Pleasing Moments Blog

God bless Fatima, a Christian martyr in Saudi

2009-04-20T21:50:00.000-07:00

A young Christian woman was killed several months ago in Saudi Arabia. Fatima Al-Mutari didn’t die in one of Saudi’s 93,000 car crashes a year; and she didn’t die at the hands of a stranger. Fatima’s father, a member of Saudi’s powerful Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vie (PVPV) cut out her tongue then burned he alive because she dared to love Jesus.

And she dared to say it out loud.

Being a Christian in Saudi Arabia is no safe path, especially for someone like Fatima who walked away from Islam. Being a Christian here can be a death sentence.

Not a lot is known about Fatima.

We don’t know how she came to Christ, for example.

We do know she read about Christianity extensively online and participated in online Christian forums – often contributing under a string of aliases.

And we know she spoke to others about her forgiving Savior, Jesus Christ.

Doing so is what got her killed.

As part of her testimony to the family, she proclaimed that the way of Christ is the most pure and most holy way of all. After sharing with her family, she found her brother in her room with her laptop open before him…Her laptop contained notes about her spiritual journey, which he was searching in order to find more evidence against her. Her brother locked her in the room for four hours, during which time she wrote a final letter on the Internet. Fatima was killed soon thereafter.

Fatima’s final letter is in the form of a poem, and it’s slowly making its way out of Saudi Arabia and into the world – a world which didn’t know Fatima when she was alive, and couldn’t comprehend the courage it took for her to choose Christ.

Here’s Fatima’s poem.

And We For the Sake of Christ All Things Bear
~A poem written by Fatima Al-Mutairi before her martyrdom~

May the Lord Jesus guide you, Oh Muslims
And enlighten your hearts that you might love otherrs
The forum does not revile the Master of the prophets
It is for the display of truth, and for you it was revealed
This is the truth which you do not know
What we profess are the words of the Master of the prophets
We do not worship the cross, and we are not possessed
We worship the Lord Jesus, the Light of the worlds
We left Mohammed, and we do not follow in his path
We followed Jesus Christ, the Clear Truth
Truly, we love our homeland, and we are not traitors
We take pride that we are Saudi citizens
How could we betray our homeland, our dear people?
How could we, when for death---for Saudi Arabia--- we stand ready?
The homeland of my grandfathers, their glories, and odes---for it I am writing
And we say, “We are proud, proud, proud to be Saudis”
We chose our way, the way of the rightly guided
And every man is free to choose any religion
Be content to leave us to ourselves to be believers in Jesus
Let us live in grace before our time comes
There are tears on my cheek, and Oh! the heart is sad
To those who become Christians, how you are so cruel!
And the Messiah says, “Blessed are the Persecuted”
And we for the sake of Christ all things bear
What is it to you that we are infidels?
Enough---your swords do not concern me, not evil nor disgrace
Your threats do not trouble me, and we are not afraid
And by God, I am unto death a Christian---Verily
I cry for what passed by, of a sad life
I was far from the Lord Jesus for many years
Oh History record! and bear witness, Oh Witnesses!
We are Christians--- in the path of Christ we tread
Take from me this word, and note it well
You see, Jesus is my Lord, and He is the Best of protectors
I advise you to pity yourself, to clap your hands in mourning
See your look of ugly hatred
Man is brother to man, Oh learned ones !!!
Where is the humanity, the love, and where are you?
As to my last words, I pray to the Lord of the worlds
Jesus the Messiah, the Light of Clear Guidance
That He change notions, and set the scales of justice aright
And that He spread Love among you, Oh Muslims.

God bless you, Fatima. And may your death not be in vain.

Seven inventive spurring techniques for Christians

2009-02-09T21:10:00.000-08:00

Years ago, I remember reading about a group of women who wanted to lose weight. They tried several methods and schemes, but nothing seemed to well and truly motivate them to diet. Then one of them suggested something radical, outrageous and thoroughly inventive - dog food!

Her plan went something like this: Each woman set a realistic and achievable weight loss goal over a specified period of time. At the end of that period, there would be a weigh-in and anyone who had not met their goal would willingly consume an entire can of dog food in front of the group.

From memory. I think all the ladies met their goal!

Sometimes all it really takes to change a behavior is some encouragement, some motivation, and some creativity, whether we're trying to lose weight, drop a bad habit or even adopt a new one.

In Hebrews we're challenged to make a change, to be creative in encouraging ourselves and others to be more loving and God-focused.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV)

Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching. (The Message)

What are some creative ways you could motivate yourself to help others? To fellowship more regularly and more often? To live a life more pleasing to God?

What about the ways you could motivate others to do the same?

Maybe you could invite a group of people over after worship to continue the fellowship or offer someone a ride to church? Maybe you could give a workshop on tolerance or write a poem about God's peace in your life. Maybe you could organize a meet-your-neighbor-at-church event, a parent-child Bible study or a couples-only evening of praise and thanksgiving.

God has given us limitless creativity, and asks only that we use that creativity to His glory. What better way to use that gift than to spur ourselves and others on to bigger, brighter and more Godly behaviors!

Don't let them tell you God is obsolete

2009-02-03T20:19:00.000-08:00

It's called Humanism and, although it is nothing new, it is getting a lot of press these days, both in the States and abroad. According to one expert, humanists believe that humans can live moral, happy, and productive lives on the basis of human reason and experience alone, without any reliance on the supernatural.

In other words, "thanks anyway, God, but we have this handled."

These new humanists have come up with a whole dictionary of buzzwords to talk about their beliefs. Anytime you hear words like "attracting abundance", "law of attraction" or "co-creating reality", you can be pretty sure you're listening to a humanist. Same thing with phrases like "a new form of spirituality", "many paths to the same place", and "taking God out of the box".

There have always been people who want to put man above God, who want to believe - and make others believe - that the work of God was completed a long, long time ago. Today, they tell us, is in our hands and our hands alone, and if you believe otherwise you are old fashioned or ignorant or simply unhip.

Paul knew all about folks like that. In fact, he warned the people of Colossus about them, saying:

Watch out for people who try to dazzle you with big words and intellectual double-talk. They want to drag you off into endless arguments that never amount to anything. They spread their ideas through the empty traditions of human beings and the empty superstitions of spirit beings.

Humanists would have us believe that God is obsolete. That we as humans are capable of anything and everything on our own, and that the lessons of the Bible are outdated history lessons rather than lessons on living in the here and now.

But Paul reminds us that humanists - whether they were practicing their deception two thousand years ago on a street corner in Colossus or attracting millions of viewers on television today - get it wrong. God is not obsolete. He is as present and pertinent and in control today as He was when He created the world.

But that's not the way of Christ. Everything of God gets expressed in him, so you can see and hear him clearly. You don't need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him. When you come to him, that fullness comes together for you, too. His power extends over everything. (Colossians 2:8-10 The Message)

As Christians living to please God, we're faced with a lot of choices, including what and who we pay attention to. We need to be aware of the messages we listen to, cognizant of the messengers we allow into our lives. We need to be cautious and attentive, judging everything against the Word of God and basing our decisions - and our lives - on what is pleasing to Him.

Let's spend some time today really listening to what others are saying and remembering that, no matter what others might say, we know God is not obsolete. He is not history. He is here and now and, as Paul writes, His power extends over everything.

Praise be to the living God!

The Ultimate Holiday Party Plan

2008-12-04T16:03:00.000-08:00

Susan over at MUD Splats has graciously asked me to guest blog at her site this week. The topic is Sharing the Light of Christ this Christmas Season, and I wrote about the party plan Jesus outlined in Luke 14.

Here's an excerpt, but I urge you to visit Susan's site to read the rest of her guest blogs this December!

The Ultimate Holiday Party Plan by Ava Semerau

Grab your little black dress, reindeer tie and hostess gifts folks, it's Christmas party time!

I couldn't find any statistics on how many people actually attend – or even host – holiday parties, but feel like anecdotal evidence supports my belief that nearly everyone does either one or the other. Me? I tend to do both. My calendar is dotted with wine and cheese tastings and corporate bashes, Secret Santa lunches, private dinner parties, and family get-togethers for the next several weeks – and those are just the ones I'm invited to!

When it comes to hosting parties over the holidays, things can get a little sticky. After all, if I'm invited to Mary's shindig, I have to invite her to mine. If Wilsons serve a three-course meal, then I'm pretty much obligated to serve a four-course meal. And if Barbara and Phil invite a dozen, my guest list has to grow accordingly, too, right?

Wrong!

There's a better party plan out there. In fact, it's not just better it's amazing and a sure fire way to change your idea of holiday cheer!

Curious? Here it is:

The next party you throw, ditch the status quo and do something fresh, bold and biblical. Instead of inviting the same old same old, look outside your social circle for people you might not know – maybe the lady at the bakery who smiles shyly at you every morning, or the bus driver, the grocery clerk or the young kid at the dry cleaners....Read the rest here!

How to have confidence in precision praying

2008-11-29T16:11:00.000-08:00

I have become a fan of Twitter. Surely not a devotee, but a fan nonetheless, partly because it gives 140-word insights into the thoughts, minds and even faith of other folks.

The other day, someone posted a prayer request – not an uncommon occurrence among the people I follow – but what struck me was one woman’s reaction to the request.

She wrote back wanting details. She wanted the name of the person she was praying for, their location, some idea of why the person needed praying for. “I know God already knows all these things,” she wrote, “but I want to pray a specific prayer.”

Her request gave me pause, and reminded me of a quote I keep around. It’s from Charles Haddon Spurgeon, a well-known preacher and author in 1800s England, and it goes like this:

“There is a general kind of praying which fails for lack of precision, It is as if a regiment of soldiers should all fire off their guns anywhere. Possibly somebody would get killed, but the majority of the enemy would be missed.”

Or put another way, if we don’t offer specific prayers, how will we know when those prayers are answered?

When I worked in marketing we had a similar saying for those times when we were unsure of or lacked confidence in what we were pitching and how it would be received: Throw enough spaghetti on the wall and something is bound to stick.

Lack of confidence tells us to splatter pray, to pray and pray and pray, hoping something will stick.

Faith tell us to ask for what we want. To be specific.To pray with precision, confident our prayers will be both well-received and answered in accordance with God's will.

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. (1 John 5.14-15 NIV)

Ask. Be specific. Name names. And know that God is listening.

Thanksgiving for a bigger God

2008-11-26T16:26:00.000-08:00

This was going to be a brilliant day. It was, after all, already Thanksgiving here and we have so much to be thankful for this year. The alarm went off and, instead of jumping up like I usually do, I remained still, and with my eyes closed, thanked God for His presence in my life, for the blessings He has showered on me, and for the gift of being able to enjoy those blessings.

When I was done – is it even possible to be done thanking God? – I got up and went on with my routine. Diet Coke (yes, for breakfast!), a quick check of emails and the world news.

That’s when I read about the terrorist attacks in India and my heart stopped.

As an expat, terrorist attacks that happen outside the US are more than just headlines or sound bytes to me. When an incident happens anywhere in the world, my life changes, for you see, global terrorism has touched me. It has haunted me and it has, a time or two, nearly paralyzed me.

Fear can do that if we let it, but as a believer in the one true God, I no longer give fear what it wants. I refuse to let terrorism - the very manifestation of evil - win.

In the darkness of global terrorism, and specifically today, as we watch with horror the events going on in India – I’d like to share some of the verses which have comforted me in the past and for which today, I am giving thanks.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9 NIV)

Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. (Psalm 27:3 NIV)

I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:4 NIV)

And finally, Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV)

God is bigger than anything evil can throw at us, and for that, I am and will be eternally thankful.

Sending God a thank you note

2008-11-22T05:12:00.000-08:00

My grandma was a strong believer in thank you notes and, I'm happy to say, she passed that belief onto me, and I've passed it onto my kids. I keep a stack of blank thank you notes at my desk, and send them out to anyone who makes my life better or easier, or helps me out. I send thank you notes to the people I interview, to booksellers and reviewers, to folks who visit this Web site, to people who go the extra mile for me.

Good thing I buy them in bulk!

I've always thought - and been taught - that saying thank you is good, but taking the effort to send a note is even better. Few things are as simple to give or as nice to receive as a sincere thank you note, and few things prove thankfulness as sincerely either.

With that in mind, this Thanksgiving, I'm sending a thank you note to God.

After the turkey and dressing, after the cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, I'm going to make a list of all the things I'm thankful for. I'm going to take inventory of the big things and the little things, and I'm going to make the effort to thank the One who provides me with them.

I'm going to send a thank you note to God. And I encourage you to send one too!

Stop the blame game and start giving credit to God

2008-11-19T17:01:00.000-08:00

When things go bad – be they little things like the proverbial bad hair day or huge, life-changing things like illness, an accident, unemployment, or even the loss of a loved one – there seems to be a human tendency to look for some one or some thing else to blame.

I ran out of my favorite conditioner so had to use this generic stuff and my shoulder is still stiff and sore from my workout yesterday.

