All about Him

One of the great joys of my life is the deep friendship between Marc and my Daddy.

The four of us at my Aunt Angie and Uncle Raleigh's house in Clarksville, Tennessee--will I ever get used to "the four of us" instead of "the five of us"? About the time I do, it will be "the three of us."

Since I write constantly about them, I thought it might be nice for you to see my sisters and parents. This is the five of us at my aunt and uncle's house in Tennessee. My sister, Cathy, is on the left, and Kay is in the middle.

It's all about You, Jesus. And all this is for You, for Your glory and Your fame. --Jesus, Lover of my Soul

Well, it's the new year, and I'm ready to get back into a regular routine. Our kids don't go back to school until the 9th, and I think they are ready for normal, too. It's been a good break, we've had fun with each other and with friends, but now it's kind of enough. Know what I mean? But the turn of the new year is always a time for contemplation and reflection--not resolutions, necessarily, because I don't think that generally works to make a change--and I thought I'd share some of the things I'm working on in 2012.

--Scripture memorization--I have done some memorization in the past, but not enough. The more I know God's Word, the more I understand and can utilize it's real, legitimate power over the darkness that can sometimes seem overwhelming. If I'm going to claim every thought for Christ, I need something else to put in its place to roam around my brain--and Scripture seems like a good choice.

--Positive instead of negative--I've spent too much time recently on what is difficult and hard. It's okay to think through and pray through those things, but concentrating on them alone is a recipe for discontent. And by the way--I live in the world's best city to live in, according to recent news articles and surveys--so what am I complaining about? :) Seriously, there's a lot of good here, and definitely ministry to be done. Looking at the good, not the bad, cannot hurt anything or anybody.

--Concentrating on home--It is weird for me to introduce myself as a "hausfrau," but it's what I am. I'm a housewife. And while there is definitely lots of ministry to be done outside my home, my first priority has to be the ministry inside my home. Keeping our home running smoothly is a full-time job. Taking care of Marc so that he can do the things he's here to do--beyond a full-time job. And you know what? I'm finding that there is a great deal of joy and fun to be had in this ministry to those with whom God has entrusted me.

--Reflection and quiet in my quiet time--I'm such a checklist girl. It's so easy to study my Bible and pray because it's what I'm supposed to do. You know what I mean--feeling that you've done your duty because you have spent 15 minutes telling God what you need. (Okay, I spend more than 15 minutes, but that doesn't make a checklist mentality any better!!) I have been really convicted recently that my quiet time isn't always very quiet. In other words, I do most of the talking and almost none of the listening. God isn't my therapist. It's not about me. It's about Him. I need to close my mouth and listen. I am convicted of my immense need for more of God, not to know more about Him.

--A broken heart--It's not about a place. It's not even about being called to love a specific people. It's about a broken heart for those who don't know Him. If I am honest, it's easy to be drawn in by the polite nature of Austrians and forget that they are lost. Lord, help me see the world as You see it, with Your heart. If that is my prayer, I cannot help but weep for the lost of this beautiful city--no matter which beautiful city I happen to be in at the moment.

--Boldness--I cannot be satisfied with only an incarnational witness. It can't just be me living here, making relationships, and never bringing up spiritual things. It is easy to be quiet about Jesus in order not to offend. But you know what? He's offensive to everything this world is about. It's not enough to just live a good life. Lots of people who are going to hell are living good lives by the standard of this world. It's not enough. Lord, Lord...let my words in front of You be few, but let my words about You be many.

There are more things on my list, but they are too personal to share in a public format. It's enough, I think, to say this: I want 2012 to be a year in which I make much of Jesus. I want to make Him the focus, the center. If I do, I know that everything else in my life will hold together. Because, you see, it really is all about Him. Wherever you are in the world, I pray that your 2012 is going to be all about Him, and that you are looking forward to a day of getting things done, too. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye