I Saw What I Saw

There is a beautiful song by Sara Groves called I Saw What I Saw. The words go like this . . .

I saw what I saw and I can't forget it
I heard what I heard and I can't go back
I know what I know and I can't deny it

These words describe how I am feeling today, yesterday, and on many other days.

In 1990, my cozy world was disrupted by a 20/20 documentary about the institutionalized children of Romania. For years I have followed the news reports, web sites, and stories of the 'forgotten' children. In addition, in 1998 my husband and I traveled to Romania to bring our first and oldest son home. He was 21 months old, living in a state run instituition. He is now a handsome, smart, and amazing boy who is almost as tall as I am!

Over the years I could never forget what I saw, heard, and felt concerning the children of Romania. I have searched my heart, cried out to God, and continued to pray about how He can use me for His kingdom. This weekend I was doing some more research on-line and found a few videos and reports I had not seen before. Once again, my heart is broken and I'm not sure what to do. The tears continue to flow and I am on my knees crying out to Him because . . .

I saw what I saw and I can't forget it
I heard what I heard and I can't go back
I know what I know and I can't deny it

In His Name, Kim

The videos mentioned are:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5mZcNmE11s
http://www.abandonedtkids.com/ - scroll to the bottom and click.

On my personal blog, divingintohisgrace.blogspot.com I am currently journaling about Kay Warren's book Dangerous Surrender on Thursdays. I am also going to begin journaling about our adoption journey with our son. Please join me! Thanks for reading and entering through the narrow gate.

Do You Have A Strong Will?

heartlight.org

Our small group meets at my house on Wednesday nights. We are a group of 'newer' believers who are hungry for God. Our facilitator, Cindy, has been a Christian for many, many years and every week we challenge her with lots of questions. This week we started discussing 'The Will of God.'

When thinking about the will of God for my life I often imagined a narrow path. It was one that I was to carefully walk on and if I stepped off I would fall into this dark abyss like an old sci-fi movie. I often walked in fear and found myself almost paralized when making decisions concerning the direction I was to take. Well last night my whole 'sci-fi' vision of the will of God was rocked and I am so thankful!

We discussed the law of God and the will of God. The law of God is what God demands of us. It is the law, we have no choice. Hmmm . . . no choice. Our human flesh may not like these words. We like to be in control, to have choice, we do not want anyone telling us how to live our lives! But think about it. God has laws just like our communities and our homes. We all have rules to follow so that everyone stays safe and can live in harmony. God wants us to live in peace and harmony too. The will of God is different. It is what God wants for my life, it is His preference, and within that there is choice. Our pastor says, "It is God's desire revealed." Wow, those are some big words to take in. His desire revealed. He has a desire, a preference of how I live and walk out my life. My first reaction is to run and hide like Adam and Eve in the garden. Are you kidding me? I could never live up to His desire for my life! But when I stop for a moment I am reminded that He created me, He equipped me, He placed gifts and talents inside me, He gave me my heart filled with passion for His kingdom, and He promises to lead me, guide me, and walk with me. So what am I so afraid of? It is really not that difficult. His will, two words, when put together are amazing!

His will for our lives is not as difficult as we make it or hard to find. It is not a narrow path or a detailed blueprint that is too hard for us to follow. For me it is looking within my heart and His, listening for His voice, and walking the walk He has called me to walk. He has a strong will for my life and He has one for yours too.

Be blessed! Kim

(I want to thank my pastor and shepherd for his words, guidance, and direction with today's post. You are a blessing!)

Happy Birthday Julie!

Today is Julie's birthday. It is time to celebrate! And since the narrow gate girls are writers my gift to her today is a gift of words. (After small group last night I planned on running out and buying her a little gift . . . well, you know how that goes - my kids are home for spring break, my group was here until 9:00, and so here goes.)

I met Julie at a women's retreat two years ago. Since then we have crossed paths at a Y bible study, in the child care room, and an occassional 'pizza' date here and there. Since I have two friends named Julie my husband calls her Pizza Julie. Most of our communication is done on-line since we both are notorious for losing our phones or letting the batteries run out. We laugh, cry, encourage, and have fun with one another.

