No Separation Anxiety

Are there days when you feel as if your head is spinning with all the distractions calling for your attention?  Wait don't answer that....I already know your answer.  

Yes, I have those times. It's the consequences of living in the midst of all this web-driven commotion.  There's an art to being still before God, to quiet myself enough to enjoy the presence of God. I want to talk with Him and hear what He wants to tell me.  

I am so desperate to hear from God in many areas. 

One challenge for me is the "multiple hats" syndrome. I'm a mom, a mentor, wife, missionary, writer, employee, volunteer, confidant and friend.  So many things to do . . . and so little time to do it all.  As one whose work requires many hours each day at a computer and on the Internet, I find myself in the midst of this neurological challenge. Yet, the desire of my heart is to be so attuned with my Father that I hear Him when He wants to teach me,  reveal to me, comfort me or guide me.  

I don't believe the answers are easy.  

If I don't attend to the desire in my heart to spend time with God . . . God will get squeezed out and my life will remain wanting. He'll be there waiting . . . but I won't be there with Him to receive.

More than ever before - in the random noise of this time - daily quiet time with God is essential for my life of faith; a time when we can step out of "the world" and into the peace of God. Paul writes describes himself as a "bondservant" of Jesus Christ, called to the devotion that He wrote about.  Separated from the world around him, devoted to Christ.  Separated to the gospel, separated for the gospel of God.

Paul devoted his life to solitude with Christ.  Romans 1:1

Clearly, we need to be separated from the world in some ways, so we can live the life He wants for us and so He can show Himself to us and through us. So as we find our way on the super-highway of technology, little changes and little steps can make a big difference. Not watching so much television, setting up a daily time in the Word and for prayer, simplifying our lives and just not doing "so much." 

Solitude....Separates.

We can carve out that sacred separated time and meet with the One who loves, cares, creates, and (get this mind-blowing fact).... craves our time with Him.

It's worth the risk of separation from this world to invite Him into mine.

A Lesson From The Book of Honduran Hospitality

This past week I traveled to Honduras on a mission trip.  I didn't expect to meet such hospitality but the Hondurans are very welcoming people.  I was surprised by their open door policy and ironically a lot of homes don't have doors.  


The Honduran community in which we served was very open to our presence all week.  They were the most gracious hosts.  Maybe they were just curious about two bus loads of white Americanos driving down their dirt roads.


Whatever the reason, as we were there to serve them with our open hands, they received our help.  They weren't too proud, offended or insulted in anyway.  Some even opened their homes and set out chairs for us to sit and chat with them.   The kids came in close to play.


We made some community visits while we were there and one father made a decision for Christ.  He graciously invited us in as we asked him a few pointed questions.  In his humble kitchen he invited Jesus to come into his burdened heart.  He invited the Savior in as the gospel flooded his home.


Our supervisor at the Mission of Mercy project was most hospitable and tolerant of our girl-power-cinder-block-laying-abilities.  He didn't say a word about how the blocks might have been a little crooked.  He was very understanding of our lack of construction skills and didn't say a word.  He graciously let us invade his work space for four days of sweaty toils.


The mission team felt at home in the community of Choluteca.  The Hondurans opened their homes, they opened their hearts, they opened their church doors to worship as one.  The team held many kids in their laps and they were open to the kindness of Christ.

"Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." Romans 12:13

It was evident that God is at work in their little community, with the Mission of Mercy staff on the ground, and with the work He is doing through the church.  God opened their hearts to welcome strangers in, we welcomed their hospitality and brought the gospel message.

These hospitable Hondurans' challenge me to swing wide and prop open the mission-minded-doors of my heart for God to build faith in me. 

Sorry, We're Closed

Closed

You've seen the Doritos chip commercial where a dog owner is tempting a dog with a Doritos nacho cheese chip.  The dog is salivating, he wants it real bad.  Motivated by his hunger (so we are led to believe) the dog starts running to get the chip.  There is one problem when the dog tries to retrieve the tasty chip.  Between him and his owner, there is one hurdle that stands between him and his consumption of the entire bag of chips.  It's very clear...very quickly...it's a glass patio door.  He can taste the chip from inches away but the moment he face plants into the glass door, his hunger wanes...and he lays defeated only dreaming of the dangling temptation.  The door was closed on the opportunity to munch.  

I have to wonder if Paul spent anytime laying defeated at the closed door he encountered as he preached the gospel.  

Acts 16:7 "When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to."

Paul encountered a ministry closed door.  I know he had great motivations and intentions, but because it was not God's plan he was not allowed to enter. Do you wonder if Paul scratched his head...asking what?  Do you think doubt crept into his calling?  Was he disappointed?

