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Praying with a Muslim

Feb12

love_is_the_answer

For the last year or so I have been developing a relationship with a Muslim co-worker. She regularly comes to my office to share her fears and frustrations. She has slowly come to trust me. Just as I know she is devout in adhering to her faith, she knows I am a faithful Christian. In some ways this has been a point of commonality between us. While our two faiths are vastly different from each other, they are both also vastly different from secular Western society and so in our own way, we are each a bit of an outcast here. I think this is part of what drew her to me; she can see that I dress and act differently than the world. What she does not yet realize, is that it is not me, but rather Christ drawing her to Him.winning muslims

I have desired and prayed for her to get a revelation of who Jesus is. At the same time, I have been careful to allow things to progress organically in our relationship. I am aware of many of the misconceptions that Muslims have about Christians (i.e. they think we worship more than one god) and because of this, straight preaching won’t work. Certainly Bible thumping won’t work. She needs to see Christ active in my life. She needs to see the love of Jesus poured out in my life. She needs to see that a true Christian will show care and concern to a Muslim.

A few years ago when I was witnessing to Buddhist friends, God told me to worry less about what to say and concern myself more with what not to say. Bashing someone else’s religion rarely works. We don’t need to disparage what someone else believes, but instead we just need to show Jesus. Live Jesus. And when necessary, speak Jesus. Rather than cutting down what someone else believes, just share what you believe. Share who He is in word and deed to anyone who is willing to listen.

This week, an amazing thing has happened between my Muslim co-worker and I. It may be considered somewhat controversial and no doubt not everyone will agree with my actions, but I believe that God has opened a door for her to feel His presence in a way that she would not otherwise be able to.

As a devout Muslim, my cmuslim girlo-worker must pray five times a day at certain times every day. Usually at least two of these times will occur during her working hours. Yesterday, she came to my office to ask me to open up the conference room for her so that she could do her prayers. When I went to unlock the conference room, I found that it was already occupied, as were some of the nearby offices. Realizing she had nowhere else to pray I offered to allow her to use my office and said that I would come back after she was done. She felt bad about making me leave my office so she said to me, “You could stay and pray with me if you want.” Perhaps she did not expect me to take her up on this highly unusual suggestion, but I have been praying for God to open a door for her to get to know Him. I saw this as God opening the door. So I said to her, “I’ll pray with you, but I’m going to pray to Jesus.” She responded by saying, “Okay, Mama (she uses mama as a term of endearment), you pray to Jesus.” So we did. Side by side, the Muslim praying to Allah and the Christian praying in the name of Jesus.

Never in my life did I expect to pray beside a Muslim like this, but God works in mysterious ways. The difference is that while she went through her rituals of different postures and preset phrases, I was praying for her salvation. I was praying for God to intercede in her life. I was praying for Jesus to reveal Himself to her.

Afterwards she told me that what had happened she could never tell her family, but that it was very special. Muslims will often pray by themselves, but consider it to be an added blessing to pray with other Muslims. Most would consider it a serious affront to Allah to allow a Christian to call on the name of Jesus in front of them during their sacred prayer times. What happened here was huge. Bigger than mere words can explain.

Again today we had the opportunity to pray together. Afterward she reiterated that her family could never know about this, and hinted to me not to let any of our co-workers know. Then with a smile she said she would see me again tomorrow before slipping out my office door. It is clear that while this may be slightly outside the comfort zone for me, it is downright radical for her. And yet, when I offered to leave her alone to pray, she again invited me to stay. God is doing something here.

When I say we prayed together, I use the word “together” very loosely. It is more like we are praying at the same time, rather than praying together. But it is my prayer that she will feel the difference. I’m praying she will feel a move of the spirit when we pray together that she has never felt when she prayed on her own. So while we may not exactly be praying together, I believe she can be influenced by the Christ-centered prayers going on right next to her.

I suppose it is somewhat like two people going to the same restaurant. They may arrive at the same time, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be eating together. No, they are seated at different tables and they order different items off the menu. But if they are seated close enough together, perhaps one of the diners will catch the aroma of the other diner’s food. Perhaps, their mouth will start watering and they will find they have a hunger for the other diner’s meal, even while their own food sits in front of them. Perhaps, one day, they will venture out and order that inviting dish and find it so satisfying that they never go back to their old meal.