It’s Friday the 13th , a black cat cross my path and the lady at the 7-11 gave me the evil eye.

The boss hates me. She’s always had it out for me. No one appreciates how hard I work or the work I do.

She was talking on her mobile, he was speeding, the road was slick, she didn’t take care of herself the way she should have, he should have known better.

My parents were mean, my classmates laughed at me, and fast food made me fat.

As long as we can explain away the bad thing, it somehow feels like we’re safe and in control. If I use my favorite condition, if I avoid black cats, if I work harder, if I always drive under perfect road conditions, if I surround myself with positive people and only eat organic or low fat or kosher or hallal or fill-in-the-blank food…

There are plenty of things to blame for the bad. But what would happen if, instead of placing blame, we gave credit?

That’s what Christ told His disciples to do. They were walking along one day when they cam across a blind man. The first thing the disciples did was try to find someone to blame.

It was his fault, they reasoned. And if not his fault, then his parents must have done something wrong, they explained.

But Jesus would have none of that: Stop the blame game and start giving credit to God.

This isn’t about the absence or presence of sin, He explained, it’s about what God can do in a person’s life.

"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. (John 9:1-3 NIV)

Any good recipe for happiness must include God

2008-11-16T16:04:00.000-08:00

I love chili.

I should qualify that: I love MY chili. My chili is made with hamburger and lots of red beans – not the pinto beans my Southern husband calls red beans but real red beans, kidney beans. It’s loaded with onions and dices tomatoes and just enough spice to warm my mouth without setting any vital organs on fire.

Other people’s chili is something else all together, and I rarely find myself enjoying it as much as I’d like. Some are just too spicy for my Minnesota mouth, others are too much like stew and not enough like chili. My sister puts pasta and mushrooms in her chili and a friend insists it's not really chili if there are beans involved!

That’s the thing about chili. It’s one of those dishes – I’d call it a meal – that just encourages individual definitions, creative cooking and secret recipes.

It’s a lot like happiness, I suppose.

We all have our own secret recipe for happiness. Some of us think a truckload of money is a must-have ingredient, others that simplicity is key. Some folks believe no recipe for happiness is complete without a spouse and houseful of kids, whole some see independence and solitude as necessary.

Here’s one person’s recipe for happiness.

2 Heaping cups of patience 
1 Heart full of love 
2 Hands full of generosity 
Dash of laughter 
1 Head full of understanding 
Sprinkle generously with kindness 
Add plenty of faith and mix well. 
Spread over a period of a lifetime 
And serve everyone you meet.

What a rich recipe, and one I think a lot of us would find just to our liking – albeit with a few tweaks here and there!

Paul had a recipe for happiness and he shared it with the Philippians.

“I'm glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you're again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don't have a sense of needing anything personally. I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.” (Philippians 4:10-13 The Message)

God was at the core of Paul’s recipe for happiness. You could say He was the main ingredient. The other things – how much or how little of the material things he possessed was extra spice. His circumstances were add-ins. In fact, as long as Paul had God, the rest was incidental and unimportant.

What’s your recipe for happiness? Does it start with God?

Passing the Good Christian Test

2008-11-09T04:00:00.000-08:00

If you had to take a Good Christian Test (GCT) tomorrow, would you pass?

Would you be up all night cramming, ripping through the Bible with a highlighter to make sure you didn’t forget any of the important parts, or would you get a good night’s sleep, confident of a passing score?

It’s an interesting question, but hardly new. Paul put the same question to the Corinthians.

Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it. 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 The Message

Some folks might look at the outward things – church attendance, hours spent reading the Bible, consistent moral behavior or even annual tithes to determine who gets a passing score on the mythical GCT.

But I don’t buy that. And neither did Jesus.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' Matthew 7:21-23 NIV

The only way we can pass the GCT is by knowing Christ and setting Him up as a permanent resident in our lives.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 NIV

When we can say, “Christ lives in me” and mean it, not only in our heads but in our hearts, then we have passed the test.

But, of course, there is no GCT - that's the beauty of Christianity. There’s no point at which we’re a good enough Christian that we can stop learning, studying and praying for Christ-like perfection. Being a Christian is, instead a life-long adventure, a joyful and unending song, an eternal life which we spend in the company of God.

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"

He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." Luke 10:25-28 NIV

What Twitter taught me about being a Christian

2008-11-05T15:49:00.000-08:00

I wrote a post for this space yesterday. It was from my heart and it was passionate, but it wasn’t very nice.

Sometime after midnight here in Oz, I took it down. I feel a lot better knowing those angry, ugly words of judgment aren’t out there for all the world to see, and apologize to those folks who received it via RSS between the time it was posted and the time it was withdrawn. Please forgive me.

A lot of things prompted me to take the post down, but the defining moment came when I saw a simple question posted on Twitter…”Why are so many Christians being so mean?”

Wow.

There’ve been studies done that say a huge majority of people – especially our young people –see Christians as the most hypocritical and judgmental group of people in America. One researcher, author Gabe Lyons, puts that number at a whopping 87%!

Talk about calling a spade a spade!

And again, according to Lyons, those feelings aren’t based on stereotypes, they’re based on actual, face-to-face, day-in-and-day-out encounters with real live, faith-professing, Bible-thumping Christians.

We as believers in Christ are dropping the ball. We’re not just dropping the ball, we’re throwing it down like an angry toddler who doesn’t get what he wants and could care less who knows it.

And people ARE watching.

They’re watching and they’re wondering how can someone who says they believe in the greatest, most powerful and influential agent of love and change in the history of the world, be so hateful.

They’re wondering why are so many Christians being so mean.

And so am I.

We sure know better. I know better. My God has told me I am to be a light in the darkness. I’m supposed to be a living example of Christ. By my actions, I am to be known as follower of the Almighty, and I’m supposed to be such a shining example of Christ that others will be drawn to Him.

It’s a tough task sometimes. It was tough for me personally last night as I listened to and read the many hateful comments about President-elect Barack Obama and the promise of hope he has given America and the world, and realized those comments were coming from fellow believers.

I failed last night. I put my light under a bushel of outrage. I was hypocritical. I dug for the splinter while avoiding the 4x4.

And I was a very poor example of Christ’s love in the world.

I can do better.

I must do better.

We all must do better.

People are watching. God is watching.

The Day After: "We the People" by Brian Keene

2008-11-04T20:51:00.000-08:00

This post was written by Briane Keene on Election Night 2008. It offers, I think, a clear reminder of why America is great and why we have elected Barack Obama as the 44rd President of the United States Of America.

I've cleaned up the lanuage a bit, but have left Brian's thoughts intact. They are powerful and sincere and I'm proud to include them here - AVA

The Day After: ‘We The People…’
Dear Turtle,

You won’t remember this day, but history will. While you were sitting with Mommy and Daddy and chewing on the remote control, we watched the world give your generation a chance at a better life than we have had.

Ideally, that should be the ultimate goal of each generation—to make things better for the next generation. That’s always been the way it was in our family. Your great, great, great grandparents came to this country from Ireland because they wanted things to be better for their kids. They worked hard to make sure that happened. Your great, great grandfather fought in World War One to make the world a better place for his kids. Your great-grandfather fought during World War Two for the same ideals. Your grandfather and your Daddy also served, and while our government’s ideals may have been different in those times, ours were not. Your PaPaw wanted the world to be a better place for my generation, and I wanted the world to be a better place for your generation. Your PaPaw busted his a** eight-to-ten hours a day, seven days a week, to give your aunt and I the things that he never had growing up. He worked hard and sacrificed. I learned those ideals from him, and have tried to do the same thing.

Your great-grandparents are part of something called The Greatest Generation. They knew hardship, son. They had World War Two and the Great Depression and hard, lean times. Your grandparents are part of something called The Boomer Generation. They also knew hardship. They had Vietnam and Kent State and a man named Richard Nixon who sh** all over the ideals that make this country great.

There is another group of people who have known strife, son. And although they were a part of all three of these generations, and although they shared in our struggles and fought for the same things we fought for, they had their own share of personal hardships and strife, as well. And those hardships dwarfed ours in comparison. People of color have had to struggle even harder in this country. And even though the Greatest Generation fought to make this world a better place, it really only held true for half of the population. People of color didn’t enjoy the same freedoms that the rest of us did. The Boomer Generation worked to change that, and perhaps they succeeded somewhat. But the divisions still remained. Those divisions ran through our country like echoes. Ghosts of the past.

It should not have been that way. But it was. And that’s not the only thing that has been wrong, son. You see, Mommy and Daddy are part of something called Generation X and Generation Y. We had no hard, lean times. We were spoiled brats, for the most part. Because of the sacrifices of the two generations that came before us, we were fat and content. Our greatest hardships were David Lee Roth quitting Van Halen and Kurt Cobain deep-throating a shotgun. And so, for the last twenty years, we’ve had a procession of crooks sh*t all over this nation’s ideals in a way that makes Nixon seem positively benign. Somewhere along the line, the representatives of the Greatest Generation and the Boomer Generation have forgotten about their duty to the generations to come. For twenty years, both parties, represented by the Bush dynasty and the Clinton dynasty, have made things progressively worse. And my generation let them get away with it because, unlike our parents and our grandparents, we simply didn’t care. We had no strife. Unlike the previous generations, we’ve had no hard, lean times.

Until 9/11.

On 9/11, we understandably and justifiably lost our sh*t. On 9/11, our generation realized that we were part of this planet, whether we liked it or not, and that there were more important things in life than Britney’s latest meltdown or the Superbowl or funny LOL Cat pictures. 9/11 ushered in those hard, lean times, and it’s eerie how much they resemble the hardships of your grandparents and great-grandparent’s generations. War. Economic chaos. Social unrest. The world has become an ugly place.

Well, we finally got involved, son. My generation woke up after 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina and the Patriot Act and the $700 Billion Dollar Bailout and realized that we’re in our thirties and forties now, and that we pretty much run this country. Our generation–we the People–white, black, brown, moderate, liberal, Christian, atheist,–joined together today in order to form a more perfect Union. We elected one of our own, a forty-seven year old man of color, to run the country, and in doing so, we made history. And maybe–just maybe–we actually finally put to rest some of the mistakes of the previous generations. Maybe we can lay to rest those ghosts of the past, and put away those old divisions. Maybe we can finally draw a curtain on the racist bullsh*t that has f****ed this country up since day one. Maybe we can stop looking at the color of a person’s skin, or their sexual orientation, or their religious beliefs, or which political party they are registered to. Maybe we can finally move beyond ideology and dogma and talking points. Maybe we can forget about Republicans and Democrats, Liberals and Conservatives, Religious Right and Atheist Left, African-American and White, Gay or Straight, Man or Woman, Steelers fan or Redskins fan—maybe we can move beyond all that crap and really start to make a difference. It might not be forty acres and a mule. Indeed, it might be the start of something better.

It’s our generation’s first shot at this, and I’m sure we’ll stumble. Maybe if we work together, we won’t completely blow it. We’d better not, because sometimes I wonder if this isn’t our last chance to get it right.

Daddy loves you, kiddo. He loves you and your brother very much, and he really hopes that this is the start of something better for you both. He hopes that by the time you’re his age, you’ll live in a world where the air is cleaner, and global poverty is something you read about in a history book, and people can marry whomever they want regardless of their gender, and we won’t see each other in terms of the color of our skin, and if you get sick a doctor will be able to help you, and that if your country ever calls on you to go to war it will be right and just, fighting for this country’s ideals, fighting to make this world a better place for your kids, rather than on the whim of a pack of criminals who have dishonored every generation of Americans who have worked hard and struggled to uphold the dream.

And that’s why Daddy voted for Barack Obama today.

In a minute, I’m going to post this, because I bet there are other parents out there right now who are feeling the same thing, and that’s my job—to put into words what other people are feeling. After I do that, I’m going to tip-toe into the bedroom and kiss you and Mommy both goodnight. And for the first time in a very long time, kiddo, Daddy will feel something when he goes to sleep.

And that something is called Hope.

We the People… in order to form a more perfect Union.

I hope.

The Almighty has His own priorities

2008-11-04T06:00:00.001-08:00

Eddie Perkins posted this piece on his site this morning, and I want to share it with you. It's finally election day back in the States, and a lot of people are anxious. It's been a passionate and passion-filled campaign. But Eddy's post reminds us that God is bigger than politics.

I've been reading a lot of political stuff recently - some good, some bad and some downright ugly. Frankly, I've been disgusted by people from both sides using God to score political points - or worse still - strong-arm others to their way of thinking (and voting). That's why Eddy's post came as such a breath of fresh air, and why I'm reposting it at both Pleasing Moments and Ava Writes.

God in Politics Introduction

God spoke the truth on many issues before they ever became political issues. The fact that some topics have become political issues is no reason for Bible believers not to share what God’s Word has to say on the issues at hand.

