Lyli Dunbar's Blog, page 60

Picture Yourself

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In order to make your prayer more profitable, it would be well from the beginning to picture yourself as a poor, naked, miserable wretch, perishing of hunger, who knows but one man of whom he can ask or hope for help; or as a sick person, covered with sores and ready to die unless some pitiful physician will take him in hand and heal him.  These are true pictures of our condition before God.  Your soul is more bare of heavenly treasure than a poor beggar is of earthy possessions…your soul is infinitely more sin-sick than that sore stricken patient, and God alone can heal you.

Francis Fenelon, as quoted in Soul Keeping by John Ortberg (p. 87)

Something to think about…

I am sharing “Picture Yourself” and joining like-minded sisters at The Weekend Brew, Spiritual Sundays, Recommendation Saturday, Faith-Filled Friday, Essential Fridays, and Thriving Thursday.

Have you written something thought-provoking, challenging, encouraging, or inspiring lately? Link it up here! For best results, write the title of your post in the name box.

As a courtesy, please link back to 3-D Lessons for Life in your post. Grab and share the Thought-Provoking Thursday button to spread the word. Use #ThoughtProvokingThursday to share your post and connect on Twitter.

Check back later to see what other GREAT posts have been linked up! Visit the post immediately before yours and leave an encouraging comment.

An InLinkz Link-up

The post Picture Yourself appeared first on 3-D Lessons for Life.

Meteoric

God’s love is meteoric,

    His loyalty astronomic,

His purpose titanic,

    His verdicts oceanic.

Yet in His largeness

    nothing gets lost;

Not a man, not a mouse,

    slips through the cracks.

Psalms 36:5-6, MSG

I am sharing “Meteoric” and joining like-minded sisters at Still Saturday and Give Me Grace.
Photo Credit:  T7, via Free Images

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Gloom and Doom (Thought-Provoking Thursday)

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My husband has a $30 radar app on his iPhone.  We live in the land of hurricanes, so we keep a watchful eye on the weather.     In the summer, it rains every day here — usually just about the time I am getting ready to pack up my stuff and head home from work.   If I time it just right, I can jump into the car when it’s still sprinkling and avoid getting soaked.  I put my windshield wipers on high and clench the steering wheel for dear life as I slowly inch home in heavy traffic on the wet turnpike.

Some days, it’s just dark out, but the rain never comes.  I have a fancy dancy blue tooth ear bud, so I call my Cubans on the 30 minute drive home with hands still firmly in control of the vehicle.  My abuelos live south of me, and in their old age they’ve become fearful of the rain — even though they never leave the house.  “Is it raining there?” my grandfather will ask in Spanish.  I usually say “not much” (even if it’s a deluge) so that he won’t worry.  He will lament that it’s been pouring at his house all day, and so I will tell him to stay inside where it is nice and dry.

The truth is we haven’t had a serious hurricane in these parts in close to a decade.  You’d never know it though — because some people have kept their storm shutters up and live in a dark prison of a house.

Fear of an impending storm can paralyze you.  I was reminded of this earlier this week when I read Diane’s Facebook status: “Once again, lots of thunder and no rain.”

I spend way too much time thinking about how the rain might fall on my parade.  I fear for my family.  I fear for my health.  I wonder what will happen if the sky falls down.  I envision gloom and doom ahead in my forecast.   But, the truth is that most days, it’s just a little thunder, and no rain.  The truth is that rain is not permanent — it’s just passing through.  The truth is that my Father controls the wind and the rain.  He is Lord of the storm.

I don’t want to hide inside when it’s a little cloudy outside.  Lord, help me to open up the windows and let the light in.  Help me to walk forward with the wind at my back and eyes lifted firmly toward the heavens.

God’s thunder sets the oak trees dancing

A wild dance, whirling; the pelting rain strips their branches.

We fall to our knees—we call out, “Glory!”

Above the floodwaters is God’s throne

    from which His power flows,

    from which He rules the world.

 God makes His people strong.

God gives His people peace.

Psalms 29:9-11, MSG

Something to think about…

I am sharing “Gloom and Doom” and joining like-minded sisters at The Weekend Brew, Spiritual Sundays, Recommendation Saturday, Faith-Filled Friday, Essential Fridays, and Thriving Thursday.

