Tag Archives: kristiburden

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What a week; a week filled with thrilling rides, with Mickey and Minnie, good food, belly laughs,...

...and holding hands.

Disney World provided castles, fireworks, pixie dust- and rides which took you into a cave with swashbuckling pirates and on an encounter to Mt. Everest with the fearsome Yeti.

Yet nothing was as thrilling as the "togetherness" this past week.

Thankfully Rylie is just six and still loves to hold my hand and sit in my lap.  But if you remember, Hayden is almost sixteen.  He's an affectionate kid, but his affection is sporadic.  Hallie is eleven going on sixteen.  Holding my hand or Jason's hand is no longer a common occurrence.  With Hallie who now claims claustrophobia, holding my hand would be considered a rarity.

But hand holding and togetherness went on.

All week.

We stayed together because we were in unfamiliar territory. We linked arms so we wouldn't get lost.  We held hands as we didn't want to be separated in the masses. We walked in close proximity in the darkness that followed the night-time fireworks spectacular.

And there were times that we stayed close....... get this,..... just because we were enjoying each other.

In the midst of magic and madness, we were simply together.

Surely God feels the same.  He is with us every day, at the dinner table and in the car.   He is with us when we rise and when we slumber.  He walks with us in the mundane.  And he waits.

He longs for us to link arms with him as we board life's roller coasters with its twists and sudden drops. He wants us to hold tight to him in the crowd that so often blinds our view of him.

And when our hearts are spilling over with joy at the knowledge that life is good- God is good, maybe then most of all, he wants us to hold his hand.

..... do you think that the scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? James 4:5a

 

 

 

 

 

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Jason and I dropped Hayden off with thirty- something youth from our church.  More than ever I am burdened to pray for them.  I can’t exactly put my finger on it; can’t recall certain incidents that require urgent prayer on behalf of our youth.  I can only explain it like this.

On our vacation, Jason and I hiked up a mountain in the San Juan National Forest.  I was quite impressed with us.  It was over a two hour hike.  Jason brought a small bottle of water.   I took a swig  somewhere near the top.  But  I didn’t feel thirsty;not even when we finished our climb and had reached our cabin below.  It wasn’t until I was handed a water bottle some time after we returned that I took a drink, and kept on drinking.  I drank an entire bottle of water.

I’ve read that much of the time when people are dehydrated, they don’t know they are dehydrated.

Naturally we drink when we’re thirsty.  The problem is that we don’t always feel thirsty.

I think of our church and what it provides.  Our church like most churches is full of servants who love God and love people.  Bible Study, worship, fellowship opportunities and other activities exist to fill us to overflowing,  with the knowledge of God. We have the Word of God in our grasp and prayer at the tips of our tongues.

Most importantly, the Spirit of God who is in our presence quenches our thirst.

It's good to thirst.

But what about times we don't even realize we're thirsty.

We find ourselves in a world, and in an age where we have so much.

This is especially true for our young people.  Often as a parent I find myself allowing my children to be disillusioned by prosperity, comfort pleasure and success.   As parents we seek to temporarily satisfy (our children) and an underlying thirst goes unnoticed.  I speak most loudly to myself.

A bird’s eye view of Glorieta, the place where our children are camped, would show on its map, thousands of trees. Composed of trees and rock-hard red dirt; it is a dry and thirsty land.  It would be easy to be lost in this forest of trees.

I’m thinking of Hayden.

I’m thinking of the two buses of youth we have at camp.

Are they lingering and satisfied? Or do they realize they’re thirsty; I pray that they would. I pray that at camp they would be lead to drink. I pray that when they return, that we would lead them to drink.  And I pray as they drink, they would increasingly know what it is to thirst.

And as they thirst…..

I pray they would KNOW a refreshing sanctuary is supplied in their midst.

Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters –Isaiah 55:1

I'm so thankful for Micah and Laurie who consistently and without reservation tirelessly serve our youth.  Thank you for the cool water you offer our youth. I'm thankful for our youth.  I'm also thankful for the sponsors who are at camp with our youth.  Please pray for great things!