Baby Steps to Radical?

Edited to add that I've linked up to Shelli's great blog Hopefully Devoted.  On Fridays she posts about "the least of these" and encourage readers to join her.  Check out her wonderful blog! 






I'm not sure this would qualify as Radical with a big "R" but my husband and I decided to have a big ole yard sale to kick off our journey out of the American dream and into the eternal one.  God blessed us with a beautiful, sunny, mild fall weekend and we sold a whole bunch of "stuff."  We made about $350 and cashed in our loose change as well for a total of $440!  Praise the Lord!

We are still praying about exactly where and how to give this money.  My heart is being pulled toward sponsoring a child from our daughter's birth country, Guatemala.  $440 is almost enough to cover one year of sponsorship through Compassion International.  I'll keep you posted!

I'm looking forward to next step in this journey...

God's TIMES Table- Radical Read-Along Chapter 5

I'm linking up today with Marla's Radical Read-Along.  Won't you join us?

To start from the beginning of my Radical Read-Along posts, click here.

I really enjoyed this chapter.  For one, I agreed with most of Platt's points about how to make disciples, using the "megastrategy of Jesus."   I love how he described the process on page 90, "But according to Jesus, people are God's method for winning the world to Himself.  People who have been radically transformed by Jesus." 

I also really appreciated the practical ideas Platt shared for doing this thing!  The example of the outreach that took place on Bourbon Street helped me to see the concept of "making disciples through personal relationships" in action.  So did this wonderful post by a fellow read along participant!

The reminder that the process of "making disciples...is messy...slow, tedious, even painful at times...because it is relational" (p. 93) was important for me.  God has answered my prayers and given me some opportunities to minister to a family in need from our school.  Most of these opportunities have been a joy but some have been, well... messy and, um... complicated.  Some of the circumstances I have found myself and my children in as a result of this ministry could be perceived as polluting.  But that's ok.  I know God has called us to those places and now is not the time to be disinfected, isolated and ineffective Christians.  It's time to get our hands dirty and love this family through the pain and mess!  And I love how the "bar on my Christianity" is already being raised in the process!  (p. 100)

Platt's discussion on learning so that we can teach, not simply to apply the truth to our own lives, as important as that is, was great!  I'm excited to hear next Sunday's message at church and listen "as if God's Word is intended to spread through" me (p. 103)!

As much as I know I need to be shaken up in my faith, I am always discouraged when I am left shaken up but without tools and inspiration for moving forward.  So, I was glad to find those tools and inspiration here in Chapter 5 of Radical. I'm ready to go, baptize and teach and in the process use God's TIMES table to multiply the His kingdom and impact the nations for His glory!

Multitude Monday

Here are some of the things I was thankful for this week:

683.  Restored Internet, TV and phone!
684.  Getting some unexpected free time and deciding to use it to read and blog instead of work and clean
685.  Lunch with two good friends filled with lots of laughter
686.  First grade family night at school
687.  What seems like a positive solution to a problem at school for my 9 year old
688.  Seasons of sadness and discouragement- if He is allowing it, it is for my good
689.  A husband's kind words of encouragement
690.  A friend's love and counsel
691.  Beautiful, sunny, mild fall weather all weekend
692.  A successful yard sale kicks off our plans to get more radical for Jesus
693.  Parents who came and helped us with the kids and the sale
694.  A 3 day weekend!

You can find my running list of 1,000 gifts in my sidebar and read why I got started here.

Praying the Psalms- Psalm 39

Jenny has begun a journey of praying her way through the Psalms that I have decided to join. Each weekend, we will pray through one psalm and post our prayer and/or meditations on that psalm as the Lord leads. Check out her journey and join us in Praying the Psalms.


Psalm 39

"I said, 'I will watch my ways 

       and keep my tongue from sin; 

       I will put a muzzle on my mouth 

       as long as the wicked are in my presence.'

 But when I was silent and still, 

       not even saying anything good, 

       my anguish increased.

 My heart grew hot within me, 

       and as I meditated, the fire burned; 

       then I spoke with my tongue"  Ps 39: 1-3

Lord, each morning as the water rains down on my physical body in cleansing, I beg for Your spiritual cleansing.  For the strength to keep my tongue from sin and my heart from anguish and the heat of anger.  But by the morning meal's end, I've often slipped back into one or both of these pits.

"Show me, O LORD, my life's end 

       and the number of my days; 

       let me know how fleeting is my life.

 You have made my days a mere handbreadth; 

       the span of my years is as nothing before you. 

       Each man's life is but a breath. 

Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: 

       He bustles about, but only in vain; 

       he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.

But now, Lord, what do I look for? 