Have you written something thought-provoking, challenging, encouraging, or inspiring lately? Link it up here! For best results, write the title of your post in the name box.

As a courtesy, please link back to 3-D Lessons for Life in your post. Grab and share the Thought-Provoking Thursday button to spread the word. Use #ThoughtProvokingThursday to share your post and connect on Twitter.

Check back later to see what other GREAT posts have been linked up! Visit the post immediately before yours and leave an encouraging comment.

An InLinkz Link-up

The post Gloom and Doom (Thought-Provoking Thursday) appeared first on 3-D Lessons for Life.

Hope

 

 

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A Cultural Evangelist (Thought-Provoking Thursday)

Photo Credit: Terri Heisele, via Free Images

I’m an educator.  This means I must stay sharp.  I must keep learning.

Last week, I got an e-mail at work about an upcoming educational seminar.  Because I am nerdy, this kind of e-mail really excites me.  I clicked on over to the website to read up on the event, and I was immediately taken by the picture of one of the keynote speakers.  Underneath his head shot, the title after his name read “Cultural Evangelist.”

The sponsor was not a religious organization, so I found it interesting that they would call on a preacher to speak at their event.  Wow!

I decided to research a bit, and I had to laugh when I learned that the speaker actually worked in marketing for a popular online store that sells shoes.  His title was a creative way of saying that he was in charge of telling the company’s story to potential customers.

A week later, my mind is still turning the phrase “Cultural Evangelist” around in my head.  I wonder how creative and effective I am at telling the story of my Savior.  I wonder if I create an interest and whet the appetite of those who are shopping around seeking to find what truly satisfies.   One of my favorite worship bands is actually called “Jesus Culture,” but I’d never seriously contemplated how my words and actions are shaping the definition of how the world  defines my Savior.

I must admit that sometimes I am a reluctant mouthpiece for the Good News.  I worry that I am not qualified for the job.

The truth is that I’ve been appointed for the position.  I am Lyli Dunbar, Daughter of the King, Garden Girl, Warrior Princess, and Cultural Evangelist for Team Jesus.  May I never forget.

…I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus

and your love for all of God’s people.

And I am praying that you will put into action

the generosity that comes from your faith

as you understand and experience

all the good things we have in Christ.

Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother,

for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people.

Philemon 1:5-7, MSG

Something to think about…

I am sharing “Poison in the Pot” and joining like-minded sisters at Three-Word Wednesday, The Weekend Brew, Spiritual Sundays, Recommendation Saturday, Faith-Filled Friday, Essential Fridays, Counting My Blessings, and Thriving Thursday.

Looking for more thought-provoking posts? Check out the ones written by my blogging friends in today’s link up.

Have you written something thought-provoking, challenging, encouraging, or inspiring lately? Link it up here! For best results, write the title of your post in the name box.

As a courtesy, please link back to 3-D Lessons for Life in your post. Grab and share the Thought-Provoking Thursday button to spread the word. Use #ThoughtProvokingThursday to share your post and connect on Twitter.

Check back later to see what other GREAT posts have been linked up! Visit the post immediately before yours and leave an encouraging comment.

An InLinkz Link-up

The post A Cultural Evangelist (Thought-Provoking Thursday) appeared first on 3-D Lessons for Life.

Going There — Long May She Wave

Photo Credit: PDP, via Pixabay

Her name is Magda. At age 15, she packed a suitcase with only two outfits and left behind everything else she knew. Her parents were not able to come, so she boarded the plane alone. Once her feet landed on U.S. soil, she worked. First, she sweat it out at a factory putting labels on glass bottles. Then, she was the Avon lady. Eventually, she learned to keep the books and got an office job. At night, she went back to school. Every day, she kept reaching forward and making a better life for her family. Today, you will find her in the corner office with the initials CPA after her name.

She speaks fluent English with an accent. She pays taxes and votes her conscience. Her story is a picture of the beauty of America, the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave.

My mom is one of the bravest women I have ever met….

 

“Going There” was birthed on the blog of my friend Deidra. Her hope was “to encourage ongoing dialogue about topics of race, ethnicity, and culture in a way that is thoughtful and that shows respect, with the goal of advancing our understanding of the beautiful diversity in the humanity that surrounds us.”  I never envisioned myself writing a “going there” post, but a few weeks ago, I got a little irked after reading something on Facebook, and this Cuban girl started typing away. To read the rest of this post, head on over to Deidra’s.

