Real heart change for this Real Ray Wednesday {part 2}

Dear internet,

As you read last week - I studied a couple of amazing books over the summer.  However, I left you with a bit of a cliff hanger considering I only told you about one of them.  Don't worry, it's just my way to ensure you'll come back exactly a week later. :)

During Launch this summer we went through, Future Grace by John Piper.

I wouldn't dare show you the thickness of this book with the fear that you'd never consider digging in.  It is a rather thick book, but worth the read.  He designed the book to be 31 chapters with the thought that someone could read a (short) chapter a day and be done with the book in a month. 

The Lord has used this book in tremendous ways this summer.  I will do a horrible job... but yet-my best to summarize the highlights of this book and how it has impacted me this summer.  

Too often we {christians} fall into a certain mindset described in the book as 'the debtor's ethic', where we see how good God has been to us and all that He did on the cross for us and we spend our entire lives attempting to make it up to God.  'Make it up' - all of the blessings, sacrifices, provisions, fulfilled promises that He has given us from this moment in time and prior.  We do good things, we serve in every avenue possible, we work very hard {with our own effort} to do good in His name in order to make up for all of the goodness He has provided for us.

OK... before you go gettin' your panties in a knot.  Let me confirm - it IS a good thing to dwell on the work of the Lord in our lives from this moment prior, especially the work done on our behalf on the cross.  However - we should not fall into the mindset that we can, should, will one day be able to pay off some sort of debt to God for all that He has done for us.  

We SHOULD look back at all that the Lord has done for us and let that motivate us to continue counting on (for the future) the grace that is so evident in all of His past blessings.  The key is how that past work motivates us.  We can't ever pay back what He has done for us.  Guess what... He doesn't call us to pay Him back.  He tells us to go and make disciples and to make much of Him.  Dwelling on the past grace He has shown us - should encourage and ensure our confidence that He will continue to lavish His grace on us in the future.  

Do we live as though we realize the promise of Romans 8:28? 

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purposes." NASB

Piper has a chapter+ devoted to discussing this promise.  This has been really challenging to me this summer.  This verse sounds great.  Do we live as though it is true?  I mean REALLY true?  

I would suggest that we  I have been so quick to read 'God causes all things to work together for good' according to my standards/expectations/definitions of what 'good' is.  Could it be that what God sees as good is the actual standard/expectation/definition of good and mine is just a finite, self centered, temporary, lacking view of what good is in the moment. I think so.  I'm so thankful that God does not define good the same way I do.  {that is a really hard statement to say and mean 100% of the time because I often times convince myself that my definition is the 'right' one}.  

No mater what my current situation, circumstance, struggle, blessing or success is - is exactly the best place for my to be.  Can we pause here?  Do we get what this means?  I'm still figuring out how to live each moment of my days fully aware of this fact.  What an amazing promise.  

I could literally write about that alone all night long.  However the book did have 30 other chapters. :)

Something unique about the way Piper structured this book is that he typically had sections of 3 chapters that relate to one another.  He ends each section by identifying evidences of unbelief in our lives and provide practical ways to battle them. (i.e.: anxiety, impatience, pride, bitterness, despondency, lust, covetousness, and misplaced shame)  He digs into each of these areas of unbelief - when we are anxious, or impatient, or prideful, or have bitterness in our heart - that is evidence that we are not trusting in God for something. 

This book really challenged my trust in God's promises.  I know His promises and I've seen Him fulfill his promises in my life and in the lives of those around me.  However, the Lord used this summer's study at Launch to peel apart my heart.  I discovered that I am waiting to be an exception to His promises.  

I know and believe He is good on His promises {for everyone else}.  I've even seen His goodness in my life through His promises.  Yet I have struggled with fitting God into my finite-ness.  "There is always an exception." has crept into the way I was viewing God.  Wow.  I didn't even realize it... 

I'm so thankful for the way the Lord challenged {and continues to challenge} my heart through this summer's study.  He has yet again proven good on His promise in my heart.  He is molding me and shaping me and my warped view.  I'm so thankful that He is bigger than my finite mind.  

As I said at the beginning- I knew this 'summary' wouldn't do the book justice... but I encourage any and all of you to pick up a copy and dig in. 

I must warn you though:  prepare. to. be. challenged. to. your. core. 

So thankful for how the Lord reveals more of Himself through discussions with my community as well as personal time with Him.  

What is the Lord doing in your heart during this season?

Community defined...

Community is not defined by age, it is not considered a factor, nor a requirement

Knows no judgement, only a kind of love our world can't understand... and can't stand - to be quite honest

Loyalty is found in it's core

Tough love- with the utmost grace on both sides

Respect even when members disagree

Laughter - looooooots of laughter

Brother/sisterhood

Walk through any and all stages of life together

Truth is shared = accountability

Genuine with one another {especially when it is hard}

No question is left unanswered because of fear of judgement or inadequacy

Everyone plays a major role - and a very different role from anyone else -- which means they are not all alike!

A place of rest

Honesty- share life experiences with one another

Same central focus- Christ

Encouraging

It is a huge investment of time .. And at first--- energy

It is natural

Tough conversations are natural when necessary

Burdens are carried with one another

It is a risk - vulnerability oftentimes is.  worth. every. ounce. of. risk.

