I was at our big international conference for my business this past weekend, and I walked away with a lot of conviction. The word complacent was mentioned, and it hit me pretty hard. I started to think more about complacency and ask the Lord where it had taken root in my life and all aspects of it.
Dictionary:
Complacent - Contented to a fault; self-satisfied and unconcerned.
Bible:
"At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, 'The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad.'" (Zephaniah 1:12)
"Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come!" (Amos 6:1)
"Within a year and a few days You will be troubled, O complacent daughters; For the vintage is ended, And the fruit gathering will not come." (Isaiah 32:10)
Uh...ouch.
So even though there is more to the story with each one of this scripture references, it is easy for me to decide that I certainly don't want this word to explain any aspect of my life. However I realized that indeed there are places of Kristen that can very accurately be described in this way right now.
As they say, though, "Knowing is half the battle." The other half is changing it.
How does complacency set in? Knowing this will help in preventing it again (and again and again) down the road. It is like a cancer because it is not usually detected until it has grown enough to cause a problem. Then it must be fought with vigor and aggression to destroy it completely in order to be set free from it.
My definition of complacent is:
Knowing what I should do and not doing it. Being content with where I am.
Even if I think that I am thinking otherwise - ie: I don't consider myself content with where I am - my actions speak the truth.
I have realized that this is going on in my business, for example. I have a job do to, a responsibility, to those whom the Lord brings before me to offer hope through what my company has to offer. How can I be complacent when I know how much I have been blessed by it? How can I act unconcerned for others?
I have realized that I have grown complacent in my prayer life. I have been more intentional in recent weeks, but still the battle must be fought and won in order to restore my prayer life to one that takes seriously the call to pray.
I have realized that I have grown complacent in my outreach to my neighbors. I want to show my neighbors the love that Christ has for them and the love that He has given me for them, as a result. I want to invest in them and be a good friend.
Complacency can sometimes be disguised as busyness. Sometimes I am busy, but other times I have not been intentional in making what the Lord has called me to do a priority and something of great importance. I can make great excuses, some of which may even be valid, but the fact remains that a complacent heart is not good.
The Lord sees our hearts. He knows what is going on in there, and only He can help us do what is right.
I need Him. It is so easy to become complacent if I forget this truth. I need Him for everything. I must depend on Him wholeheartedly and realize that apart from Him I can do no good thing.
So now I revisit these areas of my life, look into what scripture says about them, and carry on. May I be faithful to continually slay complacency with the Sword of Truth, for His glory.
Can I get an Amen?
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Intentionality in Taking Care of Yourself
Hey, who loves to work out, eat right, and get enough sleep? I do, but it doesn't always happen. If you go to a mall and sit for ten minutes watching the people who walk by you can see that it doesn't always happen in the lives of others, either. Why not?
I think it comes down to a combination of a few possible reasons:
1. Ignorance
2. Busyness
3. Laziness
4. It seems too hard and overwhelming.
5. Guilt
Any of these strike a chord? I think I have spent time with each of these possibilities as one time or another, but what I have found over the years is that I don't have a choice. Well I do actually have a choice to either take care of myself or not, but really if I want to live well is there really a choice?
So if the desire is there, where does one start? I think that dealing with the ignorance part will help with the rest of it. I suggest starting with the food you eat. Do you look at the ingredients in the foods you buy? Start with one or two ingredients that you want to get away from. My suggestion: Work on cutting out high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.
High fructose corn syrup, despite the catchy ads, is a chemically altered sweetener that is in a lot of foods. Your body uses it and responds differently to it than natural sweeteners such as raw, unfiltered honey. Less refined sugars such as evaporated cane juice, turbinado, and natural sweeteners such as honey, or natural maple syrup, stevia, and rebiana (there are others, too) are much better. Actually my company has a great natural sweetener which you can check out here.
If there are hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils in a food, then there is also trans fat. Trans fat is no good for the heart, and to put it in the words of a professor my cousin studied under, "I'd rather smoke a pack of cigarettes than eat something that has trans fat in it." That should speak volumes.
So what do you do? Your favorite snacks and foods have those two items in them! Have no fear, there are so many healthier options out there that often even taste like the foods you love - and sometimes even better. Example: Do you love Wheat Thins? For years they have had high fructose corn syrup in them. I love Back To Nature's Crispy Wheats. They taste even better and have healthier ingredients. And as a bonus, they are even cheaper!
Did you know that even 20 minutes a day of good exercise is beneficial? Can you go for a walk? Can you get a Zumba
or Pilates
DVD and pop it in for 20 minutes? It takes actually taking action and forming this into a habit to make it a part of your life. It's so worth it! You don't have to join a gym.
It amazes me what type of foods people eat and how little care they take of themselves mostly because they just don't know there is another way that is actually easier and affordable. You have to be your own advocate when it comes to what you put into your body because there is a lot of junk for sale.