Julie . . .the words that come to mind are spirit-filled writer, wife, mother, friend, and child of the Most High. You are an encourager, teacher, and mentor who sees things in others that they may not see in themselves. I love your honesty, your wit, and your faith in us. You have inspired me to go through the narrow gate even though I kept holding onto the 'door frame' because I felt unworthy. I thank the Lord for you and our friendship. You are a true blessing!

Happy Birthday! Kim

P.S.) No re-gifting!!! See previous post.

Accepting the Gift

heartlight.org

Our daughter is four and no matter what her day is about, no matter what you might be talking about, she is going to bring it back to one thing: her birthday. She started planning her fifth birthday on her literal fourth birthday. She loves all aspects of the birthdays, especially receiving presents.

This year I've read a lot about the poverty spirit. In Bible study at the Y we're reading Superatural Ways of Royalty: Discovering Your Rights and Privileges of Being a Son or Daughter of God by Kris Valloton and Bill Johnson. On my personal blog I share my thoughts Mondays on Joy Chickonoski's Becoming Lovers: The Journey from Disciple of Christ to Bride of Christ. In essence, I'm reading and believing that the poverty is a lifestyle that robs you or God's best. It works in false humility. God wants to bless His people. Does it mean we should all pray for a new Lexus or second home in the Hamptons? No, but this book showed me I've been living in poverty.

I'm rejecting gifts.

When I reject gifts, I'm ultimately rejecting the Giver.

I'll be transparent enough to share that my lack of accepting good things went as deep as regifting. It wasn't because I owed someone else a gift and had that one on hand, it was more that I would receive such nice things I felt uncomfortable receiving them. I felt unworthy. I treated beautiful things that were given with love as a hot potato. I couldn't get rid of them fast enough.

The truth is, I am unworthy, we all are. What we forget is grace took care of that on the Cross. When we get a promotion, when someone gives us something, when we have the opportunity to do, see and experience things that are a result of God's blessing, it's okay to receive. In fact, embrace the gift.

Too often we view God as a task master who withholds. That's what the devil (I prefer to call him the defeated one) would like you to believe. Your Heavenly Father wants you to feel like a princess because you are His and He loves you. He wants to love on you and lavish on you in many ways. And for me, some of those ways He loves on me is through others.

I believe we are entering a season where the prayers we've prayed for a long time are about to come to pass. I think we are going to see loved ones enter into a relationship of faith in Christ that we wondered if it would ever take place, there will be healings, returns of prodigals, a complete turn around in thinking and choices among the hurting, and an abundant time of blessings and provision that will go against every news report you read.

I don't want to miss out on that by passing any gifts that have my name on to someone else. It's time I seize the blessings God is giving. I may not turn into my daughter with a list a mile long of what she'd like, but I should take a cue from her when I do receive something--whether a tangible gift or an experience God designed just for me.

I should say thank you.

And accept it.

No re gifting!

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. Julie was chosen as the March 2008 FaithReaders.com author of the month. To get to know her better, read her interview by Linda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20To contact Julie, please contact her at the e mail address provided in the profile. It's her birthday today and she plans to enjoy the day!

Believe

I heard Christian singer/songwriter Mark Schultz say recently about a particular song he wrote, “Next to the song title it states that it is written by me, but I didn’t write it the words-God did, I just happened to be in the room at the time.”

That’s exactly how I feel about almost every article I’ve written. I don’t have a background or education in journalism or writing, and prior to three years ago, I had never had the desire to write at all.

Until one day He gave me the idea. Almost instantly, I had the desire and confidence to start writing. A “wow” moment like that can only come from God. He not only placed the desire in my heart, He gave me the words He knows people need to hear---and He continues to give them to me month after month, week after week….

Now I’m sure some of you are thinking, “God could never use me, I don’t have anything to offer…He would never speak to me like that.”

Has God been telling you to do something you don’t feel qualified to do?

What is it that you started to do that you know could have only come from His strength and His love, and His guidance? Have you had “ideas” come to you that make no sense to your natural mind?

If He gave you the calling, He will see you through.

He will give you what you need—strength, courage, endurance, peace.

He did it for Gideon.

