A Lifetime of Pressing In

During the past several months, I have heard the same phrase over and over again in my heart; "Press into Me.  Press into Me."  I can't escape it.  I don't want to escape it.  The women's Bible Study group I belong to just wrapped up a study of Sheila Walsh's Book, The Shelter of God's Promises.  Sheila starts the book with a story of camping, bad weather, animals and finally, finding shelter from the storm in a cleft in the rocks.
                                                                  
That cleft in the rocks is Jesus.  He is our shelter from the storms of life.  Life can be hard.  It can batter us around and suck the very breath out of us.  But not if we're in the cleft of the Rock!  It was when our group started this book study, that I first heard the words, "Press into Me."  During moments alone, just me and my Lord, it's easy to press into Him.  I find I can be honest with Him there.  I can open my heart and show Him every hurt, every bit of anger and resentment, every wound.  He is so sweet with me there.

But I have also discovered that I can be in the cleft of my Rock anywhere; in my car, at the grocery store, at work, at my son's swim meets.  You see, we can take Him with us and be drenched in His sweetness, wherever we go.  It's not as easy as when we're alone with Him, but He promises to be our strength when we are weak.  He promises to be our peace that passes all understanding.  He promises He will never leave or forsake us.  So as we press into Him, become intimate with Him, as we learn to dwell in Him, then, when the storms of life come (and they will come) He will carry us through to victory. 

That victory will look different to each one of us and we never know what circumstance or situation He will use to bring us to victory, but be assured, He will.  He will turn our mourning into dancing.  He will put off our sackcloth and cloth us with gladness.  Will it be easy?  Will God be a magic wand that we wave to make bad things disappear?  No, He will be a presence, Who sometimes we can't even feel, but nonetheless there, to help us get through to that victory.  Living a lifestyle of "pressing in" isn't easy.  We can be distracted and walk away, so that we are caught off guard when we need Him most. 

I would encourage you, Dear One, to get in the habit of climbing into that cleft, getting up on His lap; whatever it looks like to you to be pressing into Him.  He will meet you there, of that, I'm sure.  And there is no better, safer, more peaceful place to be; in good times and bad.  Seek Him, not what He can do for you!  In finding Him, you will find all that you need. 

I intend to heed those words He has spoken in my heart.  I am dedicated to spending a lifetime of pressing in, leaning in to Him.  There's no where I'd rather be!

From His Lap, (the cleft in the Rock),

There's Joy in the Mess

What do you want from your one life? What could be written about your one shot here on earth that would leave your imprint on those who know you or even those who don't?  I want to create my life…to sculpt each day into a celebration of the gifts I have been given. I want to take the desires of my heart and walk them out in joy.  Do I always do that? Goodness no. I fall short sometimes…we all do. Yet I aspire to live a life of joy and bliss…a life of abundance as God intended for everyone.

 I try to seek out and choose joy even in the worst of circumstances.  Life throws at us, what it does.  There is mess and yuck all in the middle of it.  But when we focus on the mess, we miss so much and life can seem hopeless.  I'm not talking about looking for happiness.  Happiness is fickle.  It comes and goes as it pleases.  But joy is a choice and it can only be stolen if we allow it.  Don't settle for just being happy now and then, when the circumstances are right.  Decide in your heart that no matter the situation you find yourself in, you will choose to find the joy in it.  And the best way to do that is to be taking steps towards following your passion.  Then, when adversity comes, you keep your joy and move on to another step in the journey.  

Sarah Gitzen Chose Joy

Being a wife and mom has been my joy. My passion has been watching my children grow, raising them, being witness to their lives, their choices and their development. Helping to shape their world, guiding them into being strong, caring, compassionate, loving and wise individuals is what has really made my life full. Now that they are on journeys of their own, I hope that I have helped them to become people who walk with God, who know and trust themselves enough to follow their passions and callings. I want them to find their bliss, their sweet spot and have the courage to walk it out. That has been my passion...my children. 

I'm now embarking on other paths that are my bliss.  There are dreams that God has dropped in my heart that are bursting for fruition!  I'm taking slow, tentative but exciting steps to see them happen.  What is your passion?  Do you believe that God has placed those things in your heart?   If so, go get em, tiger! God calls us to use our talents and to trust; trust enough to take the next step.  Have faith that the answers are there for you…listen, believe and choose joy!


