Take Courage

Another Tragedy. Once again tragedy has struck. Once again the presence of evil has been made manifest. Once again the papers, news and social media sites have erupted with pictures and stories of the tragic event.

26 dead, 20 injured - 10 remaining in critical condition.

Just a month ago our country was grieving the horrific loss of 59 people killed while attending a music festival in Las Vegas, then, just last week, a truck attack killed 8 in New York, followed by this...26 people killed in church. 

If you're anything like me, you've begun to go numb. 

Numb to the images, numb to the pain.   

While numbing ourselves is a natural response to an overwhelming, and nonsensical pain, those of us who are disciples of Jesus Christ have been given a much different charge - not of retreat, but of moving into the pain and dark places.

Jesus had Compassion. In our society, we have been taught to remain strong, don't show your weakness, and never cry. Jesus models a different way; He models compassion. Jesus saw the crowds, the sick and the lost and was moved with compassion. Compassion involves kindness and goodness to the miserable and the afflicted; joined with a desire to help them. In order to have compassion, Jesus had to look. He had to look on the pain. Look at the people in distress. While I'm not encouraging you to look up images of this tragedy, I am encouraging you to look - look at the loss of life, acknowledge the pain of friends and family, feel the weight of a mourning community. Shed tears and let your heart feel. One of the worst things to come of so much tragedy is a culture immune to the loss of life. Our hearts should break when we hear of such pain and we should be moved with compassion, like Jesus. 

Let your Light Shine. Besides slowly cooking us into a state of numbness, our evil adversary would like nothing better than Christ-followers (His Little Lights) to become afraid and hide. "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house." (Mt. 5:14-15) It is our job to shine the Light of Jesus to a dark and dying world. Please do not be afraid- take courage!  "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that." Martin Luther King Jr. We must go into the world in greater force shinning our light before all people! 

Free Choice of Life. The presence of evil in our world is a reminder to me of a compassionate God who offers us a choice. A choice to choose evil (darkness) or a choice to choose God (light). Evil exists in our world because someone has chosen evil over God. God could have created a people of robots who would follow His commands with no questions asked. As we know, that would not be a true relationship. Relationships need to have choices and the awareness of such horrific and evil acts are a reminder of the choice we each must make daily. 

Hope in the Lord. C.S. Lewis once wrote, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." It is during times of tragedy that people are most receptive to conversations about faith. We have the greatest hope of all - Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, Redeemer of mankind, and Restorer of all Creation! Let's be people who proclaim the peace of God and bring the hope of Jesus to a world shrouded in darkness.

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Be at peace, sweet readers, and don't be afraid! "Greater is He that is in me, than He that is in the world." While we can't make sense of tragedies like the shootings in Texas or Las Vegas, we can put our hope in a loving God who promises to be with us and bring justice to our world.

A Parent Perspective on Shoeboxes

It's hard to believe I'm already talking about Christmas as November is barely beginning - but believe it or not - it's Shoebox Time!

Teaching our children to love Jesus and love one another is not an easy task. Parenting is not a one-step, one-conversation experience, but instead layers of discussions, modeling and living out our faith. The Operation Christmas Child project is a way Bret and I have helped expand our children's worldviews larger than themselves.

As our culture becomes more and more "me-centered," it is essential that parents speak the language of "loving the other" and not give into the selfish ideals of our society. I can easily make the assumption that most children in our churches will have more than one Christmas present this year - if not more than two or three Christmas parties! Our children are being inundated with social media narratives of "needing" more things to be happy. They are quickly becoming more and more confused between wants versus needs and are even more lost in our self-absorbed culture of comparison and entitlement.

I am always on the look-out for opportunities to wake us out of our slumber, say no to our culture and provide a different narrative with which to participate. That is where Operation Christmas Child comes in.

When my children were young, I would take them to Target/Walmart, give them a shoebox, let them choose to pack a box for a girl or a boy and then choose the age of the child. Children make good observations when we begin walking around filling a shoebox...

