Tag Archives: Prayer

It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Coming

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Dr. Campolo tells how he preached the perfect sermon in every way and had taken the congregation to ‘the heights of glory’. As he sat down beside his pastor, Dr. Tony patted him on the knee and simply said, “Top that.” The older black pastor looked at him and said, “Boy, watch the master.” Then Dr. Campolo recalls for us the very brilliant message which followed.

The following is a short printed version of the 45 minute sermon–the printed version doesn’t really do justice to the original, but you can at least get an idea what the last part is like:

It’s Friday. But Sunday’s coming—

It was a simple sermon, starting softly, building in volume and intensity until the entire congregation was completely involved, repeating the phrases in unison. The sermon went something like this.

It’s Friday. Jesus is arrested in the garden where He was praying. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. The disciples are hiding and Peter’s denying that he knows the Lord. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. Jesus is standing before the high priest of Israel, silent as a lamb before the slaughter. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. Jesus is beaten, mocked, and spit upon. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. Those Roman soldiers are flogging our Lord with a leather scourge that has bits of bones and glass and metal, tearing at his flesh. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. The Son of man stands firm as they press the crown of thorns down into his brow. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. See Him walking to Calvary, the blood dripping from His body. See the cross crashing down on His back as He stumbles beneath the load. It’s Friday; but Sunday’s a coming.

It’s Friday. See those Roman soldiers driving the nails into the feet and hands of my Lord. Hear my Jesus cry, “Father, forgive them.” It’s Friday; but Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, bloody and dying. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. The sky grows dark, the earth begins to tremble, and He who knew no sin became sin for us. Holy God who will not abide with sin pours out His wrath on that perfect sacrificial lamb who cries out, “My God, My God. Why hast thou forsaken me?” What a horrible cry. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. And at the moment of Jesus’ death, the veil of the Temple that separates sinful man from Holy God was torn from the top to the bottom because Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, heaven is weeping and hell is partying. But that’s because it’s Friday, and they don’t know it, but Sunday’s a coming.

And on that horrible day 2000 years ago, Jesus the Christ, the Lord of glory, the only begotten Son of God, the only perfect man died on the cross of Calvary. Satan thought that he had won the victory. Surely he had destroyed the Son of God. Finally he had disproved the prophecy God had uttered in the Garden and the one who was to crush his head had been destroyed. But that was Friday.

Now it’s Sunday. And just about dawn on that first day of the week, there was a great earthquake. But that wasn’t the only thing that was shaking because now it’s Sunday. And the angel of the Lord is coming down out of heaven and rolling the stone away from the door of the tomb. Yes, it’s Sunday, and the angel of the Lord is sitting on that stone and the guards posted at the tomb to keep the body from disappearing were shaking in their boots because it’s Sunday, and the lamb that was silent before the slaughter is now the resurrected lion from the tribe of Judah, for He is not here, the angel says. He is risen indeed.

It’s Sunday, and the crucified and resurrected Christ has defeated death, hell, sin and the grave. It’s Sunday. And now everything has changed. It’s the age of grace, God’s grace poured out on all who would look to that crucified lamb of Calvary. Grace freely given to all who would believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary was buried and rose again. All because it’s Sunday.

At the end of the message the pastor shouts out

It’s Friiidaaaay!

And the whole congregation responds:

But Sunday’s Coming!

This exert was taken from Answers for the Faith
To download as an audio message, click here

Everything I thought I knew I no longer know

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I heard something today that broke my heart
Shook me to my core
Turned my world upside down
Made me question everything I have ever known
Evoked feelings of anger, sadness, remorse, disgust, angst

I wanted to go into the bathroom stall and puke my guts up until I felt better
Until my insides were numb
Until I made this raw, scraping feeling in the pit of my stomach go away

I knew that kind of relief is temporary and soon fleeting
I also knew that
I didn’t want to feel the way that I felt

For those of us who have been through a season of escapism
and come out on the other side
We are fully aware that the only way to remain mentally, emotionally and spiritually sound is to sit in our feelings
No matter how difficult
No matter how long it takes
Acceptance is key

I find at times that remaining physically sober is much easier than
maintaining and nurturing spiritual, mental and emotional sobriety
These are the places where the atrocities begin
sometimes long before the action ever happens

If I do not face, sort and squash things where they originate
the outcome is always one of tragedy, personal or otherwise

Thankfully, I have an incredible network of individuals who know me
The real me
The person who is broken time and time again
Flawed and scarred

Those amazing souls
Living and passed
Some whose voice I hear audibly
Others I must feel with my heart and recall in my memory

A girl like me, has to surround herself with truth
Light that dispels the darkness
Wisdom of others who have gone before me

One of my favorite speakers is Jud WIlhite
I will frequently go to iTunes and listen to past talks of his
Today was no different
I needed to be quiet and listen

There was one thing he said in this session that struck me as deeply as the painful news I had heard just hours before, only it brought hope instead of harm
It was his response to a friend who had walked through a season of darkness and at the time engaged in a lot of self-injury
Now on the other side of it, she asked him how she would one day explain the scars to her daughter.

