Flow

 

From the book, “The Powerful Purpose of Introverts” comes the concept of “Flow.” It is when you become so engrossed in an activity that you lose all concept of time. “Flow happens whenever we are absorbed by what we’re doing, using our God-given strengths, and feeling both challenged and capable at the same time.” Marcus Buckingham, researcher says, “It is one of the most important signs that you are living a strong life.”

I love getting lost in my devotional time, hearing God’s voice, and following rabbit trails in an unhurried manner. I also enjoy long days when I’m able to take my time exploring the world of herbs, natural health, or whatever else interests me in a meandering manner. I learn so much, and it refreshes me.

One day my daughter and I went to paint pottery. I really got in the zone that day! We were there for hours and didn’t even realize it. I was shocked once I noticed how long I had been there, and she was late for work!

I recognize that many would find these flow opportunities a luxury due to a demanding work schedule or caring for children or other family members. I too have experienced that. If that’s you, ask God to show you how to work this into your life. It’s important for your mental and spiritual health. (Introverts especially need this selfcare.) There is no shame in accepting help from others so that you can refresh yourself. You cannot pour into others if your pitcher is empty! Maybe you don’t have hours to spare, but even a few minutes can make a difference. Here are some ideas:

My daughter makes her children go to their rooms for an hour each day for quiet time. If they don’t nap, they can read or play quietly. Use this time to refresh yourself instead of doing chores.

Leave a few minutes early for work and read a book (or whatever) in the car. For several years, my car was my prayer closet.

Get up earlier. I know, I know, who wants to give up sleep? I have found that I am not super productive in the evenings anyway because I am too tired, so going to bed earlier just makes sense. Then getting up earlier isn’t so hard.

Limit your time on social media. You might say, “but that IS my flow time.” Maybe. Or the blue light might be disrupting your deep, refreshing sleep. Or social media might keep you agitated and angry. That’s not rejuvenating.

Book a babysitter/ caregiver to make time for flow. It’s okay. No need to feel guilty.

Use a vacation day for flow. Who says you have to go on a trip?

Tack on an extra hour to allow time to sit in a park when you head out to get groceries.

Say no to less important activities. There are many good activities we should decline. Otherwise, we run ourselves ragged with no margin. In my youth, I experienced a lot of piled on guilt if I didn’t participate in everything at church. The Lord has taught me to shrug that off and choose the more important. (Gasp! You can pray about that!)

I wish you great mental, physical, and spiritual health (they are interconnected)! I’d love to hear your ideas for finding time for flow. May the Lord bless you.

joyce hague

Are You Just Talking, or Are You Responding?

            Have you ever been in a conversation with someone, and as you were talking, you had the sense that she wasn’t really listening to you? Then, as soon as you finished speaking, this person immediately started saying something that had nothing to do with what you had just told her?  It probably seemed to you that she was just waiting for you to finish so she could tell her own story. This is not true friendship or good communication, is it?

            This was the analogy I heard author and bible teacher Nancy Guthrie give in a recent podcast I listened to. She was talking about prayer, and how our prayers can be very similar to this listener in the above story. God speaks to us primarily through His Word. We read it in our daily quiet times with the Lord, and we hear it preached and taught and sung. Yet, when we pray, we come with our own lists instead of responding to what God has been saying.

            There is nothing wrong with a prayer list; I often use one myself. But am I also taking the time to respond in prayer to what God has been saying? Or is my prayer very one-sided? How can we do this better and not be like the friend who just wants to speak her own concerns? Here are some thoughts I have. I’d love to hear yours:

-- When I hear the Word preached or taught, I can respond in a prayer to the Lord. What is He saying to me? What do I want to say back to Him? What do I want to praise Him for based on what I just heard? What sin should I repent of? What can I give thanks for? How do these truths speak into what is going on currently in my own life or in the lives of those close to me?

-- When I spend time in the Word and then pull out my prayer list with my items to pray for, I can begin by dialoguing with the Lord about what I just read before I start bringing my requests to Him. What stands out to me? What am I confused about? Where am I challenged to walk differently, convicted of sin, or in awe of God? Furthermore, can my requests somehow tie in with what I just read? For example, “God, you are the same Lord who helped David trust you when his life was sought by King Saul. Help me to trust You today in my much smaller issue of [fill in the blank],” or “Lord, You say in Your Word that You are a fortress and refuge. Please be that refuge for my friend ___ today who is facing ____.”

-- I can let the songs I sing or hear sung become true prayers rather than words I simply think hold great truths. I can let the truths of those songs be avenues of worshipful prayer.

-- God also speaks to us of His glory in the beauty of His creation. As I notice a beautiful sunset, a field of sunflowers, or the night sky, I can respond to the Lord in worship.

            May we be women who bring our needs and the requests of those we love to the Lord, but may we also be women who listen to Him speak and respond appropriately. In doing so, our relationship with the Lord will be strengthened as we grow in our knowledge and love of Him.

--Amy O'Rear

Trusting God Alone

 

With every new year there comes a need to make new resolutions, new plans, create new habits, goals, and the list goes on and on.  We often take our personal plans, ideals, and thoughts for granted and assume that they are good.  The problem we create is that we often forget to include God’s will in those.

Back in January, I started the new year with a new devotional, and I have really been challenged to keep God in the forefront of my day.  Throughout scripture, numerous times we are commanded to “Wait,” “Come,” “Rest,” “Trust,” etc.  We know most of those verses by heart.  In fact, many of us will use some of these verses as our “Life” verses, yet . . . we fail to truly understand the depths of their meaning.

