2 Peter chapter 3 also calls it the Day of the Lord. What is this day? It’s the end. Peter says we’re to look forward to the day of destruction, because on that day of destruction, we will be fully redeemed. On that day, all things that were predicted, foretold, prophesied will have happened; then the end will come. The end of death, the end of mortal life, it will all be destroyed. Anything imperfect and unredeemed will receive its due penalty; while the God followers by word, thought, and deed will be covered with grace. The fact is, too much will happen to be covered in this tiny note.

A question must be asked. If this is truth, if the world is indeed facing an impending doom, how then shall we live? Peter says with this in mind, to live holy godly lives as we look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. We are to look forward to this day. Do you remember looking forward to Christmas with a giddy feeling in your tummy? Do you recall your entire being longing for the moment the classroom clock read 3:10, indicating that the weekend had arrived? Can you reminisce the moments where you desired nothing more than to flow down the aisle in a flawless white gown? Can you relive the anticipation that built as your love stood inches away from entering the sanctuary? Do you understand eagerly awaiting? It’s not absentmindedly knowing or halfheartedly acknowledging what will occur in the future somewhere, sometime, someday. Not in the least bit. It’s your entire being going haywire in anticipation. Your heart beats faster, your eyes triple in size, your smile inches wider, your palms begin to sweat, your mouth won’t stop running.

Eager anticipation: it’s coming. It’s coming. It’s coming! The final redemption of our souls! The destruction of all things evil! Theft will be obsolete, rape firmly punished; murder will be a past horror, hate unattainable , the enjoyment of evil consumed, sex slavery no more, human trafficking vanished. Every essence of sin vanquished from the face of the earth, obsolete from all existence. It’s coming! The end of all things we know is coming! Jesus is coming! Finally, the prideful deceiver, liar, trap setting fool of a fallen angel will be judged with all justice. My enemy will get what he deserves! My enemy will be defeated! That liar won’t have a chance. He’s hurt for the last time; there will be no more pain. We will no longer live with the pain dealer; we will live with the wound healer. That is why we await the day of destruction with eager expectation! That is why we rejoice at the mention of “end times.”

Our God will be blatantly vindicated! As though he needed any vindication. The world will see with their glory exposed eyes that He is the Truth. The I AM is the I AM, Jesus is the Way, the Truth, the Life. They will either see that they’ve wasted their life; or, a tear will stream down their cheek in absolute bliss: he’s come, home is no longer on the horizon, home is now. It will be a bittersweet day for all mankind, a coin with two sides. If they did not embrace the Truth on earth, they cannot embrace the Truth in the afterlife. Their destiny holds no hope, heaven isn’t their reality; hell is their home. There they will breathe the scent of the rotten core of the deceiver’s flesh for all eternity. I don’t wish to sound filthy or threatening, nor do I toss this as a scare tactic; I mention it because I fully believe it’s what’s in store for those who don’t accept the Way. I also mention it because it should utterly break you to your knees to hear this. How did you hear about the Truth? Someone told you. See a trend?

End times, the day of destruction, the day of the Lord. It’s coming! Does this truth make your knees weak? Have your eyes teared up in excitement for utter BLISS? We do not know pleasure. The pleasures we encounter day to day won’t be worth comparing to the complete pleasure and fulfillment that will come from physical unity with the King.

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus, King of the Universe and then some, come quickly my Lord. We await your arrival with busy hands and open mouths. Come quickly Dad, come quickly.
Jaime Ann

Books you must read:
The Slumber of Christianity- Ted Dekker
Don’t Waste Your Life- John Piper
The Irresistible Revolution- Shaine Claiborne

Our moment of mutual observation felt as the calm before the storm. The only humans alive were he and I. A sudden swift wind sent brittle leaves and city filth flying past the curb the boy was now standing on. I was sent to speak to this boy. He was homeless, yet the curb was his home, and he was guarding it quite intently. I was sent to speak nine words to this boy; I was sent to offer him two choices. As I approached him, the child’s eyes remained constant, not intimidated by the stranger invading his home sweet home. “You have a choice.” I told him, “The curb, or the Word.” His eyes expressed interest, yet he quickly turned his gaze to the ground as though to assess the situation. It was as though my request were a word game. He had a simple, yet life altering choice: to choose the curb, home, the only thing he knew, his public security blanket; or the Word, a mystery with unexplainable attractiveness. What was the word?

The boy lifted his head, “The Word.”

The situation felt like a battle, and I had shared in the victory. The boy had chosen the Word; he had abandoned all he ever knew, all he held dear, all that he built his life upon, all that he claimed as truth. He gave it up for the mysterious word. When I awoke, I realized its significance, I was not offering the boy a mind game, I was offering him the Word.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. –John 1:14
In Luke chapter 16, Jesus reveals an amazing earthly story with a heavenly meaning. The story is about the rich man and Lazarus. I wish that you would read it for yourself before you continue in this note. As the story goes, when the rich man enters hell he’s introduced to a rather alarming and disturbing reality: this hell isn’t what he was expecting. Afterlife isn’t as he, nor any, had believed, this wasn’t what he was prepared for. The rich man begs for a messenger to warn his family of the eternal agony he had entered; the one they could avoid.