Maybe it's busyness that is the problem. I know I get busy sometimes with life and neglect working out or getting adaquate sleep. Again it takes having a plan and being disciplined to stick with it. Also realize that it takes time to establish a habit. If you work on establishing a habit everyday for a month, you probably will have it as a part of your routine by the end of that month. I always include "exercise" on my to-do list, so that I can remember to do it and cross it off when I am done.
Many people argue that it takes time to cook healthier meals for their family. Sure, this is probably true. However, with proper planning you can make it work for you. For example, if you carve out a little time each day to take care of prep work, such as chopping veggies for the next day, you can save some time the next. Even more so, I have found that making a flexible meal plan helps tremendously. Each week I sit down and write out what will be for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for every day of that coming week. Sometimes I change my mind about what I wrote down, but for the most part it helps avoid the "What am I going to make for dinner?" scenario. Planning this out can save a lot of time! For me, it eliminates the wandering around aimlessly looking between the fridge and the pantry trying to pull something together at 5:30. It's too easy to just give up and order in or make something far less nutritious when you don't already have a plan in place. There is a great little book called, How to Take the Hassle Out of Homemaking
, by Rena Stronach that offers some great advice. I highly recommend it!
And if you are too busy to get enough sleep perhaps you should look at your schedule and see what you can cut back or cut out. Sleep is so much more important than people realize or maybe want to believe. It seems more convenient to just have an extra cup of coffee than get the full amount of sleep required to function optimally. God made us to need sleep - really 1/3 of each day (at night) should be spent sleeping. Your body does the most repairing during the hours of sleep. Plus you just can't function well when you are tired. So get some sleep, will ya?! And by the way, for more insight into caffeine, check out Caffeine Blues, by Stephen Cherniske.
Laziness can be another cause of failing to take care of oneself. I've talked about laziness before, and it seems to be a big problem in our society in particular. Laziness is also a characteristic of our fallen human nature because it is rooted in selfishness. Laziness affects others, too.
"If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks." (Ecclesiastes 10:18)
If it is a feeling of being overwhelmed that is holding you back, making a plan is a solution for this, as well. Also realize that you don't have to change everything at one time. Pick one or two things to change at a time and work on that. It will get easier as you add one or two changes at a time. Don't get overwhelmed by the big picture. Just take a step at a time.
I have found that often with moms, but also with others, there is a feeling of guilt associated with the idea of self-care. My mother will tell you that she did this for years. She took care of everyone else and not herself. I think that had to do with not realizing that she was just as important as everyone else and maybe she felt guilty about taking time for herself. Thankfully she made a significant change and started taking care of herself in a big way. One of the ways she has done that was by losing at least 50lbs! It took time, but I am so proud of her. She has a lifestyle that has helped her live better, and I know she will continue.
Maybe guilt comes in the form of "I never stick with it," or "I've let myself get this far gone." Don't beat yourself up. It doesn't do any good. Instead, make a plan. Start with learning more about one aspect of taking better care of yourself. If you know someone who is good at doing this, ask them questions. Take one step at a time, and if you fail to follow through one day, wake up the next day with a second chance. No one is perfect.
I long to see this taken more seriously within the church (all followers of Christ). We are called to be set apart as holy unto the LORD. Again, we are not going to be perfect. I think we can do much better though. It's starts with me. I need God's help to be disciplined and intentional.
I'll recommend one more resource here. I love the book, What Would Jesus Eat?
, by Dr Don Colbert. I found it very helpful and will read it again.
The next two things I am going to work on to make changes in order to take better care of myself are:
1. Going to bed earlier, so I can get up before my children...
2. Snack on more veggies instead of carbs (I have found myself filling up with more carbs than I need lately)...
I hope this encourages you. What are you going to start with next? Leave a comment. I would love to hear, and you never know, you might encourage someone else.
 |
| Flat Stanley Getting His Veggies On |
I think it comes down to a combination of a few possible reasons:
1. Ignorance
2. Busyness
3. Laziness
4. It seems too hard and overwhelming.
5. Guilt
Any of these strike a chord? I think I have spent time with each of these possibilities as one time or another, but what I have found over the years is that I don't have a choice. Well I do actually have a choice to either take care of myself or not, but really if I want to live well is there really a choice?
So if the desire is there, where does one start? I think that dealing with the ignorance part will help with the rest of it. I suggest starting with the food you eat. Do you look at the ingredients in the foods you buy? Start with one or two ingredients that you want to get away from. My suggestion: Work on cutting out high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.
High fructose corn syrup, despite the catchy ads, is a chemically altered sweetener that is in a lot of foods. Your body uses it and responds differently to it than natural sweeteners such as raw, unfiltered honey. Less refined sugars such as evaporated cane juice, turbinado, and natural sweeteners such as honey, or natural maple syrup, stevia, and rebiana (there are others, too) are much better. Actually my company has a great natural sweetener which you can check out here.