He did it for me.

He will do it for you.

Trust Him.

Believe.

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy. Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She is also a contributing author at www.mommiesmagazine.com. Maria is very passionate about getting the word out to special parents that they are not alone in their journey of raising their special child; and that they were chosen by God to parent their children. Maria welcomes comments and communication. If you would like to talk to her, please e-mail her. Our e mail address is in our profile.

The Welcome Mat

Like Kim, I remain mesmerized by the Passion Play performances I was able to watch from Palm Sunday through Resurrection Sunday. Each year the Lord gives me something new to really think and pray on, and this year is no different.

At the end of the play a veiled curtain comes down to show flashback scenes between Jesus, the woman caught in adultery, and the thief on the cross who believed. In front of the curtain are these folks in heaven wearing white robes. The thief lived a no good life and only in his last breaths did he believe.

Jesus was waiting with open arms.

The woman caught in adultery perhaps had years of service to the Lord but still, especially back then, you were to die for such a choice. Yet there she was in heaven, greeting Jesus.

He was waiting with open arms.

The song that plays during this exchange asks how did you get here and their answer is "By the Way of the Cross." There truly was no other way for them, or for me.

Somehow my thoughts took me to a welcome mat. In a worldly sense, had we known these folks, my guess is few of us would extend the welcome mat to them, then or now. A thief? What if he takes our things? What if he smells? He doesn't talk like our friends, he'll embarrass us.

An adulteress? What if she makes a pass at my spouse or son? What if she dresses in my clothes and uses my jewelry? What if she starts telling people her past?

Although the path to eternal life is a narrow gate, once you make that decision for Christ, His arms are wide open and the welcome mat is put out with no reservations.

Can I say the same? Can you?

A month or so ago I was speaking with someone whose church family is going through a pastoral transition. This person asked for advice and I was very candid about what I would look for. My list was so specific that they took it to the meeting and utilized it. One board member objected to one thing I brought up.

Is your church, would this pastor be ready and willing for the prostitute, the heroin addict, the pornographer to enter? I ask because with all my heart, I think Jesus is preparing the church for an outpouring of folks who have lived differently than most of us, and they are hungry for His love.

Would you extend the welcome mat?

This board member apparently shared that as a church, they needed to think about their reputation and if that a potential pastor wants to embrace "those people" well then they would have to reject that candidate.

My take is, you can dress sin up in a three piece suit, but it's still sin.

I want to be the Christian that doesn't just put the welcome mat out, but extends my hand. That I welcome the prosititute, the special needs child the adults don't know how to tolerate, the single parent, the gambler, the ex con, the porn addict, the porn star, the abortionist, the white collar executive who cheats on his taxes, the wife who cheats on her husband, and the board member too scared of change and personifies what I see as a religious spirit.

Am I there? I'd like to think so. I was feeling pretty good when I was at McDonalds and sat next to two teens dressed in Goth who mocked us when we prayed over our meal. I didn't sneer or hold my breath when a man came in who had old clothes and poor hygiene walked by and it was impossible to not notice.

Then today my neighbor shared that the house next door, now vacant, appears to have lost a potential tenant that sounded promising. The last family that came in was very loud, disruptive, and in situations that put the neighbors in possible danger. With the new tenant not moving in, the owner apparently was asking my neighbor how we would all feel about bringing in low income rent to own families.

I panicked.

In a flash, I saw me taking my welcome mat and shoving it inside my house where everything feels comfortable and safe. My vision of a low income rent to own situation is stereotypical and I confess I picture chaos, unruly kids, many pets, and people who have no respect for others or things. I base this on the last family that came in and really it isn't fair.

We're going to be in for a lot of surprises, here on Earth and even in heaven. From everything I've read, serial killer Ted Bundy made an authentic transformation to follower of Christ before his execution. When he arrived in heaven, the welcome mat was out. This man has as much of a place at the banquet table with Jesus as Mother Teresa. Can you wrap your mind around that? Without His grace, it's impossible.

So I write this knowing my welcome mat needs work. When I get the heaven and someone says, "Friend, how did you get here?" Well maybe my past isn't as a stripper, a killer or a thief. But my ticket to eternal life was stamped just the same as anyone with that experience.

