A friend of mine shared a John Eldredge blog post recently and John called it "God is Growing us All Up". "It helps us to understand why Jesus keeps changing the picture in our lives; he keeps introducing “new frontiers” to each of us. Just when you think you’ve got parenting down, your kids enter into a new stage; just when you think you’ve got a pretty good grasp on your inner world, Jesus shows you something that needs healing. Relationships are always changing; church life changes; your body, your income—my goodness, can you think of anything that doesn’t change?" John Eldredge
http://www.ransomedheart.com/blogs/john/will-you-come-me
I'm a wife of almost 33 years, I'm a Mom, a Mom-in-law, and a Nana. I've "been a christian" for virtually my entire life. I was in elementary school (I'll be 60 in 2015) when I asked Jesus into my heart. And that's a decision I'll never regret. But it wasn't until I was in college that a dear pastor's wife took it upon herself to mentor several of us 'young folk' and she opened my eyes to the fact that asking Jesus into one's heart was only the beginning of the journey. And for several years I did 'grow up' in God. But then I got distracted and comfortable with life and stopped growing. I was likely cocky enough to think "I've got this God - I can take it from here". And because we serve a Gracious God, he obliged me. Oh, I never forgot God and I invited Him along on this journey of mine, but I sat in the driver's seat and God rode shot-gun (and sometimes I honestly pushed Him to the back seat because He tried to invoke unwanted advice). And, oh my yes, during those times when I hit bumps in the road (my own cancer at age 33, struggles of marriage and parenting, daily life mishaps and discords, etc.) I certainly asked God to scoot a little closer to the wheel. But as Carrie Underwood so profoundly says in her song, I never really truly shouted "Jesus Take the Wheel", I shouted "Jesus Share the Wheel". And once those bumps smoothed again (some only temporarily), I inched my way back to be totally in control of the wheel again while still asking God to come along for the ride and be there when I decided I needed Him. And now here is where Dr. Phil asks "And how's that working for you". Answer: short-term/facade of peace, joy, and/or happiness; fractured and guarded relationships; lots of tears....
Fortunately, my God is a PATIENT, LOVING, and GRACIOUS God and He NEVER gives up on me. And thankfully, I'm learning to listen - not just hear - LISTEN! One of the things I have to do to really listen, is to quieten myself, and that's not easy. I have to stop all the worry and all the anxiousness, I have to let go of things in the past that I let rule the future, I have to let the Holy Spirit work in His time to mend and/or resolve past hurts, discords, etc. I have to let God live through me in the present and let "God Living through Me" be my testimony and legacy - not just my words about how "God loves you and me". My greatest regret - that I'm almost 60 years of age and I'm just now learning to 'listen'. But God is Growing me Up because, thank you Lord, "God's Not Done with Me Yet"
A MATTER OF THE HEART
by Beth Moore
I've arrived at a conclusion
maybe one of life's rare finds
that there's not a lot worth salvaging
within this heart of mine.
It's ever ready to destruct
and lie above all things....
It tends to laugh when it should cry
and mourn when it should sing.
I've wasted countless hours begging,
"Fix this heart, Lord, please!"
while it stomps its feet, demands its way
and floods with sin's disease.
At last, you're able to get through
and lay it on the line:
"You must give up that heart of yours
and trade it in for mine."
So I cry out with the psalmist,
create within me, Lord
A new heart crystal clear
that only Calvary could afford
A heart which pounds the rhythm
of heaven's metronome
and issues forth a boundless love
and beats for You alone.
I want to love that which You love,
despising what you hate
and see myself as least of these
oh Lord, retaliate.
The efforts of the evil one
who seeks to make my plea
that of his own, "I'll make no move
til I've considered me."
Peel away my fingers,
finally make me understand
the power to love and please You
can't be found within a man.
So, my Lord, I bring this offering;
a stubborn heart of stone
And ask You, in its absence,
please exchange it for Your own.
