Fluff

What is necessary? You probably know that I’m busy working on cutting my new persuasive speech right now, and this is the question that I am constantly asking myself.

It’s shocking just how little is necessary.

I am so emotionally attached to each and every sentence in this speech that it all seems to be so very needed, but when it all comes down to it about 90% of my speech is nothing but fluff.

It’s like that in all situations; in all of life.

We get quite dreadfully attached to things that we feel are necessary…and yet, the only thing that we truly need is God.

“In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.”

As Amy Carmichael so aptly put it, "The foundation of our happiness must be invisible, not visible.  It must not depend on circumstances of any sort whatever.  Let us gratefully take all that is given us of visible good things, for they are the gift of our most loving Father.  But do not let us build on these things.  No, never."

He is all I need, all else is fluff. In Christ alone.

Over and out,

~Emily



"In Christ Alone" Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

emotions and more on trust...

Excitement

Concern

Worry

Fear

Thrill

Cloud Nine

Concern

Worry

Fear

Trust

Speech Writing.  She knew all too well that each and every one of these emotions is quite present in this process, usually in that order, too. 

The Lord inspired her to write a speech on a great topic, she pondered for a while and then concern set in.  Nothing was getting written.  Every time she tried to write anything it came out a jumbled mass of thoughts with no logical flow whatsoever.  The concern then grew to worry when it had been quite a few months since she had decided on the topic and still nothing was taking shape.  The worry then escalated to full fledged fear when it was almost November and she had nothing saved in her speech folder on the computer.  "What am I going to do?  The first tournament is at the beginning of January and I have nothing!  I don't know what to do!" 

Then it happened.  Words started flowing from her pen almost too quickly.  She couldn't stop writing.

The introduction was written.

The first and second points were written.

The third point was written.

The conclusion was written.

Oh, the thrill! She then floated around the house entirely on cloud nine for some time. 

Then she timed her speech.

"What?  Fifteen minutes?  What's the matter with this stopwatch?  No!  I only have ten minuted to talk and I don't know what to cut!  What am I going to do?"

She spent days worried again about her now too-long speech.  She read it over and over and each time was able to cut only a sentence or two. 

But, as He always does, the Lord came through.  With the help of a dear friend of hers she was able to trim her speech down to a reasonable time. 

There's still work to be done on her speech, she still has lots to cut, it's not perfect by any stretch, but it is so glorious for her to know that God cares about every sentence in her speech.  He knows each and every word that needs to be said and He knows each and every word that should be cut.

She had recently finished reading Leviticus and Numbers.  As she read through incredibly obscure laws something dawned on her.  God cares about every single detail in our lives.  Every single thing.  There is nothing too small for Him to deeply, sincerely care about.  What a comfort!

Somehow, the burden of writing a speech becomes...well, not a burden anymore.  It becomes an adventure.  For her, speech writing is now becoming a great treasure hunt, and she is eagerly awaiting the next miracle, the next lesson, the next challenge that awaits.

Trust.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths."
~Proverbs 3:5-6

Over and out,

~Emily