This is an outline and a few thoughts from our pastor’s message today Sunday November 2nd 2008. It is not a message on whom to vote for or specific issues, but Bible principles. I love it when the speaker gets to the root of the issues instead of dealing with the rotten fruit. So here is the message (with some of my thoughts interjected) from pastor Danny Rollins.

Text: Mark 12:17 And Jesus answered and said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at Him. NKJV

Three Truths Today -

Understanding God’s Priority (Singular)

His Kingdom

Matthew 6:10 “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. NKJV
He is speaking of His King and Kingdom People

John 18:36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here." NKJV

Partial quote from Abraham Lincoln in his Second inaugural address on March 4th 1865 and speaking of how both sides asked God to bless their priorities, “The Almighty has His own priorities”.

Joshua 5:13-14 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, "Are You for us or for our adversaries?"

So He said, "No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come."

And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, "What does my Lord say to His servant?" NKJV

The point being that God did not come that day to take sides, but to take over. No matter who wins the election, the problems and solutions are deeper than the election. Wrong will continue because it is in the human nature.

Survey God’s Plans

God’s plans and program has gone on through time whether we recognized it or not.

God Worked Through The Nation Israel.
When the kingdom divided there were 38 kings. All but 8 were considered “bad” kings. Of the eight “good” kings most were not good from beginning to end, yet God’s plans moved forward using both the “good” and the “bad”.

God Worked Through The Other Nations.
Just go through both the Old and New Testament and take note of the nations that God worked through. My personal favorite is included in the story of Esther. But as you read the following scripture as examples keep in mind that these kings were not of the Jewish nation and may not have been worshippers of the one true God.

Daniel 6:25-26 -Then King Darius wrote:To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, And steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, And His dominion shall endure to the end. NKJV

Ezra 1:1-2 -Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. NKJV

Participating in God’s Process

God has chosen to use leaders for his people.

Deliverers like Moses and Joshua
Judges like Samson and Gideon
Prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah
Kings like David and Solomon
God Uses Us to Elect the Leaders

Let’s Use the Bible as a Guide to Characteristics

Character –“What we are in the dark” – The moral authority to lead others

Proverbs 29:1 He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, Will suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy. NKJV

Conviction –“One who draws a line in the sand and says I will not cross over this line”.

Daniel 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. NKJV

Anyone can have a conviction, not just Bible believers. A conviction is something one will die for.

The ultimate politician will promise anything. He/she will study the issues; find out what issues will get him/her the most votes and then promise to deliver it.

Courage – to choose the right thing

Joshua 24:15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." NKJV

Company –Who is his/her friends and who is his/her enemies.

1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits." NKJV

Look at your political mail and check the liberal media. Who supports who? You will know a lot about a person by the company they keep.

On a personal note, please notice that nothing is mentioned here about religion, gender or race.

God in Politics Bottom Line

We all need to vote our own convictions come Election Day. Yes, there are issues I would love to discuss in more details, but there are many who are already doing that, so I pass on to you these three truths today.

2 Chronicles 7:14 If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. NKJV

If you do not believe in God or the authority of His Word, this will not help you. If on the other hand you do believe in God and the authority of His Word and if you are willing to submit to His authority, you may find help here.

In any case, this is not the voting booth. See you at the poles. ~ eddie

What voices are you influenced by?

2008-10-31T17:21:00.000-07:00

It’s a noisy world out there! There are a lot of voices vying for our attention, each one trying to influence us in one way or another.

Family members.

Political parties.

Advertisers.

Leaders and bosses.

Friends and co-workers.

We’re bombarded by a huge number of voices. They come at us from the television and radio, from street corners and soap boxes. They push their way into our days and our nights, into our offices, churches and homes.

It’s only natural that some of those voices resonate with us – they make sense – and when that happens, we’re changed. We’re influenced, whether for good or bad, by the voices around us.

So, what voices are you listening to? Which voices are influencing you?

Is it the voice of God?

Are you being influenced by the words of Christ?

If not, maybe it's time you tuned in!

Having the faith of a finisher

2008-10-30T16:17:00.000-07:00

I’m a fabulous starter. My mind is always spinning with new ideas and projects. I get all excited and pretty soon I have pages and pages of notes and scribbles as ideas come together, and stories and concepts take shape.

The problem with being a fabulous starter, tho, is that…well, fabulous starters aren’t necessarily fabulous finishers. Or finishers at all, in my case!

Remember all those pages and pages of notes and scribbles? Well many of them are filed away in folders marked “Someday”.

When I’m between projects as I am right now, I go to my box of “Someday” folders for inspiration. And I always find it. Since I’m such a great starter, the folders usually include everything I need to move forward. Regardless of the project, I’ve already done most of the preliminary research, or at least figured out what research I’ll need. If it’s a fiction project, I usually have a cast of characters already fleshed out and waiting, and more than likely, pretty complete character arcs and plot lines, as well. My “Someday” nonfiction folders are equally complete.

Tho, of course, complete isn’t a very accurate word!

I was thinking about my ability to start versus my apparent inability to finish today as I read through 2 Corinthians in The Message. I’m generally a NIV gal, but sometimes The Message strikes a chord. And that’s what happened today.

2 Corinthians 8:12 in the NIV was clear – For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.

But 2 Corinthians 8:12 in The Message hit me over the head! So here’s what I think: The best thing you can do right now is to finish what you started last year and not let those good intentions grow stale. Your heart’s been in the right place all along. You’ve got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it. Once the commitment is clear, you do what you can, not what you can’t. The heart regulates the hands.

Bingo! So often when I put something into a “Someday” folder, it’s not because it’s a bad idea or I don’t have the time, it’s because I have doubts. Is it the right voice, the right POV, the right story, the right message? Am I the right writer to…well, write it?

And it doesn’t only happen with projects. It happens with doing God’s work, as well.

The volunteer hours I never quite committed to; the Bible studies that never quite got completed, the believer I never followed up with, the good work I never got back to, the tithe I never fulfilled.

The list of unfinished business goes on, but the message of 2 Corinthians 8:12 remains the same – Finish what you start. Don’t let your good intentions go stale. Do what you can, not what you can’t.

I'm learning that it takes faith to be a finisher.

Faith that my gift – whether it’s a new project, a kind word to a person in need or a gold coin tossed in the offering - is good enough.

Faith that I'm good enough, and that all I have is acceptable to my Lord.

What a wonderful place from which to start!

When did you see me?

2008-10-28T16:05:00.000-07:00

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' (Mathew 25:31-46 NIV)

Don't give sin a vote

2008-10-23T22:36:00.000-07:00

A lot of us will be heading to polling places in a few short weeks. We’ll be casting our ballots and actively participating in the direction the United States will take over the next four years. Our votes will help to set agendas and determine where funding will come from and how it will be spent. Through the power of the ballot, we’ll directly influence issues like immigration and global warming, medical research and humanitarian aid, HIV, abortion, capital punishment, education and health care. With our votes, we’ll impact national defense and national security, peace, prosperity and even freedom.

How we vote will determine much about how we live the next four years.

But, it’s important to remember that as Christians, the first Tuesday of November isn’t the only day we’re given the opportunity to cast a vote. Each and every day through our actions and reactions, thoughts and beliefs we cast our vote in support of either righteousness or sin, goodness or evil, God or the world.

And how we vote determines how we live our lives – not just for the next four years – but for eternity.

Paul gave the same reminder to the Romans (6:12-18 The Message).

“Don’t give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives,” he told them. “Don’t give it the time of day. Don’t even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life."

When we wake up every morning and re-elect God as our Lord and King, when we throw ourselves wholeheartedly and full-time into God’s way of doing things, sin no longer has any say in how we live our lives.

God does.

He sets our direction and our agenda. He protects us and keeps us safe. And he blesses us with peace and prosperity and freedom as our lives become healed and expansive in holiness.

So, as this election season comes to an end and we head to the polling places, let’s remember that every vote counts – the ones we make in November, but more importantly the ones we make each and every day by our actions and reactions, thoughts and beliefs.

Those votes truly do have the power to change lives.

But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard - things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshall and direct our energies wisely. (Galatians 5: 22-23 The Message)

I'm over at Pearl Girls this week

2008-10-23T14:41:00.001-07:00

Awhile back I was invited to guest blog over at Pearl Girls, and apparently they liked me so much, they invited me back! hehe

I'm over there this week with a post about motivation.

Check it out!

Let our first reaction be joy

2008-10-20T23:16:00.000-07:00

Let’s say you get in a fender-bender, or you chip a tooth on an olive pit someone left in your salad. Maybe you lock your keys in the car or get poison ivy. Maybe something worse happens – a car wreck, an accident, an illness. Maybe you’re falsely accused of something or even sent to jail. Maybe a chain of events transpires that results in a broken heart, a broken marriage or a broken home.

What’s your first reaction?

For most of us the reaction would be a resounding, why me?! What did I ever do to deserve this? Probably following quite closely by anger and bitterness, disbelief and disillusionment.

But what would happen if our first reaction was the one Paul had when he was thrown into a Roman prison and facing execution?

Paul didnn't bemoan his situation, he didn't lash out or curse his circumstamces. No, Paul saw things a little differently.

“Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.” Philippians 1:12

Wow!

Imagine the empowerment if, instead of moaning and bemoaning our circumstances - whatever they might be – we instead turned them over to God for the advancement of His word.

Think of the message we could send to other believers and even to those who don’t know God yet if our first reaction in challenging times was to assume God was in charge of the moment and using it for His will.

And think of how that kind of reaction could change us.

If we truly believed that whatever happened to us would move forward God’s agenda, there’d be no reason for disbelief or disillusionment. Anger and bitterness would go out the window replaced by joy - joy that through us and through our circumstances, the message of Christ was getting greater traction.

Instead of being burdened by our circumstances, we would be beholding to them.

And although we wouldn’t seek out difficult circumstances, there’d be no reason to hide from them either.

It's a heady thought, isn't it, that we could be like Paul and say with confidence, "what has happened to me has really served to advance the Gospel?

And there's the kicker...we can!

We can approach each challenge, each adversity and each circumstance with total confidence knowing that God truly is at the helm, and that He is using us to the glory of His Kingdom here on earth.

All it takes to react like Paul is faith.

The Lighthouse - A lesson in sharing the work

2008-10-18T00:38:00.000-07:00

I came across a wonderful little animated film that exactly shows Share The Work.

You can watch it here.

The film is part of the Responsibility Project by Liberty Mutual, and is directed by Charlie Short and Ming Hsiung.

In addition to providing the film, the Responsibility Project also includes a discussion guide (included at the bottom of this post)

What a GREAT film and worthwhile project!

Discussion Guide for The Lighthouse

1. Why is the lighthouse keeper seemingly unhappy?

2. Do you think the townspeople value the light but not the keeper?

3. Why doesn’t the keeper derive happiness from making the people happy?

4. Is there someone in your life whose role of responsibility you take for granted?

5. What did the keeper assume about the townspeople?

6. Why is the keeper surprised when the townspeople come to help?

7. This film has no dialogue. How do actions and body language tell a tale about responsibility?

8. What lessons does the keeper learn?

9. Did the townspeople learn any lessons?

10. Who was ultimately more responsible—the lighthouse keeper or the people? Or were they equal?

Gratitude is the heart's memory

2008-10-17T17:40:00.000-07:00

I'm not much of a collector.

I don't go in for cutesy little figurines or stuffed animals. I' not into coffee mugs, keychains, stamps or even snowglobes, tho I think I might have two or three in a box in storage somewhere. My grandparents spent their lives collecting one-of-a-kind antique goblets. It was their passion. They were collectors.

If I collect anything, I collect words. Especially proverbs.

Proverbs and also proverbs.

Wherever we call home, I try to find some proverb or traditional saying that means something to me.

Our years in Arabia gave me these:

A woman can hide her love for 40 years, but her disgust and anger not for one day,

Raising children is like chewing on a stone, and my favorite,

Sunshine all the time makes a desert.

In Australia I've found these gems:

We are all things which are played by nature,

The bigger the hat, the smaller the property and

Those who lose dreaming are lost.

The other day I was digging through my growing collection -for lack of a better word - of world sayings, when I came across this one from France:

Gratitude is the heart's memory.

It gave me pause as I put that message into the context of the Christian life.

As Christians, it's impossible to be anything but thankful if we well and truly spend time thinking about the many ways and many times God's abundance has been visited on our lives. Not only the big ways, but the small ways. And not only in the good times, but in the challenging times, as well.

If we just take a look around, we can't help but be grateful!

The problem is that sometimes we just get too busy or too distracted or even just take those blessings for granted, and we forget to be thankful.

Our heart forgets to - well - remember!

As Christians, we need to change that, and we need to change it now!

Let's start remember our blessings, and let's be more grateful, beginning today.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:708 IV)

Doing cartwheels of joy in hard times

2008-10-14T16:57:00.000-07:00

These are tough times.

All we have to do is open a newspaper, turn on the television, or talk to our friends and neighbors to know that America – and indeed the world – is going through some struggles right now.

