"The triumph of the saint over death is the calm and confident prayer, 'Jesus, receive my spirit.' (Acts 7:59). It is as though you are dying in a small cabin in the woods. The door is death and you are moving toward it inch by inch. As it opens, there is a huge, ravenous wolf with bared fangs and furious eyes. At first you are terrified. But then the Holy Spirit opens your eyes, and behind the wolf you see Jesus shining like the sun. He is standing with his arm extended to you and his face smiling. And hanging tight in his other hand there is a brass chain that leads to an iron collar on the wolf's neck. You hesitate for a moment. But then the Spirit gives you strength, and as you put your foot in the threshold and the mouth of the wolf opens, Jesus flings him with a mighty jerk clear out of sight, and you enter into the presence of the Lord of glory. [...] the Spirit makes death serve the saint [...] it's a doorway to be with him forever."
- John Piper, "He Called Death Sweet Names", an adapted essay from his sermon "The Death of a Spirit-Filled Man"

FriNiteKids: An Ornament of Grace

AN ORNAMENT OF GRACE

by: gina rodriguez

#FriNiteKids

This past Friday night, before receiving a hug and greeting from Coco, I was met with a huge smile as she came up to me and said, “Miss Gina! I have something to tell you!” Unfortunately, I had to start class soon, so I told her that I was excited to hear all about what she had to tell me, and that we could talk all about it together after class. She smiled, gave me a hug hello and agreed.

After prayer requests, I was excited to begin to start our study for the next couple of weeks on a new Bible verse, Romans 3:23. I was super encouraged by one of the new little girls to the Bible Study named Hailey (6 yrs old). It was her first time ever hearing about the word sin, so she had many (great) questions! It amazes me how children so young can quickly understand what sin is… I didn’t have to go over every single sin, but simply define sin as: Anything we think, say, or do that offends God, and she started naming multiple sins! lol… No one can tell me that children are too young to comprehend these things. We finished by teaching them motions to go along with the Bible verse so that they can memorize it.

After Bible Study, I’d gone outside to wait for the Older Children’s class to end. (This is usually the hour I get to simply sit and talk to Coco, answer all of her questions about God, laugh and watch her do gymnastics — it’s hard to say, but this time is probably my most favorite part of the Friday Night Bible Study). The questions came, I got to read her a chapter from her Jesus StoryBook Bible, and from time to time she’d allude to the thing she wanted to share with me, but the other children made it hard for me to be alone with her to listen.

The sun had already gone down now, the older kids had come outside, and there were a couple of us still hanging around talking afterwards. I felt a tug on my side, to look down and see Coco there, her head tilted to the side, with that same smile she met me with earlier. “I have to tell you Miss Ginaaaaa!”, she said.

It doesn’t take much for her to make me smile…or for her to have my attention. I was all ears. As we sat on the trunk of my car, she ventured to tell me that there had been a girl at school that she was mad at for some time now. “She used to be so mean to me Miss Gina, but I prayed, and I forgave her! Now we’re friends again!”

I couldn’t help but give her a huge hug and say, “Wow! Praise God Coco! You see, God helps us to forgive, because we can’t do it on our own!”

While driving home that night, I couldn’t stop myself from almost breaking down in tears praising God for the work that He is doing in her. Not only did she tell me Friday night about how she forgave, but she also was super excited to share with me that one of her prayers had been answered (again), she would be starting Gymnastics soon! (If anyone knows Coco, you would know that Gymnastics is her favorite sport…it’s not hard to guess that when she’s running around doing Cartwheels and interpretive dances in the parking lot).

The love I have for her is inexpressible, but the love that Christ has for Coco is far deeper, fuller, richer, purer, and better than the love I could ever love her with. I praise God for opening her eyes, and bringing her in to participate in the love that is shared between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. She is His forever, and she will always be an ornament of grace that He’s granted to me to decorate the walls of my life. The theme, His glory.

Gold: "Hægt, kemur ljósið" by Ólafur Arnalds

"The hope of the righteous brings joy..." - Proverbs 10:28A

Poems about Felicitous

6.30.12
Felicitous (on a Saturday afternoon)
I am hidden
somewhere in Tampa
phone in borrowed car 
with doors locked
and I'm 
in the corner 
of a coffee house
sipping dirty chai, iced
behind my Bible
plugged up by massive
headphones
and I 
feel a rush,
like I escaped
and am missing. 
Now, 
to meet with the 
all-seeing Eye...

11.3.12
As We Left Off
Dear Felicitous, 
Thanks for welcoming me
back 
to your corners
and crevices
where I feel 
hidden.
Feels
like I've much 
to share with you
3 or 4 months
is it? 
And much can
change in 
that many days!
But to sit in your 
dimly-lit gaze 
and bury my face
in pages
while sipping
your sweet 
drinks--
spiced chai latte, iced
this time--
this, 
this just seems 
right
and I refrain
from
my long explanation
of where, how, why
I've been 
gone for so long. 
We just 
embrace
and pick up
as we left off.

"Help My Unbelief" by John Newton

I know the Lord is nigh,
And would but cannot pray,
For Satan meets me when I try,
And frights my soul away,
And frights my soul away.

I would but can’t repent,
Though I endeavor oft;
This stony heart can never relent
Till Jesus makes it soft,
Till Jesus makes it soft.

Help my unbelief.
Help my unbelief.
Help my unbelief.
My help must come from Thee.

I would but cannot love,
Though wooed by love divine;
No arguments have power to move
A soul as base as mine.
A soul so base as mine.

I would but cannot rest,
In God’s most holy will;
I know what He appoints is best,
And murmur at it still.
I murmur at it still.

Help my unbelief.
Help my unbelief.
Help my unbelief.
My help must come from Thee.