I came by the way of the Cross.

Where the welcome mat is out.

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. Julie was chosen as the March 2008 FaithReaders.com author of the month. To get to know her better, read her interview by Linda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20
To contact Julie, please contact her at the e mail address provided in the profile.

Him or Me?

(www.heartlight.org)


The lights were dimmed, 'smog' filled the air, a spotlight was turned on, and the voice of John the beloved began to share his story. He was telling of our Savior, Jesus, and I was on the edge of my seat!

Tonight I experienced the sights, sounds, words, and emotions of my first 'Passion Play.' The greatest miracle of all time, 'the Word became flesh,' came to life before my eyes.

The play began with the Christmas story, one of beauty, hope, and peace. Mary and Joseph, the stable, the star, and a baby lying in a manger. The baby began to grow and soon He became a man. A common looking man, dressed in a cream colored robe, walking among the village people in his bare feet. He spoke of love and kindness as he laughed, hugged, and healed those who followed him. His friends were 'common' men and women living ordinary lives. They were fishing in the sea, collecting taxes, gathering water at the well, . . . The son of God, our Messiah, was living among them, teaching them, loving them. I kept thinking to myself, "Look at him! He could have come as a wealthy, worldly king but instead our King was walking among the people in his bare feet! I soon began to wonder how I would have thought and acted two thousand years ago. Would I have taken the time to make my way through the crowd to see who Jesus was or would I have been too busy? Would I have questioned like the high priests with words such as, "Why is He with them, I'm the one who goes to church every week and reads my bible?" Or would I have sat at His feet and listened to what He came to say? And when He was physically gone would I have kept His message to myself or shared it with others?

Two thousand and eight or two thousand years ago, the choices are the same. Am I taking the time to sit at His feet and listen or am I too busy? Am I truly in relationship with Him or am I just going through the motions? And while I am waiting for His return am I doing as He commanded or am I keeping the good news all to myself?

The passion play has left me with so much to think about!

Happy Easter!


Kim Zaksek lives in NE Ohio with her husband and three children. Kim has a heart for missions and a burden to make a difference for Christ for those the world abuses, forgets, ignores or abandons. She has traveled internationally to pursue that call on her life. She also has a heart for adoption. Kim just created a new personal blog of her own at http://divingintohisgrace.blogspot.com/ If you'd like to contact Kim please find our e-mail in the profile. Thanks!

Bold Like An Easter Egg Dip

Forgive me for my excitement over something so mundane but I have a confession---I don't eat eggs. Okay, I eat chocolate peanut butter eggs but not the real kind that you scramble. I'm so against eggs I never decorated them as an adult, that was a grandma special project when she came for a visit.

This year we had snow storm after snow storm and this last one occurred when my son had a friend visit for an overnight. We had traveling plans that I knew weren't going to happen. I saw the egg kit and went for it.

I can make things well from scratch but easy kit directions tend to stump me, so I read the egg kit decorations carefully. This is where I get excited.

To make bolder colors, add vinegar.

The longer you keep the egg dipped, the bolder the egg color becomes.

Vinegar isn't a liquid of choice. It smells and if you have to taste it, well it's bitter.

Just ask Jesus.

The vinegar stick they handed Him wasn't a soda. It wasn't intended to provide true relief.

Bold outcome calls for a long stay in bitter liquid. I can't think of anything more horrific than beating, mocking, whipping and lashing coming from leather strips with sharp blunt objects attached to expose not skin, but bone. That's quite a dip to stay in.

Yet how bold His color when He arose from the environment.

In 2003-4 our family was submerged in the vinegar of life. Job changes, abnormal newborn test results, medical mix up, doctor error, croup, near death, RSV, pneumonia, new job, move, terminal diagnosis in family, surgery for child, death of parent, grief, selling home in one state to buy home in another, leave everyone and everything to obey God's call on our life.

Last line sound familiar this most Holy Week?

If you are facing adversity, think about the decorated eggs. My very favorite ones are the bold and brilliant ones. The ones that carry the trace of vinegar because they stayed in the bitter stuff the longest.

And thrived.

