Dedicated, Depleted and Determined

I am joining the Sisterhood :) and linking this post with Jen and some others at Finding Heaven Today.  Please click the picture at the bottom of this post to visit some other pages if you have time and need the encouragement...

Yesterday at church our Youth Pastor (and friend) filled in for our Senior Pastor who is on vacation.  The words he spoke hit me like a ton of bricks.  As soon as he opened his mouth and began speaking I knew God was using him to deliver a message and I, its intended recipient.

Simply but profoundly titled "From Desire to Desperation," my personal message immediately challenged and convicted me.

Isn't it funny how sometimes you know what God is going to say before He says it?  It amazes me how He drops His word in our spirit and sets off an explosion in our heart.

To set the stage, Pastor Timothy used the example of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1 starting in vs. 8.  It is hard to miss Hannah's desperation in these verses. She not only desired a son, she was utterly desperate.  She committed herself to God in this matter in such a way that she was emptied of everything.  In dedication and determination, she poured out unto God relentlessly. 

Hannah was dedicated, depleted and determined.

Point 1: TRUE DEDICATION

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, behold all things have become new." ~2 Corinthians 5:17

When we are dedicated, we are wholly committed to something, set apart, reserved and consecrated for a specific use or (sacred) purpose (source: dictionary.com).

True dedication to God means, as the scripture states, that old things have indeed passed away and all things have become new.  We are a new creation and our life should reflect the change.  The way we think, the way we speak, the way we love, the way we forgive, the way we encourage, the way we serve...everything we do and everything we are should be centered in the person of Christ.  Not that we are perfect (because we aren't), not that we will instantly gain victory in every area and over every stronghold (because we won't), but that we live intentionally and purposefully, completely submitted and dedicated to the life we now live, consecrated and set apart for a sacred purpose.

Point 2: TRUE DEPLETION

I just read  a guest post by Todd Henry on Michael Hyatt's blog the other day titled Why I Hope to Die Empty.  If you haven't read it, I encourage you to do so.  It's really, really good.

TH's friend asked the question "Do you know what the most valuable land in the world is?" After numerous wrong guesses of places like diamond mines and oil rich lands, he replied, "It's the graveyard... because with all of those people are buried unfulfilled dreams, unwritten novels, masterpieces not created, businesses not started, relationships not reconciled.  That is the most valuable land in the world."

This statement brings conviction to live and the freedom to do so.  TH states "My only job—each and every day—is to empty myself, to do my daily work, and to try as much as possible to leave nothing unspoken, uncreated, unwritten."

As we fill ourselves with God's Word and become empowered to do that which He's called us to do, we should do it.   Just do it  (Sounds so simple...) .Pour ourselves out first to Him in worship, sacrifice, prayer, dedication and then to others in service, encouragement, love, forgiveness.  In the pouring out of ourselves - our needs, wants, desires, hurts, disappointments - and in the emptying of all that He has poured in -healing, provision, peace, love -, spills out ministry and the gifts He has placed within us. 

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" Galatians 2:20.

In our emptying, we surrender all.  Just as Hannah surrendered the very thing for which she cried out so desperately (1 Samuel 1), we too must realize the blessings that come are not so that we can hold onto them, but so that we can release them back into the hands of God.  It isn't our ministry, our book, our child, our song, our life....it's His...and it's for His glory alone.

3. TRUE DETERMINATION

How determined are we to find God?  To find His presence and dwell there?  Do we look for Him as treasure?  Do we thirst for Him?

"O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water"
Psalm 63:1.

Each of these points challenged me and caused me to look within, to evaluate my level of desperation.  Am I truly dedicated?  Am I truly depleted?  Am I truly determined?  My flesh and desire to please people or have them see me in a certain favorable light wants to proclaim "Yes!"  But in my heart of hearts, the transparent and honest answer is...no.  Yes, I love God, Yes, I have desire, but my level of desperation is not enough.  There are some things I must still surrender, some things I must lay down, some things I must let go. 

As God is preparing each of us for His purposes, I pray that we become desperate.  Desperate for Him and desperate enough to empty ourselves so that He can live through us.  Whether in writing, speaking, praying, singing or to whatever ministry He has called us, I pray that we are able to lay aside those things keeping us from moving forward.

We can be truly dedicated, depleted and determined. 

We must live purposefully and intentionally.  We are created for a sacred purpose.

In seventeen short days I will board a plane for North Carolina to attend the She Speaks Conference.  I am nervous and feel very inadequate but I know God is going to speak to me there.  In addition to gathering a plethora of knowledge, I am praying to receive divine direction.  I am laying down some things in order to attend, setting some things aside, and letting some things go.  I feel my desperation increasing. I know He is leading.

Won't you pray for me and allow me to pray for you, sweet friends?

Truly my soul silently waits for God; from Him comes my salvation ~Psalm 62:1.

What Would You Do?

Ok, you may get sick of me but I feel like I am going to BURST if I don't add a part two to chapter two!!  But I promise to keep it short ;)  Maybe.

I have to quote from page 31.....

"In this journey of desire.......you move out of the stands and onto the playing field.  In the stands, you are just a spectator, watching your own life, a passive onlooker to a game where other people call the plays.  You are what someone else says you are.  It's the turtle story, where a hard shell protects all the live stuff inside.   But you can only stay in the stands so long without the soul-numbing sense that you are missing your own life.  The only one God gave you. To move from being a spectator is to step out on the field and risk banging up your knees a bit.  To experience the muddy, sweaty exhilaration of actually playing the game...."