A lot of folks are talking about what can be done – what should be done – and some of their suggestions probably make a good bit of sense.

I’ve heard experts say that times like these are historically cyclical. They point to other times when the stock market dropped, when depression loomed, when the cost of just living made it hard to have a real life.

Their message is clear: This too shall pass. And they’re probably right.

Putting today into a historical context is good. But, I tend to think those so-called experts aren’t going back far enough.

They aren’t going back to Habakkuk.

Habakkuk was a writer in the 600s BC. And at the time, things were looking pretty bleak. Habakkuk’s world was dominated by greed and injustice. Violence was rampant, governments were corrupt and falling apart. People were dying, children were starving in clear sight of full markets, and abject hopelessness sat like a dark cloud over Judah.

Folks all around him were asking why and wondering what to do. But not Habakkuk. Habakkuk knew just what to do – he turned to God.

What are you going to do about this mess? He asked. And when will things get better?
God tells Habakkuk He has a plan.

But rather than being comforted, Habakkuk gets even more upset! It’s a terrible plan! It will make things even worse! I want another answer, he tells God. I want a better answer.

And God gives it to him. God’s answer is hope.

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. (Habakkuk 2:14 The Message)

And with hope, Habakkuk knows he can make it through the tough times, no matter how tough they get.

That single realization changes everything!

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. (Habakkuk 3: 17-18 NIV)

Despite everything, Habakkuk declares, I will STILL praise God!

(The Message translation uses the phrase, "turn cartwheels of joy", and I really like the imagery of that. Is it even possible to not be filled with child-like joy and enthusiasm while doing a cartwheel? I don't think so!)

Just like Habakkuk, God’s message of hope can get us through these tough times.

Though my 401K is sinking like the Titanic, I will praise God!

Though the price of everything from groceries to gas continues to rise, I will praise God!

Though the things I enjoy are now too expensive to even consider, I will praise God!

Though making ends meet is getting harder and harder, I will praise God!

Though the world seems to be spinning out of control, I will praise God!

Even in these hard times - in fact despite these hard times - now is the time for Christians around the world to stand up and praise God! Let our joy-filled voices echo across the land with songs of praise to God for giving us His eternal hope, no matter what’s going on around us.

Let's praise God and do more cartwheels!

Seeking a Nehemiah for America

2008-10-08T20:01:00.000-07:00

I watched a recast of the presidential debate last night, and this morning completed and mailed off the paperwork for my overseas absentee ballot.

When I got home, I opened up my Bible and started rereading Nehemiah. I only got as far as the second chapter before I found what I was looking for – Nehemiah’s speech to the people of Jerusalem.

"Face it,” he told them, “we're in a bad way here. Jerusalem is a wreck; its gates are burned up. Come—let's build the wall of Jerusalem and not live with this disgrace any longer." (Nehemiah 2:17-18 The Message)

How I wish one of the candidates had been that…well candid!

It’s no big secret. America is in a bad way and we need to do some serious rebuilding. We need to decide – and agree – that we are no longer willing to live in disgrace.

And we need a man of God like Nehemiah who can bring us together and inspire us to greatness.

This isn’t the place – and I’m not the person – to give anyone voting advice, but I do encourage every American to do two simple and powerful things: think and pray.

Think
About what each candidate plans to do, specifically
About where your information comes from
About whether you’re voting for or against
About whether you’re voting for the candidate or the issue
About which candidate is best for the office

(Thanks to Voter Speak for the list.)

Pray
Pray that citizens will acknowledge their civic duty to vote.
Pray for God’s protection upon the candidates.
Pray that voters will carefully consider each candidate’s ability to lead.
Pray for a national awareness of our need for God’s help.
Pray for God’s direction in the presidential and vice-presidential elections.

(Thanks to 31-Day Election Prayer Calendar for the prayer requests. I've posted the complete calendar in the sidebar over there >)

One thing is certain – when we wake up on November 5, America will have a new president and we as Americans will have some work to do.

Let's get together and, like the people of Jerusalem in their time of trouble, declare we're ready to get started, we're ready to do some good work.

Four steps to loving others

2008-10-07T17:21:00.000-07:00

We all struggle sometimes to make loving others real, so I was impressed the other day when I came across this interview with Kevin "Chappy" Hynes, the chaplain for the University of Georgia football team on doing just that – loving others.

Here’s his take on it.

“People ask me, "What do you do as a chaplain?" I tell them all that stuff, but, then, really, when you get down to it, I love these players and coaches. I've got a vast background. I've done things that weren't good, I've done things that were good, I've been around. I haven't done everything, but I've done a lot.

"So I just love these kids. Let's break down "love." What is love? It's an action. It's a verb. I'm a servant. I listen to them. The first thing I do if a player or a coach comes in is I sit down, here or in their office, and I just sit there and listen. The next thing I do is I open the Word of God and I say, "O.K., I'm going to offer them Biblical teaching with a Christian world view. Well, here's what the Bible says about that.

"There are two world views, one that's Christian, one that is Biblical, and one that's not, and I share the Christian world view with these guys. So I listen to them, I offer them Biblical teaching with a Christian world view. The next thing that I do is I value them. I value all of these young men as people. Not as numbers, but as names. I know their names and I value them. You know, we tell their parents we're going to love them when they come here and we do that. Coach Richt does. I love them and we're just going to invest in their lives and value them as people.

"Everyone has value to God. That doesn't mean everybody is born again. That doesn't mean everybody has received Christ. That doesn't mean everybody is going to go to Heaven. But it does mean that God values every human being. We're all made in the image and likeness of God. But to be a child of God, you've got to receive what Christ did on the Cross of Calvary. You've got to understand the Gospel. You've got to see your need for a Savior and receive that.
So I value them as people and the last thing I do is I encourage, I edify, I build up. I'm around them, a cheerleader. I'm just there all the time, just to encourage them, and I tell people those that come to Georgia that are not Christians and allow me to speak in their lives, I encourage them to walk with Jesus. Everything I do is voluntary, but I encourage them to repent, turn from their sin, and turn to Jesus.”

What great advice!

If you want to love others, start by listening to them.

Offer to share the Bible with them.

Value them and invest in them as people and as children of God.

And finally, encourage them.

It may just be a coincidence, but taken as a whole, those four steps to loving someone just happen to spell...yep...you guessed it. L-O-V-E,

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. (James 2:8 NIV)

My hat is off to Kevin "Chappy" Hynes, a man of God who is doing right!

God promises we will soar

2008-10-06T17:02:00.000-07:00

Few things are more majestic than seeing an eagle soar in flight. I remember seeing a small flock of bald eagles one spring when I was still living in Minnesota. As we watched them fly over a lake, the eagles took turns swopping down into the water, snatching ducks, and then soaring off into the distance. It was incredible to see.

Eagles are among the world's most powerful fliers, and cleverly take advantage of the earth's thermal convection currents to conserve energy. Basically, they find a column of rising warm air - a thermal - and then stay with it as it gains altitude before flying off to find the next thermal going the direction they want to be traveling.

One advantage of flying in the thermals is that eagles rarely if ever get caught in storms. Instead, they soar over them, using the power of the storm's often volatile thermals to gain even more altitude. In other words, even the most violent storm, the storm that could threaten the eagles' very existence, instead allows them to fly higher and higher, and thus go further
and further.

The same thing can happen to us as Christians when we stay close to God during the tough times that threaten our mental, emotional, physical and even spiritual survival. Our faith in Him can lift us above any storm as He takes us to places we would never be able to get to on our own.

It's a promise God made in Isaiah. "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles". (Isaiah 40:31 NIV)

There will still be storms. Tough times will come our way, but they will not crush us. Instead, because of God's grace and active participation in our lives, we will come out stronger than ever before. We will be renewed, and like the eagle, we will be lifted up and brought to the new places God has planned for us.

The confidence of pure motivation

2008-10-06T17:01:00.000-07:00

Awhile back, I decided to run a marathon, well at least train to run a marathon. You should know, I am not a runner. I love to walk and will occasionally even trot, but running...no, I am not a runner. So, deciding to run a marathon was a pretty big deal.

My motivation was simple: I needed to get in shape. I needed to lose weight. In order to do that, I needed to have a concrete, measurable physical goal and running a marathon seemed to fit the bill.

When I told my husband I'd decided to run a marathon he was a bit taken back, but quickly recovered and suggested I contact a personal trainer for some help. It was a great idea.

One of the first things Marni did was sit down with me and talk about motivation. Why did I want to run a marathon? What did I want out of the experience and the effort?

If it was only about getting in shape, she assured me, there were easier ways of going about it - especially for a non-runner like me. But if it was the sense of accomplishment completing a marathon brings, then I was spot on. Or even if I was motivated by bragging rights or had a passion for tough challenges, then running a marathon was a good option.

At the end of our first meeting, Marni looked me in the eye and said, "you need to think about motivation before you can think about training."

Training to run a marathon is a grueling experience, she told me, mentally, physically and emotionally. Without the proper motivation - and enough of it - I would fail.

Turns out I had the wrong motivation. The idea of pushing myself to the point of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion wasn't all that appealing, and neither was being able to say I'd run 26.3 miles without collapsing. I just wanted to get in shape and lose some weight!

Determining motivation requires honesty, thoughtful effort and accurate thinking, whether we're talking about running a marathon or pleasing God. But when we know what motivates us - why we do the things we do - we're able to move forward with confidence.

And that confidence allows us to seek God's help.

James tells us that when we ask with the right motive, God will answer. He will shower us with blessings and abundance. He will move mountains on our behalf.

But, when we ask with wrong motives - when what we want isn't for the glory of God but for our own glory or to satisfy lusts - then blessings are few and far between.

You do not have, because you do not ask God, says James. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (James 4:2-3 NIV)

Next time something doesn't go your way or it doesn't seem like God is listening, think about the motivation behind your request. Was it pure and worthy of God or was it something else?

Were you like Absolom, seeking popularity? (2 Sam. 15:1-6)

Were you motivated by pride like Simon? (2 Sam. 15:1-6)

Were you like the mother of Zebedee's sons, motivated by prestige and status (Matthew 20:20-21) or like Ahab who was motivated by greed? (I Kings 21)

Maybe you were motivated by pleasure like Solomon. (Ecclesiastes. 2:1-11)

No matter how much time and effort we put into something, no matter how much we might want it, we will always fall short and never truly succeed unless and until our motive is pure.

When what we do and why we do it is focused on pleasing God, when our motivation is to honor Him in all things, then we can seek God’s blessings, confident of success.

Is it time to change your spiritual clothes?

2008-10-06T17:00:00.000-07:00

My son’s high school principal used to insist on formal dances. She was a tough old bird and had seen far too many dances – and dancers – get out of hand when the kids were wearing casual clothes. Dress them up in formal gowns and suits and ties, and the kids were better behaved, more polite and less likely to get in trouble.

It sure made her job easier. Fewer fights, less dirty dancing, more well-behaved students – all because the kids were dressed up.

There’s a lot of truth to her way of thinking. What we wear does impact how we behave, and even the words we use.

Studies have even been done that show people in formal attire tend to speak in more formal ways, using more reserved language and even describing themselves as more proper and appropriate than when they’re wearing casual clothes.

Same people, different clothes and different behaviors and thoughts.

It’s a pretty powerful connection, and one Paul drew on when he was urging the Romans to live in Christ’s example.

Change spiritual clothes, he told them, and you will become something different and new.

So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires. (Romans 13:11-14 NLT)

Wow.

Think about how different our lives become when we strip off the old, dirty rags of the world, and slip into the garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness Christ provides. (Isaiah 61:10 NIV)

Suddenly – and with the presence of God in our lives – we are living according to James 1:22 – not merely listening to the word but doing what it says!

We’re living a more worthy life.

We’re pleasing God in every way.

We’re bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God.

We’re being strengthened with all power according to God’s will, and we’re giving thanks to God without hesitation or end. (Colossians 1:10-12 NIV)

When we clothe ourselves in Christ, we act and react differently; we think and speak differently. We become something new and different.

We become His.

A sharp ax always wins

2008-10-06T16:59:00.000-07:00

NOTE: This post first appeared over at Pearl Girls.

My in-laws have been visiting us this past month here in Adelaide, and the other day I took them to the Royal Adelaide Show, a much-celebrated annual event a lot like the big state fairs back in the States. We had a beautiful time watching the horse shows and sheep shearing displays, and of course eating some of the quirky local food. Although we didn’t take in any midway rides, we did get our adrenaline fix when, about midday, we found ourselves sitting in the grandstands cheering like maniacs as woodchoppers competed in an event called treefelling.

Woodchopping is something of an iconic sport in South Australia, and treefelling is the premier event…for obvious reasons. Imagine a man wielding an eight-pound ax, balancing on a thin slab of wood sticking out of a notch he just chopped out of the tree, so that he can chop out another notch, stick another thin slab of wood into it, and then balance on that wobbly slab while he hacks his way through yet another log perched some 13-feet up in the air.

Yeah. Adrenaline rush just watching.