Dear Jesus,

I pray that you would get a hold of this woman’s heart. I pray that this door you have opened will allow her to develop a hunger to truly know You. Lord, I ask you to protect me and my co-worker from any traps the enemy may try to set for us through these interactions. May You always be the reason, hope, and purpose of all our endeavors. Thank you for your love and care for the lost and misguided sheep in this world. Teach us to be laborers to reach out to a lost and dying world. I love you.

Rebekah L.

Being Isaac: Letting Our Light Shine

Feb1

Editor’s Note: we are starting a guest spot called “Being Isaac” in response to our growing number of male readers. We think it’s important that there’s a male reply to our female’s call to live in passionate pursuit of Christ. Our friend, Isaac S., has so kindly contributed this post as food for thought.

I’m new to the NYC area and one of the churches I’ve been checking out had this as the message recently. They’ve been doing a series on James and this time one of the focus verses was 1:27. Here it is quoted in the Amplified.

External religious worship [religion as it is expressed in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need, and to keep oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world.

While it’s true we are saved by grace and not by works, the Bible supports us letting our light shine through the good works we can do. One thing I like about this church is their involvement in the community. Every month they have a free breakfast in a poorer neighborhood and it’s a great opportunity to let Jesus been seen through us.

The following Saturday I got up bright and early at 7:00 so I could try to be there before 8:00. The serving didn’t start until 9:00 but there was plenty of setup and preparation involved. The turnout from the church was about 25 people so all the cooking and serving stations were occupied. I ended up being one of the door greeters to the community room. This involved lots of smiles, playing with the kids who wanted our attention, and chatting with a couple of the girls who also ended up as door greeters.

Everyone who came through seemed happy to see us. By the end we had served a breakfast record of over 180 people! Toward the end the pastor came over to us to share this note a lady had given him. $5 was enclosed and she said her son loves coming here because it’s the best restaurant ever!!! It was pretty moving to read that and know we had such a direct and positive impact on them.

I don’t know if this is the church I’ll end up going to on a permanent basis. They are kinda far away and my beliefs might not line up totally with them. But helping them out with reaching the community feels good for the soul and lets our light shine just a little brighter.

Isaac S.

 If you are a male passionately pursuing Christ, we are accepting submissions at beingrebekah@outlook.com 

Temporary Assignments

Jan15

Children

For about a year and a half I have been involved in a home missions type church in addition to my regular church. During this time I have been teaching Sunday School to the children that go to the home church. For much of this time, I was spending two and sometimes three days a week with them for several hours at a time so I came to know them much better than the children of my regular church. In this time I have seen these kids grow a tremendous amount. They have grown physically, emotionally and spiritually.

When I first started helping out, most of them had no idea what words like “pray” or “Lord” meant. It was a totally foreign concept to them. Now, these same children join in prayer and regularly report different ways that the Lord has blessed them throughout the preceding week. It has been a lot of hard work, but it has been incredibly rewarding to watch them grow.

My work in this home church will be coming to an end in about six weeks. It has been a tremendous blessing to have been a part of this and yet I also know that my part in this ministry is over. I am thankful that God has made His will clear to me and that I will be able to leave on a positive note with many wonderful memories and learning experiences to take with me.

I am also a little sad. I am going to miss all these beautiful children. I’ve come to think of them as “my” kiddos. I am going to miss watching them grow up and grow in Him. When the horrible tragedy of Sandy Hook Elementary broke the news, it was these kids who came to my mind first. It was only later that I thought of the children from my regular church. The ones I thought of immediately were the kids from the home church. They were the ones I wanted to see and wrap my arms around.

One thing I have come to realize is that most ministry is temporary. God has a certain will for a certain time. I often wonder how many times we prevent ourselves, and our churches, from moving on to the next thing that God is calling us to do because we are unwilling to walk away from what He intended for only a temporary assignment. I have seen people hang on to things for far too long because letting go is too difficult. Even when a ministry is clearly no longer working or when doors shut on every side, they continue to hang on because they say, “But God called me to this!” and indeed He may have, but did God call you to it forever? Perhaps not.