The devotional I am reading this year again helps me read through the Bible in a year.  It is Everyday Gospel, by Paul David Tripp.  I’d just like to share a few of his insights that have really encouraged and challenged me.

• 1.      “We are often tempted to try by human effort to accomplish what only God can do . . . God will not turn from his promises even when we are unwilling to wait . . . his timing is always right . . . rest in the surety of the promises of the Lord.”
• 2.     “So much of our fear, discouragement, anxiety, and worry is the result of underestimating what God is willing and able to do . . . We are limited human beings . . . what appears to be completely impossible is quite possible with our Lord.  His strength, his understanding, his compassion, and his grace are infinite.”
• 3.     “There is nothing that God has promised to do or that we need him to do that he is unable to do.” (my favorite!)
• 4.     “God’s promises are not limited by human weakness or the passage of time.  Don’t give way to fear; God will do what he has promised to do.”
• 5.     “When life seems to make no sense, we are not without hope or help because we are the children of God.”
• 6.     “God’s covenant promises do not mean that our lives will be predictable, comfortable, easy, or trouble free.”
• 7.     “God will interrupt moments in our lives to recapture our hearts, to strengthen our faith, to bless us with his grace, and to instill in us, once again, our identity as his children.”

I could go on and on but wanted to share these encouraging words. Our year is still in the early stages, and we have already seen so much take place that might cause us to question what is happening in our world and with our church.  But we need to be constantly aware that the Creator who redeemed us and has promised us eternity with Him is in control.  We have nothing to fear but have so much to be thankful for.  All the insights above covered portions of the lives of Abraham and Jacob.  Look at the covenant God made with Abraham and carried it on through Jacob and the generations following.  There were moments in their lives when they could have questioned God’s plan and promise, but God revealed His fulfillment at just the right time.

It's been 5 years since we lost our facilities, “but God” is using this delay for His glory.  He has blessed our church in so many ways these past 5 years and although we have probably all wondered “why so long?” we can rest assured that God’s timing will be perfect.

Keep the faith in God’s plan, trust Him, and continue to wait patiently.

 

--Bonnie King

Pura Vida

 

One week ago my husband, Gavin, two other teachers, 15 high school seniors and I were all in Costa Rica. We had the privilege of chaperoning the teenagers’ senior trip. It was a beautiful week: traveling through different areas of the Central American country, going on new adventures, tasting delicious food, making core memories.

          Some of my thoughts throughout the week:

          “This is just a little slice of another place on earth, different from my own home, new creation all around. God is amazing, creative, and values me.”

          “I wish I knew Spanish fluently.”

          “This group of seniors has made this trip so delightful. Minimal complaints, trying new adventures, foods, and activities with excitement, bravery and thankfulness. I am proud of them.”

          “I am grateful to have my world widened, some of the bubble popped.”

          “There is sloth paraphernalia everywhere we go, however we haven’t seen any in the wild. Do they really exist? I have my doubts… But thank you, God, for the opportunity to see toucans, monkeys, iguanas, macaws!”

A few of the memories I am already looking back on are zip-lining, white water rafting, bus-riding through the mountains and countryside, visiting coffee farms, serving children at a river-bed community, a day on a catamaran and secluded tropical beach, swimming, laughing and eating with the other chaperones and seniors. 

In Costa Rica there is a slogan everyone uses: Pura Vida - Pure Life. They say this to one another in conversation. They repeat it to the tourists visiting their country. It’s on bill-boards, signs, commercials. They want to live the pure life - enjoy it to the full, appreciate the beauty, fun and adventure. While rafting down the rapids, our guide encouraged us to raise our oars, high five together and say ‘Pura Vida’ after conquering a big drop or splash.

What I loved about the phrase is how it relates to a ministry in which we were able to see life transformations. Men who were moving from darkness into light. From death into “pure life”. I will remember Pura Vida in the fun adventures, but mostly in the hope found from lives changed.

On Sunday afternoon, we spent time at Finca de Esperanza, Farm of Hope, a men’s rehabilitation farm that focuses on discipleship, farm work and finding purpose. We went to take a tour of the farm that had begun their ministry in Jaco around 6 months ago. We ended our time hearing testimonies from a few of the men.

There were plantain and avocado trees, an outdoor cooking pot over fire, a big garden area, bunk houses, a whole community created. The men labored on the farm, worked toward the goal of 12 months of discipleship classes, built community and studied God’s word.

I wish the testimony and sharing time could have gone on and on. We didn’t know we’d have the opportunity to hear the stories of some of the men, but what a blessing that we did. One of the men showed us some of his beautiful hand painted work while also sharing that the previous week had been a very difficult one for him. He had almost given into that difficulty and left the farm. Later he was one of the 3 that told their stories. He shared incredibly difficult and painful parts of his past, ending up with redemption and found family at the farm. Had he given into the demons of the previous week, we never would have heard the incredible story of his life and been blessed by the transformation we were able to see first-hand.

As we walked through the garden area, one young man’s face lit up as he talked about how the tomato plants grew and the number of expected cucumbers and peppers that would be produced on each plant. He worked hard and grew to love caring for the things that grew, while only a few months before he had entered the farm in zombie form, emotionless and silent.

