Saturday, August 23, 2008

Rain

My grandma sent this to me in an e-mail today, and it really touched me. Just another example of how life should be lived through the eyes of an innocent child...

A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Target. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful freckle faced image of innocence.
It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout.
We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of Target. We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day.

I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in "Mom let's run through the rain," she said.

'What?' Mom asked.

'Lets run through the rain!' She repeated.

'No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit,' Mom replied.

This young child waited about another minute and repeated:

"Mom, let's run through the rain."
"We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said.

'No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning,' the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.

This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet? "Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!'"

The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain.. We all stood silently No one came or left in the next few minutes.
Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say.
Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.

"Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD
let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said.

Then off they ran.
We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like
children all way to their cars.
And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...
So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday.
To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.


Do you need washing? Are you making everyday a memory? Are you living life to the fullest, as if it were your last die? Loving as if everything life depends on it?

I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Living Life Through Prayer

Last week threw me for a huge loop. I have a friend right now, who is in the hospital basically fighting for her life.
I also started school and I am slowly learning that this year is going to be a very hard one. Not only academically, but as far as people go. I also had little things that were crazy, like failing my drivers test...

The thing that really threw me for a loop about the week was that, I wasn't stressed at all. I wasn't worried or scared.
I was satisfied. I knew deep in my heart that God was enough. I found myself constantly PRAYING.

Why is prayer so hard for us? We have the opportunity to speak to and have an authentic relationship with the creater of the universe, and we take it for granted. We only pray when we need things or when things go wrong and then we never give it a second thought. This week I experienced life lived through prayer. I experienced life the way it was truly meant to be lived. Even through community as well.

The situation with the girl I know in the hospital, Jake, affected sooo many people. God ended up using that horrible situation as such a blessing. There have been so many people who have found the Lord through this, her mom included. God has answered so many prayers and it has really just shown us how big He is and that we always need to trust in Him. We have also all experienced COMMUNITY the way it's supposed to be. We had a few prayer vigils for her and just the unity in those places and the presence of God...it was incredibly moving and amazing.

This week, I want to challange you to do a few things. First off, PRAY. We need prayer. We need that intimate time with our Father like we need air or food! It will fulfill us and satisfy us!
Also try to BREATHE this week. Last week, it was hard for us to just take the time and breathe and just let the Lord speak to you. Just listen to what He is saying to you and also find some time to yourself. It can really do you some good.
Lastly, try to meet a new person. For me, I hardly have any classes with my friends, so it has been hard. But I have also met a lot of new people and it is also a great opportunity for me to love others.

Just become consumed by God this week. Try to breathe, pray, give God your time because sometimes life can get so crazy, we even forget that He is always listening and can always take on our burdens and stress, no matter how big or small. JUST LIVE LIFE. The way it's suppose to be lived.

Peace
Liz

p.s. PLEASE PRAY FOR JAKE. She is improving everyday, but really still needs our prayers. Pray for her heath and that God would heal her and recover her body. Pray for the doctors and nurses and the people who are trying to save her life. Just that God will give them the wisdom and the will to keep trying to save her no matter what. Pray for her mom and family and close friends that they will never lose hope in the Lord and that they will not become discouraged. And just pray for anything else that is on your heart involving this situation. God is bigger than we can understand. He will always bless us through the pain. We need to trust Him.
Thank you.

Friday, August 8, 2008

Forgiveness...Why is it so hard?

The other day, I was watching television with my sister and this documentary came on TLC. It was about this little boy, 7 years old who lived in Uganda, who had a condition in which his head was cone shaped and his eyes were almost bulging out of his head (I didn't see enough of it to get the name of the condition).

His whole town pretty much disowned him. They rideculed him, made fun of him. He had to leave his school because the kids would torment him so much and even the TEACHERS would ignore him and exclude him. Well, long story short, an American doctor offered to perform plastic surgery on him to fix his features. When he came home, the whole village had a huge celebration for him. Everyone wanted to be around him. He was the most popular kid in his school. He was basically a celebrity in his village. So, not only did were they horrible to him when he was disfigured, but when he came home, they only accepted him because he looked like they did.
And you know what he said? "I know that I have to forgive the people in my village. And I have."

7 YEARS OLD, and he understands forgiveness more than we do.

We are the "Christians". Aren't we supposed to know more about forgiveness than a young boy?

