By Kimberly, on January 30th, 2010
Sometimes it is the simplicity of the Gospel that trips us up.
The truth that the longest distance in the world can be the 12 inches between the head and the heart.
The difference in believing from the distance of intellectualism that God exists versus that He exists in the embrace of making a way for me to come to Him.
So simple, His way. So complex.
So familiar. And such a mystery.
How is it we can be rocketing down a wide road leading straight to destruction and with a heart felt cry of belief in the Son of God, our road narrows into the path of the Cross where we walk in the Way laid out for us so many years before when the Son of God was sent to die.
For me. For you. For all who accept the Gift.
My mission statement came to me one day in that still small voice. I’d read somewhere in one of the books stacked beside my bed that every Christ follower should have a mission statement. I don’t even think I breathed a prayer, but into my mind came the words, “To know Christ and to make Him known through writing, music and drama.” I knew it was right.
Sometimes I fail miserably. I do other things besides write. I get frustrated with music ministry. No one schedules me to perform and I wonder if I have lost my calling, but my life is more than writing, music and drama.
My life is about knowing Him better today than yesterday and sometimes I fail in that, too, pushing my prayer time and journaling and Bible study to the back of my schedule of things that have no eternal value.
I am to make Him known to others–to be a Christ follower and Christ-like when I speak to the check-out girl who is more concerned with her recent heartbreak than her customers (me!) need to hurry. I am to be Christ-like when I drive from hospital to hospital. Does the Icthus/fish symbol on my car identifying me as a Christian testify to the life changing power of the Gospel as it flashes by in my need for speed? When I lose my temper, when I gossip, when I tell a little white lie so I look better to someone (and worse to Him) am I making known the power of Christ in my life?
When He found me I was a sinner in desperate need of grace.
I had tried all I knew to have a good life. I’d followed the rules and broken the rules. I’d fallen into the pit of sin and crawled back out. I’d comitted the little day-to-day sins that wear on our souls and sear our consciences. And I’d comitted the big time sins that make us cringe as I careened around trying to figure out life and make sense of the longing in my heart to be loved with an everlasting love.
On the surface I looked like I had it made. Wordly success was my oyster. I had a good job. A career that paid well. I was smart. I was pretty. I was funny and could tell a joke with impecable timing bringing laughter to an entire room. I lived in a big house in an upscale neighborhood, shopped the best stores for the best clothes and vacationed in the places I read about in travel magazines.
And all of it was a cover-up for a broken heart.
When God brought me to the end of myself, when I had run as hard and fast as I could after worldly success as well as religious success–striving to do good so the God of my childhood would give me cosmic Brownie Points into His good favor–I had to admit all my strivings had failed.
The paradox of the Gospel. That to find our life, we must lose it. And when we lose our life, we find it–His LIFE! Abundant life! Overflowing with His goodness and love, filled with mercy toward me a sinner, bubbling with the unmerited favor of His grace. Free for the asking. Too good to be true, but is.
Why was I so afraid of giving up control of the pitiful striving existence that I knew as my life? Why did I fear giving up the emptiness of laying my head down at night wondering if this was all there was and ever meant to be to life?
All I can say is that we have an enemy that speaks to us the lie of the Garden…..”Did God really say……?” making us doubt His goodness. Making us think our own way is better than giving ourselves to a God who just wants to cramp our style. Oh, the lie of the enemy of our soul!
We live in a world built on that lie.
“Do this! It’ll make you happy!” “Try this! It will change your life!” “Here it is! This is what you’ve been looking for!”
Empty promises.
But Kim, you ask, don’t you have to give up a lot to be a Christian?
Yes….the emptiness, the lonliness, the heartbreak, the striving for happiness, the gnawing emptiness of running place to place, person to person, thing to thing looking for what will change your life.
There is only one way and that is the person of Jesus. God’s own Son. Sent to die as a sacrifice for every sin ever comitted by anyone past and future.
Mind boggling, but Good News! That He died for my sins and yours!
As I write, Britt Nicole is singing these words, “What are you waiting for? What do you have to lose?”
I told a friend last night that the difference in belief and BELIEF is this:
You stand on the shore of a raging river. A boat is there to take you across the water and the Captain asks if you believe the boat will make it across the water. It’s a strong boat, well made for the journey not to mention the only boat that has ever made it across the water. You say yes, you believe and the Captain reaches for your hand. “Come on then! I’ll take you across!” You back away, unsure you want to actually get on the boat and go across and the Captain leaves without you.
