Only the Wisest

Proverbs 8:10-11, 20-21 & 34:
   Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold for wisdom is better than jewels and all that you may desire cannot compare with her. I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice, granting an inheritance to those who love me and filling their treasuries. Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.
   
           God is wise, God is great. He speaks out truth and wisdom in everything he does. God spoke the world into being, he had a plan from the beginning of time for he knew where our hearts would go. When I think of the things of God, one thing that strikes me is just how wise he is; his wisdom is infinite. It is beyond even what we know. He places us where and when he needs us. There's never a plan "B" for our lives but only the plan "A". 
    When Solomon became king, the one thing Solomon asked for was wisdom. He could have asked for riches and all the worldly things he could have gained but instead, he asked for wisdom. God granted him that and by his simple (albeit not so simple request) God gave him riches beyond compare. God hasn't changed since the time of Solomon. He still grants wisdom to those who ask. Wisdom comes when we ask and when we rest in him.
     I admit I do not ask for wisdom as often as I probably should. I must constantly seek forgiveness for not resting, for going forth in my own strength, for looking ahead instead of resting and enjoying God. I do not take the time always to enjoy those God has put around me or enjoy the beautiful city in which I currently am. Wisdom calls us to take the presence of God everywhere not just for moments of "quiet time". That's beautiful! That's a gift of God! He gives us wisdom to enjoy what's around us and to be wise in his eyes and not in the ways of the world.  When we apply that, that's when others will see you and the difference that is in you.
     God is so wise and I forget this when I cry out in desperation, frustration, and defeation that my Lord and Savior is Almighty and more wise than I even understand. It's a part of him. It is him. He is Wisdom. When we come to him, he imparts that to us. If we are open and willing, we can receive what he wants to give. We can step out in faith in the things he tells us. The more we pour into him, the closer we walk with him, he will reveal his beauty and his wisdom. Let us take the time to be thankful, to walk in close steps with him. Seek out wisdom from God like we seek treasure. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. I want to worship God and fear him. So I ask for wisdom and simply smile as he calms my soul and my spirit with his wisdom. He is there, always. He holds me and he will provide all I need. It may seem cliché. It may seem unattainable at times. But promises upon promises, it is not.
      Love God. Love Others. Obey God. Serve Him. Believe Him. Thank Him. He is Wisdom. He is God. He knows all things. Walk in that Truth.

A Long Expected Journey

 

      To overcome adversity, to stand and face the challenge, to look boredom in the eye and make a change, to step outside of our comfort zone and walk into a calling can be easier said than done. For Annabelle, it was something she longed for but never felt achievable. She dreamed and longed for adventure but to have an adventure meant she would have to leave behind what she was used to and take steps of faith towards something new. But what if she failed? What if she couldn’t do it? What if all she had dreamed wasn’t all it cracked up to be?

       But what if it did turn out? What if it was exactly like her dream? At the age of 24, Annabelle had spent most of her life dreaming. Each season had a different dream, sometimes a Princess, sometimes a Warrior, sometimes an Elf, but something. Something not mundane and boring.  Then one morning, something changed. It called beyond the Hobbit Hole she was used to and whispered, “Come with me.”  

      It didn’t come from the man with the long grey robes and pointed hat. It didn’t come from an uncle who had traveled the earth and returned with a whole new perspective, it came from a little voice inside of her that said, “Step beyond the Shire”.

        So she did. It wasn’t a shortcut to the mushrooms. It wasn’t just a trip to the Brandywine Bridge, but it wasn’t a trip to Mount Doom either. Instead, it was a leap of faith towards Rivendell.

     The elves were different from her. They spoke a different language, they moved differently than her little hobbit legs. They ate similar foods but not really. But there she found freedom. She saw beyond what she was and saw what she could be. She may never unite the whole of the world but she could make a difference. She couldn’t be an elf but she had a different perspective and not just physically. It was once she gained her courage to speak out truth something changed in the atmosphere.

     A family took her in. They taught her how to move within her new society. They encouraged her. They didn’t find her strange. They saw her dreams and stood behind her. They let her try new things. When she broke down into tears, they put their arms around her and walked with her.  

