Treasures in Jars of Clay

I am stunned to consider all that has happened since my last post. As I was reflecting on all the standing stones of our past year, I had no idea God was using that moment to prepare us for coming change.

John was offered a position at work that required a move to Kansas City, Kansas. Tears well up as I write that. I LOVE the Northwest. I am sure I am filled with a little bias, but I think it is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. I have taken for granted the ways the Glory of God cries out in the beauty of his creation. After much prayer, seeking God's direction and counsel; we arrived in Leawood, Kansas nearly 3 weeks ago.

This move has been one of the hardest things we have done thus far. I have laughed at myself as I have cried in my closet here. "God, I told you I would live in a hut in the middle of no where. Why am I having such a hard time sacrificing my security in feeling at home in the Northwest? I know my home is in Heaven!" I feel His gentleness and grace as I am honest with Him.

The International House of Prayer is in Kansas City and we feel part of our calling is to this place. It is when we are at The Prayer Room, http://www.fotb.com/Publisher/Article.aspx?ID=1000058181 or at The Daniel Academy, or sitting under the teaching of Mike Bickle during church on Sunday that I am reminded that I know that I know that we are to be here. There is a heart cry for an authentic bride readied for Christ's return like I have never seen. There is passion for Jesus, an application of intercession and adoration that challenges me in deep places.

Our kids have been sad too, but all of our perspectives change when we see the uniqueness of a community of people, in the same physical location, gladly sacrificing it all for Jesus. As we have gone to church, we are not the only ones who have a foreign license plate on our car. We marvel at all the license plates our kids have never seen before. God is clearly up to something here.

The journey here has not been easy. We have had lots of road bumps along the way and some huge caverns where the road has been washed out. But the real story is that God has been SO FAITHFUL! John was offered a job in Oregon after we knew we were called here for 3 times his current salary, the moving company we hired didn't show up to move us after we had paid in full. Stunned for a few days, we finally got to our knees and asked God to show us how to proceed. Withing 24 hours we had 2 big uhaul trucks in our driveway and 6 people to help us load them up. The following morning, my parents met us (saints that they are) to help drive us to the very place they had grieved we would be. Two and a half days later we arrived in KC; exhausted, emotional and HOT! This heat and humidity is a killer, I have no idea how so many people can jog with these conditions, but I haven't seen anyone needing my medical assistance yet.....

God gave us many Words during this storm, but "Keep your eyes on Me" was one of the biggies. I felt for those disciples in the boat with Christ in the middle of the storm like never before. I just kept saying, "He is in the boat with us! He is in the boat with us! He is in the boat with us!...."

Just this week, I heard an amazing message at The Daniel Academy (where our boys are going to school) about the heart change of choosing adoration in prayer for a season. They were encouraging the kids to get their eyes off the circumstances and praise God for His attributes that will address their circumstances. It was profound for me. So I have started using the alphabet as an acronym and praising God for all of his qualities that will be enough for my circumstances.

As I was in the Word this morning, God drew me to 2 Corinthians 4. I knew I had to post because He deserves all the glory for anything good that comes of this. He has authored it and I wait with great expectation to see how my faithful Father is going to use it!

2 Corinthians 4:6-16 (New International Version)
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"[a]made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken."[b]With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.