That is the difference. You can say you believe that the boat will make it but until you act on that belief and actually get on the boat, trusting the Captain to take you across, you have not yet accepted and acted on your belief.
Dear ones! Please do not stand on the shore watching the boat taking first this one and then that one across! The day is coming soon when the Captain will make His last trip and you don’t want to miss it! Jesus is coming soon! Don’t miss out, standing on the stormy shore with your face to the wind and rain as the lightening strikes around you and the thunder rolls, watching the boat pull away, thinking, “Maybe next time.”
What if there isn’t a next time?
But, what do you have to lose? He loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life!
Too far gone, you think? No one is beyond the grace, love and forgiveness of God! I am living proof!
Get on the boat! Don’t miss out!
~~Kim
If you don’t know if you can trust Him, then trust me when I say you can. If you are reading this and you know a lot about Jesus but you don’t know Him but want to, please pray the prayer at the end of this blog. And when you do, please let me know. May you be blessed as He changes your life and you step from darkness into His beautiful light!
“Dear Jesus, I have done things wrong in my life and I ask You to forgive these things that You call sin. Jesus, I believe that You are the Son of God. I believe that God, the Father, sent You to save us from our sins and that includes mine; past, present and future. I believe that You died a terrible death on the cross so I wouldn’t have to die for my sins. Thank You, Jesus. I am asking You to be Lord of my life. I am “getting on the boat,” Jesus and trusting You with my life. Thank you, Jesus for saving me. Amen.”
Congratulations! You are adopted into the family of God! Please let me know if you prayed this prayer! I have a gift for you!
By Kimberly, on January 16th, 2010
Dear Ones,
As you know the country of Haiti was devastated by a 7.0 earthquake this week.
And I’m sure you have heard the rhetoric by some Christian commentators about why.
But I am here to say, the why does not matter at this point. Our response with the love of Christ does.
Say you chop your arm off with a defective chain saw. What matters is that we treat your wounds first–stop the bleeding, perform lifesaving measures, etc. Later we can figure out the why and the “what happened.” But the spiritual reality is that we may not ever know this side of heaven the “whys” of many things here on the earth. Our job is not to understand it all or even to know it all. Our job is to be Jesus with skin on to those around us. We have a great opportunity to do that for the people of Haiti.
First of all we can pray. There are desperate needs and difficulty in meeting those needs. Prayer changes things. It brings the Power of God to bear on any problem. Please pray that the survivors will feel the tangible love of God as relief organizations mobilize. Pray for financial provisions for food, supplies and transport. Pray for honesty. I heard a report today of scammers already at work asking for donations that will never be sent to Haiti. Pray for the relief workers–for their safety and emotional well being. Pray that God will be glorified and turn this terrible tragedy for good.
Many ministries are taking donations including the Red Cross, Samaritan’s Purse, the Salvation Army, Mercy Ships and others I’ve never heard of. Below is a list of web site for donations. Most of us are overwhelmingly blessed. We are blessed to be a blessing. Donations of any amount are needed. Several of them including Feed My Starving Children and Partners in Health already have relationships and resources on the ground in Haiti. How good of our God that these ministries seeking to serve Him had already been led to serve the Haitian people long before we knew this would come to pass. Now let us do our part to partner with them to show the Love of Christ during this time.
Bless you as you give!
Kim
Mercy Ships
http://www.mercyships.org/page/contribute/help-haiti
The American Red Cross
www.redcross.org
Text “Haiti” to 90999 to donate $10 (billed to your phone)
The United Nations World Food Program
www.wfp.org
The Salvation Army
www.salvationarmyusa.org
Action Against Hunger
www.actionagainsthunger.org
Project HOPE
www.projecthope.org
Partners in Health
www.pih.org
Samaritan’s Purse
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/
Feed My Starving Children (.94 of each dollar goes to feed the children! www.fmsc.org/haitiearthquakeresponse
Compassion, International
http://www.compassion.com/
By Kimberly, on January 7th, 2010
I just love the way when God wants to get my attention, He finds a way to do it so that I can’t miss it. So now, in the month of New Beginnings, Resolutions and Fresh Starts, I hear the Spirit whispering, “Don’t worry.”
Today I had two similar conversations about the state of the world we live in–one with my Mom and one with a dear friend and Senior Saint. After agreeing the world at large truly seems to be going to Hell in the proverbial Hand Basket, we also agreed that our response is to keep our eyes on Jesus.
