James 4:13-14 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"-- yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
Have you ever considered how short life is? It is here one day and gone the next. Every moment someone is being born and someone is dying on this planet. In a sense, the world is full of life which is regenerated minute by minute. Someone’s breath is taken away at the sight of a newborn child and another is taken away due to death. Even during the past few seconds of writing, lives have entered and exited this life. There must be more to life than a futile cycle that lasts moments and then is over. If life were only a ride at the county fair that is filled with a few ups and downs and a few thrills along the way, then this life would be a sad existence.
I am glad to tell you that life is but a vapor. It seems that just yesterday, I was waking up in my bedroom as mom yelled down the hall saying, “The bus is coming soon. It’s time for school.” It seems like yesterday that I drove a car for the first time. It was but yesterday when I got up from my college dorm and walked to class in the cold wintry air. It was yesterday when I got married and said “I do!” It seems like yesterday when dad and mom took their last breath. These moments are passing quickly. They are gone as soon as they are made. New moments must be made minute by minute and hour by hour, because this life is a vapor compared to the ocean of eternity!
In the midst of our short years, there is One who inhabits eternity. His name is Holy (Isa. 57:15). He sets upon the circle of the earth and looks down upon man as if we are but grasshoppers (Isa. 40:22). He looks as the nations as a drop in the bucket or dust on the scales (Isa. 40:15). He has measured the waters of the planet in the hollow of His hand (Isa. 40:12). He has scattered the stars in place and measured the heavens with His mighty hand. He knows all the star’s names, just balls of spectacular and illuminating gas (Isa. 40:26). How much more does He know you and see your every move as your years go passing by.
Will you stop and consider how powerless and weak we are? Time can not be stopped from passing. We can not keep our heart beating or our lungs inflated, but life is given as a gift. We exist for a purpose. Revelation 4:11 reminds us, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Are you giving the Creator honor and glory with your moments and hours? Are you enjoying the gift of His Son who came to get involved in our lives by dying on the cross for our sins and providing a way for us to be saved, know God, and love Him forever? Are you drinking down the moments filled with the things that matter most in this life—worshipping God individually, in your marriage, family, church, and community? Your life is slowly evaporating in the presence of the Son of God. What will He say when your breath is taken away and you have realized that life was a vapor? It is here one day and gone the next! Soak it up and use is wisely for the glory of God!
Showing posts with label Christian Living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christian Living. Show all posts
Monday, December 6, 2010
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Cleaning Up
Originally Written on December 10, 2008
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves
from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1
When I was a kid, the worst chore I was ever given was to clean my room. You would think that I could have figured out that if I would attempt to keep things clean, dusted and vacuumed, that having that assignment wouldn't be so terrible. BUT, it was... Every single time, I would throw a tantrum at the idea of having to do it.
That phase lasted up until I was in middle school. I continued with the feeling of disgust over cleaning my room. Oh, and in high school too. I would have friends coming over, and at the last minute, I would be shoving things into my two closets and under my bed. It was an awful habit, I must admit.
The alarming part of this is that I still dislike having to clean. You would think the feeling would change what with having my own house and getting married and having a child on the way. BUT it hasn't. I could not tell you if you asked me to inform you on all the things under our bed right now. My closet is shameful, and the soon-to-be nursery closet is the most atrocious thing I have ever seen. You seriously cannot see the wall, carpet, or ceiling; it is packed that tight.
Life is like that sometimes. We have so many things we like holding onto rather than getting rid of them or just cleaning them out. We pride ourselves in hiding our dirt. It is sad but painstakingly true. In Psalm 24, it is evident that we need to get busy with cleaning up... "Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart..." I know I am taking it a bit out of context, but in all seriousness, I think it somewhat applies. How can we live clean lives if not ALL of us is clean? I just don't think it is possible.
With that in mind, I have started cleaning. Maybe it's because I realize I have a baby on the way and I've GOT to make room for him. Maybe it’s because I am tired of all the things I have held onto and realize it is time to make the break. Maybe it's because I have learned that THIS WORLD is not my home, and as the old hymn says, "I'm just a-passing through." The less I have here, the better off I will be when it is my time to go.
It isn’t just my house that needs cleaning. If I would be willing to admit it, I would have to say that my heart could use some dusting as well. My life is not as spotless as the recently-cleaned bookshelves. There are some relationships that need to be tended to, and there are emotions I have been carrying that need to be trashed. I want to be the one who isn’t just cleansed physically and emotionally, but spiritually as well. The person I am is not always the person God intended me to be when He cleaned me up that day on April 10, 1994. It is obvious that I have some housework and major heart work to do.
It's time to clean out the closets and clean up from underneath the bed. It's time to rid myself of things – feelings, emotions, tendencies - I do not need. It's time to realize that God has given me more than enough to live on, and there are those who need these things more than me. So, I'm giving in and cleaning up...
