Great Quotes From Oswald Chambers

“We are not asked to believe the Bible, but to believe the One Whom the Bible reveals.”  John 5:39-40

“We are called to present liberty of conscience, not liberty of view.”

“The Christian worker must never forget that salvation is Gods thought, not mans;  therefore it is an unfathomable abyss.”

“Every element of self-reliance must be slain by the power of God.  Complete weakness and dependence will always be the occasion for the Spirit of God to manifest His power.”

My brain hurts

I think I’m tired.

Why am I tired, one might ask?  I’m tired because sometimes I just can’t shut this brain of mine off.  It just works overtime.  And, the most tiresome task my brain takes on…is analyzing.

I’m an avid analyzer…of people, that is.  Man oh man, I tell ya.  I can pick apart all of it.  The way someone looked at me.  The tone of their voice.  The way they said “Hi”, or didn’t say hi.  Something that was done.  Something that was said.  Even the major decisions someone makes in their lives.  There are times when my brain kicks into high gear to try to piece it all together, and try to make the words and actions make sense to me.  As though their issues concern me.  I make them my concern.

You might be having a bad day.  My response, (in my brain, that is)…what did I do wrong?  What did I do wrong??!!  Hello…it’s not about you, Mary.  I think this hit me today as I was talking to some dear friends of mine.  I was referring back to a “self focused” time in my life.  I said something like, “You know…I thought the moon followed me everywhere I went.”

Well, then it hit me this afternoon.  You’re there right now, Mar.  The moon’s following you cause you’re making everyones issues about you…so, have a nice walk and we’ll see ya when you get back.

If this sounds crazy to you, well, it does to me too.  It’s OK though.  This seems to be a seasonal thing with me.  Not seasonal as in Summer, Spring, Winter, Fall.  Seasonal being…I’m in a season of analyzing right now.  You ever been there?  I know you have.

So, as I’m rambling on in this post, I’m realizing that it really is  a tiresome grind to try to figure people out.  And, I think there’s a reason for that.  It’s not my job.  That’s so easy to say.  Not so easy to do.  Like I said, my brain works overtime.  For example: I’m wondering how the few people who might read this post will respond.  I wouldn’t want anyone to think that I was thinking of them that they might be thinking I’m thinking of them and that’s why I wrote this 😉

Ya see how crazy this sounds?

I’m so glad no one else struggles with this.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”                                                                            Philippians 4:6-7

Angel Food

Sometimes I’m overwhelmed by the large number of people I know who are experiencing depression right now, or at least experience it on a regular basis.  I know I’ve been there myself.  I guess to not experience depression in some form or another would be…non-human.

Oswald Chambers said it best,

   “A human being is capable of depression, otherwise there would be no capacity for exultation.”                             My Utmost For His Highest

I never thought about it that way before.

I think the problem comes when we remain in a state of non-action due to depression.  I know you all know what I mean.  Unmet expectations, overwhelming circumstances, as well as our own failures in life…we carry the weight of it all on our shoulders.  Depression settles in, and eventually despair.  The next thing you know, you’re in bed with your head under the covers because sleep is the only place where you think you can find refuge…if you can sleep, that is.  At that point it doesn’t really matter if life and daily routine stop.  Forget about any long term goals you may have set.  It’s just too hard to take the next step.

Elijah new this depression all too well.  In 1 Kings 19, the prophet is running for his life from the wicked Jezebel.  The children of Israel have forsaken their God and killed the prophets.  As Elijah puts it, He is the only one left.  In verse 4 he pretty much expresses his despair by saying, “Kill me now, God.”

Fatigued by his running, and overwhelmed by anquish and dispair, he lays himself down under the broom tree and falls asleep.  I assume he had no covers to cover his head with, and maybe only a rock for a pillow.  At any rate…sleep was his refuge.

But then, an amazing happens.  An angel touched him and said, “Arise and eat.”  And there, right by his head, was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water.

So, Elijah ate and drank, but then he laid back down, obviously unaware of what this simple action of eating was to accomplish in his life.  So, the angel touches him a second time and again said, “Arise and eat…you’ve got a big journey ahead of you.” (paraphrase)

Elijah, once again got up and ate and drank.