New AssignmentThere are times when you’ve already accomplished everything that God wanted you to do and a ministry will naturally come to an end. God can’t give you a new assignment until you are willing to surrender the previous one. Consider the ministry of John the Baptist. For a time he was the one gathering disciples and teaching them about the remission of sins through the cleansing waters of baptism. But John the Baptist understood that his assignment was temporary. He said, “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:7-8). He knew that there was one coming after him. He also knew that his job was to preach repentance (Matthew 3:1-2) and to baptize people with water, but that someone else would come along who would baptize with the Holy Spirit.

Even Jesus Himself, had a temporary assignment as a man on this earth. His public ministry only lasted three years. What God is calling you to, may be a legitimate calling, but that doesn’t necessarily make it a permanent calling.

When Phillip was preaching in the book of Acts we see something very interesting happen. He is preaching in Samaria to multitudes of people (Acts 8). People are giving their lives to God. Both men and women are getting baptized. It’s a revival and God is clearly in it. Phillip has been called for such a time as this! But guess what happens? God sends an angel and tells Phillip to go to a desert road! He’s in the villages preaching to multitudes and God sends him to a lonely desert road?! His assignment to the multitudes had come to an end because God had a new assignment for him. I can imagine Phillip on this deserted road not seeing a soul in sight and wondering whether he might have heard God wrong. Perhaps he misunderstood the angel. But Phillip was precisely where God wanted him to be. There was a lone Ethiopian eunuch on the road and God had ordained for Phillip to meet him there so that he could hear the gospel. God doesn’t give Phillip the assignment of mentoring and discipling the Ethiopian eunuch either. No, after a quick bible study and baptism, Phillip is whisked away to another assignment.

So if God gives you an assignment that seems smaller than your last one or if He gives you one that seems smaller than wThe assignmenthat you think you should be doing, you should remember that our Sovereign Lord knows and sees all. He makes no mistakes. He is the assignment giver and He is the one that decides what assignment you should be on and for how long. When a ministry comes to an end, don’t lament the end of that ministry, rejoice that you were blessed to be a part of it. Don’t cling to an assignment that has ended because in doing so you will miss the next assignment that God has for you. In order to accomplish His will you need to move on to the next thing He has ordained for you. No matter where or when you are sent, above all remember that it isn’t about you, it’s about bringing Him glory!

The Bible says, “We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). We are on temporary assignment and we need to keep our focus on the eternal. Always seeking after Him, always seeking to be in His will.

Choosing to Believe

Jan1

The Great Commision

“I believe; help my unbelief!” –Mark 9:24b

Happy New Year Everyone!!

I have some exciting news from my personal life to share with you. The company I work for runs a charity that works with impoverished people all over the world. Its primary function is a micro-lending institution that gives small dollar amount loans to help people make a business for themselves and to empower them to lift themselves out of poverty. Other functions include sending volunteers to work on farms, teach literacy skills, train them in job skills etc.

Several months ago I was nominated to apply to go on one of their volunteer opportunities because of the work I have done teaching English to some of our English Language Learners here at the location where I work. The trip I was nominated to apply for is a program in India.

We had three montapplicationhs to complete the application process. For the first two+ months of this time, I did absolutely nothing. I didn’t work on my application at all, partly because I didn’t think I’d be accepted, partly because of fear and partly because I don’t feel a particular call and burden to India. Please don’t misunderstand me, I think India is a fascinating place and I love the Indian people. One of the very first people who ever witnessed to me about Christ was a former Hindu from India and I am forever grateful to him for it. I am thankful for the many people that God has called to India. It’s just that I have a very strong burden for the Chinese. It has been prophesied to me multiple times that I would work with Chinese and that at some point I would go overseas to minister to them in some capacity. I have struggled to believe and accept this. I am a very introverted person and the idea of going overseas and speaking on His behalf (especially in a foreign language and culture) is extremely intimidating to me.

Anyway, I didn’t do much with my application because I kept thinking, “Why India?” India after all didn’t fit in with the prophesy so it didn’t seem like something I needed to pursue. However, God later got a hold of me and I felt like He told me that I was ignoring an opportunity that He was putting in front of me. So I applied.

