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

Leap of Faith

Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”
John 9:10-11

Jumping into puddles was SO easy when I was a child. It would thrill me, after each storm, to run through these little miracles God had left behind. The mud and the drops that splattered onto my legs never bothered me at all. Turns out I'm not a child anymore, and the truth is every spot irritates me to no end.

The mud on my legs has been quite evident lately. It's been no question to those of you who know me well what it is I've been covered with. You know how my heart aches and what it is I've been longing for, and yet none of those things have come to pass. The puddles continue to pile up around me, and my heart longs for an escape from them all.

Instead of taking these "acts of God" head on, I've tiptoed around them. I've been so scared of getting dirty. I've been clinging to my clean clothes and worrying that the stains that may have found themselves splattered into my life would never come out.

The stains life leaves behind usually cannot be washed away. As they settle into the fabric of who we are, God has no intention of you doing His laundry. He simply uses each spot as a testament of who He is and how faithful we are. Will we spend load after load trying to rid ourselves of these blots, or will we simply trust that He is God and has a special purpose for each blemish?

With all of this in mind, I have quickly learned that each puddle is made for me. I can either run straight through it, wallow in the mud, or tiptoe around the water. There aren't many other options... Dirty may be the only way I can come out, but dirty is what I am, a simple sinner saved by God's grace. God is using the mud to clean me up. Romans 8:28 says that, "All things work together for good to them that love God..." ALL THINGS. Every single puddle. Each spot of mud. He uses them all.

Instead of spending my days avoiding the puddles that life brings me, I should take them head on, full force, and wait for the cleaning. I've realized that maybe God hasn't intended for me to have exactly what I want. All these things I've been stained with are preparing me for the future, and right now is not the future. What God had in store for my life was a brand new puddle, and it's going to take a lot of mud to get through.

I'm plunging straight into college. Not motherhood, not teaching, not housework... College.

I have applied to an Online Elementary Education Master's program from Western Kentucky University and if accepted, will begin classes on Monday, August 25th. Yes, it sounds strange. It's probably crossed your mind that I just washed my hands of teaching a little over three months ago... But God wasn't completely finished. He wanted me to go back, get my hands dirty, and love learning all over again. Here it is, one of the biggest puddles I've faced, and yet the only way around this one is a leap of faith...

One Step at a Time,
Jenna Johnson

Being kind frees the mind

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor. Ephesians 4:32, 5:1-2
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Romans 12:19

Have you ever wondered how your heart can be free from the darkness all around and the sin that brings us down? I am constantly trying to reflect on how my heart can be free and clear even though everything else wants to drag me down like gravity. For some reason, many people do not want to be happy, nor do they want you to be happy. What a battle we face each day to live the Christian life among the backdrop of a devilish and sensual culture! Are you tired of sinking in the quicksand and ready to be lifted up to receive the spiritual blessings that we already have in Christ Jesus.

On April 6th of 2003, I can remember hearing a sermon as a lost young man that has continued to echo in my heart. The Holy Spirit at that time but can recall the minister’s sermon on loving your enemies had not awakened me to new life. I had always tried to love other people, but it was often just a show because there were cursing and bitterness in my heart. How could I truly love someone the way that I was supposed to? A few hours later in the middle of the night, the Lord saved me by His grace as He whispered sweet peace to my heart. Even still, the message on April 6th rings loud and clear. Am I still supposed to love my enemies and bless them that persecute, misunderstand, and just don't care about me? Of course, this is what being a Christian is all about. We can't love our enemies in our own strength, but with God's love flowing through us, we can.

Have you been struggling with a co-worker, supposedly good friend, teacher, straying husband or wife, or rebellious children? There is hope. Don't allow yourself to be caught behind the bars of your own stubbornness and self-inflating pride. Be free from the guilt, pain and shame of your thoughts by killing them with kindness. One of my great friends, who was buried just this week, lived by this motto. I heard a story about him and his wife that has really touched my heart. It was a typical night and the room was getting a little stuffy. The wife decided to open the window and get a little breeze and smell the fresh rain outside. It was about midnight and as she tried to open the window, it fell out into the front yard. The husband only made a sigh, got out of bed, dressed, and went outside to see the damage. The window lay in the front yard. He picked it up and placed it on the porch to measure its size. He then went downstairs and cut a piece of plywood to place over the open window. The fresh air was definitely flowing in at this point along with the rain. He picked up his hammer and nails and covered the window. Without very much said, he went back to his bedroom and asked his wife to go to bed. He told her that he would order the window the next day. What could have been a disastrous brawl of words was suppressed by a simple act of kindness in the middle of the night. Sometimes, your closest friends can be your greatest enemies, but you must treat them with kindness in order to keep your heart free. As the wife went to bed and still reminisces over the incident, she only loves him more...

Another incident happened yesterday while visiting a local businessman. I went into his office and he seemed to be gleaming. This was the first time that I met him and I knew something was different about him. Isn't it great when you don't have to ask someone if they are a Christian, but it is evident by the way that they live and the countenance of their face? His office was a wreck, because the computer guy had come in and told him that he would not hook up his computer, because he just didn't like him. He tried to ask him why but got the same response, "I just don't like you!" My friend asked him if he had done anything to upset him or cause him not to like him. He said, "No, I just don't like you." Instead of getting mad as many Christian's might do, he decided to leave the computer in the room and use the old one until someone could help him. Sometimes, people are just not going to like you because you are shining the light of God all around you. People enjoy the comfort zone of their stubbornness and rebellion against God. It's like Otis on the Andy Griffith Show. He liked to be drunk and sleep behind the bars. If that's what people want, then let them have it. All you and I can do is be a light and witness of the goodness, wholeness and beauty of God. There is no way that we can do this by killing people with words that are like daggers and bullets. Bite the bullet and be kind as the above scriptures tell us!!!

Showing kindness and sowing it everywhere you go will be convicting to some and comforting to others. As Christian’s, we should not fit in with this world. Our homeland is in heaven, where our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is; and we are looking forward to his return from there (Phil 3:20 TLB). Our conduct on a daily basis should reflect the place from which our hearts dwell. Rise above every situation by looking for ways to show kindness especially to those who don’t deserve it, and your life will begin to flow with grace and truth. It will leave a sweet aroma in the air as your sacrifice is burnt on the altar with the passionate fire of God’s love!