Just like you can.

Just like He did.

For you.

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. Julie was chosen as the March 2008 FaithReaders.com author of the month. To get to know her better, read her interview by Linda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20

To contact Julie, please contact her at the e mail address provided in the profile.

Maria Shares Her Thoughts on "That Voice"

picture found at http://www.heartlight.org

This whole obedience thing is harder than I thought…

It requires complete surrender. Surrender of your own thoughts, strength, and energy to God.

Instead, He gives you your thoughts, strength and energy through the sound of His voice. This voice of His is without doubt and uncertainty. It is ever so clear and strong, but yet so very gentle, He leads you with the sweet sound of almost a whisper.

How does one hear a loud shout of directions that can be as peaceful as a whisper? This sound can only come from a Savior.

Until recently, I used to ask others, “How do you know it’s God’s voice, how do we really know?”
When you hear it you know. You can’t possibly allow yourself to hear such a sound unless you have placed your thoughts—your entire life-- out at His feet. What other sound can sound like a father guiding his child with discipline, and have the calm confidence of unveiling grace at the same time?

That’s Him.

That voice that you’ve heard when you were down in the ashes of your life, that pulled you out and dusted you off---then it sounded loud and firm.

And that voice that has guided your decisions when you knew that you knew you were doing what was right—then it was filled with sounds of affection and warmth-like that of a soft hand pulling you.

That’s Him.

Giving in to this voice is directly related to receiving His grace. Choosing to accept His grace.
How does one define the grace of God?

One definition of grace is “the influence or Spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them.” He lives in us, and can only function in the absolute state of grace. It’s who He is, and who we are, as He lives in us.

Can your mind even comprehend such sanctification and complete immersion of how much love it takes to give us this grace always? It’s there for us each and every moment of our lives.

By choosing to receive His grace, we allow His voice to be heard clearer than any other sound we encounter throughout our day. Once you hear His voice, and truly accept t he fact that He has made you worthy of guiding your every thought, act, and decision, you crave the sound of it more and more…

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy. Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She is also a contributing author at www.mommiesmagazine.com. Maria is very passionate about getting the word out to special parents that they are not alone in their journey of raising their special child; and that they were chosen by God to parent their children. Maria welcomes comments and communication. If you would like to talk to her, please e-mail her. Our e mail address is in our profile.

God's Loving Message for Oprah---and you!

This post represents one of those times God has downloaded something into my heart I can't get rid of and I know I'm meant to share it. That part most of the time is easy enough, what has me a little nervous is the information is specific. Directed at one person.

Oprah Winfrey.

The good news is I know I can benefit from this information and I hope you can too. So here I go.

I was listening to a radio program last week regarding Oprah and her new study on the book, A New Earth. I've received e mails regarding this and overall what I'm hearing is this is not a Christ centered book. Years ago, oh even months ago I most likely would have been on the bash the book bandwagon. This year though, God has asked me to walk in compassion and grace. That doesn't mean I turn a blind eye to things that grieve Him, but in what I heard in my prayer time when I listened to the show (the program was on Moody called something like Oprah--Right Questions, Wrong Answers) was so full of love, I felt I was meant to share.

The program included an audio clip of Oprah sharing a bit of her faith background. Please give me a little grace as I didn't write what she said as I was driving, listening and praying. It went something like this though---her Christian upbringing was Baptist. Her heart was and is to see God as a loving God. I believe this too.

One day she was listening to a preacher give a sermon. He said God is a jealous God. That really struck her, as it did me the first time I heard this. She said that did not align with what she knew of God, a loving God. She questioned, God is jealous of me? As she asked that question, if I followed her correctly, it just didn't sit right to serve a jealous God. This was the catalyst to search for something more that would ultimately fit her perception of a loving God.

Here is what God has to share lovingly with Oprah, me, and all of you.

God is not jealous of you---He is jealous FOR you.

One word, big difference.

He created the heavens and the Earth. He knows every hair on your head intimately. He knows every single fact about you down to the last breath you take. He sent His own Son to Earth to take a brutal mockery, assault, crucifixtion and death because it was the only way to bridge the chasm between our natural bent to sin and separate us from Him. If you can't picture the sacrifice, watch Passion of the Christ. That is how deep His love is for you.

