We have come to a red light at the Intersection, where we as a writing team, feel God has said it’s time to stop. Though this decision was not easy for me personally, I feel at peace about it, as God has directed my life to a different corner, maybe a different intersection, for this next season of life.

I can’t thank our faithful readers enough for walking with us on this journey for the last four years. We hope that you have enjoyed our themes and our posts as much as we have writing them. I’ve often thought as I sit to write a post that God knew I needed that topic or scripture more than I even realized. Where I often thought I was writing for “someone” out there who needed to hear certain words, it was really me who needed them. Thank you for your encouragement and comments on the weekly posts. They ministered to each of us in ways you may never know.

If I could think of one last thought to share with you, it is this, and sadly I can’t take credit for these words. I was sitting in church this weekend when our pastor said, “that God’s will (for our lives) is always right, but it may not always be easy.” I don’t know what the next season of life holds for you, but I encourage you to walk in obedience where the Lord directs you. Look for the green lights before you leap into a new adventure. Slow down when you are given a yellow light. And stop when God so gently gives you a red light.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. Ecclesiastes 3:1″

In Love and Prayers for each of You,

Krista

I experienced this feeling of “discomfort” over the weekend. My husband’s company held a family picnic at a nearby park. I’ll admit it was not on my Top 10 List of events I wanted to participate in this weekend. If I had my choice I would much rather be with my peeps—my friends and family that are familiar to me. Then the thought crossed my mind: Who are my peeps anyway, and what makes me so comfortable with them?

I will admit that about 95% of my circle of friends are Christians. We share a common bond. Our conversations are safe. We share a mutual view on current issues. There is a depth-ness to our conversations because they center around our mighty God. I find myself socially confident in these circles, but put me with a group of corporate, possibly pretentious, strangers, and I feel like an outsider.

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Colossians 4:5”

This scripture hit me as we were driving to the picnic. How often do “outsiders” visit church each weekend only to feel completely uncomfortable? Are they greeted with a smile and a handshake, or turned away because they feel they’ve walked in on a sacred party they know nothing about? Do they feel silly asking a question because everyone looks like they know exactly where to go and what to do? Hmmm. Definitely some food for thought.

As it turned out the picnic was great! I met several wonderful people who shook my hand with a smile. They welcomed me and made me feel, dare I say, comfortable? They weren’t pretentious, like I had conjured up in my mind. The afternoon was very enjoyable. And, to top it off, my sweet daughters won a cash prize for the three-legged race! Go figure.

I learned from a few simple, but profound words in scripture, that being wise and making the most of every opportunity can sometimes be as simple as being friendly and reaching out to others who I may so easily ignore and pass by on any given day.

My husband thought it would be a great idea, and a daddy-daughter opportunity, to sign up himself and our two daughters for one of the project teams. As our summer unfolded with vacations and houseguests, the day seemed to sneak up. On Wednesday evening this week we received a call from the church with the assignment. At first we were hesitant about it and thought to cancel. After all we had just arrived back in town and we were tired from vacation…(some excuse, right?).

We dismissed that thought and went on to the more pressing issue—the assignment. My perfectly capable husband and two young, beautiful daughters had been assigned to pick up trash along a busy intersection. (Really?) They wanted to help a family in need, not walk along a polluted intersection in the blazing sun picking up others’ litter. Or was it me that didn’t want my kiddos involved in such a task?

The next morning, conviction set in. And I mean Conviction with a capital C. I curled up in my comfy chair with a cup of hot coffee and read from Colossians—hoping to get a jump-start on writing the post for this week. Guess what it said?

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24

I closed my Bible, not sure whether to laugh or cry. (I ended up doing both.) There it was in black and white print from the mouth of Paul. “Whatever you do, whether picking up trash at the corner of Lincoln and Jordan, or doing laundry, dishes, or other chores, work at it with ALL your heart as working for the Lord.” (Ouch!)

As I worked around the house on Saturday catching up on laundry and chores, I felt different. I kind of enjoyed it. My husband and girls came home exhausted from collecting nine bags of trash in a three-hour period, but they had smiles on their faces. And I’m pretty sure God was glorified in all of this because a lesson had been learned, and re-learned, by our family this weekend. Thank you Lord for the trash assignment as it will forever be a treasured reminder of Who we work for.

