I object!

As much as I would like to think that I would make a fantastic lawyer (or not) for God, I have come to the realization that God does not need me to defend him.  Really?  God doesn't need me to defend Him??  Nope.  Not at all.  I get really defensive when people start talking trash about God.  Or when they start mocking Him or blaming Him for things that they so apparently caused.  Or just when they politely listen as I talk about the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me and then they politely dismiss it with a smile and a nod.  But you know what, if God is big enough to speak the world into being, then He is most definitely big enough to defend himself.  However, God is showing me that my defensiveness can be sinful. Instead of showing them love, I am showing them ridicule and unkindness by trying to "prove" to them how great God is.  If I truly want to show them how great God is, I should show them love and compassion.   I should pray for them because they are missing out on the one thing in life that will satisify, complete, bring peace, joy, and hope....the one thing in life they are searching for and can't live without.  God, please change my attitude of standing up for You into one that is standing in the gap for those who need You.  Help me to stand up for them against the lies of Satan.  Help me to see them as you see them....lost sheep without a shepherd. 

The power of Hope.

So today, more running. And running. This time I had a running partner though...April. The only music I have on my phone right now is the 127 Hour soundtrack, which I might add is amazing! But that got me to thinking about the movie. It is a great picture of human emotions and what happens when hope is gone and then realized again. I was telling April about a convesation my dad and I had. I was telling my dad how great the movie is. I was telling him the reason the guy ended up cutting off his arm. (I won't tell you in case you haven't seen the movie). Basically, the guy was ready to die. He had given up all hope until something gave him a glimmer of hope and caused him to renew his will to live. My dad mentioned that it was a great example of what the power of hope can do. You know, I never really thought about that. As Christians, we have so much hope. April and I were talking about this, and she mentioned her time overseas. She said that while she was overseas, hope sustained her. I can relate. Looking forward in hope, can gave me the encouragment I needed to get through hard days. Even though right now, our time of running is hard, we have hope to that short portion of walking we get to do. We have something to look forward to, something to hope in. As children of God, we can look forward to the hope we have in Christ Jesus of eternal life. We have what we need to get through the hard days. But so many around us, don't have hope. Can you imagine living life without hope? What darkness must surround them. My heart hurts for those who have no hope. It drives me to share my hope with those around me because I can't imagine life without hope.

Running toward the goal with hope in my heart....
Brook

I am my beloved's and He is mine...

"For My Love" by Bethany Dillon

Walk towards me
I want to hear
The heavens singing over you
When you breathe
And look at me
I want to be captured by you

Gaze into my eyes
And let me know you'd fight
Thousands, for my love
Slip your hand in mine
Ask me to dance with you tonight
Just ask me for my love

I want to hide
What's deep in my eyes
I'm scared to be known by you
But when I turn my head
And see you there
I want to be pursued

Gaze into my eyes
And let me know you'd fight
Thousands, for my love
Slip your hand in mine
Ask me to dance with you tonight
Just ask me for my love

A dream I won't wake from
A story that will never end
The ground your feet walk on
Let me be there, let me be there

Gaze into my eyes
Let me know you'd fight
Thousands, for my love
Slip your hand in mine
Ask me to dance with you tonight
Just ask me for my love

So I just got done reading a really great book (for the 3rd time):  "The Princess" by Lori Wick.  Yes, it's fiction...Christian fiction.  But, it is a really great story of two people learning to love and choosing to love.  It's a beautiful picture of a man pursuing a woman and in the process falling in love.  I know it sounds pretty cheesy, I suppose it may be, but I'm all about cheesy.  Plus, it got me to thinking about stuff.  Yeah, I know it's scary when I start thinking about "stuff".  April and I were talking about how much we loved the book.  She was mentioning that someday if God brings her a husband, that she wants him to read that book.  Why?  Because I promise it is the heart of every woman.  Every woman wants to be pursued.   I finished reading the book and was left with this feeling of "I want to be that girl."  Loved. Cherished. Purused.  Then I started randomly singing the above song by Bethany Dillon.  It fits, right?  I love this song.  It echos in my own heart. 

Today, I took the first steps toward my goal of losing weight and becoming a runner.  It about killed me, but I will press on...even though I hate running right now.  Yuck!  Anyway, as I started running, I figured I could use my time to pray.  I did some praying.  I really prayed for someone that was on my heart last night and this morning.  I was also taking some time to pray for my future husband (if that is what God has planned) and myself.  I prayed that his heart would be up for the pursuit and that my heart would be as well.  I prayed that God would continue making me into the woman He would have me be, a suitable wife, but more importantly an obedient daughter to Him.  I prayed that the guy that would be my future husband would be growing into the man that God would have Him be and that He would be growing into a strong. Godly man ready to lead and obedient to Him.  And then I prayed for the longing in my heart to be pursued by a guy.  A longing that has only gotten stronger the older I get.  Especially since I've now reached that long dreaded (or awaited) age mark of 30.  I never imgained that I would be single at 30....but I am.  Like I said in my last post, I have so much to be thankful for, I can't really complain that this one thing hasn't been fulfilled.  However, it doesn't mean it has gone (or will go) away. 

