What better place to be?

Last week, a particularly harrowing week, my friend Jill wrote to tell me the following:

Please know you've been prayed for...and will be lifted up into His glorious, tender, loving hands...

Hands that brought healing—of every kind.

Hands that lifted up—helped, supported, built.

Hands that were eager to touch—

   anyone untouchable.

Hands that pulled children into His lap.

Hands that slapped His knee when He laughed.

Hands that lifted up bread of provision—

   and distributed nourishment to thousands.

Hands that formed knots in a whip—

   that lashed out at true injustice, 

   that cleansed what represented His Father. 

Hands that broke bread, that washed the feet of those closest to Him—

   and the one who betrayed Him. 

Hands that were pierced.

Hands that are forever scarred, that are always lifted in praise to God.

Gentle, kind, loving, firm, provisional, covenant-making and keeping, glorious hands.

Today I share this prayer with you, in whatever may be your struggle.

Isaiah 49:16 

Photo by Amanda J. Photography 

"Hands" used by permission

What Are You Neglecting?

If you Google “intentional neglect” you’ll find an array of complex information and discouraging news. It’s not light reading.

However, that phrase lodged in my mind several weeks ago when our pastor encouraged his Sunday-evening congregation to intentionally neglect those things that keep them from their goals and purposes.

He was not talking about neglecting people or responsibilities, but activities that grab hold of our attention and devour our time. Email. Television. Computer games, and other misplaced priorities that aren’t necessarily bad.

He shared the story of a violinist who felt compelled to complete all her household chores before practicing. Her compulsion to clean took precedence over development of her gift. She finally realized that she would never become a virtuoso until she put her gift first.

Though I am not a violinist, I can relate with this woman’s compulsive behavior for tying up loose ends. As I work at my writing, stealing hours and minutes throughout a busy day, I am constantly tempted by uncompleted chores around me—things that should be done.

The “shoulds” are deadly.

In personal application, intentional neglect means that I do only one household chore per day when I am under deadline, check only important email, and click off the Internet before I’m tempted to read the latest headline, gossip or gadget report.

Our pastor biblically encouraged us through Nehemiah 6, a chapter which outlines the distractions Nehemiah faced when trying to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem in the 400s BC. He had many detractors, yet he maintained his focus. How?

“But I prayed.”*

Nehemiah’s constant contact with the Lord kept him on target. He knew he was called, he knew his purpose, and he knew the source of his strength.
We have this same access to the God of creation, repair, and redemption. Do we use it?

We all neglect something because it is impossible to do everything. The question is, are we neglecting the right things?

*(Neh. 6:9b NIV)



Thank you, Pastor Brian Withrow.

R.O.D.E.O.

What’s RODEO got to do with the Faith Walk?

Plenty.

When my husband was a rodeo clown and bullfighter, faith was the main course for every meal. Along with extra helpings of prayer and trust.

During those exciting years of crisscrossing the country from one rodeo arena to the next, we had faith that God was taking care of us as we traveled and worked. We prayed for His protection over our children, our vehicle, our animals and ourselves. And we trusted that He would lead us in the direction of His choosing.

A rodeo bullfighter is a great metaphor for Christ: he puts his life on the line to rescue the bull rider from certain injury or death. He is the “savior” who pulls the rider’s hand free from a twisted rope, or throws himself between a fallen cowboy and a charging bull.

“It’s my job,” my husband Mike once told a grateful rider who nearly had his bell rung.

“But there’s someone else who’s done a whole lot more for you,” Mike continued. “Jesus died to save you and give you eternal life.”

Today we no longer rodeo, so what could it possibly have to do with our life when there’s no more bullfighting, no more arenas, no more all-night, red-eye drives from one state to another?

Everything.

Rodeo reminds me how to face the bucking, twisting circumstances that often charge into my otherwise orderly life. Rodeo reminds me that I’m not in control, but God is. And rodeo helps me keep my concentration where it needs to be:

Rely
On
Divine
Energy
Only

Putting my faith in God means trusting Him to give me the strength I need.

So, saddle up!

II Corin. 4:8,9

www.davalynnspencer.com