The most beautiful and heart-wrenching story came from a young man, 26 years old. He had been at the farm for a few months and when the time was opened for any to share, he stood up and told us that was the first time sharing his testimony with a group. The tears he shed, so genuine, as he spoke of the abandonment of his own family and a difficult past that led to a difficult life. But he also spoke of hope and a new family in Christ. To go from such destruction to bravery, life and a future was powerful to see.

Everyone has a story. Everyone has cards dealt, hands offered. Everyone once was dead. These men while still facing difficult days, memories, choices, are now given the opportunity to live alive in Christ. And you could see it only a few months in.

Traveling back in time a few hours to Sunday morning, we visited Horizon Church, of which Finca de Esperanza was a ministry. Two men who had completed the 12 month discipleship program, starting at a sister ministry and ending there in Jaco, were recognized and celebrated. It was so exciting to see the end results for those two men as they entered the beginning of the rest of what God has in store for them.

We sang these words Sunday morning, not knowing we would get to see them in real time later that afternoon:

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus

Over every heart and every mind

‘Cause I know there is peace within Your presence

I speak Jesus

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus

‘Til every dark addiction starts to break

Declaring there is hope and there is freedom

I speak Jesus

 

‘Cause Your name is power

Your name is healing

Your name is life

Break every stronghold

Shine through the shadows

Burn like a fire

 

By Sandy Gromacki

The Storms of Life

I woke Saturday morning to the sounds of thunder, heavy rain, and stiff wind.  I lay there and listened, grateful I was not out in it.  We have had a lot of storm/tornado warnings in the last few days.  I immediately thought of my children, scattered in five different places. 

The ones in Nashville and in Oklahoma have strong tornado watches. The one in Pennsylvania has severe thunderstorms forecast.  Atlanta shows no rain, but strong wind gusts.  New Zealand shows wind gusts of twenty-five to thirty miles per hour.  (That last one concerns me because he lives on a boat.  There are waves to deal with.) 

These physical storms concern me, but even more I pray for safety in emotional and spiritual storms.

Psalm 107 describes what could be any kind of storm.  Let’s begin at verse 24.

         “These see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep.

For He commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.

 

They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths:  their soul is melted because of trouble.

 

They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit’s end.

 

Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He bringeth them out of their distresses.  

 

He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. (I love the phrases used in the NIV:  “He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.”)

 

Then are they glad because they be quiet; so He bringeth them into their desired haven.” 

Do not believe I am speaking only of my children. I, too, face storms.  I am sometimes tossed in trouble and I stagger to and fro. But when I cry to Him, He stills the storm to a whisper and the waves of the sea are hushed.

Saturday evening is ending with the alarm of the weather radio going off over and over. We have been under a tornado watch for hours.  I am sitting on my nice cozy couch in my basement. And I have been reading about storms. 

Psalm 107 is the perfect chapter for today.  There is one verse that is repeated four times, so we cannot ignore it: “Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and or His wonderful works to the children of men!”  I cannot end without praising the Lord.  He is with me in the storms and He calms me. 

In Mark 4 Jesus calms a physical storm.  The disciples are with Jesus in a boat on the Sea of Galilee when a storm comes up suddenly.  The disciples are afraid they will perish.  They wake Jesus who is asleep in the back of the boat.  They say, don’t you care?  He says, Peace be still, and the wind cease and there is a great calm.

What I want to point out is Mark 4:36.  There were other little boats with them--others who were affected by the storm.  Others who experienced the peace, the calmed waves.  There are others who are affected by storms, sometimes even the same storm. May they also experience peace. May we be the example of peace in the midst of the storm.

~~Faith Himes Lamb 

Easter is Coming!

 How do you celebrate Easter? It might seem a bit early to be asking this question, but this past Wednesday marked the beginning of Lent, a period of 40 days (not including Sundays) leading up to Easter. Many denominations observe this period of time, beginning with Ash Wednesday, by fasting, praying, and charitable giving. The 40 days is meant to reflect the time Jesus fasted in the wilderness, and for many, the observance is focused on solemn repentance.

Lent and Ash Wednesday are not Biblically commanded observances, and I have never been apart of a church that observes them (though I have only been a member of 2 churches in my life).But the idea of Lent, particularly the idea of preparation for Easter, intrigues me.

Every year, we spend much time in preparation for Christmas. We decorate elaborately (what else would you call bringing a tree into your house?), listen to special holiday music, purchase and wrap gifts for each other, and count down the days to when we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Christmas is great, and an important Christian holiday, but I would argue that Easter is the most important holiday in the Christian calendar. It is the day Jesus conquered death itself and ransomed us from sin!

Easter has its traditional methods of celebration. Many dress up for church that morning; there is usually a special meal planned; and an egg hunt is usually scheduled sometime in the preceding couple weeks. But I think Easter deserves more. Christ’s resurrection is the single greatest event in human history. Why wouldn’t we go all out in preparing for and celebrating it?

There are many ways one could prepare for and begin celebrating Easter. You could follow Lenten tradition by choosing to give up something (it doesn’t have to be food!), taking time to pray on a regular walk, or giving your time or finances to a charity. You could choose to do something less traditional and put together an Easter playlist to listen to or decorate with whatever feels most Easter to you. Focusing on the life of Christ and reading through the Gospels is a great lead up to Easter.

The point is to be intentional about preparing your heart to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. Don’t let Easter sneak up on you. It doesn’t have to be perfect or look the same as somebody else. But I encourage you to put in a little more time and effort to celebrate the foundation of our faith.

