A Sandbar Engagement

This summer, I have been learning a lot about discernment. One of the books that I have spent ample time reading is Abundant Simplicity by Jan Johnson. She told the story of a friend who encouraged her to:

"Write down every single responsibility and duty in your life. Obligations that are so important that you simply can't get out of them. When you are all done, cross out half of them."

Johnson then gets more specific. List everything you do for a month. Then rank each thing that you did in order:

1) essential
2) important but not essential
3) helpful but not necessary
4) other

Finally, eliminate all of the last two categories and 20% of the first two. While you are doing this, work through the two questions: What do I want? Why do I want that?

So, I did this exercise. And something that Johnson said repeatedly came back to me:

"Each of us in our friendship with God grows in discernment of what we are being drawn toward. We learn to live in this sense of peace to the point where we recognize it as soon as we're out of kilter and we've lost it."

She continues on to say that it takes discernment to know the point(s) in your life where "I'm done. I'm grateful I did this, but I'm done." In terms of service commitments, "focus all your efforts on considering what you want - what you really want - and ask yourself, what breaks my heart that breaks the heart of God? What tugs deeply at me?"

So, I made a list. And it took a while to really figure out everything that I do in a month. But once it came to crossing things off from the last two numbers, it was easy to see where my heart lies. But crossing off 20% of the first two really caused me to think about where I am honestly spending my time and energy - is it to gratify myself or to lift up others?

This huge issue of discernment, of "what next?" after college; has been an overarching theme in my life this summer along with vulnerability and risk. While reflecting on the items that I had listed and the moments in my life this summer where I was truly happy and fulfilled; my true identity is/was where Christ was being revealed. The layers that I had clothed myself with were slowly coming off due to the sweat of realization; to the fact that I need to follow - must follow the Holy Spirit's calling on my life or I will never be walking in my purpose.

This experience reminds me of the engagement party that is happening next door. There are many 20 somethings outside under a beautiful see-through tent in gorgeous dresses, handsome suits, enjoying the ocean view and the breeze. I sit inside glancing out my window wondering, "Will I ever experience this joy?" And, then I look straight ahead to the calm ocean, barely moving but beautiful with sandbars and aqua blue water. I am experiencing this joy. I am humbly reminded that someday, I will experience the joy of the celebratory party - but, if I am constantly focused on that - and completely disregard the calm beauty that lies before me, then I will miss it once it comes.

This is similar to discernment. If I am constantly focused on what I want to do but never once consider the work that God is already doing in my life, then I will miss the opportunities that lie right in front of me.

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Thank you Lord for this humble reminder. Thank you that you always bring me back to the cross. May your will be done in my life. As Ecclesiastes 3 says: there is a time and a season for everything. " May you give me the strength to pursue and to continue in walking with you for the rest of my life. Thank you for the blessings that you have given me today. May you give them also to someone else who is in need of them right now. Amen (or let it be so.)

Have You Seen the One My Heart Loves?

"All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves;

I looked for him but did not find him.

I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares;

I will search for the one my heart loves.

So I looked for him but did not find him.

The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city.

"Have you seen the one my heart loves?"

Scarcely I had passed them when I found the one my heart loves.

I held him and would not let him go till I had brought him to my mother's house,

to the room of the one who had conceived me.

Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field:

Do not arouse or awaken love before it so desires."

-Song of Songs 3:1-5

I think that many people often skip over this book in the Bible. It's images are so vivid, its words so true, and its language so pure. Yet, when I read this passage today, I saw it all in a different light. God searches for us in the same way that the lover searches for his beloved. God earnestly tries to find us and seeks us out. I am reminded of our first beginnings in Genesis, where following Adam and Eve's disobedience in the garden, they hid. God called out to them and asked "Where are you?" Their nakedness and shame left them exposed. Yet, God continued to search for them, admist their brokenness and heartache. He loved them.

So, I read and re-read over this passage again. And then, I replaced the phrase "have you seen the one my heart loves?" with my name "Alexandra." And it became so much more personal to me.

"All night long on my bed I looked for Alexandra;

I looked for Alexandra but did not find her.

I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares;

I will search for Alexandra.

So I looked for Alexandra but did not find her.