It made me ponder the situation from the other side. Forbid that when I enter heaven, I react as the rich man acted: shocked in his false perceptions of afterlife. “THIS is heaven? Everyone on earth, even the Christians, they’ve got it all wrong! Someone’s got to tell them! This is no bedtime story! Where are the wimpy harps, dull choir robes and fluffy clouds? Where’s cupid? This isn’t what I was preparing myself for.”

…did I prepare at all?

“This can’t be real. They have no idea! They’re missing it! Those people on earth…this isn’t what they call heaven. Please Jesus, let me go back! They’re missing the whole point of their lives. We thought we knew it… They’re so sure, but they’re wrong! Please Jesus let me go back; let me warn them of the worthless direction of their apathetic spiritual lives!”

Perhaps God will respond, “But, I gave you my Word.”

I’ll passionately reason, “But that’s not good enough for them, they haven’t seen the truth! Jesus, give me five minutes! If a dead woman tells them all she’s seen in this inexplicable bliss, then they will believe!”

“If they haven’t headed history and prophecy that’s surpassed all odds of survival for thousands of years, not even a resurrected woman will convince them. No.” he’ll tell me, “You can’t go back.”

“Please, Jesus,” I’d beg, “send a prophet or a super religious sign so they’ll get it!

In this moment Jesus would rest his palm on my shoulder. “Jaime, they have the prophets, they have the Word. I showed John exactly what you’re seeing now and more. He wrote it all down, you have the record. I showed Isaiah my presence, I showed Abraham my glory. I gave you my Word. You blindly trusted the pastor, the Sunday school teacher, the friends, instead of in my Words. I wrote about heaven; I wrote about my glory. I created this place, Jaime, and I also wrote that book. The truth was before you; it lies before them. They have all they need…”

What if we were to miss it: the point of our lives? What do you believe about heaven? How much of it is true? I have a feeling that a large percentage of Christians view heaven as a perfect world absent of tears, hurt, suffering, strife or disease, a place where they will feel no pain. While this feature of heaven is jaw dropping and unexplainable, let us not miss the main point of heaven: God. Isn’t it interesting how we can wholeheartedly claim that this fleeting life isn’t about us at all-we live for our Creator. Yet, heaven, afterlife, eternity, seems to revolve around us and our perfect pleasure. When will we wake up and smell the living water; has it ever been about us? Will it ever be about us? Yes, pain will be ever absent, darkness will be a thing of the past, sin will be obliterated, we will no longer be flawed by earthly imperfections, yes, rejoice in this truth! But do not forget about the bigger picture. God. God! Jesus, Father, Spirit, will be ever present for the rest of eternity! The bigger picture doesn’t involve petty fluffy clouds and uncomfortable one-size fits all choir robes. Seek the truth.

Listen to the Word. Trash the traditional misconceptions we hold of the afterlife. Seek the truth and do not rest until you’ve discovered what you’ve been looking for all along. What half-truths mask your vision as you gaze into the afterlife? What if we miss the point of our lives? The only way to see what misconceptions have been blinding our eyes and swaying our steps for too many years is to contact the source. The rich man in the parable did not know the truth; if he knew the truth, he wouldn’t have lived as he lived. If we knew the truth, perhaps we wouldn’t live as we live. Afterlife, not what it means to you; but afterlife, how will its reality change you.

Due to a selfless donor, I am blessed to have in my possession three books entitled “The Slumber of Christianity” by Ted Dekker. I am seeking three sold out individuals passionately in search of the Truth, particularly concerning life and afterlife. Read this book, which happens to be my favorite, along with me and several others. Be stirred by the legitimacy of apathy Dekker exposes, and prepare yourself to embrace a mind-blowing reality. The only catch? Once you’ve finished, you must pass it on and tell the new owner to do the same; may this book never rest. (ie. if this book will merely collect dust in your possession… please don’t.)

Heaven, heaven, heaven. Let it stupefy your mind.
-Jaime S.

Approximately two days ago, Andrew asked me why I’d stopped writing. A question so simple humbled me; this whole writing thing (and lack thereof) affects more than just me, myself, and I. Andrew noticed my passion was gone. But where had it gone? He’d also noticed my lack of enthusiasm towards, well, anything. Where had it gone? I am a soon-to-be-bride; shouldn’t I be bubbling with joy? I’m a Christian! I am a near future college graduate; shouldn’t I be driven? I’ve just gotten a new job, shouldn’t my life wreak exuberance?

But it doesn’t. Why not.

Cabin fever, I just need some air, some sunshine! While that is true, it cannot account for a lack of driven creativity or passion towards life.

The Bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil. Has it ever occurred to you that you don’t have to have something in order to love it? In planning for the near future, the topic of money has come up repeatedly: we have X amount of dollars to accomplish X. If we budget at X amount, we need to make X amount a month. If we need to make X amount a month, we need to make X dollars an hour. Planning is great, math is wonderful, but my my my how it has consumed my mind lately. And to think, you “grown ups” have had this problem all along.

Work loses its luster when the prime objective becomes to acquire money. God laid this on my heart and mind today: work hasn’t been fun lately because my focus of work is all wrong. I began my job with the intention of fleshing out what my spiritual beliefs claim everyday in every situation. During my last week at work, I found myself to be a pain in the butt. My joy was far from evident and my mind focused on the list of things to do before I punched out. How much more lame can I get. On Monday, I begin a new job with a new goal: I’m not going to work for the money! I’m going to work to put a life of love on display to the public. Then they will see life. Then they will see love. Then they will see God.