So, how will you celebrate Easter this year?

--Concetta Swann

Who was Basil O'Conner?

 I learned about Basil O'Conner just this morning as I listened to a PBS documentary entitled, “The Polio Crusade.” Basil O’Conner served as a friend and legal advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. President Roosevelt, as many people know, contracted polio at the age of 39, and he remained paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life. Passionate about finding a cure and rehabilitation for polio victims, President Roosevelt founded the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation in 1927 and eventually made Basil O’Conner the President of it. 

Basil O’Conner did not really even have much of a heart for non-profits, but he was loyal to Roosevelt. He wanted to please Roosevelt, but he had received a tough assignment. Back then, charitable organizations were mostly funded by the wealthy and certainly not the government. And guess what? The Great Depression hit America hard, so no one was giving much to charitable organizations. Everyone was struggling financially. 

So, Mr. O’Conner developed an ingenious idea to raise money for Roosevelt’s foundation. Ads that featured celebrities were developed to encourage people to send just one dime to the White House for this project. Even the poorest of the poor could scrounge up just one dime. The campaign was a huge success. O’Conner raised millions of dollars. The dimes (and dollars) just poured into the White House. The project later became known as the March of Dimes. 

(As a side note: Polio was a serious problem, but some of the ads exaggerated the risks of contraction and others were quite dark and fear based.) 

This story reminds me of Jesus’ observation of the widow giving her last mite. She gave out of sacrifice and poverty, and Jesus praised her for it. Most of us would not struggle to give a dime – or even much more. 

Of course, financial needs for charitable organizations still exist today. I work at the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes in Chattanooga, a non-profit. We hope to renovate our entire campus, which will cost approximately 10 million dollars. (We have 2 other campuses in Tennessee that are doing the same.) Our facilities are in terrible shape on so many levels. The President of TBCH is having some conversations with some potential wealthy donors. As he told us about this in our staff meeting this morning, I could not help but think about the March of Dimes and how the small gifts of many made such a difference. (He also plans to visit some of our churches and explain the project to them.) 

Little things make such a difference! Do you feel little today? Well, if you pull together with other little people, just think about what you could accomplish! 

joyce hague

A Fearful Saint

 

A Fearful Saint

I love history. I’m fascinated by stories of the past, and I have spent the last few months reading biographies of those living in the 1700s. One shorter account I read was of William Cowper’s life. Cowper lived in England from 1731 to 1800. His childhood was a difficult one. His mother died when he was six, and his father sent him to a boarding school from ages ten to seventeen. His experience there was not a good one.

Cowper suffered major depressions throughout his life, and around age 32, he moved into an asylum. There he was led to faith through the witness of one of the doctors as well as through Scripture, specifically Romans 3:25 where it says of Christ, “whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.” Cowper said of this experience, “Immediately I received the strength to believe it, and the full beams of the Sun of Righteousness shone upon me. I saw the sufficiency of the atonement He had made, my pardon sealed in His blood, and all the fullness and completeness of His justification... Unless the Almighty arm had been under me, I think I should have died with gratitude and joy.”

While we love happy endings, especially after someone’s salvation testimony, this was not the case for Cowper. Even as a believer, Cowper struggled with severe depression and intense melancholy off and on for the rest of his life. At times, he doubted his salvation and was afraid he was too far gone for God’s mercy and grace. Yet Cowper had a close friend and mentor, John Newton, who invested time in speaking truth to this hurting man. He was Cowper’s pastor for about thirteen years before he moved away to pastor elsewhere. Yet even then he wrote Cowper letters for the next twenty years until Cowper’s death, encouraging him in his faith.

William Cowper wrote poetry, and together with Newton published a hymnbook in which Newton wrote over 200 hymns and Cowper 68. You may know Cowper’s hymn, “There is a fountain filled with blood.” It is interesting that the one who at times wondered if he truly was forgiven wrote here the words, “And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.”

Perhaps you, like Cowper, struggle with guilt and lies that bombard you. Perhaps you struggle with intense sadness and depression. Keep clinging to Christ. Keep rehearsing truth. Keep surrounding yourself with sound doctrine and your brothers and sisters in Christ. Keep going to church even when you don’t feel like getting out of bed. On the other hand, perhaps you know a Cowper. May you be like Newton, a loving friend who doesn’t give up on the hurting, even when the struggles persist for years, but who keeps on speaking truth and showing love and care.

I love the following poem by Cowper on the sovereignty of God. May you read it and be encouraged by these words written about 250 years ago by an imperfect, struggling man whom God still used mightily to build up the body.

God moves in a mysterious way

His wonders to perform;

He plants his footsteps in the sea,

And rides upon the storm.

 

Deep in unfathomable mines

Of never-failing skill.

He treasures up his bright designs

And works his sovereign will.

 

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take.

The clouds ye so much dread

Are big with mercy, and shall break

In blessings on your head.

 

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

But trust him for his grace;

Behind a frowning providence

He hides a smiling face.

 

His purposes will ripen fast,

Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste,

But sweet will be the flower.

 

Blind unbelief is sure to err,

And scan his work in vain:

God is his own interpreter,

And he will make it plain.

