The Worst Evangelistic Argument EVER (PG-13 for language)

It's a crisp autumn afternoon.  Two friends, bundled up in scarves, jackets, and hipster hats, are sitting on the patio of your local neighborhood Starbucks, sipping lattes.  They are deep in discussion.

BLAKE

I know what you are saying, man, but I'm just not buying your whole Jesus thing.  I pay enough taxes to the federal government, I don't need your "church" diggin' into my pocket too.

 

 

TODD

 

 

What does money have to do with it?  I didn't even mention...

 

 

BLAKE

 

 

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I've been around enough of you "christians" to know that you want me to change how I look, change how I act and then shake me down for everything in my bank account. 

 

 

I know you don't suck, too much, but you're the exception.

 

 

TODD

 

 

If you'd let me finish, I was going to say that Jesus doesn't want your money, man.  I know this sounds corny, but it's true, He wants your heart.  It's weird to say this out loud, but He's real.  He changed my life.  Even you can see that.

 

 

BLAKE

 

 

Yeah, you seem like you've gotten your shit... sorry, didn't mean to offend your revirginated ears, I mean stuff, together since you started your whole church gig.  I don't know, man, the whole thing just seems wrong to me.  I believe in a god, or something, I just don't know what that means for me.

 

 

(Blake's voice carries off a bit and he pauses.)

 

 

But, you do your thing, man!  Just keep doin' your thang.  Glad it works for you. 

 

 

TODD

 

 

It can work for you too.  Why is it such a stretch for you, if you say you believe in a god?  Why not believe in a God that loves you, a God that died for you.  If for no other reason than: what if you're wrong?  I mean, if I'm wrong, then I lose nothing, but if you're wrong?  Dude, I hate to say it, but you're going to hell.  If I were you, I'd check it out, just in case.

 

 

(end scene)

Photo from: www.freedigitalphotos.net 

 

 

Do you see what just happened there?  Two friends pouring their hearts out to one another and Todd pulls the "What if you're wrong?" evangelistic argument.  I mean, If I thought there was a chance that I might be wrong and that God might be a figure of my imagination, then sure, that would be a valid point. 

 

 

I just don't think that when Peter wrote that we should "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have (1 Peter 3:15)," he intended that we get people to try Jesus "just in case." 

 

 

I don't know.  Maybe he did and I'm just missing it.  

 

 

For me, though, Jesus is real.  He's good to me and I'm not going to go around pretending that He might not be real, that there's a chance He really didn't die on the cross for my sins, just to get people to say a prayer.  Paul made it pretty clear that saying the words only carry a portion of the full weight of salvation, you gotta believe the words too. 

 

 

We have got to stop scaring people into saying they believe in Jesus.  The greatest testimony of Jesus is YOU and it's ME; scare tactics just prove that maybe we're not being the testimony we're supposed to be. 

 

 

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

(Romans 10:8-10 ESV)

Inherited Religion

I come from a long line of Christians.  In that lineage are Catholics and Non-Catholics, evangelists and prayer warriors, pastors and missionaries.  Ok.  The missionary thing came along with my younger brother, but as a lineage with bi-directional implications, a couple of missionaries are in there.

You get my point though, right?  It would seem that ministry work, or at least religion, might be something that is passed down from generation to generation.  Certainly, there's an implication of it in future generations.  Or is there?

In a world where Christianity has apparently become a political leaning/agenda and more of a cultural issue than anything, I wonder what that means for me as a Christian Mom.

Conservatives raise little conservatives, who may stray into the liberal camp during college and  occasionally retreat to their conservative upbringing.  Liberals often find unity in sticking it to the man, that man usually represented by a middle-aged, white, upper-class C(c?)hristian man.  Lines being drawn, erased, moved back and re-drawn, leaving everyone who lay in neither camp, somewhere in the ever increasing gap which used to be "the greater good".

But, this is not a political post.  It's really not, I promise.

I've just recently come to the realization that being a Christ following mother of 4 is somewhat complicated by the fact that Christ is no longer treated as a Person in this country (world?), but more as a box I'm relegated to when discussing social issues.  Though, for me, party lines are irrelevant as it pertains to my firmly held beliefs.  I have registered with a party, with which I share certain values I have deemed as imperative, but I refuse to choose a representative solely based upon an affiliation.

