Accusing Tones

Flipping through the channels, I stumbled across an old TV show that used to be one of my favorites, its title? 7th Heaven. The episode started out just as I had remembered, with fighting siblings and secrets from each other, a whole bunch of mystery surrounding each one of the Camden family members. But it was one kid in particular that caught my eye during this episode, Simon, and it wasn't even really him, but his new found friend Rudy. A janitor at his school, who was a very kind and gentle older man. Rudy was diligent about all his work, he did what he was told, he listened, and he talked when needed. This man spread love on Simon and confided in him with an air of confidence I haven't seen lately.

Rudy wasn't just listening to Simon though, he was listening to God speaking. A tiny voice in his head telling this willing man to go places, do things, and talk to people. A dangerous mission. One that Rudy wasn't aware was God, nor dangerous until talking with Simon's dad, Rev. Camden.

This simple man started listening to the voice and doing all sorts of things that the principal and the board called crazy, and they all held a meeting threatening to fire him. Yet Rudy continued to listen, he did not give up hope. He went on to clean the bleachers at 11 p.m. the night before a band competition, because the voice told him to. The bleachers collapsed and the principal wanted to have Rudy arrested, yet Rudy had just saved the lives of hundreds of students that would have walked on those bleachers just 8 hours later. God had sent him to save those children. And spread a message.

God doesn't always come as a voice, loud and dominate. But what if he does? What if that voice in our head is him? It is. The sad part, the part that wrenched my heart, and sent me into a complete and total frazzle, was the fact that these people didn't see God, they didn't believe that God could do this. They simply did not believe.

I cannot sit back and watch people continue to ignore God calling. I can't sit here in fear and be too afraid to speak up about what God is saying, what God is doing in our lives. I simply cannot refuse to acknowledge him. He created us. He created this world. He created that message for us. How can we ignore that?

I simply cannot.

Even the Smallest of Flakes....

Friday evening the snow started falling,Not big flakes but small ones,The ones that no one thinks amount to much. But as many soon found out on Saturday morning those small consistent flakes mounted up to about a foot of snow. Sitting in my living room, with a cup of hot tea and a recent book suggested to me by a wonderful Princess, it occurred to me that those snowflakes weren't just merely snow, they were a symbol for me sent straight from the hands of God.

Like those small snowflakes, most people have thought for years that I cannot do much or change the world the way that you see these people doing on television. I believed them for many years, thinking that like they all said I had no power. I didn't have the strength.

But was that God speaking?

It most certainly was not for his word tells us clearly "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12)

Like those snowflakes, my work may go unnoticed by the world, each step small, but with a sincere and huge heart. But my sweet Adonai does not count off my works as too small or not enough. He sees what I do, he gives me strength to complete what I and others thought i could not do, and he showers me with hope for more...

Lord, my heart sat in waiting, wanting you to come around. I sat and cried and lost myself in all that this world had to offer. I listened to the world when they told me I could not, instead of listening to the father that made my heart from the start. Now I see that he knows just what I need, he knows just when I need them. All the things in my life Lord, I am now turning back to you with praise! I'm setting you as a seal upon my heart. And taking your word throughout the world...

-Lauren