Now that's LEADERSHIP!

In my daily bible reading, I'm struck by a rather surprising yet beautiful "behind the scenes" look into Moses character. Yes Moses... the GREAT leader chosen to lead over a million Israelites out of Egypt to the Promised Land. Not an easy task for any great leader!! I wonder how Obama, Harper, Lincoln, Jefferson, Clinton, the Queen, etc... would do given that many people on camels, donkeys and their own feet through a desert to an unknown place. Can you imagine?? No maps, no phones, emails, gps, no microphones, no idea of where and when they will arrive??? Come on... you gotta admit... Moses was not GOOD He was GREAT! Really. Sure he had issues we all do, but what a task God used this man to accomplish! What an honor to be used by God but even more than that to have such an intimate relationship with Almighty God. I believe there a are 2 reasons that made Moses such a great leader, one is his humility. When we are truly humble we desire to give God all the glory realizing our rightful place. Humility reminds us that it's not all about us... but rather God and others. Our society seems to be on a drought of humility these days. Sad but true. Second was his incredible relationship with God. He spoke with God constantly, listened to Him, moved when He said, taught the people His laws, pleaded with God and reveled in His majesty. Moses got it. He realized that life was a relationship with God.
So what was the surprising yet beautiful glimpse I read? Was it "Now Moses was very humble. More humble than all the people on the earth?" (Numbers 12:3) No. Was it God declaring to his own brother and sister about Moses that "He is the most faithful in all My house. I speak with him face to face. He sees the form of the Lord." (Numbers 12:7.8) No. Although those are both goodies I've come across before. Today it is when the people have a dilemma about a situation they didn't have a rule for they came to Moses (Numbers 9:6,7) And this being a new one to Moses he responds with, " And Moses said to them, 'Stand still, that I may hear what the LORD will command concerning you." (Numbers 9:8) And the next verse shows God speaking to Moses on this issue. I LOVE Moses saying, " Good question... Let me just go check with God." Two things are beautiful to me. 1. He was humble enough to say, "I don't have the answer despite being their leader, but that God had it." 2. He walks and talks with God so readily it's as if he's stopping by his Father's house or giving him a call on the way home from work to just ask His advice.

My self examination of God's word that pierces my heart today, "Do I lead with such humility?" and "Is my first response to always go to Him right away for the answer. Even in front of all the people?"

Lord, 'tis you I desire to honor, listen and obey. Have your way in me that I may lead according to your standards, not this world's. I don't care if they call me Crazy. May my heart ooze a sincere humility and may this world know that I live and move and walk and talk and have my being in you and with you all the days of my life.

Yours,

C

World Wide & Webbed

Reading the tower of Babel and reflecting how God had made humans in his image and that is a powerful thought. At the beginning of time we came together thinking/dreaming as we often do... "Let's build a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens and make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered around the whole world. " (Gen 11:4) We laugh but perhaps if everyone of us on earth were united with one voice and one interest we too would collectively try a project of similar curiosity and intrigue wanting fame. Keep in mind they didn't have space shuttles, planes, telescopes or satellites to inform them of how small we really are next to God. How pointless and meaningless it would be to continue to try and build a tower that reached to the heavens?? So God confuses their languages and hence the city ceases building as they can't understand each other.

As I'm thinking of this the Lord begins to dialogue with me. "Humans are again back to trying to build the tower of Babel, except it looks different. You are uniting with that one voice again now in which the whole world communicates through. The World Wide Web. And although it can be used for good things, it is indeed a web the enemy has spun around his prey. For the world will not do away with it now. Think of how much you use it? You take it for granted but it's used constantly now. And the enemy is crafty Carrie. He's not stupid... be careful, be on guard. You see he's spinning this web all around the world and people don't even know they're caught in it. It's invisible. And yet think of a spider's web in which I taught you about in Turkey with Roger. They use it in their carpets because it is the strongest silk known to man." I remembered. I couldn't believe it when they told me that it seems so deceptive knowing I could destroy a little web easily, but sure enough it was true."

As I thought on this new revelation I was dumbfounded. It's so true. I enjoy the resource of the world wide web but it's become a necessity to our world now. The lust, money, lies, political country exchanges, the betrayals, scams, etc.... at our fingertips... by the push of a button, instantly across the world. Wow... and to think how quickly it has come to be? Is our foundation really webbed??

I share this with you simply to remind you that our hope is in our LORD and Him alone. He will yet win the battle against the enemy but that we are interesting times. Quite frankly I don't need to figure out the exact time of Christ's AWESOME return.... I just want to be ready. I want to be where God's working and focused on right now. I don't want to try to resurrect my own ministry and then ask God to bless it ... I would rather Him show me where His spotlight is mightily at work and BEG Him to join in... He is God. He protects His children because He's the greatest Father of all. We will yet be with Him, but He warns us too while in this world to be mindful and wise of the times we are in. Be ready. Read it for yourself and be encouraged!! We are on the winning side, so let's give ourselves in this world fully to our King!!
Matthew 24:36-47 (Read it. :) )

p.s And you wonder why I love reading scripture and talking to God so much??? Is there anything greater when HE is your teacher? REALLY??!!!

Personal Reflection from Wed Night Youth

Wed night youth was powerful! Powerful in that we hosted a place in rest, solitude, reflection, confession and encouragement, prayers, songs, and reading His word with all our leaders and Sr. Highs up in the very top of the sanctuary seated on the floor in a huge circle around the cross with our candles that represented our souls, some brightly burning some dark and cold. It was out of obedience that we ended up there as God was speaking to my heart to discard my own agenda for Wed night and rather do what He was asking me to do. In obedience I have found great fullness in life and this would be no exception. We didn't know all of what to expect but as leaders we prayed and sought the Lord's Spirit to draw those that would come and hence an email call I sent out to those that were serious. Serious about LIFE. Not games and entertainment... man you can go anywhere in our city to get that, but rather the deeper truths of life. The response still dumbfounds me. I am overwhelmed with how many He is indeed working in and through.

There is no denying God's Spirit was felt strongly. From the countless tears, ministry overflow, even emails and the many that wrote their names in my prayer journal that evening are only scratching the surface. One of my leaders went home that night and was stirred to spend more time with God in His word and wrote this in his email, "it was a powerful night, and Carrie you were right the breeze of the Spirit swept through that room last night in the moment. It was Real, and the light of Jesus shone bright. It lifted most of us up, saturating us in LOVE. It lifted me up."

I say this to set the stage to what God continued to do in my own heart. That night I continued to feel and sense God moving in certain individuals that I couldn't get to but openly confessed to Roger. So cool to see these people continue to email or follow up simply listening His voice even days after! I couldn't get to sleep until 2:20am... I was so moved in the Spirit it was as if this burning power was at work in me. I felt as if I could run a marathon. After we cleaned up that evening I could sense God telling me to leave the cross there and that I could get it tomorrow.

I awoke so refreshed in the Spirit despite a few hours of sleep and took my bible, and prayer journal with these names I wanted to bring before the Lord. We talked about them all and reflected on things I could see God doing in them last night. Then I read, Exodus 40:36 in my own personal study. It says, "In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, the would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out until the day it lifted." The cloud represented God and these people realized the absolute dependency on HIS PRESENCE... so much that they would stay as long as HE stayed. I started to ponder this thought with ministry and what happened last night? God literally called me to change it all on Monday, but trusting, relying and depending on His Spirit. Do I ruthlessly pursue His presence above all. Will I wait with our entire troop as their leader to know that the cloud has not lifted? Do I WAIT on the Lord... Do I let Him lead, no strings attached, no agenda of my own.. but rather host a place for His glory and presence to fall?? You see that is where the witness of Almighty God needs no introduction??? His presence is undeniable... supernatural... to a believer or non!

I began to let Him stir my heart even more. And with tears I knew I needed to go back to the cross we sat around last night, and with this book of names and just THANK HIM... so I did just that.

Got in my car and completely focused went to the highest point in our sanctuary where the cross stood resurrected. I was praying no one would come into my path simply in that I didn't want to be distracted or take away from this sense of His presence I could feel burning in me.

As I got to the last fleet of stairs with my prayer journal, (1800 vacant sanctuary seats) I see an empty offering bowl at the bottom of the stairs. The Lord has me pick it up and open my prayer journal to the place with all their names placing it in the bowl. I then carry it up the stairs. I get to the top where He desires me to take my shoes off. It is a delight for me to honor Him in this for I felt as if this was had remained a holy place.

I kneel before the cross, setting down my offering. I look around the space reminded of how full it was with students and thinking of all God was doing here. Then I started to cry. Tears strolled down my cheeks as I began to simply thank Him for His presence. For what He is doing in these young people.

Then he had me look at the names in my book. "Carrie this is your offering to me... this is what I desire. See how each name is handwritten so differently... each is unique. EACH is a SOUL to me... so PRICELESS IN VALUE. " I started to weep more. "Carrie, I love each one of these SO MUCH and now I want you to begin to carry them with this fervency before me. I will cause your heart to love each of them deeply." I began to run my finger over each name. There was a name tag that had fallen off way down on the stairs, He moved my heart to go get it. I looked and she hadn't written her name in my book, but again realizing that God had her... He wanted her. Wow. So I stuck the label in my book."

Then I began to think of the scripture how Paul said to one of his churches, "You are written on my heart" and "that they were His crown to God." His offering?? Wow... How He was teaching me in this moment. Then He had me lie down at the foot of the cross and take the open book of names and lie it across my chest. Again reminded how the Priest would have the names of the tribes of Israel written across His chest close to His heart. Oh I cried more.

I did have the thought... if someone came up and saw me I might freak them out?? Then I dismissed that quickly to realize that "THIS IS MINISTRY" TRUE MINISTRY that God himself was teaching me. As I lied there I talked to Him for another hour and He gave an amazing vision that I will hold on to forever. I shared it with Roger but will refrain at this time of going into it. Afterwards my heart was flooded with a peace despite my eyes swollen and red.

I then took up the cross literally. Carried it down the stairs all the way back to my office and was reminded that I will indeed, all the days of my life, to pick up my cross and follow the ONLY hero in this life... JESUS CHRIST.

"Lord, even in this moment, my prayer is that you will continue to teach me what you desire YOUR Pastor to be. TEACH me O Lord to lead YOUR people YOUR way. Help me to listen and obey, to rest in your presence and move when you move. Forgive me for not treasuring each of these young people's soul as you do. Let my heart continue to burn with a jealous love for these you have given me. That they would begin to taste and see for themselves the richness of your love. Your love is better than life!!" (Psalm 63:3)