Selfie 2020

It's funny what catches your eye and makes you think thoughts.

This is me. Part snow white. Part dried brown. Once lovely to look at when younger, now there's beauty in a different way.

The white snow reminds me of the Spirit working steadily to make me look more like Jesus.

You see some snow (Jesus) in me. And you see some dried flower (the carnal me) there as well.

As with this nature scene, it doesn't happen all at once. But make no mistake, it is surely happening - to you and to me.

We are changing.

And as long as we stay exposed to the Source, the Power...

we will be changing.

But bring that dried brown flower inside (draw yourself in - in to yourself) and the progress will diminish, even fade. Not opening your heart and mind to the Spirit's movement limits all the Spirit can do for you.

Now you can see from the picture that not every flower is covered the same. Some have very little snow. Some are almost totally covered and bending down to the ground. Another reminder that we receive the Spirit's gift at a different pace, depending on our willingness to receive.

Think about the parable of the four soils (Matthew 13:1-6).
Hard ground, rocky ground and good soil. Do you have your head up like these dried, brown flowers? Still seeking, still wanting to receive? Still wanting to be... Be more like Jesus?

So let the snow fall on you.
Appreciate the slow and steady progress; the undeterred faithfulness the Lord has for you.

Receive Him.
Let Him cover you.
Enfold you.

What happened to the light?

© 2012 Julie Crane All rights reserved

I was looking in the fridge this morning. The light seemed dimmer. Was it going out? Do we have another refrigerator bulb in the house? I started moving things around to get a better look. It was then that it dawned on me. I had just gotten groceries yesterday. Every shelf was filled with good things. Milk, cheese, meats, fruits, veggies... this "horn" of plenty was actually blocking the light.

And I have to wonder how often we look at the "goodies" from God and forget the goodness of God. His abundance, over abundance - extended to us. Because He loves us so...

Are "goodies" in life blocking your view of the love-light that shines from God's heart?

Take a look, a good look around. Move some stuff over. See the Light?

Be filled with gratefulness.
Be filled with awe at God's abundant provision.

Many, Lord, are asking, "Who will bring us prosperity?" Let the light of Your face shine on us. Fill my heart with joy when their grain and new wine abound. (Psalm 4:6-7)

Early in the morning

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house... (Mark 1:35)

Very early in the morning... today... my pastor-husband was up. You see, we had ice and snow overnight. And so now, a decision needs to be made whether to hold church services or not.

While it was still dark...

He got up, left the house... to test drive the roads around town. To help in making this decision. And HE LEFT WITHOUT HIS PHONE. So there was no way for me to contact him if I thought he was gone too long. No way for him to contact anyone should he slide off into a ditch. And I couldn't track him using the Find Friends feature on our synced phones, because his phone was here at home! Worrisome thoughts started niggling my brain.

So I could choose to worry...
Or I could choose to believe things would be all right.
Why?
Because -

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, JESUS got up, left the house...

I resisted worry. I believed God was present. I believed God was involved. I believed God was already there - before I even had a chance to pray.

How about you?

Are we walking?

 No, this isn't about a new year's resolution about walking. But as I've been reading in Genesis the past few days, I have discovered a distinction between living with God and walking with God.

Now  we know in the bible there are plenty of people who have lived for the Lord. But a couple passages caught my eye and got me to wondering:

(Genesis 5:24) Enoch walked faithfully with God, then he was no more, because God took him away.
And Enoch walk in habitual fellowship with God. (AMPC)
  Enoch walked steadily with God. (MSG)

Noah walked with God. (Genesis 6:9)
Noah walked in habitual fellowship with God.

So I looked up the word "walk" and what I found was so interesting.

WALK - to move at a regular pace by lifting up and setting down each foot in turn, never having both feet off the ground at once.

Is that packed with some thought provoking stuff, or what?

I hope you ponder this.

Is your walk with God -

•    at a regular pace?
•    does it involve lifting up?
•    and setting down?
•    and in its own turn (time and place)
•    and how about never having both feet off the ground at once!

In every season of life, in every season, may we be ever walking - walking with the Lord.

Isn't this the carpenter?

© 2012 Julie Crane All rights reserved

Indeed. What help could a carpenter really be? Especially in a dire situation, like:

... a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet Him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. (Mark 5:2-4)

No one. Could help him. He was beyond help...

