Anything by Jennie Allen

I first tasted the work of Jennie Allen when I began leading a small group through her Stuck bible study.  I was impressed not only with the depth but also with her humility and "realness".  From the very first pages of Anything The Prayer That Unlocked My God and My Soul I could recognize that very same voice.

The teaser on the back cover echoed the cry of my own heart:

Caught in this familiar haze of worldly happiness and empty pursuits, Jennie Allen and her husband Zac prayed a courageous prayer of abandonment that took them on an adventure God had written for them.
"God, we will do anything. Anything,"

Jennie walks us through the many ways God has been answering their prayer and the prayers of those around them who have chosen to surrender.

The following passage resonated loudly in my own spirit:

What does God want most?
I've always known the answer, though I've never known what the answer meant.  I certainly never knew what the answer meant for my life.
God is most after his glory.

If, like me, your desire is for more of what God wants for your life, this book will be a helpful guide along a road that is not easy or simple but the only truly rewarding journey there is.

Too many times we believe that this life is all about our own happiness, comfort and sastisfaction.  Jennie speaks profound truth that is rarely shared:

To accept that life is supposed to be hard is the beginning of joy.

If you're looking for the joy of knowing what its like to be fully open and surrendered to the Lord, this is one book you will not want to miss.

Book has been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson.

The opinions I have shared are my own.


 

All about Him

I mentioned envy earlier this week while I was promoting the posts of the Compassion Bloggers. I hate to admit it but I tend to turn an ugly shade of green when others go off to do big things for God, even more so when those things involve Africa.  Our time there was brief, but long enough to leave a lifelong hunger to return.

I am in a continual process of surrender
shaving off bits and pieces of my self
offering them to be consumed,
saved for later, or cast aside
Use whatever You can
I murmur to my Lord
Leave what You don't need
lying by the side of the road
but take the rest of me
I am willing to be willing

With confidence I pray
I will go anywhere
I will do anything
for I belong to You
knowing it is not my strength
but Yours
so I am both reconciled and bold

but...

as days, weeks, months and years
pile one upon the other
fear wiggles in
a familiar enough voice
sounding very much like my own says
What if He has no use for you at all?

it sends a shiver through my spirit
for yes, I want my life to count for something

In my trembling and confession
I hear a voice more solid
even as He whispers
It isn't about your life
When you go, and go you will,
it will be all about Me

and I reminded once again to die...

Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you'll show up, too—the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ.
 Colossians 3:3-4 The Message




Sharing with Emily and those who fall short of perfection but walk on in grace...

 

Random but listening

Random thoughts spin, hover and take flight
focus seems all but impossible
there is much I want to share
but it seems like I'm pulling words out of a paper bag
my thoughts look like a ransom note...

The first asparagus are pushing their way out of the ground.  Last year Faith realized how delicious they are and now we are trying to teach her that she may not eat them before we get a chance to pick them.

It's my wedding anniversary today -- 12 years ago my life became wrapped with Rick's around the core of God's love -- here again are words I wrote a few years back:

Elizabeth Barrett Browning penned: "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways." Let me take a bit of creative license here and say: "Why do I thank God for Rick? Let me count the ways."

• Rick loves God above all else. That keeps his other priorities aligned.
• Rick is not afraid to say "I'm sorry"
• Rick has the same quirky sense of humour I do. We laugh often.
• Rick is a lifelong learner.
• Rick is quick to encourage and support me in whatever I believe God is asking me to do.
• Rick's bag of tricks, his knowledge and abilities fill in the gaps and compliment my own.
• Rick has a heart that has been kneaded, molded and softened by the Lord.
• Rick always finds new ways to surprise me with his kindness.
• Rick handles our finances with skill and Kingdom mindedness.
• Rick is Rick! He is exactly who God created him to be but open to the Lord's ongoing and never ending work in his life. God is taking him from glory to glory, and I get to come along for the ride.

I know without any shadow of doubt that God had His hand upon every detail of my life-to-be with Rick. If you haven't heard the story of our first face-to-face meeting you can click over and read it here.

The rains have stopped for a bit - leaving the new overgrown spring grass dry enough to cut.  I shall spend some time this afternoon riding in circles on my garden tractor,  the first mow of the new year. I will worship, and I will pray, and allow the Lord to whisper His mysteries into my heart.


Seeing Him in all that surrounds me and sharing with Jennifer and the rest

 

Compassion in Tanzania

 

Bloggers are once again out on a limb for our amazing and loving God. 

Amy Lupold Bair of Resourceful Mommy

Jolanthe of Homeschool Creations

Kelli Stuart of Minivans are Hot

Maggie Whitley of Gussy Sews

Scott Williams of Big is the New Small

and The Nester at The Nester

have joined trip leaders Keely Scott and Shaun Groves to explore what God is doing in Tanzania, seeking His heart and acting from the well of His great love.

You can follow each of their blogs at the links above and/or keep track of them all on the Compassion Blogger's Tanzania trip page here

As I read their stories I hear the voice of My Lord reminding me not to covet other people's mission experiences, particularly in Africa, where the red dirt claimed my heart.  I will try to eleaborate in another post the stirrings in my spirit, but for now, check on those in Tanzania and let your heart beat with His!

 

What is man?

What is man that You are mindful of him,

and the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him?

Yet You have made him but a little lower than God [or heavenly beings],

and You have crowned him with glory and honor.

You made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;

You have put all things under his feet:

 All sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field, 

The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,

and whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Lord, how excellent (majestic and glorious)

is Your name in all the earth! 

Psalm 8:4-9 Amplified

 

Once again singing His praise with Deidra's choir this Sunday

 

So for now...

There is a post rattling around in my spirit
it has been knocking there the past two or three days
but it seems unwilling to settle enough to give words to...

Perhaps it is trying, like I am
to find wings

waiting has never come easy to me

so for now
in that blind place called faith
I'll join Sandy in the stillness

The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God,

this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living.

It's our handle on what we can't see.

Hebrews 11:1 The Message

 

Stop here and breathe in the stillness with Sandy

 

I wouldn't choose rain

The rain today
that falls softly without ceasing
is not unexpected
the earth has cried for moisture
preparation for the growing
that is soon to come

While I, feeling chilled
deep in my bones
would have chosen sun
I surrender to needs
greater than my own
attempt to find joy
turn the heat up
flex and extend my aching knee
pour another hot cup

A wise young writer friend Duane Scott
wrote provoking words on Facebook today
mentioning my name among some very gifted writers

Some of my best blogger friends, always have beautiful endings... they always point things back to God. But I know they struggle. I know they have flaws.
But their God and their faith in God outshines all of those flaws and honestly, I think my perception of them becomes a bit false because of it. I forget they're human. (And I start to think they don't have 1/10th the struggles I do)

I answered back:

It is in our flaws, hung out for the world to see that His light truly shines..

He called me sweet and I replied:

we can't be so sweet that we're not real... it's the real touched by His love...

My heart and my intention is to be open, transparent
it often leaves me raw, bleeding
but I will yet praise Him
yes, I will yet praise Him.

Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, Who is the help of my countenance, and my God.
Psalm 42:11 Amplified

 

Believing that are no concidences with Jennifer




and walking hand in hand with the redeemed at Emily's