Freedom

The Manger Moment: The Common Denominator

/ Jana / Leave a comment

The manger scene is a wonder to ponder with the poorest of the poor in the shepherds and the richest of the rich in the magi. What a spectrum of humanity it is. Not unlike our own spectrum of Salvation Army bells ringing for donations and registers ringing up designer gadgets and clothing. Yet we will all come to “the moment.” And it will be the same moment for us all, rich or poor.

The gifts will all been opened, and the glee for the “next” will subside.  From the meager gifts of the Angel Tree recipients to the gaudy gifts of the materialists,  the packages will lie unwrapped in a heap, exposed for what they are: more stuff.

And then the moment comes. The manger moment.  In that split second  we ask, we all ask, whether young or old, wealthy or wanting, we ask, “is this all there is?”

This is the very answer they were given at the manger.  Here, wrapped in his mother’s arms, “is all there is.” Jesus is the all in all. He is the first and the last. The rich who became poor only to become rich. He is ancient of Days who became a newborn, the servant who became King. The crucified who rose again. He is the embodiment of the question “is this all there is?” To which He boldly answers, Yes I am. I am the way the truth and the life.

A new song on the radio declares a glorious truth much like the angels did on that first morning:  “our Salvation has a name.”

He is Jesus, Savior,
Son of God, the King of Kings.”
Our salvation has a name.

Jesus, Savior,
Precious Lord of Everything.
Our whole world’s about to change,
And it will never be the same.

He  is one thing that binds us all together… “But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Luke 2:10  Beyond the gifts, and the goodies, and the yummies, and the laughter, tears, torment, and longings, Jesus is the great joy that fills in our spirits like no gift card can. Jesus is joy. And He is ours for the taking, if we will only believe.

Don’t miss the answer of the manger moment. Our world will never be the same. Your world will never be the same.

Unhindered Encounter

/ Lyschel / Leave a comment

 

 

 

 

 

The Unhindered Encounter is a candid conversation about how we’ve formed our definition of beauty, what it is costing us emotionally, how it effects our choices in relationships, how porn poisons our perceptions and how our God has more than pat answers to offer to all of this.  It is a powerful weekend to be washed by Truth.

At the Unhindered Encounter we use live worship, teaching, the Bible, multi-media, meditation, and friend-talk to unveil the honest questions that plague us as women. Questions about beauty, worth, sex, men. But we also spend time asking God what he thinks about us and these questions.  Read more about this event here.

Friday Night March2, 7pm-9:30pm

Saturday Morning March 3, 9am-1pm

FREE ADMISSION!

The Fawn Down the Way

/ Jana / 1 Comment

We first saw her when she stood wide eyed in the middle of our small street, too paralyzed to move. We often have deer grazing in our back yard, or passing through our neighborhoods. So to see deer on the street is not unusual. But to see a baby this size without her mom was highly unusual. We assumed Mama deer was nearby with bated breath, eager to be reunited with her fragile fawn.

After several minutes, the fawn finally stepped slowly to the side of the road and we passed on by. I glanced in the rear view mirror and was so surprised that I stopped the car again.  The girls and I turned in our seats and looked back to see the baby step back into the road with stuttering steps. Suddenly the neighbor’s dog was coming toward her. “MOM!” Charis whispered in a panic, afraid for the deer.

“Just wait,” I said.
“Mom, what’s he doing?” Salem asked.

This hunting dog did not bark, nor was his head hunkered down or his fur raised. He was in no way on the prowl. Instead he paused slightly near the deer and then trotted slowly down the road. He stopped every few steps, looked to see if the deer was following, and then trotted a few more steps. This process continued until the deer was off the street and vanished up a wooded driveway.

We turned the car around and slowly edged back down the street to glance up the driveway where we had seen the dog then the deer disappear.

They stood there, face to face, about a foot apart, as if deep in conversation. The sound of our brakes interrupted their pow wow. They both looked at us, student and teacher, and then back to their conversation.

“Am I crazy, or are you two seeing what I am seeing?” I asked the girls.
“Mom, that dog is helping the baby deer,” Salem said quietly.

We sat in awe of the moment.

That was more than a month ago. And you see the now-growing doe meandering, eating, sleeping on the property where the dog lives. The other day she was playing in the field where the horse was. Before that she had a little deer poop in the dog’s back yard in broad daylight. The dog is always nearby overseeing, protecting.

One day I came through and saw the dog farther away from his home than normal.  We all immediately began seeking the deer. We knew that she had wandered off, again. He was bringing her back to his home. We don’t know how long she will stay, or even make it. But I’m not sure that is the point.

This has done funny things in my heart. Funny things about “who is my neighbor?” Funny things about this God who cares for the sparrows and evidently the orphaned fawn as well.