Coming Clean,
Jenna Johnson
To Our Faithful Friends,
We would like to apologize for not writing you sooner. The Lord has been giving us our own “words of encouragement,” and we are delighted to share them with you when the Lord allows. Please keep us in your prayers, as you and yours are in ours. Thank you for understanding, and may God richly bless you during this joyous holiday season.
Until We Write Again,
Brian and Jenna
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves
from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1
When I was a kid, the worst chore I was ever given was to clean my room. You would think that I could have figured out that if I would attempt to keep things clean, dusted and vacuumed, that having that assignment wouldn't be so terrible. BUT, it was... Every single time, I would throw a tantrum at the idea of having to do it.
That phase lasted up until I was in middle school. I continued with the feeling of disgust over cleaning my room. Oh, and in high school too. I would have friends coming over, and at the last minute, I would be shoving things into my two closets and under my bed. It was an awful habit, I must admit.
The alarming part of this is that I still dislike having to clean. You would think the feeling would change what with having my own house and getting married and having a child on the way. BUT it hasn't. I could not tell you if you asked me to inform you on all the things under our bed right now. My closet is shameful, and the soon-to-be nursery closet is the most atrocious thing I have ever seen. You seriously cannot see the wall, carpet, or ceiling; it is packed that tight.
Life is like that sometimes. We have so many things we like holding onto rather than getting rid of them or just cleaning them out. We pride ourselves in hiding our dirt. It is sad but painstakingly true. In Psalm 24, it is evident that we need to get busy with cleaning up... "Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart..." I know I am taking it a bit out of context, but in all seriousness, I think it somewhat applies. How can we live clean lives if not ALL of us is clean? I just don't think it is possible.
With that in mind, I have started cleaning. Maybe it's because I realize I have a baby on the way and I've GOT to make room for him. Maybe it’s because I am tired of all the things I have held onto and realize it is time to make the break. Maybe it's because I have learned that THIS WORLD is not my home, and as the old hymn says, "I'm just a-passing through." The less I have here, the better off I will be when it is my time to go.
It isn’t just my house that needs cleaning. If I would be willing to admit it, I would have to say that my heart could use some dusting as well. My life is not as spotless as the recently-cleaned bookshelves. There are some relationships that need to be tended to, and there are emotions I have been carrying that need to be trashed. I want to be the one who isn’t just cleansed physically and emotionally, but spiritually as well. The person I am is not always the person God intended me to be when He cleaned me up that day on April 10, 1994. It is obvious that I have some housework and major heart work to do.
It's time to clean out the closets and clean up from underneath the bed. It's time to rid myself of things – feelings, emotions, tendencies - I do not need. It's time to realize that God has given me more than enough to live on, and there are those who need these things more than me. So, I'm giving in and cleaning up...
Coming Clean,
Jenna Johnson
To Our Faithful Friends,
We would like to apologize for not writing you sooner. The Lord has been giving us our own “words of encouragement,” and we are delighted to share them with you when the Lord allows. Please keep us in your prayers, as you and yours are in ours. Thank you for understanding, and may God richly bless you during this joyous holiday season.
Until We Write Again,
Brian and Jenna
Thursday, September 4, 2008
When He Speaks
A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.
Proverbs 16:9
For three days, I worked diligently on a painting that would be given to an expectant mother. I watched as the colors fell into place and became one of the most unique things I had ever done. The baby's name soon was creatively decorated onto the canvas, and finally, the decision on which scripture to use was finalized. As I wrote the bright pink verse on the pink and green polka dotted canvas, I did not know then how true they would be for me in the next few days...
Just a week before I began this gift, I had applied and been accepted to Western Kentucky University's online Master's Program in Elementary Education. I was overjoyed at the possibility of pursuing a purpose in my life. The door opened for me so quickly to go back to college; I never once took the time to really pray it through. It just seemed as if it were the right thing to do.
In my heart though, I believe I knew better. Just like the pink and green dots so brilliantly corresponded, a teacher with a year off should take the time to get her Master's degree. Or so I thought. We joke about it now, but my husband questioned me one afternoon about going back to school. The anxiety about it was overwhelming me, and with such clarity and conviction, I told him, "I would rather be a mother, than have a Master's."
For the past nine months, I have longed for a child. In December of 2007, when I learned we were in fact pregnant with our first child, I knew God was answering my prayers. Just two short months later, when that same God took the baby into His arms, I asked Him over and over why it had to be this way when He had just given me all that I wanted. When we didn't get pregnant in the next few months and knowing I would not be teaching in any school in the upcoming fall, we decided that God wanted us to further our education. I shared the information with family after being accepted, and as excited as they all were, my dad said the most peculiar words after learning of the news, “I thought you were calling to tell me you were pregnant." He even seemed disappointed (don't take this wrong because my father would love to see me graduate again).
I'll be honest... I was too. Two years ago when I graduated from Western, I was so thankful to be leaving and had no intentions of going back. God seems to have His own ideas and plans, and He actually wasn't keeping them from me. You see, as I was busy making my own plans to head back to school, God was speaking His plans for me loud and clear through paintings, family, and in my heart. I would not be going back to school because 1) the cost is currently too expensive, and 2) we are pregnant with our second child.
