Our God is so big.

On the one hand, Christians are made fun of because they believe in a God who is deemed to be nothing more than someone just like Santa Claus. You know, a figment of our imagination that we've dreamed up to make ourselves feel better. On the other hand, the God that is supposedly not real, is condemned for not being the magician in the sky that people think He should be. You know, the one who could take a magic wand and sweep away all the world's troubles in one fell swoop.

I am not saying for one moment that God couldn't take away the world's problems if He felt so inclined. In fact, one day I believe He will, although it won't be how people expect it to be. But, I think God specifically chooses not to take away the problems and heartache of the world. Not right now anyway. He is God, He is big, He is mighty, but He is a God of the individual. Let me explain...

God cares too much about us to just sweep away our troubles and pretend they never existed. He cares far too much for us to just let us be His puppets, to live in a sunshiny world where we never feel a need for Him. God cares so much about us, in fact, that He meets each one of us exactly where we need to be met. He cares about each individual's heart, right down to the little, tiny fetus nestling in a womb. Our loving Father knows that if He just swept away all the cares and horrors of our world, that we would forget about Him. There would never be a need for us to reach out in despair and grasp onto His strong hands. He cares so much for us, that He wants us to want a relationship with Him, rather than forcing us to believe and see Him. He doesn't send down fire and brimstone and lightning bolts because He knows that if you don't want to believe Him, you won't, regardless of the signs He sets before your eyes.

I feel like I am not making myself clear or getting my point across. Words feel too small to explain how the bigness of God translates directly into how much He cares about the small things of life. Rather than taking away my heartache, He walks through it with me. Rather than take away the pain, the unfairness, the general upheaval and dread of life, He promises to be the shelter, the rock, the wing underneath which I can sit. His eye is on the babies, children, women who are done wrong every day. He sees them and He hears their cries, and He cares so much that He stores their tears in a bottle and doesn't forget one drop.

I would rather believe in a God who promises to be there in my pain, who extends grace to the lowest of the low, than believe in a God who waves His magic wand and makes trouble disappear. If He was that general and wide-sweeping of a God, He wouldn't care about each person and their relationship with Himself. If He took away all the turmoil, no one would ever bother questioning Him, never bother acknowledging that either yes, there is a God, or doubting in His existence. Because to doubt His existence is proof that He is there. Nobody wastes time debating over whether Santa is real or not, because they know he is not.

Someday trouble will be gone, and tears will be wiped away. But until then, God is extending His very strong hand of grace for any who will reach out and take it.

Hi there.

I haven't been writing much lately. I haven't been feeling overly inspired. But just so you all know I haven't died and gone to heaven, I thought I would make a 'What I've Been...' list. Because I know everyone sits on the edge of their chair waiting to hear what I've been up to. Blerg.

So, here it is. What I've Been...

...Reading

Let. It. Go. by Karen Ehman - A book about chilling out, basically. As women, we tend to over-control, some of us blatantly, some of us passive-aggressively. I've gotten some really great insight from this book so far.

Boundaries by Cloud and Townsend - A book about setting boundaries and how that fits in with the way God wants us to reach out to others. Again, lots of insight. I'm doing this one as a book-study with some others so that makes it even more interesting.

Agatha Christie - What's not to love about a good old-fashioned murder mystery?

...Eating

I made this yummy sweet and sour chicken found HERE. My whole family loves it and I always feel like I've won the lottery (well, pretty close anyway) when all five us like the same meal.

The Pioneer Woman's Sloppy Joes found HERE. A great, easy, summer meal. Serve it with salad or coleslaw and fries on the side. Perfection. It's also very versatile; you can add whatever veggies that you have on hand.

...Listening To 

There are a few songs that I could listen to on repeat all day long. Here are a few.

Sovereign by Chris Tomlin

Carry Me by Audrey Assad

Power of the Cross by Stuart Townend