Thank you Pinterest for this beautiful reminder . . . I'm not called to do it all, I'm called to abide.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Super Woman vs. Abiding Woman
Thank you Pinterest for this beautiful reminder . . . I'm not called to do it all, I'm called to abide.
Friday, January 6, 2012
52 Days
Last semester at Academy, on the final night, Rick talked about Ezra and Nehemiah. He brought to light how broken Ezra and Nehemiah were over the condition of Israel in regards to their relationship with the LORD. It led them into a time of confession, repentance, grief, mourning, fasting, prayer, and ultimately, action. Renewing their relationship for the LORD by opening His word, studying it, teaching it, and putting it into practice.
Rick shared how the wall was finished in just 52 days.
52 days. If God can use His people to finish the wall in just 52 days, what could He do in my life, in our church, in 52 days? What if I humbled myself, in mourning-prayer-fasting, for the sake of His kingdom for the next 52 days . . . what could He possible do?
So my question to all of you . . . would you be interested in joining me for a time of prayer over the next 52 days (about 8 weeks)? I'm talking confession, repentance, and "pushing on the gates" type of stuff? Starting out 2012 in a season of prayer . . . personally, for our church, and most of all for His kingdom?
Praying daily on our time, and then gathering once a week to pray with others for our church?
Let's push on the gates together . . .
"And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18)
"And I said, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you." (Nehemiah 1:5-6)
Rick shared how the wall was finished in just 52 days.
52 days. If God can use His people to finish the wall in just 52 days, what could He do in my life, in our church, in 52 days? What if I humbled myself, in mourning-prayer-fasting, for the sake of His kingdom for the next 52 days . . . what could He possible do?
So my question to all of you . . . would you be interested in joining me for a time of prayer over the next 52 days (about 8 weeks)? I'm talking confession, repentance, and "pushing on the gates" type of stuff? Starting out 2012 in a season of prayer . . . personally, for our church, and most of all for His kingdom?
Praying daily on our time, and then gathering once a week to pray with others for our church?
Let's push on the gates together . . .
"And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18)
"And I said, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you." (Nehemiah 1:5-6)
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Hurry Up and Slow Down!
I just finished The Good and Beautiful God: Falling in Love with the God Jesus Knows by James Bryan Smith. It addresses many of the false narratives we’ve created or learned about God and replaces those with truth from God's word.
In the last chapter, he addresses how we as Americans live so much of our life in a hurry.
We live under the “tyranny of the urgent.” This gives birth to the modern obsession with multitasking, doing more than one thing at a time. The mantra of our achievement-oriented world is, “You are only as valuable as what you produce.” This leads to the narrative that what we produce determines our value, and therefore the more we produce the more valuable we are.
We can be sure God does not call us to be overcommitted. We do it to ourselves by following the dominant narrative that success and achievement are more important than the well-being of our souls.
In a lifetime today’s average
person spends
• six months sitting at traffic lights
• eight months opening junk mail
• one year searching through desk clutter
• two years trying to call people who are not in
three years in meetings
• five years waiting in lines
In a single day an average American will
• commute forty-five minutes
• be interrupted seventy-three times
• receive six hundred advertising messages
• watch four hours of television
In our spiritual life we cannot do anything important in a hurry. When we are in a hurry—which comes from overextension—we find ourselves unable to live with awareness and kindness. Fortunately, God never calls us, as Richard Foster likes to say, “into a life of panting feverishness.” If we are overcommitted and in a hurry, we may feel like we’re being especially effective and that God is therefore proud of us. God knows quite well that our distracted and encumbered lives pull us away from the one thing we need the most.
So what is the one thing we need the most?
One more hour on the job?
One more activity?
One more work out?
One more cookie?
One more tv show?
Jesus tells us in Luke 10 and John 15. The ONE thing we need is . . . Him. Sitting at His feet, listening, and abiding.
Let’s make this year a year of slowing down. Let’s commit to doing less so that we may know Him more.
A sitting silently at the feet of Jesus is of more worth than all the clatter of Martha’s dishes. - CH Spurgeon
In the last chapter, he addresses how we as Americans live so much of our life in a hurry.
We live under the “tyranny of the urgent.” This gives birth to the modern obsession with multitasking, doing more than one thing at a time. The mantra of our achievement-oriented world is, “You are only as valuable as what you produce.” This leads to the narrative that what we produce determines our value, and therefore the more we produce the more valuable we are.
We can be sure God does not call us to be overcommitted. We do it to ourselves by following the dominant narrative that success and achievement are more important than the well-being of our souls.
In a lifetime today’s average
person spends
• six months sitting at traffic lights
• eight months opening junk mail
• one year searching through desk clutter
• two years trying to call people who are not in
three years in meetings
• five years waiting in lines
In a single day an average American will
• commute forty-five minutes
• be interrupted seventy-three times
• receive six hundred advertising messages
• watch four hours of television
In our spiritual life we cannot do anything important in a hurry. When we are in a hurry—which comes from overextension—we find ourselves unable to live with awareness and kindness. Fortunately, God never calls us, as Richard Foster likes to say, “into a life of panting feverishness.” If we are overcommitted and in a hurry, we may feel like we’re being especially effective and that God is therefore proud of us. God knows quite well that our distracted and encumbered lives pull us away from the one thing we need the most.