Ok.  For real, this is not a political post.

My point in all of this is this question, "If being a follower of Christ is found in a personal relationship with the Person of Christ and having a life that reflects that relationship, how does one raise children into Christianity?"  If it were simply religion, or a bunch of strictly held social beliefs, it would be easy.  I could simply say, "Do this, don't do that, say this, don't say that." and not care if it meant anything to them, so long as I had a little robot-clone.  However, for me, that could never be the case.

I deeply desire that my children would know what it is to sit in His presence; to pray and truly know that He's listening; to hear the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit speak to them as they navigate this life.  As much as that is my deepest desire for my children, it's something I cannot MAKE happen.  It's also something I would never WANT to make happen.  I don't want to be a fake and I certainly don't want my kids to be big fakes either.

So, the other night, when my son said he wanted to ask Jesus to be his Savior and to start the journey that would make my deepest desire for him come true, I had two thoughts: (1) Have I done something where he feels like he HAS to do this right now, to which I answered no; and (2) Have I done something wrong that he didn't do this sooner, to which I also answered no.  You see, I have a strict philosophy that I will not ask my children leading questions relative to Jesus.  I refuse to encourage them to please me by not being themselves.  I value authenticity in others, and I expect it of myself.

I don't have any great advice, or heartwarming anecdotes in this post.  I just have thoughts.  Thoughts that tell me that Christianity is not some political agenda or affiliation.  Thoughts that tell me following Christ is not about the box I check when I'm filling out hospital paperwork or finding continuity with my families historical penchant for ministry work.  It's about me and Jesus.  That's it.  Further, that's what it has to be for my kids too, and if they can't make that genuine commitment until they are 12 or 32, it must be theirs to make.  

My role is simply to paint such a detailed picture of Christ in (with) my life, that when they meet Him they recognize Him immediately and want Him for themselves.  But, they can't have my Jesus, they have their own picture to paint.    

Ironically, I did not actually paint this picture of Jesus.
I just thought it was cool.

Christianity: Not Communicable/ Not Legislatable

Yeah, legislatable... it's not a word.  I don't care.

In any case, over the last few weeks I've had some stuff forcing its way out of me. Pushing its way into my thoughts, overflowing my heart into my consciousness.

Here's what it is in summary:

Salvation can no more be distributed to people through mandated morality than it can be transmitted throught the exchange of saliva.  If it could, then my husband could have become a Christian much more quickly, and we would be able to save over 300 billion people from an eternity apart from God through a single act of legislation.  

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

But, that's not how God designed the system and God did design the system, not man.  (We won't discuss the system man designed in this post, because man did design his own system.)  

Free Will.  Sacrifice.  Free Will.  Sacrifice.  Free Will.  Sacrifice. 

Those two actions are rotated throughout all of History and they have brought us to this place, or perhaps, we have brought them to this place.  The fall of man was a choice of free will.  To mitigate its consequences, there was sacrifice upon sacrifice upon sacrifice until Jesus.  He freely chose to sacrifice Himself, so that we could freely choose Him and then sacrifice our lives for the lives of others, so they could freely choose Him, etc. 

Are you catching the trend?  The lives of those you are fighting for hinge on their free will to choose and Jesus' sacrifice and in many ways YOUR sacrifice, my sacrifice.  Our freedom and salvation have not been bought so that that we can sacrifice the salvation of others so that we can exercise our free will.  Confusing and somewhat circular?  Think about it, through Christ you are free, more free than you ever were under the bondage of sin, but sometimes we focus on our freedom so much that we fail to exercise wisdom and choose to sacrifice our comfort so that others can come to know Jesus.  Sometimes, we have to give up our freedom for the salvation of others.  

Isn't that the point?  People meeting Jesus?  People experiencing a grace and love unlike anything they've ever known?

I have yet to find the scripture that instructs Israelites, Jews or Christians to mandate that all those living in their geographic vicinity abide by their customs or laws outside of conversion.  If you know where that verse is, I'd love to read it.  Instead, I have noticed that the entirety of the Bible, from the Old Testament through the Gospels and into Revelation, speaks often and eagerly about self-examination, both as individuals and as a religious community.  (If, by chance, you struggle with the word religious because it's too religious, then you can either stop reading or get over it.  I'm using it!)  I believe we are to systematically correct our own known sinful behaviors, ask God to reveal those behaviors/beliefs that we have not yet identified as being sinful and correct them, and, in the order outlined in the Bible, bring to light sin in our Christian community around us and correct those.  Not find sin in the unsaved and demand that they get in-line with the Bible.

