I saw Jesus...

I've seen Him in the eyes of the orphan children of Peru...who by "my standards" have absolutely "nothing"...but I am jealous because they possess what I long for...true contagious, unending, real joy...Joy that is not based or found in circumstances or stuff...

I felt His touch of peace in the calmness of a small child who cradled his head in my arms as a doctor was relieving him of pain in his ear...

I felt His presence in the worship of His people in a small church in Peru...in the spontaneous prayers that were offered up out of hearts that were truly surrendered to Him...

I experienced His unconditional love in the brokeness of a sweet elderly Peruvian lady who wanted to stop the church service to pray for the eternal destiny of the soul of a murderer...when everyone else, including me...wanted nothing more than to judge and condemn him....

I saw Him in the Body of His Believers that worked so well together...bringing Him honor and glory as they served as ONE BODY for Him...in Peru

I heard His voice in the midst of anxiety and fear, feelings that my circumstances around me were too much to handle...and He gently whispered to me..."I've got this...you can trust ME."

I saw him in the eyes of a sweet young couple in downtown KC who are homeless...yet still had the courage to smile, accept a warm meal, be grateful for the clothing, neccessities of life that were offered to them...and be so appreciative of a smile, a hug and a prayer...even when they had spent their last night sleeping under a bush.

I heard His laughter in the sweet voice of an older man who also was just wanting someone to sit down and visit as he enjoyed a meal...

I learned about what His contentment looks like when another homeless man was asked what he needed and his reply was..."socks and toilet paper, mam...that's all I need."

I felt His hands touch my cheek as a sweet 1 year old baby girl was clapping my cheeks...laughing...smiling...bringing so much joy to my heart...even when she had no idea...

I know I heard Him sing...as I listened to my sweet little neice sing at the top of her lungs (in a restaurant) "it's me...it's me...it's me O Lord...standing in the need of prayer."

I saw His hands (through the hands of dentists volunteering their time)...bring relief to hundreds of people that couldnt afford dental care...showering them with the love of Christ.

Ive learned that His presence is everywhere...He longs to show Himself to me...to you...He wants to be seen, heard, felt...and known...

I've been challenged to slow down...to embrace stillness...and to look for Him...He's there...He can be found...How will you see Him today?

Who can stand?

I love the show Survivor...one of my favorite challenges is when the have a "stand-off" where the last man/woman standing is the winner. I think of the determination and mental stradegy that that challenges requires. I was reminded of this visual this morning when I was reading in



Proverbs 21:30

No human wisdom or understanding or plan
can stand against the Lord.


I could visualize MY WISDOM, MY UNDERSTANDING, MY PLAN on the stand and God standing on the otherside....there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY that MY SELF can outstand God and what HIS WISDOM, HIS UNDERSTANDING, HIS PLAN has for me.
And to think of how I give it my all trying to make all "MY STUFF" makes sense when in my heart I should know that HIS WAY will "outstand" mine every single time.



So....instead of trying to outstand HIM...there's the word SURRENDER again...
I just need to give in to HIS WISDOM, HIS UNDERSTANDING, HIS PLAN...
and know that standing WITH HIM will always be better than standing AGAINST HIM...

...my SURRENDER

...It has been way too long since I have blogged. Today I had some time to just rest and re-group. I went on a really long walk, borrowed my friend's Ipod and this song played randomly...randomly??? Nah! I believe God wanted me to hear this...I needed to hear it!

My Surrender

Does it all sound the same?

Are my words getting through?

I’ve been trying so hard and I’m about to break

So here I am with all I have

And I’m giving it all back to You

All back to You I surrender

Yeah, I’m giving it all back to You

All back to You

This is my surrender

Take it all

And what song can I sing

but the song that You give

I have nothing to bring

that did not come from Your hand

So here I am with all I have

And I’m giving it all back to You

All back to You

I surrender

Yeah, I’m giving it all back to You

All back to You

This is my surrender

All my plans and all my dreams

I’m giving it all to You

I lay it all down at Your feet

I’m Yours

So what song can I sing but this song?

I’m giving it all back to You

All back to You

I surrender

I’m giving it all back to You

All back to You

This is my surrender

Take it all

Take it all

Lord, take it all

Take it all

I love when God gets me all by myself...nothing pressing to do...and says..just be still be in My presence...let me shower over you with words that will bring peace to your heart.

Today was a very stressful day...at work..trees falling on my roommates car...you name it...and I just love that God loves me enough to let me be still in His presence and He loves on me with a love that fills me up. And that love makes me want to respond with this song...God...ITS YOURS...I give it ALL back to YOU...this is My SURRENDER! And then I ask myself..do I really know what the word "surrender" means? Am I really "surrendering"?

dictionary definition:

to yield (something) to the possession or power of another;

deliver up possession of

to give (oneself) up

to give up, abandon, or relinquish

In my life...surrender at times seems so difficult to do....yet the rewards of surrender make life much simpler...so my choice...to give it all up...my plans, my dreams...my ways...its all HIS!

I'm giving it ALL back to YOU ALL back to YOU this is MY SURRENDER!