     Annabelle had moved beyond boredom, moved beyond what was expected of her, and stepped out in faith. She made a new home. Sure, she went back to the Shire for visits but it no longer felt like home. Despite all the challenges growing up, she realized that without growing up in the Shire, she never would have made it to Rivendell. If she had found a nice hobbit to settle down with, she wouldn’t be staring at the Elves in all their magnificence today. Ever step had brought her to this moment. Any earlier and she wouldn’t have been prepared or been in a state of mind that could have handled it. But now, she was ready to step into her calling to the Elves. Was she frightened? Without a doubt. Did she think she was good enough to be with them and learn Elvish? Of course not. The language was foreign but so beautiful. So she pressed on, enjoying every moment, knowing this was where she needed to be. Anything less, would leave her with a sense of disappointment.

     Step into a calling. Step into a destiny. Step outside of the box. Annabelle did. What’s your next move?  

God's light in Middle Earth

My heart breaks inside of me

Knowing all that they see

People have exalted them

Far above mortal men

They’re asked only to give

But all they want is to live

I see in their faces

They want to be in other places

But they must smile

And go the extra mile

Give all they are

Because people raise the bar

They must be kind

They must not mind

People yelling and telling

And people selling

It seems they put their minds to sleep

So the demands won’t touch as deep

As we stand, we pray

That God can touch them in some way

Heal the pain

Get rid of the shame

We pray God will be so real

And they will know how to deal

That the industry will begin to transform

That they will be reborn

To go forth in light

And in the strength of his might

I’ll never forget that night

When we decided to stand up and fight

For those who need to see

All that God has called them to be

Let Middle Earth know

That God’s hope he will show

As we stand and pray

God will come and make a way

 

 

 

To Bristol with Love

     Bristol; a city once a gateway for slavery to the world but today a haven for artists. It’s an open and inviting city housing a university, John Wesley’s chapel, Christmas markets and amazing art with people who are passionate about what they are doing. As our team has a calling to the arts and ministry, Bristol was a perfect place to step into for a week.

      Amongst the worshiping, praying over the city and performing covers in the street, we wanted to get to know the people of Bristol and share God’s love and truth with them. The amazing thing about stepping out in faith is sometimes God can surprise you when you let him lead. One of the days as our team went out, we found God brought people to us rather than us approaching them. In the course of twenty minutes, we had three different people ask us for directions, one of which was older gentleman who needed help to walk up the road which we did. God was teaching us the truth of 1 John 3:18: “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”

     In that week, we saw how truth and deed can transform a place. Food and coffee was given to people on the streets, churches were cleaned, places we walked were transformed as we brought God’s presence with us.  God gave us his truth to speak into the lives of musicians, dancers, and visual artists we met. I don’t deny there are strongholds of rejection, inferiority, and depression residing over the city but we felt the atmosphere change and people come alive with God’s truth in practical ways. Sometimes, simply smiling seemed to change their demeanor. Only with God and by his grace can these things happen.  When we fix our eyes on him, he will direct us to those people who need to hear his words of love.

     Bristol was an amazing time of evangelism and worship. Meeting people in the city and seeing the heritage in Christ they have been graced with was incredible. God has big plans for Bristol and I’m very thankful our team got to join God in what he’s doing, planting seeds and pursuing the people of the city to draw closer to him.  

