Certain thoughts are prayers. There are moments when, whatever be the attitude of the body, the soul is on its knees. ~Victor Hugo

What I've Learned: The Biggest Moments Are Often Rooted in Simple Decisions.
The first thing I will remember, dear Reader, about this--my Baptism Day--is the fading heat of a 90-degree summer afternoon and the scent of a hundred lilacs in the air. I will remember how, after days of being anxious, all the nervousness I felt melted away the moment I stepped inside the church. I will remember bouncing with joy and meeting everyone with a smile as I took it all in. I'll remember my family all being there and holding the hand of a dear friend who was also baptized today. Most of all, I will remember stepping down into that pool on the stage where Pastor Pete and I talked while my Faith Story was read aloud to the congregation. Then Pastor Pete took my arm and dipped me beneath the water, cleansing me of all my sins and signifying that I am now a new creation before God.

It was some weeks ago, after attending the last water baptism service at Christ Community, that I knew it was time for me to publicly declare my faith by getting in the water. Having made the decision to accept Christ as my savior in February, this was a tangible act of obedience I knew I needed to do. Neither of these decisions were arrived at lightly--it took something like six years of seeking before I really understood what being a Christ-follower meant and that I wanted to have a personal relationship with Jesus.

But once I knew that, the two biggest decisions of my life were eerily simple to make and resulted in huge moments of humility, awe and indescribable gratitude.

Reader, there are few things more joyful than acts committed in total confidence because you know you've made the right decision. I can't describe how this experience feels--it is something each of us has to decide for ourselves. But when it's right, there is no doubt. No anxiety. No regret. Only the most amazing peace and God's promise of everlasting life. Makes for a pretty darn good day.

God enters by a private door into each individual. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Quotes courtesy of The Quote Garden.

Golden Spiria

Today's Joy: Doing Good Things For Others.

I love it, Reader, when the lessons we learn at church on Sunday morning about God and giving and loving one another spill over into the rest of the day. Today's message was the third installment of Dave Ramsey's video series on biblical finance. It was about giving and the power inherent in wise & thoughtful stewardship of the resources God has placed in our care.

The gist is this: no matter how you slice it, everything belongs to God. The earth, the animals, us, all of our talents and resources--we don't truly own any of it. Everything we have is on loan from God. He has lent us gifts, skills, funds and the breath in our bodies to complete his work. So, in not managing our money and resources properly, we are, in essence, misusing what God has provided. We are not being good stewards.

That is powerful stuff. If it all belongs to God, who are we to deny giving? Who are we to choose not to help others--when He has clearly given us the means to do so? And how could we ever manage His resources effectively if every month we have to choose between paying bills or feeding our families? I keep thinking about the difference I could make in the lives around me if only I didn't have debt hanging over my head. Oh, the ways I could serve if I weren't living paycheck to paycheck!

I left the service this morning and went directly to Mom's house to help her remove the ancient evergreen bushes from her front yard. After attempting to pull them out via truck-power, we resorted to sawing off the limbs and then digging out the stumps. God took pity on our poor, out-of-shape bodies and sent us Joel, the neighbor across the street. A stone mason and very kind soul, he spent the rest of the morning helping us dig out all 9 thick-rooted bushes. In return, he asked only that we help if he ever has a project that needs doing. Tomorrow, I will also bake him some cookies.

It was so inspiring to see this man out there in the sun, sweating and wrestling those bushes out of the ground for people he doesn't even know. What a blessing he was to us.

In the afternoon, we took all the project refuse out to the burn pile at our family farm. While there, I helped Aunt Chef prep some window boxes for her lovely flowers. The family seemed tired from working on the farm all day so I also volunteered to make dinner for everyone. Whipped up grilled chicken with a special marinade and my favorite homemade mac & cheese. It was a simple way to give and gave me great pleasure in the process.

Today was full of hard work, sunburn and big revelations. I wouldn't have missed it for anything. Hope this gets your neurons firing, Reader. How can you be a better steward of the gifts and assets that God has provided in your life? What could you do if you weren't hampered by financial constraints?

Today's Joy: Sharing a Lesson. I forget sometimes, Reader, when I'm going through a hard time in life that each obstacle I overcome is actually a lesson I will need later on. Sometimes the lesson isn't just for me either.

Today, a friend-in-need situation prompted me to share some private details with someone else who's going through a similar rough patch. It is my hope, she too will be able to benefit from my experience. At the very least, she will know someone else has been through it and understands. More importantly, I hope she sees that it's possible to thrive, not just survive, after life blows up in your face. Case in point, I have been back in Chicago for less than 3 weeks and I already have a great job prospect, creative irons in the fire and feel like my spirit is growing in new ways each day (like I'm breathing in God's resilience!).

I believe everything happens in the right time and the right order. Today's lessons are the foundation for who we will become. So, even though some lessons hurt like mad in the moment, they're really just growing pains. And nothing I can't handle with a couple Tylenol and some new lip gloss. God Bless you, Reader! May you find the strength you need to get through the next lesson.