 

(Information on Cowper’s life from The Hidden Smile of God, by John Piper)

 

--Amy O’Rear

Notes on a Business Meeting

 

On January 26 of this year, members of Grace Baptist Church met for a business meeting. At first, though, it felt more like a family reunion. Pots of chili on a long table were accompanied by bags of chips, bowls of sour cream, and piles of cheese. Then there were the fabulous desserts. (I tried two of the chilis—both delicious—and had nibbles of maybe three desserts, but who’s counting?[I’d love the recipe for that chili that included sweet potatoes, if anyone knows who made it.])

Standing in line for food, I got an opportunity to chat with several other members, and it was delightful to just be together in a safe, happy place. As I sat at the table enjoying excellent food, the screen before me displayed images of the year past: children in Sunday School smiling into the camera; the team in the sound box working their magic; nursery babies being loved during the service; various church members at a picnic; piles of chips, desserts lined up on a table; the AWANA Grand Prix with all its drama and excitement. Again, the event had the feel of a family reunion with the message “Look at all the fun we had last year!”

What really moved me, though, were the comments made by people giving their reports. I am a note-taker; it helps me pay attention. At some point I decided to write down a few comments to remember and reflect on. I do not have all the quotations word for word, but I am satisfied I captured the tone and intent of each speaker.

Paul Snyder, giving the report from the missions committee, talked about our “ongoing commitment to spreading the gospel and providing comfort around the world.” Isn’t this goal indicative of the heart of God, the command of Jesus when he left the disciples on that hill outside Jerusalem? Paul urged us to consider increasing our missions giving in order to reach more people. This goal is something to pray for and act on this year.

When Sandy gave her report on the children’s ministries, she said, “What great kids we have!” We are indeed blessed to have Sandy Gromacki and Jennifer Greve looking out for our little ones. They talked about helping children develop a personal relationship with God in order to “serve now—all around town in their own communities and schools.” As always, there is a need for more people to help with children’s ministries. Wouldn’t you love to be part of that effort?

Steve Gillmore took a few minutes to reveal his great love for our teens and his excitement at getting new students in the youth group. He spoke for many when he paused to remember the loss of Ryder Bigelow this last summer, but he rejoiced in that young man’s involvement in the Alaska Mission trip last June. Plans are in the works for more trips this coming summer. These are efforts we can pray for and help with our giving.

Fred Holcombe gave us a review of last year’s programs and a preview of more good things to come, including the Ministry Fair we all enjoyed last week. He encouraged all GBC members to “get involved,” and Kelly O’Rear talked about welcoming new members to “join the mission” of Grace. Kelly further emphasized “our calling to care for each other’s souls.” Yensi Pimental offered an excellent vision of the work of our Hispanic Ministry. He said, “I’m so grateful to this ministry” for “faithful people helping . . . equipping people to share their faith.” Pastor Love made the comment “I want to be a voice of hope." In his remarks on the budget, Mike Swanson noted, “We’ve got a fantastic staff.” He went on to say, “We have an extremely generous congregation.” Can you feel the love?

I want to posit the idea that all these lovely comments are due to our fantastic and generous God who brought us together to do his work in our area. Someone once claimed that he could tell what you love by looking at your checkbook. Not a lot of people use checks these days, but the point is clear. We spend money on what is important to us. I’d like to suggest that viewing our calendars could also offer insight to our priorities. My friends, where are we spending our resources? Are we pleasing God?

I am so thankful to have a church such as we have with people who love God and their neighbors. I am asking God how he wants me to serve. I trust you are doing the same.

--Sherry Poff

Forgive and Forget

 

Some of you have probably heard this story before. It’s one of my favorites to tell about the clear wonder-working power of God in my own life. It’s partially a story about forgiveness, but it’s mostly a story of what God did to wipe the slate (my heart) clean.

Not long after Gavin and I were married we moved to Dallas, Texas. He was attending Dallas Theological Seminary and I was working as a nanny while looking for a job as a teacher. We knew only a couple of people there, so it was a season of loneliness for me, but I started getting plugged into a seminary wives group. Gavin was getting connected to people at his job: working part-time as the junior high leader at Fellowship Church, Dallas. 

A few things to know from my background as we head further into this story are that my Dad suffered from Paranoid Personality Disorder. I am an only child and as I entered this new life, newly married in a new place, I was dealing with a lot of anger toward hurts I had faced from my dad growing up.

 This anger and bitterness was something I ruminated on. I could go through the list of things he had done or said that were unreasonable and confusing and painful and feel the anger justify itself. I avoided phone calls with him and brushed him off often if he and my mom visited. Dwelling on these things from my past was majorly shaping my present relationship and life.

So, God began putting the topic of forgiveness EVERYWHERE in front of me. I got together with a lady from my seminary wives group and out of the blue she began talking to me about a time she had to work through forgiveness toward someone. I remember thinking, “But this is different. She doesn’t understand. I don’t want to.” Our pastor at church began a series on forgiveness. I tried to casually apply it to my future life, while ignoring the current, deep need of it.

Then I read Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. It is hard to ignore the power of forgiveness in that true story. In fact, forgiveness feels unfair and certainly undeserved after the abuse, horror and trauma Louis Zamperini went through in a Japanese POW camp and beyond.

But really, it isn’t until we realize the state of our own hearts and lives and their messy helpless need for rescue that forgiveness rings truest. God continued to gently but obviously put my need for peace in front of my face. He called me to the action of forgiving so that my own heart and life would find freedom. Over and over I said, “No! I don’t want to. It feels good to hold onto this. I like being angry.” Over and over he responded, “Forgive. This is right. This is good. This is powerful.”

