Monthly Archives: November 2015

Attention: Talent Needed to Save the World

The Frangrence of Triumph

Posted November 23, 2015 | Karisa Moore

2 Corinthians 2:14But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. 15For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;…

As I grieve I want to wear the perfume of triumph! It comes from knowing who God is, trusting what he is doing and believing he will reveal his truth through us. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary explains that those who won battles were doused in sweet fragrances. My fragrance should be Christ because he is the source of my victories. I have had many! To claim victory we have to remember His faithfulness.

  • He chose me
  • Plucked me out from despair
  • Equipped me with scripture to fight the devil’s schemes
  • Made me a prayer warrior
  • Caused me to delight in others
  • Gave me a desire to share his love
  • Crushed the enemy’s attempts to destroy me through abuse and fear!!!
  • Defeated the grave long before I had to place my son in it

 

Too often I wear the scent of death. My circumstances are complicated and constant, but God is faithful to give abundant life. I see his hand so clearly, yet I turn my eyes to what isn’t and begin to act like God is not enough for me.

Today I allow you, Father, to wash away my sorrow. Lord, infuse me with the scent of understanding your ways. Discipline my brokenness. May my life become a beautiful fragrance of glory in the midst of a world filled with the dank scent of despair.

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2nd Annual Photo Scavenger Hunt

Posted November 16, 2015 | Karisa Moore

Last year I began a Christmas tradition of sharing a photo each day and inviting you to share your own photo of a similar activity or memory. Starting December 1st I will share some of my favorite memories of my son Jonathan and I encourage you to join in the fun and share special moments with me as I share them with you. Invite friends and family to get involved.

Photo Scavenger Hunt begins December 1st and ends December 20th. I will post a picture of some of my favorite Christmas memories with Jonathan and give your photo assignment each day. (PLEASE LET ME KNOW THAT YOU WILL BE PARTICIPATING.)

Rules:

…

1. Be respectful of others and their property.
2. Ask permission before taking a picture.
3. Have fun and invite as many friends and family as possible to be involved.
4. Describe your location.

5. Respond in the comment section.

 

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Warm Yourself in My Eyes

Posted | Karisa Moore

May I sit awhile and warm my soul in your eyes? Eyes

crackling and popping with stories stirred by

my need for hope. Hope boasting

of losses gained and tragic victories;

Of dreams, love and faith.

Faith refusing to be dampened by despair, quiet

constant discipline battling the reality of death.

Death is in your eyes. Eyes raised from

grave circumstances. Circumstances

are snuffing out my flame! Flame now fanned

by the passionate compassion of your hope. Hope

fueling my soul with logs of endurance, sparking

life in my dimmed eyes. Eyes that others ask to sit awhile

and warm their cold souls with the fire of my hope.

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God’s Pregnant Laughter

Posted November 11, 2015 | Karisa Moore

Who is this God cutting covenant with me?

Walking the gauntlet of redemption

while I deeply slumber with doubt?

Who is this voice that plucks

me from polytheism. Patiently revealing

that he alone is my God?

I am the last picked.

Ripe with barrenness

No heirs

No further God

But my Lord is not impotent.

He

always has the

last impossible pregnant laugh.

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I Believe You Love Me

Posted November 5, 2015 | Karisa Moore

I attempt to stuff your love

into boundaries of understanding.

Horror and pleasure

of an all knowing, powerful God

relating to man.

You are no idol carved by

my own hands.

Surely

I repulse your holiness.

Hiding my nakedness behind the lushness

of creation, fearing your

righteousness.

You call,

“Walk with me!”

Infinity fitting into finite

Inviting belief–love

so vast choosing to fit

into a heart

grounded by the gravity

of sin.

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“You Are a Beautiful!”

Posted November 4, 2015 | Karisa Moore

Luke 7:37And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.…

I was in tears this morning as the counselor spoke the words. “Can’t you see that you are beautiful.” Can you accept that your God in heave calls you a beautiful person? Are you like me, so trained to believe the negative, expect disaster, call yourself ugly, useless or a failure that when someone recognizes your beauty you unravel. As a young women I cut my wrist when a man said I was beautiful. That is how ingrained the pattern of rejection was in my thinking. It simply wasn’t possible that I was beautiful!

The women bathing Jesus with her tears and perfume is a sinner and everyone knows it! She came to Jesus with all that she had and poured it out in love and all of the witnesses around the table (including the disciples) were more concerned with who she was, then about how she loved Jesus. Surely Jesus sees her the same if he really is a “prophet”!

But he doesn’t, he sees her love for him and that is enough. He acknowledges her sin and forgive her. Only God can forgive sins!  In one fell swoop this “worthless” woman unseated, unnerved the Pharisees and revealed who Jesus was in bold vivid colors.

Do we unveil who Jesus is by our love? That’s it, it is not a set of rituals that make us clean. It is loving Jesus. Taking all that we have, what we deem good and bad to the foot of the cross. It is my love for Jesus that makes me share with you. I may struggle as this woman to embrace that love and acceptance because the world has trained me to see myself as worthless. “But God “. . . two of the best words in all the scriptures sent his own son for us, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

You and I are beautiful because his love makes us so.

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