More running.  More thinking.  I began thinking about being chased.  I was so tired and huffing and puffing.  I thought "What if someone was chasing me? I definitely couldn't run very far....I wonder if the person that could be chasing me would be able to out run me?"  Which led me to thinking about God.  Ding! Ding! Ding!  GOD IS PURSUING ME!  Woah, what?  Yes, God is pursuing me.  He is after my heart.  He is wooing me.  He loves me.  He cherishes me.  He pursues me.  And you know what...He can out run me.  He can keep up.  AND, He does not ever ever grow tired.  He pursues relentlessly, even when I don't thhink He is there.  It does take some reciprication though.  Just as I will have to be willing to be pursued and run towards the guy...I also have to be willing to run towards God and let my heart be open to what He wants and has for me.  He promises in His word that:

Isaiah ²⁸ Do you not know?
   Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
   the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
   and his understanding no one can fathom.
²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
   and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
   and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the LORD
   will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
   they will run and not grow weary,
   they will walk and not be faint

He will give me strength to run after Him.  He will not grow tired or weary of pursuing me. If He seems distant, it may because I am running away, instead of toward. 

Anyway, just some thoughts I had.  My heart is longing....God will be fulfilling, in His time and in His way.  Am I ready?  Will I be willing? 

Running on...tomorrow, the next day, and the day after that, until He gives me rest.

Brook

Thirty, Nerdy, and Arriving

Yesterday was my 30th birthday.  30.  Ten years ago that sounded so "old".  Now, it doesn't seem like that at all.  Maybe because I don't want to seem old.  Maybe because I never thought I'd still be single at 30.  I am.  But you know what?  God has done some great things in my life in the last 30 years.  I've gotten eternal ife.  I've gotten a great family that loves me and has raised me up in the way I should go.  I've gotten great friends that stick by me no matter what and encourage me.  I've gotten to travel and live in some of the most beautiful, unique, and amazing places on earth.  I've gotten to be educated at some of the best schools.  I've gotten to work at some of the best jobs.  I've gotten to live a great life.  Wow...what God has done in 30 years?!?!  If that is what He can do in the first 30...I can't imagine what He is going to do in the next 30 years!  For this 30th year of my life, I've set some new goals.  I want to make a little change, so I figured this was a great year to do it....start this new decade off right.  I want to lose 40 pounds and train for a half-marathon.  Yes....Brook wants to run.  I know, shocking!  I'm starting off slow.  There is a cool pair of running shoes that I want.  So, instead of just buying them.  I have to work for them.  I have to lose either 20 pounds or be able to run 3 miles without stopping---whichever comes first.  Another goal I'm setting for this year is a spiritual goal.  I still haven't thought through all the ins and outs of it....but I'm thinking of memorzing 30 passages of scripture...not just a verse...but a passage.  I also want to make it a goal to share Christ more often.  I haven't thought of a specific number, but I am praying through that.  If you know me, then you know this is a bit difficult for me.  I'm not a disciplined person, so I'm trying to incorprate some discipline in my life.  WIth my physical and spiritual goals, I think that I can learn some discipline.  Anyway, thank you for joining me on this journey.  I'll try to keep you updated on progress, and what God is doing in this chapter of my life!  Here's to the next decade!

"Aren't you scared?"

"We need to watch the news to make sure we aren't in danger."  "Are you sure it's over?  What if another comes?"  "I'm going to start wearing a helmet everywhere I go."  "I have a doctor's appointment on the fourth floor tomorrow, I'm so worried."  "I may have to start wearing a mask so I don't get radiation poisoning."  "I'm going to start taking potassium iodide to counteract that [minute] cloud of radiation headed our way."  "Aren't you scared?"  These are things I have overheard or been asked in the last few days since the devastation in Japan.  Afghan ladies here worried about another tsunami hitting our coast and destroying Fremont (pretty much impossible since we don't live near the ocean).  People are all a-chatter about what ifs.  As if we can control any of this.  What a great time to share my hope and assurance.  I'm not scared about what may or may not happen, today, tomorrow, or any other day.  I know that the God I serve loves me and has promised me eternal life.  I know that I will be with Him forever.  How miserable these people lives must be that constantly have to worry about what may or may not happen to them tomorrow.  It makes me sad to hear them talk about how terrified they are about what will happen.  Not to say that I wouldn't be scared if an earthquake hit, but what can I do, but trust in the One God that says everything will be okay---the One God that says ultimately, He wins over whatever evils this world may bring.  Honestly, I have never been in a situation where I felt truly terrified, so I can't say how I would act or what I would do....but I hope that when all is said and done, I could confidently turn to my God and say "though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil."  Please pray for all of those people in the world walking around without any hope.  All those people walking around terrified of what tomorrow may bring.  Pray that the God of peace would speak to their hearts and they would become His child and know that whatever this day would bring, their Heavenly Father loves them and has promised them that in the end, they win!  Pray for conversations during these times.  Pray that all of us would be able to share what hope we have in Jesus Christ.  Also, continue praying for Japan.  Pray for the hearts of the people there to be open to God's word and love.  Pray for the Christians there that they will get so many opportunties to share their hope and peace with this lost and lonely people. 

Mission Monday and Talk to God Tuesday

Today's post is a link to my friend Amy's blog.   I decided to combine missions and prayer.  This is a huge issue for both.  Please be in prayer for Japan.  As the death toll rises, the stark realization of the need for Jesus comes to mind.  Did those people get a chance to hear?  Did Christians do their job?  How will we respond?

Pray for Japan

God loves them...do we?

Talk to God Tuesday--Church Planters in the Bay

If you read yesterday's post, you saw that San Francisco is one of the darkest cities in America.  With few churches, there are even less Christians and those willing to church plant here.  Being a church planter here requires patience, creativity, passion, and perseverance.  It is a hard job.  Please pray for us.  Pray that God will enlighten us to ways to best reach the people around us.  Pray that we would be full of ideas and visions to put into practice that would reach this area for Christ.  Pray that we would love the people selflessly and unconditionally, just as Christ loves them.  Pray for boldness and opportunities to speak truth into the lives of the people.