So one random day, I finally listened. I decided to stay home one Sunday morning and spend time alone with my Father. I had a tiny walk-in closet that I took a journal and pen in with me. I set an alarm on my phone and left it outside the closet so that I wouldn’t be distracted, focusing on the time.

In that time alone, I walked through my whole list of hurts. Things that I would never be asked for forgiveness for. Things I had held on to for years. Things that felt seared into my mind. I handed each one separately to God and asked Him to carry them for me. To keep them from me and then asked Him to help me forgive as He has always forgiven me. 

The second I finished and said, “Amen” my phone alarm went off.

And it felt like God was saying, “You’re done. I’ve got it now.”

And He did. While reasons to forgive others will always come up in our lives and the act of forgiving is often cyclical, in that one morning, God had wiped clean the bitterness that had built up over a long time. Today I could not tell you what had been on my list of hurts. Those things that had felt so permanent in my mind, through the power of God, are now no longer taking up any brain cells. I can attest that in my own strength, none of that would have been possible. I can also attest that I am thankful God prompted me to do what felt hard because now I am able to live in the freedom and peace he promises.

I did not want to obey. I wanted to keep a tight fist around the anger that felt justified. That’s a realistic picture of my heart. But as Jesus rescues me from that fallen heart through his death, burial and resurrection, so too has He offered good things for our lives when we follow His example.

I felt that prompting and ignored it for a while. Maybe this is a prompting for you. Is there someone you need to forgive? They may never realize how they have hurt you. They might not ever ask you for forgiveness. But our God is big enough to carry that hurt for you and away from you if you’ll walk in obedience to Him. Forgive, friend.

--Sandy Gromacki

 

Puzzles

 

PUZZLES

One of my Christmas presents this year was a puzzle.  Not just any puzzle  however.  Stephen and Erin bought it for me at Norman Rockwell’s home in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. That home now houses the Norman Rockwell Museum.  Rockwell’s paintings capture the moments of life that typically show a single moment with unusual significance  You know the ones that show the response of the neighborhood to the returning soldier (Homecoming G. I.) , Thanksgiving dinner (Freedom from Want), the parents looking at the sleeping child (entitled Freedom from Fear), the football tackle (Tackled), the boy who finds the Santa suit (Discovery), the young girl dreaming of the future (The Girl at the Mirror), the young boy checking his doctor’s credentials (Before the Shot).  I’m sure you have your favorites.  One of my favorites is the one that makes this puzzle, Saying Grace, the grandmother and grandson praying before their meal in a restaurant.  

I am very slowly putting pieces together, while wishing my son-in-law was here to help me.  But the puzzle pieces have left me thinking.  I have plenty of time for that since there are 1,000 pieces in the project.

Every puzzle has a creator.  Rockwell had a final picture in mind when he painted, though I am not sure he envisioned his painting being cut into a thousand pieces.  We, too, have a Creator who knows exactly what the final picture will be.

The first thing I do with a puzzle is sort the pieces to find the edges.  Once I have the edges put together the picture has an orientation.  It has parameters beyond which the  pieces cannot go.  God has set the boundaries of my life.

Each piece belongs in a specific place.  It will slip nicely into its place and it will contribute to the overall image.  Sometimes I try to force a piece into place, before realizing the picture doesn’t make sense if the piece lands there.  I sometimes try to force the pieces of my life to go where I want them to go, but it distorts the whole picture.

Puzzle making is slow going for me.  I leave it on the table for sometimes weeks, putting just a few pieces together at a time.  I wish my eyes saw the pieces quickly, as my son-in-law Bill does.  I want to rush ahead in my life.

It’s more fun to do a puzzle with someone else.  Working with someone else encourages me.  But life is sometimes lonely and there is no one else to do life with.  But there is a Saviour who says, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”

Eventually there are only a few pieces left, then only one.  What a sense of accomplishment.  Psalm 90:12 tells us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.  I’m counting my days, desiring to please my Lord.

What is the take away, as our pastor says?  For me this is the take away:  Proverbs 3:5 & 6. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”  He knows where the puzzle pieces go and I can trust Him to put the pieces in the right places.

~~Faith Himes Lamb

The Tension of Perfection and Grace

 

Last week at a work meeting, the following quote was shared as encouragement and motivation in our jobs: "We will not achieve perfection, but we will find excellence in our pursuit of perfection” (Vince Lombardi). As an Enneagram 1 and perfectionist, the quote immediately grabbed my attention. Striving for perfection is a regular part of my life. I have a strong inner critic, and I’m constantly evaluating what I’m doing and saying to see if it matches up to what I think is right. 

I have an eye for catching small errors or things out of place and a strong desire to fix said errors. This tendency can serve me well when editing for my job, but it can also be problematic when I struggle to turn off that part of my brain for things that don’t truly matter or when it leads to being overly judgmental. I can easily get caught up in the small imperfections and forget to show grace to myself and others. 

Sleeping at Last has a song for each Enneagram type, and I love the message of the Type 1 song:

 “The list goes on forever

Of all the ways I could be better, in my mind

As if I could earn God's favor given time

Or at least congratulations

Now, I have learned my lesson

The price of this so-called perfection is everything

I've spent my whole life searching desperately

To find out that grace requires nothing of me”

 Grace requires nothing of me. What an amazing statement! God’s grace is freely given, not earned by the things I achieve or the words I say. The many imperfections of this life are evidence of the world’s brokenness and God’s true perfection. I don’t have to have everything together or do things just right for God to love me. He loves me because I am His creation and made in His image. He knows all my flaws and failures and is making me new. I need this reminder regularly. 