If there are hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils in a food, then there is also trans fat. Trans fat is no good for the heart, and to put it in the words of a professor my cousin studied under, "I'd rather smoke a pack of cigarettes than eat something that has trans fat in it." That should speak volumes.
So what do you do? Your favorite snacks and foods have those two items in them! Have no fear, there are so many healthier options out there that often even taste like the foods you love - and sometimes even better. Example: Do you love Wheat Thins? For years they have had high fructose corn syrup in them. I love Back To Nature's Crispy Wheats. They taste even better and have healthier ingredients. And as a bonus, they are even cheaper!
Did you know that even 20 minutes a day of good exercise is beneficial? Can you go for a walk? Can you get a Zumba
or Pilates DVD and pop it in for 20 minutes? It takes actually taking action and forming this into a habit to make it a part of your life. It's so worth it! You don't have to join a gym.It amazes me what type of foods people eat and how little care they take of themselves mostly because they just don't know there is another way that is actually easier and affordable. You have to be your own advocate when it comes to what you put into your body because there is a lot of junk for sale.
Maybe it's busyness that is the problem. I know I get busy sometimes with life and neglect working out or getting adaquate sleep. Again it takes having a plan and being disciplined to stick with it. Also realize that it takes time to establish a habit. If you work on establishing a habit everyday for a month, you probably will have it as a part of your routine by the end of that month. I always include "exercise" on my to-do list, so that I can remember to do it and cross it off when I am done.
Many people argue that it takes time to cook healthier meals for their family. Sure, this is probably true. However, with proper planning you can make it work for you. For example, if you carve out a little time each day to take care of prep work, such as chopping veggies for the next day, you can save some time the next. Even more so, I have found that making a flexible meal plan helps tremendously. Each week I sit down and write out what will be for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for every day of that coming week. Sometimes I change my mind about what I wrote down, but for the most part it helps avoid the "What am I going to make for dinner?" scenario. Planning this out can save a lot of time! For me, it eliminates the wandering around aimlessly looking between the fridge and the pantry trying to pull something together at 5:30. It's too easy to just give up and order in or make something far less nutritious when you don't already have a plan in place. There is a great little book called, How to Take the Hassle Out of Homemaking
, by Rena Stronach that offers some great advice. I highly recommend it!And if you are too busy to get enough sleep perhaps you should look at your schedule and see what you can cut back or cut out. Sleep is so much more important than people realize or maybe want to believe. It seems more convenient to just have an extra cup of coffee than get the full amount of sleep required to function optimally. God made us to need sleep - really 1/3 of each day (at night) should be spent sleeping. Your body does the most repairing during the hours of sleep. Plus you just can't function well when you are tired. So get some sleep, will ya?! And by the way, for more insight into caffeine, check out Caffeine Blues, by Stephen Cherniske.
Laziness can be another cause of failing to take care of oneself. I've talked about laziness before, and it seems to be a big problem in our society in particular. Laziness is also a characteristic of our fallen human nature because it is rooted in selfishness. Laziness affects others, too.
"If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks." (Ecclesiastes 10:18)
If it is a feeling of being overwhelmed that is holding you back, making a plan is a solution for this, as well. Also realize that you don't have to change everything at one time. Pick one or two things to change at a time and work on that. It will get easier as you add one or two changes at a time. Don't get overwhelmed by the big picture. Just take a step at a time.
I have found that often with moms, but also with others, there is a feeling of guilt associated with the idea of self-care. My mother will tell you that she did this for years. She took care of everyone else and not herself. I think that had to do with not realizing that she was just as important as everyone else and maybe she felt guilty about taking time for herself. Thankfully she made a significant change and started taking care of herself in a big way. One of the ways she has done that was by losing at least 50lbs! It took time, but I am so proud of her. She has a lifestyle that has helped her live better, and I know she will continue.
Maybe guilt comes in the form of "I never stick with it," or "I've let myself get this far gone." Don't beat yourself up. It doesn't do any good. Instead, make a plan. Start with learning more about one aspect of taking better care of yourself. If you know someone who is good at doing this, ask them questions. Take one step at a time, and if you fail to follow through one day, wake up the next day with a second chance. No one is perfect.
I long to see this taken more seriously within the church (all followers of Christ). We are called to be set apart as holy unto the LORD. Again, we are not going to be perfect. I think we can do much better though. It's starts with me. I need God's help to be disciplined and intentional.
I'll recommend one more resource here. I love the book, What Would Jesus Eat?
, by Dr Don Colbert. I found it very helpful and will read it again.The next two things I am going to work on to make changes in order to take better care of myself are:
1. Going to bed earlier, so I can get up before my children...
2. Snack on more veggies instead of carbs (I have found myself filling up with more carbs than I need lately)...
I hope this encourages you. What are you going to start with next? Leave a comment. I would love to hear, and you never know, you might encourage someone else.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
And Then God Will Bless Us
I stumbled upon this Psalm this weekend, and it really came to life for me and struck a chord in light of the state of our nation. I thought it would be important to share because this inspires me to pray even more urgently for our nation and the world. It is so amazing how the LORD lays out His truth so plainly. We need only to search for Him and find Him by searching with all our heart (see Jeremiah 29:13).