The day I thought I had Ebola

  Yep. It was true. I had the Ebola virus and I was going to die. However, if it wasn't Ebola, it was meningitis. If not meningitis, then it was appendicitis. If it wasn't appendicitis, it was another foreign illness I was going to die from. Okay, an exaggeration perhaps but sometimes when I get sick and no one I know has been, I forget the fact I take the bus almost daily and my mind goes crazy places. But alas, about a week and a half ago, I was sick. I mean, sick! I'll spare you the gory details but let's just say food was a no-no and a bucket was next to my bed for the whole day.
     The worst part was that it wasn't a free day. In fact, it was a day of teaching, of preparing for outreach, and a love fest with amazing food, dressing up, and teaching! If I was to get sick, I would not have picked that particular day. Ever. Although, I had amazing roommates and housemates who prayed for me, made me toast, offered to make me other food, went to the corner shop and got me 7-Up, got me water and just checked on me in general. But still, being sick sucks.
    In truth, I spent most of the morning frustrated with myself. I don't like being sick, I thought I was dying. I kept on looking up symptoms of the worst diseases. I feared my family would never see me again in this life. I hate not being able to do things for myself. I hate feeling weak. And I. Hate. To. Rest.
     When one of my roommates asked me how long it had been since I really took a day to rest, I think I gave her a blank stare. Weekends are for doing what I want and keeping busy, right? But I had forgotten something important. God wants us to rest. I mean, yes, we can rest in him and enjoy his presence while we are busy but he's also pretty firm with the Sabbath rest thing as well. In other words, taking time and just being and really resting in God. I'm rubbish at it to be honest and I think God sometimes forces us to do just that. He forces us to rest. It's not that he wished me sick but rather he allowed the sickness to overtake me for a bit so that I would be forced to rest and not do a whole lot. In fact, I did nothing but pray for the entire afternoon and sleep.
     One of the verses I had read a few mornings before my Ebola scare was Psalm 116:7 which says "Return, on my soul, to your rest for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you". But instead of resting, I said "Thank you, God", felt a peaceful feeling, and continued to be busy. The peace is great but I've learned that God is actually serious when he says rest. Sometimes that rest can be just resting in him but other times it means to physically rest. Not just at nighttime when you go to bed but actually take time to chill out. God has dealt bountifully with us so as a thank you back to him, why not take time just to rest in that and chill?
     I admit I'm a bit thick to be honest, because God has allowed sickness to happen to me three times when it was absolutely inconvenient for me to be sick. But all three times, there's been a reminder; slow down. So I encourage you to slow down, chill, spend a whole day watching movies, reading a book or just being. God wants us to rest in him and take time to recharge. Often times we live in a society that is so Go-Go-Go, that we forget that sometimes God is only asking us to Rest-Rest-Rest. And as I've learned, if we don't do it on our own, sometimes we're forced to. So I'm slowly learning thanks to my Ebola-Meningitis-Appendix day, take time. Rest. Be with God and he will direct your path. He has blessed us so let us bless him in return with resting in that truth.