The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city.

"Have you seen Alexandra?"

Scarcely I had passed them when I found Alexandra.

I held Alexandra and would not let her go till I had brought her to my mother's house,

to the room of the one who had conceived me.

Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field:

Do not arouse or awaken love before it so desires."

He loves us. He wants to know us. This type of relationship is not a Disney romance or a celebrity marriage. It is something much more. It is a symbol of unity, of togetherness, of oneness. God wants to be with us. and his love extends to every human being; regardless of past, race, gender, social status, location on the globe. He wants this type of relationship with all of us. In fact, it is needed. We just need to be willing to open ourselves up and see him the way he sees us - beautiful puzzle pieces brought together in a unique mosaic.

My Blessings

I've been doing a lot of reading lately. And one of the things that I've come across numerous times, is "blessings." In the book, The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith, he talks about the importance of recognizing the blessings that are already present in our lives. All too often, we are consumed with "wanting more" that we miss out on what is already in front of us. One of his experiments is to list your blessings. So, I gave it a try. Here is my list.

*cool 75 degree summer days
*light chatter/laughter surrounding the table during a meal at homegroup
*when the music stops at church and people sing acappella
*the smell of rain and freshly cut grass
*the sound of rain hitting the roof
*the sound of bicycle tires on the pavement during the summer
*summer breeze
*walking barefoot in the sand
*cold ocean water
*sleeping in
*watching my cats sleep
*birds singing
*boats on the water
*July 4th fireworks
*jazz music
*cooking and sharing a meal together
*dance
*shadows and light between trees
*thoughtfulness
*clouds
*mango sorbet
*vegan chocolate chips
*the color blue
*a robin standing on an old porch
*an Italian meal of pasta and garlic bread
*zinnias
*ice cold lemonade in a glass pitcher
*vacations: "having nothing to do and all day to do it in."
*old trees
*historic buildings
*the city
*hugs
*unexpected happy surprises
*the warm sunshine on a spring day
*June 21
*leaves hanging off a branch
*peanut butter and banana sandwiches
*sunsets and sunrises
*a flower behind a guy's back before he gives it to a girl
*sleep
*the smell of a new notebook
*old bookstores
*handwritten letters
*calligraphy
*stillness
*sound of a guitar outside
*leaves changing color in the fall
*students going back to school
*poetry
*plaid shirts
*antique car shows at A & W
*rootbeer
*real peppermint
*handmade bracelets
*street performers and musicians in New Orleans
*a couple holding hands

(this list goes on and on! take some time to make your own and watch it grow. take comfort in knowing that you are already blessed.)

Drinking Coffee Out of an Espresso Cup

Today, I tried something new. Iced coffee! The moment that drink made contact with my lips, a huge smile spread across my face. This was really good! Very quickly, my small espresso cup became empty and I longed for more. And then the thought crossed my mind: Why did it take me so long to try it?

Was it because for me, its a symbol of adulthood? That, once you drink coffee you are automatically accepted into a new group of coffee drinking friends and family? Was I just ready to try something new? To take a step off of that diving board and leap into an unknown world, full of open doors and beautiful opportunities? Could it be simply because I was just too comfortable with my familiarity, with smoothies, with the sweet taste that the fruit made when blended together? Was the uncomfortability of stepping into the unknown bigger than saying "Yes, I'll try it."?

To some, these thoughts may seem analytical. But to me, sipping coffee from an espresso cup, I was invited to risk. I had found myself waiting behind a barrier that I put up, to protect me from trying something new. Yet, the words:

"There is no room in the Christian tradition for a doctrine of safety"

took on new meaning. Through the Holy Spirit, I finally understood that I was "safe" with just sticking to what I knew. But in that, I was limiting the areas of my life where new flowers had the potential to grow and bloom. If I couldn't be faithful in taking a risk and trying some coffee, how could I listen to the false belief that I simply "didn't like it"?

It is easy to feel safe in our society. We have house keys, cars with automatic locks, police officers, air conditioners to protect us from heat exhaustion, seat belts, traffic lights, medicine, etc. It's not that all of these things are unnecessary; but rather, sometimes we allow safety to take control of our lives.