Psalm 67
"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine upon us,
Selah
that Your ways may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.
May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise You.
May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You rule the
peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth.
Selah
May the peoples praise You, O God; may all the peoples praise You.
Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us.
God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear Him."
Oh how I pray, LORD, that the peoples will praise You! May all the peoples praise You! Then the land will yield its harvest. Then You will bless us, and all will revere You!
May we be faithful in praying for our leaders, our people, and other peoples and their leaders. May we each seek the LORD and praise Him wholeheartedly. May we never cease to praise the LORD! He is so great!
"Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere Him." (Psalm 33:8)
"Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD." (Psalm 150:6)
Monday, August 8, 2011
Sacrifice
Sacrifice.
Definition: The surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.
You may have heard about the military helicopter that was fired on and went down in Afghanistan over the weekend killing 38 international military coalition members, including 30 US service members. I heard about it when I happened to be in a restaurant and saw the report on a television there. I thought about it several times after that and thought about the families of those service members. I thought about the people involved, the mission they were on, and the fact that because there are people willing to serve in this way I have the freedoms I have in this country. These service men saw these freedoms as "having a higher or more pressing claim" than even their own lives.
There are many freedoms that we have had since the founding of our country that have been challenged, but the fact still remains that I can live freely here in my country. It is easy to remain removed from the reality of the sacrifice that service members make, not to mention their families' sacrifices, as well. If you are not directly connected to someone involved, it can be difficult not to take for granted what these men and women do for us. But, I want to be faithful and pray for them. I want to be faithful and pray for our leaders.
Perhaps I had already stopped thinking about this helicopter that went down and the lives that were lost as as result. I pretty much moved on to my daily life and forgot thinking about the families that now are grieving. Then this morning, I learned that I actually knew one of the men who gave his life when that helicopter was attacked. I went to high school with him, and I went to college with his sister. His family was a family that I admired while I went to the same youth group shortly after I began to follow Jesus back in high school.
Suddenly, even though I hadn't been in touch with Aaron or his family much over the last ten to twelve years, the story became more real to me. As I watched the videos and read the stories today, I felt more of a connection with these service members and their families then I knew how to before. Though I only knew this family briefly, I knew their love for Jesus and their love for each other.
I don't know this kind of sacrifice.
Thinking about this today really made any sacrifice I thought I had ever made pale in comparison. Making a sacrifice to put down something I want to do in order to spend time with my husband or children, though valid, did not seem like much of a sacrifice anymore. Being willing to consider someone else over myself, didn't seem like that big of a deal.
In a society like ours, sacrifice is often not seen as a strength. I pray that these service members will be honored in the way they deserve for fighting for our nation, for freedom, and for each one of us. I don't know how the news organizations will cover this story. I don't know how the families will feel about that coverage, but I do rejoice in the ways at least this one service member, Aaron Vaughn, is being remembered.
So many Americans are embarrassed to be American and fail to recognize not only the sacrifices made to found this very republic, but also the sacrifices that are made to uphold it! There is a lot of misinformation out there that leads to disdain for our founding fathers, US service members, and the leaders who have served our country, many of them sacrificing everything to do so. Respect is what they deserve. I thank God for them!
After hearing about this loss that the Vaughn family now has to endure, and watching this interview from the Today Show, I kept thinking of this passage of scripture from John 15:12 and 13:
"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
Jesus spoke this to His disciples. It is still true today, and those of us who follow Jesus are called to this kind of love. Of course, many of us won't be called to this kind of sacrifice. The question is, though, are you willing?
May we be prayer warriors for these families and those who serve our country. May we be willing to appreciate their sacrifice and be thankful.
Definition: The surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.
You may have heard about the military helicopter that was fired on and went down in Afghanistan over the weekend killing 38 international military coalition members, including 30 US service members. I heard about it when I happened to be in a restaurant and saw the report on a television there. I thought about it several times after that and thought about the families of those service members. I thought about the people involved, the mission they were on, and the fact that because there are people willing to serve in this way I have the freedoms I have in this country. These service men saw these freedoms as "having a higher or more pressing claim" than even their own lives.
There are many freedoms that we have had since the founding of our country that have been challenged, but the fact still remains that I can live freely here in my country. It is easy to remain removed from the reality of the sacrifice that service members make, not to mention their families' sacrifices, as well. If you are not directly connected to someone involved, it can be difficult not to take for granted what these men and women do for us. But, I want to be faithful and pray for them. I want to be faithful and pray for our leaders.
Perhaps I had already stopped thinking about this helicopter that went down and the lives that were lost as as result. I pretty much moved on to my daily life and forgot thinking about the families that now are grieving. Then this morning, I learned that I actually knew one of the men who gave his life when that helicopter was attacked. I went to high school with him, and I went to college with his sister. His family was a family that I admired while I went to the same youth group shortly after I began to follow Jesus back in high school.
Suddenly, even though I hadn't been in touch with Aaron or his family much over the last ten to twelve years, the story became more real to me. As I watched the videos and read the stories today, I felt more of a connection with these service members and their families then I knew how to before. Though I only knew this family briefly, I knew their love for Jesus and their love for each other.
I don't know this kind of sacrifice.
Thinking about this today really made any sacrifice I thought I had ever made pale in comparison. Making a sacrifice to put down something I want to do in order to spend time with my husband or children, though valid, did not seem like much of a sacrifice anymore. Being willing to consider someone else over myself, didn't seem like that big of a deal.
In a society like ours, sacrifice is often not seen as a strength. I pray that these service members will be honored in the way they deserve for fighting for our nation, for freedom, and for each one of us. I don't know how the news organizations will cover this story. I don't know how the families will feel about that coverage, but I do rejoice in the ways at least this one service member, Aaron Vaughn, is being remembered.
So many Americans are embarrassed to be American and fail to recognize not only the sacrifices made to found this very republic, but also the sacrifices that are made to uphold it! There is a lot of misinformation out there that leads to disdain for our founding fathers, US service members, and the leaders who have served our country, many of them sacrificing everything to do so. Respect is what they deserve. I thank God for them!
After hearing about this loss that the Vaughn family now has to endure, and watching this interview from the Today Show, I kept thinking of this passage of scripture from John 15:12 and 13:
"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
Jesus spoke this to His disciples. It is still true today, and those of us who follow Jesus are called to this kind of love. Of course, many of us won't be called to this kind of sacrifice. The question is, though, are you willing?
May we be prayer warriors for these families and those who serve our country. May we be willing to appreciate their sacrifice and be thankful.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
It's All in the Followthrough
If you have ever played any sports, you have heard about followthrough. You have heard it said, "It's all in the followthrough." I remember in my short attempt to play sports during my childhood many times where a coach or teacher would tell me I needed to follow through. They would tell me I was cutting myself short because I wasn't following through after releasing the ball, etc. I knew they were right. It takes concentration and effort to follow through, but it is worth it.
Over the past couple of years, I have been digging into this idea of followthrough. Mostly I need to because, embarrassingly, I am not always good at it. I don't like this about myself, and I wish to change it. I want to be a person who follows through and can be trusted to do so.
Followthrough.
Bringing to completion.
Finishing what I start.
Followthrough is the noun that comes from the verb phrase, "to follow through."
As I have been working on many ideas, including several books to write, I have noticed that it seems the difference between a good idea and a good idea that comes to fruition is the followthrough. Perhaps here again it is all in the followthrough. When I would hear of a new product or idea that came out, I used to ask myself, "No one had ever thought of that before now? Why didn't anyone ever think of that earlier than now? Why didn't I think of that?!"
Now I see that it's not always that no one thought of it before, but rather no one did anything about the idea before. Have you ever known someone who after seeing a new product on the market lamented, "That was my idea! I wanted to do that!" Often they just never did anything about it, and someone else did.
Sometimes there are hindrances such as fear, laziness, regret, lack of intentionality... Also, when I fail to followthrough I am almost always acting in selfishness. It may not be noticeable even to myself, but selfishness lurks in the shadows of not following through with what the Lord has called me to do with excellence for His glory. Usually, I am thinking of myself and not others when I reside in those shadows.
I need Jesus here because I cannot grow and mature in the area of followthrough without His help.
I am confronted with this issue daily. In my daily life, in my business, in my teaching myself to play violin, in my writing, in my desire to take care of myself, there is always a fight to followthrough. It takes work to followthrough and to be a person who means what he says and does what he says he will do.
I want to be this type of person.
I am thankful that the Lord finishes what He starts.
"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)
May I follow His example and followthrough where I am called to finish what I have started. I pray this for you, as well.
Over the past couple of years, I have been digging into this idea of followthrough. Mostly I need to because, embarrassingly, I am not always good at it. I don't like this about myself, and I wish to change it. I want to be a person who follows through and can be trusted to do so.
Followthrough.
Bringing to completion.
Finishing what I start.
Followthrough is the noun that comes from the verb phrase, "to follow through."
As I have been working on many ideas, including several books to write, I have noticed that it seems the difference between a good idea and a good idea that comes to fruition is the followthrough. Perhaps here again it is all in the followthrough. When I would hear of a new product or idea that came out, I used to ask myself, "No one had ever thought of that before now? Why didn't anyone ever think of that earlier than now? Why didn't I think of that?!"
Now I see that it's not always that no one thought of it before, but rather no one did anything about the idea before. Have you ever known someone who after seeing a new product on the market lamented, "That was my idea! I wanted to do that!" Often they just never did anything about it, and someone else did.
