Author: jacquelinegwallace

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Power Lifting for Jesus = JOY


(Centerpoint Church of Colton, CA, volunteers serving with MCCA delivering foodstuffs to Christian orphanages in Mexico. Our son Seth is the good-looking guy in the black T-shirt and his handsome son Caleb [a little family bragging here] is in the white T-shirt, his head being squished by his cousin twice removed, Colton; his girlfriend Hailey is next to him. My friend Bob is on the far left. He’s been doing this for over 30 years and is grateful for the young, strong backs joining him! Read on to find out more about where they are and what they are doing, and why.)

For the most part, I’m on facebook to see what my kids are up to and I’m glad I saw this post by our son Seth. He gave me permission to use it for this blog post.

A verse came to mind as I thought about this post, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 4, NIV). I am happy when I see or hear of my sons following the Lord in whatever he calls them to do. Here is one way Seth is serving the Lord, and by taking Caleb with him, he is discipling him and modeling for him the kinds of things godly men do when they love Jesus. From one generation to the next …. Read on.

By Seth Wallace

On Saturday my son, Caleb, and I went with Mexican Christian Children’s Aid (MCCA, http://mccaredlands.org) taking food supplies to Christian orphanages in Mexico. I spent 15 hours on the road, loaded and unloaded 4,000lb in our truck alone, helped load other trucks, hauled 6- 100lb packs of blankets up nearly vertical stairs in TJ (Tijuana, MX), sat for 2 hours at the border crossing, and got home tired!

The “hard work” of the day, the “frustration” of traffic and driving, the “inconvenience” of a precious weekend taken … is real … but I consider it JOY. I realize what a small sacrifice of time energy and money it really is with Kingdom eyes! So did 20+ other volunteers!

The call to serve others has been given to ALL believers in Christ! Those opportunities to serve can just look like hard work. They are, but it is extremely rewarding to know that others, especially the vulnerable children, will be safe, fed, warm, loved, and blessed!

There is truly no ego or boasting when I post this! Because of the need, I’d love for this to serve as an encouragement to action for you to be God’s hands and feet, with work boots and gloves, and come serve with me!

Centerpoint Church #consideritpurejoy #Godshandsandfeet #selflessgiving

If you can’t join Seth in Mexico delivering food to needy orphanages, what is going on in your area that you can volunteer for? There is need all around us crying out for extra hands to meet those needs. Be the hands and feet of Jesus, power lifting not necessarily required.

 

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Journaling—Again

 

The other day, reading something in a book my brother sent me (he asked for my opinion of Hope in the Dark: Believing God is Good When Life Is Not, by Craig Groeschel, and yes, I do recommend it) I was spurred to start journaling again. I say “again” because I’ve started and stopped journaling numerous times over the years. I’ve always felt rather disappointed in myself and a bit guilty for not seeming to be able to continue the practice. Journaling really can be beneficial in many ways.

For instance, I decided to pull down a couple of the journals I’ve saved from past years. There are probably half a dozen of them, mostly unfilled. First, I was surprised that I actually filled one whole journal with about a year and a half of notes. Pat on the back for that one!

Second, I wrote it during the last half of my cancer treatment; this particular journal started in September of 2008, in the midst of my chemo treatments, ten years ago last month. That I’ve had ten good, cancer-free years since that time is humbling and yet an occasion for rejoicing and giving praise to our good God and heavenly Father for his mercies to me and my family.

Third, along with putting recorded life events (and prayer requests and answers to prayer) in their rightful order and year, it answered a question I’ve had and others have asked me several times. It is a question I confess I didn’t know the answer to–when did I start writing my book, Brokenness to Beauty? Well, there it was, in black and white in my journal. Sometime in 2009 I began to compile my blog posts into a form that could be shaped into a book. So there it is if you ever happened to have asked me that question.

Another benefit of my journaling is that I’m reminded of insights God gave me in the past which I have been building on to the present. Truth is eternal; it doesn’t go out of vogue (at least not in God’s economy). I sometimes recorded lessons God was teaching me from his Word and I’m encouraged all over again reading them years later.

So as I take up pen and journal once again, I hope this time I will keep on writing. There is value in the written word, even our own words.

Do you journal? In what ways have you benefitted by it?

 

Photo by clairtrafton, words.jpg by clairetrafton XqcqdT.jpg

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Back to Blogging

After four months away from blogging, I’m back and hope to stay here posting more often.  In May, you could say I was thrown a curveball, health-wise, by an exacerbation (a big word for worsening) of the MG (myasthenia gravis). I was out of commission for several weeks as a result.

Thank God, my strength is nearly back to where it was before the curveball hit me and knocked me down.

As I cried out to him with this new hit to my health, the Lord brought this verse to mind, “Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken” (Psalm 55:22 NASB).

I especially like the note in my Bible indicating the word “burden” can mean, “what he has given you.”

“What God has given me.” That put a completely new spin on the idea of a burden. Somehow, as bad as the burden might be, knowing God has given this burden to me for this time, and knowing God, it is for a reason, gives me hope. Even when I don’t know that reason or how long the ordeal.