Here is a quote from a song by Mark Hall and Megan Garrett:  "Who, but You, would ever choose to dream your dream in me?  Tell me, who but You, would dare me to believe what I can't see?  Who, but You?"

From His Lap,

The Dance of Life



Pastor Roger dancing with his mother in law

"The moment in between what you once were, and who you are now becoming, is where the dance of life really takes place." Barbara de Angelis  I love this quote.  We can come from horrible backgrounds or wonderful backgrounds.  In either case, that's not where we live now.  We can choose to keep going back to those places, reliving them, allowing them to keep hindering us.  Or we can become engaged in the dance of life that is happening now!

We can have power over what we will become in the future by being engaged in the present.  It is great to set goals and to make plans to reach those goals.  But we can't lose sight of our daily story.  If we hurry through the day without making it count then it's like ripping a page out of a book.  The next page makes no sense without the page before it.

I can remember times when I was so busy (in my head) that all of a sudden I would realize one of my children was in the middle of telling me something and I just had a blank stare on my face and had no idea of what they were talking about.  Precious moments that can never be gotten back; times of fellowship that could have meant so much.  Times that I forgot to participate in the dance of life.  Thank goodness there are not a lot of moments missing from my story!



New Year's Eve Dance at Church

When I think about life as a dance, it becomes less of a chore and more of a joy.  I can truly say that the mountains of laundry and the chaotic dinners where everyone was telling about their day, and helping with homework for hours have made for some of my best memories.  I cherish those memories, but now, I'm celebrating a new dance in my life.  Five out of my six children have flown the coop and the last one will be gone before I know it.  So I've got to learn to live and dance this new life.

I am able to spend more time with the hubby and with girlfriends.  I'm able to take walks and long baths and sit by myself and listen to my mom's old albums on her stereo.  I have kids in college, kids having kids, one in high school and my days are full and exciting.  I know that God has a plan for my future but it involves enjoying my present and not mourning my past!

Are you enjoying your dance of life?  Are you trying to hurry and skip to get to the future?  Are you stuck in memories of your past?  Dear One, I hope you remember that whatever your day brings, it's part of your story and you can choose to participate in it, even if it's challenging and hard.  I hope that one day when you look back over your story you won't realize there are pages missing.






From His Lap,

It's What You're Hoping For

Hope.  Hope is the stuff our very breath is made of.  When doubt and fear, questions and anger are pushing the life out of us, hope comes in like a rush of air, filling our lungs with His presence.  Choosing to believe our Father has a plan for us, a hope and a future; gives us stillness and peace, allowing us to walk another step, smile another smile, live another day.

Say "yes" to hope.  Choose to know that these hard moments you are in, can be filled with the very breath of God. Let Him fill your lungs and feel His life course through your veins. Now.  This moment you are in, that hurts...breathe...breathe in hope.  For it's hopelessness that will cause the very life and breath to be sucked out of us.  Breathe in hope.

Don't be fearful of the future.  There is hope in this moment, for the next step you are timidly putting your foot forward to take.  Can you believe for this moment?  Can you hold on in this moment and be filled with His breath, just long enough to get you to the next moment?  I know you want the answers. How will I get through this?  What will I do about that?  How can I go on when I have to live with this? How can I make it?  Where can I turn?

Choose this minute, this hour, this day to get by on the breath of Him, on the breath of hope.  Say "yes" to him in this moment.  For He will meet you...now.  He wants to be present with you ...here.  In all of this...in all the pain, in all the fear, in all the hurt, in all the disappointment...He wants to be your hope.

And if you choose hope, Dear Heart, it comes with an added gift.  It comes with JOY!  And each painful moment, turned to hope and joy, is another moment you take for the Kingdom.  Each time you breathe in that breath of hope it's a step towards a life that says "yes" to Him.  And oh, the rejoicing then.  Others will see and be caught up in your joy. They will want to know; How did you get through this?  How did you make it?  Where did you turn to?  And your life will be a living testament, offering up hope to others who can't breath.  And then, what joy will fill your soul!