At some point, we have to admit the folly of mandating our Christian beliefs as the American belief system.  They are simply not one and the same at this point in history and we need to stop.  We have our roles as Americans and our roles as Christians and though one affects the other, we cannot confuse the two.  Jesus is not American, He is God.

Here's the thing, people need Jesus and we can't do that if we spend all of our time telling them HOW they need to live and fail miserably at bringing them into the presence of Jesus.  Living Gods way makes no sense outside of His presence.  Once they know Jesus, the Holy Spirit can start revealing behaviors and beliefs they need to change and if He uses us in revealing those issues, great, if not, great.

Regardless of how that unfolds, with ALL people we need to love always, forgive time and again, and  abound in grace.  Treating others not just how we would like to be treated, but in the same manner Jesus treated us. 

Let's choose to sacrifice our freedom so that others can find freedom in Jesus.  The American dream is great, but the dreams God has for us and those He loves are greater.

Hard?  Yes.  Possible?  Yes.  Required?  Absolutely!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;

And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24

Don't Just Think About Doing. Do.

If salvation is truly the only prerequisite for Heaven, then why does life drag on so long after we obtain it?  Is God attempting to perfect us in this life, full knowing well that it can never be?  Is He crazy or is He just giving us pointless activities to keep us busy until we die? 

Or could the unaddressed sin in our lives be a time-sucking distraction from our intended purpose? 

Are you wasting time fighting a particular sin in your own power?  Is it taking up so much of your time and energy that it is literally keeping you from your intended purpose in life?  Our lives should not be some epic "Self-Help" course at our local adult school.  The absolute truth is that Christ has overcome it all!!  Why keep striving and  struggling on our own?  Pride?  Disobedience?  Aren't those really the same thing?   

Free image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

But I Don't Wanna!

I'm a parent.  When I issue a decree (yeah, I said decree) in my household there are not just perameters for what needs to be done, but how it needs to be done and in what timeframe.  Don't even get me started on the attitude with which it needs to be done.  For the record I'm not a tyranical ruler (for the most part), I just believe that it is my job to raise my children so that they are not self-absorbed, bratty, compromising loafs when they grow up.  That's just me. 

I have noticed that when my kids don't really want to do (or stop doing, for that matter) a particular thing, they respond in one of several ways: 

1) They argue the validity of the request. (Why?  I've never had to do that before now!)  
2) They argue the fairness of the request.  (But they didn't hafta!)
3) They pretend they don't hear my voice.  (chirp, chirp) 
4) They move r-e-a-l-l-y s-l-o-o-w.  (I was gonna do that after my show was over.) 
5) They argue that they are not able to perform the request.  (I don't know how to do that.)   

If I was honest with myself, something I'm not terribly fond of doing for reasons of pride, I would admit that my responses are quite similar when it comes to God's commands in my life.

Let's be Done with Mediocrity Already!

Aren't you "over" your issue yet?  I am.  I'm so over my issue(s).  I'm tired of them.  Sick of them, even!  When I wake up in the morning, they are there to stare back at me in the mirror.  As I'm trying to fall asleep, they roll around in my head as I face another day of failure.  There's a world out there that needs to know the love of an all powerful God.  Why do I expend so much of my energy fighting my own foolish pride?  At what point will I set aside that pride and say "It's Yours God!  All of it!  The good, the bad and the ugly!"  I'm not saying that I'll become perfect here on earth, but obedient.  Well, as much as an inherently rebellious filthy wretch can, anyway. 

To make this life effective, I must allow God to tell me what adjustments to make and then make them immediately.  I know, that's some earth shattering stuff right there.  If I ---->choose<---- to ignore God, I will spend the rest of my life fighting for this ideal life, where I get to do what I want to do, how I want to do it and God still blesses me, which is simply not possible.  Ultimately the end result will be missed opportunities to accomplish God's intended purpose in my life.  And guess what?  My life is not about me.  So, my disobedience will also affect the lives of others.  I hate to burst your bubble, but your life is not about you either.  It will always be about Him and the people He loves.