It was a remarkable example of what a finely honed piece of steel can do in the hands of a master.

After the event, I went down and chatted up one of the competitors, an older guy who’d been chopping wood for quite a few years. It wasn’t as dangerous – or scary –as it looked, he assured me, partly because of the axes used. They aren’t run-of-the-mill tools, he explained, but rather specially-crafted, perfectly balanced, polished steel racing axes.

And yes, they’re sharp. Razor sharp.

A sharp ax and a weaker man will always beat a dull ax and a stronger man, he said with a knowing chuckle.

Solomon said about the same thing in Ecclesiastes: If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success. (Ecclesiastes 10:10 NASB).

Like so much of what he said, Solomon wasn’t only talking about axes. He was talking about us as Christians, as well.

Just like an ax, we’re more effective, powerful and useful as Christians when we’re sharp, focused and accurate. When our knowledge of God and His promises as true and perfect, we’re better able to represent God to those around us. When our faith has been sharpened by fellow believers, we’re more versatile and less resistant.

And in the hands of our Master, a sharp Christian can do things a dull Christian can’t.

We can surrender our lives to God without reservation or concern; We can proclaim His goodness in every situation and circumstance; We can share the glorious news of salvation with non-believers; and we can scrape the dullness off our fellow Christians and make them sharp.

And that, as Solomon said, has the advantage of giving success!

Pursuing God still makes sense

2008-10-06T16:58:00.000-07:00

Aiden Wilson Tozer is my role model as a Christian writer.

If you’ve never heard of him, you’re not alone. He wasn’t a celebrity preacher. He wasn’t even schooled in theology, but he was a powerful Christian, an author of more than 40 inspiration books and, by all accounts, a worthy man who lived to please God.

It was said of Tozer that his work was an extension of his prayer life.

What a nice thing to have folks say about you!

I’ve been reading Tozer’s Pursuit of God, and altho it was written in another time, it speaks clearly to today.

On Living To Please God: God formed us for His pleasure, and so formed us that we as well as He can in divine communion enjoy the sweet and mysterious mingling of kindred personalities. He meant us to see Him and live with Him and draw our life from His smile.

On Knowing the Goodness of God: For millions of Christians, nevertheless, God is no more real than He is to the non-Christian. They go through life trying to love an ideal and be loyal to a mere principle.

On Putting Your Treasure Where Your Heart Is: The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One. Many ordinary treasures may be denied him, or if he is allowed to have them, the enjoyment of them will be so tempered that they will never be necessary to his happiness. Or if he must see them go, one after one, he will scarcely feel a sense of loss, for having the Source of all things he has in One all satisfaction, all pleasure, all delight. Whatever he may lose he has actually lost nothing, for he now has it all in One, and he has it purely, legitimately and forever.

On Praying Ceaselessly: God Himself is here waiting our response to His Presence.

On Walking by Faith: The Christian is too sincere to play with ideas for their own sake. He takes no pleasure in the mere spinning of gossamer webs for display. All his beliefs are practical. They are geared into his life. By them he lives or dies, stands or falls for this world and for all time to come.

On Training for Godliness: As we begin to focus upon God the things of the spirit will take shape before our inner eyes. Obedience to the word of Christ will bring an inward revelation of the Godhead (John 14:21-23). It will give acute perception enabling us to see God even as is promised to the pure in heart. A new God-consciousness will seize upon us and we shall begin to taste and hear and inwardly feel the God who is our life and our all. There will be seen the constant shining of the light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world. (John 1:9) More and more, as our faculties grow sharper and more sure, God will become to us the great All, and His Presence the glory and wonder of our lives.

Written more than 50 years ago, Pursuit of God remains a lesson in living to please God. And Aiden Wilson Tozer remains a worthy role model for me - and for others.

How much are you willing to do?

2008-10-06T16:57:00.001-07:00

There was a special on television the other night looking at the immigration issue in America. It’s a hot-button issue - and one that a lot of Christians struggle with personally. The Bible reminds us to love one another, to open our hearts and our doors to strangers, and to know that God is in the others among us.

I don’t have any answers, but the show did get me thinking. One segment featured a man living along the border between Arizona and Mexico. It was an especially harsh environment - several miles of hot, dry desert with no shelter, no source of water, and little chance of survival for people seeking to gain entrance into America.

This man, a private citizen, saw a need in others and decided to do something about it. He set up water stations throughout the desert and keeps them filled with fresh water. It’s the least he can do, he says. People were dying without water.

At one point in the show, the man came to one of the watering stations to find the bottled water vandalized. The jugs had been slashed and the precious, life-saving water inside dumped on the ground.

Even as a spectator, I was upset. But the man wasn’t. He just picked up the water jugs and calmly replaced them with new ones.

Then the man turned to the camera and said, “I’ll keep providing water as long as I can,” he said. “Some people don’t agree with what I’m doing, but I’ll keep doing it as long as there are people who need it.”

Wow.

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' (Matthew 25:31-40 NIV)

Spoil yourself in the best way possible

2008-10-06T16:56:00.000-07:00

I’ve gotten spoiled since moving to Australia. Well, at least my taste buds have gotten spoiled.

The food here is wonderful!

Nearly everything is locally grown, and very few things contain the preservatives and additives of my American childhood which means they just taste better.

My favorite local food is sun-dried tomatoes. I never used to like tomatoes - and frankly I’m still not one to eat a tomato like an apple - but give me a handful of sun-dried tomatoes and I’m all smiles.

Why? because they burst in my mouth!

I’ve found myself adding sun-dried tomatoes to nearly everything - sandwiches and omelets, casseroles and picnic baskets. Sometimes I even eat them as a stand-alone snack.

The other day, however, I ran out of sun-dried tomatoes. And I really wanted that burst of flavor I’d gotten used to, so I chopped up a ripe tomato I had in the fridge.

It was organic and it was fresh, but it didn’t burst in my mouth. And it sure didn’t satisfy the craving I had for a juicy bit of sun-dried tomato.

The tomato was good, just not good enough because I’d gotten used to something better.

Peter (1 Peter 2:2-3) talks about the same thing happening when we live to please God, when we change out ways so our lives are worthy and holy.

You've had a taste of God. Now, like infants at the breast, drink deep of God's pure kindness. Then you'll grow up mature and whole in God. (The Message)

Spoil yourself, Peter tells us. Feast on the word of God. Know it, live it. Let it burst into your life and put a smile on your face.

And having tasted the goodness of God, we’ll never be satisfied with anything less.

Learning to accept "as is" takes help

2008-10-06T16:55:00.001-07:00

I love taking pictures and I take a lot of them. Lately, however, I've found myself going back through old photos and "cleaning them up". You know, cropping here, color adjusting there. When I'm through, the pictures sure look better - more polished and centered, more professional. Better.

While my daughter was home this last time, she pulled up several hundred photos she'd taken during a recent trip to South Africa. As I looked through them, my fingers were twitching to clean them up. But she was adamant - adamant to the point of not even allowing me to put the images on my computer for fear I would be tempted to fiddle.

I tried to explain to her that the photos would really look ‘better’ if they were straightened and cropped, maybe even spruced-up a bit.

"This is what I saw," she told me. "And this is how I want to remember it."

I couldn't argue with that.

I was reminded of that conversation today when I happened upon a blog titled Slurping Life. The blogger had posted a photo of the moon through clouds and noted it was SOCC.

Straight out of the camera.

And next to the note she added this insight which has stuck with me all day.

Sometimes one should accept the challenge to appreciate 'as is' and not always wonder how to 'make it better'. Truthfully, isn't 'better' ultimately subjective...just your opinion or mine?

I'm guilty of playing the 'make it better game' too often and in too many areas of my life - not just photography! And it impacts the way I look at things - people, actions, reactions, relationships, ideas. Myself, my life and even God.

The constant desire to improve often does prevent me from seeing the beauty
already there. What a terrible shame and wasted opportunity!

Lord, help me to appreciate life as it is today without worrying about how I can make it better. Remind me that my idea of 'better' truly is subjective, and still my heart when I'm tempted to impose my 'better' on others. Thank you, Sweet Lord, for loving me 'as is' and help me to share that same unconditional love with the world.

Wear pants every day

2008-10-06T16:53:00.002-07:00

I am always amazed at where ideas - even great ideas - come from. I’ve been participating in a little writing contest over at ProBlogger and, have taken that opportunity to peruse a lot of blogs I might never have found. One of those blogs, Sell Ethically - The Blog, had a fabulous post that transfers beautifully to pleasing God.

In a post titled, She’s Not Wearing Any Pants, Deidre Hughey writes:

You remember those dreams, don’t you? You’re on the school bus, you get to school, stand up and as you’re walking, you realize you forgot to put your pants on that morning! How the heck did that happen? Immediately, you’re mortified, but instead of getting help (I could never figure that part out), you walk through the school without your pants on trying to figure out how to make it through the day without pants.

Now, maybe I’m the only one that’s had this dream (oh, I hope not - mortification is too fun not to share)…but it brings up an interesting point. There are days where we’ve forgotten to do something intrinsically important to our success, but instead of going back to fix it or getting someone to help, we think, well, tomorrow I’ll make sure I get it done. In the meantime, you walk around hoping no one will notice. That’s crazy! What if that thing was not putting your pants on?

I know it’s a silly example, but sometimes, we just need to slow down and turn around to get the really important things done earlier rather than later. It will free your mind, alleviate you of stress and help you get through your day without the fear of embarrassment, especially if you really did forget to put your pants on.

So, take it from me, keep your pants on, sell ethically and be happy!

What brilliant advise for those of us living to please God!

There are things “intrinsically important” to our success as Christian, and when we fail to do them - when we don’t take the time to pray or be thankful or forgiving or kind, when we don’t seek God’s will and guidance every single day - we might not notice it right off the bat, but God does.

Take Deidre’s advise to heart, slow down and turn around to get the really important things done. You’ll be happier, more successful and you’ll please God more!

Successful Christians can drive Z4s

2008-10-06T16:53:00.001-07:00

My kids love to torment me with a phrase I wrote for And God Was Pleased. It says that success isn’t a three-car garage. They torment me - albeit kiddingly - because we actually have a large garage, and it holds a BMW Z4 - a luxury car, a sports car, a status car.

Somehow they find the car inconsistent with the phrase. And some might even agree with them, but not me.

Christian success - the only true success -isn’t measured by what a person has or is, but by who they are.

Christian success is waking up each morning with a prayer of thanksgiving, and going to bed each night with the Lord’s name on your lips. It’s spending the hours between waking and sleeping loving Christ and others, and striving for obedience to God’s commands and will.

And it doesn’t matter if you’re waking up in a mansion or a shanty, if you’re spending your days in a boardroom or a backroom. If you’re living a worthy life which pleases God - bearing fruit in every good work, growing in knowledge of Him each day and being led by His all-powerful will - then you are succeeding on the grandest scale!

Christian success isn’t about the where or the what or the how much, it’s about the who.

Who do you love? Who do you worship? Who do you obey?

And most importantly, who are you seeking to please?

If the answer is God, it doesn’t make any difference what’s in the garage, because it’s all about what’s in the heart.

Finding faith in a pagan world

2008-10-06T16:52:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of Panias? Probably not. Not a lot goes on there these days.

But centuries ago, it was a hotbed of worship. Pagan worship. In the earliest days, the area was a place where Canaanites worshiped the god of good fortune, Later, when the Greeks arrived in what we know today as Israel, the place became the center of a cult worshipping Pan, the Greek god of fear and panic. Later still, the Romans replaced the Greek gods with gods
of their own - military rulers like Caesar Augustus and Philip, and the place was renamed Caesarea Philippi.

Whether you call it Panias or Caesarea Philippi or even by it's most current name, Banias, the place has a long and deep connection with pagan worship, so it's not exactly the kind of place you'd expect to find Jesus and His disciples having a reality-check on faith. But, that's just what took place as recorded in Matthew.

It was here, surrounded by images of idols and false gods, that Jesus asked the disciples one of the most important questions in whole the Christian faith - who do you think I am?

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew
1:13-16 NIV)

Amazing! What better place than a pagan strong-hold to get to the nitty-gritty of personal faith!

What are others saying, Jesus asks.

And then He follows it up with, but what about you?

Sometimes our clearest insights and most honest answers come when we are out of our comfort zones, when we're in places like Panias where the opposite of Christian faith is literally in our face.

I know that's the way it was for me when we lived in Saudi Arabia.

Back in America, it was easy to think about faith and to talk about faith. But once I arrived in the cradle of Islam, what I believed became crystal clear. And more than that, it became real.

I like to think God brought me there to ask me the same question Jesus asked His disciples in Panias.

You know what the world says. You know what these people around you are saying about Me. Now what do you have to say? Who do you think I am?

And my answer, more clearly and more faithfully than ever before echoed Peter.

You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!

Praying for Ethan

2008-10-06T16:50:00.000-07:00

We attended a dedication service for a little boy named Ethan yesterday. We don’t know Ethan and we don’t know his parents. We were just visiting a new church, and happened to get in on the happy event.

