Volume IV

Streams of Living Waters

Entry IV

If you have yet to be led spiritually by Amy Carmichael, I encourage you to do so.  There is so much richness in being led by a saint who has gone before you.  A woman of faith and courage, who lived from 1867-1951, Amy left her life in the British Isles to love, among many others, the temple prostitutes of India’s caste system. 

When I find myself in need of a watering for my troubled soul, I often curl up on the couch with a blanket, my Bible, and a copy of Amy Carmichael’s letters written to her beloved Indian “family”.  And, last Sunday night was one of those treasured meetings.  The children were tucked in bed, my husband was resting, the house was ready for another busy week, and I needed Jesus.  Just looking at the upcoming week’s calendar made my head spin, and the homeschooling goals for the week pressed hard upon me.  I needed Jesus.  I needed the risen Jesus to invade my redeemed humanity. 

Here is what God had for me, and I pass it to you.  May you have the same experience of sheer wonder that I had.    Hear the words of Amy Carmichael,

“Have you noticed this?  Whatever need or trouble you are in, there is

always something to help you in your Bible, if only you go on reading

till you come to the word God specially has for you.  I have noticed this

often.  Sometimes the special word is in the portion you would naturally

read, or in the Psalms for the Day, or maybe it is somewhere else; but you

must go on till you find it, for it is always somewhere.  You will know it

the moment you come to it, and it will rest your heart.” 

Really?  Was she really suggesting that every time I have a need or trouble, if I keep searching His Word, He will bring me to a Scripture that pertains to that need?  So, because I was in need, I decided to try. 

First, I named my need: renewed strength in weariness.

Second, I opened a Celtic prayer book, turned to March 18, and began to read the assigned Scriptures.  First, I read the Old Testament Scripture (no, that didn’t relate), next the reading from the Psalms (no, that didn’t relate), then the New Testament reading (no, that wasn’t right either).  Amy said that I would know it the moment I come to it because it would rest my heart.  I pressed on.

Third, I put away the Celtic Prayer book and tried another devotional.  My faith was wavering at this point, but felt urged to pursue God’s holy Word for me.  After reading two more Scriptures, there it was, six Scripture passages later.  I began to weep in gratitude, for I had gone on reading until I came to the word God specially had for me.  As I meditated on the Scripture, my soul was refreshed so thoroughly.

I will spare you the remaining week’s details, except to say that there were two additional times during the week when I had specific trouble and need.  I sat again, both times, searching through His Word until He provided a word especially for that trouble.  I was in sheer wonder…He led me to such soul-satisfying Scriptures. 

So, please be encouraged!  If He can do it for me, He can do it each of you.  God’s Word is alive for you tonight, tomorrow, this upcoming week.  Name your need before Him, and ask Him to lead you into His special Word for you.

And, if the Bible seems overwhelmingly large right now, and you have nowhere to begin, I have two suggestions: 1) read the Scriptures He gave to me this week (Isaiah 58:7-12 and Ephesians 3:16-21), and 2) go online, find a yearly Bible reading schedule, and read the Scriptures for today’s date.

Remember, “you must go on till you find it, for it is always somewhere. You will know it the moment you come to it, and it will rest your heart.”

May we, as women of Grace Pasadena, be known for our great dependence upon His Word.

Tanya

Books by Amy

Volume III

Steams of Living Waters

Entry III
February 2012

My dear co-walkers in our Lord Jesus Christ,

Here we are nearly halfway through our Lenten season, and I am compelled to write a note of encouragement to you.

If you have walked closely to our Lord during this season of Lent and remembrance of Christ, then be encouraged for He has drawn you unto Himself by the power of His love.  “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

If you have not walked closely to our Lord, and struggle even knowing how to, be encouraged for, “He longs to be gracious and rises to show compassion.  Blessed is the one who waits for the Lord.” (Isaiah 30:18)

And, as in my case, if you walked closely to our Lord for the beginning of lent, and allowed life and circumstances to distract you, be encouraged by the words of David,

“With my voice I cry out to the Lord;

With my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord.

I pour out my complaint before him;

I tell my trouble before him.

When my spirit faints within me,

You know my way!”

Psalm 142:1-3

Early this week, I sat down, with Bible and journal in hand, desperate for my Lord to show up mightily.  The previous week had been full of demands that could not be left unattended, and wake of the week left me in need of a spiritual realignment.  I needed to hear Him, feel Him, and be touched by Him. 

