The value of a $100 bill

Check out the website www.GraciousVine.com

I love the scripture of 2 Cor 4:17, "We have this Treasure in Earthen Vessels, that the excellence of power might be of God and not of us." I am currently really studying these scripture to apply to a Retreat I'll be speaking at upstate NY at the end of the month. I find it to be such a promising scripture. It has prompted conversations in so many areas..as I continue to unpack it.

At Lighthouse Mission, each day I have the opportunity to meet people that are hurting and broken. Recently a young woman came in to donate, and she started to share her hurt. Two of us were able to minister to a deep pain.

One thing I shared was her value to the Lord and her need to grasp hold of its truth, not the lies of the enemy. I compared it quite simply to a $100 bill. From the bank, it is crisp and clean and seems to have such potential, but why? Because that small piece of paper covered with ink, pictures, numbers and letters is proclaimed to have a set value by a 'higher' authority than myself.

If I were to find that $100 bill up against a trash can, soiled by various types of dirt, even disgusting elements, laying there tattered, torn and wrinkled, it wouldn't be worth .01 cent less than when it was freshly secured from the bank. THAT is because the value is estimated, not by what it's been through, how beaten it might be, or what it looks like - the value is estimated by a HIGHER Authority!

I shared that her value, is not based on what has happened to her, what she has done, or where she is at currently....Her value is estimated by the Authority of God and what He proclaims of her...His love for us is such that He personally came and died for our sins and transgressions against Him, others and ourselves. What's great about God, is He recognizes the value HE has placed on us...and HE reaches down into our soiled existence and pulls us up to redeem us and wash us clean. Yeah we may not look as fresh as that brand new $100 bill with our wrinkles and weather worn look, but our value is EXACTLY the same!

That excites me, as it did her.

Gaps and holes make for good opportunity....

How many of us leaders feel we have to control everything...? Some take it to extremes controlling even what people are allow to think or how they can participate... I think there is a huge difference between leading and controlling...same type of difference between excellence and perfectionism...or heaven and hell!

Interestingly, I'm guilty of all....and for the past few years been continually putting it before the Lord...As I do there are always going to be opportunities where I have to give over authority, control and final say to others in a given situation...hard as it is...It gives us all opportunity to grow.

I've heard it for years though, We pursue excellence or I'm leading... unfortunately, that is so often a mask for the controlling perfectionist to seemingly justify their grapple hold on things. It can be so generously masked with all kinds of platitudes and cliches and yet is nothing more than what I call a 'jesus cloak' or 'scripture cloaking' where things are 'word perfect' yet the spirit behind it is self serving...

Being someone that can have this tendency, I recognize it pretty quickly. I would say the biggest and surest sign of it is a lack of grace when things don't go the way a 'leader' wants. Even when they say 'mercy' yet none is really extended, most often times a rebuke is said 'in love' and yet love is absent. The Letter of the Law prevails, and brings death.

Its amazing how often we create Ishmaels as we try to control all aspects of life...and ministry ours and others. Pushing things forward before their time, making things happen because we can...or want to...rather than trusting the ability of others to grow into the purpose God has...

Gaps and holes may not make for the 'perfect' ministry but the day we start to make sure, at all cost that those don't exist by covering them up and controlling them all to the point of micro managing everything that everyone else is doing, then we have lost the vision of Christ -

1 Peter 5:1-4 Spot lights this problem, encouraging leaders to lead as examples, not overlords...Why would that be in there...because it's so hard and only a word from the Lord, and submission to Him and His Kingdom, Not our kingdom...can produce true leaders....

I know I need to be reminded of it...


Check out the website www.GraciousVine.com or www.JoannaFruhauf.com

Jesus Called Peter's Bluff....

One hot day at a Sunday BBQ, decked out in church clothes I sat on the edge of the host's beautiful pool, secretly wishing I brought my bathing suit, but to embarrassed and prideful to wear it in mixed company....The kids had been in and out for hours, other adults not having the same sense of horror with themselves were ready with towels and floats while others like me just got our feet wet.

After several hours in the scorching heat, I said to one of the other women in a half hearted dare, 'I'll go in if you do' and before I knew it she was walking deeper and deeper, in HER sunday best...

WELL NOW WHAT! - - - "I guess I'm going in!"

I am a woman of my word, but the half hearted dare that came out of me, didn't expect her to take me up on it! - - - She called my Bluff! - - - So in I went... Once I was in, I was sooooooooo glad!

Before we knew it another beautifully dressed and manicured woman joined us as did one of the pastors and my husband...IT WAS AMAZING - It was hysterical and Everyone was Shocked, we were all laughing so hard, and the pastor did a cannon ball in the deep end!!!
FREEEEEEEDOMMMMM!!!! It was liberating!