There’s something heart-warming and even thrilling about seeing a new little person brought before Christ.
The verse for the occasion came from Mark 10.

People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.(NIV)

It’s a familiar passage and I’ve heard and read any number of times, but yesterday, watching little Ethan snuggle into his mother’s arms, God showed me something new in the old.

So often when we hear the verse we think about child-like acceptance, or a child’s eagerness to learn something new - both great characteristics which compliment the Christian life and journey.

But, as I watched Ethan, I wondered if receiving the kingdom of God like a little child was more about dependence than any move toward independence.

Throughout the Bible God tells us to turn our lives over to Him, to trust in Him, to depend on Him.

Think of Matthew 25.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (NIV)

As I looked at little Ethan, I couldn’t help but understand that as God’s blessed children, we need only depend on Him and He will do the rest.

We need to be enthusiastic and accepting of the Word, but we also need to be dependent, to let go of control and let God take over, only then can we be called Children of God.

Complimenting others helps us all

2008-10-06T16:49:00.000-07:00

I gave someone a genuine compliment this morning and, altho it wasn’t a big deal to me, it was obvious it was a big deal to her.

And afterward, I couldn’t help but wonder why I’m so stingy when it comes to praising others for doing what I expect them to do.

Oh, I don’t mean the, “gee you look nice” compliments we sometimes offer up like a stale bologna sandwich. I mean the compliments which touch the core of another person, point out something they think about themselves but have never broadcast. Something not everyone notices simply because it is - well - expected.

That was the compliment I gave this morning, and I want to do more of it.

I want to be more aware of others - and not just indiscriminately aware, but aware of the things they do which are expected, and therefore ignored.

Like complimenting my husband on the way he clears the dishes after a meal, or the cab driver for taking the corners at a reasonable speed.

I want to catch others being responsible - and praise them for it.

I want to show them kindness.

To many of us, kindness is synonymous with charity and helping the poor or needy - and that’s all well and good. But kindness is also in the little things; it’s recognizing and celebrating the small moments of personal triumph, telling someone you’re proud of a behavior or action today, rather than waiting to praise them for an achievement that might take years to gain.
Kindness matters, whether its holding out a helping hand or giving someone a pat on the back.

Take God's words to heart

2008-10-06T16:48:00.000-07:00

I’ve never been one for memorizing Bible verses. I tell myself I don’t have the memory for it, but that’s probably a lie. During college, I was able to memorize mountains of information - some of which I can even still vaguely recall!

I’m more of a paraphraser, I guess. When I read something, I rarely remember the exact phrases, but I hardly ever forget the nuts and bolts of what I’ve read.

That works great sometimes.

But not always, so lately, I’ve been trying harder and more often to memorize specific verses, not just broad ideas.

It’s all about taking the word of God into my heart.

God tells Ezekiel, "Son of man, take into your heart all My words which I will speak to you and listen closely. Go to the exiles, to the sons of your people, and speak to them and tell them, whether they listen or not.” Ezekiel 3:10-11 (NASB)

It’s all well and good to know what the Bible says - what the big picture, the highlights, the important points are - but there’s something incredibly empowering and spiritual about knowing the words.

Holding them in your heart.

Pulling them out when your mind is quiet.

Listening to them in your own voice.

And then sharing them with others.

Good news for And God Was Pleased

2008-10-06T16:47:00.000-07:00

And God Was Pleased has been out for a little over a month and it seems like people are finding it - not exactly sure HOW they are finding it (If you’re one of them, please let me know!), but I’m thrilled they are.

Anyway, as the book is passing through more and more hands, I’m getting some wonderful and generous feedback.

The first thing I’m hearing is how easy it is to read And God Was Pleased. A lot of readers have commented on the “freshness” of the writing and the simple way the message is laid out there rather than hidden behind big words and bigger ego.

I smile a lot at those comments because in writing And God Was Pleased, that was one of my goals. I’ve read those other books - or at least portions of them! - and I didn’t want this message to be buried in that kind of book.

People have told me they read the book quickly, cover-to-cover, the first time, and are now re-reading it more slowly, taking advantage of the notes pages tucked between chapters to jot down reminders, tips and ideas on how what they’ve read can change their lives.

The other comments I’ve been getting are about how simple yet powerful the message of And God Was Pleased is.
I humbly agree and take as little credit as possible.

I’m quick to point out that the principles in the book are Biblical. They have always been there and will always be the right principles for people who want to please God.

If my way of reframing those principles makes them easier for people to understand and incorporate into their lives, then God has truly blessed me richly.

Thanks to all of you who have picked up a copy of And God Was Pleased. I’d love to hear from you!

Bold commitments pay off for Christians

2008-10-06T16:45:00.000-07:00

When was the last time you did something bold? When you took a stand and refused to back down? When you really and truly committed to something?

For most of us, the answer might be never.

Being bold is sometimes seen as being aggressive or pushy. Maybe even needy. And none of us wants to be seen as needy.

One of my favorite stories comes from Luke 11. It’s the story of the midnight visitor, and it’s a story about being bold.

A guy knocks on his neighbor’s door in the middle of the night.

The neighbor tells him to get lost.

But the guy keeps knocking. He’s relentless. He’s persistent. He’s bold.

And that boldness pays off.

In telling the story, Jesus says, “I tell you, though he (the neighbor) will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness, he will get up and give him as much as he needs.” (Luke 11:8 NIV).

The Message translation continues:

"Here's what I'm saying: Ask and you'll get; Seek and you'll find; Knock and the door will open. "Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This is not a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your little boy asks for a serving of fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? If your little girl asks for an egg, do you trick her with a spider? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing—you're at least decent to your own children. And don't you think the Father who conceived you in love will give the Holy Spirit when you ask him?" (Luke 8-13 The Message)

We’re all needy, whether we want to admit it or not. And needy people need to be bold.

We need to take a stand and refuse to back down.

We need to really and truly commit to things.

And we need to ask - and keep asking - God for the things we need.

Change and Christian conflict

2008-10-06T16:44:00.000-07:00

I’ve been researching conflict and conflict management recently, and came across a thought that has stuck with me - change is impossible without conflict.

Like most people, I don’t relish conflict, yet I know there are things about me that would benefit from change. There are habits and thought patterns I should overcome; there are relationships I should mend and strengthen.

I should spend more time with God and less time thinking I can get by on my own without Him.

But change means conflict, and conflict makes me uncomfortable. It makes my heart race and my mind spin. It makes me nervous and unsettled.

Paul knew what conflict felt like. And he understood change.

Here was a man who had spent much of his life hating and even hunting down Christians, yet he was changed in an instant and became a true follower of Christ!

In Galatians, Paul gives us a wonderful look at the human relationship between change and conflict when he writes:
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. (Galatians 5:16-17 NIV)

There will always be conflict between what human nature desires and what God desires of us as humans. Feeling that conflict, knowing God has more planned for us as His children, gives us the courage and strength to us that conflict as a change agent.

Old prayers for new times

2008-10-06T16:43:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, I used to pray the standard good night prayer - you know the one, “Now I lay me down to sleep...” Altho the prayer was standard, it always ended a little differently depending on how my day had gone and how I was feeling about the people around me.

Most nights, I’d conclude my prayer with a list of people I wanted God to watch over and bless. Sometimes it was a long list and included nearly everyone I knew at the time. Other times, it was a bit shorter as I withheld my request for blessings for people who’d annoyed me that day.

I was, after all, a little kid.

I was thinking about that little kid the other day as I prayed for my son who was traveling. As I asked God to watch over and protect him, and to give my son peace, I found myself seeking

God’s blessings for the other travelers on the plane and for the flight crew.

As I prayed, a new sense of peace came over me. A sense that, altho God was watching over my son, He was also watching over all the other sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers on that place. He was watching over them all.

Not because I’d asked Him to, but because He is God.

Sometimes we limit our prayers to those we know, yet praying for the unnamed and the unknown adds a layer of peace and grace that’s unsurpassed.

Praising God for the rain

2008-10-06T16:42:00.000-07:00

We’ve been waking up to the sound of rain most nights. It’s a wonderful sound, and one I truly missed while living in Saudi Arabia. Although South Australia - all of Australia - has been and continues to be in a drought, the rain sure has brightened things up.

I grew up in Minnesota, and altho farmers might disagree, it seemed like there was always enough rain. Taking rain for granted was - well - taken for granted! Living in places where it is sporadic at best and scarce at worst really makes me appreciate what I had.

And, like the Psalmist, it makes me thankful.

Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp. He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. (Psalm 147:8 NIV)

Praise God for rain.

Praise God for reminding me not to take things for granted!

Praying with fingers and faith

2008-10-06T16:23:00.000-07:00

I know I say this all the time, but this too, has been an insightful week of living to please God.

As frequent readers know, a few weeks ago I took the advice of fellow American, Ben Franklin, and decided to set aside each week for the pursuit of one of the 17 Biblical principles for creating Christian success outlined in my latest book, And God Was Pleased.

I’ve worked and prayed myself through Living to please God and Knowing the goodness of God, and this week’s principle was Praying ceaselessly.

I like to think I have a pretty good handle on praying ceaselessly, after all, I start each day with “Dear Heavenly Father” and end it with “Amen”, but spending a week really concentrating on prayer changed that thought in a hurry!

I realized I was spending a pretty big chunk of my time praying for myself - and I was redundant to boot!

So I went back to the basics - I went back to that five finger prayer memory device a lot of us learned when we were young.

The thumb reminds us to pray for those closest to us. The ones we love as well as the ones who disappoint us, hurt us, anger us and challenge us.

The index finger reminds us to pray for those who point us in the right direction and teach us.

The middle finger reminds us to pray for our leaders and those in position of authority.

The ring finger reminds us to pray for the sick, the troubled and the searching.

And the little finger reminds us to pray for ourselves.

Sure it’s simple - and it isn’t the be all and end all of praying, but for me - this week at least - it helped me to rebalance my prayers.

Seeing myself as just one finger - and the smallest at that! - reminded me not to be so selfish, to pray for people I know and people I will never know; to pray for world leaders and church leaders; for teachers and doctors and care-givers around the world and in my neighborhood; to pray for the homeless and sick, the victims and the downtrodden, the people whose names are known only to God.

This has been an insightful week, thanks in part to a simple prayer.

Planting and reaping for Christian success

2008-10-06T16:22:00.000-07:00

For the longest time, I have thought that all those references in the Bible to reaping and sowing, were really about behavior.

When I read in 2 Corinthians 9:6, “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously”, I assumed Paul was talking about things like loving our neighbor and doing good deeds.
Somewhere in my brain, I’d come to associate reaping and sowing with a Christianized karma - you know, we get back what we put in.

But this last week, as I’ve been living to please God by praying ceaselessly, I’ve come to realize all that reaping and sowing is done, not only in the world, but in prayer, as well.

The more we seek God, the more we see God.

The more we pray, the more prayers God answers.

Truly, whoever prays sparingly will also be blessed sparingly, and whoever prays generously will be blessed generously.

Seek God more.

Pray ceaselessly.

Life lessons in lipstick

2008-10-06T16:21:00.000-07:00

There’s a story circulating in these parts about an all-girl middle school in New Zealand, and a problem they were having with lipstick.

Turns out, the preteen students had not only discovered lipstick, but they were leaving lipstick kisses on the mirrors in the school’s bathrooms. Not a huge problem, until you realize that someone had to clean the lipstick off the mirrors at the end of every day.

Rather than making a big deal about it, the principal decided to be subtle. She called all the girls of a certain age together for a meeting in the bathroom, and explained to them that, although she didn’t have a problem with them wearing lipstick, them kissing the mirror was becoming a real chore for the janitor - who just happened to be in the room as well.

To prove what a chore it was, the principal suggested that the janitor show the girls exactly how he cleaned their lipstick kisses off the mirrors.

And he did, deliberately dipping his cleaning tool into a nearby toilet before ridding the mirror of the kiss marks.

Needless to say, the school no longer has a problem with girls kissing the mirror.

So, what could this possibly have to do with pleasing God?

Well probably nothing! But then again, maybe something.

As I thought about the story, I couldn’t help but think about the way the principal chose to react to the problem. There were, of course, a million different ways she could have reacted - she could have banned lipstick, for example, or installed monitors in the bathrooms. She could have sent a letter home to the parents or she could have punished any girl caught with lipstick in the bathroom.

But she didn’t. She chose humor.

And humor worked.

No matter what situation we find ourselves in, we can always choose our reaction. And as Christians living our lives to please God, that choice should be made with Him in mind.

She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue. (Proverbs 31:26 NIV)

God is the boulder in the bucket

2008-10-06T16:20:00.002-07:00

So, what does this whole living to please God gig look like? It’s a question I’ve been asking myself since I first started writing And God Was Pleased. If I’m honest, I’ve been asking myself that same question all my life.