In Christianity, there is always risk involved. There is risk in loving someone. For if we expose our true feelings and they do not feel the same way, then our perception of ourselves and the situation is warped. Yet we continue to love again, to risk.

Why?

I think that there is an innate part inside all of us that longs for something greater outside the walls of safety. Don't get me wrong. There is risk that is just plain stupid and requires common sense. But then, there is risk in knowing that someone (greater than yourself) will protect you and allow you to learn if you let him in.

Rob Bell talks about "safety" in his book, Jesus Wants to Save Christians. At one point, he mentions the US spending billions of dollars on safety equipment (ie: weapons) in order to keep the American people safe.

He references the Old Testament and the Egyptians. Even Paul writes in Phillipians 2:12-14 to "continue to work out your salvation. . . to do everything without complaining or arguing..." Working out our salvation, showing the world a picture of who God is in one that is so consumed with the idea of safety is very challenging. It's a risk in itself. It's failing, getting up again, and continuing to walk. Just like when Jesus carried his own cross on his back and people all around him were spitting and shouting hurtful words; Jesus commands us to "take up your cross and follow me." We are called to walk on water with Jesus, just like Peter did. To take a step out of the boat, look at him straight in the eyes and begin our journey towards him. 

So, I think the ultimate question for me (and maybe you) is this: Will I continue to sit in my "safety zone" or trust and believe that I am already made safe with my creator, God?

An Experiment in Silence

For the past two days, I have been living simply. I say this not out of pride but out of humble acceptance of God's grace. My life up to this point had been filled with unnecessary clutter. It took a couple of days at my family's beachhouse without a phone and a computer to realize this. And it was in moments of sitting on the porch watching the boats in the water, standing outside listening to the birds sing their songs, sitting in front of a fan reading, cooking meals with my family, and taking some much needed naps, that God spoke to me.

Jesus humbled me. He showed me that all of these material things were taking precedence over spending time with him. When I actually followed through with this discipline, I learned more about myself and God's purposes for me in  the world. I was no longer concerned with Facebook notifications of other people's opinions about me, but was drawn to Jesus' humble attitude and servanthood. What made Him so compelling? What was it about Him that caused so many people to leave everything and follow Him?

This weekend, I experienced what one of the twelve disciples  might have felt when they heard Jesus call their name [insert your name here] to follow him. It was a call to combat the old self, to leave old habits behind and embrace a new, more fulfilling and fruitful life.

In the book, Abundant Simplicity, author Jan Johnson talks about the importance of living simple lives. They are not lives devoid of fun and adventure, but rather, lives rich with meaning and beauty. While reading, I felt his spirit telling me to try one of the small experiments that accompanies the end of each chapter. It invited me not to talk for a period of time and really listen to what others had to say. So, I gave this a try.

And I noticed that when I really listened with my ears and my heart (sounds cliche, I know), that he had been speaking to me already. When one of my family members was talking, I noticed that I reallly enjoyed listening. For 20 minutes, I was silent and when I wanted to offer my opinion, I didn't until I was acknowledged. I learned to appreciate what others said and felt accepted regardless of whether I had something to contribute to the conversation. However, after 20 minutes, I noticed that the need to remain busy resurfaced. After I settled down in my chair again, and began listening, my heart softened for the people around the table. I understood that community is not always about talking but its always about simply listening. I think it's in these moments that we truly begin to understand the need for simplicity and embrace such practices in our daily lives. The Gospel writers frequently depict Jesus "going off to a solitary place to pray." Since he both human and God, I'm sure he experienced the inner battle of wanting to remain in the crowds to witness to them but also of briefly leaving for a period of time and meeting with His Heavenly father to listen.

So, I wonder if I tried intentionally listening like this for a week, how my life would be different. How might it change when my focus is clearly off of myself and on God?  Yes, this method may seem a little extreme for some, but I think there is a part of all of us that need to have this moment of silence everyday in our lives.

I challenge you to try this experiment this week. Really try it. Carve out a point in your day to listen for 30 minutes, an hour, or even go silent for a whole day. Then post a comment here to share how it went.

