Author: Patty Stallings

Posted on

Remember Me

Remember Me.

When you break the bread and drink the wine, remember Me.

Remember I became flesh and dwelt among you.

I filled My lungs with Earth’s air.

I watched the sun that I breathed into existence rise over mountains My fingers carved.

My blistered soles walked the worn paths of man.

Remember Me.

I befriended sinners and blessed children.

I ate with outcasts and ached with mourners.

I called followers and made them friends of God.

Remember Me.

I unshuttered eyes to see the wonder I created.

I touched the leper to mend the heart that lay beneath the broken skin.

I crossed the stormy sea to rescue the tormented one.

My command stilled waves and silenced winds.

I made whole the broken-apart.

Remember Me.

I washed the feet of frail humanity.

I wept sorrow-filled tears on my knees in the dirt.

I was traded for 30 silver pieces.

My tear-salted cheek received the betrayal kiss.

I longed for My Father’s presence.

Remember Me.

I drank the cup.

I wore the barbed crown.

I heard the crowing rooster.

I was pierced, crushed, mocked, stripped, whipped, beaten, abandoned.

I endured the cross. All of it. For you.

Remember Me.

I shattered death.

I shed the grave clothes.

I bought you back from the dark.

I stood up and took My seat of glory.

I entered the waiting joy.

Remember Me.

I am the One who holds the universe and the One who holds your hand.

I am the One who hears your faintest whispers.

The One who fills and revives and sustains and rescues and forgives and redeems.

I am Lovingkindness. I am Grace and Truth melded together. I am Mercy.

I am the Hope and Healer of nations.

I am the Lifter of your head, the Keeper of your heart, the Lover of your soul.

I am the fullness of God.

I am Rest, Hope, Love.

I am the Resurrection. I am Life.

I am yours.

Remember Me.

 

(First published by Patty Stallings on Velvet Ashes)

Posted on

Hello world!

Welcome to my blog!

Thanks for coming by, friend. I am hoping this space brings you encouragement and hope.

I would love for you to become a regular around here by subscribing through the form in the side bar. Thanks!

 

Posted on

Additional Thoughts on Abandoning Self Care

This week I am writing at Velvet Ashes on God’s invitation to trade in the idea of self care for a lifestyle of leaning into and resting in His sustaining care.  (You can read the full post by following the link at the end of this post.)

The Velvet Ashes post includes these primary points in shifting from a perspective of circumstantial rest to Jesus being ever-present as Rest in me.

  • A deepening trust in God’s good and kind heart.
  • Growing in understanding how to live in hesed.
  • Realizing my sense of wellbeing is only part of the equation.
  • Paying attention when God says stop and receive.
  • A fresh richness in dwelling in Jesus as He dwells in me.

Following are a few additional thoughts that wouldn’t fit in my Velvet Ashes post.

Viewing God as a God of rhythms.

Western cultures tend to think in terms of work and play. The model Jesus’ disciples lived was more complex. After being sent to do God’s work, we see a rhythm of returning to Jesus, reporting, realigning, and rest.

On our trek toward rest, it’s honoring to our souls to take a time out to report to Jesus, to reflect on what happened out there so we can realign our heart and mind with truth. Daily, we can ground our souls in the reflective practice of Examen and seasonally through debriefing.

Stepping into the unknown with eyes focused on Jesus.

Don’t you love the story of Jesus inviting Peter to step into the chaos one dark stormy night and there Jesus met him? Not in the boat. Not with feet planted on the shore. In the chaos of crashing waves, Peter’s peace and safety came at the moment Peter was drowning and Jesus grabbed him.

It’s the same for us. Jesus’ careful grip won’t fail when we willingly and wholeheartedly answer God’s invitation to enter into the fray.

Jesus is welcome to erase my margins whenever He wants because in return I get an impartation of Himself as my Rest and my Strength!

His presence is what I most need for my well being.

Abiding provides everything I need for my wellbeing.

In John 14-16, Jesus outlines all He has in store for His followers as we dwell in Him and He dwells in us.

  • joy, peace, comfort, connectedness, belonging
  • confidence in being chosen and loved
  • fruitfulness in our labors and in our beings
  • understanding truth and God’s ways
  • friendship and fellowship in sharing in His sufferings

God is my helper and ally. The Lord is the sustainer of my soul. Ps 54:4 AMP

http://velvetashes.com/i-am-done-with-self-care-the-grove-rest/

Posted on

Recounting My Ways

Originally published on Velvet Ashes. Clicking on “continue reading” below will take you to this post on velvetashes.com

http://velvetashes.com/recounting-my-ways-the-grove-passage/

Posted on

The Cost Is Real

The cost is real.

The endless goodbyes. The missed birthdays and holidays. The wedding vows said outside our hearing. The eulogies spoken without us in the pew. The fellowship and friendship circles that go on without us.

The cost is so very real.

In this week of focusing on goodbyes at Velvet Ashes, we want you to know that we get that you have said goodbye to a lot. Goodbye to family, friends, co-workers, and yes, even pets.

We say goodbye to a lifestyle, to routines and rhythms, to familiarity.

We say goodbye to favorite places that evoke memories and a sense of belonging and comfort, fun, and togetherness.

We say goodbye to shared experiences, those everyday moments when inside jokes are born, secret smiles are shared, knowing looks are passed between sisters and friends.

We miss out on those little conversations mostly about nothing that create a whole lot of something between two people.

We miss our best friend or sister’s bad hair days, and for a while, we’ll have to live on the fumes of the fragrance of a life-giving friendship that dwells in a different corner of the planet.

We get that. The cost is real.

Somewhere in the midst of your goodbyes is a sacrifice that you and God have wrestled over. You laid your Isaac on the altar and there was no ram in the thicket to rescue and return your sacrifice. Your “yes” stands. Your sacrifice accepted. And not just accepted, but rejoiced in, delighted over, honored by Jesus.

So, as you tearfully separate from your support system,

as you walk to the car hand in hand with your dear one,

as you hug your nieces and nephews a little tighter,

as you promise your people you’ll be back in months or years,

YOU ARE DECLARING THE WORTH OF THE ONE WHO CALLS YOU.

My goodbyes this month include leaving my three all-grown-up kids on this side of the ocean as I return to the foreign land where they did all that growing up.

I’m saying goodbye to my heartbroken Dad still grieving the loss of my Mom.

I’m – again – waving goodbye to daily interactions with family by returning to a place where time zones interfere with “a funny/cool/weird/amazing thing just happened” calls and texts.

I’m saying goodbye to fresh air and blue skies and the freedom of driving.

The weight of those goodbyes seems a little heavier this time around. So, I am trusting our Father to step in with heavier doses of His grace and peace and comfort. And I’m remembering He delights in my willingness to pay the very real cost of following Him to faraway places.

The sacrifices we make do not go unnoticed. “God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.” Hebrews 6:10

Did you catch that? We show God our love for Him as we serve others. Our willingness to lay all else aside for His name’s sake is taken very seriously by God. He takes note and makes crazy promises to those who obey His call.

This week I am at our organization’s training with dozens of new co-laborers as they prepare for cross cultural service. And I’m so touched by their stories of commitment. I’m inspired by their surrendered love for Jesus. And I’m so humbled by the cost they are willing to pay to see His name made great among the nations. Their “Yes” boldly and emphatically declares His worth.

Your “Yes” courageously and beautifully declares His worth.

In every goodbye you and I whisper, we loudly and clearly declare His worth.

 

What do your goodbyes look like in this season? Are you sensing His delight or feeling the weight of those goodbyes? Or both?  

 

Originally published at VelvetAshes.com in August 2014