More strikingly it has stirred funny things about innocence of the young. Are we taking a posture of protecting the young among us? Are we doing whatever it takes to prepare and position them to live and thrive?  Are we actively moving them out of harm’s way? Even to our own sacrifice and inconvenience?

It may be a cold world out there. But this noble dog has provided a warm place for the fawn down the way and he has thawed some places in my own heart as well.

Perfect…Not Yet

/ Jana / Leave a comment

These are the words the Lord whispered in my ear one day during worship.  Perfect…Not Yet.

“I know that because of Jesus you see me as perfect. But the ‘not yet’ part is hard to live through sometimes. Lord, how do I live in the gap of those three little dots? the space between Perfect and Not Yet?” I asked.

His answer was astounding.

“The one constant is My overwhelming love and presence.  Every circumstance is an opportunity for you to see if I can take it.”

He didn’t say, see if Jana  can take it. He said see if He can take it. Can God be God in my circumstances? Is He big enough, does He love enough, can He pull it  off?

God wants you and I to see that He not only has the beauty and power to make us Perfect, but He has the love and stamina to walk out the Not Yet. He is the one constant that changes every factor of life.

 

First Things First

/ Jana / 1 Comment

Since the beginning of November, God has been bringing the story of two fish and five loaves ( John 6) around and around. From  different perspectives and places, He just keeps teaching and revealing. And the bottom line: give thanks and believe.

Don’t look at the circumstances: 5,000 people needing to be fed (15,000 if you count women and children). Don’t look at what you’ve got in your hand: two fish and five loaves.  Look at Who you are with. The Son of the Most High God.

And what does He do? He looks to heaven and gives thanks for what God is about to do. Then as calmly as can be, the disciples began distributing. And they just kept on distributing. There were 12 baskets of leftovers. Not 12 cups. Twelve baskets.  This is after everyone has had their fill. There was no Black Friday stampeding here. Everyone had enough and there were leftovers even.

Who is this God, who is this Jesus, who is this Spirit that can impact our natural world with their supernatural power? The same God that is with you today.

Don’t look at the crowds or  your meager offering. Look to heaven, give thanks and then do what He has told you to do. He is faithful.

Here are some pearls from Abiding Glory on Sunday about gratitude that God has been expanding for me.

1) “Kingdom protocol is first “God, thank you” then please.” “ Jesus always thanked God first before He asked anything. We are instructed to “enter his courts with thanksgiving” then we proceed to the inner courts for petitions. This is a weighty concept but will change your faith life and your prayer life.

2) “Gratitude is never invisible or silent.” I love this. It is not enough to be thankful, you must express it. To God, to others. We often expect God and other people to “know” we are grateful.  But both you and the other person are blessed when you tell them, show them you are thankful. Already this week, I have been very conscious about expressing my thanks to Him and those who bless me.

3) “Gratitude sustains joy and blessing. Without it, you soon begin to take your blessing for granted.“ Ouch. This one hits way too close to home. Everything we have is a gift from God. EVERYTHING.  Be sure to sit in a posture of thanks rather than “I deserve this.”

4) “Gratitude begins where my sense of entitlement ends.”  It is hard to be thankful and be demanding at the same time. We are consumed in our country, and the Church, with our rights, our privileges. When “you owe me” turns into “I am so blessed,” things shift in our soul.

5) “Grateful people can find a blessing, enlarge a blessing or create a blessing in almost any circumstance.” I don’t know about you, but I want this to be my life motto.  Because the opposite affect scares me to death: Negative people can miss a blessing, minimize a blessing and destroy a blessing in almost any circumstance.

Let us be the people who remember the goodness of our God. Look to Him. Give thanks. Live in His blessing.

 

Remind me…

/ Jana / Leave a comment

Remind me who I am.

This has been a week of loving reminders.  God created or stirred, from all directions, a message of loving determination.  His determination to show me love.  From butterflies (in November?), to emailed heart photos, to texts with prophetic scripture, to even a powerful dream through another person, God has been ardently, annoyingly, persistently pursing me. Why annoyingly?  Because when I am mad, or whining, or feeling sorry for myself, His acts of affections draw me out of my drama. And sometimes, sadly, I want to STAY in my drama. At least it feels that way. But finally His love broke through. His continued reminders of past promises and His faithfulness today, His repeating of my pet name, His beauty for my ashes, these God touches broke down my walls.

My heart opened again and I breathed in His intimate tenderness. Oddly enough the whining and self pity slipped away. They can’t stand in the face of His grace.  It truly is “His kindness that leads us to repentance.” Here is the kicker…Right before I got ready to teach the WGR class, my friend handed me card, sheepishly. “He told me me to give you this, ” she said.

On one side it read: He told me to “remind you.”

