Ant Life

Dear Friends,

Yesterday I watched red ants work for almost an hour as they brought into their mound pieces of grass and clover leaves.  It was pretty amazing (amusing?) to watch them stagger around under the weight and awkward shape of their load.  The path required them to climb up the mound and then down into a valley to enter their lair.  Very often an ant would make it fine up the hill, but then tumble down into the valley, unable to see the changing terrain because of their leafy loads.  After a fall, the ant would scurry around in panic for a second, before locating his leaf and carrying on toward the hole.  Sometimes, nearby ants without loads would help.  Sometimes one ant’s tumble took out the whole line, sending them all sliding down the valley and into collective frenzy.

We humans carry burdens too.  Sometimes sickness, unemployment, or loss.  Sometimes loneliness or rejection.  These burdens sometimes send us tumbling, feeling out of control.  These burdens sometimes cause cascades of tumbling for those around us and we all scurry aimlessly in panic.  But God is with us and cares for us (Deut 31:8, Zeph 3:17).  He even walked among us, coming down to our level, wrapping Himself in human flesh, and subjecting Himself to the same trials and temptations, but without sin (Heb 4:15).  #Christmas #gospel

And God did not only give us Himself (as if He was not enough!).  He gave us community.  We make a beautifully productive kingdom.  God calls His people to build each other up and bear each other’s burdens in love (1 Thes 5:11, Gal 6:2).  These burdens also include sin: “If anyone is caught in any transgression, … restore him in a spirit of gentleness” (Gal 6:1).  James says the way this works is that we “confess our sins to each other and pray for one another, that we may be healed” (James 5:16).  Ultimately, we are each accountable to God for our own sin, but He arranged it so that we would not walk alone.  #antlife

Sincerely,

Katie

Sprout

“For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to sprout up before all the nations.”
Isaiah 61:11

Book Review: Disappointment with God

Dear Friends,

In Disappointment with God, Philip Yancey addresses 3 main questions:  Is God unfair?  Is God silent?  Is God hidden?

The first half of the book addresses God’s character throughout biblical history.  You may want to rush through those 170 pages to get to the “Big Questions” addressed in the second half, but the history is worth reading even if you are familiar.  There are distinct shifts in how God relates to people over time.  It also helps to point out that these big questions are not new:  people we consider faith heroes struggled with these things (Heb 11).

The book is excellent.  It doesn’t tell you what to think or not to think.  It validates questions and feelings while pointing to truth.  However, I only recommend this book to people who are consumed by the questions above.  Consumed not curious.  If you are just curious, I think there is a major danger of opening a can of worms here that is not for you.  It would be easy for you to adopt these emotional and spiritual struggles as your own as you read.  Just keep in mind that this book exists in case you ever find yourself with the “Disappointment with God” can of worms already open in your hands.  It would also be appropriate for you to read this with someone you are helping through this struggle, allowing you to understand and process their big questions together.

Remember:  “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.” – Lamentations 3:22

“The alternative to disappointment with God seems to be disappointment without God” (286).

Sincerely,

Katie

Let Us Run

Dear Friends,

Have you ever wondered about God’s will?  Jesus tells us plainly, “Go and make disciples of all nations… baptizing them… and teaching them” (Matt 28:19-20).  Paul explains, “For we are God’s masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Eph 2:10).

Did you catch that?  Why has God given us new life in Jesus?  So we can do the good things he has planned for us.  God does not save people just so they can go to heaven.  Otherwise, why don’t we all disappear into heaven as soon as we decide to believe in Jesus?  God has a plan for us on earth.  And what has he planned?  For us to make disciples.

Of course, we are all concerned about where we will live, who we will marry, and where will we work.  What is God’s will for ME?  This is the wrong question.  It is not about us.  “Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land…  He went without knowing where he was going” (Heb 11:8).

We need to accept that we may not know where we are going.  But we can take comfort that God has already marked out a race for us.  A race lined with potential disciples and good things for us to do.  This race will include suffering.  But we can continue with joy knowing the ultimate relief is ahead:  eternity in heaven with our Savior and Lord.

Let us run with endurance.

Sincerely,

Katie

Off the Map

Dear Friends,

Sometimes it’s nice to go off the map.  I think it’s pretty bold, honestly.  Christopher Columbus and his crew took a serious risk leaving friends, family, and home.  Everything familiar would be out of reach.  There was no guarantee of return.