There I was, ready for something amazing to take place, pen ready, Bible open, and journal open to the next clean page.  And it hit me!  During the rush of the past 5 days, I had forgotten my Lenten commitment to the Lord.  How could that happen?  I was supposed to record every day a way in which I saw the risen Christ invade my redeemed humanity. 

I felt guilty and saddened, and in searching for a familiar verse, I found myself at Psalm 141.  Ah, the Gospel burst through my guilt and I was left with great joy and hope! 

The answer for those in Christ who have temporarily lost their way is simple:

“With your voice, cry out to the Lord!”

The answer for those in Christ who need God’s help is simple:

“With your voice plead for mercy to the Lord!”

The answer for those in Christ who have circumstances they wish to change or trouble that burden them is simple:

“Pour out your complaint before Him, tell your trouble before Him!”

The answer for those in Christ whose spirit is fainting, is simple:

“When your spirit faints within you, You (God) know my way!”

So, I went forth knowing that Christ cares more about my relationship with Him than whether or not I have perfectly kept my Lenten commitment.  He cares more about humility and authenticity than sacrifice.  He cares more about my desire to offer to my life to Him than the imperfection with which I do it. 

As we enter the second half of our Lenten season, I encourage us to take Psalm 141 to heart and cry out to Him with our voice, pleading for His mercy.

May we worship Him fully as a community of believers tomorrow!

Tanya

Volume II

Streams of Waters

Entry 2, February 20, 2012

Dear Women of Grace,

            I just dropped my children off at an art class ready to enjoy this one treasured time a week I have without them nearby.  As I drove off, I began asking the Lord what I should do during this hour and a half?  What would bring peace to my racing mind and heart? After running through my past week at break-neck speed, I found myself desperate for a since of solace and direction.  My options included: coming home to wash dishes and laundry, going for a run, or cleaning outside our home from the aftermath of our construction project.  I was certain that bringing order to our home was the very thing that would rejuvenate my soul and get me off to a good start this week.

While still driving, He reminded me of His Word.  “Tanya, it is Me that you need.  Let’s go back to your house and sit together.  Pour out your heart to Me and listen to Me through the Word I gave you.  Clothes, dishes and cleaning can wait.  Feasting upon Me cannot.  You must stop before you go on.”  So, my friends, after the “feasting”, I was encouraged to share the following with you.

Lent, the forty days of preparation toward Easter, begins this Wednesday.  While Lent is traditionally Catholic, the discipline is something from which we can greatly learn.  It forces us to ponder more seriously, for forty days, Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.  Some people “give up something” for Lent while others “add something spiritual” for Lent.  Look beyond that.  Let us, together, ask Christ how we should sacrifice ourselves to Him in preparation for Easter Sunday. 

This past month, I have been greatly challenged by thoughts from “The Indwelling Life of Christ” by W. Ian Thomas.  I shared some of these thoughts at the Saturday Women’s gathering…sorry for the repeat…

This is what I desire during Lent…

“To rediscover the Lord Jesus Christ and the indispensability of His indwelling presence within the believer.”

What does this mean?  I encourage you to sit with this for a while… it’s amazing! 

We get to encounter the risen living Lord who shares His Life with us on earth on our way to heaven…so that He may accomplish through us what He began to do in His own physical body two thousand years ago.  What a fantastic privilege!

During Lent, I want to see the Person of Jesus, the Lord Himself, in residence within my redeemed humanity.  I am going to take a twist on Ann Voscamp’s book, “One thousand Gifts” and record EVERY day in Lent (and I don’t do “every-day” commitments very wellJ) when I see/feel the risen Jesus in residence within my redeemed humanity.  Then, when I come on Easter Sunday to celebrate a risen Lord, I will have already walked intimately with Him for 40 days and will be further convinced that He is alive and worth my sacrifice to Him.

Would you walk alongside me for the next 40 days as we prepare our hearts, souls, minds, and strength to worship Jesus more fully?  What a great way to be a church during this season!

Blessings to each of you,

Tanya

Volume I

Streams of Living Water

Vol. I
January 2012

It has been nearly two weeks since I sent the letter indicating my desire to spur you along in the Word and prayer.  I must say that after sending the letter, I have had several times with the Lord and felt that none of them were adequate enough to pass along to you.  I have been caught in the fear that what God has been impressing upon my heart and mind would be insignificant and elementary to each of you.  So, today I leave behind fear and walk into faith, choosing to remember that these teachings are most certainly from God.  How prideful of me, right, to think that any of these thoughts were mine in the first place?