I always loved the story of Jesus calling Peter to walk on the water. When you read the story it's almost as if it were a dare (well I'm stretching it a little here)

As the story goes, Jesus told the disciples to get in the boat and go ahead of Him. He lingered on the shore for hours, and when He finally set out to meet them, there was a huge storm, the boat had been battered by wind and waves for hours... Then Jesus walked on the water to them and when they saw Him, they were terrified it might be a ghost. Jesus comforted them with His voice and words of assurance and then Peter shouted (here's the bluff part), "LORD IF IT's YOU, CALL ME ON THE WATER."

WELL GUESS WHAT....Jesus Called Peter's Bluff....(well ok so maybe it wasn't a bluff, just go with it a little)
Peter had to either shrink back into the boat, or answer the call and follow through, surrendering himself to what ever the consequence may be.
Peter had to lift His own foot out of the boat. He had to put one foot in front of the other to get to Jesus. It wasn't by His power that he was upheld, that was the miracle...Christ secured the surroundings, without changing them. Peter was supported as he fixed his gaze on Christ!

Have you ever given Christ permission to call you out?

When I was single I remember camping upstate and taking a picture of me standing in the middle of a river, on the tip of a rock that just touched the waters surface...It looked like I was walking on water...

I can remember praying with youthful fervor, "O Lord that I would be able to walk on water, eyes fixed on you, and not fall." Well fallen I have from time to time, and certainly I don't know what I was thinking as far as how great those 'exploits' might be...but here today I can look back and say, Wow God, you have called me on to the water several times...to step out beyond my comfort zone, to go where I have no experience to go, to walk where I shouldn't be able to walk!

Once again I have found myself in another place where there is an incredible opportunity to do something I can not do on my own, can not afford, and am scared to death about.
I like my little pond....

I have prayed and prayed for years about this and have continually tossed it out to God about recording some of the songs I've written and trust He has given me. Until now, I've recorded them privately with my brother or by myself.

Cindy and I began to do some legwork, prayer, fasting and 'tossing out some lines' for Gracious Vine Music to record. We spoke to some personal contacts in California that are professionals in the industry and had the invite, but not the funding...

We had a local studio owner come hear us at a local cafe, but still no funding...
We both recognized that something was stirring in us and we both knew it was going to happen but that it would be in the spring...nine months from when we first started conceiving the excitement of it all.

We both surrendered the entire thing to the Lord...'God if you want us to do this we are willing, but we have ZERO money for it...you'd have to completely supply it...
Within a week of our concerted prayers for the project, we were contacted by a person that wanted to Give to us 'for a specific project the Lord told her to give towards' - BOY were we encouraged, surprised and amazed!

Without telling people about the recordings needs...the finances for the studio appeared...down to the penny in a huge lump sum from another individual who had NO CLUE as to the cost! ANOTHER astounding and resounding affirmation from the Lord!

OK so now we were going to have to follow through...and wouldn't you know it...as we pursued an avenue to record...the dollar amount was exact!!!!

When we say to Jesus if it's You Lord, Call me to come...we better be willing to follow that through! Because Jesus called Peter's Bluff, and he certainly called MINE!....

I can't tell you how excited, nervous and amazed I was....

So now, after months of gearing up and practicing, reworking and rehearsing original songs, this past month or so we have been working on our recordings in the studio. Andy White of East Gate Recording Studio in Riverhead, has be so gracious to us...so helpful in giving us tips, encouragement and walking us through it all...We are so amazed...

We have taken a step out of the boat...we trust Christ to uphold us...we look toward Him and focus our gaze toward His face!

"LORD if it's YOU................"


Passage Matthew 14:22-33:
Jesus Calls Peter on to the Water

FAITH in the face of FEAR

So, Faith in the face of Fear...what do I mean by that...?

Well, simply just setting my eyes, spiritually, and focusing my heart on those things which are above, the promises of God's love, protection and hope regardless of situational pressures and stresses- Rather than being overwhelmed by the raging storm, the ear piercing, heart pounding abrupt crashes of Thunder - the sky shattering lighting the tempest tossing waves...the howling winds and the undeniable possibility of tragedy, loss and utter destruction...IN OPPOSITION to it, not denial of it...to focus my hope and heart on Christ!

That ultimately, regardless of the current afflictions, HIS GLORY can be manifested. Not just inspite of it, BUT THROUGH IT!

Colossians 1

5 -For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

6 -Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

I CHOOSE to focus my HOPE on that which is secured in HEAVEN as I believe in the word of truth...This will come....as fruit it will be brought forward...REGARDLESS of the outcome of the situation, regardless of consequences, regardless of anything...because God has the power to work all things for HIS GLORY and our good! even when it doesn't necessarily 'go our way' or seem smooth, fun, pretty, nice etc....

so today I Choose FAITH in the Face of FEAR!