Wondering in the Desert or Already in the Promised Land?

I love my calendar, the way the bold black numbers and pure pallid paper (Alliteration :)) contrast. Add in my vibrant scribbles and the marginal left over space...


Vwala.


Its love at first... task. 


I love knowing what I have planned; when, or what I’m obligated to do and what wriggle room I have to go to Disneyland or Downtown Orange. Looking back I can remember my adventures and It enables me to look forward.

Plus, my calendar has cute sayings:  
“She wanted to grow in beauty and grace so she asked God to show her the seeds she should plant in the soul of her heart”, accompanied with a cartoon of a young women planting a garden, then near July, psalm119: 33-34: “Just tell me what to do and I will do it, Lord, as long as I live I’ll wholeheartedly obey”.

Thinking about that now and what I am about to talk about I have to giggle at God’s coincidences.

Welcome to Danielle’s dictionary.
Search: Coincidence:  A moment where God wants us to roll our eyes and connect the dots, a lighthearted nudge that should be accepted with a laugh and a smile, an extra ‘aha’ moment.

Lately I have found my favorite space on my calendar to be the margin, the time that isn’t filled in until you are actually in the process of the action. Where a fleeting thought, such as lets go to orange, turns into a lesson in driving with maps; or, where something so simple as driving home from a bible study found you knocking on your friends door thirty minutes away.


My favorite being the hours in the morning before an appointment where you can curl up with a cup of coffee and a good read. That’s the rub, the parts that make life exciting and meaningful are not simply what we plan (though they can surely play a part and I am in no was demeaning their importance). It is often the unplanned, the last minute, the surprise, where God reveals himself and sends you joyful greetings.

The concept of scheduling and planning makes me take a step back and wonder. Just as I plan my days, I also plan my months, my years. Essentially, in some vague incoherent concept, I have even planned my life.

This summer we have been teaching my students all of the different ways water has been used in the bible, from creation to Jesus turning water into wine. This past week we talked about the time that the Israelites were traveling through the desert and Moses brought them water up out of the rocks. The comment was made that if God had had His way they would of already been in the promise land, but that it was their actions that caused them all the pain and suffering.


If God had His way, where would I be right now? Am I in the promised land? Because lets face it, all complaints about my life are superficial and fleeting. Or, instead, am I wondering around in the desert, begging for water, passing my time till I can get back to where He wanted me to be?

I know that I plan my days with my Father in mind, but lets face it, how often does God write you a letter or call you up on the phone and give you exact instructions?


*ring**ring*
"Danielle speaking, may I ask who's calling?"
"Hello Darling, this is your heavenly Father, can you be sure to be at such and such place at this time?"


If only it were that easy.


So then I have to wonder, are the days I spend what He has planned for me?


Truthfully,  I wont ever know. But I do know that following my Father, asking His guidance in my discernment for my future, will never steer me wrong.

And, at the end of the day, we will be in Paradise, so all we can do is our best, thank God for His saving Grace, and enjoy each moment we have here. Making the most of it.

Say thank you, speak with kindness, and tell the people you love and are blessed to have in your life that you think about them often and care about them deeply. 

The Next Great Adventure

It’s after midnight and sleep escapes me, replaced by a subtle anxiety. I figure I might as well write, and while many readers may write me off as eccentric, I can not help but attempt to explain the impact Harry Potter has had on my life and what the end of it means.

I was ten years old when my father took me to the movies to see Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, immediately after the film I went and read the first few books, looking back on the film I was bitter they left out my favorite scene. Hermione and the riddle? Was that not impressive?  


For a decade I grew up with the characters and actors. I can tell you exactly what I was doing the night of each book and movie release since then. I sympathized with Hermione, being friends with all boys and with her crazy unruly hair, was upset with Ron for not believing Harry, and cheered when Harry and Ginny got together. I read with fright, worrying about who was going to get hurt during that first battle in the Castle and cried when Dumbledore died. In disbelief tried to find evidence to justify that it was a ploy and he would return in the seventh book, only to have his death confirmed.

For those in my generation who found themselves wrapped in the world of Harry Potter from the start, we have all reached that age; where, like the characters, we are faced with the prospects of growing up and living in the real world. The end of Harry Potter marks the beginning of adulthood. No more days locked in our rooms eager to know what happens next, or nights standing in line with Starbucks wondering how exactly a muggle could duplicate butterbeer.  It’s time to say good-bye, and while Harry Potter is no where near dead in our lives, part of it is over. Dumbledore said, “Death is but the next great adventure”.

With the death of Harry Potter and the decade of my childhood soon to be behind me, I am looking forward to my next great adventure. 

Shiny Apple...

The other day I was out to lunch with two very dear friends and we started talking about role models. The comment gets made that Eve is pretty pathetic as far as role models go. Seriously... shiny apple? Maybe for a shiny diamond ... but a fruit? Granted it was "pleasing to the eye (Gen. 3:6)", but lets take some time to weigh the pros and cons here.