Remember, we all fall short. But, the pieces have already been picked up and Jesus has won. May you take comfort in knowing that you are part of a greater family, a community that has been made new and baptized by His love, grace, and power. May you experience this in the coming week.

simplicity, fig leaves, and beauty

"I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances  I have learned the secrets of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need." -Phillipians 4:11-12

This summer, I have been learning a lot. Simplicity is one of those aspects. Life can be packed with too much. I believe that we are called to literally shed the skin of our own habits in order to reveal the beauty that lies beneath. It is this beauty that God sees in us; not the false makeup that we plaster on ourselves. Author David Benner reminds me that "I am not my accomplishments. . . My worth lies in who I am, not what I can do or how I am seen by others." Sometimes, I think that we want to be "perceived" by people as being "this" or "that" when we are really placing masks on overselves in order to cover up what God created us to be. Benner refers back to Genesis:

"Ultimately, attachments are ways of coping with the feelings of vulnerability, shame and inadequacy that lie at the core of our false ways of being. Like Adam and Eve, our first response to our awareness of nakedness is to grab whatever is closest and quickly cover our nakedness. We hide behind the fig leaves of our false self. This is the way we package ourself to escape the painful awareness of our nakedness.

The problem with the false self is that it works. It helps us forget that we are naked. Before long, we are no longer aware of the underlying vulnerability and become comfortable once again. But God wants something better than fig leaves for us. God wants us to be aware of our helplessness so we can know that we need Divine help. God's deepest desire for us is to replace our fig leaves with garments of durability and beauty. Yet, we cling to our fig leaf false self. We believe that we know how to take care of our needs better than God."

God loves us for who we are. He sees beauty in us, the kind that is not enhanced by human hands but created by the inspiration of God. He sees beauty in you. He loves you.

Love

"Nothing is more practical than finding God, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evening, how you spend your weekends, what you read, whom you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything." -Pedro Arrupe

Seeds into Songs

David has a beautiful way of expressing himself through the Psalms. For a good part of the summer, I've been spending more time in his book. Even after reading a passage or a verse several times, there is always that one point where you re-read it over again; and it all finally makes sense.

"As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore." -Psalm 125:2

A friend once shared with me that God is our "fortress." The impact of this word had never really hit me until now. He surrounds us and protects us. He does both. He is the chief cornerstone that Paul writes about in Ephesians 2:19-20:

"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone."

-->Where have I allowed God to surround me, to be my fortress?
-->Where have I resisted this change? Why?
-->What things have been surrounding me and given me a false sense of protection? Why have I allowed these things to take control?

And, God makes a promise. He promises abundance in this protection, in this "fortress."

"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seeds to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." -Psalm 126:5 + 6

So, David is saying that Jesus will cause everyone around the world to sing and have enough? My brothers and sisters around the world - even those who are suffering from injustice, will experience joy? Even the abused mother in Africa? Even the family next door who is losing their home to foreclosure? Yes. Our seeds that we sow will become songs. There is a transformation that happens. Our notes become composed into a beautiful piece of music. But, we could be "weeping" and "sowing" for all the wrong things or for all the wrong reasons. Behind every action is a motive. So, it is helpful to ask:

-->Am I weeping?
-->What am I weeping for?
-->Are the things that I weep for the same things that Jesus weeps for? If not, why?
-->What am I spending my time "sowing"? (For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." -      Matthew 6:21)
-->Am I prepared for the "sheaves", the abundance that David talks about?
-->What kind of soil am I placing my seeds into? (Matthew 13:1-23)

Jesus promises us that he will meet our physical needs (ie: hunger, thirst); that we will emerge holding more than enough. We will have plenty. Just like a child going to bed with his belly full.

Yet, this change doesn't always happen at once. God calls us to wait, to be still and quiet.

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption." -Psalm 130:5-7

-->What does it look like for my soul to wait "more than watchmen wait for the morning"?
-->What does "full redemption" mean for my life and for our world, today?

"But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me." -Psalm 131:2

(For a little background knowledge, to be "weaned" is when a child no longer relies on his mother's milk.)

