"Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?"

I was just reminded (by my fav bloggers: Point of Grace. Don't laugh, when I was growing up they were so in. I'm a huge fan.) to consider the story of the ten lepers today. Denise mentioned it quickly at the end of a post but it caught my attention.
It's a pretty familiar story, ten lepers ask for mercy. Jesus sends them to the temple, on the way they are miraculously healed. But just one returns to thank Jesus. It seems rather incredible to me every time I read it, I mean- leprosy was serious. These people had barely any hope but to survive another day and beg food off of someone-from a distance. They were given their lives back in an instant and just walked off?
But today I thought, how many times do I pray for a breakthrough in my own life, and then when I do get it-especially if it's right away, just walk off, satisfied? Or even just give a little, "Sweet! Thanks Lord! You're awesome."?

" And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan."

That's more than a quick thanks! That is worship. Adoration. Radical expression of thanksgiving. Maybe this guy was more impacted because he was a foreigner. I always assume that to mean the other 9 were all Jews- maybe they felt entitled to healing. Maybe this Samaritan didn't have as much hope that HE would be healed as well...
I don't want to take a miracle for granted just because I am a christian. Every day I live is from the Lord and I don't deserve it. And I am certainly not entitled to the blessings heaped upon me!

Lord, make me a radical giver of thanks!! Because You are worthy. Because You give good gifts. I will praise You every day, for Your new mercies and loving-kindness to me!

Don't just say "thank You" today. Worship the Lord with thanksgiving!!!

Love you, sisters!

LM

Secrets...

Every day this week I've been reading out of this devotional, pretty uncharacteristic for me, I usually find devotionals to be....cheesy? watered down? a little lame? anyway, no offense to the writers of devos. But anyway, I got one awhile back for like $3 or something. The last part of it has several chapters on "secrets". For instance, today's was on the secret of time. Is there anything harder to give than time? Especially for us in the western world? Good to be reminded and challenged.
But I wanted to write about a secret from a few days back... The secret I keep coming back to. My favorite secret. The secret of violence.

Matt. 11:12 "...the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force."

"True faith understands not only that God exsists, but that He rewards us according to the intensity of our pursuit of Him."

What do you think it means to be violent in our pursuit of God? I love that term. I think of the "great" men of the bible, or people like Martin Luther, Mother Theresa, David Wilkerson, the underground church in China...
I want to pursue God with violence in my every day, American life. For one thing, like today's chapter, I want to be violent with my time.
"One of the most violent things you'll ever do is wrestle down all the competing elements in your calendar and consistently carve out time to shut yourself into the secret place. The person of violence and wisdom will enact whatever measures are necessary to be alert and engage on a regular basis in this."
I can practice spiritual violence by getting up early to spend time with the Lord. By worshiping in place of that movie, by scheduling in time to pray first, by just listening to the Lord, in so many ways. Most of these have to do with my time but there are other ways too. I need so much help in this! But it's cool to think of these little things as acts of spiritual violence. We are spiritual beings in a spiritual battle. I think we will be surprised one day to find out how many little battles were won in our day to day, seemingly insignificant decisions.
I believe that sometime in my life the ease and comfort I have now will not exist. I want to start practicing spiritual violence now, in little ways, when no one else knows or sees. To make it a habit in secret. Maybe one day it will be obvious, like the persecuted believers in China and other nations. Maybe it will always be in secret...

But my Father sees in secret. Matt. 6:6

Sometimes I think it's the secret things that bring Him the most joy. So, here's my challenge to you and to myself: do something secretly violent today.

And know that the Father sees. He looks and He goes, "Oh! That one just captured My heart again. She is so beautiful. See how she loves Me in secret!!"

I love you all.
LM

Hey girls...
I've wanted to start a blog for awhile, but it takes me a long time to actually get things done, the perfectionist in me, I suppose. This is a girls-only blog so if you are a boy-sorry, this is not the place for you!! I just love my sisters and want to encourage you.
This isn't really a blog... just an introductory note really. Blogs to come!

I love you, sisters.

Leah