So what about my lack of writing? My first excuse to Andrew was that “No one reads them anyways.” Lame. “I just haven’t felt like it.” Lame. Then the hard truth came out, “I just really don’t feel like God’s teaching me anything new. I feel like I’m relearning the same lessons I’ve learned since I was 5; I know they’re pertinent, but I long for something new.” May God forgive me for being so human. Years ago, we believed the earth was the center of the solar system; everything revolved around us. Until finally, truth was discovered: the sun is the center of our solar system. How typical of us to believe all revolves around us; when will we apply physical evidence to spiritual truth. When will we realize that we’re not in the center at all-it’s the Son. I often require a mental flip-flop. God doesn’t exist for my glory. I exist for God’s glory. God doesn’t exist for my anything. His existence created my life. My life doesn’t create his existence. Gods truth can be proclaimed whether or not I’m “inspired” by it at the moment or not. I’ve learned that truth doesn’t rely upon my emotions. Truth revolves around the Son.

It didn’t take long to find the core of my problem: I was acting human, loving money, wallowing in a pity puddle and focusing on myself. The problem? Following Jesus requires living in un-human ways.

Jaime

Romans chapter six (verses 1 through 14) are entitled “Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ.” This selection has been read before; select verses are supported by rafters designed by a ballpoint pen. A brisk bracket surrounds 11-13, identifying the segment with one word, “Flatline.”

Have you ever found yourself in a spiritual rut? Your heart longs to escape the muck you rest in, but your legs are too weak to function. I have found myself in too many ruts; I could write a book about them. You’re not alone in your rut dwelling, but don’t take that as permission to wallow with the new found company. Rather, open your eyes and see what has happened. I don’t wish to place my circumstances on you, but whenever I’m in a spiritual rut, it involves some assortment of sin 100% of the time. If you have done a 180 and identified yourself with Christ, do you realize what has happened?

A 180 is what’s happened. To be a Christian is not to regurgitate a specified salvation prayer. To be a Christian isn’t to sit in a pew. To be a Christian isn’t to quote facts about the Bible. To be a Christian is neither to go to a Christian school, listen to Christian radio, nor donate to Christian causes. To be a Christian is to have found a new life. Not only to have found a new life, but to have abandoned an old life. To a be a Christian is to have a new slate, new vision, new goals and new life, based upon the reality of what our Perfect Creator did for us.

Nothing about your life before you met Jesus is worth dwelling upon. This is where I trip up. You may have done a load of great things before a Holy God changed you, but those don’t tend to be the things we think about in our past, are they? When I think about the past, I think about the wrongs, the evils, the deathly deeds my mind was obsessed with. How much of your time is spent recollecting the past without an Omniscient Leader? How much of your time is spent dreaming of the present and future with a Mind Blowing God? Could recollecting the past be detrimental? Possibly. Could dwelling on the past be demonstratively destructive? Yes. Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:2). Don’t fix your eyes on what’s seen, but on what’s unseen (2 Corinthians 1:18). Fix your eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

In Romans chapter six, Paul says that when we sin God’s grace will extend out to us, but we’re not to abuse grace that by continuously sinning merely because forgiveness exists. Grace isn’t your permission slip to sin. You cannot forget that when you found this new life, your old life died; assassinated, slaughtered, slain, massacred, just as Jesus was murdered on the cross. Our old self was buried. It turns out we have a unifying experience with Jesus when we die to sin. Just as Jesus was resurrected from the dead, we too were given new life from death! Verse 6 says, “We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to fin- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.”

Because of what Jesus did, if you die to your old self and accept his purposeful life, you are free, you are new, you have life. There is no use in hindsight. Yes, it’s important that we learn from our mistakes, but do realize, as I did today, that your old self is dead and gone. Your new life allows the Son to shine through you.

Perhaps your problem doesn’t lie in remembering the past, but making your past the present by continuing to live in the desires and actions of an old life. I may be preaching to the choir here, but what are you thinking! God the Father sent God the Son to be your perfect sacrifice so the Holy Spirit may dwell inside of and lead you through the Father, giving you a connection to the entire Trinity. What are you thinking? Don’t forfeit life for the illusion of life.

To be unified with Christ involves death to an old life. Romans 6:1-14 lays in your Bible longing to be read. The passage was rebirthed for me today, living as surely as I. The Book is living and active, may our hearts beat in tune.

Learning alongside of you,
Jaime S.

The words rang as irresistible truth in his mind. Color was nothing without light, for without light, color would simply be darkness. Without light everything is darkness. Darkness, what was darkness? Black. Black was the absence of light, it was a lesson he’d learned in grade school, yet it came to life as Mark sat in his plastic lawn chair reasoning life itself. Black was darkness and black was not nearly as appealing as color, but darkness was nearly, if not more appealing than light. What’s done in the dark can’t be seen; what’s done in the light comes with the responsibility that visibility brings. Color was longed for, as was absolute clarity, but the proverbial light was something Mark avoided with his life. Not today, however, today the light or the sun at least, was fought with full force. No hat, no shades, no sunscreen, no socks, just a thin pair of Nike shorts and a cutoff covered the core sections of his body.