Now, I don't know the specific plans God has for me, and I'm not sure that I will ever meet this child that is within me. What I do know is that, through the steady sound of a heartbeat on an ultrasound monitor, God speaks clearly. He speaks directly. He speaks with great wisdom. When He speaks, we must listen. Our lives are not our own, and our decisions are not ours to make. So with a humble heart, I write to express my deepest apologies for misinforming you about my returning to college, and I meekly ask you to pray for us as we anticipate the plans God has for our future...
The bright pink words on the canvas stand out now. They are so plain yet now incredibly beautiful, as I know that God was using them to speak to my heart. "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." How awesome it is when God speaks!
Listening to Him,
Jenna Johnson
(See the “Bright Pink Canvas” here.)
Proverbs 16:9
For three days, I worked diligently on a painting that would be given to an expectant mother. I watched as the colors fell into place and became one of the most unique things I had ever done. The baby's name soon was creatively decorated onto the canvas, and finally, the decision on which scripture to use was finalized. As I wrote the bright pink verse on the pink and green polka dotted canvas, I did not know then how true they would be for me in the next few days...
Just a week before I began this gift, I had applied and been accepted to Western Kentucky University's online Master's Program in Elementary Education. I was overjoyed at the possibility of pursuing a purpose in my life. The door opened for me so quickly to go back to college; I never once took the time to really pray it through. It just seemed as if it were the right thing to do.
In my heart though, I believe I knew better. Just like the pink and green dots so brilliantly corresponded, a teacher with a year off should take the time to get her Master's degree. Or so I thought. We joke about it now, but my husband questioned me one afternoon about going back to school. The anxiety about it was overwhelming me, and with such clarity and conviction, I told him, "I would rather be a mother, than have a Master's."
For the past nine months, I have longed for a child. In December of 2007, when I learned we were in fact pregnant with our first child, I knew God was answering my prayers. Just two short months later, when that same God took the baby into His arms, I asked Him over and over why it had to be this way when He had just given me all that I wanted. When we didn't get pregnant in the next few months and knowing I would not be teaching in any school in the upcoming fall, we decided that God wanted us to further our education. I shared the information with family after being accepted, and as excited as they all were, my dad said the most peculiar words after learning of the news, “I thought you were calling to tell me you were pregnant." He even seemed disappointed (don't take this wrong because my father would love to see me graduate again).
I'll be honest... I was too. Two years ago when I graduated from Western, I was so thankful to be leaving and had no intentions of going back. God seems to have His own ideas and plans, and He actually wasn't keeping them from me. You see, as I was busy making my own plans to head back to school, God was speaking His plans for me loud and clear through paintings, family, and in my heart. I would not be going back to school because 1) the cost is currently too expensive, and 2) we are pregnant with our second child.
Now, I don't know the specific plans God has for me, and I'm not sure that I will ever meet this child that is within me. What I do know is that, through the steady sound of a heartbeat on an ultrasound monitor, God speaks clearly. He speaks directly. He speaks with great wisdom. When He speaks, we must listen. Our lives are not our own, and our decisions are not ours to make. So with a humble heart, I write to express my deepest apologies for misinforming you about my returning to college, and I meekly ask you to pray for us as we anticipate the plans God has for our future...
The bright pink words on the canvas stand out now. They are so plain yet now incredibly beautiful, as I know that God was using them to speak to my heart. "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." How awesome it is when God speaks!
Listening to Him,
Jenna Johnson
(See the “Bright Pink Canvas” here.)
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Could You Pass the Salt?
"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men."
Matthew 5:13
Can you tell the difference between something that is salty and something that is not? If you would like to experiment, you should come to my house for dinner one night, and then let me take you to my grandmother’s house where things are well-seasoned. My wife and I experiment almost every night in the kitchen, and our green beans, peas, and other meals taste nothing like my grandmother’s. She enjoys using fat back, bacon grease, and cast iron skillets. Her meals have flavor to savor while ours can be bland and taste like they have just come out of a frozen bag or can. Often, they do.
Now that you are hungry, let’s transition this thought to what Jesus was saying in Matthew 5:13. He wasn’t talking about food with flavoring or seasoning, but he was giving a profound illustration of what the character of Christ in the life of a believer should be. There is plenty to do, but God’s first priority for His children is to be—like Christ. He wasn’t worried about whether you were going to the most popular church down the road, had the coolest Bible cover in Sunday school, or lived on the streets. He is concerned about who you are…
Since my wife and I are learning to cook, we often take breaks by going out to eat. A few weeks ago we stopped at Captain D’s. As we were driving in, I noticed a young lady who was taking out the trash. She had the biggest smile of anyone that I have ever seen while doing the dirty work. I couldn’t help but stop and ask her what was making her smile so much. She told me she knew Jesus and that everyday was a blessing. This was not the first time I had seen her. The previous week she was wearing the same smile while working behind the counter with rude customers. She was consistent, vibrant, and full of flavor. I left her presence wanting to know more about her relationship with Jesus.
