Monday, December 28, 2009

If

Last night I decided it was high time to do a thorough cleaning of my room. I received a fabulous TV for Christmas to perch on my dresser to keep me company while I sew (my roommate will be so thrilled that I'm officially moving Hems & Hers HQ off the kitchen table). As such, I needed to reorganize and reshuffle my furniture, thusly leading to my clean sweep.

During my cleaning I rediscovered a tiny little book I received several years ago in my Yuletide stocking titled "If: What Do I Know of Calvary Love" by Amy Carmichael. This itsy bitsy tome is beyond powerful, and I loved flipping through last night to re-read the snippets and see which ones I'd highlighted during my first reading and thinking back to how they applied to my life then. Funny that entirely different passages spoke to me last night. If you get a chance, please pick up a copy... it is the accountability, encouragement and wisdom I'm constantly needing.

"If when an answer I did not expect comes to a prayer which I believed I truly meant, I shrink back from it; if the burden my Lord asks me to bear be not the burden of my heart's choice, and I fret inwardly and do not welcome His will, then I know nothing of Calvary love."

"If I am afraid to speak the truth, lest I lose affection, or lest the one concerned should say, 'You do not understand,' or because I fear to lose my reputation for kindness; if I put my own good name before the other's highest good, then I know nothing of Calvary love."

"If I hold on to choices of any kind, just because they are my choice; if I give any room to my private likes and dislikes, then I know nothing of Calvary love."

"If by doing some work which the undiscerning consider 'not spiritual work' I can best help others, and I inwardly rebel, thinking it is the spiritual for which I crave, when in truth it is the interesting and exciting, then I know nothing of Calvary love."

5 comments:

Ams said...

This is entirely all too true... and insanely moving.
I love those passages.

Lexilooo said...

This sounds like such a lovely book! I will have to look for it.

I desperately need to clean my entire apartment right now...

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QueenBeeSwain said...

I'm going to have to pick this up and check it out- thank you for the nod in the right direction (as always!)

xoox

kHm

ProjectHope7 said...

happened upon your blog the other and saved it to read. So glad I did! I knew it was good, but have to tell you when I read your bit about Amy Carmichael, was truly blessed. its been a rough few weeks, fighting inoperable tumors in my spine, loneliness from not having family around for holidays or my birthday yesterday for 3rd year in a row, and 24/7 pain. So I guess I was having a pity party, even tho I didnt know I was! Then just ebing reminded of all I have and am blessed with, and all the things I was encouraged with many years ago in Bible College, when reading anything I could get my hands on about Amy Carmichaels life in India... well.. it brought me back to a new brokenness. Thanks for sharing Christ so openly on your blog. You never know when it will encourage someone as it has me today... I look forward to your entries... a little fun, a bit sassy, and still giving glory to God! Have a great week! cathy b(looks like the young grandmum or mom in the crowd~! (anyone need an auntie to love them up?! smiling!

projecthope7 at gmail dot com
twitter @projecthope7