Jana Spicka and Women Getting Real Ministries
Posts tagged God’s love
The Fawn Down the Way
Dec 12th
We first saw her when she stood wide eyed in the middle of our small street, too paralyzed to move. We often have deer grazing in our back yard, or passing through our neighborhoods. So to see deer on the street is not unusual. But to see a baby this size without her mom was highly unusual. We assumed Mama deer was nearby with bated breath, eager to be reunited with her fragile fawn.
After several minutes, the fawn finally stepped slowly to the side of the road and we passed on by. I glanced in the rear view mirror and was so surprised that I stopped the car again. The girls and I turned in our seats and looked back to see the baby step back into the road with stuttering steps. Suddenly the neighbor’s dog was coming toward her. “MOM!” Charis whispered in a panic, afraid for the deer.
“Just wait,” I said.
“Mom, what’s he doing?” Salem asked.
This hunting dog did not bark, nor was his head hunkered down or his fur raised. He was in no way on the prowl. Instead he paused slightly near the deer and then trotted slowly down the road. He stopped every few steps, looked to see if the deer was following, and then trotted a few more steps. This process continued until the deer was off the street and vanished up a wooded driveway.
We turned the car around and slowly edged back down the street to glance up the driveway where we had seen the dog then the deer disappear.
They stood there, face to face, about a foot apart, as if deep in conversation. The sound of our brakes interrupted their pow wow. They both looked at us, student and teacher, and then back to their conversation.
“Am I crazy, or are you two seeing what I am seeing?” I asked the girls.
“Mom, that dog is helping the baby deer,” Salem said quietly.
We sat in awe of the moment.
That was more than a month ago. And you see the now-growing doe meandering, eating, sleeping on the property where the dog lives. The other day she was playing in the field where the horse was. Before that she had a little deer poop in the dog’s back yard in broad daylight. The dog is always nearby overseeing, protecting.
One day I came through and saw the dog farther away from his home than normal. We all immediately began seeking the deer. We knew that she had wandered off, again. He was bringing her back to his home. We don’t know how long she will stay, or even make it. But I’m not sure that is the point.
This has done funny things in my heart. Funny things about “who is my neighbor?” Funny things about this God who cares for the sparrows and evidently the orphaned fawn as well.
More strikingly it has stirred funny things about innocence of the young. Are we taking a posture of protecting the young among us? Are we doing whatever it takes to prepare and position them to live and thrive? Are we actively moving them out of harm’s way? Even to our own sacrifice and inconvenience?
It may be a cold world out there. But this noble dog has provided a warm place for the fawn down the way and he has thawed some places in my own heart as well.
Perfect…Not Yet
Dec 2nd
These are the words the Lord whispered in my ear one day during worship. Perfect…Not Yet.
“I know that because of Jesus you see me as perfect. But the ‘not yet’ part is hard to live through sometimes. Lord, how do I live in the gap of those three little dots? the space between Perfect and Not Yet?” I asked.
His answer was astounding.
“The one constant is My overwhelming love and presence. Every circumstance is an opportunity for you to see if I can take it.”
He didn’t say, see if Jana can take it. He said see if He can take it. Can God be God in my circumstances? Is He big enough, does He love enough, can He pull it off?
God wants you and I to see that He not only has the beauty and power to make us Perfect, but He has the love and stamina to walk out the Not Yet. He is the one constant that changes every factor of life.
Faithul is He
Nov 7th
We never know when or how God will explode into action, only that He WILL. We call it trust, or confidence or even faithfulness. It’s an odd word. To quote Princess Bride, “I do not think it means what you think it means.” I have been kicking around this conversation with Him lately and I am surprised by what I am getting. Take the word Faithful. Full of faith. Full of believing, we would say. Faith is not the same thing as, “I hope so.” Faith is “I know so.”
And the shocker is, God calls himself Faithful. He says that He is full of faith or full of believing. So who exactly does He believe in? Himself, of course. God is so sure, so certain, so convinced of His power, goodness and ability, that He says of Himself, I am the Faithful one. There is none like Me.
