It's been awhile since I've updated the blog - sorry about that! But I'm back at it now and will try to be more consistent in the weeks to come.

Hebrews 12:1-3 says this:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

I tremendously enjoy reading! But not just anything will do ... whatever I'm reading has to capture my attention and hold it. The best books also nurture my spirit and build into my faith. Among these are the many spiritual autobiographies that fill my bookshelves. Real life stories of people who have wrestled with their faith, who have frequently been through extraordinarily difficult times - people whose faith has been refined in the crucible as it were. To me it is a tremendous encouragement to my own walk to see how faithful God has been in the midst of the trials of others. It's a reminder that I'll find Him faithful in mine as well. That's a part of the wonder of the Bible too - it's the story of real people - the good, the bad, and the ugly! - who strive to live out their faith (or not) - and the God who speaks into our lives.

I've just finished reading "A Dangerous Faith," edited by James Lund and Peb Jackson. It's a collection of ten stories each one focusing on an incident in the life a different individual. True life stories of people trying to make sense of their faith when their world is falling apart - from inside the Pentagon on 9/11 to a plane crash off the coast of Alaska; from Iraq to Columbia, from mountain tops to sea level, the reader discovers God at work in remarkable places.

Why do books like this excite me and fuel my faith? Because I think to myself, "That could have been me!" (Well, maybe not the mountain climbing adventure - but you get the idea!) These aren't "heroes of the faith" - they are merely faithful people who struggle at times with their own mortality but who persevere in their faith and in doing so experience the presence of the Lord in powerful ways.

How about you? Whose story has touched your life? Let me know ... I'm always looking for another good read!

One of the most awe inspiring encounters that people have had with God is when Paul encounters the risen Lord on the road to Damascus and is profoundly touched by the experience.  For three days he is left blind and goes without food and drink.  And while he has been touched physically by this encounter we do not want to overlook the likelihood that in those three days Paul must have been doing a great deal of soul searching as well.  Everything he had poured himself into - the persecution of the church and so on - was being stripped of it's veneer of righteousness and being shown for what it really was.

In the midst of this physical affliction and inner turmoil the Lord sends to Paul a Christian by the name of Ananias.  The Lord speaks to Ananias, telling him to, "Go!  This man (Paul) is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and the people of Israel.  I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."  (Acts 9:15-16).  Not quite what we expect to hear, is it?  God is going to use Paul's life powerfully, He's going to use him to reach hundreds and thousands with the Gospel message, but Paul will suffer as the Lord before him suffered.  This is just a partial list of Paul's sufferings as recorded in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28  ...

He has been imprisoned, flogged, and beaten.  He has been stoned and left for dead, shipwrecked and hungry and the list just goes on and on!  Yet he did not waver in his committment to the Lord nor the task set before him.  Instead he was able to rejoice in the midst of suffering for he knew he suffered for the sake of the Lord's name - he suffered on behalf of his king, his Lord, his soveriegn, his savior and his people.  Paul was able to rejoice because he kept his eyes fixed on Jesus and saw the big picture.

Our first inclination when trials, hardships, or opposition arises is to pray and ask God to take them away.  If we constantly focus on the trial rather than Christ we will miss the blessing that the Lord may have for us in the midst of these things.  I came across these thought provoking questions the other day which I would like to share with you and which might help us to each view the trials of our lives a little bit differently.

"Which is the greater demonstration of God's power - changing something around me or changing something within my heart?"

"Which is the greater faith builder - seeing God's deliverance from every difficulty or experiencing His presence and strengthening in the midst of trials?"

"Which reward is greater - immediate relief from discomfort, or tested and refined faith that will result in praise and glory when Christ returns (1 Peter 1:7)?"

"Which answer to prayer is greater - that God has removed something and given me external peace, or that He's left me in a trial and given an internal peace that nothing can steal, not even my circumstances?"

Peace.