From my email update and "Utmost"

We tend to think that if Jesus Christ compels us to do something and we are obedient to Him, He will lead us to great success. We should never have thought that our dreams of success are God’s purpose for us. In fact, His purpose may be exactly the opposite. We have the idea that God is leading us toward a particular end or a desired goal, but He is not. The questions of whether or not we arrive at a particular goal is of little importance, and reaching it becomes merely an episode along the way. What we see as only the process of reaching a particular end, God sees as the goal itself.  …It is the process, not the outcome, that is glorifying to God. God’s training is for now, not later. We have nothing to do with what will follow our obedience, and we are wrong to concern ourselves with it. What people call preparation, God sees as the goal itself.  (July 28)

…if you will allow Him to take you to the end of your self-sufficiency, then He can choose you to go with Him… And that will mean the fulfillment of purposes which He does not discuss with you.” As Christians we are not put here for our own purpose at all—we are here for the purpose of God, and the two are not the same. The most important aspect of Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain [with Him] and the surrounding influence and qualities produced by that relationship. (August 4) (Emphasis mine)

God called Jesus Christ to what seemed absolute disaster. And Jesus Christ called His disciples to see Him put to death, leading every one of them to the place where their hearts were broken. His life was an absolute failure from every standpoint except God’s. …because God’s purpose is never the same as man’s purpose. Our real test is in truly believing that God knows what He desires. The things that happen do not happen by chance—they happen entirely by the decree of God. God is sovereignly working out His own purposes. If we are in fellowship and oneness with God and we recognize that He is taking us into His purposes, then we will no longer strive to find out what His purposes are. As we grow in the Christian life, it becomes simpler to us, because we are less inclined to say, “I wonder why God allowed this or that?” And we begin to see that the compelling purpose of God lies behind everything in life, and that God is divinely shaping us into oneness with that purpose. A Christian is someone who trusts in the knowledge and the wisdom of God, not in his own abilities. If we have a purpose of our own, it destroys the simplicity and the calm, relaxed pace which should be characteristic of the children of God.” (August 5)

the Truth loves You

Jesus was saying to thsoe Jews who had believed HIm, "If you continue in my Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.

...Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.


"The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever.

"So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed."

In the above verses what does Jesus say is true about the one who commits sin? Do you see the truth of this verse manifested in society today? How?


Also according to the above verses, who is the only one who can set the slave "free indeed"?


If, as Jesus says in these verses "the truth will make you free," where is the truth to be found?


I encourage any reader, if you have the time (or will make the time), to read the verses and answer the questions. It is not long and doesn't take much depth in thought, however, it can still be insightful.

If you choose to answer them, then just pause here and answer before continuing to read...

I have a friend who often declares with great conviction that the greatest words one can ever speak to another person are "Jesus loves you." In Romaneste it is said, "Isus te iubeste", in Ewe it is, "Yesu lca wo."

The above verses and questions are taken from a Bible study entitled Having a Real Relationship with God (authored by Kay Arthur), through which I am currently working. When I answerd the last question in italics (above) "where is the truth to be found"...I thought, "It's to be found in Jesus, right?" So naturally, as I thought about the phrase "Jesus loves you", I replaced Jesus with "the Truth" as this is also who Jesus is. When I said aloud, "The Truth loves you", it almost seemed oxymoronic!

I mean, come on! Most of us hate the truth. We avoid it. We stick to our illusions and our pre-conceived notions along with our shallow daily interactions-not just with people but also with information, knowledge, work, eating habits, money and so on and so forth. For instance, if I really sat face-to-face with the truth of my eating habits at the beginnong of 2012, I would have definitely seen the truth of myself as a glutton. (Some reading this might still try to force me to stick to the illusion that I was not but that is just not the truth. I ate in excess. I ate beause I enjoyed it. I carried around 30 extra pounds as evidence. But I digress.)

So to say, "The Truth loves you" almost seems ridiculous. How about our slogan- "The truth hurts"? The truth as we know it is painful!

But maybe that's just it. We don't know the Real Truth. We don't know Jesus as the truth.

Let's go back to my 'glutton' example. The real truth is, although i enjoyed what I was eating, it was hazardous to my health and put extra, unnecessary, often painful stress on my body. It wasn't the truth that really hurt...it was the illusion that hurt; it was my choosing enjoyable yet poor eating habits.

On a much deeper level, the Real Truth, Jesus, doesn't hurt. He heals. The Truth sets people free, from addictions, from pain, from pride, from anger, from destruction. He brings peace and joy and unity and love and true humility; yet the journeys to this freedom encompassing these are not always easy.

Before I started this devotional this morning, the inquisition came, "Why would I want other people to know Jesus intimately?"