Yet this does not mean I should stop seeking perfection altogether or that the pursuit of perfection is fruitless. As the Lombardi quote reminds us, we can find excellence even if we can’t achieve perfection. We have each been entrusted with knowledge, skills, and resources that we are called to steward faithfully. Faithful stewardship does not require perfection, but it does require an attempt at excellence. We are not to be wasteful or careless with what God has given us. 

There is a tension between my desire for perfection and resting in God’s grace. But it can be a healthy tension if I let it. I don’t want to let myself go to either extreme: hypercritical or apathetic. There is a balance to be found in stewarding what I have been given with excellence while also resting in God’s abundant grace. The end of the Sleeping at Last song says it well: “I'll hold it all more loosely and yet somehow much more dearly.”

  --Concetta Swann

The Power of the Mind

 

I am so grateful for the youth leaders I had in middle and high school and for the program they put together to help us grow spiritually. It was called the Scholarship Program, because once we completed it, we were able to go on a mission trip, sprinkled with fun, that was sponsored by our church. (I went on two trips, one to the Bahamas and one to New York City.) Our leaders provided us with a list of spiritual disciplines to be completed each week with a special binder to track our progress. We learned about daily Bible reading, prayer, Scripture memory, church attendance (with notetaking), and visitation – just basic disciplines to help us grow. Somedays I was literally just “checking the box,” but other days I heard the voice of God. The good habits and a love for Scripture I learned stuck to me for life.

These days I like to mix things up during my devotion time to keep things fresh. Sometimes I do the read-the-Bible-in-a-year. Sometimes I dig deep and study a book of the Bible – usually one of the Pauline letters. I sprinkle in some inspirational books and focus on those topics for a while or maybe do a Bible study (recognizing that this is the work of people and not Scripture).

As I have grown older, memorizing Scripture has gone by the wayside. I convinced myself that I am no longer able to memorize. The words just do not stick! But recently I read the book, “Memorizing Scripture” by Glenna Marshall. She has convinced me that the hard work of memorization is truly worth it. It’s a thin, easy to read book that is chock full of depth and wisdom. I encourage you to get a copy. She gives some wonderful tips for memorizing, and I am finding that yes, I still can memorize! It has been easier than I thought. (The “Verses” app that she recommends has been very helpful to me.) I now have laminated copies of portions of Philippians in my shower and in my car. Finally, I have found a purpose for the “wasted” time I spend sitting at traffic lights! Now I can spend that time being “transformed by the renewing of my mind.”

How I long for that sort of transformation! The kind that leads to the filling of God’s Spirit, to righteousness, discernment, and a greater love for God and people. One that leads to tremendous joy despite circumstances.

I am also reading a book about transforming the mind from a completely different angle entitled, “You are the Placebo” by Dr. Joe Dispenza. It describes how one can use the mind to change one’s health and life. Being written from a New Age worldview, I would not necessarily recommend it. I’m praying that God would give me discernment as I try to see if there’s any truth in this book that I might put into practice. The author claims his ideas are based in science, but he describes people as “divine creators.” I found it interesting that he calls emotions like gratitude, love, joy, inspiration, peace, etc. the “elevated emotions” and the “limited emotions” listed are doubt, fear, anger, shame, etc. He states that gratitude is the most important emotion. It’s almost like he consulted the Bible on this! (He has some other ideas that sound suspiciously Scriptural.) If I am memorizing and meditating on Scripture, those emotions will develop in me without me putting my mind into a place of consciousness, which could open my mind up to evil things I don’t want – which is of course what this man recommends that I do.

One thing I HAVE come to believe is that the mind/ heart is very powerful. And so are our words. There’s an old saying, “What’s down in the well comes up in the bucket.” What is down in our hearts comes out in our words and actions. In Philippians 4, Paul tells us what to be thinking about, and they are all good, positive thoughts (I’m sure you are familiar with this passage). And how many times has God taught us in Scripture that He does not like a complaining, ungrateful heart? It is a fact that a more positive thought life leads to better health. He tells us that a cheerful heart is like a medicine.

I will leave you with one example that surprised me:

Not too long ago, I began to get sick. I pulled out all my usual herbs and supplements for the battle. I usually play some funny videos too, because I heard that laughter boosts the immune system, but this time I did something different, purely by accident. I like to journal our fun activities with family and friends, but I had gotten behind on that. So, since I could not get out, I decided to catch up by looking at brochures and pictures of the good times we had. I spent about 3 hours that day journaling, reminiscing, and smiling at pictures of my family and friends. I felt grateful and joyful. By the next morning, I was well. My husband, however, went on to be sick for several more days. Of course, I cannot say definitively that going down memory lane and thinking happy thoughts cured me, but it sure didn’t hurt!

So, what about you? Do you lean towards thinking positively or negatively? For many people, positive thoughts and gratitude must be cultivated. It was that way for me.

 

joyce hague

Listen to the Snow

 

It is late Friday morning, and I am sitting in my living room with a mug of hot chocolate next to me, a blanket over my lap, and the blinds pulled all the way up to reveal the beauty of snow as it falls through the sky to the ground where it is piling up. The kids have played outside and are now warming themselves up with their own cups of creamy hot chocolate. What a pleasant and peaceful day.