"My box is too small."  Children immediately recognize the toys they personally want would not fit into a tiny shoebox. Not only that, but shoebox toys cannot be electronic, or even need batteries. This concept alone is mind-blowing to a child! A simple stuffed bear, or jacks are great choices instead!

"There's not much room for a toy." I direct my children to fill their boxes with a few hygiene items first. After a toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, soap, and chapstick, the box is well on it's way to being full. This observation is important as they become aware of children who do not have basic needs (soap) and recognize the many luxuries they have daily. Oftentimes (our prayer at least!), this generates not just an awareness of childhood poverty, but thankfulness for a child's own blessings.

As a parent, this little shopping trip has been a worldview changer for my children. It has fostered compassion toward children in third-world countries and opened my children's eyes to the many hurting people around our world. I've even used the globe to show my children where the Shoeboxes were delivered and as we can now track our boxes, we enjoy watching the video Samaritan's Purse puts out of the presents being delivered (this helps expand their worldview in a tremendous way!).

Not just that...but each box has the Gospel message of Jesus Christ placed inside in the child's own language. Boxes are taken to local churches, were children can pick up the presents and then have follow-up spiritual, physical care by a church near them who loves Jesus and speaks the child's language.

I love this project because of the fruit I have seen in my own children and in changing young lives in countries around our world. 

If you have children, I encourage you to help expand your child's worldview beyond themselves in the simple act of filling a shoebox. Follow this link (SHOEBOXES) for additional information!

If you have Shoebox stories to share (even about your shopping experience!) I'd love to hear them!
May God's grace and peace be with you as you intentionally parent your children toward love and good deeds!
Connie

The Beauty of Details

I am a person who admires details. When I go to events, I determine how important the event was based on the attention to detail it was given. At a given event I may pick up a program, for example, and search to see if the program has a personal touch or a copy-and-paste feel? What is the weight of the paper? How does the paper feel? Smooth, rough? Is the paper a color? What color-feel does it express? What font was chosen? Plain old boring fonts I can name or unique fonts that are an expression of the event itself? Is there color in the font itself? Bold, italic?

This "measuring-up" I do everywhere I go may seem exhausting to other personalities, but for me, it is my constant companion. I investigate details in everything. In a few quick seconds I size-up situations, people, events based on the details I see, hear and feel.

When I was a little girl my mom would take us for walks. She remembers being frustrated with me because I walked so slow while my brother and sister were running off ahead of her. I would stop and pick up flowers, look at bugs, and watch the wind blow. As a mom I can understand her frustration, but I also look back with fondness on that little girl who was so fascinated by the details and designs in nature that it caused her to stop and admire the beauty.

A few years ago, I was working with a young man who had worked for hours on a logo for a sermon series he was about to begin with his high school students. I'll never forget him telling me his frustration for "wasting" so much of his time on the logo. His logo was amazing, but he couldn't rationalize spending that high of a percentage of his work-week on creating his awesome logo. He told me next time he was create a simple, boring logo so as not to waste his time when the kids really didn't care and parents never noticed his work. Ouch. Here was a person of detail, an eye for design, throwing in the towel for the sake of appeasing an ungrateful audience.

Numerous times in my career people have questioned why I do what I do. "Why do you work so hard?" "Why do you bring in real flowers when you can just buy fake ones?" "Why do you waste your time writing notes or signing your name?" "Why did you spend time on something no one will notice?" That last question is my favorite. "...no one will notice?" Perhaps what they mean is, "non-detailed people notice." These voices that demean details and devalue creativity argue against the logical side of my personal time and energy creating this overwhelming tug-of-war. Who will win? Logic or passion? Do I simply do the job and check the box like my colleague was falling into years ago? How long can I continue to wrestle with the question, "Would anyone notice if I didn't do a, b, or c?"

I go back to what I said at the very beginning- I am a person of detail. Perhaps no one else will notice, but I will. I will see details missing. I will see the hole where the flower should have been and for me personally, I will find the event shallow and not important. I am compelled to add details - even if I am the only one who sees!