Does your influence leave others wanting to know more about Jesus? At a recent baseball game, I purchased a bag of roasted peanuts. Do you know how expensive things are at sporting events? I normally try to be conservative in spending, but I could not help but pay $5 for a drink. The salt on the peanuts was delicious, but it created an incredible, mouth-watering yearning for something to drink. This is the whole purpose of being Christ-like. We do not have the power to save anyone, because the Holy Spirit must work on and melt the hearts of men. However, God can use those who are really connected with Christ to create a thirst and hunger for the eternal life that we possess in Jesus. Revelation 22:17 says, “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” We are not called to be water, but salty lives that create soul-wrenching thirsts.
How do we get salty? First, we must realize that there is no cookie-cutter Christian. God works on everyone in His own way, and we are not to look like everyone else. We are to look like Christ. We are not to be like pre-assorted, canned, and bagged vegetables. Many today think if they can go to the most-marketed church that they will automatically become salty. You can be in the biggest and best church, and be savorless because you might be Savior-less. The character of Christ only comes by knowing the Person of Christ. Have you met him? Secondly, saltiness comes when the Word of God becomes the key ingredient in your life. The savorless and powerless are more concern with culture than with being a Christian. I fail often, but I am glad that God is still cooking on me. If you see me and find that my spiritual tastes are bland, could you please pass the salt and direct me to Christ?
Tasting and Knowing the Christ is good,
Brian Johnson
Matthew 5:13
Can you tell the difference between something that is salty and something that is not? If you would like to experiment, you should come to my house for dinner one night, and then let me take you to my grandmother’s house where things are well-seasoned. My wife and I experiment almost every night in the kitchen, and our green beans, peas, and other meals taste nothing like my grandmother’s. She enjoys using fat back, bacon grease, and cast iron skillets. Her meals have flavor to savor while ours can be bland and taste like they have just come out of a frozen bag or can. Often, they do.
Now that you are hungry, let’s transition this thought to what Jesus was saying in Matthew 5:13. He wasn’t talking about food with flavoring or seasoning, but he was giving a profound illustration of what the character of Christ in the life of a believer should be. There is plenty to do, but God’s first priority for His children is to be—like Christ. He wasn’t worried about whether you were going to the most popular church down the road, had the coolest Bible cover in Sunday school, or lived on the streets. He is concerned about who you are…
Since my wife and I are learning to cook, we often take breaks by going out to eat. A few weeks ago we stopped at Captain D’s. As we were driving in, I noticed a young lady who was taking out the trash. She had the biggest smile of anyone that I have ever seen while doing the dirty work. I couldn’t help but stop and ask her what was making her smile so much. She told me she knew Jesus and that everyday was a blessing. This was not the first time I had seen her. The previous week she was wearing the same smile while working behind the counter with rude customers. She was consistent, vibrant, and full of flavor. I left her presence wanting to know more about her relationship with Jesus.
Does your influence leave others wanting to know more about Jesus? At a recent baseball game, I purchased a bag of roasted peanuts. Do you know how expensive things are at sporting events? I normally try to be conservative in spending, but I could not help but pay $5 for a drink. The salt on the peanuts was delicious, but it created an incredible, mouth-watering yearning for something to drink. This is the whole purpose of being Christ-like. We do not have the power to save anyone, because the Holy Spirit must work on and melt the hearts of men. However, God can use those who are really connected with Christ to create a thirst and hunger for the eternal life that we possess in Jesus. Revelation 22:17 says, “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” We are not called to be water, but salty lives that create soul-wrenching thirsts.
How do we get salty? First, we must realize that there is no cookie-cutter Christian. God works on everyone in His own way, and we are not to look like everyone else. We are to look like Christ. We are not to be like pre-assorted, canned, and bagged vegetables. Many today think if they can go to the most-marketed church that they will automatically become salty. You can be in the biggest and best church, and be savorless because you might be Savior-less. The character of Christ only comes by knowing the Person of Christ. Have you met him? Secondly, saltiness comes when the Word of God becomes the key ingredient in your life. The savorless and powerless are more concern with culture than with being a Christian. I fail often, but I am glad that God is still cooking on me. If you see me and find that my spiritual tastes are bland, could you please pass the salt and direct me to Christ?
Tasting and Knowing the Christ is good,
Brian Johnson
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Waters Gone By
Then surely you could lift up your face without shame; yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear; Because you would forget your misery, and remember it as waters that have passed away, And your life would be brighter than noonday. Though you were dark, you would be like the morning.
Job 11:15-17
Just a week ago, I had been accepted to Western Kentucky University’s Graduate program. I was anxious and spent time preparing for my upcoming classes. That was only seven days ago.
Just a month ago, I sat in a church in West Tennessee completely filled with the Spirit. I witnessed praises and testimonies, hearts being changed, and lost being saved. Only thirty days since then.
Just six months ago, I lay on a hospital bed singing Amazing Grace, as I waited for my doctor to arrive with the same news he had told me two days before. Only six months ago, my child went to Heaven.