The only way I could answer this was to peer into my own life and see where God has given me an incredible relationship with my mother, whereas before we struggled to relate to each other. I saw where I was a slave to sin that unhurriedly sought to destroy me, and I experienced Jesus taking me from a devastating place of ruin and worthlessness to a place of healing and purpose. After seven years of choosing to folllow Him, I see how, even when I fall into temptation and make poor decisions for myself and my faith, HE, Jesus, the Truth, is the one who really loves me and who brings me back to a place that is best for myself and for others.

SO today I say to you reading this, "The Truth loves you. He unquestionably loves you."

Taking a break from all the plans that I have made...

Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze

If that's the measure you must take to crush the idols


Jerk the pews & all the decorations, too 

Until the congregations few, then have revival

Tell your friends that this is where the party ends 

Until you're broken for your sins, you can't be social


Then seek the Lord and wait for what He has in store 

And know that great is your reward so just be hopeful


'Cause you can sing all you want to

Yes, you can sing all you want to

You can sing all you want to

And still get it wrong;
worship is more than a song


Take a break from all the plans that you have made 

And sit at home alone and wait for God to whisper

Beg Him please to open up His mouth and speak
And pray for real upon your knees until they blister

Shine the light on every corner of your life
Until the pride and lust and lies are in the open

Then read the Word and put to test the things you've heard 

Until your heart and soul are stirred and rocked and broken


'Cause you can sing all you want to

Yes, you can sing all you want to
You can sing all you want to

And still get it wrong; worship is more than a song


We must not worship something that's not even worth it

Clear the stage, make some space for the One who deserves it


Anything I put before my God, is an idol
Anything I want with all my heart, is an idol
Anything can't stop thinking of, is an idol
Anything that I give all my love, is an idol

'Cause I can sing all I want to

Yes, I can sing all I want to
I can sing all I want to
And still get it wrong

And you can sing all you want to

Yes, you can, you can sing all you want to

You can sing all you want to

And still get it wrong; worship is more than a song
Worship is more than a song

Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze
If that's the measure you must take to crush the idols

Fighting to not be "Miss Jonah"

I'm back in the US. I got back a week ago today. It was a last minute decision to buy the ticket, but it was a long-time-coming-decision as I had been praying about what to do for a couple of months and in my gut, knew this would be the conclusion.

I don't know why I'm back. I'm told (by others) that I made a mistake or that I am making a mistake. Still others say that I am now where I should be.

In a sentence, what I "planned" to do in Ghana didn't pan out, but God still did amazing things in sports ministry and in the lives of believers in Ghana; sometimes I was a leader and sometimes I was an observer and other times I was a participant.

But even knowing and thinking of all of the incredible things God did as He worked out His own plan, something in me (selfishness, pride) makes me want to turn into a copy of Jonah.

The message of plans for work in Ghana are digitally recorded in church service, they're written out here in the blogs, and they've been shared verbally in many cities, towns and villages on three continents.

The hardest part about booking my plane ticket was the fact that things didn't work out the way I expected. That's pride to the max isn't it? 

I felt like God gave me all of these dreams and vision for Ghana and every. single. one. fell through. 

In that respect, I felt like Jonah on the boat. Because every program I was working with was ceasing, failing or going downhill, surely it was me. I was the only common thread in the different ministry efforts throughout the country. I began to pull back some and just go with what was before me rather than force anything.

Then sickness came by way of parasites. Forcing me to be still. All I could do was think, and sometimes not even that!

As the next ministry plans fell through, I knew for certain that I would be going home although I was (and still am) unsure why things must play out this way.

I didn't have to fight at first. I recognized my place, humbled as I purchased my plane ticket. But somewhere in the last few days, something has built up in me and I feel like I'm fighting to not be a female version of Jonah, mad at God because he was sent by Him on a task to declare something which would never play out because of God's great grace.

I left on a task, leaving my supporters and friends and especially family with expectations. And carrying those same expectations with me on my shoulders. And by God's grace, as it is interwoven into every detail by His nature, those expectations didn't play out, but rather He provided relevant and applicable events and lessons that would speak better into the lives of those with whom we worked.

So why is it that my insides still feel like they are fighting? God's way was better for the people.

An online commentary on Jonah describes how I feel inside...(the weak and miserable part, not the want to die part.)

"Verse 8 Next day, when the sun grew hot, God also provided a hot east wind to blow upon Jonah’s head. Jonah felt so weak and miserable, he wanted to die. Jonah’s words were like Elijah’s words in the desert. Elijah, too, had run away. But he really wanted to do God’s work, and thought he had failed (see 1 Kings 19:4)."

Although I feel like I was forced to leave Ghana, in some ways, I feel like I've run away from the ministry or from the faith. 

The last sentence- "But he really wanted to do God’s work, and thought he had failed (see 1 Kings 19:4)."    - I feel like also speaks about how I feel. The verse referenced in 1 Kings is "while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”"

I have had enough Lord. Take my life. Do what you want. Anywhere. Africa. U.S. Sports. Teaching. Only, help me to see you and not me.