First Star Disappearing

     It's not every day a fairy tale comes to life. In all honesty, the happy endings and princess stories always felt a little far fetched. But I still fully believe in them and that's where my story really begins. Let me back up. My name is Keira Calhart and I am in love with a Lost Boy from the land of Forgeame. Confused yet? Don't worry. I'll explain a bit more. When I graduated from high school, I headed off to University in the town I grew up in. However, university seemed to be the beginning of the end for me. All my friends had fled the town to go to their respected schools in the far off reaches of the world and I was stuck in the role of home town girl. It didn't matter how many times my parents told me God had a plan and he knew what he was doing, I was still determined to be miserable. How was I supposed to have fun when none of my friends were there? I was shy and quiet. What if I failed? What if I couldn't find any of my classes?  What if I couldn't make friends? What if I found out that I actually just sucked at life in general? 
    But God did in fact have a plan. When I got to University, something amazing happened. There was a guy there who basically changed my world. Now before you judge me entirely, I was never one of those girls who defined herself by guys. I never dated in high school. I could hardly even speak around the ones who I thought were cute and I was interested in. It was all white noise in my head when I was in front of them and nothing would get through. Yet Peter Augustus Pan managed to make it through. But Peter wasn't normal. He lived First Star to the Left and Straight onto Dusk in the land of Forgeame. Think Neverland but different, much different. It's a land filled with Pirates and Mermaids but it's also filled with Trivilics, Zonkas, Elephbests, Elves, Unicorns and Centaurs.
      When I had met Peter and his best friend, Arthur Dodger, they were so secretive about their past until I was ready. After all, if he had come up to me the first day I saw him in Math class with his disheveled blonde hair and bright blue eyes and told me he was from a magical land in the stars and that he could fly, I think I probably would have found him insane because it does sound insane. But he pursued me carefully and patiently. Yet I was waiting for adventure. I craved adventure so the idea of flying off into the stars with a Lost Boy was incredible. He took me to Forgeame where he grew up with other Lost Children in which we had an otherworldly battle against the Trivilics and the evil elves, Aragun and Havelen for the good of Forgeame. I also got to ride a dragon named Firenze. I was officially a rock star.
     But today all the adventures of Forgeame seem a lifetime ago. It's been six years since I met Peter and his best friend, Dodger. Both guys turned my world upside down in different ways. Dodger became my protector and Peter, my best friend. As a surprise to no one, after we graduated University, Peter asked me to marry him with my parents' blessing, of course. I'll admit my parents don't know everything about Peter's past. There were some small things invented about him. How would they have felt about knowing that their daughter was marrying someone from another world? But being from Seattle sounded legit and they've always accepted that as truth.
      It's been a full year since we were married. We decided to move down to Seattle just to see how things would go. Peter got an internship with a Marketing Company and has done really well. Me? Well, I got a job working with a Theatre company just working in the box office. Now, I realize that it doesn't sound amazingly exciting but I'm hoping to help with their advertising department soon. Besides, Peter and I get to see all the free shows that we want.
     But enough of the past. Friday had come, finally. I walked into the house after a long week of work, ready to crash into my comfy clothes and chill out for the evening. I found Peter already home, lounging on the couch dressed in black dress pants, blue dress shirt and tie. Seeing me, he bounced out of his seat and grabbed a package off the table and tossed it over to me.
     "What's this?" I asked.
      "Just open it," he said with a grin.
       I was wary. I mean, I'm all for free gifts but why he was all dressed up when I was ready for a night in was at the least confusing. Opening the package, I found a super refined and pretty black dress. I glanced up at him confused as he sauntered over to me, light shining in his eyes.
      "I know we said a quiet night in but I was thinking we could try out the new restaurant on Fifth Avenue."
     I looked up at him skeptically.
     "No strings attached, just a nice night. We have reservations at eight," he said before he gave me a kiss and plopped himself back onto the couch.
     I gave him a look before I looked over the dress again.
     "It's beautiful. Thanks, Peter. I'll go try it on," I said as I walked into our room.
     Naturally, it fit perfectly. One thing I appreciated about the Lost Boys is that they had been trained in many wonderful ways of being a gentleman that Earth boys should probably learn.
     When I came back out of the room, Peter was quite pleased as he grabbed my hand and we headed out the door. So much for the relaxing night at home I had been hoping for. But I knew the night wouldn't be boring. Life with Peter was never boring. He always had something up his sleeve. But as we got in the car, Peter's phone went off. It was a text from his best friend and fellow Lost Boy, Dodger. We hadn't heard from him in ages. He and his fiancé, Lana, had graduated the same time as Peter and I but instead of getting married right away, Dodger decided to move to California with Lana where she grew up to get to know her family better. It was admirable and like everything Dodger did, he did it intensely and with loads of purpose.
     "What is it, Peter?" I asked.
      Peter shook his head and shrugged.
      "It's a bit cryptic. It's just the password to the fortress followed by the name Sawyer."
    I was confused as well. Sawyer had been the leader of the Lost Boys before he headed off to Earth to pursue an Australian girl and Dodger took over as the leader.
      "It's probably just an idea of a Dodger joke. He's probably just bored."
      I nodded and let it slide. Peter was probably right. It would be like Dodger just to send something random over text to say hi. He was the least sentimental of our lot.
     That night, Peter and I had a fabulous dinner at the new Italian restaurant in downtown and enjoyed the cool autumn night as we walked down to Pike's Place. But something was stirring. Both of us could feel it in the air. As we looked up at the night sky, Peter's face clouded with concern. I prodded him a bit.
     "I can't see it," he said.
      "See what?"
      "The star."
      "It's probably just because of the city air."
      "Maybe," he said putting his arm around me.
      Nothing more was said that night but I could tell that Peter still felt uneasy. It was a rarity that he mentioned anything about Forgeame and the ability to travel to his childhood home. But after the text from Dodger, I kind of understood.
      Getting ready for bed that night, I came out of the bathroom only to see Peter flying around the room. Something he hadn't done for a few months now.
      "What the heck are you doing?"
      He looked at me with concern in his eyes.
      "Can you still do it as well?"
     Silly question. Of course I could. To prove it, I lifted off the ground just a few inches which seemed to calm him just a bit.
     "Okay, just checking."
      I smiled as we both got into bed. I could feel Peter still tense next to me.
      "Peter, seriously, stop the freaking out. I'm sure everything's fine. Just a Dodger joke. Flying still works. You are fine."
     Peter nodded, still deep in thought. I gave him a kiss before I turned over and went to sleep rather quickly. When I opened my eyes much later and very sleepily, something was wrong. Something was definitely different. Our bed felt different. Looking at the night stand, my clock and lamp had changed. The wall wasn't right. In fact, the room wasn't right. I turned over to wake up Peter. But turning over, I gasped and nearly screamed. My gasp woke him up. Followed by absolute terror on his face. Next to me was not my husband. It was one of his best friends, Oliver. We both stared at each other for a moment.
     "Keira?"
      "Hi, Oliver. Any idea how I got here?"
      "No idea. Any idea where my wife is?"
      I shook my head. I think Peter was right. Something was going on in the realm of Forgeame and somehow it had transported me across the Atlantic to London and into the house of Oliver and his wife Lucy. What the heck?!!!