When God Opens a Door

Fast forward a few months later. Yesterday I got a phone call from the director of the program. He asked me if I had had my heart set on India and whether I would be really upset if I didn’t get to go there. I was a little thrown off by his question because normally if you’re rejecting someone you just say “We’ve decided to go with another candidate” or something like that. So I said I might be a little disappointed, but I wouldn’t be upset because I prayed that if it was God’s will for me to be in the program that He would open the door and that if it wasn’t His will that He wouldn’t. The guy paused a second (and I started inwardly freaking out a little that I had just violated the unwritten rule of never bringing up God in a work situation), but then he said, “So if God opened a different door, you would go, right?” He went on to tell me that they hadn’t chosen me for the India program because they had another opportunity he wanted to discuss with me. He explained that they are putting together a pilot program to visit three of their projects in countries where they’ve never sent volunteers before. He said the three projects are in the Philippines, China, and Taiwan and then he said, “We really hope you will go”. So crazy! I definitely didn’t expect this. I almost didn’t apply because the location didn’t make sense to me, but God had a plan all along. Two out of three of these locations are Chinese speaking countries. Actually, even the third recognizes Chinese as a minority language.

Granted, this is a program through work and not an actual missions opportunity, but I know that God has put this together. No one at work knows about the prophesies I’ve received or about my burden for the Chinese.  The first time I was told I would go overseas was before I even knew Jesus when I was only about ten years old. Then shortly after I was saved in 2004 a prophesy came that I would be a missionary to Asia. That was nine years ago. Since that time a few other prophesies have come my way which made it clear that the focus would be on Chinese people. Even though this will only be a short trip, I see this as the beginning of the prophesies being fulfilled in my life. It’s humbling to watch God put things together.help my unbelief

I feel ashamed of my doubt. I have doubted for so long. I have struggled to believe the words that were spoken over me even though they matched the burden within me. I have felt too inadequate; I have told God to send someone else. I have focused on my own lack rather than on His ability. I have seen the years slip by without any indication that any of it would come to pass.

I know this is just a work trip and I don’t know what God’s plan is, or how many more years will pass between now and the true fulfillment of that plan, but I repent of my doubt. I don’t know how or when or why, but what He has spoken over my life will come to pass, every word of it.

I want to encourage our readers. If God has given you a calling or a burden, or if things have been prophesied over your life, trust God to bring them to pass! We don’t know how long it will take, but if God has told you something, hang on to it! All things are in His hands and in His timing!

May you be blessed in 2013!

In His Love,

Rebekah L.

Spreading Love

Dec18

Darkness

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” – Romans 12:21

In the aftermath of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School there are more questions than answers. There is anger and bitterness. There are political debates. There are little hands to hold and fears to be faced. There are funerals to attend.

Many of us have desired to help the hurting and found ourselves at a loss as to how to go about it. People all over this country have grieved for those they have never met. How do you help someone you don’t even know? When you can’t help those directly affected you feel powerless. But the Bible reminds us not to be overcome by evil, but instead, let us overcome evil with good. Let us honor the memory of those precious children and heroic teachers by consciously adding good to the world.

A woman in a parking lot in Altoona, Pennsylvania received an anonymous Christmas card on Saturday that said, “How do you fight evil in this world. You fight it with good. This act of kindness is in memory of a child who lost his/her life yesterday. Make the world a better place. Do good and Merry Christmas.” The anonymous person left a $10 bill in the card. The woman said that it was the best Christmas gift she had ever received and she vowed to pay it forward. You can watch the original news story here.

I want to encourage people to make a mindful contribution to this world and to people in particular. It doesn’t have to be big and elaborate; it can be as simple as leaving $10 and a few kind words for a stranger. It’s not about a material gift; it’s about affecting the spiritual realm by combating evil with good. Don’t be afraid to extend kindness to a stranger. Don’t be embarrassed to tell someone you care about how much you love them. Remember to hug people and tell them they are valued. Small things can really brighten someone’s day.

