Lieutenants Aaron & Meagan Ruff❤️💛💙

Last weekend I had the privilege of attending Aaron & Meagan's Ordination & Commissioning weekend. If you didn't know, The Salvation Army ordains its women and its men to go and live out the gospel alongside people all over the world. That's the life Ruairí and I lead, and it's now the life Aaron and Meagan lead. While flying to/from LA, I was reading through some scripture and started jotting down what came to my mind; relating to Aaron and Meagan's new life as officers, and also to what the Lord has been doing in me these past 4+ years. I'm a verbal processor, but was real overcome with emotion much of the time during the weekend's festivities.  So, this is specifically for you, Aaron and Meagan, but I figured others might like to read along too (like our moms, pretty much😉😂). I am elated for where God is taking you. 7-years-in-the-making-answered-prayers will bowl you over with God's untethered faithfulness and love. You can consider me bowled over! 

Colossians 1:27-29

27To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.  28Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.  29For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

Some days/weeks/months will feel more full of toil than others, so really believe me and God’s word in this: the hope of glory is yours. Claim it, even more so now as you step out and into officership.

Colossians 2:6-10

6Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,  7rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 

8See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.  9For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,  10and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 

Don’t be taken captive by the Army-minutia. It’s a spiritual movement made of human tradition. Remember Christ. You are full up with Him; by Him; for Him.

Colossians 3:1-4

1If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  2Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  3For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  4When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Let Christ be your life. The end.

Colossians 3:12-17

12Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,  13bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.  14And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.  15And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.  16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Write those out often. Maybe daily.

         compassionate hearts
         kindness
         humility
         meekness
         patience

Also remember that if you can’t line Jesus’ name up alongside something, it isn’t for you/your corps/your family/etc. It’ll keep you grounded and safe in Christ. Which, as it turns out, isn’t safe at all. He’s the wildest.

1 John 2:15-17

15Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.  17And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Check your loves. It’s easy-peasy to love the world. But it’ll sneak up on you and drain the life-light of the Spirit right outta your chest. Abide in the Lord. He is your sound rock, your pillar by day and by night.

3 John 1:2-4 (with my own paraphrasing)

2Beloved (Aaron & Meagan), I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul(s).  3For I rejoiced greatly when they came and testified to your truth (when you took on your holy call to officership), as indeed you are walking in the truth.  4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children (brother and sister) are walking in the truth, (into God’s call for their lives). 

Meagan, I knew upon meeting you that you would one day make a perfect addition to the family, and a perfect partner for Aaron. I see the movements God has been and is making in you, and they are so beautiful. I love that I’ve found a built-in girlfriend in you, to plan future girls-trips with, to share favorite nail polish colors with, and to confide in. You are family that I choose to also call a friend. 

Aaron, I love you with a love that God crafted in me as a young girl who needed a justly-protective/perfectly-annoying/outstanding-companion of a big brother, whom He gave to me in you. God’s faithfulness abounds & astounds equally, then, now, and going on. Proud to be your sister in this life of ministry and in this legacy our God and our family has laid before us. 

Aloha xo