The Lily Letters

"Love, Hope, and Grace Amidst Violence" "These violent delights have violent ends" - W. Shakespeare's  Romeo and Juliet A God who would come to earth knowing the limitations of humanity, subjecting himself to become fully human while fully God (kenosis), and knowing that the shortcomings of humanity would profoundly harm then kill him...is surely something that boggles the mind. That kind of love is virtually incomprehensible. And, yet, that is what we celebrate at Christmas and Easter: this profound Love. This Hope. This Amazing Grace. I recently saw this image on my Instagram feed, and at first, it jarred my "Western" sensibilities. The image titled "an AMERICAN NATIVity" is a modernized block print of reinterpreted, traditional First Nations symbols (native peoples of today's Canada), but its contents highly Christian. The artwork by Kreg Yingst (@psalmprayers) depicts God the Father, Mary, and the Christ Child in a raw, visceral way. ...

  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:  for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. James 1:19-20 KJV For my fellow type A personalities, this is hard to do. We want to have a plan and stick to it. I love having a plan and getting my plan done when I want it to be done and I get super frustrated when that happens. God loves to throw wrenches in my plan to teach me lessons. I have learned that is ok and this passage confirms it.  God’s righteousness is not seen through our anger but our belief in Him! Taking a step back in life to look at the big picture, controlling our anger and believing in Him is the best way to walk through life. The key is to listen to the Word that God has given to us and follow what it says. Part of the Word is that we should keep control over our words and give ourselves over to Him!

An excerpt from Today Devotional.  Thanks to Kelli Anne Gecawich from Sigma Alpha Omega Foundation for the Contribution! Toddlers and teenagers share a common trait. They like to declare their independence and want to prove they do not need the help of their parents, guardians, or others to be successful at life. Striving for independence is often a healthy part of growing up. But it can be unhealthy when people try to “do it all” and “be it all” by themselves—outside the context of community. Then, instead of being a good thing, independence is corrupted and driven by stubborn pride. Living in the power of the resurrection means we recognize our need for God and for each other. God’s Holy Spirit empowers the community of believers with the spiritual gifts and abilities necessary to do the work of growing his kingdom. Individual believers cannot do this by themselves. The power of the resurrection comes in living and working together in unity, recognizing and supporting the gifts, ...

Matthew 6:25-30 paraphrased (NIV):  "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.... Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?  ... God clothes the grass of the field, will he not clothe you - you of little faith?"   Who among us doesn't struggle with anxiety?  Compare worry with trying to tuck an octopus into bed.  One tentacle or another keeps popping out from under the covers.  If we're not worried about one thing, it's the other.  If we're not worried about our kids, it's our aging parents.  Or the medical bills.  Or the funny sound under the hood of our car.   In the Bible, Jesus spoke much about worry.  In a nutshell, He told us not to!  Jesus never dismissed the untidy realities of daily life - He knew those troubles first hand, having spent years as a carpenter in Nazareth, probably living hand-to-mouth as He helped to support His family...

An ex cerpt from Dotheword.com Matthew 21:23-32 You’ve done it again. After an intense bout with temptation, you’ve surrendered. You’ve eaten that extra slice of cake. You’ve stretched your budget to buy that new phone. You’ve responded to your spouse out of anger rather than understanding. Now you’re caught in the throes of guilt—what do you do? Often, our tendency is to repent with a promise: “I’ll try harder this time!” However, our well-intended promises are rarely strong enough to overcome the harsh cycle of sin and repentance. Within a few months, days, or even hours, we find ourselves doing the very same thing again—why? Matthew 21:23-32 sheds light on this phenomenon. The scripture begins with the chief priests and elders posing a question to Jesus: “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” ( Matthew 21:25 ) This question is so abstract and theoretical that it is easy to lose interest in it altogether. After all, we know that Christ’s auth...

  “I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” -Philippians 1:6 (NLT) Do you ever wonder, why? Why am I here in this place at this time? I think that’s something everyone wonders at one time or another. I know I did. Everywhere we turn in this world, something is telling us we don’t quite measure up and we don’t really matter all that much anyway.  If you’re searching for the truth about who you are and why you are, here it is: we’re all here because God created us. We’re not some random accident of molecules and evolution. We are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). We’re “marvelous” (NLT) and “amazing” (NCV). And not just we as in all of humankind, but you specifically. God made you wonderful, marvelous, and amazing. And He made you on purpose.  God didn’t stop there, though. He made you on purpose and with a purpose . That purpose has nothing to do w...

Before TEDtalks, there were sermons. You can always tell when a message has a shot at being excellent: The speaker doesn't need notes because they know the topic through and through and can speak extemporaneously. There are a handful of sermons like these that I have witnessed and remember as being like a home run with the bases loaded, where I simply had to listen and watch in awe with be occasional ringing "Amen!" on the lips of my heart. These messages standout in terms of craft, poignancy, and conviction, and often I am making a life change as a result of them as the Holy Spirit courses through. Today, I wanted to share one of them with you. Jenn Wilkins is like you and me. She is smart, she is funny, she is pragmatic. And, best of all, she wants to change the world for the better in the name of Jesus. We all want this, but she tells us how to achieve it. Wilkins' passion is Bible literacy, and this sermon is a masterclass in why it's important for you, me, an...