What was life? This was the question that drove him from a cluttered one bedroom apartment he reluctantly called home to its charming fixated balcony. Balcony was the term allocated to the cheaply erected, sorry excuse for a deck Park Rivers might as well have duct taped to the side of his living quarters. Mark was glad his thin frame only weighed 170 pounds; he wasn’t sure the deck, balcony, could hold much more weight. That’s why I never have company over, Mark assured himself, not enough strength to hold them on the deck. Mark had never seen the man who lived above him, he only knew that he was a man based on the booming voice heard from the shower at 6:30 in the morning. Mark only hoped the man with a booming voice didn’t have a booming body, or his balcony, as well as the six below, would soon become PRA history.

A driver’s view from the highway revealed Mark’s home as an eight story apartment complex with eight mini-homes on each floor, eight picture windows facing highway traffic, eight disgusting balconies piled atop each other, and a rather ancient sign enshrouded by bushes proclaiming the dominion of PRA: Park Rivers Apartments. If Mark hadn’t been so burdened by the meaning of life and sorts, he would have been lazing away in bed, concocting more appropriate anagrams for PRA. PRA, Pigs Renting Apartments, People: Run Away! Or PRA, what God was doing, if there really was a God, Probably Roasting Ants.

Beads of salty perspiration rolled down between Mark’s spine and cutoff, ending their journey with a splash, in the seat of his two dollar chair. “Ants, that’s all we are,” Mark said as if he were teaching, “Ants created by an ant killer, awaiting our turn to die.” Mark’s very acknowledgement of a creator was absurd to his core. Through grade school he hadn’t cared, through high school he formed the beginnings of an opinion and upon graduating college he’d decided. A creator makes himself known, I see no creator. But ten minutes ago he’d acknowledged the existence of a thing despite its being seen, therefore there could be a God, at least, in his instance of mocking one. “A God of mindless ants, an anteater, a pleasure seeker, thrilled by the scent of burning limbs.” How else could there be a creator of such a wretched world unless that creator was wretched in and of himself or herself. What if we were fine before this murderer appeared. Perhaps God wasn’t the origin of life, but instead the origin of death.

Invisible rays of heat were magnetically drawn to his arms. Mark could feel the close daytime star melting his skin to the chair. The sun would be setting in seven hours, he still had time to think, he could handle the heat. The sun wasn’t all that amazing. “Merely the reflections of a magnifying glass, held by a big kid in the sky. How’s it feel to wreak havoc!” he yelled towards the sky.

Death. What was death? Death was the answer to life. Life is the absence of death; death is the absence of life. “Light and dark, life and death, ants and anteaters, all interrelated in the list of pairs unexplainably existent in the rotating marble we play upon.” he reasoned. Mark wasn’t too sure why he was jabbering aloud. Perhaps it was because no one would hear him, no one. “What is life? I’m only an ant on a revolving sphere of an anthill. Ants have lived, frozen, burned, and died on this anthill; I am just another body to join the ranks. I’ll think what I want; I’ll scream what I want! This is my life, this is my choice of light and dark, my choice to turn on the lights or not, my choice to sit or stand, my choice to hide or seek!”

Wouldn’t it be nice if he made an educated choice?

“Then he said to his disciples, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest ,therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” -Jesus, Matthew 9:37-38
Ever thought about being a teacher?
-Jaime S.

The first type of static I was ever acquainted with was static shock. There was always that kid at school addicted to static shock and its effects. The brat would rub his feet on the carpet twenty times before lightly tapping the shoulders of each classmate. Static shock, it comes when you shake hands, it revives itself when you walk across the carpet, and it destroys lives when you kiss. Static shock, you’re an unwanted surprise, go jump in a pool.

Then there’s static cling, the menace of life which causes certain clothing to stick to the body, usually come winter time. There are two things in this life that will cause me to instantly tear up: messy tacos and the feeling of static against my face. Static cling destroys the winter shopping experience. The simple removal of an over shirt from atop my head causes hair chaos. As the neck of the blouse finally escapes my head, it’s as though half of my hair is experience life without gravity, while the other half has ditched space travel in exchange for staying glued to my face. To make it worse, static fighters have invented Static Guard. I won’t rant about Static Guard, but I’m certain the label is missing one direction: wear gas mask while spraying.

Perhaps the most irritating type of static comes while watching TV, listening to the radio or talking on the phone. Static interference ruins a communication experience. What are the options when static comes up in any of these situations? I usually change the channel, scan through stations or call my friend at a later time. Static interference starts as a whisper, a mere crack in the connection but unless you turn the antenna or walk to a better location, it’s guaranteed to only get worse.

What about spiritually? Is there spiritual static? Prayer is a simple, overly complicated-by-some term referring to a conversation between us and God. Have you ever felt static on the line while talking to God? Take a second to think about that, has it ever felt like there was a crack in the connection which began as a whisper but slowly morphed into a dropped call? Was there static in your conversation? Was the little sound so distracting that it was hard to hear what God had to say?