The underlying problem (admittedly there are a few) was that Eve could not say no… 

She started something that all of her female decedents (or maybe it’s just me) have inherited. The inability to say no.

This is all great when it comes to questions like “Can you bring snacks for study?” or “Can you help me set up early for my party”.  Those kind of questions have positive consequences.

But not all questions do.

Which brings me to revelation number two. The deceiver is not dumb (insert duh Danielle's here).

(For the record, my topic this week in girls small group was Eve, hence all the ‘ah-ha’ moments concerning the fall)

Even those not steeped in the morals of the church, those guided by the moral compass of the secular world, still tell us that murder and drugs and beating animals (I hate those tv commercials!) ‘are bad’ and loyalty and truth and Harry Potter (Sorry had to throw that in there, it all ends so soon!) ‘are good’.

But the bottom line is that the Adversaries power lies not in convincing us to ‘do bad’, but instead his power lies in convincing us that what’s bad is actually good. This is why we say Eve was deceived. 

So, then how do we discern what is good and what just appears to be good? How do we separate what we desire from what our Father desires for us?

I think Solomon had the right idea. 


Ever sense I was little I have been in awe of Solomon’s wisdom … the fact that my favorite story as a child in my picture bible was the one where Solomon tells the guards to split a baby in half should have been the first clue…

But in re-reading his story, (in my big kids bible with no pictures) one realizes that Solomon knew exactly how to find discernment:

“That night, there in Gibeon, God appeared to Solomon in a dream: God said, "What can I give you? Ask." ⁶ Solomon said, "You were extravagantly generous in love with David my father, and he lived faithfully in your presence, his relationships were just and his heart right. And you have persisted in this great and generous love by giving him—and this very day!—a son to sit on his throne.  ^7-8 "And now here I am: God, my God, you have made me, your servant, ruler of the kingdom in place of David my father. I'm too young for this, a mere child! I don't know the ropes, hardly know the 'ins' and 'outs' of this job. And here I am, set down in the middle of the people you've chosen, a great people—far too many to ever count.  ⁹ "Here's what I want: Give me a God-listening heart so I can lead your people well, discerning the difference between good and evil. For who on their own is capable of leading your glorious people?"

If Eve had a God-listening heart, maybe she wouldn’t have touched the fruit. (Deep down she must of know it was wrong… right?)

So then, how much more do we falter because our hearts are not God-listening? How much more do we stumble because we fail to discern the difference between good and evil?

How many times have we said yes; when the answer was no?

The other night I realized that I have come to the point in college where I have to decide what to do next. I was blessed to have been shown at the beginning of school what God wants me to do with my life, my newest question has been where. Something this important, I'm determined not to take my own path, but to search for His.


All I can do, all any of us can do, is ask for a God- listening heart, so that we end up on the path our Sovereign Lord has laid down for us. After all, why should we reach for shiny apples when we have been given Eden? 

I'm Back!

And it feels good…


(dun na na na na na... sorry, couldn’t resist)

I love how you never realize how lost you are until you find your way home… well… when you find your way home, then you love it.

 The whole not knowing your lost things probably isn’t something to like.

Still.

Joy. JOy. JOY.

I have a secret for you…. Someone may have already told you… but did you know… that God is Sovereign?!

Okay… okay… so I am still struggling and searching The Word (and consulting my friends, check out my FB profile and add your two cents please) to figure out what that really means… something tells me its going to be a life long investigation… I’m looking forward to it.

Here is what I know: (I love making lists… I am a list maker at heart)

1. God has a plan.

2. God’s plan always wins (and is way cooler than we ever dream) over ours.

3. Following His plan equals blessings, not following means judgment. (We are judged either way but I think you get the picture).

4. God wants to use me!

I feel like that’s a good list to know.

But can you believe that? He decides that He wants to use random regular people, and not just me, but all of us.

Something tells me this is going to be a summer to remember. 

I’m elated to see what happens this week, we kick-off College Group Tuesday, Swim and Study, Sunday School...


 I’m jumping in to our series on water... and plan on getting wet!

Psalm 151

This morning in Sunday school we started a series on music. From now until summer we will be looking at a combination of themes in psalms, and then, during fellowship, look at contemporary songs; how they run parallel or work in contrast with biblical principles. 


This morning's psalm was 147 and the topic was praise.


Every time we hear from our Father we turn to praise, and we should. Maybe it is the formal response to God's call in the bulletin or a night of praise up on a hill at a cross.


Traditional hebrew messages usually end in a psalm.


So today I challenged my middle school students to write (together, each contributing a line) a psalm of praise. I feel like I should share with you all what they came up with.


Hallelujah
Let us describe in song how great He is
The Lord blesses those who follow in his ways
He re-enlightens those that may have lost the light of religion to more worldly illusions
He gives us strength when we are in need of it
He comforts all including ones who sin
He strengthens our hearts when we pray to him


The Lord loves everything that passes through him but still forgives the bad if they repent their sins
He stands by us through everything
He gives live to those who follow him
He can take us anywhere
He has proclaimed His word to all who believe
Hallelujah


The Word says "Let everything that has breath, Praise the Lord", when was the last time you sincerely praised your Father?


