Dear Leaders

Dear Leaders - 


Just because you do God's work...  does not give you the right to treat people poorly. 


Just because you're a man of God... you don't have the right to make people feel inadequate and silly. 


Just because you are a church leader... you do not have the right to make decisions and hurt people in the process. The church is not your free reign. It's the Lord's.


Just because you are a leader...  you don't get have the right to take a teenager a side and belittle him and make him feel horrible because he forgot to take his hat off in the sanctuary. The Lord is glad that he is here helping shape young minds for Him. 


Just because you are a leader... you don't just get to say what you want and act how you want all the while not caring about how others fee.


Just because you are a leader...  you do not have the right to say whether my son will be dedicated because my son's sperm donor was not a Christ-follower.


Just because you are a leader... you don't have the right to pick your favorite group and make everyone else outcasts. 


Just because you are a leader... you don't have the right to judge.


Just because you are a leader ... you don't have the right to say one thing and do the other.


Just because you are a leader ... you don't get the right to call other people out. 


Dear leaders... I am aware that everyone is human and sins. However, you are not exempt of the teachings in God's word. You are still held to the same standards, if not higher than everyone else. 


"Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." - James 3:1

This is Heaven?!

Revelation 22:1-5  


Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

Time to be honest. I struggle with the idea of Heaven. How could a place where I am not known as Andy's wife or Dylan's, Lincoln's or Kristian's mama be a perfect place? 


I am a control freak and the unknown sends me into a panic attack. I feel so unholy sometimes when I get scared about Heaven. I feel like less of a Christ follower. However we were made to feel homesick for Heaven.

Philippians 3:20-21 


But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.


While I know I should not doubt, I find comfort in that the Lord went to Thomas and showed himself. The Lord knows my doubts and my heart. He knows of my deepest love for Him and understands that I do not doubt because of a lack of faith but more a fear of the unknown.


John 20:27


Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

This morning my son, Dylan, asked me a hard question. He often does that. He asked ... "if people disliked Obama so much, what will they do if he is in Heaven with us?" My wheels began turning. All I do could was quote scripture and pray he understood.

The Bible calls us to love everyone. And I am going to say it... Even politicians. Even people we feel are out to destroy our beloved country. 

Matthew 5:43-48  

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

When I begin to feel anxious about the leadership of the country, I try to bring a few things to the forefront of my mind. 

The first, the Lord knows how it's going to play out. Though we have a will of our own and other's have a will of their own, God has a plan. He is here. Right. Smack. Dab. in the middle of it all. Even an election year. 

Isaiah 46:9

I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done. 

Second  - He is always listening to my concerns and heart. 

Phillipians 4:6

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Third - The Lord is going to take care of the judging of our leaders and I need to steer clear... 

Romans 2:1

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgement on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgement to do the same things.

Fourth, the Bible calls us to respect and submit to authority. Even if we don't like it or them.

Romans 13:1-7 

"Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil. Wherefore it is necassary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them; tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to who fear; honor to whom honor."

Lastly, the Bible is very clear about how we enter the gates of Heaven. Through Jesus Christ alone. I know not the heart of Obama and I will not know of his heart when his time on this Earth is through. I might very well be sitting in Heaven next to Obama.

John 11:25

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”

Does that scare me? Ummm... Yes. However, it empowers me. There is no one, NO ONE, whom I wouldn't want to share eternity with and I will begin praying for the Obamas. Though I am frightened by what the leadership is doing to our country and I couldn't disagree with them more, I will pray for the hearts of the Obamas and all leadership.  I will be praying for our country and I will be praying that love abounds and Christ is shown through all things.

Will you join me?