Praise Proclaimer

Seeing the Sunshine

February 18, 2010July 31, 2015Carolyn

I was excited tonight to sit down and watch the Olympic men’s ice skating competition. I watched an American named Jeremy, then thought I would just close my eyes during the commercials. The next time I opened my eyes, they were giving out the medals. So much for a nice evening watching the competition! I guess I needed the rest!

Before the day ends, I just wanted to thank the Lord for the sunshine today. Even yesterday, I was realizing what a long winter it is where we live and wondering how long it has been since we’ve seen the sun for longer than just a few moments. I’ve been in a little bit of a rut with just the monotony of a long winter, feeling like I am on the go constantly, racing from one thing to the next, and just weary, then frustrated that I should be discouraged for really no reason, save perhaps my own lack of discipline. It’s my own fault for not better planning my day, taking time to sit and read or be still, spending more time with my children that is focused, meeting the family’s needs for things like… say, dinner! So after just feeling out of sorts yesterday, it was a real blessing to have a warmer day and see the sun all day! I am thankful.

My friend said today what we really need and should pray for is to be like Paul who says in Philippians 4 that he had learned the secret of being content in all things. That hit home for me. I don’t want my joy to be dependent on my circumstances. And Paul ends that passage by saying he can do all things through Christ who gives him the strength to do it! That was an encouragement both to hear and ponder.

Weekend Women’s Retreat

February 9, 2010July 31, 2015Carolyn

This weekend, I had the opportunity to go on a Women’s Retreat with my church. It was a lot of fun to be with other women of all ages and to connect with people I don’t see as often, while enjoying a time with good friends, too!

My friend Shelly hosted a seminar on blogging at the retreat! Here she is after the seminar. I learned a few things from her this weekend, such as that she is my IRL (“in real life”) friend. She is a writer and has a wonderful blog that she keeps regularly updated (unlike some bloggers!), so it’s very fun to keep up with her.

The retreat was very well planned and organized. We were provided with wonderful lessons from the book of John (“Finding Jesus in the Stuff of Life”), given optional seminars to attend (on blogging, evangelism, contentment, children, and creating beauty in our homes), fed often and well with large meals and bountiful snacks and plenty of soft drinks and water around us at all times. It was a beautiful retreat center and spa, very relaxing and comfortable.

I’m thankful for times of refreshment from busy lives to remove distractions and regain focus on what is most important. I need to reflect on how to bring more of that rest into each day!

God is Light

January 10, 2010July 25, 2015Carolyn

Two themes I’ve been reflecting on recently: “Whiter than Snow” (from my last post) and “God is Light.” This was another theme that ran through my Christmas season, verses on light and darkness that I had never spent too much time thinking about.

It started on December 4th with our school newsletter. My co-worker added this verse to the top:

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.” Isaiah 9:2

I thought about her selection at the Christmas season: His Light shining in the darkness. Not the first verse I would have thought about at Christmas, but so right. I continued to run across verses talking about the Light that came into the world and that contrasted the Light and darkness.

While we were on vacation after Christmas, everyone went ice skating, and I was alone in the cabin. As I was reading my Bible and praying, confessing, I was thinking about my sin, who I am before God. I looked up and directly across the room on the table was a book entitled Sinner that I had given my husband for Christmas. (He’s been writing fiction, and thus enjoying reading other fiction, this one by Ted Dekker.) As I looked across the room at that book, with the spine facing me, the large words SINNER looking right at me, I thought, “that’s who I am. That is the perfect description of me.”

As I was thinking this through, the sun shone through the dreary overcast snowy day, and all of a sudden, light came shining so brightly into the room. The light was so bright, in fact, that I could no longer read the title on the spine of the book across the room. It was such a perfect illustration of what Christ’s Light does. He comes into the darkness and by His sacrifice, forgives all our sin, such that we become identified with Him, the Light, and He exposes and removes the darkness and changes our lives!

