Misunderstood



      This tiny mouse was on my back porch two days ago. He was so small that he could barely walk- he sort of hobbled along. In a vain attempt to rescue him, I warmed up a little bit of milk and set it out by him in a tiny tupperware lid. He ran away.
      For an hour, my cat watched the window and licked her lips, the adorable mouse scouring the porch for something to eat. All along, I felt absolutely helpless. If he wouldn't accept my help, how would he ever find his way back into the woods?
      I called my mother at work, who said that she would be coming home soon anyway- I decided that she would figure out what to do, for sure.
      After leaving and then returning again, I heard via my brother the sad story of the pitiful mouse. My mother had attempted to save him by picking him up and carrying him down to our backyard, but he had run away from her and fallen through the cracks of our deck to the cement nine feet below. After a period of recovery, he disappeared.
      We are unsure of his fate.
      *Cue tragic credits music*
      Really, though, it was a sad sight to behold. All I wanted to do was help the poor thing, and he ran away from me. Sadder still, he reminded me of myself. 
      
      Lauren, darling, won't you please pray for awhile? I want to bring rest to your weary soul.
      Pray? I'm too tired to pray. 
      Please, dear, just give a little bit extra in church today. I'll bless you more abundantly than you can imagine. 
      I can't afford to give any extra this week. Sorry. 
      Smile at that man across the cereal aisle, Lauren. He needs some cheering up. 
      What if he gets the wrong idea? There's no way that You're asking me to do that. I must be imagining things.

      God tries to bless me every day in more ways than I can count, but all too often I ignore Him, trying to make it through life on my own. And sometimes, like this past week, I fall flat on my face after attempting to live in my own strength.
      Christianity takes a good deal of trust and a heavy dose of surrender, and unless we're willing to give those to our Creator, He can't help us. We're bound for the cement below the cracks.

"Let him not deceive himself by trusting what is worthless, for he will get nothing in return." Job 15:31

"But I trust in You, O Lord; I say, 'You are my God.'" Psalm 31:14
     
     

Out of Place



      "So...that's why my favorite teddy bear Snickles is like...Jesus..."
      I stood in the tiny summer camp classroom, three teen guys staring up at me with blank looks on their bewildered faces.
      Well, that was one of the most humiliating experiences of my summer...I thought as I drove away from the school building.
      I had been expecting to teach a fun devotion to some eager-to-learn kids, not be stared down by some hardened teenagers. Somehow, even though I had known that I was going to be teaching middle-schoolers, I assumed that they were going to be like every other middle-schooler I had met. Boy, was I wrong. The summer camp was for kids whose parents couldn't afford other summer adventures or wanted to get rid of them for the day- not exactly the sorts of kids that I'm used to.
     While I definitely learned some things from my interesting experience that warm summer morning, I was sure of one thing: I never wanted to go back. I had been completely out of place.
      On the other hand, I performed at a nursing home yesterday. My hour and twenty minutes of ragtime, classical piano, singing and hymns brought joy to each resident. The coordinator was wishing me well when she looked over at one of the residents.
      "Oh, she's smiling! She never smiles. You must've been really great!" she assured me.
      I had felt painfully uncomfortable with the teens at the day camp, yet elderly folks made me feel right at home. Sound strange? Let me explain what I've learned.
      Jesus has a perfect place for each of us in the body of Christ. That place is specific, unique, and tailor-made just for us. Once we fill our place, it's like the final puzzle piece being pushed into position. One of the ways that we can know what we're destined to do on this earth is by examining our daily situations- do I feel like I'm right where I belong, or do I want to run away screaming and hide in a hole? (It's an accurate test every time, believe me.)
      This is not to say that God won't place us in awkward situations to teach us things, but I believe that when we find our destiny, at least for the time being, we will always feel that we belong.


"And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way." Ephesians 1:22-23
   

Welcome!

   Thanks for visiting our blog. This is our 100th post! 99 posts into our first location, we decided to give our blog a new Blogspot location and a whole new design. After over a month of preparation, we have finally finished the updated, fresh look of our new web address! (walkinhislight.blogspot.com) We plan to have weekly book reviews, monthly guest authors, and more.
      It is our hope that through this blog, your life with Christ will be strengthened. In our own relationships with Him, we have been learning to trust Him, follow where He leads, and learn from everything we experience. What you'll find here are honest, day-to-day accounts of how we learn from God through all that we encounter.
     Hope you'll continue to visit us on our walk in the light!
                                                                              Your Sisters in Christ,
                                                                                     Lindsey & Lauren