I realize Chris is kind of a poster boy for going “off the map,” but there are others.  Even today there are people moving in faith to places “off their map.”  People with friends and family and jobs leaving it all.  Some of them have motives like Chris:  fame, thrill, wealth.  But others have motives for Christ: love, truth, eternity.

Sincerely,

Katie

Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars

Dear Friends,

I had the privilege of reading a signed copy of a NYTimes bestseller and TIME’s #1 Fiction Book of the Year.  The Fault in Our Stars was recommended to me months ago by my brother.  This is significant because:  1.  That was before it was popular (he’s cool like that) and 2.  He is admittedly not a reader.

It takes a skilled author to appeal to readers (NYTimes and TIME critics) and nonreaders (my brother and others).  And that’s my biggest praise for the book:  it’s for real people.  Sure, the characters go through things many of us have not.  But through the voice of Hazel Grace Lancaster, all real people can relate.

I often wonder if professional critics over-exaggerate praise to get quoted on the back of the next edition or intensify harsh words to somehow put themselves above the text in review.  But this one’s accurate: “A blend of melancholy, sweet, philosophical, and funny. Green shows us true love…” NYTimes Review.  And the guy who made the back of the book:  “You laugh, you cry, and then you come back for more.”  This is certainly true if you allow yourself to engage with the characters in their wit and in their struggles.  And if you see the book categorized as “Young Adult” don’t be alarmed.  It means “All Adults Who Were Once Young” or “Anyone Old Enough to Be in Love.”

To enhance your reading experience, listen to Explosions in the Sky album All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone.  I’m told this applies any John Green book, but I wouldn’t know just yet.  For more from John Green see YouTube or Twitter, where he and his brother Hank have massive followings.

Sincerely,

Katie

 

Noah’s Ark Replica

Dear Friends,

Here’s an interesting story:  Dutchman launches life-size replica of Noah’s Ark

Johan Huibers of the Netherlands has completed construction of a full-sized ark with the dimensions given to Noah in the Bible (Genesis 6).

Why?  He wants to make people think what their purpose is on Earth.  Huibers said, ‘I want to make people question that so that they go looking for answers,’ and ultimately find salvation through God and eternal life.

Also interesting:  “Huibers is also working on a new dream, perhaps even more unlikely than the first one: he wants to get Israelis and Arabs to cooperate and build a water pipeline from the Mediterranean Sea to the Dead Sea.”  How could this sort of cooperation between enemies be possible?  With Christ, of course!  I think of Acts 8 when Jewish Christians proclaim the gospel to their historical enemies, the Samaritans:  “Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there… When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.  When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit… When they had testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.”  In Christ we are unified (Eph 4:4-6).

Sincerely,

Katie

P.S. Don’t worry, the tiger above is a stuffed animal.  Many fake furry friends have gathered two-by-two for refuge on the ark.

Smile Today

Dear Friends,

Smile.  Someone might be having a bad day.

Sincerely,

Katie

Sunday Singing

Dear Friends,

This afternoon I enjoyed a concert by our university singers.  I sat in the very back row, looking out over the crowd and onto the stage. I closed my eyes to enjoy the sound.  The quality was impeccable.  The tone was pure and warm.  Each syllable was articulated clearly and crisply.  These people were well-trained.  The transitions from dissonance to harmony gave me chills.  It was easy to worship God in these moments – to thank Him for music and hearing.

But after the first song, an older gentleman came in late and sat down next to me.  This distraction would have been brief and insignificant, except for the sickening smell he brought with him.  I tried to refocus on the music:

“Hide not thou thy face from us, O Lord, and cast not off thy servants in thy displeasure

for we confess our sins unto thee, and hide not our unrighteousness.

For thy mercy’s sake, for thy mercy’s sake deliver us from all our sins…”

– “Hide Not Thou Thy Face” Richard Farrant (1535-1580)

As I held my breath to attempt to enjoy this song, I tried to imagine:  How much does our sin stink to God?  When we come to Him in prayer or worship without confessing our sin, we must smell like skunks and spoiled milk and garbage or worse!  I guess I never realized how important the spiritual shower was before.  What a gift we have in Jesus that we can be considered righteous before God (Rom 10:4)!  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

How often do you shower?  Once a day?  Twice?  We should admit our mistakes and short-comings to God and ask for forgiveness at least this often.  It’s for our good!  And it makes sense – the Body of Christ (that’s the Church) should bathe regularly.

Sincerely,

Katie

City Life

Dear Friends,

Ever thought about why we have cities?

We need each other.  Ecc 4:9-12.

Sincerely,

Katie