On the other side were words to a song. I began reading them and casually dismissed them, ‘Oh, this is a Bethany Dillon song.’ But as I kept reading, a sob caught in my throat. I quickly left the room and went to the hall so I could cry in private.

In a moment I was transported back in time. I could see the sun, and feel the wind off the beach as I re-read them.  The written words were my words. Or rather, His words.

You sing over me, You sing over me

You wave your hands and dance around

Sing of dreams, desires all over me

washing, rolling, wondering over me

There’s no love better than yours

It was a song we had written together a year before. And the over-arching message of that beach trip was His delight. Could I, would I be willing to do life with the only measure being His delight?  It was the perfect touch after a hard week of questions and hurting.

How beautiful is our God?

I am putting the song below for your listening. Read the lyrics and soak in the truths. They are for you too. And my take-aways this week, among many, are listen and DO the prompting of God. Every one of these touches came from people who thought they were crazy to reach out. But God used them to help me. Finally, receive. Look, believe, receive the beauty, the tenderness, the truths of God. They surround us always. “There’s no love better than yours.”

My Pleasure

Here I am. Waiting. Listening
Wanting to feel your Holy touch
Need to hear your words flood my soul
Feel your pleasure Lord
There’s no sound, better than yours.

Here I am. Hungry, Eager.
Believing that you’re smiling too
Glad that I’ve come to be with you
You love to hear my voice
there’s no sound better than worship

You sing over me, You sing over me

You wave your hands and dance around

Sing of dreams, desires all over me

washing, rolling, wondering over me

There’s no love better than yours

We’re here again. Mingling. Meshing.
Loving the oneness of two
Drink in the wonder of You
I love your presence Lord
There’s no pleasure better
than yours

Jana Spicka, Real.Life Worship CD

 

Faithul is He

/ Jana / Leave a comment

We never know when or how God will explode into action, only that He WILL.  We call it trust, or confidence or even faithfulness. It’s an odd word. To quote Princess Bride,  “I do not think it means what you think it means.”  I have been kicking around this conversation with Him lately and I am surprised by what I am getting.  Take the word Faithful. Full of faith. Full of believing, we would say.  Faith is not the same thing as, “I hope so.” Faith is “I know so.”

And the shocker is, God calls himself Faithful. He says that He is full of faith or full of believing. So who exactly does He believe in? Himself, of course.  God is so sure, so certain, so convinced of His power, goodness and ability, that He says of Himself, I am the Faithful one. There is none like Me.

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. Deuteronomy 7:9

He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just.  A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. Deuteronomy 32:4
On and on in the Scripture God tells us, “This is who I am. Bank on it.”  Sometimes, when we get sideways by success or failure, we stretch  words  of “God’s faithfulness” like a too small band-aid over a bleeding wound. It never seems to cover or comfort the hurt. But I would challenge that His faithfulness was the point any way. His faithfulness is not a consolation prize. It is the goal, to reveal in all circumstances His ability and desire to Be God.  I am that I am.
He means that. Then, now and forever.

Who is Giving to Whom?

/ Jana / Leave a comment

There is a giddy sense of excitement about Nov. 1st. Unusual for the normal prep of teaching  an intense event.  I have this “anticipation” of what is coming. Real celebration.  I don’t think I even know what is coming other than the Lord is really eager to drink in our worship, to hear us bragging on Him. I really hope, for your sake, that  you will plan to attend.

I believe the Lord has something He wants to pour out on us. Perspective? Hope? Even Faith?

Your biggest challenge will be wiping away whatever obstacle is being thrown at you to keep you from sitting with Him. I know how it feels.  I am doing the same dance. But I am calling you like He is calling me…choose to be with Him. Listen for Him. Look to Him.

Let’s see what He is celebrating Nov 1st.  My guess is it will have something to do with you…

Feasting at His Table

/ Jana / Leave a comment

People make me laugh. Heck, I make me laugh. Sometimes it is difficult to communicate and we get in such conundrums.  A couple of menfolk think the WGR November 1st fundraiser is just for women. It’s open to all. A couple of womenfolk think it is only a worship night.  We will worship and invest in God’s vision for WGR  too. And, just for the record, I get sick of fundraisers just like you do.

But in reality, “An Offering of Praise” is best described as pulling up a chair to the Lord’s table for a family meal and meeting.  We will eat together. Enjoy each other’s company. We will thank the Father for all he has done. Then, we will hear what’s on His heart and what He’s working on through Women Getting Real.

It really is a party. And you know, when Jesus and His believers get together in spirit and truth, it’s always a good time. So like you would for any good party, invite your friends, let people know you’re coming, and bring your hearts.

I sense He has a real smile on His face about what He is cooking up. This guy knows all about feasting, and He is inviting you to the table.

Click here to RSVP http://anofferingofpraise.eventbrite.com