Thursday, June 19, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!


Yes! It's true. Another year older. Hopefully, another year wiser!

I had a nice day, especially because of two sweet aunts down the street, who treated me to lunch and delivered their own little version of "birthday party on wheels." Kind of like, you know, meals on wheels. A very generous sister and mom and dad made me feel like the special "birthday girl." And another aunt, whom I don't get to see very often but is close to my heart, sent me a very special e-mail. And then there was a blog post from a cousin who knows waaaaaay too much about me, but still sees what God is doing in my life. Thanks to every one.

Earlier my aunt, Mary Lois, had given me a ticket to Beth Moore's simulcast, scheduled for the first week-end in August. Her live conference will be shown all around the world via satellite. It's the next best thing to being there in person. If there is a church around you that is sponsoring it, please try to go. There is something amazing about worshiping and studying God's Word with so many women who love God.

Jim and Ethan ordered me two books from Amazon.com for my birthday. They are:

Crazy Love-Overwhelmed By A Relentless God
by Francis Chan

Life of the Beloved-In a Secular World
by Henri Nouwen

I read Life of the Beloved in just a few hours. I couldn't put it down. Would I recommend it? Oh, yes! Oh, oh, oh, yes! However, if you like to read books that are like Bible studies, or books that tell you what you need to do or books that are written for your particular denomination, it's probably not for you. Reading it is like sitting down with Nouwen at Starbucks, having a cup of coffee with him while he tells you all the reasons you are God's beloved. And then after you accept that you are His beloved, he helps you understand how to live in this crazy mixed up world of ours. A world that is constantly telling you that you aren't any body's beloved, much less God's. I will be reading it again and again.

I love books. I always have. I can remember riding my bike up to the public library a few years ago (well, maybe about 45 years ago), checking out books, loading them in my bicycle basket and heading home to read them. And then in a few days, going back for more.

A few months ago, my pastor asked me to tell someone why I liked a particular author. He caught me off guard and I rambled on and on. He probably thought, "Hmm, not the best advertisement for this book." And the person I was supposed to convince probably thought, "Must be an author that writes for crazy, deranged women." A few minutes later, I went to my Bible study. We were doing an Angela Thomas study called, "Living Your Life as a A Beautiful Offering." It's a study on the Beatitudes. That day's lesson was on Matthew 5 : 6. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness because they will be filled." And it dawned on me. "That's why I like that author. His books make me hunger and thirst for Jesus. His words make me want to know Jesus." I hope you have an author that will do that for you. Or a friend. Or a pastor. Something or someone that will cause you to want to know Jesus better. To want more of Him. Because I have found, but more importantly because His Word tells us, that "...you will find Him when you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul." Deuteronomy 4 : 29.

Thanks to all of you who love me. And to those who have hung in there with me through the tears and laughter. The valleys and the mountains. Times when I was running from God, and times I have been running to Him. I bless you all for your goodness towards me.



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