Crazy for Jesus in Crazy Times

Just to give you an update on what my life's been like lately, here's a typical day in the life of Lauren:
7:00am - roll out of bed...breakfast and Bible time with the family
7:30-8:30 - get ready for the day. Sometimes I try to fit some debate in here.
8:30 - start school
3 or 4:00 - finish school more or less
3-6:00 - debate
6-7:00 - dinner
7-10:00 - debate
11-12:00 - bed

Oh, and I forgot to mention the few snippets of time in the morning (when I'm foggy eyed, trying to blink to wake myself up) and night (when my eyelids are so heavy, that I have to work to keep myself awake) when I pull out my Bible.

What is wrong with this picture?!

I do not, by any means, tell you this so that you will be impressed by my dedication to debate, my hardcore academics, or nicely packed schedule. In fact, I look at my schedule ashamed. disgusted.

Now, don't take me wrong...I love debate! School, debate, music lessons, church activities...they're all great things. But I've allowed them to consume my life. When I pull away from them for a walk or when I'm by myself, I'm thinking about what I'm going to say in my debate round coming up in a few days, which paper is due next, or how I'm going to finish a book in time.

Where did Jesus go?

That's the problem.
I've replaced Jesus with other things.

I mean, sure, I still want Him to be part of my life...but He gets the leftovers, the crumbs, the scraps of time. In essence, my actions, my time, my attention, my schedule are telling my Creator, the Creator who made me, this speck on planet earth, along with all the millions of galaxies that are singing of His splendor...I'm telling this God that He isn't quite as important as all these other things, that I'm confident will give me more pleasure or satisfaction than He will.

"Many of us believe we have as much of God as we want right now, a reasonable portion of God among all the other things in our lives. Most of our thoughts are centered on the money we want to make, the school we want to attend, the body we aspire to have, the spouse we want to marry, the kind of person we want to become....But the fact is that nothing should concern us more than our relationship with God; it's about eternity, and nothing compares with that. God is not someone who can be tacked on to our lives."
- Francis Chan, "Crazy Love"

I want to get to the end of this year, having done my debate, worked on my school, and played my music in a way that tells Jesus that He means everything to me.
I want to be crazy for Jesus even in the midst of crazy times.
I want to be all about Jesus.

Please Lord, clear this confused and distracted mind and change this divided heart of mine.

Matthew 6:31-33
Matthew 10:38-39
Psalm 86:11

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Pause. Take a deep breath. and Consider.

If I could make one addition to life, I'd add a pause button.

This week, I've been scrambling and searching for that button, doing my best to grab onto the hands of time and make them drag slower.

All of a sudden, I feel like time is racing by. Siblings and friends are growing up, and yet, I try to deny it, insisting that nothing's changing. All is just as it was yesterday. Tomorrow will be no different.
I'll always spend evenings in the kitchen washing dishes with Leslie and my mom. I'll always be able to sit on my mom and dad's bed, asking questions, telling stories, talking the night away. I'll always have little sisters to hush, cuddle, and herd to bed.

I love the stanza from Karen Kingsbury's poem "Let Me Hold You Longer", where she writes, "My life keeps moving faster, stealing precious days that pass.
I want to hold on longer -- want to recognize [the] lasts..."

Soon will come the last time Layne will want to wrestle with me or want me to read her a story. Before you know it, Leslie and I won't be stuck sharing a room. The days of oatmeal and strict school schedules will be gone all too soon.

So pause. Take a deep breath. and consider...before you know it, time will be gone, those little moments swept away with it. So cuddle the cute little kid. Tell the husband or wife how much you love them. Spend a few extra minutes telling your parents goodnight.

"I never said goodbye to all [the] yesterdays long past.
So what about tomorrow -- will I recognize [the] lasts?"

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montana country

Last month, my family took our annual trek to Wibaux, MT, a tiny little farming town on the eastern edge of Montana. There were many unique experiences, such as the septic tank exploding, a coyote circling us, a rattlesnake sliding right by our feet, and a family of mice in our house, but we made some wonderful memories and had a fun time.






^ me, my sister Leslie, and 3 of my cousins



^ Baby Elliana

^ My Granddad


^ Almost the entire Amunrud family. 5 kids. 20 grandkids.

^ my cousin Seth







^ my adorable parents

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"Give it up for the One and Only..."

A couple days ago, I was reading through Isaiah, a book bursting with God's jealous claim to glory. He detests His people's idols and refuses to be considered just "another god". So over and over again in chapters 37 through 51, God makes the case for His unparalleled glory, splendor unmatched by any other god.

Isaiah 42:8 "I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols."