Thankfully, I serve a God who shares my passion for details. His creation is limitless on its creative design and fantastic artistry. He has hidden beauty in nature that no human eye has ever seen and I have to wonder does that mean it is not important? Certainly not! Everything I do is for Him- for His glory and for His praise. I can rest knowing my detail-loving God sees. He sees me. He sees the little touches and work I do...and He smiles - and that, my friends, makes the details all worth while. Keep creating and keep adding details!

"For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:13 (Lots of tender-loving care and detail involved here!)

Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35)

Working as a Children's Ministry Coordinator for 18-years gave me an appreciation for the Bible and a recognition of seasonal cycles embedded within the scriptures which allow us to study and learn complete narratives. I organized a scope and sequence so that if a child attended church every Sunday (I know - here's hoping!) s/he would have read most major stories of the Bible.

One of the sad things about working with adults is the lack of connecting stories. Sometimes the themes overlap, but the drama behind personalities, friendships, and enemies is lost in our snap-shot Sunday format. Wouldn't it be fun to actually organize curriculum around Biblical cliff-hangers where people are compelled to either pick up their Bible and finish the story for themselves, or at least return the next week to hear what happened! Oh, I image a cliff-hanger every Sunday would get old, but at least completing a story in succession would be nice!

All that to say, "The Road to Emmaus" is one of my favorite post-Resurrection stories and one I have yet to hear taught to adults! So I thought I'd share a bit about this great story...

This story takes place the day Jesus has risen from the dead. Remember, Jesus has died on the cross, his body was placed in a tomb and now certain women and even some disciples are saying he has risen and they have seen him! Preposterous you say? So did these two men. We don't know exactly who these men are. One man's name is Cleopas (v.18), but we never know the name of the other. Luke includes them in a group of people who were following Jesus - not his 11 disciples, but two men who had been traveling with the group. They were seven miles outside Jerusalem on the day of Jesus' resurrection. There are no cell phone or electronic devices and this story ends with the men stopping for dinner, which means these two men must have, upon hearing the morning reports of the resurrection, decided this is just too much to believe and they want to disassociate with this mess by leaving as fast and as far as possible. 

These two men have left a place of pain and confusion. Instead of facing their fears, doubts and pain, they decide to leave.

I love that the Gospels are filled with post-resurrection accounts of Jesus appearing to a multitude of people. His appearances, to me, are a reflection of his love for each individual. Jesus appeared to groups at a time, but also to individuals - or in this case - two men traveling along a lonely road. 

Scripture records that when Jesus approached the men, "their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him." The resurrection, in itself, is mind-boggling. I like to sit and ponder "life-after-resurrection" based on what Jesus did after his resurrection. There was no body in the tomb (only linen wrappings) so somehow, the resurrected Savior used up the dead matter of his flesh into his resurrected body (Maybe I'm getting to far out there for some of you...don't you like to let your mind think about the "what if's" and "I wonder" of life?) Anyway, along comes Jesus and these two men don't recognize him. 

The men explain to Jesus what they've been talking about (v.19-24) and all the events of Jesus' life leading up to this moment. Their statements are factual, but wrapped with uncertainty and unbelievability. The two men almost seem confused as to not knowing who or what to believe - which is (I image) why Jesus chose to appear to them personally (isn't He the coolest guy?). 

Then, Luke records one of the statements that I wish was documented somehow, "And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in the Scriptures." (v.27) How amazing to hear Jesus explain the Holy Bible to them! 

Finally, the men arrived at their destination and urged Jesus to stay with them since it was getting late. Classic Jesus: he comes inside to hang-out with his friends. 

"And it came about that when He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight." (v.30)

Oh my, so much here! Jesus reveals himself in the breaking of the bread! It's like a light goes on, dots are connected and suddenly, these two men's eyes are opened to make sense of not just the resurrected Jesus before them, but the connecting of the scriptures pointing to Jesus! And then- without so much as another word - Jesus vanishes! (Like I said, Jesus is awesome! The resurrected body of Jesus can vanish, walk through walls, but still eat fish! How cool is that?!)

The best part of the story is in verse 33, 

"...and they arose that very hour and returned to Jerusalem." 