Here are few ideas to get you started:

  • Offer to pray for someone.
  • Present a smile to a stranger, even if they scowl at you.
  • At the toll booth, pay the toll for the car behind you.
  • Leave change at a vending machine for the next person to find.
  • Hold the door open for people.
  • Donate used books/furniture/clothing to someone in need.
  • Visit a nursing home.
  • Rake/shovel/mow your neighbor’s yard before they come home from work.
  • Leave a dollar where a child will find it.
  • Bring treats to work for co-workers.
  • Go on Amazon.com and buy a random person something off their wish list.
  • Call someone you haven’t talked to in awhile.
  • Make a conscious effort to not complain about anything for an entire day.
  • Buy the meal/coffee for the person behind you in the drive-through.
  • Send a thank you card to someone who has been a positive influence in your life.
  • Let the person behind you in line at the grocery store go ahead of you.
  • Volunteer at a soup kitchen or donate canned goods and other staples to people in need.
  • Slip a $25 gas card in someone’s bag or on their windshield.
  • Buy a few extra umbrellas and on a rainy day go out and distribute them to people who are walking without one.
  • Send a letter to a store complimenting one of the employees. Letters of complaint are the norm; positive letters are rare and can really make a big difference in someone’s job.

I could list many more ideas, but you get the picture. One caution, it is easier to remember to do these sorts of things around Christmastime or around tragedies. I want to encourage people (myself included) to make this a regular habit, not something that is only done once a year. I’d even go so far as to suggest you schedule it into your life. Yeah, I know that scheduling it makes it sound sterile and like I’m taking all of the spontaneity out of it, but if you set up an alert on your outlook calendar, email, or cell phone that periodically reminds you to do this sort of thing, you can be sure that it will go beyond the Christmas season. If this sort of thing is new to you, then maybe you only set up your alert for every six months or so. If you’re feeling more venturous, set up an alert to remind you to do an act of kindness once a month, or once a week! Before long, you’ll notice opportunities even when you haven’t had an alert and it will become more organic over time. Ask God to open doors for you and to show you where you can be of assistance to someone or ask God to send you opportunities just to make someone’s day. You can be sure He will!

The Bible tells us that God is love (1 John 4:8). The best way to show people God is not by using well-crafted words, it’s by showing His love working through us. Spread love.

In His Love,

Rebekah L.

Calling All Prayer Warriors

Nov17

“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” ~Matthew 17:20-21

“Jesus I come before you in my brokenness and my shame.”

“This guy told me to purge myself.”

“Can God help me get out of prostitution?”

“Why am I soo insecure, Jesus heal me.”

“Purging gives me a high.”

When we first started to blog, we kept the whole thing anonymous. We didn’t tell many of our friends, we didn’t advertise, and we even kept our real names out of it. We completely gave it to God to grow. And He has been faithful. We’ve had over 18,000 readers, and are up to almost 100 followers. We are incredibly blessed that so many of our readers are such strong and faithful Christians…and it’s you who I’m calling on today.

The other thing about our blog is that we can see, to a point, who is reading us. I personally get a kick out of looking at all the different countries where Being Rebekah was read – and we’ve been read in over 100 of them! We can also see search engine terms. Phrases that people google that for some ordained and beautiful reason lead them to us. I haven’t always paid attention to them, but I was talking to Rebekah L about it recently and it seemed worthwhile to really read some of them.  Some warmed my heart, and others broke it. The ones I quoted above are the ones that moved me the most, the ones who stood out to me as needing prayer. And I ask you to join me.

We cover our blog in prayer typically. We pray over what we write, often we zone out and let God write, and we pray over the readers and for God to send anybody our way who might see His words through us. Be it a kindred spirit in Christ, or someone who needs to meet Jesus for the first time, we pray for them.

And today I pray for the people who searched those terms. I pray that whoever said “Jesus I come before you in my brokenness and my shame” finds strength and healing in their submission. I pray that he or she draws even closer to the Lord in this time, and they are made anew by His unending mercy and grace.

I pray for whoever searched “This guy told me to purge myself”, “purging gives me a high”, and “why am I soo insecure, Jesus heal me” found answers, and that the answers have told them they are beautiful. I pray they know their self-worth comes from somewhere so much higher than that, and that they know they have been perfectly, wonderfully made. If they doesn’t know that already, I pray they find out and find the peace and love of God in that realization.