 

If you are visiting here for the first time, welcome to my little spot on the web. I write about lessons learned as I work to live out my faith day by day.

 

If you’d like to read more about my crazy Cuban life, check out The C-Word, 25 Random Facts About Me, Lost in Translation, A Strong Embrace, In a Pressure Cooker

The post Going There — Long May She Wave appeared first on 3-D Lessons for Life.

The Centerpiece

Photo Credit: Manfred Zimmer, via Pixabay

During our first year of marriage, Bruce came home with a ginormous flat screen television set, and I bawled.   I had decorated the armoire in the middle of our living room with family photos, Scripture art, and mementos from our wedding day.   Now, that display would be replaced by a monstrous ugly box that was going to blare noise into my quiet sanctuary.

I remember crying like a petulant child, “I hate that thing.   I don’t want that horrible monstrosity to be the first thing people see when they come into our house.   I don’t want to be known as TV people!”  (Please note that I am currently typing this as I sit on the couch in front of the big bad TV, and I have grown to love our evening wind down together.  I play on my laptop as my man watches the Weather Channel.)

Five years later, I can honestly say that the television in the living room has not become the centerpiece in my home.  My friends don’t come over because they are drawn to my big flat screen.  When Bruce and I sit down to have a serious talk or if we pray together, we don’t do it standing in front of the television.  I enjoy sitting down to watch a little HGTV, but I don’t reach for the remote when I need wise counsel.

The firm foundation of my home remains the Word of God.  On Christ the solid rock I stand.  All other ground is sinking sand.  (Can I get an “Amen” to that?)

This year, my desire is to “hold fast.”  As I move forward, Christ must be the centerpiece of my heart.  My passion must be to seize more of Him, to retain His Word, to quash anything that draws me away from following hard after my Savior.  My most prized possession must be my friendship with Jesus.

May my life be a display case for His love.

 So, my dear Christian friends,

companions in following this call to the heights,

take a good hard look at Jesus.

He’s the centerpiece of everything we believe,

faithful in everything God gave Him to do.

Hebrews 3:1, MSG

Let’s Hold Fast in 2014.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am sharing “The Centerpiece” and joining like-minded sisters at Coffee for Your Heart, Words of Life Wednesdays, Tell His Story, Testimony Tuesday, Rich-Faith Rising, Sharing His Beauty, Playdates with God, and Unforced Rhythms.

The post The Centerpiece appeared first on 3-D Lessons for Life.

Going Deep

 

 

I want to drink God, deep draughts of God.
I’m thirsty for God-alive.
Psalms 42: 1, MSG

 

 

 

LORD JESUS,

Give me a deeper repentance,

a horror of sin,

a dread of its approach;

Help me chastely to flee it,

and jealously to resolve that my heart shall be thine alone.

Give me a deeper trust,

that I may lose myself to find myself in thee,

the ground of my rest,

the spring of my being.

Give me a deeper knowledge of thyself

as Saviour, Master, Lord, and King.

Give me deeper power in private prayer,

more sweetness in thy Word,

more steadfast grip in its truth.

Give me deeper holiness in speech, thought, action,

and let me not seek moral virtue apart from thee.

Plough deep in me, great Lord, heavenly Husbandman,

that my being may be a tilled field,

the roots of grace spreading far and wide,

until thou alone art seen in me,

thy beauty golden like summer harvest,

they fruitfulness as autumn plenty.

I have no Master but thee,

no law but thy will,

no delight but thyself,

no wealth but that thou givest,

no good but that thou blessest,

no peace but that thou bestowest.

I am nothing but that thou makest me,

I have nothing but that I receive from thee,

I can be nothing but that grace adorns me.

Quarry me deep, dear Lord,

and then fill me to overflowing with living water.

-”The Deeps” from The Valley of Vision:  A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

I am sharing “Going Deep” and joining like-minded sisters at Still Saturday and Give Me Grace.
Photo Credit:  Simi Luft, via Pixabay

The post Going Deep appeared first on 3-D Lessons for Life.

Four Investments that Reap Eternal Rewards

 

 

Last night I spent some time at a friend’s house, and she showed me her extensive music collection. She had music from every era and genre – contemporary Christian, 70’s rock, disco, Motown, Gospel choir albums.  She had over one hundred albums.  The problem is that every single one is on cassette.