Think of a parent. Say the parent makes their child the very best of clothes, fixes the choicest of meals, gives them unconditional love and the child chooses to live with another family that could care less about the kid. What do you think that parent would feel? That parent would be jealous for the child. Their love is so strong they don't want the child to cling to a love that can't love back.

God's love is so strong for Oprah that He just wants to spend time with her. I don't think He wants her money or to give up her work, as the radio program stated, she truly does good things for the betterment of society. Her having money is not a bad thing. But as the Bible states, you can't serve two masters. If you, me, Oprah, anyone is chasing something or someone first and always above wanting to sit down and just get to know the One who created you, He's going to be jealous for you. For your time, your affections.

I wish I were a master communicator like Max Lucado or Beth Moore but I'm not. I just pray these words would be anointed by Him and deeply touch you in a way that would bring you closer to the Lord. This theme of God being jealous in a good way rings to true to me imagine my smile when my inbox contained an article by Francis Frangipane about God's jealousy for us, not of us.

Bottom line---Oprah, God is a loving God. It took me so long to grasp that, I'm so glad you have that knowledge stored in your generous heart. I pray you also find His jealousy a gift and something you want in your life every day. Chase after it, seek it, it's yours to have.

Thanks for letting me share His encouragement to you today.

To read more, click the link below.
http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word/6266


Julie is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. Julie was chosen as the March 2008 FaithReaders.com author of the month. To get to know her better, read her interview by Linda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author.php To contact Julie, Kim or Maria, please contact us at jarduini@faithwriters.net.

Kim on the Narrow Gate

www.about.com

A narrow gate . . . what comes to mind? A tall picket fence with a small latched opening, an old europeon style stone wall with ivy growing over the sides and an opening with an old, iron gate that creaks when you open it, or maybe an opening amidst some caves and rocks that is so narrow you have to turn sideways to travel through. How do you feel when you come to it? Are you nervous, uncertain, anxious, excited? Do you peek through first? Do you hold your breath when you pass through? Eyes open or tightly shut? Do you say a prayer before you go? Do you slowly make your way through or do you run through full speed ahead?

Narrow gates, wide openings, life's choices, they are all around us. As children and teenagers we often had to choose walking through the gate of doing what we knew was right or what 'everyone else' was doing. Do we stick up and befriend the child being picked on or do we join in? Do we stop the fight in the hallway or do we stand and watch? Do we say no to the drink, the drug, or sex or does our flesh give in? As children the decisions seemed so big, as adults how do they look now?

www.about.com

Our choices and decisions as we get older continue to be challenging. Do we study and pursue a career that is true to our heart or one that others talked us into and looks appealing on the outside? Do we wait and marry for love or do we settle for another because we are afraid to be alone? Do we take a more challenging position in the work place that requires us to move and feels right or do we stay where it is comfortable and familiar? Do we leave our 'family's' church and traditions to pursue another or do we stay to keep the peace? Do we adopt an orphan or foster a child or are we too busy and 'happy' with what we have to say yes? Do we stay on the wide, smooth path or do we open the narrow gate? After all, it may creak!

The narrow gate can be scary and feel isolating. You may feel like closing your eyes, holding your breath, and running through. But have you ever passed through and experienced what is on the other side? Inner peace, joy, a sense of accomplishment, and passion to continue traveling on often awaits. Yes the path may get rocky, steep, and cumbersome at times; however, you will find others like you. You may need to call their name, reach for their hand, or sit and have lunch on a grassy spot together. You may even find a coffee shop along the way. And most importantly, there is one who will remain with you always, his name is Jesus. He will guide you, lead you, love you, and if He is calling you through a narrow gate He has already equipped you to pass through.

We invite you in. Come through the narrow gate with us and see what is on the other side!

Kim lives in NE Ohio with her husband and three children. Kim has a heart for missions and a burden to make a difference for Christ for those the world abuses, forgets, ignores or abandons. She has traveled internationally to pursue that call on her life. She also has a heart for adoption. Kim just created a new personal blog of her own at http://divingintohisgrace.blogspot.com/ If you'd like to contact Kim please leave a comment.