Just a year ago, my husband drove me to the Emergency Room as the pain in my lower abdomen increased. We waited hours to find out I had a ruptured cyst, and I would be missing a week or more of teaching Kindergarten. Just a year ago…
Just five years ago, I was starting my third year of college at WKU after having had a car wreck the year before. Just ten years ago, I was starting high school at Greenbrier and was busy trying to fit in. Just twenty years ago, I was starting Kindergarten at Watauga Elementary with white-blonde hair and snaggle teeth. All of this seems like yesterday, and yet so much has changed since then.
At five years old, I could have never guessed that God would completely guide my life these twenty years later. I wouldn’t be able to understand why I couldn’t go back to Graduate School or how I would come to marry a preacher. I would have been saddened to know of the death of my own baby, and I couldn’t imagine being a teacher missing school. I couldn’t picture the journey I would take to get to college or the years I would spend trying to make lifelong friends in high school. I could only see what was right in front of me.
Yet God knew. He had designed every year for me. He knew exactly how my hair would grow and why I didn’t need braces as a young child. God was there in my teenage years when I wasn’t making the friends I wanted because they weren’t the ones I would need. He also was there that afternoon on my lunch break as my head collided with the windshield, and He helped me to gain the courage to head back to Western. He planned my wedding and realized my first year of marriage wouldn’t be easy. He specifically intended for my miscarriage to teach me the blessing of children. God put me in churches to help me realize my responsibilities as a Christian and that sitting in my pew wasn’t enough. He also had that acceptance letter sent to my door, and He saw me when I didn’t pray about going back to school. God knew the changes that would take place.
In the times where everything changes, we are able to see God move. We are able to put the past behind us and realize they are simply as the waters gone by. Our futures look brighter when we are able to put in perspective the fact that God is in complete control, and that “All things work together for good to them that love the Lord… (Romans 8:28).” God knows the plans for your life, and no matter how rough they may be, He knows which stream He will take you down. He understands that there are rocks along the way, but the beauty that lies ahead of you is worth the wait.
Riding His Waves,
Jenna Johnson
Job 11:15-17
Just a week ago, I had been accepted to Western Kentucky University’s Graduate program. I was anxious and spent time preparing for my upcoming classes. That was only seven days ago.
Just a month ago, I sat in a church in West Tennessee completely filled with the Spirit. I witnessed praises and testimonies, hearts being changed, and lost being saved. Only thirty days since then.
Just six months ago, I lay on a hospital bed singing Amazing Grace, as I waited for my doctor to arrive with the same news he had told me two days before. Only six months ago, my child went to Heaven.
Just a year ago, my husband drove me to the Emergency Room as the pain in my lower abdomen increased. We waited hours to find out I had a ruptured cyst, and I would be missing a week or more of teaching Kindergarten. Just a year ago…
Just five years ago, I was starting my third year of college at WKU after having had a car wreck the year before. Just ten years ago, I was starting high school at Greenbrier and was busy trying to fit in. Just twenty years ago, I was starting Kindergarten at Watauga Elementary with white-blonde hair and snaggle teeth. All of this seems like yesterday, and yet so much has changed since then.
At five years old, I could have never guessed that God would completely guide my life these twenty years later. I wouldn’t be able to understand why I couldn’t go back to Graduate School or how I would come to marry a preacher. I would have been saddened to know of the death of my own baby, and I couldn’t imagine being a teacher missing school. I couldn’t picture the journey I would take to get to college or the years I would spend trying to make lifelong friends in high school. I could only see what was right in front of me.
Yet God knew. He had designed every year for me. He knew exactly how my hair would grow and why I didn’t need braces as a young child. God was there in my teenage years when I wasn’t making the friends I wanted because they weren’t the ones I would need. He also was there that afternoon on my lunch break as my head collided with the windshield, and He helped me to gain the courage to head back to Western. He planned my wedding and realized my first year of marriage wouldn’t be easy. He specifically intended for my miscarriage to teach me the blessing of children. God put me in churches to help me realize my responsibilities as a Christian and that sitting in my pew wasn’t enough. He also had that acceptance letter sent to my door, and He saw me when I didn’t pray about going back to school. God knew the changes that would take place.
In the times where everything changes, we are able to see God move. We are able to put the past behind us and realize they are simply as the waters gone by. Our futures look brighter when we are able to put in perspective the fact that God is in complete control, and that “All things work together for good to them that love the Lord… (Romans 8:28).” God knows the plans for your life, and no matter how rough they may be, He knows which stream He will take you down. He understands that there are rocks along the way, but the beauty that lies ahead of you is worth the wait.
Riding His Waves,
Jenna Johnson
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Who Am I
I am Yours, save me; for I have sought Your precepts.
Psalm 119:94
The facts are all there… Just ask my mom, she will tell you exactly who I am. Her opinions melted and broke my heart as she described her thoughts of me. It is not everyday you call your loved ones and ask them to tell you what they think of you. However, as I listened to a familiar Casting Crowns’ song today, I was intrigued to know what others thought.
