Hebrews 11:13 June 18, 2008

“These all (heroes/heroines of the faith) died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.” Hebrews 11:13

This is without a doubt the verse that is really speaking to me lately. And it may seem strange to consider it encouraging, but it doesn’t allow me to be discouraged about the things to come.  For example, the revival on F.S.U.’s campus, while we can see it and greet it now, we may never receive it in our experience here or even in our lifetime on Earth. That’s why I love it, it is easy to get frustrated and think that God isn’t complying with his Word. I love when Corey Russel spoke on how we at times try to convince God to have a heart for things – when His heart has been breaking for F.S.U. since before we were born! Just think about the people who went before us, they saw that a revival was possible at F.S.U. They fasted, they cried out, they prayed, they believed, but they also knew this wasn’t the end.

We may never see a revival at F.S.U. until we have seen God face to face! And that’s ok, because He’s still been faithful! So before you go throw 2 Chronicles 7:14 out the door know that what God has promised to us what we may see and believe for today, but know that you may not see its fruit till we are home in Heaven.

Why fatherlessness? June 16, 2008

So yesterday my roommate, Jenn and I were sitting on the couch just discussing the various roles and hats we’d like to put on as women in our lifetime. Motherhood, wifeyness, etc. were at the top of the list. The conversation also led us to discuss something else – fatherlessness and its evil sister, motherlessness. Sounds weird, huh? I mean who has ever heard of “motherlessness”?

But we have never ever seen a world that has been attacked, destroyed, nor devastated by the impact of motherlessness. That’s not the issue here. Just think of what life would be like without mom’s? Have you ever even heard of a “single dad”? It felt awkward to say last night, and even odd to type this morning. While they do exist, it sounds linguistically distasteful. During the stages that either of my parents were single, I don’t recall even once calling my Dad a “single dad,” but on many occasions inheriting the pride of being raised by a “single mother.”

Also, how much more “messed up” would it seem for a mother to abandon her husband and kids? With single motherhood becoming cooler and cooler (and believe me, women do get “empowered” and prideful out of their own insecurities of fulfilling two roles in a home), has fatherlessness become cool too? I can’t even begin to imagine a world where there wasn’t a nurturer in every home. There weren’t tickles, or kisses, or tucking babies in to bed at night. Someone there to listen, constantly reapply your sunscreen, take care of life’s boo boos, etc. Yes, we need the affirmation of a father, the stability of a two-parent home, and the complete package known as “our family,” but praise God that today we don’t have to imagine a world without our mothers.