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. Deuteronomy 7:9
He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. Deuteronomy 32:4
On and on in the Scripture God tells us, “This is who I am. Bank on it.” Sometimes, when we get sideways by success or failure, we stretch words of “God’s faithfulness” like a too small band-aid over a bleeding wound. It never seems to cover or comfort the hurt. But I would challenge that His faithfulness was the point any way. His faithfulness is not a consolation prize. It is the goal, to reveal in all circumstances His ability and desire to Be God. I am that I am.
He means that. Then, now and forever.
Can I Get an A-Men??
Sep 1st
Let me just praise the name of Jesus. Yesterday I found out that one location for the WGR class was a “no.” So I just thanked the Lord for answering the question and told Him I would wait on where we were to be. I made one call and spent the rest of the time praying and asking others to pray too.
Today on my calendar is the name of God: Jehovah Jireh, The Lord Will Provide.
Inspired by the name, I spent the morning reading about the story of faith between Abraham and God. Could Abraham trust God? Could God trust Abraham? I lifted up a prayer that I would be as steadfast in my faith as Abraham, holding nothing back from the Lord. Later in the day, I got a return call and our new location is set up, like a breeze. No problem, no issue.
But right after the “Yes” came through, so did the financial numbers. And just as the praise left my tongue, the questions started rolling out…how are we going do that? No, how are You gonna do that?
I go to church tonight and what is first song? “Oh, I run into your arms, the riches of your love will always be enough…”
Oh the tenderness, the depth, the wisdom, the faithfulness of God. I don’t have to have a how. I have a Who!!
Women Getting Real Weekly Class
Jul 20th
Remaining class dates are: Oct 11 & 25, Nov 8 & 22, Dec 6 & 13
I am shooting for the moon. I am flinging open the doors and inviting you in.
We believe that God wants to share life intimately with us. Most of us have heard that. Some of us experience that. Many of us are at least open to the idea. So we try different things to move into this life with God.
We also believe that God wants us to share life intimately with each other. And that is… where we close the book; turn off the TV; hit delete.
But it is true. From my humble perspective, after speaking to many, many folks from different parts of the country, and even in Zimbabwe, it seems that we don’t really like each other and for sure don’t want to get too close. This is especially true of Christian women. We often feel the most shut down and shut out relationally.
However. This is the very miracle of “God among us.” When we come together, it isn’t just you and me and our drama. It is you and me and our drama and the Living God. There is a power and synergy and healing that can happen when the Spirit of God is given permission and freedom to live and move and breathe within us together.
We see things. We hear things. We experience things that we couldn’t see, hear, experience alone. I have amazing revelations with the Lord alone. But it is radically different from what happens when I am with other believers. I hear your story and it taps into my story and vice versa. Your breakthroughs strengthen me. Your weaknesses reveal mine. And our shared bond of Christ keeps us looking to the One who heals and restores all things.
So I want to extend a personal invitation to you. Through the WGR class we desire to create a community of authentic, honest, real relationships. We desire to dispense with the petty comparisons, the surface mindless chatter and go for real heart connections. We desire to journey and not judge, to strengthen and encourage instead of play denial or fix-it games.
Women Getting Real Class is beginning August 23rd and you are invited to come. BUT you are also invited to join in with some of your friends and be part of the the online connection. Many folks can’t come in person but they still want the connection. So can you, will you, take the effort and invest in real community? Will you gather 1-4 of your friends and watch the class together and really participate, share and go deeper with Christ and with someone else? You sitting in front of a computer is still you looking from the outside in. It is safe. And sanitized. And comfortable.
Life with God and others is messy and marvelous. It is a rollercoaster and a haven. Real honest relationship is life-changing.
If you are playing the “I just need me and God” card, will you consider adding a card to your deck called ”sharing your God life with others”? If you are playing the “I don’t trust other people” card, will you add the “I trust God in those people” card? Even if you have been burned before, will you learn the lessons of what not to do and try again?
Whether you like it or not, agree with it or not, even know how to do it or not, we are a Body. His body. We need to be together in some way, to share His Spirit among us. The WGR community on Tuesday nights, live in person, or live in your living room, is one humble honest way for us to share that connection.
Pray about it. Look at the obstacles and excuses. Then ask the Lord for the courage and faith to do Real Life with Him and others.