Being in the health care field, I am asked almost daily what I think about health care reform in general and what is going on in the House and Senate health care bills in particular. I’ll be honest…I catch the news via my local Christian radio station (thank you, KGCR) but I don’t spend a lot of time and energy on “reading all about it.”
I have an opinion on what is wrong with our health care system and I have opinions on things that might improve it, but time is too precious to be taken up with the raucous rhetoric that fills the airwaves on this subject. What I listen to or read either makes me mad (like the recent letter to the editor accusing hospitals and doctors of only being concerned with making money–well, Ma’am, I’ll call you the next time I rouse from my warm bed at 3 am, then slide to the hospital on dangerous roads to help someone who cannot breathe on their own and explain to you then why it is I do what I do) or makes me worry about the future and the Bible commands me to not worry.
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life–whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?” Matthew 6:25 NLT
My job is to believe what He says.
“Look at the birds. They do not plant or harvest or store food in barns for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to Him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” Matthew 6:26-27
I don’t have time to wring my hands and wonder what may happen and how it will affect me.
I just know that He has promised to care for me and take care of my needs.
My hope is not in health care reform.
My help does not come from politics.
My hope is not the “winds of change blowing through our country” or promises made by men looking for a career in politics.
My hope is in the Lord.
Please believe I am not a fatalist. Neither am I like a former co-worker who was running up huge amounts of debt because “Jesus is coming back and I’ll never have to repay all of it!”
I believe in effecting positive change. I believe in being a good steward. I think we should stay informed about our world so that we can impact this world for good and His glory.
But just as the Jews did not understand the upside down Kingdom Jesus spoke of, I see too many well meaning Christians looking in all the wrong places for the Salvation of our world. The Jews were looking for a political Messiah to rescue them from Roman rule. They were spoiling for a fight where their Messiah comes out on top and they no longer had the yoke of slavery breaking their backs.
Sometimes we as Christ followers want the same thing. We want political clout. We want righteousness to reign but we want to get there via worldly means.
Because we know the Truth, we want everyone else to follow the Truth which is what we are here for. To witness to His power and grace and salvation, his death and resurrection and to make disciples of the nations. But we cannot have it both ways–say we are trusting God but putting our hopes for prosperity at the altar of the politico’s.
Don’t get me wrong–we have a God given responsibility for our world to impact it and make a difference. We live in a free country. We have a responsibility to vote, to speak out in public discourse for what is right, to be involved in the political process if that is where He has called you. But that is not your hope!
My friend asked me today if I thought God intended for our country to be headed this way all along. “We know from the Bible that there will be dark days. One world government. Times of persecution for Christians. Do you think despite all our prayers during the election, this is what God intended all along?”
My answer? “I have no idea, but I know this. We are called to pray, so we prayed. What God does is up to Him.”
That may sound simplistic. Ann Coulter recently wrote that “Christianity is simultaneously the easiest religion in the world and the hardest religion in the world.” http://www.anncoulter.com/
Simple because He did it all and we are called only to believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths. Romans 10:9
Hard because once you believe it, no more doing what the rest of the world is doing. We live to a higher calling and that calling involves obedience and trust no matter the clamor around you.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27
So that is where I am on this journey, keeping my eyes on Jesus, trusting that even though I may not be able to see it in the natural, I know He has it all in hand. He has promised good to me and in that I rest and do not worry.
Blessings and peace to you, my friends, in this New Year!
“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” 2 Thessalonians 3:16
~~Kim
By Kimberly, on December 17th, 2009
I am home this morning with a zillion things to do on my to-do list but instead I am enjoying the quiet, a cup of coffee, and music that sings His praises on Syrius radio. I’ve eaten my Fiber One bar and so far have staved off eating the puppy chow Lauren made yesterday or the fragrant pumpkin bread I made on Monday evening.
All is calm. All is bright.
Kary is busy at his business. Lauren is sleeping. The boys have yet to come home from college for the holiday.
Although I love the hustle and bustle of a house full of laughter and fun, I also savor these moments when I am alone in my beautiful quiet house and all is right with my world.
I remember waking up to my mom sitting quietly with a cup of coffee at our kitchen table saying she loved that part of the day. Now I understand.
After a few years of rest, my Christmas village with new pieces, once again sparkles on the buffet. A hospital (of course, and a favorite piece that the kids bought for me one Christmas when they were much younger), two churches–Catholic and Protestant (outside the church that looks so much like the churches we saw in Scotland that I’ve decided it is in fact a Presbyterian Church, a man and woman clutch choir books as they walk home from practice. And a nun feeds the birds scraps of leftover bread in front of All Saints), a clock shop and a Christmas shop share the village square across from the pond where two ice fishermen are frozen in excitement awaiting their big catch. Shoppers are clutching bright packages taking their purchases across the bridge to their gaily decorated Victorian homes.