So, this past week has been a good experience - a time set aside specifically to think about what it means, to delve into the reality and the practicality of living to please God on a day-in-day-out, fully conscious basis. I’ve come away with a lot of insights and ideas, and I’ll be sharing them over the coming weeks and months, but one thing I’d like to share now is the idea of God as the boulder in the bucket.

Anyone who has ever attended a time management seminar or workshop is probably familiar with the illustration - we have a limited amount of time - represented by a bucket. And it’s our job to fill the bucket as effectively as possible. The way to do that, we’re told, is to start with the boulders, the big things that need to be taken care of. Once those are in place, we can start adding large rocks, then small rocks, pebbles and eventually sand, which fills in all the little nooks and crannies of the bucket.

The problem is, of course, that we often start with the sand. We start with the little tasks, and before we know it, our bucket is full and the boulders, the truly important things, are nowhere in sight.

The boulder in a bucket is a great illustration for time management - but an even better image of how we as Christians can live to please God.

Put God first.

Remembering a courageous dad

2008-10-06T16:20:00.001-07:00

My dad will have been gone seven years this July. He died of throat cancer in 2001 and not a day goes by that I don’t mourn the death of my childhood champion, my teenage nuisance, my adult safety net and my lifelong father.

I remember spending Saturday afternoons in Dad’s wood shop and learning how to dance with my feet on his. I remember the way he cried when my children were born, and what a fabulous grandfather he was. I remember camping trips and cross-country car trips, sitting next to him as navigator while my mother and sister napped.

I cherish the times he told me he was proud of me, and hold on to each “I love you”, not only because he meant it, but because they were so rare.

I loved my dad completely, but that’s not to say he was a great man. He wasn’t. He was deeply flawed. He drank too much and opened up too little. He let go of dreams too soon and disappointment too late, and when life got too complicated or uncomfortable, Dad didn’t fight back, he walked away.

I hated the way he was, but I loved him anyway.

I was sitting next to him in the waiting room when the doctor came in with the prognosis. Six months on the outside, he said. Probably three. And I remember thinking my dad was going to give up again. He was going to just roll over and die and there was nothing I could do about it.

But Dad surprised me, and to this day, my memories of his last months are marked by more courage and strength than I ever imagined he possessed. Dad didn’t walk away. He fought. He knew it was a losing battle, but he battled anyway.

I have never been more proud of anyone.

The needy among us

2008-10-06T16:19:00.001-07:00

Each evening, groups of needy people get together throughout the city to share a free meal. I know this – not because I’ve ever participated in the shared meal – but because I drive by it most nights on the way home. Sometimes the crowds are large, sometimes not so large. I’ve come to recognize several of the people – I see them walking in the direction of a free meal. Sometimes I smile and wave.

Sometimes I turn my head in shame – mine not theirs – trying to be invisible.

Needy people, you see, make me uncomfortable. They make me think about my own life and lifestyle; about the abundances I enjoy and sometimes even expect; and about the thin line that separates the givers from the receivers in this world.

My heart tells me I should stop one of these nights. That I should park the car and walk over there. That I should volunteer to help. But my head remind me I have obligations at home, that there are surely enough volunteers already, that my help isn’t really needed.

At least I think it is my head.

Two blocks further down the street, and it doesn’t matter. My attention is on something else – and the needy people I didn’t bother to help are all but forgotten.

At least by me.

Let’s make this the day we remember the needy ones – in our communities, in our churches, but also in far off places. Let’s include them in our prayers, in our budgets, in our schedules and in our hearts.

Let’s make this the day we make a difference. The day we please God by serving others.

But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish. Psalm 9:18 NIV

Trusting God when the pantry is bare

2008-10-06T16:18:00.002-07:00

Remember the nursery rhyme about the mother with the bare cupboards? Before I was a mother myself, I used to think the rhyme really was about empty cupboards - about not having any food to put on the table. But, as I’ve gotten older, as I’ve had kids and as they’ve grown into adults, I’ve come to realize there was more to Old Mother Hubbard’s situation than just a barren pantry.

She was - I think - nearly empty.

Mothering, after all, can take a lot out of a person. Kids require every ounce of dedication and respect, love, wisdom and compassion - not to mention energy and a healthy slab of resources. Sometimes, no matter how much we love our kids, we find ourselves starring at empty cupboards. They come to us seeking advise and encouragement, and we don’t know what to say. They want answers, and all we have are questions.

In 2 Kings 4:1-7 we learn about one such mother. Like Old Mother Hubbard, her cupboards were bare and her children were in need. There was, she told Elisha, nothing left.

But - thanks to the grace of God - she was wrong.

If you’re a parent or caregiver this Mother’s Day, take some time to fill your spiritual pantry. Take some time to talk to God.

Don't be tempted by cultural asterisks

2008-10-06T16:18:00.001-07:00

As an avid tourist and travel writer myself, I love watching Discovery’s Travel and Living Channel, but the other day, the host did something that got me thinking - she participated in an Inca ritual. Kneeling on the ground with Machu Picchu as a backdrop, the host accepted a cocoa leaf from the local spiritual leader and then offered it as a sacrifice to the Inca sun god.

Now, I’m not saying the woman was consciously worshipping the Inca god. To her, it might just have been a fun experience, a cultural asterisks on the whole Machu Picchu adventure.

But I wonder how God saw it?

“I am the LORD your God,” He tells us in Deuteronomy. “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Deuteronomy 5:6-10 NIV)

Ours is a jealous God. He demands we worship Him and Him alone, and He makes no bones about it.

Don’t make them.

Don’t bow down to them.

Don’t worship them.

I’m reminded of a recent prayer request I received. It told of a Mexican man who’d been thrown into jail for refusing to participate in a local feast. As part of the feast, participants were required to bow down to an ancient idol. Like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, the man refused.

“O Nebuchadnezzer, “ they told the king, “we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O King. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18 NIV)

Have you told God today that you will serve Him and Him alone? Are you backing your words up with actions or are you putting aside God’s commands for a cultural asterisks?

What's in your purse?

2008-10-06T16:17:00.003-07:00

My grandma used to carry a bag of Brach’s candy in her purse. You could say it was her trademark. Grandma would hand candy out to any little kid she saw - much to the chagrin of their parents who’d spent a lifetime teaching them not to take candy from strangers! But, she’d also give it to adults and teenagers, old people and entire families, basically anyone she happened to see and think might need a little treat. Grandma was happy and she loved seeing others happy as well.

There were other things in Grandma’s purse, too: A billfold exploding with school pictures of my sister and me, my parent’s wedding portrait, a snapshot of her and Grandpa standing in front of their Volkswagon camper bus somewhere in Canada and a tiny silver cross she’d received as a Confirmation gift as a young girl. Grandma loved her family, and she was always ready to put our needs in front of her own.

Grandma’s purse was also home to a gold hinged pill case and Este Lauder lipstick in the latest shade of the season; a dainty hankie and of course the usual suspects - house keys and hand lotion, a small comb and mint chewing gum.

And until the day she died, Grandma also carried a pocket-sized copy of the New Testament. It was one of those itsy-bitsy green-cover ones that people hand out at airports and Ladies Aid conventions. I’ve no idea where Grandma got it or how she was able to read the tiny print, but that compact Word of God was always there in her purse, cozied up next to the root beer barrels and nougat squares, family photos and still-wrapped tooth picks. Grandma loved God. She lived her faith every day, regardless of where she was or what she was doing.

Grandma’s purse said a lot about Grandma and what she valued.

it said a lot about her treasures and where her heart was,

Do not store up for yourself treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal But store up for yourself treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21 NIV)

A father's lesson for helping others

2008-10-06T16:17:00.001-07:00

I spent the last couple of days out in the bush riding a camel. Yeah, ironic isn’t it? Anyway, my guide shared a story with me and I want to share it with you. It goes something like this:

A father had four sons and little money for the extra things young boys want - like new cars. So the father sat his sons down and made a promise: if they trusted their father, worked together and were patient, each of them could have a brand-new car when the time came for them to go off to work a summer job.

The boys agreed, and that summer when the eldest son went off to work, he was driving a brand-new car. The next summer, when the second eldest son joined him at work, he too was driving a brand-new car. And so it continued for the next two years, with each next son going off to work for the summer driving a brand-new car.

But how?

Turns out part of the promise was that the father would have control of all the wages his sons made each summer when they went off to work. That first summer, the father paid for the new car out of his own money, but the next summer, the money earned by the eldest son paid for the second eldest son’s car. The pattern continued until finally, the father’s initial investment was paid off by the youngest son’s summer of work. Just as promised - and as impossible as it might have seemed from the outside - each young man set off to his summer job behind the wheel of a brand-new car.

As I listened to the story - and internalized the wisdom of that father - I couldn’t help but think about the wisdom of our Father God who, like the father in the story, promises abundance if we only trust Him, work together and remain patient.

But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. (Psalm 52:8 NIV)

Beware the rabbits!

2008-10-06T16:16:00.001-07:00

Thomas Austin was an Englishman and a hunter who immigrated to Australia in the 1850s. When he got here, however, he realized there wasn’t really much to hunt, so he called in a favor with a relative who was coming to Australia - bring me some rabbits, he said, so I can hunt!

What Austin apparently didn’t think about - or even take the time to consider - was that Australia had no natural predators for rabbits. So, in October of 1859, Austin released 24 wild rabbits into the Australian bush outside his Victoria home. At last he could hunt - bully for him!

But just 10 years later, those same 24 rabbits had multiplied again and again and again. In fact, they’d multiplied so many times that it was said two million rabbits could be shot each year and it wouldn’t even create a blip on the population meter!

Although it’s impossible to know exactly how many rabbits there were, the devastation they wrought on Australia could easily be seen. Victoria - much of Australia for that matter - changed practically overnight from a lush, green expanse of trees, vegetation and wildlife to a barren, nearly lifeless red dust bowl as literally millions of rabbits ate their way through trees and flowers, grasses and shrubs, displacing - and in some cases causing the extinction of - countless native plants and wildlife.

And the destruction didn’t stop there. With no vegetation to hold the soil, erosion became a massive, self-fulfilling prophecy and much of Australia became a desert.

The same thing can happen to us as Christians. We might bring something into our lives that seems harmless - even entertaining and fun - without considering the consequences it might have. Maybe it’s pornography or alcohol; maybe it’s a way of thinking about ourselves, others or even God. And before we know what’s happened, those “rabbits” have consumed us, changed us, maybe even made some part of us extinct.

God tells us to be wise about what we allow into our worlds, our minds and our bodies. He warns us to consider the things we do and the impact they might have on us. He urges us to live careful, considering lives.

Be very careful them how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:15-16 NIV)

Now, no one is saying Austin planned on the desertification of Australia, but by the same account, there’s no denying what happened, and as a direct result of his actions. If only he’d considered what he was doing - how it might impact others, the environment, the future - then perhaps he would have made a better choice, we’ll never know.

What we do know is that we need to be wise and careful in the actions we take and the things we bring into our lives because they will have consequences. That’s how we please God - by living with care and thinking hard about how the things we do will impact our lives, the lives of others and our relationship with God.

Please God today by thinking carefully about the “rabbits” in your life.

Living past the extra mile

2008-10-06T16:15:00.005-07:00

A friend and I drove to the southern fridge of the Australian Outback yesterday. It was a remarkably long drive, and reminded me what it means to literally go the extra mile.

We started our 600-mile trip in high spirits, recognizing we had a long journey ahead of us, but just plain excited by the sheer vastness of the adventure. For the first several hundred miles, everything was great, but then we came to a point where all conversation stopped and an eerie sense of apprehension came over us. We were going the extra mile, and it was getting uncomfortable.

That’s how it can be when we go the extra mile in pleasing God. too. There can be moments of discomfort, of second-guessing, of apprehension.

It’s not always easy to do more - whether it’s donating a bigger chunk of our income to charity, taking on leadership roles in the church, giving God greater access to our hearts and lives or even driving further than we ever thought possible. It’s not always easy, but going the extra mile is always worth it.

It sure was yesterday!

Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. (1 Thessalonians 4:1 NIV)

Charity in a change purse

2008-10-06T16:15:00.003-07:00

A friend told us that when he travels to his native Egypt – a place notorious for baksheesh (a form of coerced charity-cum-begging. Read this for a good working definition of the practice!), he decides ahead of time how much he is willing to give to the streets. He gets that amount in small bills, and stuffs it into his shirt pocket. Then he starts giving it away to anyone with their hand out. He doesn’t pass judgment, deciding who looks like they need the money most or who’s going to buy food with the money versus who’ll run to the nearest bar. He just smiles and hands out the money until it is gone.

Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. (Matthew 5:42 NIV)

I was reminded of the practice a while back when a woman approached me on the street and asked for five dollars. It was such an unexpected – and specific – request, that I was taken aback, and by the time I’d processed it and started reaching into my purse, she’d moved on.

After that, I bought a small change purse. I filled it with dollar coins and keep it handy in an outer pocket of my purse. Now when someone approaches me with an empty hand, I’m ready.

