Category Archives: God Stuff

May 28, 2009 · 6:00 am

Worship.

Last night at Eagles Way Church, the youth joined the regular Wednesday service for a time of worship. I have engaged in worship services for as long as I can remember. As a matter of fact, my mom still has a cassette tape of me singing worship songs at only four years of age. I played it for my own children and was excited about their reaction.

“Okay. We hear it. Can we listen to Brandon Heath now?”

Not the response I was looking for. But, hey, my martial arts moves don’t impress them either.

I’m pretty sure that we are born with an innate response to God through worship but still it is something we practice or develop. I do know that I love to worship my Creator. And, I can’t imagine not doing it.

When I spoke at EWC on Mother’s Day, I shared a story about how Kris invited one of his pilot friends to the previous Easter service. Kris doing the whole invitation thing is, in his words, “not his gig.” I truly love his honesty.

But, I “encourage” him to do it still.

So, he did. And, his friend sat beside me. I was all caught up in worship. I left the service still caught up in that transcendent moment with God. When we got into the car, I noticed Kris staring at me with a bit of bewilderment.

“I finally invite someone to church, and there you go double-fisting it God. What about being seeker-friendly?” He told me.

I couldn’t help but laugh. His candor in how he perceived my untimely worship was humorous. But, also his use of the term “double-fisting it” gave it an entirely new meaning.

Now, let me explain that Kris was not upset. He was quite funny in his delivery. However, he was still a little flustered and concerned how his friend may receive my expressions in worship.

I totally get where Kris is coming from. I just can’t help but to worship my Creator. The One who holds all things together. The One who healed my broken heart. The One who comforts the weak. The One who makes all things good.

The One.

In Luke 19, many of Jesus’ disciples were praising Him, and the Pharisees there told Jesus to rebuke them, and Jesus said, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Our Creator is to be worshipped. We were created to worship Him. Whether we make the choice to worship Him ourselves or not, He is still worthy. And, He WILL be praised.

6 Comments

Filed under God Stuff, gratitude

Tagged as worship

May 12, 2009 · 6:00 am

He Makes All Things Good.

Good news. I didn’t throw up.

This past Saturday, I spoke at a Mother-Daughter Luncheon. Anna participated in the annual fashion show revealing how she completely despises the spotlight. I’ll see if I can get a video clip to post in the near future.

I seriously enjoy that girl. She’s a good balance for me and keeps any legalism I may exhibit from time to time in check.

On Sunday, I spoke at Eagles Way Church. I have to say I don’t take for granted the opportunity for God to use me from that pulpit. My grandfather stood from that pulpit. My dad stands from that pulpit every week. My grandfather loved God’s Word more than anyone I’ve ever known. My dad loves the Kingdom more than he loves himself. They are both selfless men in that pulpit. And, I had a heightened awareness that the pulpit is not about me. Not.One.Bit.

I was nervous. But, I had a calmness and peace that I knew could only come from God. So, thanks to all of you who were praying. Just another reason why I love the body of Christ.

Bigmama told me, “You did a real good job. But, I was hopin’ you’d get happy in the end.”

“What do you mean by ‘happy’ Bigmama?”

“You know. Where you get all excited and quote a bunch of scriptures,” she explained.

I love that woman. She can say whatever she wants to me. It was, after all, her husband who stood from the pulpit first.

I was pretty tired Sunday afternoon. I spent the afternoon watching some cheesy Lifetime movie with my mom. She loves cheesy Lifetime movies. And, I love her. I also apparently love cheesy Lifetime movies, because once I start watching one, I have to watch it play out. Cra-zee.

After a delayed flight, we made it back to Oklahoma. When I tucked Anna in, she told me, “God and Jesus make good things.” It reminded me of this scripture in Romans 8:28:

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

The verse that follows says, “For God knew his people in advance….”

God loves you. He knew you before you were ever conceived. He was already on the other side of whatever you are going through right now long before you were thought of. He has already made all things good. Don’t lose heart. Your victory is on its way. And, if I need to get happy and quote a bunch of scriptures to remind you, just let me or Bigmama know.

11 Comments

Filed under God Stuff, Motherhood

Tagged as Bigmama, God Stuff, Mother's Day, speaking

May 6, 2009 · 7:03 am

He Has A Universe. I Don’t.

Francis Chan, author of Crazy Love, was on the Lifechurch.tv stage yesterday shooting his message for the upcoming One Prayer event. I could’ve gone to hear him live.

Could’ve.

But, my dear friend, Lance, didn’t tell me about it until it was pretty much over. I’m not bitter.

Anyhoo, Lance posted a lot of Chan quotes on Twitter yesterday. This one spoke loudly:

“God does things His way in His universe. You may think you have a better way, but you don’t have a universe.”