Sometimes there are hindrances such as fear, laziness, regret, lack of intentionality... Also, when I fail to followthrough I am almost always acting in selfishness. It may not be noticeable even to myself, but selfishness lurks in the shadows of not following through with what the Lord has called me to do with excellence for His glory. Usually, I am thinking of myself and not others when I reside in those shadows.
I need Jesus here because I cannot grow and mature in the area of followthrough without His help.
I am confronted with this issue daily. In my daily life, in my business, in my teaching myself to play violin, in my writing, in my desire to take care of myself, there is always a fight to followthrough. It takes work to followthrough and to be a person who means what he says and does what he says he will do.
I want to be this type of person.
I am thankful that the Lord finishes what He starts.
"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)
May I follow His example and followthrough where I am called to finish what I have started. I pray this for you, as well.
Monday, July 25, 2011
God Reigns and The Son Shines
I have been thinking about light lately. This was partly sparked (pun intended) by an event I went to that had a table with a banner that talked about bringing the "God's light" to people. However as I watched what they were doing I didn't see God's light. In fact I saw quite the opposite. I saw the darkness that comes when people are confused about who God is and how He works in our lives. It made me sad, and it made me think. It made me pray, and now it is making me write.
"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." (Isaiah 5:20)
Why are people confused?
What is light?
Light - something that makes things visible or affords illumination: All colors depend on light.
This is what the Bible says, too:
"But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." (Ephesians 5:13,14)
God created this light. He said in Genesis 1:3, "Let there be light," and there was!
What happens when you turn on a light in a room? The darkness disappears as soon as the light comes on. Even a small light can make objects in the room visable. And without light, there would be no colors. Light is very important.
So what is God's light really?
"The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world." (John 1:9)
"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)
"This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5)
Jesus stepped down from His throne in Heaven to come into the world and be our light - to make things visable. Furthermore, we learn in Revelation 22:5, that in Heaven we "will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light."
And while I could go on and on about this, I actually am going to focus on a different aspect of this topic.
Jesus said to His disciples:
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16)
So Jesus said He was the light of the world, and then He called His disciples that, too. Though His disciples were not God like He is, they were to be the light of the world. They could only be the light of the world because of Jesus. It was His light that would shine through them, so that others could learn the truth of who Jesus was and recognize their need of Him. The same is true of those who follow Him today.
"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light." (Ephesians 5:8)
So how do we live as children of light?
First of all, in order to shine His light to anyone we need to know the truth. We need to be students of His Word, the Bible, and know Him better as a result of our prayerful study. This is a frustration of mine with many Christians today. There often is a lack of reverance for not only the LORD, but also for His Word! Sometimes the Bible is treated as an accessory or an item of decor instead of a manual for life and a vital part of each day. Of course, there will be days when there is less time to study than others, but ask yourself:
"Am I cracking my Bible open each day?"
"Do I even know where my Bible is?"
Yikes! We have to pick up our Bibles and learn what is said within. How else will we be able to speak truth in boldness? Also we need to be able to articulate the truth with others. I do believe that the Lord gives us the words to say when we need them. I also believe that we need to have His words stored up in our hearts, so that we are ready for those moments.
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." (Psalm 119:105)
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." (Psalm 119:105)
"Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction." (2 Timothy 4:2)
"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." (1 Peter 3:15,16)
Light exposes sin. Why do you think so many try to snuff that light out?
"Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed." (John 3:20)
Boldness is needed now perhaps more than ever, and if those who are called light because they belong to Jesus are not willing to know the truth and then stand up for that truth how will those who are in darkness know there is a better way?
Being the light of the world is a humbling privelege because although we are called to share the Truth and to allow the God who created light to shine through us, for His glory not ours, He doesn't really need us. He can do it without us, too, you know. Look at what happened when Saul of Tarsus was on the road to Damascus to go arrest some followers of Jesus. He was a zealous man who thought that he was doing the right thing. He thought that these followers of Jesus were blatently disregarding the Law that God had given to them through Moses. He didn't yet know that Jesus was the fulfillment of everything he knew to be true within the books of the Bible he had studied (the books of the Bible that existed at that time). And what did the LORD do?
"As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”" (Acts 9:3-6)
As we read on in Acts chapter 9, we learn that Paul was actually blind for three days after this encounter with Jesus. The Lord told him what to do, and he went to a man who prayed for his sight to be returned to him. Paul's sight was returned, and he was never the same. In fact, most of the New Testament of the Bible was written by Paul!
I always think of that song lyric, "Blinded by the light..." when I think of Paul's conversion experience. He took Jesus seriously and remained the zealous man he was, except now the Light was shining through him.
I love the hymn, Be Thou My Vision, by Eleanor Hull. Here is the first verse:
- Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,
- naught be all else to me, save that thou art;
- Thou my best thought by day or by night,
- Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
What about you? Are you even in the light, yet? If so, do others know it?
"But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Intentionality in Prayer
Let me first say that when I am saying prayer, what I am meaning is praying to God Almighty in the name of Jesus. People throw the word prayer around quite a bit. Some people even add that they will be keeping you in their thoughts and prayers. While I don't really understand what that means, I do want to talk more about prayer.