The Difference Between Thinking of Doing and Actually Doing 

I have wasted too much time trying to sort out the pros and cons of God's commands; generosity, forgiveness, grace, love, purity, discipline, operating in wisdom, faith and all of the other things that I expect from others and debate for myself.  God is pretty specific about all of these topics and many more.  Why debate with an all knowing God at the risk of living a wasted life? 

We tell ourselves and our friends, "I'm just working it out."  "I'm working on it, ok?"  "Look, I'm not perfect (and neither are you, by the way!), but I'm trying."  I know that I say those things.  But the truth is that in the areas I don't WANT to adjust, I'm constantly learning and never applying the truth.  I'm THINKING of DOING, but never actually doing.  Maybe that's just me.

This life is not a school where we study and learn and keep it all in our heads.  There won't be a graduation ceremony at the end where we get a diploma for all that we learned.  This is an internship.  The hours are long, we learn as we go, the job is tiring, but rewarding, it's never about us and we probably won't get the appreciation and acknowledgement we deserve.  Let's accept this and get to work!    

Don't let your pride keep you in a holding pattern.  Who cares if you have to forgive someone that has injured you?  Who cares if that means you have to be more generous (and that pedicure just isn't going to happen this month)?  What difference does it make if you spend more time helping other people instead of doing more entertainment based activities?  Wouldn't you rather quit smoking/ overeating/ watching TV like it were a part-time job/ reading shades of various bad, bad books/ staring at Facebook/ gossiping/ being stingy/ being lazy/ being rude/ being judgmental/ watching porn/ having an emotional affair with your co-worker/ being angry/ lying/ cheating/ wasting your life/ or any such other thing that you've been "struggling" with if it meant that you could live with fulfilled purpose?!  (note: It's not about the things we struggle with, it's how we handle them.  All sins are equal, so don't think your special if your able to hide your issue better than other people.)

Look, I'm not meaning to minimize your struggle.  I understand what it is to struggle in an area for years, I still do.  But again, it comes down to: are you thinking about doing something or are you doing something?  Even if you fall, at least you can get back up and keep moving.  Again, we're not shooting for perfection, we're shooting for obedience.  I can't say that I'll never say another bad word ever again, but I can say that in the moment when the jerk in the Mercedes cuts me off in traffic, I will ---->choose<---- not to freak out.  Maybe next time I will ---->choose<---- a colorful phrase, but, then again, maybe next time it will be easier to resist the temptation. 

Be obedient in this moment. 

Maybe that's not an area God is speaking to you about.  But maybe it is.  We won't really know until we surrender all.  As we surrender our lives to Him fully, God shows us what adjustments to make along the way (hello conviction of the Holy Spirit), but we must actually make them.

Notice I said along the way. 

What is this Purpose You Speak of?

Jesus never said stay in your homes and your small church huddles, talking about your personal issues and problems and then maybe, just maybe, people will see how hard you've worked to become a better person.  No, He said go out and make disciples of all nations, baptize them and teach them My commands.  Your "saved" life has not been preserved in the natural so you can work out your sin issues, you're "saved" life has been preserved so that you can tell people about Jesus, and along the way work out some of those sin issues so that you can become increasingly effective in your purpose. 

We need to remember that our lives after Salvation will always be about God and about other people.  Me becoming the person He created me to be is a result of my DOING what He's called me to do.  So stop arguing that you can keep the crap you already know you should get rid of, hoping that you can still live out your intended purpose.  It doesn't work that way, so far as I can tell anyway. 

Now that I've written it... I suppose I should start doing it!  Will you join me?

Has God already shown you an area where some adjustments need to be made?  How have you responded? 

Why Some Cliche's are Not Cliche.

As a Christian and Human, I can acknowledge that we Christian types jump on bandwagons as much as any other "group" of people who find they have something in common.  We have our clothing lines, bumper stickers, bracelets and tattoos.  I saw a poorly crafted florescent green yard sale sign this weekend that begged the age old question WWJD, the answer being, apparently, that He would head over to check out their wares.  I suspect that the use of those four infamous letters was a bit tongue in cheek, or perhaps, a bratty tongue simply stuck out.  Tough call.