-->Where am I being called to be like a "weaned child"?
-->How does this new perspective influence the way that I see life?
-->How has my current prespective taken precedence over a childlike one? (Luke 18:15-17)

[copyright alex puleo june 23, 2011]

To Be Known

As a busy week comes to  a close, it is comforting to know that I am loved. As I was writing in my journal today, I was reminded of the following two verses:

-"for you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb."
-"you know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar."

I then began to look up where these verses in the Bible were from and found them in Psalm 139. It was humbling to know that His spirit was speaking to me. And, after I read the psalm and reread it again and sat in it for a while, I thought: this is so beautiful. To have someone, the God of the universe know me so intimately and personally is such a gratifying thing. To be known inside and out by someone, even before you were born is absolutely amazing to me. And, to know that God wants to know you and still knows you in that way is mesmerizing. I believe that he longs to have a deep personal relationship with all of us. Sometimes, just giving up our "anxious thoughts" is the hardest thing. Surrender is difficult when all we want to do is hold on. But, Jesus calls us to release that balloon of uncertainity, fear, control (or whatever it may be for you) all over to him. He wants every part of us, not just the parts that we feel are "acceptable". He wants the parts of us that we deem "unacceptable" because it's in that brokenness that real healing happens.

There is a song with lyrics that go something like:

"To you I give my life, not just the parts I want to.
 Your thoughts are higher than mine.
 Your words are deeper than mine.
 Your love is stronger than mine.
 This is no sacrifice, here's my life."

Psalm 139 spoke to me today and I just wanted to share it with you. May you allow it to change your life as it did mine.

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Psalm 139

1 O Lord, You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.
19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20 They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

I am a Mustard Seed, a Widow, and a Branch

I was sitting in a coffee shop eating my lunch today. But, for some reason, I couldn't get my spirit to calm down. My mind was going a mile a minute; it felt like I was running a marathon. After about 30 minutes, I understood that I wasn't allowing the Holy Spirit to move through me. I did not have enough strength on my own to quiet down. My help had to come from God. As soon as I understood that and began accepting it, my mind began to embrace the quiet. The things that I was anxious about disappeared and God began to have full control over that moment. It was a time where I learned about submission; in surrendering your time, your heart, your mind, your soul- everything that makes you who you are - over to God. . . your identity. And, as I came to terms with this beautiful reality, I saw the collision between my brokenness and Jesus's healing power and restoration over it all.

And so, I gave my time over to Jesus. And, the following passages spoke to me. Later as I came home, I tried to understand the "why" of how can I fit this into my life? But then, his voice quickly responded to me with: "don't try to understand the "why" all of the time. Just let me speak to you."

So, I encourage you to try and do the same. Go find a quiet spot and let these verses speak into your life. Read over them slowly, meditate on them, take pauses, insert yourself into the passages, and let them grow on you.

Reflection questions that helped me are at the bottom of this post for you to reflect on yourself.

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Ecclesiastes 11:9-10
"Be happy young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart, and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things, God will bring you to judgment. So then, banish anxiety from your heart, and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless."

Zephaniah 3:17
"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

Matthew 13:31-32
He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches."

Matthew 9:37-38
Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Luke 21: 1-4
"As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. I tell you the truth, he said, this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."

John 15: 1-17
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off ever branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself: it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you. This is my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his masters business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other."

Matthew 18:8-9
"If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to  have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell."

John 15:7
"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you."

Deuteronomy 3:22
"Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you."

Psalm 46: 10
"Be still and know that I am God."

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*What is my offering that I am putting into the treasury?

*Where are the places in my life that I need to put in all that I have to live on?

*Who are the widows in my life? How can I reach out to them?

*Where do I need to be joyful in God?

*Go to a playground. Watch some kids. How is "youth" important in his plan for my life?

*What places in my life need to be pruned?

*Where am I open to the pruning? Where am I resistant? What is holding me back from experiencing all that the gardener has to offer me?

*Identify the places of sin and brokenness in your life. Sit in that reality for a bit. Based on the verses above, why do you think it is important to give these specific things up to God?

*How do I feel about being a mustard seed?

*Where has God called me to be a mustard seed in my world, life, and community?

*God says that "he will fight for me." Does this bring me comfort or confusion? Why?

*What would it take for me to understand this truth and apply it to my life today?

(copyright june 6, 2011 by alex puleo)