I’d venture to say that yes, there can be static on your communication with God. It gives me great delight to compare static with sin. Sin is a barrier, no question. Sin separated us from God before we took Jesus’ payment for our sins. God is perfect, flawless, holy, without sin, and when we’re covered in sin, our connection can’t be perfect and our relationship can’t be as close as its full potential. Sin doesn’t happen and go away; sin lingers unless it’s taken care of. I often hear people say that they feel far away from God. They feel as though God is not near them anymore or that God is ignoring them. If only they would realize God’s character to see that God hasn’t moved away from them (indeed he may be waiting, ready to run to them Luke 15), but that they’ve either walked away, changed the station when static came along or their sin is acting as a barrier in their relationship.
If there truly is static on the line, or some sort of a separation feeling, I’d almost guarantee it’s because of sin. I can tell you personally that I’ve experienced static in my conversations with the Creator of the Universe. Static cling may drive me crazy, but spiritual static drives me mad. I’ve had terrible times. I’ve felt like God was ten miles away speaking to me through a string and can; I longed for a Verizon connection, but it never came.

You know what I’ve realized, sometimes the Verizon connection was there all along, but I was ignorantly waiting for God to call me first—every time. Sometimes our connection was damaged by static, I thought it was on his side; but truthfully it was on my side, I needed to change directions in my life, run from where I was and step up into a higher room. Sometimes God was on the line and the conversation was going great, but I got distracted by the computer. Sometimes I’d be talking, I’d be talking, I’d be talking, I’d be talking about me, me, me, me so much that I didn’t even bother to listen. Sometimes my ears were plugged by subtle lies murmured from the dark, “You don’t have to talk to God; if He’s all knowing he already knows what you’re thinking.” “Don’t bother God with your problems; he doesn’t want to hear from failures. Just wait till you’ve shaped up.” “Impress people when you pray, use the right words or people are going to think you’re stupid.” “Why pray if God’s will will be done anyways?” “Does God truly want to hear you asking for forgiveness again? This is the 100th time you’ve said you’re sorry for the same sin, don’t waste your breath.” I believed the lies.

What’s the common bond in all lessons learned? The hindrance wasn’t God’s fault, it was mine. Static is ridiculously annoying, it’s a problem that has to be dealt with or it will get worse. Sin is ridiculously annoying, it does no good for anyone—ever, it’s a problem that must be dealt with or it will worsen beyond what you could have ever dreamed. If you’re feeling static in your connection with God, jump on it and figure it out! Step one is to realize that the problem lies with you. Step two is to realize where that static is coming from and where the problem lies. Figure it out immediately, for this is one relationship that should never be strained.

“The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” 1 Peter 4:7

Static hater,
Jaime S.

“What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?” –Deuteronomy 4:7

In creating a rather intense list of inquiries I naturally look around and assess how I was raised, how my parents treat one another and how I see other God-seeking families function. The idea may sound either boring or labor intensive to some, but it’s actually been quite enjoyable for me. It’s evoked some old memories, which in turn arise to more questions and eventually a spiritual analogy.

Have you ever realized how many questions children ask? What will we say to our children when they ask why the sky is blue, why that man is wearing that shirt, why popsicles freeze, why fingers move, why the sun is so bright, or why oranges taste like oranges? Even worse, what do we say when the kids want to drive our cars, when they want to go on a date, when they want to eat a cookie right before dinner, or when they want to roll in the dirt right after we’ve washed them?

How do we answer our kids? I want to explain to them in full clarity why an orange tastes like an orange, but the only thing I can come up with is that…it just is. An orange just tastes like an orange, an orange is spelled o-r-a-n-g-e because that’s the way you spell orange. Maybe I should ask my parents why an orange tastes like an orange and steal their answer. I do however recall one answer from childhood which I dreaded hearing, a one word answer possessing such unexplainable dominance and clout: because. “Because…” because as an answer that answers nothing. The scene may have looked something like this.

As my deep coal pupils expanded, the halo above my head flickered on, “Mom, can we go to Dairy Queen?”

Almost instantly the reply came, “No.” The short answer escaped my mother’s lips before I was given the chance to justify my plea.

“What, why not?” I said as my halo dimmed with disappointment.

“Because,” she said, with all authority.

The case was over, she’d said that horrid 7 letter word: because. Normally, there was no verbal disagreement at this point; I would just sulk and think to myself. Because? Did she really just say “because” to answer the question “why?” Can she do that? If I was feeling uncharacteristically gutsy, the conversation may have continued like this,

“Because why?” I said with obvious timidity.

“Because I said so.”

That is when the conversation is officially over. This is also the point at which confusion, frustration, and disapproval crosses the face of every child. The plea in “can I…” has just been abandoned, for they know it’s going no further.

Have you ever asked God a question of “God, why did __ have to happen?” or “God, why would you allow __ to occur?” “If you love me, why didn’t you design me to be as talented as her or as smart as him?” “Why do they have more money than I?” “Why isn’t my family like theirs?” “Why can’t I be as ripped as him?” “Why doesn’t my body look like hers?” “Why am I stuck in this town?” “Why ?”