Now here’s the miracle of that simple action.  Verse 8 tells us that he went on the strength of that food for forty days and forty nights, as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.  Talk about heavenly food.  😉

What’s the point here?  Elijah, in the depths of his despair, completed a simple action.  He rose, he ate…and it gave him the strength to take the next step.  That next step took him to the place where God spoke to him…not in the wind, not in the earthquake, and not in the fire.  The Father spoke to him in a still, small voice and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”  God still had work for the prophet to do. 

Scripture doesn’t tell us if Elijah ever got over that depression.  We never hear that God healed his anguish and fears, or that he lived out the rest of his days in sorrowless bliss.  I’m so thankful for that, because what we are told is this.  Elijah went on to annoint two kings and a new prophet to take his place.  He continued to serve his God until he was literally taken to heaven in a chariot of fire.

Now, I may not have heavenly prepared cakes sitting by my head, ready to eat.  But, I do have the word of God right at my fingertips.  God’s word is all sustaining, life giving.  It gives me everything I need to be able to take the next step.  Why then, is it so easy, to not pick up our bibles when we are depressed?  I’m sure our enemy loves it when we don’t.  Even Elijah ate a little and went back to sleep.  The angel again waking  him a second time to say, “Come on…eat some more.” (paraphrase again). 

I think the more we take in the word, the more we want to take it in.  It may take all our strength to wake up and take that first bite.  But when we do, the nourishment gets in…and we eat some more.  The next thing you know…you’re taking the next step, hearing the still small voice.  Is the depression gone?  Maybe not.  But I’d much rather be moving forward in the strength of my God than under the covers.

This is in no way meant to belittle or make light of those who struggle with serious depression.  Believe me when I say that I regularly petition the Lord on behalf of those I know and love who hurt in this way.  This post is more or less a nudge…Are you hungry?  Then eat.  Or better yet…

Feast

“Featurette!”

I’ve chosen Healdsburg Mom: Darnell Williams  as my first Featurette feature. 

What can I say about Darnell?  Every time I think about her I can’t help but smile.  People must look at the silly grin on my face and say, “What’s she so happy about?”.  Well, I’ll tell you what I’m so happy about.  It’s the wonderful grace of God in Darnell Williams life…that’s what.

Darnell and her children started fellowshipping at Calvary Chapel Healdsburg about 3-4 years ago.  During that span of time, I’ve had the privilege of watching Darnell’s life in Christ bloom.  I won’t get into the details of that “blooming”, for that would be up to Darnell to share.  But I will tell you this:  Darnell has a life that exemplifies surrender.  She definitely, as Paul said, “Dies daily” as she allows Christ to live through her.  She’s even more beautiful now then the first day I met her.

To learn a little more about Darnell, you’ll have to check out her blog for yourself.  She has a wonderfully deep insight into the scriptures, and shares what the Lord teaches her in regular posts.  And for all you moms out there (and “not moms as well 😉  ), Darnell has great tips for healthy eating, living…you name it.

I encourage all to drop on by Healdsburg Mom’s blog site.  Leave her a blessing….and tell her Mary sent you.

Featuring “Featurette”!

I thought I’d try something new here.  Seein as I’ve been a bit out of sorts with writing lately, I’m feeling the need to…how do you say?…mix it up a bit.

So, every now and then, I’m going to post a “Featurette”.  Did you hear the effective echo in there when I said the word Featurette?

Anyway, Wikipedia defines a featurette as a film whose length is approximately three quarters of a reel, or about 20-44 minutes of running time, thus midway between a short subject and a feature film.  In other words, a “small feature”.  Thus, Featurette.

Now that we are all clear on what a featurette is, you can be assured that I won’t be showing a short film here.  Instead, I’ll be Featuretting a blog or website, hand selected by me, from my very own blogroll.  Yes, that’s right.  The blogroll over there on the right side of the page…and down a bit.

I have to wonder what people think of the sites I have listed on my blogroll.  It’s an interesting collection.  Yet, there’s reason and a story behind them all.  Whenever I lurk around a blog site, I check out the blogroll and the links.  I have to say that sometimes I have questions, and I do wonder why this or that site was chosen to have a special place in the listing.  In a “Featurette” post, we’ll take a bit of a closer look at the people and the websites that make up my blogroll.

I do know this.  I’ve found many wonderful blogs by checking out someones blogroll.  So, maybe this new “Featurette” will connect us bloggers a little closer together.

That was just the introduction.  My next post will be the first “Featurette”.  Aren’t you excited?  I know I am.

Stay tuned