Week 1 (and some): (June 13-21) Strabane and an Update

I have been in Northern Ireland for a little over a week. And, I have been astounded by the breath-taking views and vibrant colors of Ireland. The weather is very rainy and overcast here, but that is what makes the country so green. 

(This is the Bridge of Sorrows in Glenveagh National Park.)

I flew into the Belfast airport on Thursday, June 13th, after flying all through the night. Alison Smyth and Lauren Cornell greeted me at the air port. Thursday was concluded with joining the Cornells for their small group bible study. We ate dinner prepared by Darlene Cornell and went through Genesis 2 led by Joe Cornell. 

June 14th, Friday, consisted of helping with the soup kitchen at The Bridge all day and then returning to help with Elevate, the youth club. 

My Saturday, June 15th, started with practicing for worship with Claire Smyth and Kerry Aiken. Claire played and sang, and Kerry and I took turns switching to play the piano and bongos. Above is the piano keyboard and Claire's guitar with the mic. Saturday ended with dinner and bowling with the church fellowship. Below is Alastair and Alison Smyth at our dinner with their niece, Lucy, Jason and Alison Smyth's daughter. 

Below is Damian McCrory with me at dinner. He has just finished grade 8 and has been attending The Bridge about 2 years. 

The picture below is Claire Smyth, Lauren Cornell, Jenna, and little Rebecca, Jason and Alison Smyth's daughter, during bowling. 

After bowling, William Boggs, Alastair and Alison Smyth, Claire Smyth, and I all went out into Derry on the Peace Bridge as seen below and onto the Derry walls. 

On Sunday, June 16th, I played for worship with Claire and Kerry at The Bridge and listened to the sermon message by Charlie, a visitor, on 1 John 2:1-14. Later at 2:30 pm, I went with Clive and Shelia Johnston to Craig and Alison Johnston's for lunch with Stephen and Kerry Aiken to celebrate Father's day. At 4 pm, I went to Kerry's for Fuse with the young adults. 

On Monday, June 17th, I went to Colrain, taking a train from Derry, with the Cornells. Below is a picture of Colrain. Many of the buildings in Ireland are painted vibrant colors such as the ones seen below, but these little shops were especially bright to my delight. :) 

Below is a picture of me on the walls of Derry. 

On Tuesday, June 18th, I went with Shelia and Clive to The Bridge for prayer with some of the members of the fellowship and we all prayed together for a few hours before opening up the Bridge for people to come in and have tea or coffee. Later in the evening, the fellowship met at The Bridge for the walking club and we walked through Strabane together. 

Wednesday, June 19th, consisted of spending the day out seeing the beauty of Ireland in the company of my hosts. We drove through Letterkenny to Portnablagh, Dunfanhehy in the County of Donegal and went to Falcarragh (An Fal Carrach, also known as Na Crois Bhealai, Gaelic for "The Crossroads") and Glenveagh National Park. It was a rare beautiful day with little rain and the sun shining through at times. Below is a map that was posted in Falcarragh that is in Gaelic  showing the areas that we were in the Republic of Ireland.

Below is the lovely place that we had lunch at in Dunfanhehy. 

Muckish Mountain in Glenveagh National Park in County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland.

This is a view of Muckish from the cost of Portnablagh in Dunfanhehy.

I couldn't get enough pictures of these views. So beautiful. 

This is what was called "The Black Pool" in Portnablagh. A crystal clear river cutting through the rocks into the sea that Clive's friend, Charlie, kayaks in with his kids! It's narrow, but Charlie said that he and his kids will jump into it in the summertime even though the water is usually freezing and the river is quite narrow!!!

This is Falcarragh.

This is the Bridge of Sorrows Stone by Muckish and Errigal mountains. The inscription is in old Gaelic. Clive speaks a wee little Gaelic and could only make out a wee bit. 

This Clive and Shelia walking in Glenveagh National Park (Pairc Naisiunta Ghleann Bheatha). 

 Clive insisted on talking this one of me in the garden of Glenveagh castle. 

We did not have enough time to go into Glenveagh castle because we had to drive back in time for our small group bible studies, but we did enjoy exploring the garden and the glimpse of the outside of the castle. Below is Shelia and I admiring the vines on the side of the castle.

Here is a wee glimpse of the Glenveagh castle for yourselves. :) 

Thursday, June 20th, was not a busy day, instead it was a relaxing day. 