       My hope is in you."  Ps 39: 4-7 

So, Lord, show me how to come to the end of mySELF.  I know this life is fleeting and but a breath.  When I come to the end of my days, I want to know that I long before, I came to an end of mySELF.  That I surrendered all to You and did so in pursuit of You so that You would increase and I would decrease.  My hope is in You, Lord.  In Jesus' name, amen.    

Connecting the Dots: Radical Read-Along Chapter 4

I'm linking up today with Marla's Radical Read-Along.  Won't you join us?

God is using this book in our lives! 

Allow me a little digression before I go into how He is doing that.  David Platt reminds of Dave Ramsey.  Do you know him?  He is the Christian financial guru whose ministry is to help people get out of debt- for good.  His advice is simple: live like no one else (i.e., below your means, paying off all debt) so that you can live like no one else (i.e., completely debt free, free to give generously).  One of his tag lines goes something like this: we give you the same advice as God and grandma- but we just keep our teeth in!  This is how I see the message of Radical.  It’s not presenting any new information- the Bible has made all Platt’s points clear already.  He’s just keeping his teeth in- exhorting us to respond to this radical gospel without allowing it to be watered down by our culture.

Platt asserts, from Scripture, that while God is certainly a loving and gracious God, we must be careful because to “disconnect God’s blessing from God’s global purpose is to spiral downward into an unbiblical, self-saturated Christianity that misses the point of God’s grace.”  (p. 71)  We are blessed to be a blessing not to be afforded to opportunity to live out the American dream.  Platt goes on to remind us, “Jesus Himself has not merely called us to go to all the nations; He has created us and commanded us to go to all nations.  We have taken this command and reduced it to a calling- something only a few people receive.”  Ouch!

So, let me return to my initial statement.  God is using this book in our lives!  I accept Platt’s invitation, which is really from Jesus Himself, to allow my heart to be gripped “by the biblical prospect that God has designed a radically global purpose for” my life.  (p. 83) 

Lord, please help us to connect the dots between Your blessings and Your purpose for those blessings in our life.  Help us to be open to how You want use us to impact the world.  Bring us from a place of complacency about the state of the poor and spiritually lost in the world to one of compassion and willingness to follow You wherever You lead us.    As we seek to bring our lives into a more radical obedience to Your Word, speak clearly to us and direct our steps.  In Jesus’name, amen.

To start from the beginning of my Radical Read-Along posts, click here.

Multitude Monday

Here are some of the things I was thankful for this week:

672.  Starting a new, much anticipated Bible study at church 

673.  The gift of time to stay up to date with the homework

674.  God’s using that homework to instruct, counsel and convict me

675.  God’s using Radical to change me (and my hubby, too!)

676.  Knowing that God is faithful to use anything I offer Him to work in me

677.  The privilege to be His hands and feet to a hurting family at school

678.  The honor of ministering to them also through His Word

679.  The chance for a dear friend and I to share our hearts over great food

680.  A weekend full of family, friends and fun!

681.  Apple and pumpkin picking and making memories

682.  The joy of serving in Children’s Worship 

You can find my running list of 1,000 gifts in my sidebar and read why I got started here.

Praying the Psalms- Psalm 38

Jenny has begun a journey of praying her way through the Psalms that I have decided to join. Each weekend, we will pray through one psalm and post our prayer and/or meditations on that psalm as the Lord leads. Check out her journey and join us in Praying the Psalms.

“All my longings lie before You, O Lord;

My sighing is not hidden from You.

My heart pounds, my strength fails me;

even the light has gone from my eyes.”  Psalm 38: 8-10

Have you felt desperation like this?  Oppression so severe so as to cause longing, sighing, heart pounding, and strength sapping blindness?  I have.  I do.  David’s enemies were visible, physical.  Mine are invisible, spiritual. 

Too often I rebuke myself in anger.  In exasperation at my sin and folly, I tell myself I will never overcome.  I repeat the words of the Oppressor to myself and believe them.  I forget the Words of my King. 

I forget that it is the kindness of God that leads to repentance.  I forget that where sin abounds, grace abounds.  (Shall I continue to sin that grace may abound?  Certainly not!)  I forget that I am more than a conqueror in Jesus.   

Forgetfulness.  Desperation.  Oppression.  Blindness.

“I will wait for You, O Lord,

You will answer, O Lord my God.”  Psalm 38: 15

He does.  He answers through the kind words of a friend, through the wisdom of godly women I’ve never even met and most certainly through His Word.

“O Lord, do not forsake me;

be not far from me, O my God.

Come quickly to help me,

O Lord my Savior.”  Psalm 38: 21-22

Through His Word, He reminds me of His unfailing love and mercy.  Of His hand that is always stretched out toward me.  Always the offer of forgiveness and reconciliation.   My Savior.  I need only grope through the darkness and grab hold of it.  Confess.  Repent.  Begin again.