1/30/2012

So, here is the unfiltered journey God took me on this morning…

The bed was warm and His voice was beckoning me to arise,

The sky was still dark, and His nudging persisted.

My body moaned of fatigue and a lingering sickness.

Was it really Him calling me to get up and meet with Him?

Wouldn’t He want me to sleep longer after the tiring efforts of last week?

But His voice was clear, His love was faithful, and He inclined me to obey.

Then He led me, like a sheep to her Shepherd, to Psalm 32 for nourishment.

It was like drinking water after a two-week journey through the desert.

There were three parts to His teaching this morning.

1) My need for confession

The Psalm begins with “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered,” and continues with, “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.”  

The Holy Spirit began to show me so many of my sins over the past two weeks, and I realized the debilitating effect of not confessing them to my good and great God.  The list was long, the confession daunting, but the freedom and love unfaltering. 

2) Making sense of my circumstances

This Psalm goes on to say, “ Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you many be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.” 

WHAT?  My prayers will not reach God?  What is this talking about? 

To the commentaries I fled…

Ah, no, the “rush of great waters” will not reach the one who is godly and offers prayers.  Much better understanding of the verse!  The “rush of great waters” is from an ancient Near Eastern creation myth that speaks of a mass of chaotic waters that had to be subdued by the creator-god before he could fashion order of the world and rule as the divine king over the earth. 

Over the past few weeks, I have had three circumstances that feel like a “mass of chaotic waters”.  But Jesus said to me this morning, “Tanya, do not run from the rush of great waters – confess your sins to your Father, let Him subdue the waters and fashion order from the chaos.  He will then rule over them.”

3) Hearing His promises

Ah, the remainder of the Psalm was like sweet medicine to my weary soul.  The promises and comfort were limitless.  Here are a few that I hope to meditate upon as the week progresses.

D God is my hiding place

D He preserves me from trouble

D He surrounds me with sounds of deliverance

D He will instruct me and teach me in the way I should go

D He will counsel me with His eye upon me

D Steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord

And the result, after 1)confession, 2)making sense of my circumstances, and 3)hearing His promises is this....(the last verse of the Psalm)

“Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shot for joy, all you upright in heart!”

The alarm sounded,

Life was waiting

Time to awake the children, make breakfast, make a lunch, and manage a new day.

My time of cleansing and refreshment from the Lord was over for now,

And I would long to meet with Him again soon…

Letter to Women of Grace

January 2012
Dear women of Grace Pasadena,

Please bear with me as I attempt to share some thoughts that God has been pressing upon my mind these past few weeks as I have prayed for you, as the women of Grace, and my role with and among you. 

Planting this church alongside Brannin has been such a sweet privilege, and with it has come an unexpected disappointment.  As the church has grown over the course of the last year, it has been difficult for me to get to know each of you in the way that I desire.  There are some of you whom I know well, many whom I know relatively well, and a growing number of you whom I don’t know at all.  That is sad for me. I wish to know you each of you well. 

Prior to planting this church, I had a beautifully crafted vision and plan for my role as Brannin’s wife and co-planter.  I desired to teach a practical theology course, engage in Bible studies with our women, serve our city together, and meet with, listen to, and pray for you.  Then life brought a few twists and turns that have caused those dreams to look different than I expected. 

As I begin to dream about 2012, I have decided not to hide behind the circumstances that take away my time, but rather begin to ask God how I can serve Him amidst those circumstances.   How could I help you as the women of Grace to grow in your relationship with Jesus and encourage you in His Word and prayer?  He gave me an initial solution that I am pleased to share with you. 

There are times, as I meet with our Lord early in the morning or late at night, when God enlightens His Word for me and encourages me specifically in my time of need.  When this happens (possibly weekly, possibly a few times a month), I will share His insights with you.  Although I am not able to teach a study now, I can send you encouragements from His Word.  My hope is two fold: 1) that you would be encouraged to sit before God as well and feast upon His Word in prayer, and 2) you would be able to get to know me better through hearing what God is teaching me.  I will title these emails, “streams of living water”, from Psalm 1. 

It has been my greatest desire that we, as women of Grace, would be rooted and grounded in His Word and prayer.  May Psalm 1 characterize us this year.

“His delight is in the law of the Lord;

and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of living water

that yields its fruit in its season

and its leaf does not wither.

In all that he does, he prospers.”

I look forward to walking near Jesus together this year.

Tanya