Spiritual Monuments

So, I was reading our book for Bible Study (Bill Johnson's When Heaven Invades Earth) and came across a passage in Exodus that talked about building monuments or altars to remember what God has done. It happens all over the place in the Old Testament. God does something awesome, and people build a memorial so that they won't forget.

I am now trying to figure out what this means for me. What can I build/create/save that commemorates what God has done in my life. I mean, I DON'T want to forget because remembering brings joy and encourages and strengthens your faith.

My only conclusion on the topic thus far is to be more intentional with my journaling. I want to record whenever God provides, or teaches me something, or stretches me or anything else He decides to do. I know this will help me remember, if or when I actually go back and read it.

I want to remember.

And then I want to CELEBRATE!

I want to remember so that my JOY may be in Him and thus my joy may be complete! Let me know if you have other ideas of ways to commemorate intimate experiences with the Lord. I am open to any and all suggestions, and would especially welcome some creative thoughts!

Dios les bendiga,

Kathy

and the word is NO

Do you remember this video from your Sesame Street years? haha. Sometimes Sesame Street still makes for the best illustrations. Old school, Sesame Street, that is. I have nothing to do with this new-fangled Sesame Street where Cookie Monster eats vegetables and Oscar isn't grouchy.

But, I digress...

Recently, the Lord has laid it on my heart that NO is a word I just don't use as often as I should. It's not just about commitments, although I easily say YES to significantly more than I should. It's also the small things. And what shocked me most was when God started telling me to say NO to things that took almost no time at all and seemed like really good things to me! Why would God want me to NOT do a good thing? Weird.

The first time this lesson emerged was when a new homeless person started frequenting the corner by my apartment. I knew the former corner homeless man. He was really nice and once told me how he was going to break the world record for some trapeze trick. I waited through a couple of stop lights just to make sure he knew that someone on this planet recognized he was human and deserved a moment's time. Even though I couldn't help much, talking to that guy was a blessing. So, I was beyond baffled when I saw the new guy and immediately heard that still small voice in my heart saying, "Do NOT go talk to him and do NOT give him ANYTHING!" It was a whispering shout, but it was firm.

Isn't that peculiar? I mean, who knows why God said NO to this opportunity to do something simple with a minimal time commitment that could mean a lot to this man. But God has his reasons and I trust that.

Then, I learned that something tragic happened in the life of a friend I have lost touch with. My heart ached for her and I wanted to at least send a card or a letter with my sympathies and prayers, but God immediately laid on my heart once again that I should do NOTHING.

I don't know why. Perhaps these NO's are a lesson in tuning my spiritual ears to hear the Lord, even when his words are unexpected. Perhaps (and I feel this is likely the case) what God is doing in the lives of these people is being accomplished in a different way. Perhaps my words/money/card/etc. are not part of His plan for this particular person in this particular instant.

And maybe, just maybe, God is teaching me that not every problem is MY problem. I have to trust that God has MANY other workers. I don't have to serve solo, and I don't have to serve everyone. I just have to listen and know that He will say YES when the time is right and He wants to use me.

Dios les bendiga,

Kathy