Love is Stirring...

Happy 2010! I'm sure you welcomed the new year with style. I hope it was a fabulous week of Holidays for all! :) I certainly had my fair share of celebration - the newlyweds thoroughly enjoyed their first Christmas & New Year together, it was just wonderful!

With the new year has come fresh inspiration, new dreams and hope for the wonderful 365 days ahead! We had a low key New Years Eve. I had to work and Brenton was pretty wiped out from the day's events; so needless to say, it was just the two of us sprawled out on our beautiful new couch (which we are so very blessed to have), watching the New York City ball drop and counting down the minutes till we could raise high our glasses and sip our sparkling cider to 2010. As we were cleaning things up and getting ready to call it a day, I couldn't help but be a little excited about waking up to a fresh start. The following morning I found myself writing down my New Year's Resolutions as I usually do Jan 1st of every year - in my new journal, snuggled up on my new couch and listening to my new husband tinker around one room over, (are you catching my theme here? ;) I stopped to think about all the newness in my life and was reminded that in Him all things are made new and beautiful. He truly has made all things in my life new and beautiful and I couldn't be more grateful and more excited about what's to come. Brenton has recently taken over the high school youth group for the year and we've been talking about the things we're looking forward to doing with the kids as we get to know them. It blows my mind sometimes when I think that God has allowed Brenton and I to be an influence in these kid's lives - high school was such a pivotal season in my life, a time where I was faced with the decision to truly follow the footsteps of Christ or walk away, choosing to do my own thing. Praise God I chose to follow Him, but it wasn't an easy decision and if it hadn't been for the beautiful and courageous women God had placed around me at that time, I probably wouldn't have stood as strongly in my decision. So here I am, on the other side - with the opportunity to be that influence in these young lives. What an incredible privilege! With that said, I've been praying/thinking about ways to be that influence and it hit me like a ton of bricks (or as I usually say to Brenton, like an 18 wheeler) - it's so simple, live out the Bible. Truly put flesh, bones and breath to the Word of God. As that was sinking in, I found myself directed to an all familiar verse, James 1:27 (NIV) "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." - and thus a flame was sparked.

I can't help but grin when I think of how simple the gospel is, but how incredibly complicated I tend to make it. If we are to impact these kids (and be impacted by them), we need to learn how to be the hands and feet of God. His absence is growing here on earth, not by His doing, but by man's as they push and shove Him out of everything they do. Never before has the world seen a time where they so desperately need the hands and feet of Jesus. I don't know about you, but I want as much of Him as I can get before His return, who knows what this world will be like by then.

I have yet to talk with Brenton about my revelation, but over a brunch date with my mom this morning that flame turned into a blaze. What began as a conversation about new years goals and resolutions, excitedly became an "I want to change the way I live and the way our community thinks" discussion. After brainstorming on how to truly do that, I left with my heart burning to reach out and touch the heart of God, to live a life so pure and faultless that it pleases my Creator beyond my wildest imagination. So here I sit, challenged, encouraged and instructed to love. To love and look after the orphans and widows and to keep myself from being polluted by a self-serving world. Are you up for the challenge? Will you do it with me? Will you be the hands and feet of God in a time where He's not exactly welcomed? Will you be the love that's missing? Stay tuned for the ways I intend to do so (as I mentioned, I have yet to speak with my hubby haha and I plan to do that soon. Once I do, you'll hear back from me) - let love stir in your heart this year and let 2010 be the year we live it out!