            Our God is the Creator of all things including the snow that is descending silently to the earth. I am currently reading a book entitled God of All Things in which the author shows how thirty ordinary objects or elements of nature mentioned in Scripture, such as mountains, honey, livestock, and trees, teach profound truths about God. While this book does not cover snow in its list of material things, snow shows up twenty-four times in the Bible. Might snow have been created not just to be beautiful but also to teach us truths that we can be reminded of every time we see it? As Andrew Wilson says in his book:

“Things take the form they do because they are created to reveal God. We describe God as ‘the Rock’ not just because rocks exist and they provide a good picture of safety and stability. Rocks exist because God is a Rock: the Rock of our salvation, the Rock who provides water in the desert, the Rock whose work is perfect and all his ways are just. When we flip things around like this, we get a very different picture of the purpose of creation, of physical stuff, of things. Ever since the beginning, the surface of this planet has been covered with rocks, and every one of them has been preaching a message of the faithfulness, security, and steadfastness of God.”

With this in mind, what is the falling snow telling us about God? Here are three truths though I’m sure there are more.

1. Snow speaks of the sovereignty of God over all His creation.

“He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes. He hurls down crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold? He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes the wind blow and the waters flow

(Psalm 147:15-17).

Snow reminds us that God is in control of all things, and that as he controls the elements of nature, so His Word will stand in every aspect of life. None can upend it. He will accomplish His plans. (See also Psalm 148: 7-8 and Job 37:5-7.)

In Isaiah 55:9-11, God makes this point in a slightly different way: “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” Next time you see the snow fall, remember that God is sending it, and His purposes, His very words, will prevail.

2. Snow is a picture of the purity of God.

Daniel had a vision that he described in Daniel chapter 7. He saw the Ancient of Days, God Himself, sitting on a throne. Daniel’s description of God includes this statement: “His clothing was white as snow” (verse 9). This is the exact same metaphor given for Jesus’s clothing in Matthew 28:3 after His resurrection, “His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.” What is the significance of the clothing of both God and Jesus being described in this way? Part of the beauty of snow is its absolute whiteness, its purity in color, as it falls from the sky and blankets the earth. In Mark 9:3, Jesus’s clothing at the Transfiguration is reported to be “radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them.” The point is that the pure white, such as we see in snow, displays the radiance, beauty, purity, and absolute holiness of God the Father and of Christ as seen in His glorified body. As I look now out my window and see the white brilliance, may it move me to worship God.

3. Snow tells the gospel story.

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” (Psalm 51:7)

“’Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord, ‘Though your sins are scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.’” (Isaiah 1:18)

What an amazing thought... that the purity of the clothing of Jesus Himself can be mine as I trade my dirty rags for the robe of His righteousness. We, too, through Christ’s death on our behalf, can have our sins removed and be made clean. In God’s grace and unmerited favor toward us, the snow need not only remind us of the purity of His clothing, but also of the garments we will wear in our purity as we one day stand around the throne.

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Rev.7:9-10)

Snow is telling the story of the glory of God (Ps. 19:1). Are you listening?

 

--Amy O'Rear

 

 

Love Life and See Good Days

 

Recently, as I was reading my Bible, I saw a date in the margin of I Peter 3: January 31, 1999. That was a little over twenty-five years ago, folks. Twenty-five years. I remember where I was standing in my kitchen when the import of those words in I Peter hit me, and I decided they would be a good goal for the coming year/decade/century/millennium. I think I must have been washing dishes or possibly preparing to cook because I was standing near the pots hanging on the blue pegboard beside the sink. (I no longer have the same kitchen but do still own some of the same pots. I think there’s a useful metaphor here, but I’ll have to save it for later.)

That I could think about the passage while standing in my kitchen is partly due to the fact that someone back in my college days urged me to memorize scripture—not just random scattered verses, but long sections with context and multiple sentences and paragraphs. I really can’t recall who or what spurred me to this endeavor; maybe I was simply prompted by God’s Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, I am grateful for the practice.

And here are the verses from I Peter 3:10-11—“For he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it” (KJV). Let’s see those verses in a different version-- For

“Whoever desires to love life

and see good days,

let him keep his tongue from evil

and his lips from speaking deceit;

  let him turn away from evil and do good;

let him seek peace and pursue it (ESV).

 

In his letter to the churches, Peter is quoting a psalm of David. I’m thinking it’s possible Peter had himself memorized the psalm, and it came to his mind as he was giving instructions to believers in the proper way to conduct a Christian life.

 

I recently retyped and reorganized my memory list, trusting in God to lead me in the work. And this month I’m working on learning Psalm 34, the original source of these verses. It seems appropriate to be looking at these verses here at the beginning of yet another new year, for who among us doesn’t want to “love life and see good days”?

 

When I thought about these verses back in 1999, I determined that this admonition would be my goal for the year. I can’t confirm that I’ve adhered to every word over the years. Certainly the choice to turn away from evil and to speak only truth is one that must be made over and over, so these verses still stand out in my mind as something to aspire to, with God’s help. If you’re still casting about for your word for the year or a goal you might put in front of yourself, here are some possibilities:

 

1.    Memorize scripture.

2.    Keep my tongue from evil.

3.    Seek peace.

4.    All of the above.

 

--Sherry Poff