Wouldn't you love to fill each moment with the breath of God, the giver of life and hope? Can't you imagine what it would be like to invite Him in with every breath you take?  Let Him take away the torture of choking on a hopeless life.  His breath is sweet and life giving.  It's what you're hoping for.

From His lap,

5x7 Folded Card

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Eyes That Light Up

It was 116 degrees with the heat index this day.

Here in Tulsa, in just one week, we have moved from the temperature being in the hundreds to it being 57 degrees.  At first, I was a little dismayed.  I think going from an entire summer of well over 100 degrees then moving so quickly to the 50's means that our fall won't be the usual blaze of color that it usually is.  I know I've told you about the Linda Dillow study that I've been doing on "What's it Like to be Married to Me".  Part of the study entails wearing a Gripes Be Gone bracelet.  So, I was pleased that almost as quickly as I was pouty about the quick change in the weather, my thoughts immediately changed to the positive.  So the Gripes Be Gone bracelet must be working!  Or maybe, just maybe, my heart is changing.

Chilly rain

I'm finding that more and more, every day, I yearn, I search for the good in everything, in everyone.  I want my story to reflect lots of joy at the end.  I want those who remember my life to say that I always smiled, saw the good in them and celebrated life.  Don't worry, I'm not getting all maudlin here. I'm not reflecting on death. In fact, just the opposite. I'm reflecting on life and I wonder if we make it as joyous as it could be, or do we gripe and complain about everything.

I'm no ostrich with my head in the sand.  I've raised six children and I'm all too familiar with the trials and tribulations that go along with that!  But I'm also aware that joy goes along way towards making life worth living!  I'm not speaking of happiness here.  I don't believe that we can attain constant happiness.  But I feel that we can hold onto a quiet inner joy, no matter the trials life brings, if we understand that God sees us as valuable and precious and that He celebrate us throughout our life's journey!

My dad's joy comes from knowing that he is a child of the King.

I remember hearing author Toni Morrison once say, "Do your eyes light up when a child enters the room?"  I thought then, upon hearing those words, "If I have that deep inner joy that comes from knowing the love of God, then my eyes will light up whenever anyone enters the room."  Do you know that the Father's eyes light up when He looks at you!  When you are moving through the hard times and through heartbreak, if you've already been walking with Him, joy can shine through your circumstances.  He already knows the worst and the best of us.  He's seen the tests & trials.  He wants us to "do" life with Him every day, not just seek Him when times are tough.  As we learn to walk out our lives in His presence, we can filter all of life's "stuff" through that joy and peace that comes from knowing Him.

Do you have that quiet still knowing that your strength comes from Him in all things?  Are you taking Him with you throughout your days?  Have you found that joy springs out of you even in the midst of tough times?  I think I'm getting there.  I'm "doing life with Him" and it makes all the difference in the world.  My joy overflows and I'm at peace with my life, even if it goes from 100 to 50 degrees over night!

From His Lap,

Where is the Evidence?

"God is too big to take residence in us and not produce results...Is there evidence of a changed life?  Is there evidence that Christ, the Creator, has taken residence in us?" ~ Michael Booth.  That statemenet is so profound and yet so basic.  When the Creator of the universe pours His life into ours, He should ooze out of us in our words and actions.  We should be walking around dripping evidence of Him.

I remember a time when our church participated in a year long event call 24/7 prayer.  We had a prayer room set up with candles and worship music.  The walls were lined with paper on which you could write praises and prayer requests that you were making known to the Lord.  I signed up for many hours in that prayer room; some in the middle of the night.  During that year, it seemed as if I was aware of His presence on me, in me and around me with every step I took.  I saw people differently.  I heard beyond their words, straight to their hearts.  It was so intense that it reminded me of when Moses asked the Lord to see His glory.  But he could only see the back side of God, because he couldn't have stood seeing His face.  That's how I felt that year; like I couldn't take one more bit of His glory.

I know that it changed me forever.  When I watch people, listen to their stories, I hear their heart's cry.  I never want to live a day where there is no evidence that God has taken residence in me.  Last night I ran across a young man's story of how God, residing in him, changed another man's life forever.  I would like to share his story with you.  His name is Jarrid Wilson and here is his story:  "Pre-paid Hope".  I hope you click on the link and read how the evidence of Christ' residence in Jarrid spilled over to a man who needed to be touched by the Life of God!