Get a Life---verse!

Early in my Christian walk, someone asked me if I had a life verse. I barely had a grasp on what version of the Bible to read let alone a verse. I wanted something that no matter what came my way, I could look at that verse and go yea, that's right. God is in control and this is what I need to do here.

My faith became personal in 1992 and for many of those years, the same verse has served me well. What is it?

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6.

What does this verse mean to me? When I have a choice to make, when something is on my mind, I give it up. I know on my own intelligence and actions, I'll goof it up. Big. When I trust Him, it's the way to go every time. I need to do this in all areas of my life, not just the easy parts of life. I have to acknowledge Him in all ways. The visual I have is what if you bought a house and you were handed the deed but learned you only got certain rooms, not all of them? It's the same way with this verse. When you give your trust over to Him, He's going to show you the way.

His way. His perfect way. In His time. That's hard for most of us to accept. I can say when I have truly applied this verse to my life, He has never let me down. This verse exemplifies what I want in a relationship with God, and what I know I have to give, or in my case, give up. My way. My actions and reactions. My timing. Can you relate?

Do you have a verse that really means a lot to you? We'd love to hear from you. Feel free to leave a comment.

By the way, did you know that there are enough Proverbs that you could read one each day and tackle the book of Proverbs in a month, each month? There is so much wisdom in these short writings, I encourage you to read them.

Julie is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. To contact Julie, Kim or Maria, please contact us at jarduini@faithwriters.net.

Maria on Surrender

Did you ever have a minor cut or scrape that at first hurts so bad, you don’t know how you will ever think about anything else? The pain seems to override everything else you have to do or focus on….It takes all of your energy to do something other than try to alleviate the pain from this wound.

Then after you nurse this wound for a little while, you realize the pain is not as it once was, it is tolerable, and you can go about your daily routine without having to feel the reminder that it is there and still causing you pain. Then suddenly, one day, you see the remainder of a scab or scar that was there, and you actually forgot it was there, or that not so long ago, it was causing you pain.

I feel that the wounds of our lives, our hearts, our emotions, are very similar to this kind of wound. No matter how minor the wound may be, the pain that can come from such a wound can pierce our innermost beings. But when we come to Christ, we know and we learn that He can make all things new, He has paid the price of his life for us, for our sins…so initially we think that if we go after Him and search out answers to all of our questions, maybe he can take away some of this pain. And we read His promises, we believe them to be true, but in the meantime, we are nursing these wounds…they still hurt. We know in our heart that He is who He says He is, and we see Him working in other people’s lives, and we read, we ask, we want to know him more….and we believe. But why then, if we believe, do these things still hurt? We think, “If I were a true believer, this pain would be gone…what’s wrong with me? I must not know enough, I must not be willing enough…” So, in turn, we search more, more resources, more books, more messengers and conferences, we think to ourselves, “surely if I go here or there, or read this book or that book, then I will fully understand and the pain will go away.”

But it is not until we realize there is only one book and only one resource that we need. It is in His word, and His name is Jesus, and He has endured the pain of our wounds, he has felt our scrapes, he has felt them even before we did. He knew we would be feeling them, and he has been waiting for us to totally completely surrender and believe him at his word. Believe that he is who he says he is, and he wants us to depend on him to carry us through.

I feel that this cannot happen completely until we learn what it is to receive this grace, this love, this mercy that he has for us. Each and every one of us. When we stop searching, running to find answers…when we just sit in his presence and truly receive his words from the only book we need, it is then and only then that our healing can begin. He doesn’t want us to hold onto anything…he knows we’re holding on to it and trying to do it in our own strength…he wants us to trust all of his words, and allow him to rescue us from this pain. He wants believing and receiving to go hand in hand. He knows it is sometimes difficult for us to receive….because some of these even small scrapes can be very, very deep and cause intense pain. When we decide to immerse ourselves in his word and live within his grace, we can truly, completely receive his promises.
And then, one day, as this receiving becomes second nature to us, we realize there were wounds that have now begun to heal. You see, when we surrender all to the Lord, and let his rain fall on us…and soak in it, it is then and only then that pain will become a memory. He will take the pain, and bask in the joy of our commitment and love for him.