I’ve been thinking a lot about that picture and what to take from these truths. Yesterday, my son had a CD on the counter that he had received this week at his first Upward basketball practice (a national Christian league that is run locally at our church). I asked him what it was, and he said they were songs to help him learn the weekly Bible verses. We put in the CD, and these were the titles of 8 of the 10 songs:

God is Light
The Light Shines in the Darkness
The True Light
They Wanted Darkness
He Will Have the Light
Live in the Light, Too
If We Live in the Light
You Should Be a Light

The common thread to these songs was not lost on me! A verse goes with each song, such as:

“God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” I John 1:5“The Light shines in the darkness. And the darkness has not overpowered the Light.” John 1:5

“The true Light was coming into the world. The true Light gives life to all.” John 1:9

“Jesus said, ‘I am the light of the world. The person who follows me will never live in darkness. He will have the Light that gives life.'” John 8:12

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” I John 1:7

To think about these verses and these truths has been a powerful thing for me. I love our God, that He is so personal to lead us and teach us through His Word.Praise You, Lord, the true Light, who came into the world to save us and take us out of darkness and into your marvelous light! (And as I write this, I’m reminded of the verse that accompanies my blog at the top of it! “To proclaim the praises of Him who called us out of darkness and into His marvelous Light.” Yes, Praise You, Lord!

Whiter Than Snow

January 3, 2010July 25, 2015Carolyn

I’ve been thinking a lot lately (the last month or so) about this “whiter than snow” imagery that I shared about in the last post.

It started with a “service project” our school did in early December for the refugees that take ESL classes at our church where our school also meets. The church had a Christmas program for them, and our students were able to sing hymns and recite Scripture, followed by a gospel presentation from the pastor and a time of fellowship, food, gifts, and distribution of New Testaments. I left my work to run over and take some pictures, but while I was standing there watching this amazing program, my heart was convicted, “This is not a photo op for service.”

Our school is very service oriented with a Vision to see the students propelled to a life of service for Christ. Of course, we want this to flow out of a relationship with Christ and a grateful heart to Him for what He has done for us, extending it to others. It’s not service for service’s sake. And we are dependent on His Spirit for this, as in all things. So the conviction to my heart was, “this isn’t simply a service project that you need to be photographing… this is gospel transformation happening!” I was so moved by the whole program, seeing this large room, packed with refugee students, and seeing the simplicity of the gospel and how God is working in all our hearts.

A teacher came over and asked me to run back to the office for something. I normally would take an inside route following a tunnel underground to get to the other building, but I ran out a back way, found myself in the kitchen, with the only door leading to outside. I figured I could handle the cold for a few minutes, so I stepped outside only to find myself in the first snowfall of the year. It was beautiful and timely, and the verse that came to my mind was from Isaiah 1: “come, let us reason together, though our sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow….”

This theme ran through my December, even as I looked for a gift to send a friend. Amazon popped up a book by an author I like (Paul Tripp) entitled “Whiter than Snow.” At our New Year’s Eve prayer and praise time, our friend read from Isaiah 51 during the confession time of prayer. As he read, “purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow,” those words again hit my heart: “whiter than snow.”

What an amazing thing that Jesus has done for us that we can be whiter than snow! He cleanses us from all our sin through His sacrifice on the cross, and we gain everything through our faith in Him.

At church this morning, I opened up the program to see that during communion and the “distribution of the cup,” a soloist would be singing a song entitled Whiter Than Snow. One more reminder through the beautiful words of this song of what we have in Christ and a beautiful prayer:

Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;
I want Thee forever to live in my soul.
Break down every idol, cast out every foe;
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Refrain

Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow.
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, let nothing unholy remain,
Apply Thine own blood and extract ev’ry stain;
To get this blest cleansing, I all things forego—
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Refrain

Lord Jesus, for this I most humbly entreat,
I wait, blessed Lord, at Thy crucified feet.
By faith, for my cleansing, I see Thy blood flow,
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Refrain

Lord Jesus, Thou seest I patiently wait,
Come now, and within me a new heart create;
To those who have sought Thee, Thou never saidst “No,”
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Refrain

The blessing by faith, I receive from above;
O glory! my soul is made perfect in love;
My prayer has prevailed, and this moment I know,
The blood is applied, I am whiter than snow.

Refrain

Whiter than snow. Thank you, Jesus.

Happy New Year 2010!

January 1, 2010July 25, 2015Carolyn

We enjoyed bringing in the new year in a new way. We were invited by friends to a prayer and praise night in their home from 9 p.m. -12 midnight to begin the year with praise, thanksgiving, prayer, worship, and song. It was a wonderful way to reflect on 2009 and consider 2010.

I particularly liked the image of “white as snow” from Psalm 51 and Isaiah 1: “Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow” and “Though their sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow.”

With all the beautiful snow that has fallen this year already, it left a beautiful impression in my mind. To be whiter than snow! So thankful for Jesus’ blood that washes us and cleanses us from all our sin.