dropping the rope
There are days when words just don’t come. I’ve had a string of about twenty-one of them. That nagging feeling of “I should write” playing tug-o-war with the futility of “I have nothing to say”—a constant pulling back and forth that most recently seems to end with me back in bed, covers askew and cats aplenty as I burrow deeper under both. I do not like the constant pulling and tugging—the relentless tension in the line, the way each side digs in their feet and sets their weight in opposition to the other, the rope burns on my hands. I despise the taunting and...
Read Moreit’s about time
Timing is everything. I sat down this past Monday with one of my best friends to finally listen to a Beth Moore series I intended to listen to, oh, about *cough* six months ago, and was reminded, yet again, of this small but irrefutable fact. Timing. Is. Everything. I have alluded to the beginning of this year having been rough—physically, logistically, financially, parentally, maritally, professionally, creatively, emotionally, spiritually. Rough. What I’ve not shared—for a number of reasons—is how a rough winter went into a difficult spring then lapsed into a challenging...
Read Moremore than ideas or sentiment
The morning of June 13th dawned early—much too early. But it wasn’t just the hour that came too quickly—though that certainly was a factor, as we were bone-weary tired from seven jam-packed days of sweating and service. It was more that the week, which had once stretched out before us full of hope and promise, was now drawing to a close and within hours we would lift off from this land that had become dear to us, not knowing when we might return. We came to breakfast tired. Hungry. Heavy-hearted. Reluctant to leave. And as we did every morning...
Read Moreyou tell me: shortcuts
What shortcuts enjoyment for you and steals your enjoyment of the moment? Why is it hard to be IN the season you’re in? How do you practice trusting God with tomorrow so as to enjoy today? If you sat down with a blank piece of paper, how long would it take to fill it with things you are thankful for? Are you willing to try it and see? What might you need to surrender to the Lord in order to enjoy the life you have been...
Read Morea thankful heart is a happy heart
In addition to being mindful of the present, if we are to ENJOY the season of life we’re in—to know Paul’s secret to being joyful and content in all circumstances—we must learn to live each day expressing thanks to God for each and every good gift and surrendering every bit of our will and desires and plans to him—for that day, and for all others— in the process. Put very simply, we need to have a constant mindset of gratitude if we are to enjoy the life we have been given to live. Ann Voskamp writes, in One Thousand Gifts: Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, We only enter...
Read Morepracticing mindfulness=practicing the present AND the presence
We concluded on Monday that if we are to ENJOY the season of life we’re in—to know Paul’s secret to being joyful and content in all circumstances—we must learn to live in the present, not worrying about tomorrow. And we must live each day expressing thanks to God for each and every good gift and surrendering every bit of our will and desires and plans to him—for that day, and for all others— in the process. It sounds easy. Until you try it, that is. Living in the present requires a skill that has recently come back into vogue: mindfulness. If we are to live in the NOW,...
Read Morebecoming a better me: enjoy
We are rounding the corner into the home stretch now, Friends! Our focus for the beginning of this New Year has been on “Becoming a (Biblically) BETTER Me,” and we are down to our last two points to consider. But before we forge ahead, let’s review what we’ve learned so far. We are over halfway through our acronym, now, and so far have discussed our need to: Begin by breaking the power of inertia Embrace the work of Grace Trust in God’s goodness and sovereignty Turn from that which is sinful toward God This week? This week, friends, we learn to Enjoy. Did you hear...
Read Morewhen inertia sabotoges a great beginning
I learned last winter, under the tutelage of “Professor Ray” at the Hands On Museum in Ann Arbor, that inertia causes something to resist a change in motion. Just to be certain Professor Ray wasn’t making this up, I went straight to the source of all truth and knowledge: Wikipedia. The experts at Wikipedia state: Inertia is the resistance of any physical object to a change in its state of motion or rest, or the tendancy of an object to resist any change in its motion. This is interesting to me as one who strives to create change, both in myself and others. See, I always thought...
Read Morethe world’s better versus god’s better
A word of warning, friends: this is not going to be your typical self-help schtick. When we talking about becoming better—more useful, suitable, or desirable—we’re not going to talk about secular self-improvement. This isn’t a series on becoming: more productive more efficient more organized more consistent more positive more effective We’re not going to talk about resolutions aimed at changing surface behaviors or attitudes: Get up early to exercise Only touch each piece of mail once Say five positive things for every one negative Schedule personal time on your calendar Stop...
Read Morebecoming a better you
Alright, Friends! Who’s ready to begin the new year right? I was asked to speak about a year ago to a group of about 50 single mothers at our church on the idea of “Becoming a Better Me.” As I thought and prayed about this idea, and what these women—who have undoubtedly heard their fair share of self-help propaganda instructing them how to live a “better life”—really needed to hear, an outline began to come together that felt pretty strong and pretty God-inspired. I warned the women, as we gathered that night, I was not going to be teaching your typical self-help...
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