To the one who sat at their computer asking “Can God help me get out of prostitution?”, I hope you found that the answer is yes. Yes, He can save you, free you, and heal you from all past hurt and shame. Your worth is not tied into your activities or circumstances. You have an inherent, priceless value. And God, the one you asked to help you, is completely in love with who you are. There is a love beyond what you can get and give with your body, and He is there waiting to give it to you. He loves you now. You just need to let Him.

My heart goes out to them all, and to everyone who finds us under such circumstances. I ask you to join me in prayer for them and praise that they were led to a Christian blog. And for you bloggers, I’m sure you see similar things. Let me know who has crossed your path or come to your blog and I can join you in prayer too. I know we don’t personally know each other, we aren’t personal friends. But we are brothers and sisters under Christ, and there are no coincidences. God sends us our readers for a reason. And our biggest power comes when we join together in prayer and praise. So join me in prayer. Join me in praise. And let me know how I can be praying along with you too!

And if you are finding yourself in a tough situation right now, facing a storm of any kind, please let me know so I can pray for you specifically. Comment here or write to me at being.rebekah.a@gmail.com.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for banding together with me, and God bless!

~Rebekah A

 

 

 

Tuning In

Nov10

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; ~ Ephesians 6:18

While I was listening to my favorite sermon series on Esther, I felt God suddenly urge me that I had to pray for someone. I got the sense that it was a pastor’s wife and so I texted one that I had felt God had called me to be her armor bearer a few months ago and after I texted her I felt an urge to also text another pastor’s wife that I had been thinking about randomly for the last few days before that. For both, I asked if they needed prayer since I felt God ask me to pray for someone. Shortly thereafter the second pastor’s wife responded with the fact that she did in fact need prayer. I started praying for her right then and there. As my prayer drew to a close, I asked God if the other one was a fluke but then said “I wouldn’t put it above You Lord to have called me to pray for both.” Lo and behold, later that night the other pastor’s wife responded saying that she too needed prayer.

The next day, my prayer partner and I went to battle for them both. It was amazing and insane. It felt like when God called me to randomly intercede for Ex #1 during our “break”, not knowing why, and later finding out it was exactly at that time that he was having the first conversation with his father in over a year.  We both felt confirmation over things as we prayed and I cannot thank God enough for my prayer partner.  She is so spiritually sensitive even if she doesn’t always realize it.  I know we did battle and I know things were broken. It has been SO long since I felt such a connection with what GOD wanted prayed about vs. what I wanted to pray over.

 

Jesus, 

Thank You for giving me the privilege to minister to the ministers.  Thank You for allowing me to be a vessel used by You to encourage those who need it.  Thank You for using me (and my prayer partner) to help these beloved pastor’s wives of Yours.  You love them so much that You would randomly call me to pray for them- wow! What a mighty God You are!!! I know that means that I may never know all the people called to pray for me. Even the readers, they may never know the prayers said on their behalf. Thank You Jesus for Your wonderful, marvelous ways. I love You Jesus with all my heart. 

Rebekah M. 

Related content:

Praying in the Spirit- http://www.slideshare.net/southfayettechurch/praying-in-the-spirit

Esther Sermon Series- http://www.apostolichub.com/hub/shop/index.php?cPath=57_93

Love in the Darkness (Love is Kind part 2)

Oct25

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” ~Galatians 6:2

“I’ve tried to peer into the core, But could not storm the sorrow, My hollow heart has bled me dry, left me to stray, Another time without a trace, Condemn me now, Send me to hell, For I’m already failing.” ~ Epica, “Storm The Sorrow”