Their question marks had been turned into exclamation points! That very hour - while it's still dark - they walk another seven miles back to Jerusalem! I can imagine them skipping down the path, leaping with joy! They have just seen their Risen Savior! He really has risen!

This story oozes with lessons, but I thought I'd share the lesson I glean from this story in 2017. 

I have personally had a very hard year. In many ways, things I have experienced have left me doubting a lot, questioning friends and feeling very alone. But running from the problems of my Jerusalem does not solve anything. Instead, Jesus has encountered me in my grief and in my confusion. He reminds me of my blessedness in Him. He opens scriptures to reveal His promises and love for me. He challenges me to get up, confess, repent and then return to the dark place to shine His Light and bring hope to others who are in darkness and do not yet believe. Most importantly, I am aware that I am not alone, even when I run away, Jesus is on the road with me. "Where can I go from your presence?" The Psalmist questions? This story answers- there is no where we can run where Jesus will not be with us and meet us.

I don't know what your Jerusalem looks like and what pain you may be running from, but I pray your eyes will be opened to see your Risen Savior walking by your side. I pray, also, that when you see you are not alone, you will have courage to walk back to your place of pain so that Jesus can bring hope, healing and a future. 

May you be blessed this day - one week after the Resurrection - as we continue to celebrate and remember the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Mending the Saints

Have you ever had one of those experiences where you thought you knew a word and then - BAM - your mind and theology blows up in your face when the fullness of the word reaches your heart?

Growing up, I learned the importance of "equipping the saints." My definition for equipping came from my basic understanding of the word meaning "to equip, to arm, and/or to empower."

 Ephesians 4:11-12 ~ "And he gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of service to the building up of the body of Christ."

From a limited perspective, it would be an easy to read these verses in Ephesians and think the role of leaders is to equip (give) "something" to people within the body of Christ. In this one little word 'equip' I thought it was a leader's job to give something to another for this equipping to occur.

Remarkably...are you ready for your mind to be blown?...that is not the Biblical definition of the equipping!

The verb equipping, as found in Ephesians, doesn't mean empowering or arming, it actually means mending!

This equipping verb is derived from the noun (katartizo) meaning to make perfect, mend, prepare, restore and perfectly join together. This is the same word both Gospel writers Matthew and Mark use to describe the disciples "mending their nets" when Jesus came upon them at the beginning of the Gospels.

Paul's challenge to church leaders in the book of Ephesians is not to give people a tool, task, or job - but to mend them. Jesus Christ is the One who gives gifts and He has lavished on us lovely talents, abilities, personalities and passions. We, however, are broken people dealing with all kinds of fall-out from sin. This "working out of our salvation" as Paul says in Philippians comes in the form of "fear and trembling" because setting of broken bones is painful. Mending of broken hearts is dangerous. And restoring broken lives is a process.

Knowing my job is to mend the saints keeps my eyes on Jesus - the only One who can truly bring restoration and healing to our lives. It's not about me. There is not a church leader or self-help book out there that has the power to transform hearts and mend our brokenness - that, my friends, comes only through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

It's beautiful to think Jesus chose disciples who were caring and mending their nets. He did not choose men who abused their nets and then thew them away in replace for new ones. Tender care goes into mending. It is not a fast or abrupt process. In our quick-paced, demanding culture, I wonder if we even have time to be ambassador's of Jesus in mending of so many broken lives around us? Or are we all (leaders very much included) simply too busy?

Prayer:
God, please teach me to be someone who mends lives. Show me the delicate process of setting broken bones and healing hearts through Your power at work within us as we painfully work together to form your Church.

My Journey of Fasting 2017

Background: Our church is participating in the church-wide Prayer & Fasting during the month of January. Last year, I did a juice fast, which was more tedious than hard. This year, I decided I'd go a bit more 'hard-core' and fast completely - at least for three days.

Anyone who know me, knows I am a HUGE coffee drinker! My coffee addition has always been my hangup when I consider fasting. I really want to fast, but it's such a process to get off coffee and then get back on coffee. (Pathetic, I know!) Well this year I decided to cut it all - coffee included.

Day 1: The Headache. 