If you did not know me as a child, let my mother tell you what I was like. She claims I was energetic and entertaining, singing songs and getting the attention of others as much as possible. She explained that I was self-confident and a leader among my friends. Mom said that I loved sports (I don’t remember this), and I was my daddy’s girl. Learning came easy for me; I was smart but not studious. I loved church and the friends I made there, but who I was continued to change despite what I was being taught in God’s house.
As a teenager, one who had been saved and was a child of God, I had changed a bit. As my mother spoke today, it seemed simple for her to describe me and also point out negative terms to depict who I was in those years. I was driven to excel, and it did not matter to me how I got to the top as long as I did. I was involved – if there was a club to be in or a gathering of teens to meet up with, I was there. My mom relates that I was self-centered and a manipulator – I seemed to get whatever I wanted with no effort. Just after I had been saved, I started acting as one who did not know Christ at all.
Hearing these descriptions from my mom really pierced my heart, knowing that they were true. It seemed to hurt my mom as she spoke of me in this manner, and I understood the pain I had caused her. Still, I imagined how God felt about me at that time, how I must have broken his heart as He watched me become the person I was. Would He even want to claim me as His own?
Grace was involved in my life. I cannot tell you how or when I noticed who I was becoming, but God told me who I was. It is never easy when God rebukes you for your wrongdoings and who you are. It became clear that I was a person who was difficult to love. “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions (Ephesians 2:4-5a).”
The eyes of a parent can see things others cannot. When I asked my mom to portray me as I am today, she smiled; I could just hear it in her voice. She said, “You have become a servant to others instead of worrying over pleasing yourself.” Is this the way God sees me too? He is my Father; does He think of me the way my mom does? “You are a teacher and a writer who is creative, responsible, gifted, and resourceful; you use your talents for the benefits of others. You are focused on God’s work and not your own.” My hope is that others see me for who I am just as God does, not for what I do. “…For God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance but the LORD looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7b).” Who I am is not who I used to be. Do you hear it? It is the smile of a Father who can be pleased with His child.
Completely His,
Jenna Johnson
Psalm 119:94
The facts are all there… Just ask my mom, she will tell you exactly who I am. Her opinions melted and broke my heart as she described her thoughts of me. It is not everyday you call your loved ones and ask them to tell you what they think of you. However, as I listened to a familiar Casting Crowns’ song today, I was intrigued to know what others thought.
If you did not know me as a child, let my mother tell you what I was like. She claims I was energetic and entertaining, singing songs and getting the attention of others as much as possible. She explained that I was self-confident and a leader among my friends. Mom said that I loved sports (I don’t remember this), and I was my daddy’s girl. Learning came easy for me; I was smart but not studious. I loved church and the friends I made there, but who I was continued to change despite what I was being taught in God’s house.
As a teenager, one who had been saved and was a child of God, I had changed a bit. As my mother spoke today, it seemed simple for her to describe me and also point out negative terms to depict who I was in those years. I was driven to excel, and it did not matter to me how I got to the top as long as I did. I was involved – if there was a club to be in or a gathering of teens to meet up with, I was there. My mom relates that I was self-centered and a manipulator – I seemed to get whatever I wanted with no effort. Just after I had been saved, I started acting as one who did not know Christ at all.
Hearing these descriptions from my mom really pierced my heart, knowing that they were true. It seemed to hurt my mom as she spoke of me in this manner, and I understood the pain I had caused her. Still, I imagined how God felt about me at that time, how I must have broken his heart as He watched me become the person I was. Would He even want to claim me as His own?
Grace was involved in my life. I cannot tell you how or when I noticed who I was becoming, but God told me who I was. It is never easy when God rebukes you for your wrongdoings and who you are. It became clear that I was a person who was difficult to love. “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions (Ephesians 2:4-5a).”
The eyes of a parent can see things others cannot. When I asked my mom to portray me as I am today, she smiled; I could just hear it in her voice. She said, “You have become a servant to others instead of worrying over pleasing yourself.” Is this the way God sees me too? He is my Father; does He think of me the way my mom does? “You are a teacher and a writer who is creative, responsible, gifted, and resourceful; you use your talents for the benefits of others. You are focused on God’s work and not your own.” My hope is that others see me for who I am just as God does, not for what I do. “…For God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance but the LORD looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7b).” Who I am is not who I used to be. Do you hear it? It is the smile of a Father who can be pleased with His child.
Completely His,
Jenna Johnson
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Silence!
“Stand in awe, and sin not; commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.” (Psalm 4:4)
The clock had already passed ten. My car was not yet in the driveway. It was parked among other teenagers’ cars as we all blatantly skipped curfew. We sat and talked for hours and the laughter and discussions we had are still fresh in my mind. That thrill of staying out late was something I longed for, but the fear that overwhelmed me on the ride home vanquished the fun I just had.