There are 3 points that God makes to distinguish Himself from idols:

1. He is the galaxies' Maker.

Our God is the God who by just saying the word, wove the quilt of stars and galaxies that covers us every night. He's the God who keeps all the water in the clouds and prevents it from all dumping out at once. He's the God who tells the lightning which tree to strike and tells the thunder when to roar.

Isaiah 45:12,18 "I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host...For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it...: 'I am the LORD, and there is no other.'"

The fact that He made the heavens, the earth, everything that's on the earth, even the materials which the Israelite's idols were made out of, sets Him apart from those idols that couldn't even make a Play dough snake.

2. He is time's Giver and Ordainer.

Our God is a God who alone can declare and it happens, who says and does, who plans and it is accomplished.
Isaiah 45:21 "Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me."

I find it interesting that this isn't a facet of God's character that He says we can just take it or leave it. His knowledge and ordination of the future is a fundamental aspect of who He is, one of the defining points between Him and any other god or desire or love that we run to. My God is deserving of all my trust, because He is a God who knows the plans He has for me.

Isaiah 46:9-11 "For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose'...I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it."

3. He is the sinner's Hero.

Isaiah 43:10-11 "Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior."

I think that verse probably sums it up well enough.
God is the only one who can ever save us. ever. You can't get rid of your sin by praying 5 times a day. You can't get off without punishment by giving a lot of money to the poor. You can't outweigh your bad deeds by doing a lot of good stuff.

God is the only Creator. The only Ordainer. The only Savior. The only God.

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where is your treasure?

My wish list is very long, full of big, expensive things that I hope to buy someday soon. SLR camera, new violin, mandolin, laptop, guitar… This list has existed for many years and is only growing, but now I’m starting to question myself. Is this the stuff that I really should be striving for? Sure, I might be able to use some of this stuff to impact God’s kingdom, but if I’m being honest with myself, I have to admit that’s not the real drive behind most of this wish list.

I’m seeking treasures here on earth.

Jesus was speaking right to me when He said in Matthew 6:19-21, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

The convicting thing about this verse isn’t that I’m investing in things that will rot away eventually, but that those desires are evidence of where my heart is.

Pastor and author, Rod Rogers put it this way, “You will always spend your money on what is most important to you… If your giving to the church of Jesus Christ is poor, it is a clear sign that you’re not excited about the things that God takes delight in. And, if you truly do take delight in the growth and success of Christ’s church, put your money where your heart is.”

What if we took seriously what Jesus said about storing up treasure in heaven? Wouldn't that completely change our priorities? Giving to a hungry orphan, sharing food with a panhandler, spending time serving in the prison would become of much greater importance than buying the newest iPhone or a Taylor guitar. Wouldn't we be looking for opportunities to give more? Looking for places in the budget that can be trimmed so that we could give more?

Live like your heart is in heaven.
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I wrote this for our h2o newsletter, which some of you may have read. Thought I'd post it here for those of you who haven't read it yet.

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to save one more.

The following movie clip is taken from the movie "Schindler's List", which tells the true story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of more than 1000 Jews during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories. But upon being honored for the saving all those lives, he begins to consider how much more he could have done, how many more lives he could have saved, how much more he could have given in order to make a greater impact.

Go all out. Keep giving more, loving more, serving more. Never stop striving.


[I've never seen the full movie and don't plan on it, due to some vivid and graphic images that the movie shows, but I find the story line very inspiring.]

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an old woman's heart

We were sitting in her kitchen, talking about what this world is coming too, about all the evil that's out there, and about the scary things that go on these days. And when we got to that point in the conversation where most people would blame the government, talk about the end times, talk about the "good old days", or just complain, this dear old lady from my church simply said:

"They need the Lord."

To be honest, I had never thought of it so simply before. When I think of all the problems the world has, I try to dream up a cure. I like to think I can conquer the world if I work hard enough, love deep enough, and dream big enough. I think physical, practical, visual.

While, yes, we've been called and commanded to feed the hungry, rescue the orphans, and care for the widows, something's missing if we're just feeding them for hunger's sake or giving them a home for shelter's sake.
Jesus didn't just tell the lame man to get up and walk. First, He forgave the man's sins.

This woman's theory was simple. and true: The reason things are messed up is because they're missing something. We have that something. In a sense, we have the solution. Why then aren't we sharing it?

"I tell you--and I'm old...you need the Lord."

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I was sitting through the second session at our church's Middle school retreat, where the speaker was talking about doing things that aren't always the most fun in order to reach the best destination. He gave the following wake up call of how we spend our money that I haven't been able to get off my mind.