On Friday, June 21st, I joined the Cornells at The Bridge for the cafe ministry tea and coffee with people who stopped in from Strabane. A few folks from a church in Derry stopped in to say hello to the Cornells and have lunch before the Cornells return to the States and to discuss information with me about me joining some of their ministry work while I am here. Later, Claire and I practiced for Sunday's worship. In the evening, I joined Lauren with some of her friends for a BBQ. It was good crack! (That's a saying here for "It was good fun.") 

(The girls at the BBQ- Lauren, Jenna, Lauren, and Ruth)

(The guys- Graham, guy behind him whose name I don't remember...Chris, Tom, Simon)

My first week has been full of building relationships and friendships with the people at The Bridge who make it so easy. I am so thankful for this opportunity to be a part of their lives and serve with them. Their methods of evangelism through building friendships and making disciples through relationships are healthy and wonderful ones. 

Please pray for The Bridge as it continues to grow and as it is a small light in a dark city that desperately needs to know Christ. 

I want to leave you all with my favorite picture from the garden of Glenveagh castle as it sort of reflects what I see the Holy Spirit doing through The Bridge in Strabane. 

Ireland: A wee overview of The Bridge, N. Ireland history, and the G8

Well, it has been about a week since I have started my travels. I arrived last Thursday morning on June 13th in the Belfast airport. 

Friends, Ireland is magical. It is so gorgeous. It is beautiful and bright even when the sun is covered by the clouds but when the clouds no longer hide the sun, it transforms in an even more magical beauty. I love it here. 

(This is the backyard view of Northern Ireland from Clive and Shelia Johnston's house.)

Who I am staying with: 

Meet Clive and Sheila Johnston. 
I am staying with the Johnstons at their house in Sion Mills outside Strabane, Northern Ireland for about 3 weeks. 

-Clive is known as "The Book of Knowledge" by most of the fellowship at The Bridge and rightly so since he is full of wisdom and knowledge. Clive is one of the elders at The Bridge.
-Sheila is known as "The Oracle" because she is full of wisdom and discernment. 

(This was in the garden of the castle in Glenveagh in the County of Donegal in the Republic of Ireland)

Strabane and a Little History of Ireland

Strabane is in Northern Ireland, very close to the border of the Republic of Ireland. 

Northern Ireland is still part of the UK while the Republic has been a separate entity. In 1922, the "Irish Free State," still under dominion of the British Commonwealth, seceded the UK under the Anglo-Irish Treaty. It has been called the Republic of Ireland since about 1949. The Republic comprises 26 of the 32 counties in Ireland. 

Because Strabane is on the border of Northern Ireland and the Republic, it has been in the middle of the political and social struggles known as "The Troubles," (in Irish: Na Triobloidi). Strabane is an impoverished city with a rate of unemployment at about 30%. Strabane has the highest concentration of Catholics in Ireland at 98%! The remaining 2% is nominally Protestant with only 10% of that 2% being strong believing Christians. 
Part of that 2% is at The Bridge Fellowship of Strabane. 


The Bridge Fellowship of Strabane:

The Bridge started 3 years ago in 2010 with a small group of evangelical Christians who had a heart and a mission for Strabane and the unbelieving people of the city. Sadly, Catholicism and Protestantism in the country of Ireland have been more and more political entities and less and less about actually Christ centered faith and works. The people at The Bridge have desired to reach out with the purpose of evangelism and discipleship to the city of Strabane. (The name came from a little bridge in Strabane and also symbolic purposes of evangelism. :) )

They have been in this building since 2011 and their fellowship has grown to about 25 members and 30 attending on Sunday mornings in the past 3 years which is virtually impossible in such a heavily Catholic concentrated city. How great is our God? 

A Few of the People at The Bridge: 

Joe and Darlene Cornell and their daughter Lauren are from Danville, Virginia and have lived in N. Ireland for 5 years. They are heavily involved at The Bridge. They are in the process of moving back to Virginia this July. Joe is the leading elder at The Bridge. The whole family helps with the various ministries at The Bridge. 

Meet Stephen and Kerry Aiken and their little ones, Timothy and Naomi. Stephen is from Rochester in Kent, England but now lives right down the way from Clive and Shelia with their daughter who is his wife, Kerry. Stephen is the deacon at The Bridge. Kerry leads the young adults group called, Fuse at her house on Sunday nights and plays piano for worship on Sunday mornings. 

