had opportunity to live and travel around the world and I’ve seen God’s people live out their faith in so many unique ways. I love seeing God’s truth transform people within their own time and place and culture.

So, maybe blogging can open doors to the places I can’t be–sharing insights from God’s heart with his children across the globe. What a unique time we live in, where our words can be shared without limits, and our worlds can be shared across the oceans. All to give us insight into the big picture of what God is doing.

I don’t really know where these words will end up, but no matter where you are, I hope they will help you find encouragement to live with God’s passion, finding your purpose in His plan, and living with power of His Spirit. If you discover this blog, no matter where you call home, grab a cup of coffee, chai or iced tea and let’s journey together…

Barb