On another note I want you all to know that I recognize how sparse my entries have been, God has been doing a lot of work in me and my friends lately and I want to give him time before I start trying to process what He is up too. All glory, honor, and power is His. 


<3 Danielle Grace

The Whole of Holy Week

So often we bypass Holy week and head straight for the resurrection.


Let's not stop at Maundy Thursday, after all there isn't any significance of Jesus washing His disciples feet.


And Good Friday? What't that? Its all about Easter right?!


WRONG.  

Four years ago I attended my first Good Friday Service.

I will never forget it.

My pastor painted this picture of Christ, hanging there, nails in his hands, slowly dying one of the most painful deaths ever imagined.

For me.

With a blood red stamp on his chest.

PAID IN FULL

Right there, God comes down and puts a red stamp on his Beloved Son’s chest.

That is exactly what happened, Christ died for us and took our debt, past present and future debt… It is paid in full, yours, mine, the neighbor who blasts music at three in the morning, or the parent who was not there for their child.

This is Love.

That a man, who while God, was still FULLY human, suffered for the sins of the WHOLE world.

Yes, we have Easter, the resurrection, the celebration, but too often we forget that before He rose, He died.

God gives us this Love. In our relationships with people He sets the example, He says  “look at how much I love you, go and love others like I love you”.


How He loves us is how we should love others.

Good Friday is the day to remember the sacrifice, the day to prepare our hearts for the resurrection, but it is the day that God shows us just how much he loves us. 

“Eloi, Eloi” “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

It wasn’t easy.

It was not painless.

Quite the opposite.

So tomorrow is Easter.

Yesterday we took the time to prepare our hearts, to recognize the depth of that our Father went though just to reach us.

These past few weeks Lent has prepared us, driven us closer to our Father so that tomorrow we can celebrate, celebrate everything good and beautiful and true about the Light, about how He saved our lives.

Fee writes the perfect song for Easter, Rise and Sing , I encourage you all tomorrow to Rise and Sing for the Glory of the King, our Father, who paid in full our debt so that we may be free.

If you’re alive and you’ve been redeemed, rise & sing, rise & sing.
If you’ve been touched by the mercy king, rise & sing, rise & sing.

If you were bound but now you’re free, rise & sing, rise & sing.
Lift up a shout of victory, rise & sing, rise & sing.

Our God is risen and reigning and we’re elevating the glory of our God and King, everybody rise & sing

It’s in your heart rings a melody, rise & sing, rise & sing.
If you have tasted and you have seen, rise & sing, rise & sing.

Let the redeemed of the Lord sing hallelujah, hallelujah.
Let the redeemed of the Lord sing our God reigns, our God reigns!

Our God is risen and reigning and we’re elevating the glory of our God and King.
'Cause Our God is risen and reigning and we’re elevating the glory of our God and King
'Cause Our God is risen and reigning and we’re elevating the glory of our God and King, everybody rise & sing.

Sitting on my Swing

I am sorry it has been so long.  

I feel like God has blessed me with time this quarter. Some how I am able to go to class (obviously), do all my reading and work, spend time with my Father and all of my fellowship, prep for everything going on at YLPC, and still have time to pleasure read (Girls, read Cool Beans!).

I feel like so much has gone on since I have last written and yet it’s the same lesson I have been learning throughout the whole quarter.

Lately, mostly since I have been back from CBS, God has been reaching out to me in ways, that upon reflection, are so new to me. And, this all came crashing down Wednesday night a few weeks ago.

The Vine had been cancelled due to our Multi-fellowship event and it was beyond incredible to see a whole lecture hall of college students from all different walks coming together.  I had been struggling, trying to listen to God and not sure how to listen. If God gave a report card it would look like this.

Reading Bible: B+

Prayer: A-

Listening to Me: D

See, the Bible is interesting and Prayer is easy, I talk to myself all the time it isn't a hard stretch to talk to my Father...but listening? To someone who is not physically in front of me. I would learn sign language if I just thought God was mute, but I think I may just be deaf.

That night we broke off into groups to pray with each other. I turned to my leader and a fellow sister. As we prayed my leader told me that God just desired for me to be like Mary, to sit and listen at Jesus feet, to Be Still and know that He is God.

I realized that I needed my swing, to take time to sit on my swing and wait, to sit and enjoy the park and swing and wait, wait for my Father to speak to me.

Last night we were at High School fellowship and discussed the practice of Solitude. We actually gave the students time to go out and practice just sitting in Solitude for some time, this practice came from a book we have been working through as a congregation and I decided to take the time and keep reading. Chapter 10: How to Make a pickle…. Want to guess what it is about? Time. Taking time to be like Mary and to be still.

Haha. God…. You are funny.

I get it.

Be Still.

So this quarter, in the abundance of time my Father seems to be giving me,  I am going to try to spend my time on a swing.  To sit in wonder of His beauty. To be still. To Listen.