_________

What would you add to this definition of community?  What does it look like for you?

Launch... On prayer

So the guys and girls are still separate at Launch and the ladies have been talking about prayer.  It has been such a wonderful topic to discuss with these ladies.

So a couple of weeks ago we were discussing praying through scripture, and it corresponded nicely with the sunday morning service because we have been going through Matthew 6 - the Lord's prayer.  So we all spread out all over the church for 20 minutes alone to spend in prayer - she encouraged us to spend some time praying through scripture. This has not always been a part of my prayer routine, so I was definitely outside my comfort zone.

After the 20 minutes of prayer time, we gathered back together to discuss our experiences.  It was clear to me what was holding me back.  Our culture.  "Finish what you started"; "Hurry, be the first one done"; "The faster the better"... are all aspects of our culture that flooded my mind during this prayer time.

One of the avenues we discussed was to pray through each phrase.... emphasizing different words each time you read it.  Think through each and every word and how it impacts the message of the passage.

I decided to try this method - however all of the above thoughts kept coming to my mind.  "you only have 20 minutes to get through the entire Lord's prayer... you'll never get done going so slow... it is only worth doing if you get through the entire passage".

How sad is that?

Why can't I be satisfied just making it through one phrase of the passage?  Why do I hurry myself to feel some sort of adequacy?  Why does the number of verses equal relevance and productivity in my prayer life?  I let so much pressure from our culture influence how I meditate on the Word.  Wow.... that was a hard hitting reality that night.

Heaven forbid I only read/meditate/pray through 1 verse each session? Why do I put the pressure on myself to so as much as possible and get through it all?

Just something I'm learning about myself and my prayer life.  I tend to hurry through my prayer... not sure if it is all in an effort to feel productive, or to 'free up' God to listen to prayers from others?

Why do we I try to limit God to what my mind can comprehend?

Thoughts? How do you combat the pressure our culture places on hurriedness in your prayer life, or am I the only one that feels it?

#launchlove

Beauty draws us in.





This truth is one I've been reminded of so many times since reading Captivating for the first time in college.  In fact my self and my suite-mates had decided to have a 'contract' of sorts where we decided not to date for the entire semester, and instead read this book together and focus on the Lord rather than focusing on the search for Mr. Right- which all 3 of us were focusing on this way too much.  While that proved to be an excellent approach for our hearts, it may not be necessary for everyone to go that drastic.  for me... it was a requirement.

fast forward...

A couple of years ago, in our young adult ministry 'Launch', we split up into guys and girls and did a 'body image' study for a good 10-12 weeks-- it did start out as a body image study and we talked a lot about our insecurities and what the world tries to tell us beauty means.

But honestly - it turned into much much MUCH more than a 'body image' study... however the name stuck somehow - I think it reminds us of where it all started the first time around... and how we must have a true understanding and view of ourselves to align with the Lord's view of us.  This alignment is so essential to achieving the definition listed below of what a beautiful woman of God is like.. how she thinks.

So here is the list us 'launch ladies' made of how a beautiful woman thinks in regards to herself... and others:

-doesn't think about self as central focus
-Godward thoughts
-to think comfortably
-undeceived thinking - seeing things as they really are- as God sees them
-pleasant to self - compliments herself- not vainly but truthfully
-humility that isn't self-abasement
-thoughts of others without jealousy
-willingly compliment others and accept compliments
-not critical of others (gossip)
-not easily insulted
-love authentically
-enjoys others without competition

notice what is NOT a part of this list... not a single mention of how she looks, dresses, what trends she follows, what crafts she is good at, what meals she can cook, how she styles her hair.

isn't that seriously so beautiful?  those things didn't even come to mind when we were brainstorming this list... for a moment those things were not the focus.  Oh how I pray for more moments like that.

************

well- I guess you can call this episode 1-the intro... we have touched on so many things that I'll have to break this down into different posts to get it all in- and do it justice :)


what comes to mind when you think of characteristics of a beautiful woman of God?

i am weak.

During launch last week we talked about gratitude.  It was beautiful.

Kandy so wonderfully defined gratitude as: embrace with gladness what God has put before me, having trust that when we have His perspective one day in heaven... we will agree with His decision... we will agree that He did what is best for us

wow.  even in the good, bad, and ugly.  that stings a little... I can't say that my attitude, my life has always been marked with gratitude.  Lord, I pray you overwhelm me with this type of gratitude

Something that really stood out to me near the end of our study was a discussion about being weak.  "I don't thank God for my weaknesses" was said... well duh- who does, right?

That seems so silly, Raylene, to thank Him for a way it seems as if He failed in me.  Yeah- that was my first thought as well, internet.

Do you realize that when we recognize our weaknesses, it should remind us of how powerful and strong He is!

The fact that I have weaknesses strengthens Him and His power in my mind... my weaknesses should remind me of His power.  My weaknesses should continually keep me dependent on Him... my weaknesses should keep me turning to Him

Lord, I want to be thankful for my weaknesses because it strengthens you... and not dwell on my weaknesses and see them as failures, but rather see them as turning points to you.

Well - I can tell you this much.. after that discussion I'm going to try to start thanking the Lord for my weaknesses....