I threw out all of my cassettes and VHS movies quite a while back.  My boom box and VCR went with them.  Yes, when I was in college, I’d invested quite a bit of cash toward purchasing albums by my favorite artists, but there came a day when I realized that the little square cassette tapes had lost their value.

This world is like that. Most things lose their value quickly in this broken, fallen earth.  Society will tell you that you need to purchase the next biggest and best popular thing, but ten years from now, that little gem that you spent a pretty penny on is probably going to end up in the trash with your Walkman and your beeper.

If we follow God’s economy, we will invest wisely in treasures that reap eternal rewards.  Today, we can choose to live differently. We can say no to the glittery and temporal and devote our energy toward what will never fade…

I am honored to be sharing over “Four Investments that Reap Eternal Rewards” over at Missional Women today.  
To read the rest of this post, head on over here.  

The post Four Investments that Reap Eternal Rewards appeared first on 3-D Lessons for Life.

Poison in the Pot (Thought-Provoking Thursday)

Photo Credit: Kai Stachowiak, via Pixabay

Last night, after we ate dinner, I gathered together the ingredients for a hearty stew and plugged in the crock pot.   (My unending thanks to whoever invented this lovely appliance.)  In just a few minutes, the whole house smelled so yummy.

We left the stroganoff percolating as we headed to bed, and I drifted off to sleep smiling as a vision of a perfectly delightful meal captured my imagination.

In the morning, I was running late, so I left my husband in charge of the culinary creation by saying, “Change the setting to warm, please.”  My day was non-stop busy with paperwork, e-mails, phone calls, and research.  I had a quick microwave meal at midday as I worked at my desk.  As I gobbled down lunch, my mind traveled back to my the aroma of the stew.

Tonight, I will feast, I thought.

I spent the late afternoon trying to catch up on pending projects, and I headed home later than usual.  I called ahead and spoke to my husband about our meal plan.  He offered to prepare the table and have the stew ready to serve.  Score!

When I got home, I walked through the door, and my nose immediately caught a whiff of the goodness in a bowl.  My pace quickened, and I turned the corner to enter our kitchen.

That’s when I saw two bowls of take-out pasta on the counter.

What’s up with the pasta?

My husband is all grace.  He ever so gently explained that the stew was not edible.  In my rush to put it together, I apparently poured more than the meat into the pot.  I added the silicone liner at the bottom of the butcher’s package.

The meal looked perfect.  It smelled delightful.  But, when the pot was stirred, the poison rose to the surface.

Friends, I must tell you that I did not take this well.  I longed to savor that stew.

I don’t know if you’ve ever had this experience.  For me, it happens often.  It happens not just in my kitchen, but in my heart.   I often set my affection on food that looks appetizing, but proves to be poisonous.

I was reminded this evening that earthly fare doesn’t satisfy.  A quick fix meal isn’t spiritually nourishing.  More than anything, I pray for God to help me cultivate an appetite for the manna that will truly sustain me.

Every word You give me is a miracle word—

    how could I help but obey?

Break open Your words, let the light shine out,

    let ordinary people see the meaning.

Mouth open and panting,

    I wanted Your commands more than anything.

Turn my way, look kindly on me,

    as You always do to those who personally love You.

Steady my steps with Your Word of promise

    so nothing malign gets the better of me.

Psalms 119:129-133, MSG

Something to think about…

I am sharing “Poison in the Pot” and joining like-minded sisters at The Weekend Brew, Spiritual Sundays, Recommendation Saturday, Faith-Filled Friday, Essential Fridays, Counting My Blessings, and Thriving Thursday.

Looking for more thought-provoking posts? Check out the ones written by my blogging friends in today’s link up.

Have you written something thought-provoking, challenging, encouraging, or inspiring lately? Link it up here! For best results, write the title of your post in the name box.

As a courtesy, please link back to 3-D Lessons for Life in your post. Grab and share the Thought-Provoking Thursday button to spread the word. Use #ThoughtProvokingThursday to share your post and connect on Twitter.

Check back later to see what other GREAT posts have been linked up! Visit the post immediately before yours and leave an encouraging comment.

 

An InLinkz Link-up

The post Poison in the Pot (Thought-Provoking Thursday) appeared first on 3-D Lessons for Life.