Can you come to terms with the truth that God is God, and He does whatever He pleases? (Psalm 115:3)

And, can you trust that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them? (Romans 8:28)

9 Comments

Filed under God Stuff

Tagged as Francis Chan, God Stuff, One Prayer

May 4, 2009 · 6:00 am

What Are The Odds?

The 50 to 1 odds for Mind That Bird to win the Kentucky Derby have certainly not been over-looked in the past few days. Wow. What an incredible under-dog (or horse) story. These kinds of odds remind me of how often we want God decrease the odds in our own life.

But, that’s not usually how God works.

In the book, In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day, Mark Batterson addresses this very thing. Take the story of Gideon, for example. Gideon started out with thirty-two thousand men, and they were still outnumbered by the Midianites. They were the underdogs with thirty-two thousand! But, God tells Gideon he has too many men. And, He orders Gideon to let go of the scaredy-cats. Apparently, he had a lot of scaredy-cats, because two-thirds of them went home to momma.

Still too many men, God told him.

If I were Gideon, I’d be like, “Do wha?”

So after a drinking contest. Wait. No. After Gideon discharges his men that drink water like dogs (per God’s instruction), he gets down to a measly three-hundred.

300.

Talk about pretty stinky odds.

But, ya know what? Israel wins. Midianites lose.

So, why did God not decrease their odds? Actually, why did he INCREASE them?

Simple. Because, He wants all of the glory. ALL of it.

Judges 7:2 says “The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength.”

Mark Batterson writes:

“Maybe that is why God sometimes invites us to defy impossible odds. Maybe it is one way He can show His omnipotence. Maybe God allows the odds to be stacked against us so He can reveal more of His glory……..

Too often our prayers revolved around asking God to reduce the odds in our lives. We want everything in our favor. But maybe God wants to stack the odds against us so we can experience a miracle of divine proportions. Maybe faith is trusting God no matter how impossible the odds are. Maybe our impossible situations are opportunities to experience a new dimension of God’s glory.”

If the odds are stacked against you today, do not lose heart. Remember Who is in control. And, remember, He not only wants, but deserves all of the glory for your victory.

7 Comments

Filed under disappointment, God Stuff

Tagged as disappointment, God's glory, Mark Batterson, odds, victory

April 27, 2009 · 6:00 am

Sometimes, I Just Need To Count My Stones.

Pastor Craig Groeschel of Lifechurch.tv made this statement yesterday:

“God is often doing the most when we understand the least.”

I’m in a trusting place with God right now. Well, are we not always in a trusting place with God? But, especially trusting Him more than usual. Does that sound wrong? I dunno. Anyway. When we don’t see Him moving or we don’t understand, we often question if He is doing anything at all.

He is.

So, what am I doing in the meantime?

I am remembering what He has already done. I am remembering my stones. Because, He has proven Himself more than enough times.

Remember what God has already done. And, rest in knowing that He is doing something.

Mkay?

6 Comments

Filed under God Stuff, Spiritual Journey

Tagged as stones, trusting God

April 23, 2009 · 6:00 am

Finding God’s Will

“However, as it is written: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him’ – but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit” 1 Corinthians 2:9-10

I am constantly seeking God’s will for my life. Of course, aren’t most of us? I read this verse again recently and the “revealed to us by His Spirit” part brought me a whole lot of comfort.

God has already planned our steps. He knows what our first step looks like and our last. He has already mapped out our journey. The really cool part is that the Spirit walks out our journey with us. We never go at it alone. We don’t have to play a guessing game with God’s will.

The Spirit not only guides us but, He is also our companion. And, He reveals to us His will along the way.

That’s all I got today. But it’s that just completely cool?

5 Comments

Filed under God Stuff, Spiritual Journey

Tagged as God's will, Holy Spirit, Spiritual Journey

April 21, 2009 · 6:00 am

Maybe I’ve Judged Jack Bauer.

My friend Shari left this morning on a red-eye flight back to Florida. But, not before she made me sit through an episode of 24.

Sorry friends. I’ve never really made friends with Jack. None the less, she managed to shush me the entire hour. Then, she sneezed over and over again during commercials.

For the love.

Despite her obsession for Mr. Jack Bauer, I did enjoy her visit. And, we did manage to share our hearts and where we felt Christ was leading us. I also told her the most recent issue God has been dealing with me on.

Judgmentalism.

I know, right? It seems like I would have already dealt with this by now. I’m not sure how God deals with you, but He doesn’t seem to play around with me. Remember this post? At first, God whispered to me, “See people the way I see people.”

Oh, I totally got that. For a while.

Then, without even realizing it, I’d make a judgment on someone again. And, I know – I’m completely uncovering myself here. But, it’s true. I’d judge them for not making what I thought was a Godly decision or for walking in disobedience.

Until.

Until, God started showing me how ugly it all was. It was as if He put my judgments in my face and said, “Isn’t this ugly?”

It was.

I was convicted.