And then she asks the questions.....

"What would you begin to do if you thought you could?"

"Would you want to live in a foreign country?"  (Hmmm...lol)

"Or begin a ministry no one else had attempted?"  (Maybe...)

"Or write a book?"  (YES!!)

"Or plant a perennial garden?"

"Or ask your mother-in-law if there wasn't some way to mend the defeaning silence between you?"

WHAT WOULD YOU DO??

Think about it.......

XO

Chapter Two: Desire

Lord, all my desire is before Thee; and my sighing is not hid from Thee. Psalm 38:9


In this chapter, Rinehart describes how we are "painfully incomplete."  Our heart is a bundle of "longings, and desires.....holes in our soul....The holes are the places God has reserved in us for Himself.  The longings identify our real hunger.  A hunger that drives us to Him to be satisfied."


When the word desire is mentioned, often one thinks of the wrong kind of desire.  Desire can lead us to worldly things, but it can also lead us to God.  So not all desire is bad.  We were created as passionate beings by a passionate God.  "The majestic power of God that made the heavens and formed the earth, also reaches into the core of our being and shapes our very spirit."


As Zechariah said, "Thus declares the Lord who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him."


That really spoke to me.  The same God who is also the Creator of the universe, maker all things, giver of life......formed my very spirit!  Often I feel guilty for spending time creating things, crafting, sewing. painting, scrapbooking etc, and feel like I should be doing something more "spiritual."  But God put those inside of me.  He made me in His image, a creative being.  The only time my desire for these things would be wrong is when I place them above Him.  In that case, they would have become an idol.


Rinehart also explains how some people give up, and are even encouraged to give up, their desires, and part of their "soul goes to sleep."  Then her next few statements wowed me! "When we are wholly His we will be more ourselves than ever." (She actually quoted that one from C.S. Lewis).  "It is the definition of joy to be able to offer back to God the essence of what He's placed in you, be that creativity or a love of ideas or a compassionate heart or the gift of hospitality."


There is also desire that leads us away from God and causes pain.  One example she uses is the desire to run off with the postman.  I think you can see the difference.  Desires that lead us to God, and those that take us away.  She goes on to tell us how we deal with these desires......


I could go on and on again with this chapter, but I'll keep it short and allow you to read the rest (this is only from the first couple of pages! haha). It is deep and has a lot of information.....I think I'm going to go read it again...... :) 

What stood out to you or spoke to you in this chapter?



If you still haven't received your book, don't be discouraged! My posts will still be here when you get it! You can go back and review any time you need to. And if you haven't even ordered one yet, click on the amazon link or find it at your local christian bookstore!

Have a FANTASTIC day!!!

XO

Shelly

Compelled into His Presence

This weekend as we celebrated Easter, we were surrounded by lots of family. We are truly blessed. And yesterday, as we sat down in the restaurant for lunch, Logan (my five year old) grabbed our hands and announced that he would be the one to give thanks for our meal. As he prayed, my sister and I sat in awe and with tears in our eyes at the words coming from his mouth. I know He hears God speaking and he understood what that day so long ago was all about....

God ( Gaaaawwwwd - long and drawn out, Texas style)....thank you for the birds. Thank you for the trees. Thank you, God, for my mom and my Aunt Vicki. (long pause and thinking.......) Jesus, you died for us! (in a loud 5 yr old voice) You died on the cross for our sins! And today you are alive! Thank you, Jesus, for what you did for us! We celebrate You today! Thank You Jesus for dying on the cross! And God (Gaaawwwwd), thank you for our food. In Jesus' name I pray....Amen.

A powerful prayer full of emotion from my five year old. Thank You, God, for my children who love you.

For the last couple of days, I've heard the word compel. I know what this word means, and how to use it in a sentence, don't worry (smile) but, being the word nerd that I am, I looked it up for it's exact dictionary meaning. (And yes, I am still a member of the dictionary.com word of the day club.) There were several definitions but here are the ones I particularly liked:

compel - to have a powerful and irresistible effect, influence, etc

compelling - requiring acute admiration, attention, or respect

I feel like God speaks to me sometimes through words, or a single word. I can hear a word over and over in my spirit, and then it seems that everywhere I look or everything I read the word is there..... and I know that He is trying to tell me something. It is exciting to search for the meaning like a hidden treasure and then feel the confirmation in my spirit when His message is opened up and revealed to me. He is so good and He loves to speak to His children.

So with this word, I feel like God is saying that He requires acute (extremely great or serious; sensitive even to slight details or impressions) admiration (the act of looking on or contemplating with pleasure), attention (observant care and consideration) and respect (the condition of being esteemed or honored) from me. And He wants to have a powerful and irresistible effect and influence over my life, every moment of every day. But I must answer when He calls (no matter what I'm doing at the moment). The Father is jealous of my time and desires my exclusive, fixed, undivided attention.

One moment with Him is unlike anything on this earth. I truly am complete when I am in His presence.

Is He compelling you today? Won't you answer Your Father and allow Him to speak to you this moment? He has secrets to tell and treasure to give.............

Father....I surrender my time to You. Order my day and fill it with Your presence. Let me be sensitive to Your voice above everything. In the midst of my busyness, let me hear Your call and answer without hesitation.........Your love overwhelms me......Thank you for desiring my attention, thank you that You still speak to Your children..........