Do you ever feel like God doesn’t hear you? Or perhaps you feel like God hears, but his response is “because.” Because? Can you say that, God? “Because” isn’t what I want to hear; “because” isn’t an answer! Do you ever wonder if maybe the reason our parents told us “because” was because they wanted us to comprehend who was in control, authority, and power of the situation. Perhaps the reason they told us “because” was because they knew best and desired for us to trust in their wise judgment. It’s impossible for me to pick one of those explanations and pin it upon every parent, for I’m sure there are countless reasons a parent will say “because.” I also know that it’s impossible for me to pick one reason and state that this is why God may say “because.” But I believe the reasons listed above may be in the list of God’s reasons.

I can tell you that God is all-knowing, all-powerful and all-good. The desire of his heart is for all of his people to desire to restore their relationship with him. Humans have an odd tendency to not trust or fully rely on something they cannot see. As Christians, we will be refined as gold is refined through fire. Through the blaze, impurities are heated out. What will it take for us to finally completely trust God? We need to learn to trust God, to see that he’s in ultimate authority and perfect power with flawless motives. He sees a larger picture we cannot see. Trust him. If you feel like God is answering your conversations with “because,” he’s not trying to end them. Perhaps (if that’s what he’s really saying) he’s encouraging you to trust him.

God’s not saying “because” to ignore you, annoy you, or play games with your prayer life. Perhaps he’s saying “because” because now is not the time to hear the answer. Imagine if at 3yrs old you asked your parents how to drive and they explained 100 different traffic laws, insurance policies, as well as the mechanics of a car. For a 3yr old, such information is incomprehensible, much less retainable. Let’s only live up to what we’ve already attained. I’m convinced that complex answers come to those who are ready to hear them. What if we’re never ready to hear the answer this side of heaven? So it will be. Trust.

Because,
Jaime S

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many, O Lord, my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.” –Psalms 40:1-5

My favorite parallel in the Bible up to this point is relating the story of Abraham nearly sacrificing Isaac on Mt. Moriah to the story of the crucifixion. If you haven’t made that connection, check it out in Genesis chapter 22. If your reaction mirrors mine, it will rock your socks off. But today’s parallel comes close to beating it.

God is one sweet author. His stories are imbedded with stories within stories, while all stories are united in one book explaining the same ultimate message. I’ll never understand how he’s knit them seamlessly together; it reminds me of watching the TV show “Lost.” I watch the show in amazement as scenes in season 5 are so masterfully intertwined with episodes in season 1. How do they do it? How does God do it?

Today I stumbled across Psalms chapter 105. In efforts to fully understand what David was writing through the prompting of the ultimate Author God, I had to write it out; for that’s how I learn. (You know how you learn best; apply those same principles when understanding the Bible, see what happens.) Check it out: Psalms 105.

Seriously, read it.

Did you read that! How profound can we get here! That’s so jam packed! In the beginning David directs us to: thank God, call to Him, tell the nations what he’s done, sing to Him! Tell of what he’s done! David says this should make our hearts rejoice! Look to the Lord and his strength, always seek his face. And lastly, remember what he’s done: miracles, wonders and judgments.

My entire life, I’ve been obsessed with a three lettered question. Why? No matter what the situation, I want to know why. I’m surprised Andrew hasn’t told me to stop asking questions. So David, why should we thank, tell, praise, seek and remember? The answer is found beginning in verse 7. Why? Because he is the Lord! He is our God, and his judgments are in all the earth. He remembers his covenant, his promise forever!

Well David, what was this promise? In verse 11 God’s promise is quoted, “To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit.”

I’m supposed to remember God because he remembered his promise. How was this promise fulfilled? At first they wandered from nation to nation, but David makes sure to tell us that amidst their wandering God kept them safe; they weren’t oppressed or harmed by foreign kings. God then sent a messenger named Joseph. God’s messenger came to them in an unconventional way, at first as a slave; then, following God’s timing, the messenger was freed and made into a ruler.

The promise continued to be fulfilled as Israel entered Egypt. The Israelites became extremely fruitful and numerous in populations, but they were enslaved. Moses and Aaron, new messengers, sent terrible plagues on the land in order to set the Israelites free. Finally, once the worst plague came, the plague killing the firstborn of all households, God brought Israel out of slavery with all might and grandeur.

God covered, protected, led and fed them once out of captivity. He even satisfied their every thirst because he remembered his promise. God brought his people out of slavery with rejoicing. He gave them nations that they didn’t fight for, he gave them nations they didn’t deserve, he gave them nations others had toiled for, he dropped it right in their laps.

Why? Why did he do all of this? Verse 45 says, “So that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws.” God led them, freed them, and gave them what they didn’t deserve so that they might follow him, obey him, and treasure him.

Psalms 105 has a distinct message: remember. You, remember what he’s done because He remembers his promise, his promise of a land undeserved, a promise fulfilled through years of slavery. Remember because he fulfilled his promise! This exercise of remembrance displays one of the millions of God’s fine attributes. God is faithful, what he says he will do. The things he promises will be fulfilled in the fashion he determines best. For the Israelites, he fulfilled his promise even through the trenches. His people were slaves!

Do you see it yet? The Israelites story is our story! We were enslaved, the firstborn was sacrificed, and we were majestically undeservingly set free. He has made us heirs to a land we’ve done nothing to deserve, an eternal land others are toiling for. And he’s done all this so that we might follow him and his way of life. I believe a true signs of spiritual maturity begin with striving to be more like our maker, why in the world should we remember? Remember because he remembers.