Meet Alastair and Alison Smyth. Alastair (Ali) and Alison have recently married in December and are new Christians. Ali has designed the logo for The Bridge. Alison has been keeping up the walking club on Tuesday nights.

(Bowling last Saturday night, June 15th, with the fellowship.) 

Meet Claire Smyth. (The girl sitting down on the cannon- this is on the walls of Derry.) She is in charge of worship on Sunday mornings- she plays guitar and sings. She also is in charge of and started a youth night called Elevate on every other Friday night. 
William Boggs is a member of The Bridge as well and works with Jason Smyth (Ali's brother). 

Activities at The Bridge: 
Sunday morning worship
Fuse- Sunday night young adults group at Kerry Aiken's 
Tuesday morning prayer meetings 
Walking club Tuesday nights 
Cafe ministry on Tuesdays and Fridays 
Soup kitchen every other Friday (2nd and 4th Fridays of the month) 
Elevate youth club on Friday nights 
3 home group bible studies held at members' houses 

Something that has caused alot of talk over here is the G8 meeting. 
The 39th G8 Summit:
Last week, June 17-19, President Obama came to stay in Ireland representing the USA for the Group of Eight, commonly called the G8, which is an annual forum of eight of eleven of the world's largest economies. The holder of the presidency of the G8 decides the agenda, hosts the summit for the year, and determines what ministerial meetings shall take place. Such events bring together ministers responsible for various portfolios to discuss issues of mutual and/or global concern. Topics include health, law enforcement, labor, economic and social development, energy, environment, foreign affairs, justice and interior, terrorism, and trade. Responsibility of hosting the G8 changes in this rotation: France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Russia, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Canada. (The European Union is also represented but cannot host or chair summits. China, the 2nd largest economy, Brazil, the 6th, and India, the 9th, are not included.) France and the United Kingdom wish to extend the G8 to a group of five developing countries, known as the Outreach Five (O5) or Plus Five (P5) consisting of: Brazil, People's Republic of China, India, Mexico, and South Africa. 
This year was the 39th summit held at the Lough Erne Resort, a five-star hotel and gold resort on Lough Erne's shore in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The UK's prime minister, David Cameron, was the host. This year's official topic of discussion was tax evasion and transparency but with all the unrest in Syria, the Syrian civil wars was the main focus of conversation.

Incredulity and Pre-Irish Endeavor Jitters

Man, sometimes I can be a little silly... My mom has been asking me all sorts of practical and good questions, but my mentality has been so "chill" that to my ears it sounded a little worrisome. But, as all the little details click into place, (many last second) I realize how wise she has been, and that maybe I was a little too "chill" in my preparation. 
***(NOTE: ALL DAUGHTERS SHOULD LISTEN TO THEIR MOMS BECAUSE THEY ARE OLDER, WISER, AND VERY MUCH AWESOMER THAN WE REALIZE OR GIVE THEM CREDIT FOR. Or at least, MINE is.) ***

But, here I am; everything in place. Everything ready. 
Ready to GO. 
Wait... is this REALLY happening? 

So many thoughts start running through my head... 

"You deserve this. You worked your butt off to make it happen."

"Who are you kidding! You DON'T deserve this at all!" 

Who is to say what we do and don't deserve? 

Sometimes I wonder. 

All I know is that I definitely don't deserve to go to Ireland. Psh no. Nope. Not at all.  

Yet, here I am, in the airport, waiting for my flight to NJ, laying-over to... N. Ireland. WAIT. What... 

No way. 

And, all I can think of, as I am about to do some mission-oriented and relational and discipleship oriented ministry, is how much I don't deserve this and how much I fall short. I think of my sin and my selfishness. 

But, then I am reminded softly, "Kait, do you deserve the grace of God?" 

Certainly not. Yet, here I am covered by His grace. An undeserved WRETCH, blind to my own depravity. 

Saved. Being sanctified. So blessed. 

And, here.... as I wait, dumbfounded and, a little nervous, but so so excited, I am just so thankful. Thankful that God would have it in His plan for little old me to go to Ireland, of ALL places. 


I REALLY CANNOT BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING! 

To my dear friends, beloved family, and fellow readers, 
thank you all so so much for your prayers, support, and encouragement. 