Today I sent my friend a song. Usually he listens to metal, which admittedly is not my thing. I actually don’t mind the music itself – I think some of the guitar riffs are pretty cool – but the screaming instead of singing is definitely not me, and the lyrics are usually so dark and depressing. And the sad part is, dark and depressing fits him. He lives in a rehab hospital with a terminal illness, rarely gets visitors, goes out only a few times per year, is in constant pain, and has a lifetime of anger he’s dealing with. His temper is unstable and unpredictable, the nurses and staff where he lives fear him, and when I visit him the darkness around him is so thick and oppressive it’s almost tangible. I can tell his spirit is just crying out in pain and loneliness, but rejects all things light. He frequently posts about how miserable he is. Meanwhile, he relates to heavy death metal, embraces it, and surrounds himself with it. The Epica lyrics posted above are just a sample of what surrounds him unceasingly all day long. So usually, when he talks about metal or posts a song, I send him something uplifting (a quote or poem or whatever) to counter it.  But I have to admit, I have known him for 2.5 years now, pray for him often, and only once ever have been able to see the teeniest chink in the armor of darkness. It breaks my heart.

So today, I sent him a song. It was a metal song, but Christian at the same time. The lyrics acknowledged the darkness and desperation in the world….but in the end it also found hope and beauty. I was hoping the song would reach him in a way I couldn’t seem to – that it would meet him in the darkness, and help lift him just a little bit out of it.

As I sent it, and he responded with more metal links (including the less hopeful Epica song I quoted from), I realized something. I had to meet him in the darkness. I couldn’t send him a song to do it, and I couldn’t pray from afar. I had to meet him there, feel the weight of his spirit’s burden, and help him shoulder it. I had to put my preferences and aversion to death metal aside, my aversion to be constantly stereotyped and insulted due to my Christianity, and I had to go to that place of anger and pain and hate. Firmly anchored in Jesus, I went there. I listened to the songs. I will listen again tomorrow. I believe that he sent me songs that resonated with him emotionally, not just arbitrary ones. And so I’ll go where he is emotionally, and I’ll listen. I’ll go where he is, and I’ll talk to him there. I’ll take that darkness, and I won’t try to counter it (I’ll trust Jesus to do that), but I’ll simply help carry it.

Why? Because love is bigger than my own personal preferences. Love is bigger than my sense of judgement. Love means loving someone as they are, not injecting them with the person you think they should be. Love is kind. Kindness doesn’t mean judging someone or changing them. Kindness, true godly kindness, knows no such boundaries or qualifications. Kindness doesn’t merely stand back and point out ‘the right way’. Kindness isn’t afraid to get dirty and physically pull someone out. Think of it this way: you’re stuck in quicksand, and sinking. Possibly to your death (hey, many a movie star has gone before you). The more you struggle, and the more desperate you become, the more you sink. You are stuck and desperate. Two people come along. One stands back and points to where there’s no more quicksand – that’s where you have to go. The other comes along with rope, and goes down to reach you, to help pull you out.  Which person was unconditionally kind? Which person was only kind enough as their self-preservation would allow?

Today, while it only came in the form of a few songs, Jesus told me that He is my rope, and that I have to go into the quicksand with my friend in order to help him climb out. I need to see, as do we all, beyond my sense of self-preservation. I need to love with Jesus’ heart. I can trust Him to move and do the rest, and I can find solace in the fact that I serve a God who casts light on the darkness.

God bless!

~Rebekah A

Love Is Kind

Oct13

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-6

A few months ago, God was really emphasizing this verse to me. He called me to a Love Project of sorts – really looking at each aspect of what love is, and bringing my walk into submission with it. I got as far as “love is patient”, and have since realized just how impatient I really am! Learning to walk in true patience has been eye-opening, difficult, and amazing.

Lately, though, I’ve been feeling called to the next part of the verse: love is kind. I’ve been noticing something about myself: I’m a jerk. I have a problem with this person because they’re too abrasive; I have a problem with this other person because they try too hard to be funny and make jokes that are actually kind of rude. Sometimes I find myself distancing myself from somebody on the subway or walking down the street based solely on their appearance (and sometimes their smell).

This is expected and human. But not Godly. Jesus’ kindness was not conditional and wasn’t based on anything superficial. There was no such thing as “I love you but I don’t like you much”. That’s a mindset developed by the world, embraced by the world, and totally against what Jesus stood for. He walked with a level of deep compassion towards people that transcended their earthly qualities.