The next verse tells us that Paul just passed by the closed door and went to his next stop.  The Bible makes it sound like it was no big deal, Paul didn't pause in his gospel-spreading-mission.  Was there a message on the town gate marquee that said "Paul and company, don't stop here!  Gospel not welcomed".  

When God closes doors in my life, I ask why.  In fact, I have spiraled into great turmoil because of some closed doors.  I don't want to miss any opportunities that God presents nor be caught in disobedience in direction.  So when a closed door slams in my face, and it was one that I thought had my name on the overhead marquee, then I confess, I have had some disappointments in their closing.  

Have you ever questioned God on an unforeseen slam?

I can say by faith when a door closes—God has a better plan in the slam. In my disappointment, I shall cling to that. I understand that His ways are higher than my ways; that His timing is perfect; and that He sees the end from the beginning. And I also know there’s no door He can’t open. So if it’s closed, I must trust that there’s a divine reason . . . even if I never know why.  

With a divinely-closed door...

I will..

deepen my trust. 

demonstrate submission to His authority.

deny something I love for something I love more.

develop obedience in waiting.  

God...

discerns that I'm not ready to walk through it.  

displays a hidden purpose for His greater good.   

delays a greater later door to open.  

God's ways are higher than our ways. He does know the end from the beginning. When a door closes, it’s a mercy. Thank Him. He’s redirecting you elsewhere, and you can trust that it’s a better elsewhere.

Has God closed a door in your life lately? Have you gained any insight as to the reason? The next time my face plants into the next set of glass patio doors, I'll know that there is a higher reason as I pause and step back, licking my wounds.  There is a greater purpose and ours is not to question why.  Trust is key and I know my trusting Savior.  He has cleared my tomorrows for holy reasons all His own.  And that...my friends is reason enough for me not to look twice at His slammed plans.  

S-L-O-W-D-O-W-N

Watch out..lawn mowing season has begun.  If you are frequent reader here, you might be acquainted with the fact that I have a lesson that sometimes emerges out of my time spent with the mower and God.  For me, it really can be a time to listen to God, process and learn.

This past week's message for me was S-L-O-W-D-O-W-N.  

When I mow, I'll admit that I want to get it done and fast.  I really don't like to spend time doing it.  So when it's time, I like to get the mixture of fumes, sweat and grass clippings over with.  Another confession, some spiritual lessons learned are harder than the actual mowing process.   With either point it takes most of my afternoon.    


While mowing last week it was challenge because the grass was really high.  My pasture-grass-yard had transformed into a jungle during the first two weeks of March.  The season of Spring was here for about 10 minutes and then we said hello to summer.  With the high grass, there were some hard inanimate things that were laying hidden.  Unfortunately, I found such hidden objects with the mower.  There was an awful collision of the blade and the junk in the tall grass...then the mower stopped.  


Upon careful inspection, it was revealed that the blade was bent.  Not just a little bent, but bent down in such a way that it would churn up the ground every time it rotated.  It was like mowing with a garden tiller. It didn't work very well.  The blade had hit something HARD!  I continued to limp the mower along to finish the yard.  It was taking twice as long since I had to slow down because of the bent blade.  It was frustrating at best.  As I was mowing, God reminded me that I also might need to slow down.


I realized in the moment of churning the turf that I cause my own churning chaos.  I create it, in fact, I am an overachiever in this category.  So now....I need to have a collision of God's blade and some hard things hidden in my heart.  And that hurts.  I need to slow down to find rest in God.
  

1 Corinthians 7:17 "Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him.  This is the rule I lay down in all the churches."

I need to find my place that the Lord has assigned to me and has called me to.  I need to find that "sweet spot".  Why is this so hard for me?  Because I like to do.  I like to do a lot of ministry things.  I like to serve, I like to move, I like to progress and help.  I like to accomplish.  I don't like standing still or becoming stagnant in my service.  I feel guilty if I am not serving enough.  And I need to look to Jesus for my example of ministry and service.  


Jesus' ministry on earth was only three years.  In comparison to today’s church standards, Jesus probably wouldn't have been very effective.  He kept a pretty low profile, he healed people and then told the healed to not tell what had just happened.  He liked to be by himself, to seek the Lord and pray.  Jesus often stopped and took time to teach the children.  He would retreat on top of mountains, and go deep in the olive groves.  Even though He was very relational, He didn’t care much about making the most of his time talking to huge crowds.  In his three short years, he accomplished great things and yet he still took lots of breaks.  He didn't have a 3-year-world-tour plan calculated out for each and every stop and how it could be most impacting.  


He just sought the will of His Father.
He paused.
He prayed. 
He listened. 
He obeyed.  
He rested.  
He knew God.  