From the road, I could see that the lights were turned off in the house. As I drove up the driveway, the gravel beneath the tires seemed as loud as thunder. I quickly dimmed the lights and quietly turned the lock in the back door where I heard no sound. I rounded the corner towards the stairs, and there he was, sitting in the dark in the chair beside the steps.
The silence in the room was frightening, and his voice was stern as he prompted me to get in bed. The walk up the staircase was difficult; my knees were weak and my heart was pounding. As anxious as one could be, I rolled into bed in the clothes I had been wearing so as to not keep him up any longer… Neither of us would get any sleep. The shrill of laughter and chatter was gone, and I was forced to listen to the silence. It was the last thing I wanted to hear, so I would turn on the radio until he, right below me on the first floor, said to turn it off. My father wanted me to think about my actions in the deafening stillness.
Our Heavenly Father can silence us as well, whether we have earned it or not. My mind wanders to when Jesus was on the cross of Calvary. Luke 23:35-37 says, “And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, and saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.” Not once did Jesus reply to their loud attempts to ridicule him. He was silent. His thoughts were on doing the Father’s will (Luke 23:34).
Why is it so hard for me to be quiet, to simply stop doing, and start listening? Here I am in a season of complete silence, no Kindergarteners screaming or whistles blowing, and yet I cannot sit still. As Brian prepared to leave for Israel, he wrote me a letter which I opened today as his flight took off. It was evident to me that my Father wants me to hear Him as I read what Brian had written, “…Please use this quiet time to get closer to the Lord rather than running around aimlessly…” Above the noise, the daily rush, and my constant need to be going, God spoke loud and clear, and now, here I sit, in a quiet house, waiting for what He might do next.
Hushed and humbled,
Jenna Johnson
Jennarjohnson@yahoo.com
P.S. – Please continue to cover Brian and the group in prayer as they embark on a 12 day tour of Israel. I will be filling in for him while he is away. He is to return on June 7th. Contact me with any questions or concerns.
The clock had already passed ten. My car was not yet in the driveway. It was parked among other teenagers’ cars as we all blatantly skipped curfew. We sat and talked for hours and the laughter and discussions we had are still fresh in my mind. That thrill of staying out late was something I longed for, but the fear that overwhelmed me on the ride home vanquished the fun I just had.
From the road, I could see that the lights were turned off in the house. As I drove up the driveway, the gravel beneath the tires seemed as loud as thunder. I quickly dimmed the lights and quietly turned the lock in the back door where I heard no sound. I rounded the corner towards the stairs, and there he was, sitting in the dark in the chair beside the steps.
The silence in the room was frightening, and his voice was stern as he prompted me to get in bed. The walk up the staircase was difficult; my knees were weak and my heart was pounding. As anxious as one could be, I rolled into bed in the clothes I had been wearing so as to not keep him up any longer… Neither of us would get any sleep. The shrill of laughter and chatter was gone, and I was forced to listen to the silence. It was the last thing I wanted to hear, so I would turn on the radio until he, right below me on the first floor, said to turn it off. My father wanted me to think about my actions in the deafening stillness.
Our Heavenly Father can silence us as well, whether we have earned it or not. My mind wanders to when Jesus was on the cross of Calvary. Luke 23:35-37 says, “And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, and saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.” Not once did Jesus reply to their loud attempts to ridicule him. He was silent. His thoughts were on doing the Father’s will (Luke 23:34).
Why is it so hard for me to be quiet, to simply stop doing, and start listening? Here I am in a season of complete silence, no Kindergarteners screaming or whistles blowing, and yet I cannot sit still. As Brian prepared to leave for Israel, he wrote me a letter which I opened today as his flight took off. It was evident to me that my Father wants me to hear Him as I read what Brian had written, “…Please use this quiet time to get closer to the Lord rather than running around aimlessly…” Above the noise, the daily rush, and my constant need to be going, God spoke loud and clear, and now, here I sit, in a quiet house, waiting for what He might do next.
Hushed and humbled,
Jenna Johnson
Jennarjohnson@yahoo.com
P.S. – Please continue to cover Brian and the group in prayer as they embark on a 12 day tour of Israel. I will be filling in for him while he is away. He is to return on June 7th. Contact me with any questions or concerns.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Ahhhhhhh…..
Romans 15:32 That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.
1 Corinthians 16:18 For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such.
2 Corinthians 7:13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.
2 Timothy 1:16 The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:
Philemon 1:7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
Is there anything better than a long rain after months of draught? What about a cold glass of water while working in the heat of the summer? How about good news that you have been waiting on for years? There are two things you must notice why contemplating these questions. First of all, there must be a source of refreshment, and secondly the recipient must have a sense of anticipation. The ground dries and cracks because it yearns to be refreshed. Your mouth can also become thirsty in the hot sun under a burden of work and the first drink makes you go “ahhhhh.” It’s like good news that your ears have been waiting to hear!