Goodbye, USA- Sweet Ireland, I will be with you for about 7 weeks. 
:D

Veiled

"There is something more serious than coldness of heart, something that may be back of that coldness and be the cause of its existence. What is it? What but the presence of a veil in our hearts? a veil not taken away as the first veil was, but which remains there still shutting out the light and hiding the face of God from us. It is the veil of our fleshly fallen nature living on, unjudged within us, uncrucified and unrepudiated. It is the close-woven veil of the self-life which we have never truly acknowledged, of which we have been secretly ashamed, and which for these reasons we have never brought to the judgement of the cross. It is not too mysterious, this opaque veil, nor is it hard to identify. We have but to look in our own hearts and we shall see it there, sewn and patched and repaired it may be, but there nevertheless, an enemy to our lives and an effective block to our spiritual minds." - A.W. Tozer from The Pursuit of God 

True humility is seeing ourselves truly as we are and seeing our God truly as He is. 

"The self-sins are these: self-righteousness, self-pity, self-confidence, self-sufficiency, self-admiration, self-love and a host of others like them. They dwell too deep within us and are too much a part of our natures to come to our attention till the light of God is focused upon them. The grosser manifestations of these sins, egotism, exhibitionism, self-promotion, are strangely tolerated in Christian leaders even in circles of impeccable orthodoxy. They are so much in evidence as actually, form any people, to become identified with the gospel. I trust it is not a cynical observation to say that they appear these days to be a requisite for popularity in some sections of the Church visible. Promoting self under the guise of promoting Christ is currently so common as to excited little notice." - A.W. Tozer from The Pursuit of God 

My friends, we must pray for humility that our eyes will be opened to our need of the gospel, not only for our salvation but our daily sanctification! Daily sanctification ensures our salvation because the Spirit of God is at work in us through Christ to the glory of God. 

Tozer continues in The Pursuit of God: 

"One should suppose that proper instruction is the doctrines of man's depravity and the necessity for justification through the righteousness of Christ alone would deliver us from the power of the self-sins; but it does not work that way. Self can live unrebuked at the very altar. It can watch the bleeding Victim die and not be in the least affected by what it sees. It can fight for the faith and preach eloquently the creed of salvation by grace, and gain strength by its efforts. To tell all the truth, it seems actually to feed upon orthodoxy and is more at home in a Bible Conference than in a tavern. Our very state of longing after God may afford it an excellent condition under which to thrive and grow." 

"Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, 

"Today, if you hear His voice, 

do not harden your heart as in the rebellion, 

on the day of testing in the wilderness, 

where your fathers put Me to the test 

and saw My works for forty years. 

Therefore I was provoked with that generation, 

and said, "They always go astray in their heart, 

they have not known My ways." 

As I swore in My wrath, 

"They shall not enter my rest." 

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence frim to the end. As it is said, 

"Today, if you hear His voice, 

do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." 

For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was He provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief." 
-Hebrews 3:7-19

We are offered rest in the Beloved when we believe. He has lifted the veil that has blinded our eyes! But, we have to daily fight the sin that so easily entangles and deceives. It is our old nature, but because God's Spirit is in us, we are being renewed day by day. We must be vigilant and on guard against our old nature- against sin and against the schemes of the devil! We must encourage each daily- pressing on together in unity as the body of Christ: His church. 

Tozer continues, 

"God must do everything for us. Our part is to yield and trust. We must confess, forsake, repudiate the self-life, and then reckon it crucified. But we must be careful to distinguish lazy 'acceptance' from the real work of God. We must insist upon the work being done. We dare not rest content with a neat doctrine of self-crucifixtion. That is to imitate Saul and spare the best of the sheep and the oxen. (Note: referring to King Saul's disobedience in 1 Sam. 15) 

Insist that the work be done in very truth and it will be done. The cross is rough, and it is deadly, but it is effective. It does not keep its victim hanging there forever. There comes a moment when its work is finished and the suffering victim dies. After that is resurrection glory and power, and the pain is forgotten for joy that the veil is taken away and we have entered in actual spiritual experience the Presence of the living God." 

2 Corinthians 4:1-6 paints it beautifully for us: 

"Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine our of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 

Friends, we cannot keep silent. Let us sing the praises of our God! 

2 Corinthians 4 continues in verses 13-15: 

"Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that He who raise the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into His presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people is may increase thanksgiving to the glory of God."

waiting with patience in the Strength of His Might...

"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy." -Psalm 126:5

"It is good that we should have to submit to what we do not understand. It teaches us the laws of faith and hope. 

It is good that we should have to do what we should rather not, in circumstances not of our choice. 

It is good that there should be always something to prick us on, something to remind us that we are in an enemy's country, belong to a marching column. 

