Tagged: Audrey Frank

For last week’s reflection on the outlook of life and peace in Romans 8, click here. For those who live according to the flesh have their outlook shaped by the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit. For the outlook of the flesh is death, but the outlook of the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:5-6   Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited. Romans 12:16 For some time now I have been deeply contemplating what it means to be shaped by God in every season and stage of our spiritual formation. As one who is in… Read More

For the outlook of the flesh is death, but the outlook of the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6 Our outlook shapes the world. These days, it seems almost impossible not to become preoccupied with threatening possibilities and fear of the future. Humans seem to be perseverating on death. Perseverate is an excellent vocabulary word I first learned as a young speech-language pathology student learning about the effect of trauma on the brain. One who has a traumatic brain injury in the area of productive speech processing might get stuck in a loop tape, as it were, of words, thoughts, or fears. In this present world of poly-trauma where we wake up to bad news every day, it’s no wonder that we humans perseverate… Read More

For a dear friend who was just gut-punched with a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis, and anyone else who is in the dark today. I don’t know where You are, Lord,  It’s so dark in here. Where are you? I am reaching for You.   I know You are here, Lord, In the darkness. Where are You? I am looking for You.   I don’t know where You are Lord, I am so very tired. Where are You? I am waiting for You.   I know You are here, Lord. The darkness is As light to You. I surrender to You.   You are here, Lord With me Present in the dark.   by Audrey Frank   ...even there your hand would guide me, your right… Read More

for my pearl of grace of the double portion For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 My daughter is a potter and she is teaching me about God, though she does not realize it. She will graduate tomorrow from a school in Africa. As she leads us around campus, to her delight she discovers the pottery room is open. We quietly watch as she takes her place at the wheel. In this room she has spent hundreds of hours throwing, shaping, and spinning clay into vessels that fill our home with beauty and purpose. As she has shaped the clay, the Potter has shaped… Read More

…the Lord’s loyal followers. Psalm 15:4   Come, follow me. Matthew 19:21   “I tell you the solemn truth, the one who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The doorkeeper opens the door for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought all his own sheep out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him, because they do not recognize the stranger’s voice. John 10:3-5… Read More

I am rushing, rushing, lower, lower still, Until I reach the lowest place, where You will hold me still.    I am rushing, rushing, to the lowest place,  Until I reach the slowing and the pooling of Your will.    I am rushing, rushing, lower, lower still,  Until You gather all my waters in Your peaceful pool.    I am rushing, rushing, lower, lower still,  The lowest place is calling me, your babbling, thankful fool.   I am rushing, rushing, lower, lower still, Until every expectation surrenders to Your best.    I am rushing, rushing, take me to the depths,  Those heights behind me long forgotten, I desire Your rest.   I am rushing, rushing, over boulders great, Around the channels of the earth I’m… Read More

I myself will feed my sheep and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD. I will seek the lost and bring back the strays; I will bandage the injured and strengthen the sick… Ezekiel 34:15-16 The sun shines in shimmering shafts along the ridge that rises before my window over the Kenyan countryside. Lush green grass is ornamented with fire flowers and tangled morning glory, while yellow, white, and purple wildflowers polkadot the edges. A man sits among the grasses along the lower track, looking upward. What does he stare at so intently? He rises, takes a few steps, then returns to his green post and sits again. His eyes remain fixed above. I follow his gaze to the rust-red earth… Read More

You answer our prayers by performing awesome acts of deliverance, O God, our savior. All the ends of the earth trust in you, as well as those living across the wide seas. You created the mountains by your power, and demonstrated your strength. You calmed the raging seas and their roaring waves, as well as the commotion made by the nations. Even those living in the remotest areas are awestruck by your acts; you cause those living in the east and west to praise you.   Psalm 65:5-8 I am flying over Saudi Arabia as I write this. How fascinating it is to sit with God high above the earth’s surface, turn my attention toward Him as I soar through the air, and read the… Read More

Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand, three branches of the lampstand from one side of it and three branches of the lampstand from the other side of it. Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, and three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on the next branch, and the same for the six branches extending from the lampstand. On the lampstand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms, with a bud under the first two branches from it, and a bud under the next two branches from it, and a bud under the third two branches from it,… Read More

This completes our journey through Psalm 139. Click here to read earlier reflections. Examine me, O God, and probe my thoughts. Test me, and know my concerns. See if there is any idolatrous way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. Psalm 139:23-24 Scripture agrees with scripture throughout the canon. Proverbs 16:9 says, In his heart man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. Psalm 107:3 reminds us that the Lord always leads in a right way. His leading comes crooked sometimes, as the Israelites understood, and the wisdom writer of Ecclesiastes reminds. Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked? 7:13, NIV The Lord leads, if we will let Him. And His way is the… Read More