Focus on God - "Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." Verse 2.
Step one: Listen to better music.
Step two: Look for Him.
Step three: Be a Tiger Christian
Step four: Talk About Him
La Bielleza y Unidad de la Cruz.
The Beauty and Unity of the Cross.
Our church has a wing, and hidden away in there are a variety of cultures that come from Mexico and Central America. They meet in that wing, praise the Father, preach the word, and grow. Our Hispanic congregation has been meeting for about 18 months, with at least 20 baptisms. Today, they left the wing they have come to know, and joined us for worship. We prayed, sang, and heard the word of God in Spanish and English. As one church.
It reminded me of the days when I lived in Dimmitt, and we experienced the same thing with the Spanish Church of Christ. How powerful it is when we let go of barriers, and let ourselves be unified in Christ.
When I was in Zambia, I taught a man what a smore was. I had a gritty melting marshmallow mashed between half a graham cracker and a piece of chocolate. My hands were filthy, but then again, so were his. We were being smoked out by the fire, and it was darker than dark. In Zambia, the stars shine radiantly, for no other reason than there isn't any competition for their light. They own the place. The light from the fire flickered across the man's face, and it was amazing to see his joy after eating a smore for the first time. I would imagine that was how God intended it. Zambian and Texan, smore eaters. Spanish and English, singers of praise.
La Bielleza y Unidad de la Cruz. It really is beautiful. With all of the unrest in the world, especially in the past month, I have to seek this beauty, and let it get my attention-- because the beauty of the cross shines like those stars in Zambia, out into a dark world that doesn't stand a chance.
Third Day lyrics that I love:
"Praise to the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ
Our God and our King, to Him we will sing
In His great mercy, He has given us life
Now we can be called the children of God
Great is the Love that the Father has given us
He has delivered us
He has delivered us
Children of God, sing your song and rejoice
For the love that He has given us all
Children of God, by the blood of His Son
We have been redeemed and we can be called
Children of God"
Our God and our King, to Him we will sing
In His great mercy, He has given us life
Now we can be called the children of God
Great is the Love that the Father has given us
He has delivered us
He has delivered us
Children of God, sing your song and rejoice
For the love that He has given us all
Children of God, by the blood of His Son
We have been redeemed and we can be called
Children of God"
1 comment:
Hey there Lauren. This is Lauren DeSisso used to be Lauren Hickmon we were in Zambia together. I saw your comment on my blog for my son but couldn't figure out how to send you a message back. Hope this gets to you. Of course i remember you i think of you often actually and pray for you. I have hoped you have been good sense we knew each other. If you would ever like to keep in touch my email is hickmon4420@gmail.com. Great to hear from you.
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