So what is the one thing we need the most?
One more hour on the job?
One more activity?
One more work out?
One more cookie?
One more tv show?
Jesus tells us in Luke 10 and John 15. The ONE thing we need is . . . Him. Sitting at His feet, listening, and abiding.
Let’s make this year a year of slowing down. Let’s commit to doing less so that we may know Him more.
A sitting silently at the feet of Jesus is of more worth than all the clatter of Martha’s dishes. - CH Spurgeon
Monday, January 2, 2012
Perfection in Resting
I love to evaluate and set goals. Perhaps that’s why I like New Year’s resolutions more than Valentine’s Day? The problem is, I set ridiculously high goals and then beat myself up for not achieving them! It is January 2 and I’ve already broken my new year’s resolutions! I didn’t exercise and I ate carbs at every meal (so much for no carbs 2012). Oh well, I guess there’s always 2013??
Now is the time I should officially say “Hi my name is Melissa and I’m a recovering perfectionist, a potential legalist, and a guilt addict.”
I’m just not sure I will ever “get my life in order” enough. Seriously, I feel like if I could just meal plan, exercise everyday, clean my floors more often, get ahead of the laundry, then life would be orderly and peaceful. I’m always striving for perfection in every area of my life, forgetting that Christ has made me perfect and learning to walk in that daily.
Yesterday, rather than listing out his new year’s resolutions and making sure he started his new year off “doing” these things, my husband took a Sabbath (a day of rest). He started his new year by skipping church, staying home, resting, and slowing down.
I started the New Year off with 6 hours of sleep, work, and guilt (because I ate carbs and was too tired to exercise). He started it off by resting. It got me thinking . . .
What if instead of starting the new year of with doing, I started it off with slowing down? What if I started the year off resting, remaining, abiding rather than listing, trying, achieving?
That must be why the Psalmist tells us “Cease striving and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)
Perhaps perfection is not attained in doing, but in resting? Resting in knowing that my perfection is in Christ and I am filled with His spirit.
Oh that my new year would be walking in that truth, not my flesh. That it would not be a year of frantic list making, busyness, goals, my will power . . . but slowing down and walking in His power.
Here’s to a year of letting go of perfection and resting in His perfection.
Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12-14)
Now is the time I should officially say “Hi my name is Melissa and I’m a recovering perfectionist, a potential legalist, and a guilt addict.”
I’m just not sure I will ever “get my life in order” enough. Seriously, I feel like if I could just meal plan, exercise everyday, clean my floors more often, get ahead of the laundry, then life would be orderly and peaceful. I’m always striving for perfection in every area of my life, forgetting that Christ has made me perfect and learning to walk in that daily.
Yesterday, rather than listing out his new year’s resolutions and making sure he started his new year off “doing” these things, my husband took a Sabbath (a day of rest). He started his new year by skipping church, staying home, resting, and slowing down.
I started the New Year off with 6 hours of sleep, work, and guilt (because I ate carbs and was too tired to exercise). He started it off by resting. It got me thinking . . .
What if instead of starting the new year of with doing, I started it off with slowing down? What if I started the year off resting, remaining, abiding rather than listing, trying, achieving?
That must be why the Psalmist tells us “Cease striving and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)
Perhaps perfection is not attained in doing, but in resting? Resting in knowing that my perfection is in Christ and I am filled with His spirit.
Oh that my new year would be walking in that truth, not my flesh. That it would not be a year of frantic list making, busyness, goals, my will power . . . but slowing down and walking in His power.
Here’s to a year of letting go of perfection and resting in His perfection.
Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12-14)
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Weakness
The Christian often tries to forget his weakness; God wants us to remember it, to feel it deeply. The Christian wants to conquer his weakness and to be freed from it; God wants us to rest and even rejoice in it. The Christian thinks his weakness are his greatest hindrance in the life and service of God; God tells us that it is the secret of strength and success. (Abide in Christ by Andrew Murray)
I thought this was encouraging, especially in context of the New Year. We are all reflecting on our weaknesses and “resolute” on what we'd like to change and improve. I'm reminded that some of those weaknesses we have are there to keep us dependent on the Lord. He wants us to grow and change by relying on Him for strength, not our resolutions, discipline . . . not will power, but His power.
Let's be open, honest, and authentic right where we are. He wants to use us, shine through us, for all the world to see. Let your light shine through your brokenness and weakness as you pursue Him.
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
I thought this was encouraging, especially in context of the New Year. We are all reflecting on our weaknesses and “resolute” on what we'd like to change and improve. I'm reminded that some of those weaknesses we have are there to keep us dependent on the Lord. He wants us to grow and change by relying on Him for strength, not our resolutions, discipline . . . not will power, but His power.
Let's be open, honest, and authentic right where we are. He wants to use us, shine through us, for all the world to see. Let your light shine through your brokenness and weakness as you pursue Him.
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
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