Remember because he remembers, follow the lead of a genius, tell the nations.

-Jaime S., a follower of Jesus Christ (carpenter by earthly vocation, Savior by definition), set free from a life of slavery, heir to an undeserved glorious eternal kingdom, and loving it.

I’m asking a lot of you today, wives, I want you to sit back, relax and imagine what it was like to be un-married, a bride to be, engaged, like me. I see that smile slide across your face, it was fun wasn’t it, all that planning, hoping, dreaming and uncertainty of the future! Perhaps you longed for the same thing I do.

Wives, you have something that I don’t have; you have something I want. Yes, a husband, but beyond that you have insight, hindsight, a pile of wisdom I’d love to delve into. Will you adopt an anxious, curious wife-to-be? Will you share all your secrets? After all, in 243 days I will be one of you.

Dear wives, I am in such a frightfully uncertain transitional stage. I am completely and wholly stoked to marry this wonderful hunk of a gentleman God has put in my life. In viewing my life as pages in a novel, I’m trying to wrap up the transitional sentence of one chapter while trying to begin the plot for another. I’m a writer, I adore writing but even this scares me a little bit. In my stories I can concoct countless imaginative scenes; in my life I can dream up an innumerable set of goals and what-if’s. The vital difference is that when actions are on paper they can be erased; in real life choices have a much larger weight of responsibility.

Don’t worry; I’m not trying to get rid of Andrew. I just want to know, wives, how do you end the previous chapter? You have experience I don’t have. I’m realistic enough to know that my life will change semi-drastically when I get married. The myriad of friends I once had time for will have a little less Jaime available to them; I will be busier with a different set of priorities. I don’t expect to fall off the face of the earth, obsessed with my husband, but I do know that my time will be spent in different places. How do you accomplish this without being the offender of the year?

I’m so excited to be one of you; you have no idea. Truth be told, I’m more excited to be Andrew’s wife than I am to be in the wife network. I’ve set a goal for myself: I want to be a Proverbs 31 wife. Doesn’t that wife just rock? Check it out, if Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, calls the described woman “to be praised,” and if every word in the Bible is God-breathed, and Solomon’s book is in the Bible with that phrase, it’s something I will cling to and mimic like my life depended on it. Wives, what other sections from the Bible have you learned from and applied to being the wife God calls you to be?

This concludes day 243′s inquiries, my first cry out to the wives. There will inevitably be many, many, many more.

I can’t thank you enough if you choose to temporarily adopt me,
Jaime S.

Ps. When you respond, will you please include your age on your wedding day, how long you’ve been married, and take a few sentences to praise your husband. The husband in Proverbs 31 praises his wife, why shouldn’t we praise our husbands? Spread good rumors?

“Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them. Do not forsake wisdom and she will protect you; lover her and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though is cost all you have, get understanding.” –Proverbs 4:5-7

“Try on these,” Tom said with a cheesy smile, handing me yet another pair of glasses. “How do they feel?” he asked.

“They feel fine…” I mumbled. For 18 years I’d come here; for 18 years Tom attempted to correct my vision. I often wondered if he really was an optometrist, or merely a slick salesman. He’d shown no signs of intelligence regarding the correct function of human eyesight. It was as though this man had no idea what he was talking about; yet he cleverly sold me a new set of lenses each time. The sign across the window read “Tom: Solo Optometrist for over 4,000 years.” I kept coming back; he was the only optometrist I’d ever found in our world, but I didn’t believe the man was wise in the least bit.

“Oh yes, they’re definitely you,” Tom said enthusiastically. What a salesman, I thought, always asking how they feel, never what I see. Truth be told, I couldn’t see a thing, my vision was blurred in the left and tinted blue in the right, but the frames looked becoming; Tom told me it’s what’s on the outside that counts.

I looked in the mirror. “I look disgusting!” I gasped, turning to the side “I need to lose at least 30 pounds!”

“It’s not my fault you’re cursed with an overweight body and ungodly ugly facial features.” It was these unsightly jabs by Tom that beat my confidence and ripped apart my innards. When I saw myself with the vision he placed in front of my eyes I was a clump of dirt, un-useful for anything and hated by all. It’d always been that way. His lenses were the cause of intense migraines, plummeting self esteem, and no desire to live. For 18 years I’d returned to Tom’s cesspit of horrid vision, each visit longing for something more, longing to see a different picture through my frames.

“I’m sick of this! I can’t see a thing, Tom! You offer me lenses? You offer me soot in my eyes is what you offer me. I can’t see a thing! I was born with terrible vision; I couldn’t see a thing. You promised me vision with no bounds, a life of thrills! Do I look happy; do I look pleasured beyond belief? You lied. For years I’ve come to see you, for years your senseless solutions provide nothing but problems. You give me new lenses, I look in the mirror; I’m too fat. You give me free prescriptions, I look at the TV; the world’s too dark to live in. You give me more lenses, I stare at my family; I don’t see love. Your lenses don’t work, Tom! I want more! I want something new! I want to see life with clarity, with truth, with joy, how it was meant to be seen!”
Hearing my screams of frustration, a large man entered from the corner door. Tom squirmed in his seat. I’d never seen a soul in this pit besides Tom; truthfully, I thought Tom was the owner, but the man’s nametag proved otherwise. The pin neatly positioned above his suit pocket read “Yaweh, Owner.”