It is the village of my childhood imagination.
 The Village Square Our tree twinkles with colored lights and decorations the kids have made or collected over the years.
Sometimes I wonder about the boy’s future wives and how they will feel being proudly presented with a box of ornaments on their first married Christmas. The ornaments reflect their interests through the years–Spiderman, sports, down-to-the-tiniest-detail electric guitars and drums, along with hanging ice cream cones fashioned from a white silk ornament glued into a real cone and proudly glittered along with the paint stick skinny snowmen of childhood crafts. My prayer is the young women will love the prized ornaments as much as they love the young men they reflect. And the young man who falls in love with and marries my daughter hopefully will see her dreams through the years in the ballet dancers and ornaments that reflect her growing love of music. “Oh, Lord, let it be so!”
Outside of my house there is a cacophony of voices shouting that Iran has tested yet another bomb, my over-use of toilet paper is ruining the planet, Christmas is just an over commercialized attempt to jump start the economy, and somehow Happy Holidays (which means Happy Holy-Day, btw) vs Merry Christmas is the biggest affront to my faith of all.
Instead, I sit in my quiet house and pray and contemplate Jesus coming to this Earth for me.
You know, He came to die. The shadow of the cross fell over the manger of the Babe in Bethlehem because He came to be the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world.
My world.
As I consider it here on the other side of the world where history that changed the world took place, it takes my breath away.
From the beginning, the Omniscent, Ever-present God, the Father, knew we would continue to choose our own way and would need a Savior.
He sent His Son as the Babe of Bethlehem to save me. HE became, Immanuel, God with us, to save me.
To save you.
He came to die for the sins of the world. More personally, He came to die for my sins.
A world groaning from the heaviness of choosing their own way year after year. A world in desperate need of a Savior.
And the world raged against Roman Rule and missed it.
The people of Bethlehem scurried and hurried and worried trying to accomadate the many visitors to their city for the census and most of them missed it.
The Religious leaders who were looking for Messiah in all the wrong places missed His coming.
“Oh, dear God, don’t let me miss it, this year! As the world events swirl around me, help me to see You this Christmas!”
Since I began this missive, Lauren has stirred and our three little dogs are begging for breakfast and there are cards to send, bread to bake and presents to wrap. But like Mary, I have pondered these things in my heart and so instead of joining in the world’s crying chorus, I can take His peace with me, savoring He who came for me. God with us. Immanuel. God with me, this Christmas and always!
May this Christmas bring peace to you and yours!
By Kimberly, on December 1st, 2009
You know you’re too busy when……
You are writing blog posts at 1:26 am!
I cannot believe that it has been over a month since I last virtually put pen to virtual paper to write about life or faith or life and faith, but it has.
I’ve had a little trouble with the new Word Press blog. When the new and improved www.kimzweygardt.com went live in October, my passwords, navigating the back side of my site, etc. all changed.
And suddenly, I realized that although I loved the changes, I really didn’t like changing, if that makes sense. I spent a good bit of time looking for my new passwords, interspersed with trying out various passwords, changing passwords, losing the new passwords until I just put it on the back burner as life took over.
This seems counter intuitive to what I just said, but I am realizing something about myself as the days pass into years–I love a new endeavor! I love the excitement of learning or doing something new. All my efforts and enthusiasm goes into whatever the event of the moment is…and then I’m ready to move on. I run willy nilly to each thing, give it my all, burn the candle at both ends, take a deep breath and run for the next thing.
Now, if you have hung around kimzweygardt.com very long, you would say, “Blah, blah, blah. Haven’t we heard this before?” Yes. A common theme is my tendency to over commit my time and energy. But this is something different. And it does have a spiritual application.