And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. (Mark 5:25-26)

No one it seems. Could help her. She, too, was beyond help...

Has life ever dragged you through a chapter like that? Are you in one now? Miserable for years. Sought help here and there and everywhere. Exhausted. Sick of it. Seems like no one can help. Feels like torture.

Or maybe you haven't fit in for so long, that... you feel like a cast-off. Living estranged and apart. No energy. Given up even.

They had their doubts. We have our doubts too -

... the people were astonished at His wisdom and His miracles because He was just a local man like themselves. "He's no better than we are," they said. "He's just a carpenter, Mary's boy... (Mark 6:3 TLB)

Isn't this Jesus, the little boy we used to see in Joseph's carpenter shop? Didn't He grow up to be a carpenter just like His father? Isn't He the son of Mary over there and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, Simon, and their sisters? Who does He think He is? And when they had thought about it that way, they became indignant and closed themselves to His message. (Mark 6:3 VOICE)

And yet Jesus calls the legion of demons out of the man. 
They saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind - (Mark 5:15)

The woman touches His robe and -
"Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering." (Mark 5:34)



"But what about you?" He asked. "Who do you say I AM?" (Matthew 16:15)

Local carpenter who fixes some things - for certain people? Or...
The Messiah. The Christ. Helper and Healer of all.
He did it before.
He can do it again.
Believe it can happen for you.

Daily Stretches

© 2012 Julie Crane All rights reserved

It's a play on words so I better start with what I was reading in my bible.

First off, I didn't want to read my bible. I was frustrated and upset over something, a little angry with myself, and I didn't want to pray about it. I wanted to be angry about it. But it got me nowhere. And eventually I heeded His call to sit with my bible and rest from my own thoughts.

Mark 3:4-6: Then Jesus asked them, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill? But they remained silent. He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.


Stretch out your hand. So I did a little research on stretching, reaching and touching.

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. (Exodus 14:21)

Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus. (Acts 4:30)

When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands... (Psalm 77:2)

Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the edge of His cloak. She said to herself, "If I only touch His cloak, I will be healed." (Matthew 9:20-21)

... and the people all tried to touch Him, because power was coming from Him and healing them all. (Luke 6:19)

Then He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe."

In all my distress, I didn't stretch out my hand to Jesus. Did not think about the power that comes from Him.

But Jesus said, "Someone touched Me; I know that power has gone out from Me. (Luke 8:46) 

There is no limit to what Jesus can do - WILL do.

A man with leprosy came and knelt before Him and said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. "I am willing," He said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.  (Matthew 8:2-3)

Endless power. Endless compassion and love for you.
So do your daily stretches. Reach out to Jesus.
Stop doubting and believe.

As a side note, after I read my bible and pondered the words, I did some walking to relieve some stress and a Christian song came on the radio with words that addressed my situation exactly. Exactly. The verse was word for word. And the chorus? Cry out to Jesus.

Dark and Stormy

Winter. When there is more darkness to the day than light. And storms. Snow storms. Ice storms. And all the gray, cloudy days may leave your soul a little dark and stormy as well.

I AM the light of the world. (John 9:5)

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place... (Mark 1:35) Some translations say, desolate or lonely or far off place...

While it was still night, way before dawn, He got up and went out to a secluded spot and prayed. Simon and those with him went looking for Him. They found Him... (Mark 1:35 MSG)

Even in far off lonely places, even in darkness, Jesus can be found.

God made two great lights - the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth. (Genesis 1:16-17)

Whether its day or night, it doesn't matter. Jesus, the light of the world, is among us. Just look.

I AM the light that shines through the cosmos; if you walk with Me, you will thrive in the nourishing light that gives life and will not know darkness. (John 8:12 VOICE)

... even the darkness will not be dark to You; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You. (Psalm 139:12)

Jesus brings light wherever He goes. And He goes everywhere and anywhere you are.

And everything I've taught you is so that the peace which is in Me will be in you and will give you great confidence as you rest in Me. For in this unbelieving world you will experience trouble and sorrows, but you must be courageous, for I have conquered the world! (John 16:33 TPT)

Got darkness? Got stormy?

I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm. (Psalm 55:8)

Jesus.
I AM the light of the world. (John 9:5)
Jesus is the Light.
Jesus is our Light.
Jesus is your Light.
Early morning before the dawn. Dark and stormy nights.
Even the darkness is not dark...