So here you are...you work, you have a family, you are active in church, you attend church on Sunday, Wednesday brings prayer meeting and kids zone, you attend or lead a women’s Bible study, teach Sunday school, sing in the choir, play an instrument for some special concert during Easter.  And your list goes on and on.  You accomplish a lot.  We don’t have time to think about how busy you are.  You just go, go, and go some more.  You don’t take time to rest.  You don't take a break.  And then your spiritual blade hits something hidden in your heart and you stop.  

The church needs us right?  How could we say no to the church?  If we don’t do it who will?  Can we really say no as a Christian and not feel guilty about it?  Taking time off makes us feel guilty.   That's why studying Jesus' ministry is so important for us overachievers and chaos causers.  The difference is that Jesus knew his limits.  And when he knew it was time to take a rest, he didn’t let anything get in the way of that.  Jesus was intentional with everything, so when he rested he did so with a purpose.  He said no.  Jesus didn’t assume the guilt either.  When he spent time alone, he knew he needed it.  He chose to do it and knew that if he didn’t he would soon be spread thin.

Doing with focused, rested intention... impacts. 

If you are overwhelmed with life and have a lot of chaos swirling around in your head and house, then slow down.  Start creating some time margins that help you breathe a little.  It’s okay to say no.  Go ahead…rest.  Jesus thought it important, why don’t you?  Don't kid yourself into believing that you can't take a break. This is the kind of thinking will only drive you to exhaustion.  And it's prideful to think if you don't do it no one else will.  Even God the Creator rested on the seventh day. Jesus constantly withdrew from the crowds to connect alone with the Father.

R-E-S-T!!!  S-L-O-W-D-O-W-N...  Jesus had the most important and perfect ministry of all.  Yet he still had time to accomplish His purpose on earth.  Whatever Jesus has called you to; don’t you think he has taken care of your rest breaks too?   He didn’t intend for you to scurry around with a crammed-packed-schedule with His calling on your shoulders only to wear you out for the sake of the gospel message.  He does ask us to be faithful to our calling and to trust Him for the results in what He has called us to do.  He has planned some seasons of rest and refreshing, because He knows we can't keep up with the break-neck speed the world tries to conform us to.  I need time to refresh and rejuvenate my soul.  Jesus knew you were going to need some rest too, so he showed you how He did it…He retreated and drew close to his Father.  He said no...because he truly understood a key ingredient of a powerful ministry--constant refueling by God's strength.

God commands you to rest. 

What do you find so hard about resting?  What is your "sweet spot"?   

Simple Math

Adding the numbers

I didn't pay attention in math class.   I really don't like to crunch numbers.  Maybe the real truth is I wish I cared more about math equations and calculations.  I admire those who have amazing math skills beyond my comprehension. 

There are other numerical conundrums that amaze me too.  It's the numbers that increase when the power of the gospel is combined with the power of prayer.  I call it the Ato41 principal.  

Let me take you there…. The room was electric that day when the Spirit whooshed in to fill the hearts and minds of those who gathered.  Different tongues were heard to the highest volume of praise.  There was so much noise that outsiders thought the crowd had drunk too much wine.  

Contrary to the obvious confusion, the day was Pentecost and the gospel message collided with seeking hearts.  It was fifty days since Jesus had rose from the dead.  People had returned to their normal schedule.  Blanks from their wandering minds had been filled in with the “we’ll never know what that was all about” answer.  But there were a few good men left to lead in faith by having hope in the promised Helper who was still yet to come and empower them to grow the church.  Thus, on this day of combined prayer, fasting and waiting, the Helper showed up and showed up big time.  As a result of all the words spoken that day, many numbers repented and many numbers were baptized.  Many, as in 3000, numbers were added to the faith fold that day.  In a matter of moments, numbers were added to take a step of faith.

Working in ministry with Christian radio, there are a lot of people who come up to me and say, "Thank you for what you do."  I don't do anything except remain faithful to the call God.  With your support, God gives the opportunity to speak to you with a word of encouragement.  I don't get caught up in the numbers of listeners on paper, or Internet stats.   But I do know that every listener is a number indicative of God's story.  

the number of...
lives impacted by the power of the gospel.

restored marriages.

dedicated dad's leading. 

loving mom's tendering.

missions extended.

wayward hearts returned. 

I am all about these numbers and so is God as he brings change.  I love to be involved in God's stories.    

Here is your chance to get involved in the supporting the work of God in increasing the numbers of changed lives.

Be Change!

You want to make a difference? Read the link below. Inspiring post by Perry Noble, even if you don't work in "ministry", you can apply the same prayers to your own personal walk.

Want to grow in your personal and professional ministry?

We are all ambassadors chosen by God sent from Heaven to earth with the gospel message.