"I'm not a huge coffee drinker, but when I do decide to get something to drink it's a decked up, $4 drink from Starbucks. And it occurred to me...If, over time, I were to buy 3 or 4 of those drinks, I would have spent enough money on trying to satisfy me and make me happy to have supported a hungry kid in Africa for a whole month."

I had never thought of it that way. Do you realize what we American Christians have done? We have lulled ourselves into thinking that we're giving a large amount of our income to the church and to missions when we continue to spend even more of our money on our Sunday morning Dutch bros. coffee or on a new outfit (even though we have plenty of perfectly good clothes in our closet already) or on a cellphone upgrade (even though our current phone does its job just fine). Why not give that money away too?

People say it's crazy. But isn't that the way we're supposed to live? Francis Chan (pastor and author) said, "Something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers."

I recently finished Francis Chan's book "Crazy Love" and was great challenged by was he said in one of his chapters, titled "Profile of the Obsessed". Basically, what does the life of a person, who is obsessed with Jesus, look like? One of his characteristics is this: Crazy Ones.

"When I returned from my first trip to Africa, I felt very strongly that we were to sell our house and move into something smaller, in order to give more away. The feedback I got was along the lines of "It's not fair to your kids," "It's not a prudent financial choice," and "You are doing it just for show." I do not remember a single person who encouraged me to explore it or supported the decision at the time.
We ended up moving into a house half the size of our previous home, and we haven't regretted it. My response to the cynics, in the context of eternity, was, am I the crazy one for selling my house? Or are you for not giving more, serving more, being with your Creator more?"

People thought that was crazy. After all, that's quite contrary to the American dream. Our whole culture is striving to upgrade. They work towards a bigger house, nicer car, newest technology. But why? Why should we?

We have a different calling.

We have a different hope.

When we let go of those unnecessary worldly possessions, we show where our true citizenship is.

Do you really believe that when you give, of your time, money, and other resources, you are actually storing up treasure in heaven? Because if you did...wouldn't that completely throw your financial priorities for a spin. No longer would it be a question of, "how much giving is required of me?" "how much, or rather little, can I put it the offering plate and still be considering a generous, giving, good Christian?"
Wouldn't we be looking for opportunities to give more? Looking for places in the budget that can be trimmed so that more could be given to those who don't even have the little blessings we so often take for granted?

As C.S. Lewis, in his book "Mere Christianity", put it:

"I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words,' if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small."

This is what God has been challenging me with lately. And I don't want you to feel like I'm pointing my finger at you. I just want to challenge you with what I've been challenged with. To give like crazy.

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"Lauren, who loves you?"

My daddy tiptoed into my room to tuck me in and kiss me goodnight. He sat down on the edge of my bed, and, just like he always did, he asked me the familiar questions, followed by my familar answers...

"Lauren, who loves you?"
Daddy.
"Alot? Or a little bit?"
Alot.
"More yesterday or today?"
Today.
"More today or tomorrow?"
Tomorrow.
"What can you do to make me love you more?"
Nothing.
"What can you do to make me love you less?"
Nothing.

I remember many of these nights growing up, when my dad would come into my room shortly after the lights were out and we'd go through this little bedtime routine of ours...him asking the questions. me answering. He didn't ask me those questions because he needed to find out who loved me, how much he loved me, or whether he loved me a lot of a little bit. No! He asked me those questions to remind me of what a love he had for me, to reassure me that his love was huge, always increasing, and unconditional. He loved me a lot. not just a little bit. He loved me more today than he did yesterday, and he'll love me more tomorrow than he does today. And there is nothing that I could do to make him love me more or less. It's an unconditional, life-long love.

When I think of the love that my dad, Scott Reavely, has for me, I'm amazed that he would choose to love me the way he does. But how much more does my Heavenly Father love me! Wow.

Now, I don't mean to make my dad out to be a perfect lover. He obviously makes his mistakes too. But, just think, if I can be so thankful for my dad's love, coming from one who does make mistakes and doesn't love me perfectly..what am I going to say to God's love? He not only loves me infinitely more than my dad ever could, but He is the perfect Lover!

Look at what He tells us about His love:

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor
demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor
depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the
love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be
called children of God!" (1 John 3:1)

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son..." (John 3:16)

As I read such expressions of affection, written in His love letter, my Father, just like He always does, gently reminds me of the familiar truths, followed by my ever thankful responses.

"Lauren, who loves you?"
My Creator.
"Alot or a little bit?"
Alot!
"More yesterday or today? More today or tomorrow?"
Forever.
"What can you do to make me love you more?"
Nothing.
"What can you do to make me love you less?"
Nothing.

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"Where are the marks of the cross in your life? Are there any points of identification with your Lord? Alas, too many Christians wear medals but carry no scars."

- Vance Havner

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