Why is it that a little boy can forgive his entire village, the people that made fun of him relentlessly and forced him to leave his school and his country until he changed his APPEARANCE, but we can't forgive our neighbor for the smallest thing?
We hold grudges against people for the dumbest things!

We do the stupidest, meanest, most horrible things, things known as sin, and Jesus forgives us for ALL of it.
If we call ourselves Christians, followers of Christ, shouldn't we be showing the same love and mercy, or at least try as hard as we can to?
Yeah, it's inconveinent. Yeah, it's hard. But if a little boy can do it, who perhaps has never heard the gospel, why can't we?
Why is it so hard?

Challenge yourself. Become AWARE. If it is inconveinent...then you should probably do it.

Peace
Liz

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Community

Tonight we got a taste of communtiy. We are really starting to understand and hold onto the idea of making a community that equals freedom. We are starting to understand how important vulnerability is and why taking off the mask...getting rid of the fake smile and pulling your arm down is so important.
You can't give love if you aren't accpeting it. We are starting to understand how important it is to have a solid community. A community that can be God in a physical sense, holding you up...pulling you out of the ditches in life and just living their life to be there for others.

It's a beautiful thing to be apart of and I can't even understand why other churches are supporting the masks. Why they are afraid of the vulnerability. Why? Because, it's awkward? Because it's inconveinent? Because it's uncomfortable? Those things are during those MOMENTS. They aren't going to last. Why not endure those moments of awkwardness and inconveinence to be apart of authentic community? to help someone who is struggling? Who is willing to say "Hey. I'm DONE with not living life. I'm done with the ordinary. I'm done with keeping you at arms length and having to say I'm doing great, when in reality I feel like I'm falling apart."?
WHY DO CHURCHES IGNORE VULNERABILITY? SUFFERING? BROKEN-NESS?

I feel extrodinarailly blessed to be apart of my community....

I pray that this continues and that it only gets better. That we actually start having conversations and getting to know the girl who came every week for four months and NO ONE talked to her...or at least learn her name and say we are happy to see her.

Just pray. God really is big enough. He really does do extraordinary things. BE AWARE. Open your eyes. Learn. Live.

Peace
Liz

P.s. Relevance people! Or whoever cares! This is my number:636-233-8102
I do not have unlimited texting (I'm working on it!) so don't text just asking What's up. haha.
But if you need someone to talk to or if you have any cool ideas for the upcoming year at the Realm or anything like that just text or call me. :)
I'm not big on the whole talking on the phone thing...but I will still gladly talk to you on the phone. Especially if you are just going through something. Don't hesitate...really.

My email is also lizzardsr10@yahoo.com
I check it everyday...and mostly everyone has my Facebook.
Yeahh. Cool! Just talk to me. About anything (I'm not joking...ANYTHING!). We will get coffee...or whatever.
Peace!

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Dreams

Yesterday morning I went to church for a meeting on what we wanted to see happen at the Realm...trying to get creative in the changes that could happen there.

If I'm being honest, I was disappointed in myself. I feel like I was still inside the box. I feel as though I wasn't thinking about the Realm or the community...I was focused on preferences. I wasn't dreaming big enough. I was thinking small.

God created us with these huge minds and these huge imaginations. He gave those to us so we could think big, creatively, outside the box...not so we could think small.

I have a dream of starting a club in my school called "Love is the Movement". I think that it would be a good way for students at our school to gain encouragement and to seek recovery from whatever is going on in their lives. Everyone is broken...I wanna bring that to attention at my school. I wanna start a love movement and revolution in my school. I want kids to feel as though they are loved. To know that they can truly be accepted. WE NEED THAT IN OUR SCHOOL. There are so many kids in my school who are struggling, who are in pain, who are broken and they may never receive love or encouragement from anywhere else. I want this to become a reality...

If I am being vulnerable...I don't believe in myself enough to see this happening. I am praying that I can start to believe in my dreams. I should be because I believe in God. I know that I can do all things through Him. I need to believe that. WE need to believe that.

Begin to pray that God will allow you to use the imagination and the mind He blessed you with. Start to think outside the box. Start to believe in yourself.

Let's help create a generation of dreamers.

Peace
Liz

Friday, August 1, 2008

So Sweet...

"Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up,
so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer.
Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on in.
Love makes up for practically everything.- 1 Peter 4:8 (The Message)

Uhhhh...I love this. A lot.
Like...I am getting goosebumps and my stomach is in my throat.
I love how God's word is the most beautiful written thing in the world...