“Look both ways before you cross AT THE CROSSWALK.”
“Keep your eyes and ears open for strangers and strange activity.”
“Look at your watch, and allow plenty of time to get home before the half-hour is up.”

I even followed them out the door, and gave one more order, “And don’t forget to have fun!!!”

This scenario reminds me of some instructions that Paul gave to the new believers in Colosse.

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15”

It makes me chuckle a little bit when I read the end of this passage. I can almost picture Paul writing this letter. His thoughts are racing faster than he can write. “And by the way, be thankful,” he manages to scribble across the page.

I don’t know about you, but I find that when my life is in a tizzy and peace is the furthest thing from my mind, so is thankfulness. I often find myself pleading with the Lord to restore peace in my life. I complain to Him about my anxious thoughts, but rarely in the midst of that do I think about what I’m thankful for.

Paul understood though. In the midst of house arrest, he was thankful. In the midst of dealing with quarreling church people, he was thankful. In the midst of broken relationships, he was thankful. Perhaps Paul figured out that peace and thankfulness go together. You can’t have one without the other. Just like you can’t go to the park with newly acquired freedom and independence and not have fun.

Then I found navy blue sweaters on sale last summer (again, an approved school color). I purchased one for each daughter. My fourth grader was told immediately that her sweater was in violation of the dress code because it was “cable knit and not flat knit. “ Really? My second grader had quite the opposite experience with the exact same sweater. In fact she received compliments from her teacher. Frustrated, and now strapped for cash, I’ve been a little put off by the whole dress code thing this school year.

But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Colossians 3:8-10

When I read this scripture I picture myself changing clothes. Taking off the old self and putting on the new self. But wait, what’s that? My new self is continually being renewed in the knowledge and image of my Creator? Wow, that sounds pretty gracious. It sounds like a process—one that my Creator will help me navigate.

Anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language and lying are not the best choices to adorn ourselves with, but sometimes this world isn’t fair, and we accidently put on those ugly traits. Thankfully we have a God who loves and forgives us through all our wardrobe changes. I believe that as we continue to seek Him and His ways, we will desire the pretty clothes.

As for the school’s dress code, I guess they are doing what they have to do in this day and age. Would a little more grace and less pickiness be nice sometimes? Oh yes!

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. 2 Timothy 1:9

The last day of our tour ended at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem. This is one of the only Christian sites in all of Israel. Up to that point in the tour I had immersed myself in studying all I could about Jewish Biblical history, and now I was visiting the one place that represented the entire Gospel message—the hope, salvation and promise of Jesus. But it was also the one belief that separated me from the majority of Jews (past and present) in Israel.

I had a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes through the entire tour of the Garden Tomb. I could not grasp how this was the major issue that separated me from all the amazing Jewish people I had met and observed while in the Land. I had marveled at the Orthodox Jews and their devotion to their faith. How they wore black from head to toe in the heat of the day. How they didn’t cut their hair or beards according to Jewish law. How they wore phylacteries from the sleeves of their garments to remember the laws. I was convicted when they knew more about the New Testament of the Bible than I did.

But that was it. They knew it, but didn’t believe it. They had all the answers, the truth, right in front of them, and yet didn’t believe, and were unable to grasp the freedom that is in Christ. It grieved me, and yet drove me to commit myself to prayer for this nation.

I have to believe that the Apostle Paul felt much the same way as he tried to bear witness of Christ to the Jewish people of that day.

“He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13b-14.”

What I believe Paul is saying to Jews, Gentiles, and us alike is that Jesus is the end of the law. It is His blood that was shed on the cross that has blotted out our sins and with it canceled the law that was so condemning. Jesus took all the condemnation that came from living under laws, rules and regulations and nailed it to the cross, so we could be free.

I want so much for you to experience freedom in Christ. Whatever is holding you back this Holy Week from embracing the freedom that comes from a relationship with Jesus Christ, I want you to imagine nailing those things to the cross. And after you have nailed them to the cross, imagine yourself walking hand in hand with your Savior. You are smiling. You are rejoicing. You are free.