I’m becoming more and more conscious of it now. Perhaps, it’s kind of like forming a habit. You practice and practice not judging until you finally really see people the way He sees people.

As His children.

4 Comments

Filed under Friendship, God Stuff, Spiritual Journey

Tagged as 24, Jack Bauer, judgmentalism

April 15, 2009 · 6:00 am

We Won’t Always Understand.

I recently read this by Beth Moore and it ministered to me in such a big way.

“Life isn’t without some divine decisions that our mortal minds simply cannot comprehend. At times, we cannot imagine why God couldn’t have just given us what we asked. Sometimes our frustration lies in the fact that we know He could have, that He certainly had the power, but in His divine wisdom, He chose not to. Hear this with your heart: God knows we can’t think like Him. His ways and His thoughts simply are not ours (Isa. 55:8-9). Sometimes the very essence of faith is trusting God in the midst of things He knows good and well we cannot comprehend. Not that we won’t, but at times we literally cannot.”

I’m pretty dang sure God can move on my behalf any time He jolly well pleases. So, I sometimes wonder why He doesn’t. Why doesn’t He just say, “Yes?”

I can best relate this to growing up under my parents. There were times they would not allow me to go off with friends. “Oh, my life is ruined!” Or, so I would think.

There were times they would not let me date some cutie pie. “But, I’m in love!” Or, so I would think.

I could go on and on and on with my disappointments from childhood. (Just kiddin’, Mom. Sort of.) But, my parents loved me so much, that they refused to give me everything I wanted.

Their thoughts were higher than my thoughts. And, although I did not understand why, the decisions they made were the best decisions for me. Because, they loved me.

I can see it in my own children. “Why can’t I climb this fence, Mom?” My Anna will ask. “Because, you will get hurt,” I try my darndest to explain. “I won’t! I promise!”

She doesn’t understand why I tell her no. She doesn’t comprehend that I love her so much that I will even upset her in the short run, so she can experience a more abundant life in the long run.

You might be waiting for God to move on your behalf right now. You may not understand what in the Sam Hill is taking Him so long. But know He loves you oh so very much. His thoughts are higher than your thoughts.

And, finally, remember this:

Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5

8 Comments

Filed under disappointment, God Stuff, parenting

Tagged as Beth Moore, disappointment, Love, trials

April 13, 2009 · 6:00 am

For The Lack of A Clever Title, We’ll Call This One “Easter.”

The Lord knows I’m too tired to write anything coherent and too sugared up to be taken seriously. Of course, that’s never stopped me before. We made a quick trip to Georgia to spend Easter weekend with family. Upon my arrival, I was bombarded by this monster that I apparently created.

He is my dad. And, y’all, he is on The Twitter. Now, I will not deny my love for The Twitter. But watching my dad learn all things Twitter is something I never expected to happen. When I told him he could just type “w” for “with”, he responded, “Always?”

No. Only on Saturdays. Do wha?

Well, I must admit. I am proud of him for joining the Twitter Revolution. So welcome to Twitterverse @JBurenGoss.

We had an enjoyable time in Joe-Ja. (That’s for you Cindy Beall.)

Here are a few of the grandkids with Farmor, Kris’ mom. Farmor is Norwegian & Swedish for “Father’s Mother.” Just so ya know.

The kids are always excited to go to the farm. But when an Easter Egg Hunt is thrown into the mix, it’s like taking a trip to Disney World but without the $29 hamburger and $100 t-shirt.

And, a few pics from Easter Sunday…

That’s my mom with Anna and me. Can a sister get a loan on a bottle self-tanning lotion? I need not show those legs again in public without some serious coverage.

We headed back to Oklahoma too soon after Easter lunch. This was the scene by the time we reached three-four-O. (That’s my fancy pilot talk for 34,000 feet. Impressive, isn’t it?)

It was wonderful to spend Easter with my home church family.

And, it was even more wonderful to celebrate the greatest three words in history:

He Is Risen.

How was your Easter weekend?

4 Comments

Filed under God Stuff, Kid Stuff, Randomness, Uncategorized

Tagged as Easter, Egg Hunts, travel, Twitter

April 8, 2009 · 6:00 am

I Am So Weak.

Sometimes I feel that I need to put on a happy face, quote the right scriptures, and say all of the things a follower of Christ is expected to say. I feel I have to be tough – because, of who I am in Him.

But, I don’t have to always be tough.

You don’t either.

As a matter of fact, God wants us to be WEAK. That’s right.

Weak.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 says, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses…For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

How stinkin’ cool is that? Not only can we kick it back all weak like, but Christ digs it. Because, our brokenness before Him makes His miraculous power perfect. And, EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED WHEN WE NEED IT.

I’m not suggesting that we aren’t strong in the Lord. But, I am suggesting that we realize our brokenness before Him. And, once we tire of fighting a battle that’s really not ours anyway, we become weak.