Guide me through Your Word
to find the roadsigns to Your will,
"How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!" Psalm 139: 17
blend my thoughts and Yours
until we take the right path together . . .
"Every prudent man acts out of knowledge,
but a fool exposes his folly." Proverbs 13:16
Help me to act out of knowledge,
but not allow myself to be paralyzed
by the fear of folly unveiled . . .
"Be very careful, then, how you live—
not as unwise but as wise,
making the most of every opportunity." Ephesians 5:15-16
That's always been the goal,
a balance of caution and adventure
to seize every opportunity
to love others like You love me,
"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders;
make the most of every opportunity.
Let your conversation be always full of grace,
seasoned with salt, so that you may know
how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:5-6
I've always loved bringing out the best flavor of others,
and isn't that the true meaning of being the salt of the earth . . .
"Epaphras, who is one of you
and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings.
He is always wrestling in prayer for you,
that you may stand firm in all the will of God,
mature and fully assured.
I vouch for him that he is working hard for you." Colossians 4:12-13
What an opportunity: To be an "Epaphrus"
for an amazing group of kingdom-bringers,
to make their jobs a little easier,
to lighten their loads, so they can do even more for You . . .
"Carry each other's burdens,
and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2
You and I've both noticed lately
that it's getting harder to bring Your kingdom
and still submit to the authorities at my school . . .
"Consequently, he who rebels against the authority
is rebelling against what God has instituted,
and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves." Romans 13:2
But I've always loved the thrill of the front lines
the risk, the secret victories, the spy within,
the small light breaking through the darkness
loving these kids through the day
hoping it gets them through the night . . .
"Each man will be like a shelter from the wind
and a refuge from the storm,
like streams of water in the desert
and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land." Isaiah 32:2
Maybe rather than fearing what's ahead,
I should look back on the path behind me
and pay attention to which path seems
like the one You've been preparing me for . . .
"But David said to Saul,
'Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep.
When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock,
I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth.
When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.
Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear;
this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them."1 Samuel 17 : 34-36
Maybe teaching was the shepherd job . . .
it doesn't mean David didn't love his sheep
when he decided to follow Your will
with his scrawny little self and a slingshot
and that's pretty equal to what I bring to the table
which is to say a little knack for storytelling
and a passion for pointing others toward You . . .
"If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing,
he deceives himself." Galatians 6:3
But what if David had not looked up from his sheep?
After all, if he dropped the ball, would the flock even notice?
Israel on the other hand was another story.
What if he saw the need, but had no confidence,
no faith in himself, or more importantly in You . . .
"For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb;
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139: 13-14
Is doubting myself just a self-pitied way of doubting You?
"In the same way, let your light shine before men,
that they may see your good deeds
and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew5:16
Am I holding tight to gifts You gave
only to keep them from what You truly had in mind all along?
I've asked for signs, but that's not always the way You roll
and I have one more day
to listen to more of your whispers
I'm still listening . . .
and thank You
for teaching me the value
of an intimate whisper
"I think God still whispers in the ears of a lot of artists, urging us to write, sing, play, act, paint, draw, and perform all to his glory. Instead of quitting, let's faithfully steward the gifts and abilities God has so graciously given us." Rory Noland, Thriving as an Artist in the Church (68)
"Even if you run ahead of God, He'll find you."
Dalene Stuteville, superfriend, superwriter, supermom, superwoman of God
"The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." 1 John 2:17
"The church is the hope of the world. Serving God in the local church is a high and noble calling. We need artists in the church today who have a passion for the power of the arts . . . When God anoints the arts, there is an awesome power that he unleashes to penetrate hearts, minds, and souls. We of all people should never lose sight of how powerful the arts can be in the church."
Rory Noland, The Heart of the Artist
that it's getting harder to bring Your kingdom
and still submit to the authorities at my school . . .
"Consequently, he who rebels against the authority
is rebelling against what God has instituted,
and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves." Romans 13:2
But I've always loved the thrill of the front lines
the risk, the secret victories, the spy within,
the small light breaking through the darkness
loving these kids through the day
hoping it gets them through the night . . .
"Each man will be like a shelter from the wind
and a refuge from the storm,
like streams of water in the desert
and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land." Isaiah 32:2
Maybe rather than fearing what's ahead,
I should look back on the path behind me
and pay attention to which path seems
like the one You've been preparing me for . . .
"But David said to Saul,
'Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep.
When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock,
I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth.
When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.
Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear;
this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them."1 Samuel 17 : 34-36
Maybe teaching was the shepherd job . . .
it doesn't mean David didn't love his sheep
when he decided to follow Your will
with his scrawny little self and a slingshot
and that's pretty equal to what I bring to the table
which is to say a little knack for storytelling
and a passion for pointing others toward You . . .
"If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing,
he deceives himself." Galatians 6:3
But what if David had not looked up from his sheep?
After all, if he dropped the ball, would the flock even notice?
Israel on the other hand was another story.
What if he saw the need, but had no confidence,
no faith in himself, or more importantly in You . . .
"For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb;
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139: 13-14
Is doubting myself just a self-pitied way of doubting You?
"In the same way, let your light shine before men,
that they may see your good deeds
and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew5:16
Am I holding tight to gifts You gave
only to keep them from what You truly had in mind all along?
I've asked for signs, but that's not always the way You roll
and I have one more day
to listen to more of your whispers
I'm still listening . . .
and thank You
for teaching me the value
of an intimate whisper
"I think God still whispers in the ears of a lot of artists, urging us to write, sing, play, act, paint, draw, and perform all to his glory. Instead of quitting, let's faithfully steward the gifts and abilities God has so graciously given us." Rory Noland, Thriving as an Artist in the Church (68)
"Even if you run ahead of God, He'll find you."
Dalene Stuteville, superfriend, superwriter, supermom, superwoman of God
"The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." 1 John 2:17
"The church is the hope of the world. Serving God in the local church is a high and noble calling. We need artists in the church today who have a passion for the power of the arts . . . When God anoints the arts, there is an awesome power that he unleashes to penetrate hearts, minds, and souls. We of all people should never lose sight of how powerful the arts can be in the church."
Rory Noland, The Heart of the Artist
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