In and Out of Time

Today I find myself reflecting on love. Reflecting on the many definitions I made up for it over the years. Love makes me feel good, love does what I want it when I want it to. As I've matured over the years through heartache and infatuation I've come to realize that love is an action. It's a choice to be patient, to be kind, to endure, to bear all things, to NOT give up or fail. Love is taking the I and Me out of conversations and replacing it with You. I once knew a man, called him friend, called him lover. I thought I knew what it meant to love him until I walked away from him, determined it was for the best. He tried so hard to stay in my life but I pushed him away. I said it was to protect him, I consoled myself with the notion that "I wasn't what he needed, I wasn't good enough". In reality I was protecting myself, for as close as I allowed him into my life I still hid so much of what I thought he wouldn't accept or love. I made decisions for the both of us that I had no right to make. Though he stood by me through many trials, I did not stand by him. Years later, I stand aware of who I am, who I once was and who I'm called to be. I only want to bless this man's life in any way that I can. With or without me I'm sure he'll continue to succeed in all he does as he continues to commit his ways to the Father's will. I love him, I truly do...but love is an action that I must continue to display without regard to possible return on any investment I make.

© 2012 by Elaine Glover

I close with a poem I heard recited in a movie by the incomparable Maya Angelou. It reminds me that love is not all roses...but it is beautiful, if we so choose to endure and live it out.

In & Out of Time by Maya Angelou

The sun has come.
The mist has gone.
We see in the distance...
our long way home.
I was always yours to have.
You were always mine.
We have loved each other in and out of time.
When the first stone looked up at the blazing sun
and the first tree struggled up from the forest floor
I had always loved you more.
You freed your braids...
gave your hair to the breeze.
It hummed like a hive of honey bees.
I reached in the mass for the sweet honey comb there....
Mmmm...God how I love your hair.
You saw me bludgeoned by circumstance.
Lost, injured, hurt by chance.
I screamed to the heavens....loudly screamed....
Trying to change our nightmares into dreams...
The sun has come.
The mist has gone.
We see in the distance our long way home.
I was always yours to have.
You were always mine.
We have loved each other in and out
in and out
in and out
of time.

"My Utmost for His Highest" A reflection

"I'm determined to be absolutely and entirely for Him and Him alone." Reflection based on Phil. 1:20

Lord so often it seems I come to this crisis of faith. Choosing between your will and my own, seeing barely the first step in yours and the full schematic design in mine. Reason would say to choose me. But reason is at times a liar and so I go with the Holy Spirit that whispers "Surrender. My child I know what's best, lay it down. Light a fire to it and offer it up to me. Fear not for I am with you. I alone am your heart's desire, I alone can quench your thirst. These dreams are all counterfeit if I didn't write them. Lose yourself in me and find me in you."

© 2011 by Elaine Glover

Rebuild

Broken down walls reflect a broken down people
Tattered streets strewn with trash
Bare witness to the tattered hearts
Discarded, displaced
Knee deep in despair




We dig beneath the rubble
Praying for signs of life
We tell them to hold on
To cling to hope
But where is ours?

Is it in man?
Who can only do but so much
Or is it in a God who can do the impossible?

God who within me placed a dream
Not for myself, but for His people
A dream to rebuild the ruined walls
To heal the broken bodies beneath the rubble
To show a cynical world that He is God

So take in hand your weapons and your tools
and complete the work that He has given you to do

© 2011 by Elaine Glover

Sacrifice

"So the Lord said to him, "Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon." Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. Then the birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away." - Gen. 15: 9-11

As I meditated on this portion of scripture this morning, the following questions came into my mind:

How often does our sacrifice come under attack as we lay it on the altar?
Do we respond as Abram did by driving the birds of prey away or do we allow these vultures to take what we are giving to the Lord?

If we would fight to keep our sacrifice on the altar as Abram did we would see God's hand move on our behalf and experience what it truly means to see God's covenant fulfilled in our lives.

My final question to myself and anyone whose eyes have glanced across this page...
How far are we willing to go to keep our sacrifice on the altar?

© 2011 by Elaine Glover

Haiti, Peru, and God only knows what's next

So it's been quite a long time since I've posted anything to my blog and it's not that I haven't had the desire to do so, but more like there weren't enough hours in the day.

So much has changed in my life within the last six months. I went from working in a renowned engineering firm in the city to becoming the administrator for my church, Harvest Fields Community Church.

All this started with a a 7.0 earthquake that rocked the people of Haiti. A month later as my heart broke for the people devastated by this disaster I responded to the call that the Lord impressed upon me to go and make a difference for the people. So scared but determined, I took a step a faith. Not knowing how I would raise $2,000 needed to go with the organization AIM (Adventures In Missions) for their first month-long Missions Relief Trip. I prayed and I set my goals and sent my letters asking for support. I asked for His divine favor to gain support not only in monetary form but in prayer...I certainly needed more than ever.

In addition to going out to this grief stricken nation it also meant for me leaving behind my family (two children, Jay & Marc), my job security (I'd only been at the company for a few months)and certainly my comfort. I'd never considered myself to be the "missionary" type.

I know that God has called us to go and make disciples of all nations, but I much like David Platt's "Radical" notes was satisfied to send someone else. I've since learned that Jesus meant what He said when He told us to go...and now I'm determined to do just that. No, I haven't picked up and moved off to a foreign country but I believe now that if (or when) the Lord calls me to do so my answer will be "Here I am Lord send me." I've been to Haiti now twice (most recently a week ago) and plan to return and continue investing in all the Lord is doing there. But now I'm off to Peru...leading a group of growing disciples, 15 of us in all. I'm super excited and kinda nervous about what the Lord has in store for us. We'll be going from July 9th-July 15th and I hope that we all come back with a renewed perspective of all that is important to the Lord and should be important to us.

So here's where you come in...

I need to raise $1300.00 in the next three (3) months.

This amount will cover all of my travel, lodging and food expenses during this week.

More importantly it will allow us as a group to leave behind support for the ministry we partner with in Peru.We can expect to move as God directs us, this can be within a school, orphanage, hospital or in a building effort.

It is my desire to bring the people of PERU: "HELP, HOPE & HEALING."

Below is a link where you can partner with me in this effort.Money is welcomed support but prayers are necessary support.

SmartyPig Widget: "Check out my SmartyPig goals."

As always I thank you for your support and love.

Sincerely,

Elaine Glover