From His Lap,

Shiny Happy Faces

Last night I made homemade guacamole with some very large avocados that we purchased from a Mexican grocery store.  They were much nicer looking than the ones we usually buy at the local market down the street.  I couldn't wait to get them peeled and get that guacamole made!

As I peeled back the beautiful green skin, I saw dark spots and bruising that wasn't evident from the outside of the avocado.  There were several soft parts that I had to cut away.  I was taken aback because I fully expected the heart of these avocados to be better than their smaller counterparts that I usually buy.  Funny...they looked so perfect from the outside, without bruise or blemish.  However, after I peeled the skin and removed the bad places, we had a beautiful tasty bowl of guacamole!

Yummy guacamole

I caught myself wondering, "what do I try to hide with make-up, pretty clothes and a smile.  Can you look at me and see hurts and bruises that I've encountered along life's way or do I do a pretty good job of covering up those dark places?  Do you want to take the time and effort it entails to peel back the shiny outside and get to the heart of me, helping to cut away dead places, heal the bruised spots?"

My shiny happy face!

I have a feeling that we're all like that.  We put on pretty shiny happy faces because in order to be considered successful in any area of our lives, we're not supposed to expose our frailties, our imperfections.  But when you look past those parts that aren't considered healthy, we are really quite tasty dishes!!!  You've heard it said that "we are made up of the sum of our parts."  Sometimes the bruises and the soft spots are what adds flavor to what makes us who we are.  If you've suffered heartbreak or trials, dear heart, don't worry and fret.  Getting through, standing tall and beating the odds is what makes you the person we know and love!  If there are parts of your life that you don't like, wish you could change, or cut out, ask the Lord to bring people across your path who will care enough to peel back the shiny layers, gently expose your hurts and help you deal with them!  Then your shiny happy face will be indicative of what's on the inside and not be hiding something you are afraid to let others see.  That's what we're here for anyway; to establish bonds with people who we are willing to "do" life with!

From His Lap,

Water in a Dry and Weary Land

Today I went for a walk in the vineyard with my boy.  I could tell that he didn't want to go along (what 15 year old boy wants to hang with his mom) but he never complained once.  It has been near or over 100 degrees here for weeks and weeks.  We have been asked to voluntarily ration watering our yards and they recommend that we don't go out unless we absolutely have to be somewhere.  But I couldn't take one more day in the house, so I asked the boy to go with me...and he did.  He didn't complain.

Everywhere we looked, there were signs that nature was at war with the heat.  Some battles were being won, but mostly...not so much.  We could see where the pond had receded.  The fields were brown and most of the wildflowers had succumbed.  Every once in a while, we came across a pop of color.  Morgan sat on the dock over the pond waiting and hoping for a cool breeze that never came.  He didn't complain.

As we walked along, there were stiff brown spikes interspersed with live flowers, still clinging to life with everything they had in them.  I thought to myself, "Is that how God sees us?"  Life can get dry sometimes...can seem dull and barren, yielding no fruit.  Do we wither and dry up; become dead and useless?  Or do we go to where the water is and get drenched, get filled up? He wants us to come to Him in quiet moments and just be still, or sing to Him, or let Him minister to us.  That's how we get watered and have our roots grow deeper in Him.  And that's how we keep our color and vibrancy.  Even when our circumstances don't seem to be perfect, we can still be fruitful, still be full of color and life.  

I watched my boy as we walked today.  He was full of life, full of richness and joy.  He examined the jewel toned grapes that looked strangely beautiful hanging next to brown lifeless leaves.  He walked and posed for my endless picture taking and laughed with me.  He didn't complain.


As I walked behind him and watched, I thought "I hope as he grows older and life gets harder and responsibilities take their toll, that he remembers Who he can go to to get water and life.  I hope that his color doesn't fade with time and he spends moments with the One who can fill him up again and renew his days.  I hope he remembers not to complain."  Those were my thoughts for him.

My thoughts turned towards myself.  Just because I've lived and had pain and gone through much, doesn't mean I have to be lifeless and dull.  I will continue to go to Him and drink Him in and be full of life and  color.  Life is rich if you allow Him to fill you.  So I walked some more, with my boy...and I didn't complain.


From His Lap,