How is that I have hope? My hope is rooted in the character of God, not circumstances.  I know God is compassionate and gracious, full of lovingkindness and truth (Exodus 34:6), and is righteous in all he does (Psalm 145:17).

And not only do I know it in my head from reading the words of Scripture. I have experienced God’s compassion and grace, his lovingkindness and truth and faithfulness. This experiential knowledge is part of me now.

 

Even when I cried out, “Why is this happening, God?” he reminded me to throw this curveball back to him.  Knowing that he wants me to give it back to him also gives me hope. I have confidence that “what God has given me” is not for my destruction but for my growth in grace, and God, who gave the burden, will hold me together and not allow me to be shaken to pieces (Colossians 1:17) for I belong to him by faith in Jesus Christ. I will not destruct, because his gracious hand is holding me (Psalm 37:24). Peace follows from the decision to trust God and throw the burden back onto him.

I cannot have hope and peace and confidence if I refuse to throw that burden back onto the Lord, if I turn my questions into a rant and accusation against God that refuses to remember all the goodness of the Lord poured out on my life.

I’m not referring here to an honest pouring out of your heart to God as you wrestle with the real circumstances you find yourself in. The psalmists did that all the time. But they came with humble hearts as well to the God they knew they could trust, even when it felt like he was absent.

I’m talking about continuing to accuse God and harden my heart. If I harden myself to his kindness, I may very well become so brittle that I will be shaken into a thousand pieces. I may very well self-destruct.

I do not want to go there. Ever. From that place, it is a hard, long road to get back to where I should be. And I don’t have to go there, I don’t even have to carry that heavy burden. God will.

If we give the burden back to him.

When we do our part of that verse (cast our cares on God), he does his part (keeps us together, keeps us from falling apart). I can attest to the truth of that.

This hope and peace God gives are available to anyone who will humbly come to Jesus, embrace the truth that God cares for us enough to carry our burden, and throw their burden on the Lord in the midst of their suffering. Hope and peace are there for us because God is faithful to do his part, holding us up and keeping us from falling apart.

Now, because of his goodness and faithfulness keeping me from being shaken to pieces, I am back at the keyboard creating blog posts.

What is threatening to shake your world? Be encouraged to trust in the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord in the midst of it.

 

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Photo by Liane Metzler on Unsplash

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Love Does

“We can measure success by how many people attend church services on Sunday. Or we can measure success by how many people serve God and others on Monday.”[1]

Recently I’ve been pondering Hebrews 10:24, the verse that resonates with me as I think about the way I believe God wants to use me in his Kingdom work. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24 NIV). Whenever I sign a copy of my book, Brokenness to Beauty, I write the reference to this verse behind my signature.

At the end of the day, I want to measure the success of my life’s influence on others by how many people love and serve God and other people on Monday, and every day. Of course, I may never see that in my lifetime, but whatever I do—whether writing, speaking or any interacting with others—I want people, myself included, strengthened and challenged to do what the Scriptures teach: love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and your neighbor as yourself. We’re all works in progress but we should be advancing in that direction.

There are many rich truths to pull out of this one verse. I don’t want to skip over them but like an archeologist carefully dig them out and lay them on the work table for us to consider. Where to start?

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24 NIV). Let’s start with a look at the meaning of the original Greek word translated love in English.

You may already know or have guessed this one. This love is the Greek word agape; the love God has demonstrated for us and for the whole world. Mounce[2] describes it as generosity and kindly concern. Strong describes it as affection or benevolence.[3]

Though we can define a word with other words, what does agape love look like in action?

Action is a good way of thinking about agape love because when Jesus said God loved the world, his love wasn’t just about words. God proved his love; he did something. “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV, emphasis added).

God loved; God gave. This is the essence of agape love. It gives. As a result of God’s active, agape love, “we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth” (1 John 3:16-18 NIV, emphasis added).

God showed us what his love is, what his generous, giving love is. Therefore, we should be clear that when it comes to loving God and our neighbor, words alone aren’t enough. Agape love is love in action. Agape love is a giving love, even sacrificial giving love. It is not just any action though; agape love is rooted in putting in to practice the Word and will of God.

Jesus was clear on that point when he said, “21Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” He went on to explain. “22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:21–23 NIV, emphasis added).

With Jesus’ words in mind, we could say, “Not all those who say they are Christians, come to church, or even do great exploits in Jesus’ name will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who go out and do the will of our Father in heaven: loving God and people and serving them Monday and every day.”

And in order to do the will of God, we need to know the Word of God so we can put it into practice, thus doing the will of God. Then we will love and serve God and others Monday and every day.

How could your actions this week be expressions of agape love, rooted in the Word and will of God?

 

First Photo by Nina Strehl on Unsplash

Second Photo by Claire Trafton

Third Photo Crucified with Christ

[1] Dr. Jim Denison, Denison’s Forum https://www.denisonforum.org/columns/cultural-commentary/560-million-lottery-winner-can-remain-anonymous/

[2] William D. Mounce, Interlinear for the Rest of Us (Grand Rapids: Zondervan) 2006

[3] James Strong, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers)