Mt. Vernon – 2013
© stephanie l brown
Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.
Psalm 36:5
ReThinking Lent – Day 25: Faithful
Month: March 2013
Rethinking Lent – Day 24: Find
This is not the best picture of my son, but it is one of my favorites. We were exploring the mudflats of Puget Sound during low tide. He was so thrilled to find this tiny little clam shell. It was a great day — one that he might not even remember, but I will never forget.
© stephanie l brown 2006
What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?
(Luke 15:4 ESV)
ReThinking Lent – Day 23: No
I live in the DC area and yesterday we were forecast to have a big snowstorm. It turned out to be a couple of degrees warmer and while we did have some snow, it was mostly rain. It is March after all, and I thought to myself that Spring was putting its foot down. No, Winter. I win.
It reminded me of the promise that God made way back in the beginning of the Story:
No. I win.
© stephanie l brown 2013
And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel.-Genesis 3:15
ReThinking Lent – Day 22: Shadow
Theodore Roosevelt Island © stephanie l brown 2013
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
(James 1:17 ESV)
ReThinking Lent – Day 21: Night
© stephanie l brown 2012
The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
(Romans 13:12 ESV)
ReThinking Lent – Day 20: Bless
Last night, somebody asked me how my 40 day photo journey was going. I told him that when I first looked at the list of “topics” on the different days that I was a little perplexed as to how I was going to put that into a photo. But, as it turns out, it has turned into my own personal bible study. The photos that I’ve posted are not at all what I would have imagined them to be in the beginning of this project. I have studied scripture in a new way. I have gained amazing followers whom I have learned so much from by reading their blogs and seeing the photos that they post.
I’m halfway through and totally, completely blessed by the experience.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
(Matthew 5:16 ESV)
And, just because I believe that God has a sense of humor (we are made in his image, right?), I can’t help but post this. It is, after all, the first thing that came to mind:
ReThinking Lent – Day 19: Thirst
Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabachthani?
by Ann Kim
“I thirst.”
(John 19:28c ESV)
ReThinking Lent – Day 17: Prophet
What do you think of when you think of a prophet?
Webster’s defines prophet in this way:
proph·et
noun \ˈprä-fət\
- one who utters divinely inspired revelations
- one gifted with more than ordinary spiritual and moral insight
- one who foretells future events
- an effective or leading spokesman for a cause, doctrine, or group
There are many religious and non-religious prophets that can be named. I think a lot of us tend to combine 1 and 3 above when we think of a religious prophet. And, certainly there are many prophets throughout the bible who were inspired by God and accurately foretold future events. But, it’s important to remember point 4 above as well because it applies to all of us. Any one of us can be an effective spokesperson for a cause, doctrine or group.
And as it applies to Christians, I believe that the bible refers to every believer as a prophet. Let me explain.
Every believer is led by the Holy Spirit to discern the truth (1 John 2:20, 27). Every believer is directed to admonish with the word of Christ (Col. 3:16), as well as to instruct (Rom. 15:14) and encourage other believers (Heb. 3:13). The bible is full of exhortations for Christians to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and to be able to articulate cogent reasons for their faith to non-Christians. In order to do that effectively, we must read, ponder and love the Word of God. We must study it in order that we may interpret it properly and so that we can see the gospel in every situation. And, certainly there are those who are more gifted at this (see point 2 above), but that doesn’t mean we aren’t all charged with being a spokesperson for our cause — the Gospel.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
-Colassians 3:16
ReThinking Lent – Day 18: Leave
I have scars on my feet from an incident that occurred when I was a little girl. I am not sure I even really remember it or if I’ve conjured up memories from being told the story over the years.
My mother was young when she had me and I spent a lot of time with my grandparents while she got her college degree. I loved my grandparents dearly but you know how it is with 3 year olds…they don’t like it when their mom leaves. This particular day, my mother, grandmother and I were in a parking lot at the visitors center in a National Park where my grandfather was a park ranger. I saw a sky blue Volkswagen beetle, just like the one my mother drove, pulling out of a parking spot. I ran and grabbed onto the bumper of that car and it drug me through the parking lot while my mother and grandmother chased it down. I imagine they were horrified. But, apparently I did not want to be left.
Nobody wants to be left. But, everyone will leave us eventually. Except Jesus.
Jesus has scars on his feet, too. To be sure, his are infinitely more significant than mine. They are a result of his being nailed to a cross and dying for my sins. He did it so that we would have ever lasting life. He did it so we would never be alone. He did it because he promised to never leave us.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
(Joshua 1:9 ESV)
Adventures of A Wild Pixie 