Randomly Me

I don't know that I ever spend time writing about my personal life. I usually seem to have a purpose in sharing something God-focused. That is good. But I think it misrepresents who I am, if that's all I show you. So, here's my random story for the day.

My friend Peggy and I decided to go walking at the Lake Ray Roberts this morning. We like the trails, though they aren't quite as good as Colorado, Washington state, or the Smoky Mountains. It's mostly flat around here, so we hike with the mountains in our imaginations. The lake is pretty.

On the way, I almost killed us. We were completely on the wrong course at that point. Somehow we were too busy talking to notice a turn. As of yet, we've not made it to the lake as planned even once. Always stinkin' lost in the car. Maybe we'll get it next time.

Anyway, after we figured out that we were lost, Peggy told me to turn left. I confidently prepared to turn right. Peggy pointed out that I was turning the wrong way - which didn't register in my head for a while. Then as I figure out the problem, she decides to tell me we're about to die. I had failed to see the red light.

Burnt rubber stinks bad. I think I burned up most of my brakes.

We eventually got to our hiking spot, after only one wrong turn onto the well-marked "maintenance only" road. And with our luck, the national adventure race championships were being held. We didn't realize that we'd be sharing the path with bikers until we got a mile in. And it was completely muddy. We spent most of the time scaling mud holes and watching out for horses and bikes. But it was a workout all the same.

After about 3 miles, I kept giving excuses as to why we should keep going just a little further. (Keep in mind you have to turn around and cover the same mileage on the way back.) I hadn't brought water or eaten breakfast, so at the very least I was looking at 6 miles. But the turnaround point was just around the corner... just a little farther... see that opening ahead... the power lines mean we're close... I can hear the highway... let's just find the next marker so we'll remember how far we got next time... the cows mean there are houses and the road must be close... the trail markers are getting closer together and that means we're getting close... My ridiculous reasoning went on and on. But she didn't draw the line, so we kept on caking mud to our clothes and wading through the bogs.

Eventually, I pointed out the water tower 20 miles away and said, "See. We're almost there!" By that point delirious laughing was all we could do. We both wanted to get to the turnaround and enjoy some civilized facilities before having to turn back around. We could sense we were so close! A woman's intuition should never be questioned.

Ten miles. We went 10 miles total.

At one point I decided I needed to pray for food and water because we both have issues with low blood sugar. Just as I started, "Okay, Lord..." I realized I was passing a water bottle in the brush. It just so happened that it was an unopened, didn't expire until 2011, bottle of Ozarka water. I inspected the seal. Totally unbroken. Someone must have dropped it.

Thank you, Jesus! I would have gotten pretty sick without water on the way back.

There was also a Red Bull in the parking lot at the turnaround, but we decided against the sugar content. We were pretty close to having it, though. Desperate times call for desperate measures. =) It was noon by then, and we'd been going for over a couple of hours.

Four hours later, we returned to the car moving slow motion and caked in mud. We were silent. Too tired to talk. Mission accomplished.

So I got home and made breakfast at 3 pm - scrambled eggs, sausage, and toast.

Grace Demands Grit

Unless you are one of the women I have discipled, my commendation might usually be a safe and well-planned route in life. I would not want to direct you to stupidity. But if I have spent time with you and allowed you to see how I live out my priorities and decisions, then I cannot hide the fact that my life is not safe or comfortable in many ways.

I am driven by grace. Shown mercy and made new - I'm not who I once was. Walking down a hallway when I was 17, I responded to that grace. Somehow. Within. I affirmed the stirring on my heart that working for the glory of Jesus would be the path of my life.

No career.

Just a dream of serving God with my life, my desires, my grit.

Through this commitment, and with grace leading me, I faced my fears within men's and women's prisons. I fed misplaced friends with my last cans of food. I packed my car with the unsettling question, "Where will I sleep for two weeks?" I shared my faith in China and fell sick. My list, and your list, I'm sure could take up pages. But in every one of them, the grace of God drives us. And, for me, I struggle with my flesh the whole way. These choices in faith demand grit.

But what about the daily, mundane, and unromantic moments? When I need to confront in love. When I ask for forgiveness because I'm a jerk. When the commitment interrupts my sleep. When my budget just doesn't cut it. Even here I have to live with grit and look to the enduring joy that is mine in Christ.

Living out grace demands our grit. Every commended Bible man or woman had true grit in life. The path wasn't easy. Difficulty abounded. But joy remained.

God Verbs

God lives.
God speaks.
God creates
and God breathes.

God sees.
God knows.
God stepped down
and God imposed.

God hung.
God prayed.
God reached wide
and God saved.

God calls.
God seals.
God anoints
and God heals.

God holds.
God names.
God loves you
for glory's sake.

God sends.
God serves.
God unites
and God endures.


(c) 2009 by Kendra Hinkle.

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Tonight as I said goodbye to the Dallas skyline, I decided to keep the car stereo off. I don't prefer to hear myself sing. But sometimes you just have to respond to who God is and what He's done.

My women's class covered word-smithing. So my mind was ready to choose good, strong verbs. My song became. . .the God verbs. I recommend making your own song, but here's mine. I stuck with one syllable verbs mostly. Sorry there's no tune! I'm not sure how to communicate that. You'll have to make a new one up for your own song.

Have fun with your God verbs!