Cynicism in the Church [post 23]

There is a cloud of things that I believe we don't want to face and it keeps us from being a part of a God-following community. It happened to us and then turned to bitterness, hate, judgment, and self righteousness and this is where we see the heart of rebellion in the Church. A whole generation of "social renegades" are on the loose with their fists in the air swearing change to the death!

So I wonder if there is room for those who are skeptics within the church? When do we go too far? When does searching for "truth" turn into rebellion and we see the roots of our pain? Why can't we just move on?

It is my thought that when we are damaged we tend to cry, freeze or fight. 


We are at a place that God is calling to many of us to stand up and move into His thing but that means that it has a cost. We have to be transparent with our faith that God is right, trust in others around us including leadership, and show our enthusiasm about what we are doing. No one said that passion is pretty nor is it perfect.

I feel God calling us to be involved and to rise up and face the truth. There is a honing place where we can reject mindless social trends and embrace truth, passion and justice and that is with Christ. It is possible that the cynical mind has a place in the Church as long as the heart of it all is passionately involved with forgiveness, which is fuel for the fire that will explode in movement.

Today I want to forgive those who caused me damage and be active. As a church I want us to be a people with naked passion inside that pierces dullness and opens a surge of life!

Stand up!
Shake it off!
There's a mission for you. You already know its coordinates.
Allow your feet to move to the rhythm of God's heartbeat.
He is for you!!

May God cover us all. May we be well to the point of getting over the things we feel hold us down. May God use us.

- Kris Catoe

Power on [post 22]

He controls the sky and the air.
He has a mighty arm with a reach of absolute sovereignity.
Creation comes from His thoughts and power from a simple breath.
He flexes His arms...Stretches His wings to rule over all.
The Earth covered.

All must come to His Lordship.

I say goodbye to all that held me (control, depression, judgment, anger and rage) because this darkness and His light can not mix. God be in control...not me.

Today I embrace MY King!

- Kris Catoe

Gifts [post 21]

Today began a little earlier than most days because my hubby had given me a few chores to complete before I leave for Chattanooga tomorrow. You know -- practical things I don't think about like replacing the windshield wiper blades and getting an oil change. So, there was no loitering around my house this morning. This retiree got straight up out of bed, jumped into the shower, dressed, and left promptly without eating breakfast. I did however take my medicine.



On the way into town, I did not stop and get the windshield wipers because I didn't want the man at RBC auto parts to have to replace them in the rain. Maybe it won't be raining this afternoon. I also did not get my oil changed because the whirling in my stomach reminded me that I had taken my medicine without eating. So, I decided to try out Jim's favorite morning eatery - Arby's.

Since it was raining, I decided to go through the drive thru. I usually don't do breakfast out and didn't really know what Arby's had to offer, so I was going to have to study the menu.


Usually, that invisible entity inside either has a nasally impatient voice, a rapid fire machine gun tone that leaves you wondering how much you owe, or a loud disinterested megaphone that leaves an impression of, "Why are you bothering me?"



This morning was different. Instead of the usual voices, there was softness and politeness and beauty and sensitivity and patience. As I drove up to the window to pay, I smiled and thought, "What a beautiful voice!" You see, this morning I was fragile. I didn't need those other voices.



Soon a wrestling match occurred. I have these little people that are firmly attached to both of my shoulders. One says, "Do it!" The other cries, "Don't. You'll be sorry." This morning the "do it" won out.



"Has anyone ever told you that you have a lovely voice?" BIG SMILE -- "Yes, a man who just drove through said the same thing." "Well, you do. You have a beautiful voice, and I thank you."



As I pulled away from Arby's drive thru, I was so thankful to God for this not-so-small gift and remembered Paul's thoughts in 2 Corinthians 2:15. WE ARE UNTO GOD THE SWEET FRAGRANCE OF CHRIST.



Christ has given each of us His Spirit, and His Spirit transforms all that it touches. So, everything about us can be usuable and consecrated for His service.



"There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but it is the same Lord we are serving. There are different ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work through all of us. These gifts are given to each of us as a means of helping us all. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another he gives the gift of special knowledge. The Spirit gives special faith to another, and to someone else he gives the power to heal the sick. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and to another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to know whether it is really the Spirit of God or another spirit that is speaking. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, and another is given the ability to interpret what is being said . . . So if God has given you the ability to prophecy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly . . . Under the Spirit's direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love." (1 Cor. 12:4+, Romans 12:6+, Eph. 4:16)



As we utilitze the gifts He has given us, we become God's gift to the body. What He has given one, He has given us all. There are no small gifts. "Whatever we have to offer owes everything to that which causes it to be (without Me ye can do nothing), yet God counts it as something." - Amy Carmichael



You know, it really is Christmas (Christ's mass) all year long. His gifts to us that we in turn give to others can be given every moment of every day of the year.



Thank you, God, for the woman with the beautiful voice for she was your special gift to me this morning.

-Debbie Handy

Thus is Faith - A Poem [post 20]

'Tis a world filled with chaos and trouble,
rivers of tears,
fountains of hate and misunderstanding.

We struggle to survive,
to smile,
to remember that this multitude of woes
only seems like a barrier of bronze remaining unopened.

The unmovable is but a momentary diversion
whose sole purpose is but to distract,
to disappoint,
to frustrate.

'Tis but the tempter's invitation to quit,
merely a dark cloud behind which a great light shines.

The light shines always
regardless of the cloud or the night.

Our task is to see the light,
to believe in its beneficence always,
to feel its warm smile in spite of the cold or dark,
to hear its gentle song in the night and know its purpose for our lives,
to touch its tears and its strength,
to stand steadfast,
solid like an oak that bends in the roughest wind
but does not break.

-Debbie Handy