(or notable quotes/quotable notes/notes that were quoted/quotes/quotes that were noted/notes/good thoughts)

I rarely read bridal magazines, but flipping through one at Publix, this stanza was irresistible:

“I want to hold off on sex for a month before our wedding to the make the night special. My fiancé thinks that’s silly. Anybody else trying this?”
(Modern Bride, dec/jan 2005, “Bride To Bride”)

Finished-up, Hearing God (Dallas Willard), this weekend—insightful and really practical. A must read for anyone interested, or scarred-off by, prayer. Here were a few of my highlights:

>We were important enough for God to give his Son’s life for us and to choose to inhabit us as a living temple. Obviously then we are important enough for him to guide us and speak to us whenever is appropriate (page 38).

>When God speaks to us, it does not prove that we are righteous or even right (page 39).

>Yet we have no indication that even Jesus was constantly awash with revelations as to what he should do (page 57).

>If you believe God has told you to do something, ask Him to confirm it to you three times: through his word, through circumstances, and through other people who may know nothing of the situation—Jean Darnall (page 84-85).

>Mere human thoughts, though effective within their appointed range, are as far below the power of God’s thoughts (and words) as the earth is below the heavens (Is 55:8-9) (page 127).

>Now the disciples obviously had great faith in Jesus (in reference to Matt 8 and Jesus rescuing them from the storm). They called upon him, counting on him to save them. They had great faith in him, but they did not have his great faith in God (page 156).

>Read with a submissive attitude (page 161).

>Stages of praying through the Scriptures: 1) information, 2) longing for it to be so, 3) affirmation that it must be so, 4) invocation to God to make it so, 5) appropriation by God’s grace that it is so (page 164).

>Faith is not opposed to knowledge; it is opposed to sight (page 194).

>Generally, it is much more important to cultivate the quiet, inward space of constant listening than to always be approaching God for specific direction (page 200).

>You can be in his perfect will without being a perfect human being (page 207).

>You are under authority, not in control (can’t find reference, but it stuck with me).

I remember it well—the finish line of my first marathon. Actually though, my remembrance today falls on this side of the red tape.

I went out for an easy, four-mile run yesterday and returned feeling like I’d done forty. How can that happen? How can my body maintain form over twenty-six miles, yet fail me for four?

Here’s the difference: I was prepared to go the distance that marathon morning. And I don’t just mean the physical distance, but I mean the emotional and psychological distances as well. I was focused on the first four miles, but was also focused on the last twenty-two. Nothing but my will was gonna separate me and that red-tape. No injury, person, or flirting incentive.

I knew my goal.
I was clear on my purpose.
And I was confident in my tranining.

With a semester’s red tape in view, this isn’t too different from the daily run of our lives. We’re tired, sick of studying (or saddened that we’ve not started) and just plain ready for summer. But here’s the deal—we’re in a race. Not a sweaty, grueling, competitive one, but a race toward eternity. A race toward the Goal set before us in the person of Jesus Christ. If I actually believed he was waiting at my finish line tonight, let alone the one finishing this moment, my life would look pretty different. My afternoon probably would too.

Like it or not, this world is coming to an end. Grades might be a guideline and graduation might be a goal, but when all’s said and done, my life as I know it isn’t all of life.

My life as a daughter is. A loved, accepted, chosen, forgiven, desired, desirable, beautiful, successful, believed in, cherished, empowered, daughter. Of the King. King Jesus.

I want to finish well in the bounds of this campus, but I want to finish more well in the bounds of my Father.

It’s His race. His timing. And His perpetual finish line. You up for a run?