the Lord leads

For a while, we searched through the parking lot. After deciding for certain that my car was missing, I hailed down a mall security cop was happened to be whizzing by on his motor scooter pole thing and he directed us to the "Professional Security Consultants" room.

I can cross off "Chat with mall cop on motor scooter pole thing" off my to-do list now.

Two kind police officers showed up and asked questions. They said most cars taken this way end up across the border.
A few handfuls of old candy later, my mom and sister and I were able to leave after filing a report and getting a case number. And we kept reminding each other, "Praise Him in all things!"

My car is called Static Stephen and he's a tin can of a machine. There's nothing at all beautiful about him. He held nothing monetarily valuable except for my gift for my friend Hilary's birthday and at least 4 Bibles. One of those Bibles was unearthed in my house only a couple of days ago and it was the one I used in 6th grade, packaging tape being the main binding.

How can I be really sorry for that loss, though? The person who took the car is going to be inundated by the Words of our kind Father. Words of truth and mercy and forgiveness.

Blessedly, my little sister and I were totally safe and unharmed, not even aware of what was going on while we happily shopped.

I think the main point with which I'm left is one of detachment to the means and looking instead to the end.

G-d gave me an idea to make tracts for Him. Homemade, won't impress visually, but can DEEPLY impact spiritually. This is one way I can spread truth with what I've been given.
But He kept bringing up the fact that tracts are not the main point, He is.

I can't get attached to my works of art because they'll be thrown away, tossed to the ground, or maybe even used by people to wrap around stones to throw at missionaries (watch the video about Joseph, a Gospel for Asia missionary).
His truth and love and my being obedient to Him are the most important things in this life! So the magnets I had made for Hilary aren't the focus--it's the love that G-d wants to speak directly to her.

And that wonderful Bible of mine? I had been super stoked to find it again, with the hundreds of highlighter marks and notes and scrawled verses on the inside covers. And the size of the book was perfect! Just big enough to see well and small enough to pack away in a bag for all times.

We live in AMERICA. Full Bibles are sold here for a dollar, of all sizes and colors and translations. Different countries often don't have such open access. Persecution befalls many who have them in their possession, and it could be directly from the government, or pressure could come from neighbors or friends or family. Why do we have it so freely? We certainly don't deserve this blessing.

A time might come in the future when we're not allowed to openly brandish our spiritual swords.
My friend Mrs. Boyd told me she knows a construction manager who revealed that he'd recently been contracted to build a concentration camp. In my own home state! "Now WHO do you think those camps are going to be for?" she asked me calmy.

Mrs. Christiansen, a woman I met a few nights ago, was emphatic about memorizing Scripture to have the truth inside. "That way, no one can take it from you!" she declared. Her son Daniel told me later that she's got twelve books of the Word stowed away in that mind of hers.

The pages of this wonderful book are covered in truth, but the paper isn't truth itself. It's a symbol and a sign that directs us the Truth and the One who began the idea of truth. It's a means to an end. It's vital, because we'd get lost without it and we forget our way pretty often. That's why we go to it all the time--so we don't lose sight of G-d.

Reading the Bible can't become a mindless ritual. Don't even dare to open it up nonchalantly. The paper and ink aren't holy but He is, and He's speaking.

And my dear Stephen. I named him that because Stephen is my favorite believer in the Bible. The disciples were looking for men to specifically overlook the disctribution of food to the widows and other people in need. They wanted "men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom" for this serving ministry. Stephen is listed as being full of faith and the Holy Spirit.

Such obedient service is asked for in order serve tables! The mighty warriors of G-d are told to serve.

And the appointed men did this and much more. Stephen was a faithful witness to the end, even while being stoned to death by the council for praising G-d and openly calling out the people for their sins (Acts chapter 7). So, I hope my car goes out as a witness and a martyr.

We can trust Jesus in absolutely everything that happens to us throughout this day, if we first trust that He had us in His nail-scarred hands even before we were born.
Life is just empty without Him.

Lots of words! Lots of love.