This is where I am finding my encouragement lately.

I just thought I would share this verse, because when I read it my face was ripped off. And I kinda cried a little. Haha.

Where is your encouragement coming from?
Be encouraged this week. And smile.
This is a random thought...but I know that when I get a smile from a stranger it makes me feel so awesome. So, smile! Make someone feel awesome! :)

Peace
Liz

Thursday, July 31, 2008

465

I have 465 friends on Facebook.
Even more than that on Myspace and I am wondering to myself, "How many of those people, the people I know and see almost everyday, are suffering? How many of these people are experiencing real pain, and I just ignore them?"

God has surrounded me with all these people. He has given me a passion for these people for a reason and I just am wondering if I am truely living my life for them. Am I truely loving them without agendas and loving them even when it's inconveinient? I have the opportunity to be a glimpse of Jesus to them. I have the opportunity to love them when they feel as though they have nobody else.

I want to be that person for them. I am going to live me life FOR those people. Not just the people on Facebook, but the strangers I come into contact with. This summer was the summer was incredible and I felt God everywhere. I went to Mexico and got to love people without even thinking about it. I want that to be my reality. I want that to be OUR reality.
Let's do it together. Make this coming school year count.
I know I'm actually excited about school!

465 people. Plus the trillion others in my school. I'm gonna love them.

Peace
Liz

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Thanks

Be sure to thank God for the people He has placed in your life.
When I think about the community He has surrounded me with and the people that have influenced my life...it reminds me of how good God is.

I have so many amazing people in my life. So many people that have been there for me through everything. So many people who have taught me so much and who have had countless conversations with me. So many people who have prayed with me and for me and who always have my back...who always love me.

Thank you so much...you know who you are.

Just thank God for those amazing people in your life...and then thank those people.
They were put in your life for a reason.

Peace
Liz

Monday, July 28, 2008

What's It Going To Take?

I'm sitting in my room at 2:45AM and I can't stop thinking.
I can't stop thinking about the people I saw today. The honest eyes I stared into and the cries for help I may have ignored.
I can't stop thinking about the upcoming school year and my excitement...but also my worry. My worry that I won't take advantage of God's gifts to me...the opportunities He will give me. I am worried that I won't love like I did in Mexico and the bucket of cold water has been hitting me since I stepped off the bus coming home from the most life changing trip.
I'm worried that Mexico is an extension of life...but then everyday I spend here in Missouri...in my comfort zone, won't be.
I can't stop thinking about my passion for people and how much LOVE is going to change my life and change the world.

I can't stop thinking about the conversations I have had lately. The community God has surrounded me with and the support and love I have just been drowning in.

I can't stop thinking about that old woman's eyes...gratitude...love. I can't stop thinking about how I SAW A GLIMPSE OF WHAT LIFE IS SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE. I saw beauty in it's finest. I saw love like never before. I saw joy like never before. I saw community like never before. I saw God reveal Himself CONSTANTLY and I have to wonder...WHAT IS IS GOING TO TAKE?
What's it going to take for my life here to be like it was in Mexico?
What's it going to take for me to love without an agenda...inconveiniently...everyday?
What's it going to take for me to feel surrounded by His love and mercy and grace?
What's it going to take for me to sit with the guy who has no friends? Or love the girl who can't stand being fake anymore? Or have a conversation with the guy who greets you at the supermarket in a wheelchair?
What's it going to take for US to make this our reality? To live life the way God intended it to be lived? WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE?

Be the difference you want to see in the world. LOVE IS THE MOVEMENT. Let's move. Let's love. Let's live.

Peace
Liz

He is jealous for me. Loves like a hurricane I am a tree. Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclisped by glory. And I realize just how beauiful you are and how great your affections are for me.

HE LOVES US. OH HOW HE LOVES US.

We are His portion and He is our prize, drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes, If grace is an ocean we're all sinking. So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss, And my heart turns violently inside of my chest, I don’t have time to maintain these regrets, When I think about, the way…

HE LOVES US. OH HOW HE LOVES US.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

I Remember.

This performance by Damien Rice is pretty much the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen.
He is so totally boss.



Enjoy.

Peace
Liz

P.S. It's my birthday! If you see me, sing! Haha...just kidding...not really.