His response was this, “All you need to do is look her in the eye and say, these scars mean one thing these scars mean that your mommy survived by the grace of God and he’s done a work of healing in my life.”

So today, right now, in this moment
I choose recovery
I choose life
I choose truth
I choose hope
I choose love
I choose grace

How could I not?!
After all, that is what has been shown to me
Over and over and over and over again

“Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.” Ephesians 5:1-2

If you would like to hear the message that I listened to today from Jud Wilhite click here

Five Minute Friday: Good-Bye

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Around here we write for five minutes flat on Fridays.

We set a timer, throw caution to the winds and try to remember what it was like to just write without worrying if it’s  right or not.

I wrote for 5 minutes… and then proceeded to look through pictures for about 2 hours.
As the words began to flow from my heart to my hands faster than I can type, my eyes began to sting as I felt the tears well up. “What is wrong with me?!” I wondered.

I realized as I was looking through years of pictures that it had all gone by so fast. Things that I remember as happening last week, were in reality, last year. How did I not see it in the moment. Those precious, fleeting moments…

There never seems to be enough time. When it seems that we should be saying, “Hello.” we are already saying, “Good-bye.”

Our good-bye’s are seldom “good.”

It is always bittersweet and at times involves tears and a lot of dark chocolate post parting.

There is never a time in the day when I don’t think about “My Bella.”
Not a moment passes when I am not wondering what she’s doing or if she had a great day… does she like a new boy? Is she remembering to accentuate her incredible eyes with the makeup she has been so anxious to apply, instead of caking it on? Is she being told how incredibly beautiful and gifted she is? Does she know how much I love her? Does she have any idea what a treasure she is? How I adore her? The prayers I say for her?

There are times when I miss her so much that my heart actually hurts inside my chest.

I have a new understanding for the word heartache as every time my little girl leaves, she takes an irreplaceable piece of my heart with her.

How fitting for the topic to be “good-bye.” Friend or foe, I know it’s capability of relief and also that of sorrow, all too well.

The following pictures were taken hours, sometimes minutes, before my Bella and I said, “Good-bye.”

On the airplane from Cali to Bama for visitation

At the Wiggles Live Show

Halloween fun

She's home from her summer visit in Bama

Milkshake in Brevard, NC

Happy Birthday!

At our house in Cali before she left for her summer visitation

Spreading Christmas cheer at CHOA. Bella wanted everyone to have an "I Am Loved" pin. She even handed them out in line at Starbucks.

Her first role as a fairy in "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

Sunday that is usually our day of "Good-bye"

Birthday

Summer visits make my heart happy

Silly faces

Crazy face!

Pouty face

Donated 12 inches of hair to "Locks of Love"

My heart

Guest Post: Bella’s Cross

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This Monday’s post comes from my beautiful Bella. She is not only a gifted writer, but a talented artist as well. I am honored to share her work with you here. Thank you for continuing to read and comment.

Bella's Cross...on yellow, lined paper

We lay our sorrows at His feet
He cares for us

In our strife and our defeat
He matures us

So we lift our white flag
And surrender it all to Him
For the sake of becoming

We lay it all down
At the foot of the cross

3.30.12
By Isabella
(Inspired by the song White Flag by Chris Tomlin from Passion 2012)

Finding Joy

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The thunder rumbles through the sky the way I would imagine the empty belly of a giant would sound. The rainfall goes between big, loud, fat raindrops and petite sprinkles through the leaves of the many trees that adorn the landscape.

The sound is intoxicating. This must be what peace sounds like.

As I sit in my sister-in-law’s beautiful mountain home that she so graciously extends to us, I close my eyes while listening to the thunder echo through the valleys and off of the granite mountain. Flashes of light dance through the afternoon sky. Nature’s symphony has begun and soon the frogs and crickets will join in tune.

This has been such a timely and wonderful retreat from the never-ending noise of the city.

While signs of new life are bursting open everywhere, petals are already falling from the Yoshino cherry trees and sticking to the ground. It’s a masterpiece.

This has been the perfect way to prepare for Easter by turning my attention from the everyday to the everlasting.

I have several photos to share with you from the past few days. Enjoy!

Footprints through the pollinated porch
by Joy Cannis

The rain is washing away the sneezes
by Joy Cannis

I would say this tree is firmly planted
by Joy Cannis

Throwing Rocks in the Creek
by Joy Cannis

The Bridge Over the Creek
by Joy Cannis

River Accessories
by Joy Cannis

Let them be Boys
by Joy Cannis

Wash Day at the Fire Station
by Joy Cannis

If I were entering a contest, this would be my submission

Serenity
by Joy Cannis

Do any of these photos evoke memories of your childhood or calm an anxious mind…even if just for a moment?
I would love to hear your thoughts.