How important to you is prayer?
Is prayer the first idea you have when you think of how to start your day or how to gain insight or help in a situation?
Prayer is the most significant tool given to us by the LORD Himself. Are you using that tool? Am I?
I have had times in my life when my prayer muscles were so strong that I could go on in times of prayer for a good hour or more. In fact, I had about a year in my life where I had one day a week devoted to prayer from morning to evening before dinner. I would start out by listening and singing along to praise and worship music, move on to thanking the Lord, confessing any sins, bringing Him my requests for myself and for others, journaling, and just sitting and listening to Him. I would also include times of studying the Bible and walking around my neighborhood praying for my neighbors and the people I saw while I was walking.
Those were really good days!
Other times in my life, I have laid my head on the pillow at night and thought, "Did I really even talk to the Lord much today?" Sure I rarely fail to remember to thank Him for my food, and now with children there are times throughout the day that we pray, but some days I have not made the time to really sit and visit with the One who not only created me but also has set me free from the bonds of sin and death through my redemption in Jesus Christ.
You may be thinking, "But when? I don't have time to sit and do anything!"
Yes you do. You are probably busy, and that is a valid point, but you do have time. Time is rarely the issue when it comes to what is important. The issue is lack of intentionality. If you have been with me for a while, you know that this is something I have been writing about. Let's review the definition of intentional:
Intend: To have in mind; plan
Intention: A course of action that one intends to follow. An aim that guides action; an objective
Intentional: Done deliberately
And furthermore, what I have found is that being intentional about anything is a matter of habit. A habit is formed when a decision is made to do something over and over again. Eventually a habit it formed, and that action becomes a part of life almost without having to think about it as much. There is still the need to continue in that habit, if it is a good one, but the amount of thought necessary to continue is not as much as it was before the habit was formed.
Simply put, when you focus on making prayer a habit, it becomes one that is more easily made a part of your life. Then the focus is on keeping it a habit and growing all the more in maturity and skill, so to speak, of that habit.
Then there is the question: How do I pray?
This is a great question to ask. Prayer can seem intimidating at times, and in some ways that is not so bad. After all, if the intimidation is coming from a place of humility and reverence for the LORD God Almighty, then that is not a bad place to start. However, the LORD wants to have a relationship with you that is one of freedom and honesty. He sees our hearts. If prayer is a time when I am motivated by the desire to impress others with my wordcrafting or Bible knowledge, then my heart is not seeking to glorify my Lord in prayer. On the other hand, He knows when I truly just want to open up to Him and seek His will and praise Him through prayer.
Prayer is simply a conversation. It involves talking and listening. Most of us are pretty skilled at talking. Listening is sometimes harder. There are so many ways to engage in conversation with the LORD. I like to mix it up, so I can stay in the habit and discipline of praying daily and throughout the day. Sometimes I journal, which helps me to focus on writing out my prayers (the talking part) and writing out what God says to me through the Bible and with His voice (the listening part). Sometimes I have a bulletin board that I can look at with pictures and verses on it to help me focus as I pray. Other times I have a little flip index card book to help me stay on track. Walking has helped me focus on praying at times. Talking out loud, if I can, is often helpful to me because it is easier for me to not get sidetracked or even fall asleep (raise your hand if that has happened to you - I've done it).
There are so many ways to make prayer a part of daily life.
Let's not forget that praying with others is also a very needed aspect of our Christianity. People need people. We just do. We need each other. Prayer is such a bonding activity if we let it become a part of our lives and a part of our relationships. This can be very uncomfortable at times, and honestly there are some people that I don't feel comfortable praying with. For example, I am very careful to not pray alone with a man who is not my husband. There may be rare times when this is appropriate or an immediate need, but still discernment is required. This is because prayer is a bit of a pouring out of one's heart and soul in the presence of another. It is intimate.
Being intentional about prayer can also open many doors. For example, when you go out to eat at a restaurant tell the server you are going to pray before you eat, and ask them how you can pray for them. I love doing this. It's such an unexpected gesture of care and concern and almost always the server delightedly and thankfully responds with a request. I have even made friendships this way with servers because many times they come back to share more or they want us to sit in their section the next time we come. What a great way to show others that God cares about them. What a great way to show our chidren that we can be about the business of loving others and of sharing God with others even while dining out among strangers.
In my encounters with fellow Christians in or from other nations I have witnessed wholehearted, unashamed, and faith-filled prayer that humbled me, convicted me, inspired me, and challenged me. Why do I let the distractions of my surroundings keep me from such joy and such power when this free and amazing gift is available to all who call on Him?
Sure if may take work. It may not be easy, and it may not even be fun at times. But isn't connecting directly with the Giver of Life worth the effort? I do pray that the LORD will help His people be intentional in prayer and fight the good fight before His holy throne.