The lessons I learned from the Doctor

The Doctor: I wanted to be ginger! I've never been ginger. And you, Rose Tyler! Fat lot of good you were. You gave up on me! Oo! That's rude. Is that the sort of man I am now? Am I rude? Rude and not ginger.
Sycorax Leader: Who exactly are you?
The Doctor: Well, that's the question. I don't know! See that's the thing. I'm the Doctor. But beyond that I just don't know. I literally do not know who I am. It's all untested. Am I funny? Am I sarcastic? Sexy? Right old misery? Life and soul? Right-handed, left-handed? A gambler, a fighter, a coward, a traitor, a liar, a nervous wreck? I mean judging by the evidence I've certainly got a gob.

     What I love most about television, books, and movies is how often God uses those things to teach me about him, about myself, about my faith, and other important life lessons. I've been known quite often to use Lord of the Rings in all sorts of ways from classroom presentations to faith lessons. But Lord of the Rings isn't the only thing he has used. As cheesy as perhaps it may sound, God has shown up in Doctor Who quite a few times. Here are the five lessons I've learned about the regeneration of the Spirit from one of the most iconic British Shows of the last fifty years. For those who aren't familiar with Doctor Who, he's a time traveler who travels around in a blue police box called a Tardis. When he gets wounded or close to death, he can regenerate and essentially becomes a brand new person.

Lesson Number One: Regeneration is painful but brings so much freedom
     In the show, as the picture shows, the Doctor regenerates. He leaves behind his old face, his old mannerisms, and sometimes his old friends as well. When we become Christians, God also works a process of regeneration in our lives. The thing of it is the Doctor never really wants to go. He knows what is going to happen; that he will become a new man. Even though he knows he must go, it's still a fight. In much the same way, we know we must let God perform that regeneration in our lives. It may been a painful process. It may mean giving up things we don't really want to give up, it could mean all sorts of things but the thing is, once we've given those things over, there is so much more freedom that comes. We become a new person, a freer person, and a person who is able to see the world in a new God centered way.

Lesson Number Two: Regeneration must be complete
     We must let God do a full work on our hearts. If we only regenerate a hand or a foot, what good would that do? If the Doctor only regenerated part way, then he would be carrying those bits of him that are still unclean, that are still wretched, and that are still sick. We need to let God work fully in our lives. If we want to change and become the person we need to be in Christ, we must let the regeneration work all the way through to every part of us.

Lesson Number Three: Regeneration is a choice
      There was an episode during the David Tennant years that he has a choice whether to go through the whole regeneration process or not. If he is not near his time machine (the Tardis), then if he did come to the point of death, he would die. He has a choice in that moment whether to regenerate or just die. In the same way, we also have a choice. We can chose whether we let God work in our hearts or we harden our hearts and choose not to. But again, if we choose to let God do what he needs to, then the results will be beautiful. We will be healed and given a greater sense of freedom in the process.

Lesson Number Four: We must be plugged in to the source for any work to be done.
     As mentioned in Lesson Number Three, the Doctor without the Tardis, means nada on the regeneration and transformation. But with the Tardis, he can survive. In the same way, we must be plugged into our source. We cannot do it in our own strength. If we try, we will absolutely fail. Nothing in our power allows us to do anything. We can try to change but our change may last for an hour or until the next hardship or the next person annoys us or does something we don't like. But if we are plugged into the power source, then that source can change, mold, and reshape us into who we need to be.

Lesson Number Five: We will receive a new identity.
    Referring to the quote, the Doctor having newly regenerated, isn't sure who he is. His identity is called into question. But the thing is when God regenerates us, our identity is not ours. God gives us his identity. We are his children, his workmanship, and his heirs. So therefore, he shows us who we are. He gives us a new identity, a Christ centered identity. Our reputation is his. It's amazing! He shows us who we are in Christ. We no longer have to question our identity and who we are but the more we walk with him, the more he will show up and show us exactly who he has made us to be.

    Alas, I admit that pulling deep lessons of faith from Doctor Who may seem a little silly to some people but the truth of the matter is God has given us a new identity when he regenerates us. We must choose to accept and walk in the newness of what God has given us. If we shun that moment, in all honesty, we are quite silly. Regeneration, brokenness and renewal brings freedom. God calls us to walk in it and find out exactly who we are. So let us as the Doctor regenerates, let us also allow the source to regenerate our souls and truly make a difference in our lives.