It is good that we should meet with checks and failures in what we undertake, to keep us humble and prayerful. 

All these things belong to sowing in tears. 

God seems to have laid out the order of things in His Church, not for a general and brilliant triumph but for the hidden sanctification of the individual souls which compose it." 
-Janet Erskine Stuart from Prayer in Faith

Friends, press on! March on! Fight on! 

"Wrestling, loneliness, impatience- for our hidden sanctification. The trial of our faith is a thing more precious than gold. Must we go for the gold? We must." -Elizabeth Elliot from Quest for Love

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, I ought to speak." -Ephesians 6:10-20 

"Because we are sinners and live in a fractured world, we must have tribulation. Jesus promised it- but (don't forget) He added, "Cheer up! I have overcome the world!" 
Therefore, it is as we realistically name and accept the truth about ourselves that we come to see that He alone it the Living Fountain. He alone can save us from ourselves." 
-Elizabeth Elliot from Quest for Love

We may not understand our present situation, circumstances, state of physical body, spiritual mind, or emotional heart, but we can know for certain the gospel which brings us true peace- not the peace we can search for and find of our own accord, but the peace of God which He gives willingly, gladly, and freely. Let us trust the One who knows us better than we know ourselves and who loves us more purely and unconditionally than we could ever even love ourselves. Let us wait with patience for Him and serve Him faithfully. 

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation had been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified." -Romans 8:18-30 

"So, we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight in glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to things that are seen but to things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." -2 Cor. 4:16-18

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the One who died- more than that, who was raised- who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,  

"For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." (Ps. 44:22)

No, in all theses things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 8:31-39

So then, friends, we have NOTHING to fear but God Himself- and fear Him reverently, recognizing and repenting from what we truly were and turning to God, knowing HE is God and He is good and so so so merciful.

How humbling and yet so confidence building- confidence in the One who is our Strength and our Might. 

Live like we are dying

Sometimes we spend so much time trying to get back to where we were that we don't see what is going on right in front of us. 

I was so impressed with the movie The Great Gatsby that just came out and I thought it was very well done. But, what struck me most, was the blind and false hope of Gatsby that was so pitiful and pitiable and yet so relatable. 

"You're wrong old sport. You're wrong about the past." Gatsby said this to Nick who told him that he couldn't relive his past with Daisy. 

Gatsby was so desperately clinging to a hope: that if he could relive the past, it would undo any heartache and pain he or Daisy or anyone else went through. But, he couldn't and neither could Daisy. And, I was so struck by the lifestyle of Gatsby in all its splendor and deliciously disgusting excessiveness... And all its emptiness and brokenness and its hazy, wild obscurity. 

And I realized that we are like Gatsby. We try to fill our lives with interesting things and interesting people, grasping onto anything we can that we want and that we think will make us feel better even if it kills them and us. We try to distract ourselves from the problem and we try to hold onto the past and relive it- to make it better. We think the grass was greener there. But, we are left with a hangover of obscurity and confusion and unstable emotions of frustration, anger, and emptiness along with whatever else may lurk in our hearts that we tried to bury and fill and escape. No, recreating the past is not the answer and is far from possible. 

But, sometimes we can be so wrapped up in the moment that we fail to realize the consequences of our actions or to learn from previous actions' consequences. We do it now because it is accessible and it is easy and it is fun. We do it now because we do not want to think about yesterday and we do not want to think of tomorrow- we think about the moment. We love the thrill and the adventure and the adrenaline rush. But, tomorrow comes and we realize we did not plan for the future and now it is here and it is changed forever. 

But, still, on the other end of the spectrum, we can worry away our future and plan away our lives so that all we think about is tomorrow. We can plan so much for tomorrow that we do not live today and we miss out on the people, the plans, the lessons of life around us. 

I think the problem is that we can over-analyze, over-do, and worry away anything and everything in our lives. And we can run away from work and laying down our pride and our insecurities. We fight it. Hard. 

So how should we live then? How do we stop the vicious cycle? 

I think the key is understanding and rejoicing in the gospel and the character of God, and contentment, and thankfulness. 

About the past, well, sometimes we just won't understand. But, we do know the gospel and the character of God because of His word and His Holy Spirit and the example we see in our brothers and sisters of Christ who faithfully live it out because of Christ!!! 

I can't say it better than the song Farther Along, lyrics by W.A. Fletcher in 1911. (link to song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IctD9l4F-ag )

Farther along we’ll know all about it 

Farther along we’ll understand why 

Cheer up my brothers, live in the sunshine 

We’ll understand this, all by and by 

Tempted and tried, I wondered why 

The good man died, the bad man thrives

And Jesus cries because he loves em’ both 

We’re all cast-aways in need of ropes 

Hangin’ on by the last threads of our hope 

In a house of mirrors full of smoke 

Confusing illusions I’ve seen 

Where did I go wrong, I sang along 

To every chorus of the song 

That the devil wrote like a piper at the gates 

Leading mice and men down to their fates 

But some will courageously escape 

The seductive voice with a heart of faith 

While walkin’ that line back home 

So much more to life than we’ve been told 

It’s full of beauty that will unfold 

And shine like you struck gold my wayward son 

That deadweight burden weighs a ton 

Go down into the river and let it run 

And wash away all the things you’ve done 

Forgiveness alright 

Chorus 

Still I get hard pressed on every side 

Between the rock and a compromise 

Like the truth and pack of lies fightin’ for my soul 

And I’ve got no place left go 

Cause I got changed by what I’ve been shown 

More glory than the world has known 

Keeps me ramblin’ on 

Skipping like a calf loosed from its stall 

I’m free to love once and for all 

And even when I fall I’ll get back up 

For the joy that overflows my cup 

Heaven filled me with more than enough 

Broke down my levee and my bluff 

Let the flood wash me 

And one day when the sky rolls back on us 

Some rejoice and the others fuss 

Cause every knee must bow and tongue confess 

That the son of god is forever blessed 

His is the kingdom, we’re the guests 

So put your voice up to the test 

Sing Lord, come soon 

We have so much to be thankful for- let us rejoice and be glad because of the gospel and move forward proclaiming it, my friends! 

Let us live today, looking back on the grace of God seen in the traces of our past, living in His grace tomorrow, preparing for and longing for Christ to return!!! This is our purpose: to work hard and long for Christ to come back so that we do not waste today, but live today, thankful for HE who is not held or overcome by time or death. He is the Creator of time and the Conqueror of death and let us rejoice in it! 

May we not run from the life God has for us, longing for old times, searching for new times, and hoping for something better- hope and faith and love were there and are here and will be there! Let us cling to it! It is Christ!!! 

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the founder and perfector of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." -Hebrews 12:1-2 (but read the rest of the chapter- soooo good!) 

Let us realize that God is sovereign. Let us realize that He is good. 

"I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD." - Jeremiah 29:10b-14a

Let us realize His word and His promises are good and trustworthy because He fulfills them and they are true.  

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes, fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones." -Proverbs 3:5-8

We often forget the wretched state of hearts before God unveiled our eyes to the light of the gospel as scripture talks about in 2 Corinthians 4. May we remember our state and Christ's state- not being insecure in our inability to be good enough which is false humility and not being secured in false hope that we are good enough to deserve it which is pride. 

I love the word of Shane and Shane's song Embracing Accusation: (link here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6o5bmfZmbg )

The father of lies 
Coming to steal 
Kill and destroy 
All my hopes of being good enough 
I hear him saying cursed are the ones 
Who can't abide 
He's right 
Alleluia he's right! 

The devil is preaching 
The song of the redeemed 
That I am cursed and gone astray 
I cannot gain salvation 
Embracing accusation 

Could the father of lies 
Be telling the truth 
Of God to me tonight? 
If the penalty of sin is death 
Then death is mine 
I hear him saying cursed are the ones 
Who can't abide 
He's right 
Alleluia he's right! 

Oh the devil's singing over me 
An age old song 
That I am cursed and gone astray 
Singing the first verse so conveniently 
He's forgotten the refrain 
Jesus saves!

My favorite part is the build to the simple words: Jesus saves!!! So beautiful and so powerful. So much joy to be had, dear friends. May we be imitators of Christ in the joy of the grace of Christ!! 

"So, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility, count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, on heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." -Philippians 2:1-11 

I will leave you all with a psalm for giving thanks: Psalm 100

"Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! 

Serve the LORD with gladness! 

Come into His presence with singing! 

Know that the LORD, He is God! 

It is He who made us, and we are His, 

we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. 

Enter His gates with thanksgiving, 

and His courts with praise! 

Give thanks to Him; bless His name! 

For the LORD is good; 

His steadfast love endures forever, 

and His faithfulness to all generations."