For me, tapping into the level of kindness required to walk with God’s heart towards people means taking my thoughts captive – those initial, judgemental reactions I have towards people need to go away. I need to catch them, submit them, and pray for Jesus to give me a new, less jerkish heart. There is no way that I can be spiritually prepared for anything if I’m harboring the judgements in my heart that I currently have.

As my friend Rebekah L said though, awareness is the beginning of change. So, Love Project Part 2 begins today. I would encourage you all to join me, and look at your daily interactions. Do they embody the kindness mentioned in this passage? Towards everyone? If so, you’re farther along than I and that is awesome. If not, feel free to join me in making a change!

God bless!

~Rebekah A

Suspect A Trap (When Sadness Creeps In Part 2)

Oct9

In continuing my current trend of adding to (mooching from?) the posts of my fellow blog writers (as opposed to sharing original thoughts), yesterday I read Rebekah L’s post When Sadness Creeps In. Then I proceeded to text her with my every opinion on the topic. Through her replies and our discussion, God revealed even more. This resulted in two things: 1) a serious need for a better text plan; and 2) a reason to rejoice in the Lord all over again.

As I was reading it, I relived my own struggle with depression, and how my ability to cope with it is directly tied in to my spiritual walk. I also realized that I know of two kinds of sadness in the Bible. The first is the sort one would feel after having a bad day or being hurt by somebody. The second is a more pervasive, weighty sorrow that I associate more with true depression. Yes, it existed. But one thing I’ve noticed is, depression in the Bible does not usually stand alone. Usually, depression goes hand in hand with a time of intercession.

The more I thought about it and went to God with it, the more it just started to make sense. Someone whose heart has been bruised and battered, who has felt pervasive sadness and pain and loss, can look at someone who’s lost and relate to them. Showing Jesus that person becomes less about talking at them about who Jesus is and what they should do to get closer to Him, and more just connecting with their heart. Someone who has been both enveloped by depression and enveloped by the peace of Jesus Christ can reach a lost person on such a deeper level. They can look at this lost person, see where they’re at, and join them there in love – because they know that place. They can also look ahead to where Jesus is; they can see the road that needs to be traveled and the light at the end of the tunnel. Someone in the midst of deep pain can’t necessarily see a way out of it. But someone who has been through it can. And that someone can bridge the gap on such a deeper level than somebody who doesn’t relate to the emotions being felt. That’s what deep intercessory prayer does – we stand in the gap for someone who needs a breakthrough of Jesus. And how much more heartfelt our prayers are when our compassion and love comes from a place of true understanding!

That is the way God would have us use our depression – as a way to draw closer to Him, more dependent on Him, and then ultimately, while He does protect us from our past He also uses it to make up the vessel we are. He is amazing that way – we may not be proud of where we’ve been, but He ensures that we didn’t go there for no reason, that our suffering wasn’t pointless. Thanks Jesus! This, in case you didn’t notice, is the reason to rejoice that I mentioned above. Having traveled the road we have and taken the hits we have, we can now be the exact vessel Jesus needs to use. Maybe someone whose vessel is shinier and less chipped isn’t right for this particular task. And Jesus knows that – He made each of us, after all. Our deepest, darkest moments turned out to be useful. Praise God!

This is why it’s really too bad that so many of us feel shame and guilt over our struggles. I believe this negativity is a lie from Satan himself. He reads our cues, multiplies our sorrow, and tries to turn it into a time of self-doubt and self-loathing. Often, he succeeds. Jesus would have this be a time to draw closer to Him, and instead we hide from Him. Jesus would have this be a time when we use our pain to relate to the pain of others so that we can love deeper and start to see with God’s heart. Satan would have this be a time to pity ourselves or get bogged down and chained by the weight.

So when sadness does come, please don’t hide. Besides, even if you do, Jesus still sees you. But He can’t help you unless you open your heart up to Him and let Him in. Transparency can be key here. When you feel ashamed by emotions, I implore you to suspect a trap. Find a friend you can confide in – yes, you open yourself up to judgement when you discuss yourself. But you also open yourself up to prayer and support, which gets you through it so much faster and grounds you again in your true identity as a servant of Christ.

My prayers are with you. If you’re struggling with something specific and want prayer for it, write to me at being.rebekah.a@gmail.com. God bless!

~Rebekah A