Fix Your Eyes on the Unseen

"I knew that if I listened to this Jesus and followed him -- if I , like the disciples, left my fishing and my tax collecting -- he would lead me into treacherous territory, where every day would be an experience of danger and wonder at the same time: and adventure of dangerous wonder!" Michael Yaconelli

We serve a God who calls.  He called Abram to pack up everything and move to a place he had not yet seen.  He spoke to Moses through a burning bush and called him to go to Egypt to free God's people.  Moses had no way of knowing what was to come and where they would end up.  Jesus called his apostles to leave their professions and follow after him.  They had no clue where they were going or what was in store for them.  And just as God has called His people to follow after Him for thousands of years, He calls today.  His call is challenging. 

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.  Luke 9:23

We are called to pick up our cross and follow our Savior.  We don't always know where He is leading us, but we know that He is worthy of our absolute trust.  We know that the cross is not a light load.  We know that the cross is not just two pieces of wood.  The cross is heavy.  The cross is rough.  The cross is painful.  They cross is a torture device.  The cross leads to death.  But our Savior has so much more in store for us!

How can our savior expect us to carry such a heavy load?  Because He has been there before.  He has gone before us and goes with us as we follow after Him.  He gives us the key to the journey...

Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  FOR WHAT IS SEEN IS TEMPORARY, BUT WHAT IS UNSEEN IS ETERNAL.  2 Corinthians 4:16-18

The key to our journey is to fix our eyes on what is unseen.  So often we look up and we see a cross, we see pain,  we see suffering, and we see death; but God tells us not to fix our eyes on these things.  These things are only temporary.  There is something so much better that is ETERNAL!  

So may we answer the call of our God.  Though we may not always know where He is leading, may we pick up our cross, endure the light and momentary troubles, and fix our eyes on our Savior!

Redeemed

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord;  O Lord, hear my voice.  Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.  If you, O Lord, kept record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?  But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.  I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.  My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.  O Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.  He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.  Psalm 130

Do you ever have those days when you can't get a word, thought, or concept out of your head?  I had one of those last weekend and it has just kept on going!  I was on a retreat with my teens last weekend and the word that I just couldn't shake was REDEEMED!  Each night as we would sing I was just reminded constantly of what my savior has done in me and for me.  

I think often time we like to talk about God's grace as it is offered to others.  We like to talk to other people about how Jesus died on the cross to forgive them of their sins, but we sometimes sweep our own sins under the rug.  Last weekend I was reminded over and over again of His full REDEMPTION and unfailing love.  May we never forget just how bad off we would actually be if we didn't have our Savior.  

Paul hit it spot on in 1 Timothy 1:15-17

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners -- of whom I AM THE WORST.  But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his UNLIMITED patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.  Now to the king eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever.  

I pray that though I may never fully understand just what my God gave up to offer me full redemption that I will never minimize what He did for me.  I am a sinner and deserve hell.  To say anything else would be a lie, but praise God that by His rich mercy and grace I received FULL REDEMPTION!

He was despised and rejected by me,  a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.  Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and I esteemed him not.  Surely he took up my infirmities and carried my  sorrows, yet I considered him stricken by God, smitten by him and afflicted. But he was pierced for my transgressions, he was crushed for my iniquities; the punishment that brought  me peace was upon him, and by his wounds I am healed.  I like a sheep, have gone astray, and have turned to my own way; and the Lord has laid on him all of my iniquities.  Isaiah 53:3-6

Praise God that we are REDEEMED!

God Sets the Lonely in Families

About a week ago I got in my car to head back to Little Rock after spending a little over a week with my family in Costa Rica.  That was the longest amount of time that I have gotten to spend with them since I moved to Little Rock about 2 1/2 years ago!  It was so great to spend time with the whole family together!  Man has God blessed me with such a wonderful family!  I am so thankful to Him for giving me such incredible loving parents, a wonderful brother, and a crazy best friend for a sister!

There are always tears involved with loading up my car and pulling away from my home that I was blessed to grow up in.  I usually choke back the tears as I hug my parents and then cry all the way out of the neighborhood.  As I pull out of the driveway I repeat to myself over and over again the verses that I have tried to write on my heart...pick up your cross and follow after me, anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding, seek first His Kingdom, and many more.  I love Little Rock and feel so incredibly blessed to have such a wonderful job, but it's still hard sometimes.

But, God is always faithful!  This past week since I have been in Little Rock He has reminded me time and time again of the verse in Psalm 68 that says, "He sets the lonely in families."  I feel like that is exactly what He has done for me here in Little Rock.  I have been blessed with so many amazing families who take me in and consider me part of their family!  I have more moms, dads, brothers, and sisters than I know what to do with!  I am so blessed to have "family" surrounding me at all times!  I am so thankful that our amazing God has a perfect plan!  He always works things out for the good of those who love Him.  I am thankful for my biological family, and so blessed to be a part of a family that is so much bigger than the Mitchell Clan!  He is so good to me!

Who doesn't love some family photos?

I couldn't have asked for more amazing parents!

My favorite people!

The whole clan!

Just the girls!

I think we are cheering because it's the last picture...

     

We love our Bro!

I miss these two!

Bestest friend ever!

Sisters!!!

His Presence Fills the Heavens and the Earth

This past week has been filled with so many different emotions, but one thing has been obvious through it all...GOD IS GOOD!

This past week has been filled with hospital visits, random road trips, abnormal amounts of sleep, Skype dates with my sisters, and random insanity workouts with my teens.  It has also been filled with God's presence in amazing ways!

I'm so thankful that my God is present in every situation.  His presence was obvious in the waiting room as tons of teens and families from PV gathered to pray and love on the Shields family.  His presence was obvious in Jonesboro as He blessed me with time with such an amazing friend.  His presence was obvious as He called me to get away and just be still and rest.  His presence was obvious as I skyped my sister-in-law in Costa Rica and exchanged stories of His faithfulness.  His presence was obvious as I skyped my baby sister and laughed so hard I cried.  His presence was obvious as a small group of our teens woke up at 7:00 am so we could laugh together and pretend to actually work out.

I'm thankful that our God goes with us everywhere.  I'm thankful that our God doesn't just stay confined to our church buildings and our Sunday and Wednesday worship times.  I'm thankful that the curtain of the temple was torn in two and that our God comes and lives within us each and every moment.  I pray that we will be a people who are aware of His presence and who point Him out to others.  His presence is amazing!

Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the LORD. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the LORD.
                                                             Jeremiah 23:24