by Cathy Baker | Faith |
“Trust Me in the midst of a messy day. Your inner calm—your Peace in my Presence—need not be shaken by what is going on around you. Though you live in this temporal world, your innermost being is rooted and grounded in eternity. When you start to feel stressed, detach yourself from the disturbances around you. Instead of desperately striving to maintain order and control in your little world, relax and remember that circumstances cannot touch My Peace.
Seek My Face, and I will share My mind with you, opening your eyes to see things from My perspective. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid. The Peace I give is sufficient for you.”
John 16:33; Psalm 105:4; John 14:27
Jesus Calling, Sarah Young
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Snow wasn’t falling and bells were not ringing, but it sure felt like Christmas at the Baker house last Friday afternoon when a box of the above arrived on our doorstep.
I never expected my poetry to be published so you can imagine my delight and depth of gratitude to the One who made it possible.
The poem below is not mine, but one that’s also included in Enter the Gateway, by Torrid Publishing. (Congratulations, Jane!)
Re: Paul to Timothy
(2 Timothy 4:3-4)
Heeding truth is hard to do,
As the test of time makes clear;
Doctrine sounds, but very few
Listen to what they should hear.
Myth is so appealing to
Those who want to scratch an ear;
When desire does itch anew,
Fools seek fools from far and near.
Author: Jane Blanchard
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Guess it goes without saying that our granddaughter is rarely in the background, and for good reason!
On those rare occasions, however, when she realizes we’re not tuned in to her every word it doesn’t take long for her attention-antenna to intercept with two words that snap me back into full attention mode: Meeee-me! Meeee-me! (i.e. Grammy)
You would be hard-pressed to find words that so quickly melt this heart but I was reminded of another one during yesterday’s sermon on discipleship: repentance. Yes, it can be painful and heart wrenching but it is a powerful and magnificent gift made possible by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
As children of God, our attention antenna need never rise because His Word assures us that we never escape His notice. When we call out to our Father, He leans in to hear His children and stands ready to forgive and cleanse those who desire to turn away from their sin. It’s not about getting our act together or becoming more religious, for both come up empty—but it is about becoming humble and real on an ongoing basis before a living, loving, active, and holy God who desires His best for His children.
“The mark of a true disciple is joyful and regular acceptance of
God’s gracious gift of repentance.” -Kyle Estepp
(The
purpose of this blog is to share snippets of life and truth along the
way. To listen to our sermon series on discipleship and this week’s
sermon on repentance, please visit Summit’s site. It should be posted by Wednesday.)
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
The Garden
The kale’s
puckered sleeve,
the pepper’s
hollow bell,
the lacquered onion.
Beets, borage, tomatoes.
Green beans.
I came in and I put everything
on the counter: chives, parsley, dill,
the squash like a pale moon,
peas in their silky shoes, the dazzling
rain-drenched corn.
-Mary Oliver, “New and Selected Poems”
New and Selected Poems is one of my favorite poetry books and of course, I love Mary Oliver’s work. “Puckered sleeve”, “like a pale moon” and “in their silky shoes” are all underlined in the book.
Was there a word or phrase you particularly liked?
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Mr. Rice was a close friend of my grandparents and the local elementary school principal way back when. He’d often stop by their home for a quick visit, to the delight of my grandparents. My reaction as a seven year-old, however, was quite different. I’d make a run for the bathroom, lock the door, and sit on the edge of my grandparent’s pink tub until I heard his old pick-up crank. He was as nice as they come, but he had a habit of pinching my cheeks so hard they’d leave marks on my face for minutes. His pinches spelled P. A. I. N. and I wanted no part of them.
Yesterday morning, I turned the radio off, peeled back the roof and talked with the Lord on my way to church. At one point, when asking for forgiveness, the word “lazy” spilled from my lips. It caught me off guard. So much so that I proceeded to say “Well, I don’t know if that’s the right word or not, Lord. I hope it’s not.”
Fast forward about an hour.
Our pastor, Jason, was speaking PREACHIN’ on discipleship. It was the best sermon I’ve ever heard on the subject and we’re only in our first week of the series! At one point, when sharing why some lack the transformation desired in their lives, he asked Could it be that you’re simply lazy? (I can’t quote it verbatim because I was too busy thanking the Holy Spirit for making it perfectly clear that I HAVE been lazy in certain areas of my walk with the Lord.) It’s not something I wanted confirmed, but I desperately needed a pinch of clarity and conviction.
Like Mr. Rice, the Holy Spirit’s pinches can unleash a sharp pain. Not physically, but spiritually. His pinch, however, always spells L.O.V.E.—even when it hurts—for His pinches also leave a mark. An indelible mark. The mark of Christ.
For the Lord disciplines the one he loves…
Hebrews 12:6
The gospel is not opposed to effort [spiritual disciplines, serving, etc.] but it is opposed to earning.
-From today’s sermon