Snakes, snails and puppy dog’s tails

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Four years ago, today, our youngest son was born.

The pregnancy started with tears and confusion, wondering how I could possibly be in that small percentage of women who actually get pregnant while on birth control. After all, less than a year before, God had blessed us with a beautiful son.

I wanted this baby. I just wasn’t sure about God’s timing. What would it mean for the baby that I was on birth control for the first 2-3 months after conception?

“Lord, how am I going to do this?” was my first thought.

The very next thought, “I feel like I just got my body back! I don’t want to get fat again!”

It never fails, I turn into the rebellious teen, throwing a tantrum. Because after all, it’s all about me. Isn’t it?

Here’s the deal. I am selfish.

When left to my own devices, I am self absorbed, egotistical, self-centered, opportunistic, self-serving, inconsiderate….and the list doesn’t stop there! It could go on and on and on.

However, all of that can change, IF, before my feet hit the floor in the morning, I will say these seven words “God, I invite you into my day.”

You may be thinking, “One doesn’t invite God into their day. He is already there.” Well friend, not for me. I mean, yes, of course He’s there. But if I am not intentional about requesting His input in even the smallest of daily details, I won’t notice His presence and I’ll screw it all up.

His ways are not my ways. The process He uses to bring things to fruition is far beyond anything that I am capable of doing.

Just when I thought I had been broken and repaired more times than necessary, the One creating the masterpiece, gently led me into another season of silence. 

This pregnancy would bring with it more challenges than I, as an individual and Chris and I, as a couple have ever had to face. I had several health issues surface that led to surgery, preterm labor, bed rest and the high risk wing of the hospital. We became part of the unemployed and uninsured when the economy tanked. Our daughter and oldest son became seriously ill (at different times) and were hospitalized during the span of about 6 months. 

“Where was God?“

He was there.

In the midst of all the uncertainties, He was there, He had a plan and He was not surprised by any of the outcomes.

At times, in His silence, His presence is unmistakable. 
 
Our adored baby boy arrived almost 4 weeks early, weighing in at a whopping 7 lbs 15 oz. He was the biggest preemie in the NICU

I now have this beautiful scar on my belly. A constant reminder that God’s plan is perfect. If it had been left up to me, nothing would have happened the way it did and I would have forfeited the blessings.

It would take thousands of words to adequately explain what I have learned, the ways I have grown, the changes in perspective and priorities, the multitude of blessings and the beauty of the everyday, that have come with my youngest son’s birth.

I cannot imagine my life without this remarkable child.

It’s easy to say now that;
I wish I had enjoyed each moment and not worried so much. 
I wish I had trusted the maker of the universe.
I wish I had listened more to the Father’s assurance and inquired less about “why?”
I wish I had been a much better example of “faith in action” to others.
However, I am so, so grateful for others who were the hands of feet of Christ for our family.

My baby boy is 4 years old today. It goes by fast. Much like blinking, really. Old people used to say things like that when I was quite a bit younger. I thought they were silly. Now I see the wisdom in their words, while realizing that they weren’t so old after all.

Happy Birthday to my Precious One, whom I love and am so incredibly proud of. He is the perfect example of an undeserved gift. The kind that only God, in His amazing grace and mercy, can give. I am so grateful. And though completely undeserving, we are beyond blessed.

I have a confession to make

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I am a believer and follower of Christ.
I have never exercised the discipline of giving up an indulgence in 
recognition of the days leading up to my Saviors last days on earth (Lent).
When praying about my character defects and having the willingness to relinquish them, 
the following came to me rather quickly.
1. I indulge myself in the approval of others. 
2. I don’t pray very well. and 
3. I want to see beauty in my physical imperfections, 
accepting that there is no such thing as perfection on this earth.
So, here it is. 
My simple prayer asking my Savior to strip me of ego 
as I meet Him in the stillness that only He can provide.
My youngest at 2 years old
“Father, please teach me how to pray.
Please forgive me when I insult the work of Your hands.
Please forgive my foolish pride that longs for the approval of others.
That which does not satisfy and is quickly fleeting.
May all that I am and all that I know come from You, my Creator.I want to see the masterpiece.
Please show me, in a tangible way, what I am to You.

May I rest in Your arms, like a child with his mother, safe, peaceful and at one.
May I trust that what You say in Your word is true
and Father, when I doubt,
please quickly redirect my thinking.

I am but a weak and feeble version of Your splendor.
Help me remember that I am a child of the King

and one day I will shed this earthly suit.
That which will replace it is something that my mind cannot comprehend,
but I know that it will be my first encounter with perfection.Lord, while on this earth,

please use me up for Your glory
and may all of the credit be Yours as an example of
Your unwavering faithfulness, mercy and love.”
In Your name I pray…
Amen