How will you become more intentional with prayer? Why not start now?
"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 14:6)
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." (Romans 12:12)
How important to you is prayer?
Is prayer the first idea you have when you think of how to start your day or how to gain insight or help in a situation?
Prayer is the most significant tool given to us by the LORD Himself. Are you using that tool? Am I?
I have had times in my life when my prayer muscles were so strong that I could go on in times of prayer for a good hour or more. In fact, I had about a year in my life where I had one day a week devoted to prayer from morning to evening before dinner. I would start out by listening and singing along to praise and worship music, move on to thanking the Lord, confessing any sins, bringing Him my requests for myself and for others, journaling, and just sitting and listening to Him. I would also include times of studying the Bible and walking around my neighborhood praying for my neighbors and the people I saw while I was walking.
Those were really good days!
Other times in my life, I have laid my head on the pillow at night and thought, "Did I really even talk to the Lord much today?" Sure I rarely fail to remember to thank Him for my food, and now with children there are times throughout the day that we pray, but some days I have not made the time to really sit and visit with the One who not only created me but also has set me free from the bonds of sin and death through my redemption in Jesus Christ.
You may be thinking, "But when? I don't have time to sit and do anything!"
Yes you do. You are probably busy, and that is a valid point, but you do have time. Time is rarely the issue when it comes to what is important. The issue is lack of intentionality. If you have been with me for a while, you know that this is something I have been writing about. Let's review the definition of intentional:
Intend: To have in mind; plan
Intention: A course of action that one intends to follow. An aim that guides action; an objective
Intentional: Done deliberately
And furthermore, what I have found is that being intentional about anything is a matter of habit. A habit is formed when a decision is made to do something over and over again. Eventually a habit it formed, and that action becomes a part of life almost without having to think about it as much. There is still the need to continue in that habit, if it is a good one, but the amount of thought necessary to continue is not as much as it was before the habit was formed.
Simply put, when you focus on making prayer a habit, it becomes one that is more easily made a part of your life. Then the focus is on keeping it a habit and growing all the more in maturity and skill, so to speak, of that habit.
Then there is the question: How do I pray?
This is a great question to ask. Prayer can seem intimidating at times, and in some ways that is not so bad. After all, if the intimidation is coming from a place of humility and reverence for the LORD God Almighty, then that is not a bad place to start. However, the LORD wants to have a relationship with you that is one of freedom and honesty. He sees our hearts. If prayer is a time when I am motivated by the desire to impress others with my wordcrafting or Bible knowledge, then my heart is not seeking to glorify my Lord in prayer. On the other hand, He knows when I truly just want to open up to Him and seek His will and praise Him through prayer.
Prayer is simply a conversation. It involves talking and listening. Most of us are pretty skilled at talking. Listening is sometimes harder. There are so many ways to engage in conversation with the LORD. I like to mix it up, so I can stay in the habit and discipline of praying daily and throughout the day. Sometimes I journal, which helps me to focus on writing out my prayers (the talking part) and writing out what God says to me through the Bible and with His voice (the listening part). Sometimes I have a bulletin board that I can look at with pictures and verses on it to help me focus as I pray. Other times I have a little flip index card book to help me stay on track. Walking has helped me focus on praying at times. Talking out loud, if I can, is often helpful to me because it is easier for me to not get sidetracked or even fall asleep (raise your hand if that has happened to you - I've done it).
There are so many ways to make prayer a part of daily life.
Let's not forget that praying with others is also a very needed aspect of our Christianity. People need people. We just do. We need each other. Prayer is such a bonding activity if we let it become a part of our lives and a part of our relationships. This can be very uncomfortable at times, and honestly there are some people that I don't feel comfortable praying with. For example, I am very careful to not pray alone with a man who is not my husband. There may be rare times when this is appropriate or an immediate need, but still discernment is required. This is because prayer is a bit of a pouring out of one's heart and soul in the presence of another. It is intimate.
Being intentional about prayer can also open many doors. For example, when you go out to eat at a restaurant tell the server you are going to pray before you eat, and ask them how you can pray for them. I love doing this. It's such an unexpected gesture of care and concern and almost always the server delightedly and thankfully responds with a request. I have even made friendships this way with servers because many times they come back to share more or they want us to sit in their section the next time we come. What a great way to show others that God cares about them. What a great way to show our chidren that we can be about the business of loving others and of sharing God with others even while dining out among strangers.
In my encounters with fellow Christians in or from other nations I have witnessed wholehearted, unashamed, and faith-filled prayer that humbled me, convicted me, inspired me, and challenged me. Why do I let the distractions of my surroundings keep me from such joy and such power when this free and amazing gift is available to all who call on Him?
Sure if may take work. It may not be easy, and it may not even be fun at times. But isn't connecting directly with the Giver of Life worth the effort? I do pray that the LORD will help His people be intentional in prayer and fight the good fight before His holy throne.
How will you become more intentional with prayer? Why not start now?
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." (Romans 12:12)
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