Allow him to take your pain.
Allow him to rescue you from the wounds in your heart.
Let him in.
Give him your pain.
He wants to take it.
Go ahead. He really is who he says he is.
Let him heal you.
Surrender.


Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy. Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She is also a contributing author at www.mommiesmagazine.com. Maria is very passionate about getting the word out to special parents that they are not alone in their journey of raising their special child; and that they were chosen by God to parent their children. Maria welcomes comments and communication. If you would like to talk to her, please leave a comment with an e mail address.

And The Gate Is Open!

Welcome! We're scared but we feel the call and we can't ignore it any longer. This blog is called "The Narrow Gate Invites" because we feel called to share the deeper things of Christian faith. Our hope is to blog our experiences, mistakes, learnings, revelations and tears to challenge your walk and seek God in a way you never have before. By no means does this mean we have things mastered, quite the opposite. We're all on this journey together.



The authors of this blog are myself, Kim and Maria. Besides feeling the call to blog here, we are all wives and moms with a full plate stretching us in several directions. We are hungry for things of God yet when we get together we confess how we yell at our kids, get frustrated, and skip Bible readings when we need it most. Our hope is to blog a few times a week and we definitely want you on board. We ask for your grace as this full plate may prevent us from posting like we want. My hope is to tackle Tuesdays and Thursdays. Kim would like once a week and so would Maria. I can't wait for you to get to know them.



My name is Julie and you can also find me at the right of this blog with my personal blog, The Surrendered Scribe, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/ I blog about many things there, and this blog will be a little more faith specific, so check my rants, thoughts, confessions and learnings on anything from writing, to family to wanting a two car attached garage over at the Surrendered Scribe. I'm also a writer dipping my pen in the waters so to speak, and you can find the list of what I'm doing at the right of the Surrendered Scribe blog. On Sundays I am the mommy blogger at the Christian Writers Forum blog, http://christianwritersforum.com/Blog/ . I'm married with two children and like Kim and Maria, I live in NE Ohio. If you want to know more about me, I am the featured author of the month at FaithReaders http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author.php and Lynda did such a great job interviewing me I joke that my family can use this interview as my obituary one day.



Today I just want to say welcome and Kim and Maria, it's real and happening. For you the reader, pray for us. We sense this is a new thing God is doing, and we want to be authentic vessels for Him. We don't want you to be fans of us, we want you to be close friends with God because when Christ died on the cross, He opened the gate and knocked barriers so we could know the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit in a personal way. We want that, and we hope you do too. Note on the right you can sign up for the RSS service or the Feedburner subscription service. As always, feel free to bookmark us and check back often!



Some of what we may blog may be new to you and that's ok. You may not agree with everything we write, that's fine too. We don't want to be controversial, we want to be Scriptural. More than anything, we want to challenge your thinking and rock your faith. Anyone can go the wide beaten down path----where God is calling us and you now is lesser traveled. It's narrow. There is room for you, so please, take those small steps and push the gate open a little further. Walk with us. Share your thoughts, remembering to be kind even if you disagree. Laugh and cry with us, but don't stand still. This journey is for all of us.



Will you join me in this prayer of asking God to bless this endeavor?



Father God, we invite you to this blog. We ask that every word written here would be given by You first and filtered through us. Help us be the vessels you want us to be. Guide each topic, each blogger, each comment, every part of this experience. Let anything learned here be for Your glory. Give us the drive to obey this call, surrendering all fear. Bring the readers you want to be here in Your time, not ours. Thank you for stirring us to step out of our comfort zone and try something new and different. This blog isn't convenient or easy, but it's of You. We covet your favor, anointing, blessing and protection over this, us, and our loved ones.



We feel this year is a year where you want to use the theme of the gate, so we honor You with your Word: But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:14 NIV) and But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the (gate) stall. (Malachi 4:2 NIV)



Thank you Lord for the opportunity to serve You. Your grace amazes us. Blessed be Your name. Surrendered to Him, Amen.



*Note: The gate image comes from by Petr Kratochvil at http://publicdomainpictures.net/