Two years ago I fell in love with kiln formed glass or fused glass, so I studied all I could learn on-line about glass fusing. I took classes. Kary bought me a kiln and built me a studio. Soon beautiful, functional pieces of glass were over flowing the studio. Then they were overflowing my home. I mean, how many plates, platters and bowls does a person need? Then of course, I began gifting glass until the giftees yelled “uncle!” And people were asking, “Aren’t you going to sell your work?” So I decided to do a craft show and it was wonderful! The glass was popular. The accolades were welcome. And all of my spare time was spent thinking about glass, making glass, ordering glass supplies, etc. in the days leading up to the show. (And I am selling online, so if you are interested in the glass I am doing, check out http://www.artfire.com/users/GirlonFire)
The month before that I’d prepared for the ACFW conference in Denver. I’d made plans to go without really understanding all I needed to know about agent appointments and editor appointments and so the weeks before I was to go, I locked myself in my office and wrote like a mad woman to prepare for the conference. And I was prepared and the conference was a wonderful experience. I met great sisters in Christ and fellow writers in the ACFW, got a great critique from a well known writer, had positive appointments with editors and agents.
And in between all of that, I performed in Dallas at a wonderful women’s event for Heritage Church that took time and preparation.
So…..what is wrong with all of that? After all, I am called to perform women in Scripture and I know I have a call on my life and a story to tell that must be written.
What is wrong is that I run from thing to thing, putting the other things behind me to move on to the next forgetting that I am called to it all all the time. When I write, I put all else aside and only write. When I fuse, I do the same. When I prepare to perform, all my energy goes into that one thing. And, true confession here, sometimes, I get so busy getting ready to do something ‘for the Lord’ I am so busy, my time with Him is also on a back burner. Ouch!
Today I read a quote about doing things today, living today, making choices today so that when you look back on your life there will be no regrets.
It is hard to not feel regret when you run around like a chicken with its head cut off much of the time!
Now, if you know me, you know that I am a high energy person. If you know me, you know that I can get lots of stuff done. I know how to do a lot of different things and enjoy doing many different things. It would seem I could look back with no regret on a life well lived and yet, I realize that sometimes the important things get lost in the shuffle.
I have a feeling that when I meet Jesus face to face He won’t care about my love for fused glass–not that there is anything wrong with it and whatever creativity I have, I give Him all the glory. He won’t care how many times or how well I performed my drama’s even though they are done for His glory and to bring others to Him. His main concern won’t be if I hit the best seller list with my first novel although since it is a prodigal story, it speaks to coming to a saving faith and knowledge of who He is.
What He will ask me is did I love Him and love the people He has put in my life. It is easy for me to get caught up in the doing, doing, doing and the going, going, going. Like the small child hollering, “Look Daddy! Look at me!” I run and do and perform for Him while forgetting to sometimes just sit at His feet and hear His voice. Sometimes in the busyness of all the things I want to get done and all of it for His Glory, I rush by people He has placed in my sphere of influence, missing out on the greatest opportunity to love them with His love.
And though I love the new–something different, something exciting, some new experience or something to learn, it is hard to change from the Old Man of my flesh that forgets what He has for me, if I will just take off the old and put on the new life, the new heart, the new way of walking with Him. To see life through His eyes. To hear life with His ears. To touch others with His gentle touch. To speak Life to others the way He has spoken to me.
All of those things take time. And time is what I burn doing all that I am doing so that only at now 2:14 am do I find time to write what is on my heart and pour out a prayer to Him.
I love my drama of Mary, the mother of Jesus, called “My Son, My Savior.” I repeat the words of Scripture as I perform her visit from the angel when Mary says “Let it be to me as you have said.”
So tonight I say again, “Lord, I fall so short of the calling You have given me. I fail so many times. But I come to You again, my Jesus, and say ‘Let it be to me as You have said.’”
As we move toward Christmas, may you be blessed with New Life and Faith as we celebrate Emmanuel, God with us!
By Kimberly, on October 21st, 2009
Well, I certainly didn’t think a week would go by without blogging after my new/improved website got up and running, but that is what happened. Can’t even tell you where the time went exactly except whatever I was doing, I certainly was busy doing it.
Are you a to-do list maker?
I am, but then the list gets out of hand with me adding things like “Promote world peace” at the bottom of the list along with buying milk and eggs and the whole thing gets tossed in the trash as way too much to do in a [...]
By Kimberly, on October 13th, 2009
It is fabulous to be back online with kimzweygardt.com! Love the new look and looking forward to new adventures in God. Isn’t it amazing that though He is the same yesterday, today and forever, life with Him is never the same! I am listening to Brandon Heath’s “Wait and See” where he sings that God [...]
By Kimberly, on October 13th, 2009
Depending on where you are in life—buying pencils and notebooks and new backpacks and writing checks for lunch tickets or writing really big checks for college tuition or perhaps watching your grandchildren get on the bus for that first day of school, mid August heralds the end of summer and reminds me that time passes.
Since [...]
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