There’s no way, I thought to myself, all this time there was a higher power to run to for vision? “Are you the owner of this place?” my voice shook with anticipation.

“Yaweh, I AM” the strong voice replied.

“I can’t see. I want more than what this mediocre salesman throws my way; his vision doesn’t work.”

“Try these on,” the owner approached me with assurance. I squinted; I could see the structure he held. I was drawn to them instantly; the frames were wooden, stained red. The owner moved closer with a smile on his face… “At last, darling, at last.” As the nosepiece rested upon my worn nose, I opened my eyes. The sight was horrific; I collapsed on the hardwood floor. I didn’t want to open my eyes; what I saw in that glimpse was horrendous.

Tom, my vision coach for 18 years was less of a man and more of a beast. His face dripped with beauty, but his hands were covered in blood; they were quick to kill and ready to fight. The body which once bore a slick suit was now covered by a ragged pair of torn shorts. Tom’s calves were strong, his feet covered in dirt from all nations, he’d traveled many places. A to-do list was written across his right forearm: steal, kill, destroy, deceive, mock, distort, scare, tempt, corrupt, spread. The list of ungodly offenses continued across his sweat covered chest: separate, trap, plunder, burn, cut, steal, shatter. Upon his left forearm began another list: Darfur, Niger, Iraq, France, America, Norway, Peru, Japan, India. The list wrapped around his biceps and travelled from the top of his shoulders to the base of his back. Tom wasn’t who I thought he was. He knew nothing of vision; he knew only of misrepresentation, deformity and disfigurement. He was ruthless, his tongue released lies, and his hands offered nothing profitable.

The service table once covered in choice frames was now plastered with weaponry. A closer look at the lenses I once saw the world through revealed a disgusting selection of opaque optics. Nothing my consultant had to offer was worth anything. The lenses were cheap and distorted! They were all cracked, marred, tinted or painted! It was the concave illusion that led me to believe I was large and worthless. He deceived me. I looked into the mirror with my new lenses, with the vision the owner had given me, the same clear vision he had. I was beautiful, I was useful, I had a sense of purpose! The cracked lenses I’d worn for so long has distorted my view of reality. Though I hadn’t seen it before, there was a world outside of my own. The owner of this establishment heard my cry. The world was now crisp, somewhat scary, yet truthful. I’d never seen things so clearly. With new vision I looked to the owner; I saw a Lamb, a Lion, a Father, a King, an Artist, a Servant, a Ruler, a Comforter, a Lover, an Engineer, a Judge, a Friend, and a Counselor. I saw God.

“What, what do I do?” I said with tears in my eyes, oblivious to a proper response.

“You tell them what you’ve seen,” he said with a grin, “You tell them what I’ve shown you.”

*
“Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:10-13

I’m convinced that Satan hates you, and would love nothing more than to distort your view of yourself, the world, and your God. We were born into this world with imperfect vision, so run to the God who makes all things new, the God who sees all things clearly. I once heard that Satan doesn’t bother those who aren’t in his way. Why would Satan get in your business if you weren’t a threat? Oh, to be a threat! To be a threat is what we live for! I am personally sick of him. I’ve dealt with his whispers, I’ve seen his destruction, and I’ve witnessed his plots of fear. I’ve also witnessed weak-willed Christians who don’t know what to do when they’re attacked.

May I introduce to you the God of the Universe, the God of the Israelites. See things as God sees things, not as Satan would have you see them. When you’re on God’s side and you’re attacked, there is no time for fear. When you’re in battle, your immediate posture should be to stand with feet planted firm and an ear towards your Commander. When you’re attacked, you fight back; you do not cower in fear, you do not shake in your boots, you draw your sword and sling your stones. You may be the only person in the room but you are not alone. You may feel weak, but you have been provided with perfect selection of protection by the Creator of All Things. He has handed you the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith. Our armor is listed in Ephesians 6:10-20, to be unprepared is our fault, God’s given us the supplies to stand firm.

I used to be a very scared person, I was aware of spiritual warfare and it freaked the living daylights out of me. This summer in Kosova I learned something; God wins, he’s more powerful, he’s my Dad, he’s got my back, he’s always watched over me and he’s not going to stop any time soon. I learned that in order to accomplish what God has for us to accomplish, we must see as God sees. We have no reason to fear. Do not fear those who can harm your body but can’t touch your soul. I also long to tell you with a loving heart that Satan is real, he thrives upon temptation; don’t play into the trap of fear. Perfect love drives out fear, but you’re never exempt from the mission of a corrupt spirit.
I don’t long for their attention, but wisdom has shown me that to walk side by side with Jesus is to be trailed by an army of opposition. I look around and I see a group of people buzzing with spiritual excitement. God is working and he’s working with all his muscle. But open your eyes, see the truth, view the world as God sees it; the Kingdom is thriving, but the rejected angel, Satan, is working too.

If you’ve been given the vision and provided with protection, what have you done with it?

Crisp-eyed and armed with truth,
-Jaime S.

Keep Going:
What is the armor of God? How can you wear the belt of truth, or the breastplate of righteousness?
Does Satan see you as competition, or a crippled opponent worthy of laughter?
What lenses do you see the world through?