My head pounded, my heart raced, my thoughts train wrecked into each other...I was a mess. My daughter was leaving back for her 2nd quarter at UCI that morning, so I wanted to treat her to one last good breakfast. Eggs and sausage, just like she likes it. As the smell of sausage lingered in the house and I kissed her goodbye, I was simultaneously telling my stomach to be quiet!

My fasting tends to start out with a battle of my flesh before I tap into hearing the voice of God. My Monday was that in a nutshell! I'd get hungry, my stomach would growl, my headache grew increasingly intense and I would say,

"I am a daughter of God! I do not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God! Be quiet flesh- you will not win!"

After a long day at work and my first day back at seminary (let me just say, a Greek instruction with no food and a pounding headache was not much fun!) I came home exhausted. Luckily I had leftovers prepared for my family so my meal-prep was minimal.

I'm proud to say I won round 1, but I was in bed by 7:00- exhausted.

Day 2: The Hormones.

Seriously? In case my lack of caffeine-headache wasn't bad enough, I woke up with my friendly female visitor! Now I wasn't sure if my stomach was cramping or wanted food. Regardless, this piece of flesh of mine was putting up a really good fight - but it was not going to win. No Advil or Tylenol could ease the pain of the headache or cramp in my gut! (Taking medication on an empty stomach is not healthy!)

"I am a child of God and my femininity will not knock me out of this race! Zip it stomach, 

quiet down head, peace to you uterus - you will not win!"

My nine-hour day at work pushed my body to the extreme. But I was determined to press forward.
I was in bed by 9:00, two-days of a horrible headache. But my flesh did not win. Laying my head on my pillow, I prayed for God's strength and grace to help me get through another day of this.

Day 3: Peace.

I woke up Wednesday to find my headache was gone! God's mercy is great and His love unfailing. My thoughts were still jumbled, but the fog was clearing.

Day 4: Sadness.

I've experienced a lot of sadness in 2016. Perhaps it was four days of no caffeine, perhaps it was the Holy Spirit slowly beginning to soften my heart, but whatever it was I was overcome with sadness on Thursday. In the shower. In the car. At work. I just broke down crying!

Each moment of tears represented deep pain coming out that I had stuffed in this year. Pain that I didn't want to see or deal with. But now, through fasting, prayer, and stillness, God was bringing to the surface the pain in my heart.

Day 5: Unraveling.

As my routine came more into focus and my praying more defined, I recognized an unraveling that began in my heart months ago. I felt like my thoughts, personality, goals, dreams, family were all falling apart from one another, becoming disconnected. The thread that holds my inner being together, that was woven between all these things is the Spirit of God. I felt I had become so busy, so driven, so focused that my 'joints' are loosening and the thread of the Spirit is pulling away. Almost like the Spirit doesn't feel like He has a place to dwell. I cried out with Moses' prayer,

"If your Presence does not go with us, then do not send us up from here." (Ex. 33:15)
I am nothing without You!

Day 6 & 7: Quiet.
During the next two days I experienced God's peace and rest. My mind was not racing with thoughts, my dreams were not fast-paced, and I was connecting to the stillness of God deep in my spirit. Those two days were heaven-on-earth. My heart rate was slower and my thoughts clear.

Unfortunately, as I reflected on the week ahead of me Sunday night, I recognized that the demands in my life are too extreme for me to be on a complete fast more than one week. I knew, logically, that I'd fall back into my vicious cycle all too quickly - and it made me sad.

Day 8+: Slow Beginnings & Back to Normal.
I was sad to drink smoothies over the next week to begin nourishing my body. I had events to attend to, children to care for and a job to work at - no more fasting for me. I slowly began coffee again on week 3, but (like expected) was back into my routine by week 4 - racing...racing....racing...

My time of fasting and prayer was awesome. The peace and presence of the Living God that I experienced was phenomenal. I was (and am) extremely sad to get back into my routine. My time with prayer and fasting has left me realizing my routine MUST change. The life I am living - the pace I am going - is craziness!

"God, give me courage to evaluate my life and make the changes I need to make to slow my pace so I can hear the speaking of your still small voice and experience your daily peace and presence."