Do you think that God wants us to always be in a drought in our spiritual lives where we are running to every mirage this world has to offer. He doesn’t want us to be fooled by the mirage of life but wants our souls to rest in His oasis. He longs for us to be drinking from the Spiritual Rock who is Christ. When the children of Israel were out in the desert and complaining to Moses, God told him to take his staff and strike the rock so that water would pour out and give the 2-3 million people water. What abundance! Do you remember when Christ was pierced and blood and water flowed from His side. His grace and spiritual refreshment is available to all. However, we must look in the right place.
While Jesus was waiting by the well in John 4, a Samaritan woman approached the well to draw some water. She was quite the sinner. She had had five husbands and the one that she was with at the time was not her husband. Her life was a wreck and she would have fit into the unapproachable category that the church has established today. Jesus didn’t come for the whole but those who were broken and thirsty. Jesus asked her for a drink even though the Jews had nothing to do with the Samaritans. He told her “Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:13-14). Her soul was empty and parched. She came thirsty but left overflowing with the grace God.
Once a broken cistern, the Samaritan woman became a force in her community as she allowed the life of Jesus to flow through her to the other parched souls around her. She had believed what Jesus said in John 7:37-38, “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” Do you believe the same today? Many are still living their lives all dammed up. Some people are still dead in sin. They wouldn’t know what living water tastes like, because their taste buds have not been awakened. Others, who claim to be Christians, are not surrendering their will on a daily basis. Every now and then, their soul might praise God on Sunday and be refreshed. However, the mirage of worldly pleasure still looks appealing instead of getting lost in the river of the Holy Spirit’s power.
Yesterday while at the mission, I met a guy named Martin who had just began walking with Christ on a daily basis. He is a butcher at a local market, and he told me that he was tired of the marijuana and sexual addiction. A few months ago, Jesus really began speaking to his heart and he began to change. He no longer wanted to sin, and instead of being a taker; he wanted to be a giver. With overwhelming joy, this 6-foot strong man was wiping down tables, smiling and sharing the name of Christ with the parched souls all around. I couldn’t help but want to be around him as God’s love radiated from His heart. The only way that we can prove that there is a God in Heaven is by how we love. Has their been a change in your heart, and if so, are you being the person that make everyone go aughhh or ahhhhhhhhhhh?
1 Corinthians 16:18 For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such.
2 Corinthians 7:13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.
2 Timothy 1:16 The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:
Philemon 1:7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
Is there anything better than a long rain after months of draught? What about a cold glass of water while working in the heat of the summer? How about good news that you have been waiting on for years? There are two things you must notice why contemplating these questions. First of all, there must be a source of refreshment, and secondly the recipient must have a sense of anticipation. The ground dries and cracks because it yearns to be refreshed. Your mouth can also become thirsty in the hot sun under a burden of work and the first drink makes you go “ahhhhh.” It’s like good news that your ears have been waiting to hear!
Do you think that God wants us to always be in a drought in our spiritual lives where we are running to every mirage this world has to offer. He doesn’t want us to be fooled by the mirage of life but wants our souls to rest in His oasis. He longs for us to be drinking from the Spiritual Rock who is Christ. When the children of Israel were out in the desert and complaining to Moses, God told him to take his staff and strike the rock so that water would pour out and give the 2-3 million people water. What abundance! Do you remember when Christ was pierced and blood and water flowed from His side. His grace and spiritual refreshment is available to all. However, we must look in the right place.
While Jesus was waiting by the well in John 4, a Samaritan woman approached the well to draw some water. She was quite the sinner. She had had five husbands and the one that she was with at the time was not her husband. Her life was a wreck and she would have fit into the unapproachable category that the church has established today. Jesus didn’t come for the whole but those who were broken and thirsty. Jesus asked her for a drink even though the Jews had nothing to do with the Samaritans. He told her “Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:13-14). Her soul was empty and parched. She came thirsty but left overflowing with the grace God.
Once a broken cistern, the Samaritan woman became a force in her community as she allowed the life of Jesus to flow through her to the other parched souls around her. She had believed what Jesus said in John 7:37-38, “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” Do you believe the same today? Many are still living their lives all dammed up. Some people are still dead in sin. They wouldn’t know what living water tastes like, because their taste buds have not been awakened. Others, who claim to be Christians, are not surrendering their will on a daily basis. Every now and then, their soul might praise God on Sunday and be refreshed. However, the mirage of worldly pleasure still looks appealing instead of getting lost in the river of the Holy Spirit’s power.
Yesterday while at the mission, I met a guy named Martin who had just began walking with Christ on a daily basis. He is a butcher at a local market, and he told me that he was tired of the marijuana and sexual addiction. A few months ago, Jesus really began speaking to his heart and he began to change. He no longer wanted to sin, and instead of being a taker; he wanted to be a giver. With overwhelming joy, this 6-foot strong man was wiping down tables, smiling and sharing the name of Christ with the parched souls all around. I couldn’t help but want to be around him as God’s love radiated from His heart. The only way that we can prove that there is a God in Heaven is by how we love. Has their been a change in your heart, and if so, are you being the person that make everyone go aughhh or ahhhhhhhhhhh?
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