He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done. (Proverbs 19:17 NIV)

No third option

2008-10-06T16:15:00.001-07:00

The old church around the corner from our house here in Australia has a billboard out front and from time to time, it features a little bit of wisdom. The other day, that wisdom addressed faith: Faith isn't faith until it's all you're holding on to.

Here’s another one I like, though this one is a tad too long for the church billboard:

When you have come to the edge of all light that you know and are about to drop off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly.

I’m not exactly sure who Paul Overton is, but I like what he has to say.

Notice how faith doesn’t even consider a third option. Faith won’t even allow us to think we might fall.

Whatever happens, faith promises us we’re gonna be just fine.

It might mean we have to learn something new – something we think is impossible until God steps in and makes it possible – but whatever it takes, faith will see us through.

“ I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:20 NIV)

Sucked up and sucked in

2008-10-06T16:14:00.001-07:00

I like to think my husband and I are relatively reason-driven folks. We’re both intelligent, independent thinkers not easily swayed by marketing gimmicks, form-over-substance stuff.

Or so we thought until we went in to buy a vacuum cleaner.

Although we walked into the store set on buying a middle-of-the-road name-brand model similar to the one we’d previously owned, within a few minutes the salesman had convinced us what we really needed – nay what we both wanted and deserved – was a turbo-charged European model costing three times more than my first car.

He started off by showing us just how ineffective the model we thought we wanted was.

“See all the dirt it left behind?” he asked us, emptying a nearly-full bin of dark red sand onto a white carpet. “How could you ever have confidence that your home was clean?”

Then he primed the sales pump with a little tactile stimulation.

“Try it yourself,” he urged, handing the controls of the uber vacuum over to my husband. “Do you feel that power?”

After an exciting – dare I say exuberant – thirty minutes of pulling and pushing, of test-driving ever bigger and better (and more expensive) models, my husband and I were easily convinced. We were converts to super vacuums, blissfully unaware that we had been manipulated by enthusiasm, that whatever reason or logic we’d previously possessed had been sucked up along with the multi-colored sand.

Enthusiasm can do that.

It can overwhelm reason, it can momentarily breach logic and common sense, convince the unsuspecting that what they know to be true isn’t really true after all. Enthusiasm can plant the seeds of doubt.

It can also, however, plant seeds of inspiration.

When we left the store, my husband and I couldn’t wait to get home and clean the carpets.

Training tips for a Godly life

2008-10-06T16:13:00.003-07:00

I had a friend who ran eight miles each and every day. If she didn’t run, she said she didn’t feel “right”. Running had become a habit for her. It was part of her day and in many ways, it was part of who she was.

That’s the way we can be when we train ourselves to do the things that please God. We can make pleasing God a habit – the most rewarding and enriching habit imaginable! We can make it a part of each and every day, something we do that makes us feel “right”.

Make prayer a habit.

Set aside time each day to read the Bible and mediate on God’s word.

Be thankful for the little things, every time.

Extend kindness and courtesy to others.

Set higher expectations for yourself.

Fellowship regularly with other believers.

Rely on God more often.

Please God more.

When we train ourselves to follow God’s principles for success, we will succeed. And best of all, we’ll feel “right” about it.

You don't have to like 'em to love 'em

2008-10-06T16:13:00.001-07:00

If being kind to the ungrateful and wicked was easy, everyone would do it.

But of course, it isn't easy and very few of us are doing it. Just look around!

We're surrounded by violence, hatred and indifference.

We're being pulled down by prejudice and suspicion.

Where there should be peace, we see only conflict - in the world, in the home, in the heart.

God wants us to do better. He wants us to love the ungrateful and the wicked. He wants us to love "them".

Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them.

And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that.

And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full.

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. (Luke 6:31-35 NIV)

Make this the day you move toward love. Make today the day you do good for "them".

Make peace. Share God's love.

Christian thinking is adult thinking

2008-10-06T16:12:00.001-07:00

We're constantly being bombarded with messages.

They come at us from every direction - online, television, radio, print, friends, trusted advisors and strangers on the street. You name it, and someone is trying to tell or sell us something.

Some of it might be good, but a whole lot of it is not so good, and as Christians living to please God, we are commanded to discern the difference. We're told to “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (Thessalonians 5:21 KJV)

In Corinthians, Paul tells us to think like adults when it comes to the ways of the world. "Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. (1 Corinthian 14:20)

So we need to think, we need to reason. We need to verify and we need to stop listening to every message that comes our way and start listening to the only Message that counts - the message of God.

Make this the day you turn off the auto pilot and start thinking like an adult.

The map is not the territory

2008-10-06T16:11:00.002-07:00

I came across a surprisingly insightful analogy over at Through the glass darkly . As a writer, I’m always looking for new ways of talking about things, comparing things, thinking. Not surprisingly, as a Christian, I'm prone to the same bouts of curiosity, especially when it comes to how we read the Bible. The blogger’s expertise – law – is far outside my own area of knowledge or even common thought, which just makes the analogy all the more real and thought-provoking.

Among the presentations at the property law conference I’m attending today was one on the economic history of medieval land use. The presenter, an economist, demonstrated that a change in the law influenced whether landholders chose to lease their land to farmers or to employ farmers on a wage basis. Someone asked whether the economist’s model was too simplistic. He responded that the model was surely a simplification but that it essentially accurately reflected the underlying historical facts.

This reminded me of the aphorism that “the map is not the territory.” A representation of something is not the same thing as that which it represents. And this caused me to think of the Biblical narratives. Too often, we think the Biblical narratives are one-to-one accounts of the things they narrate. But like the economist’s model, the Biblical narratives are abstractions of reality that illuminate history without necessarily describing it in detail.

When God tells us to pay more careful attention to His word, I have to believe that includes thinking about it differently as well. Thanks Through the Glass Darkly for making me do just that.

Praying for world leaders

2008-10-06T16:11:00.001-07:00

God is pleased when we pray for our leaders - the ones we agree with and the ones we disagree with.

In 1 Timothy 2 Paul tells us;
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.(v1-6 NIV)

Here are a list of world leaders we might want to pray for by name:

Afghanistan - President Hamid Karzai
Bangladesh - President Iajuddin Ahmend
Cuba - President Fidel Castro Ruz
Ethiopia - President Girma Woldegiorgis
Iran - Ali Hoseini-Khamenei
Iraq - President Jalal Talabani
Jordan - King Abdullah II
Kenya - President Mwai KibakiNorth
Korea - Kim Jong Il
Mexico - President Felipe de Jesus Calderon Hinojosa
Pakistan - President Pervez Musharraf
Rawanda - President Paul Kagame
Russia - President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
Saudi Arabia -King Abdullah bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud
Somalia - President Abdullahi Yusef Ahmed
Timor - President Jose Ramos-Horta
United States - President George Bush
Venezuala - President Hugo Chavez Frias

Do more than is expected

2008-10-06T16:10:00.002-07:00

It's easy to please God by going the extra mile! Each and every day we are confronted with opportunities to do more than is expected - more than is required. Whether take advantage of those opportunities is up to us.

Don't leave the grocery cart in the parking lot, return it to the cart corral or maybe even walk it back to the store. In fact, if you see an elderly person returning a cart, offer to return it for them!

Stop to talk to the coworker you pass every morning. Spend a few minutes getting to know them, brightening their day, and letting them know they are valuable

Drop a coin in the hat next time you walk past a street performer.

Offer to babysit for a young family or spend time with a shut in. Do more than is expected with your time.

Going the extra mile is easy, it's powerful and it pleases God.

Listening becomes hearing with faith

2008-10-06T16:10:00.001-07:00

There’s danger in only hearing what makes sense. Jesus warns us it can cut off new thoughts and new interpretations because what we believe frames what we hear. What we believe can either prevent us from understanding and perceiving God’s presence or it can lead us closer to understanding and perceiving him. It either closes our eyes to God’s wonder and blessings or it open them to his work in us. Paul tells us, “Faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17).

When we commit our lives to pleasing God, the messages of the Bible impact how we live and what we do, and our faith increases and strengthens. Our faith in God allows us to not only hear the words but also understand them and apply them to our situations and circumstances, and our lives.

Faith lets us go beyond what we know. It allows us to walk out into the great unknown, confident we’ll be led to God.

The expat prayer

2008-10-06T16:09:00.001-07:00

I consider Psalm 139 to be the unofficial prayer of expatriates the world over.

David's prayer reminds us that no matter where we may find ourselves, God is there. It's impossible to be too far away for him to reach us and work in our lives. Like an ever-expanding fence, God hems us in.

What reassurance and comfort there is in the truth of that image!

Especially for those of us living and working in areas that somtimes seem far removed from God's presence.

God is there, no matter where there is.God is here, no matter where here is.

He hems us in. He reaches across all distance and touches us.

Praise be to God!

O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.

You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

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.

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.

Don't think about God

2008-10-06T16:08:00.002-07:00

I had a professor in college who liked to play with our heads.

On any given day we'd walk into his psychology lab and land smack-dab in the middle of an experiment.

My favorite days were the ones when he'd instruct us to ignore something. Anything.

One day he'd tell us to ignore the color red. Another it would be the shoes of the person next to us. Still another it would be the quiet hum of a small appliance he'd placed in the room.

The funny thing was, no matter what the prof told us to ignore, we seemed physically incapable of ignoring it! Suddenly everything in the room was red and the shoes on the guy at the next table were magnetic. And the hum, well the hum sounded like a brass band playing Sousa in your head!

That's the miracle of attention. Even tho the prof was telling us not to pay attention to something, simply by making us aware of it, our attention was increased. We literally couldn't keep our minds away from it.

Now, imagine if that same level of attention was directed toward pleasing God.

If you were so aware of his presence in your life that you saw it everywhere?

That you couldn't keep your mind off him?Imagine the possibilities for your life!

The teamwork of Nehemiah

2008-10-06T16:08:00.001-07:00

Nehemiah isn't one of those books of the Bible most people sit down and read for fun. It's Old Testament for one thing, which makes a lot of people sleepy just thinking about it! And then there's that whole chapter - Chapter 3 - filled with nothing more than this guy did this, and this guy did this - a long list of who and what and where that doesn't seem very relevant anymore.

But Nehemiah is one of the most relevant stories in the Old Testament!

Raise your hand if you've ever worked on a team?

Every played a team sport?

Every tried to organize a community effort?

Every sought volunteers to teach Sunday School classes?

Nehemiah has a lot to teach us all about teamwork, after all, his is the story of a lowly cupbearer who was inspired by God to do something about the decaying state of Jerusalem's walls and gates.

It was a massive project, complex, intricate. Time consuming and effort intensive. Yet, within just 52 days, the entire thing was done!

Next time you're faced with a big project and wondering how you're ever going to get it done, turn to Nehemiah.

And like Nehemiah, turn the details over to God.

Seeking God in order to please God

2008-10-06T16:07:00.001-07:00

In seeking ways we can please God, we need to seek his boundless wisdom and guidance.

We need to ask Him for clarity and opportunity, for patience and definiteness of purpose.

We need to ask him to prepare our hearts and our minds for the tasks ahead.

We need to focus on what we can do – what we want to do – and then God prepares us, he gives us answers and options. New, exciting options only he can inspire!

How can I please you, Lord?

How can I use the gifts and blessings you have given me?

Father, what can I do for you today?

Test-driving an idea

2008-10-06T16:05:00.000-07:00

I've always been one of those writers who lives her books. I remember years ago when I wrote the story of a small East Texas community devastated when nearly 300 students, teachers and visitors were killed in a school explosion, I'd come home from doing research and conducting interviews and I'd just start crying. Bawling.

So, when God put it on my heart to write a book on living to please him, I figured I was in for an adventure!

I wasn't disappointed. But I was changed.

As I prayed and read Scripture, as I meditated and problem-solved ways to give others a clear picture of what it means to please God, I found myself doing a lot of test-driving.

What did Paul mean when he told us to:Prove all things; hold fast that which is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21)?

What do I need to do if I want to prove all things? What does it look like? How do I feel when I do that? And what does holding fast even mean in today's world?

I started asking question, testing my answers. Digging deep to get at the truth of who I am and my relationship with God. His relationship with me.

As I wrote about our need to pray ceaselessly in order to please God, I found myself praying ceaselessly; spending quiet time just talking to God, creating a deeper and more intimate relationship with him.

And I started to be thankful in all things - the gifts, the challenges, the disappointments, the surprises.

Slowly and quickly my life, my attitudes, my reactions and my thoughts started to change, started to focus more and more on pleasing God.

The Psalmist tells us to Commit thy ways unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established. (Psalms 37:5).

There are a lot of true statements in the world, but that is surely one of them.

The more we please God the more we want to please God.

The more we commit our ways to him, the more committed our ways become.

I'm so excited to share this book with others, to watch as they get this whole "pleasing God" idea and start test-driving it in their lives.

The impact is so big it can only be called God.