In more recent years there's been a lot of NOTW merch.  Not Of This World, in case you weren't aware.  Yet another scriptural reference cleverly marketed into clothing, stickers, bags and jewelry.  I have a shirt.  I'm not apologizing for that.  They make some pretty cool stuff.  But the fact is, you'd be hard pressed to throw a rock at a Casting Crowns concert and not nick the windshield of car with a NOTW sticker.  I'm not hating, but the first time you see a drunk driver screaming at his wife from his NOTW bestickered SUV, the shine definitely rubs off a little, shortly after you dial 9-1-1, of course.

I won't even touch John 3:16 posters at sporting events.  But, I will question whether or not we may have flashed it so many times that it doesn't even register to people, like background noise when you live near an airport. 

That being said, there is one phrase that, despite it's use in a Christian music chart topper, manages to blow my mind every time I think of it.

As Far as the East is from the West

Doesn't impress you?  That's ok.  Let me explain.  First, it's best to review the actual Bible scripture, so here's a section from Psalm 103 in New King Jame Version (NKJV for you NOTW people out there).

For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Psalm 103:11-12

So, in summary, BEFORE Jesus was born or was Crucified and BEFORE people understood the shape of the earth, God revealed through King David (who desperately needed some of that mercy himself, but that's a different story for a different day) that when He forgives people He separates that sin from us as far as the East is from the West.  You may be asking yourself why I care or what the big deal is or why I keep repeating as far as the East is from the West, but have you considered how far the East is from the West?  If not, take a moment now.

Photo by DigitalArt

When I considered the fact that King David did not choose as far as the North is from the South, it hit me.  The way our planet is formed, if you head North far enough, you will have no choice but to head South without ever having changed direction.  However, if you were to head out on an excursion in an Easterly direction, you could head East for all of eternity.

Does that not trip you out? 

It totally trips me out.  How purposeful our God is!  Even though King David may not have had a clue as to why it's better that God separate us from our sins as far as the East is from the West, versus North from South, God knew that one day people would know the significance. 


Are there scriptures that freak you out because there's no way the writer's could have known whatever they were charged to communicate without God instructing them?  If so, please share one! 

Intermittent Ramblings

All things seem to move and progress in waves.  Light, sound, water, landscapes, even life, both for civilizations and individuals.  People throw around sayings like "History repeats itself" and "What goes around, comes around" without considering the implications.  There's a resonance in life we witness every day and it is only the lack of vision that keeps us from identifying it.

Photo by Victor Habbick

Generations of men and women alike, making choices against which they have been forewarned, only to arrive at the same end result as their parents and grandparents before them.  There is no moral cellular memory of which to speak or rely upon.  Neither wisdom nor hope is genetic.  Intelligence, sure, but intelligence lacking in wisdom and hope is really a death sentence for the soul.  The mind will always convince itself it knows best.  Wisdom says otherwise and seeks out truth. 

As children we are shown a path, hopefully a good one, but it's not the only path.  There are always choices to be made.  To follow the yellow brick road or not to follow the yellow brick road, that is the question.  Often times we look at the red road or the blue road or the overgrown footpath and believe everyone must. be. wrong.  We have taken the words "Question Authority" and interpreted them as "Disregard Authority" and "Ignore Wisdom".  So we take the dark path assuming, like Eve of the Garden Eden, that what we have been warned against is just one of those "best kept secrets", only to discover it really was the path to destruction after all. 

Each of us figures it out at some point.  Some of us decide to back track and find the Self-Illuminating Path, others wander up and down, lost, thinking that withstanding the dark is a badge of courage instead of a waste of energy.  Still others, knowing where the dark path leads, continue out of pride, clinging to the right to exercise their choice or out of fear that the lighted path is an illusion, like a mirage in the desert, ending in disappointment. 

Life waxes and wanes.  Reality surges and recedes.  At times we are drowning in a kaleidoscope of emotions or we find our selves parched flopping on the arid desert sand.  Some swim up to catch their breath, others drown.  Of those that find themselves shriveling, some dig down to where there is moisture, while the rest lay cracking from dehydration, resigned.  It just depends where on the undulating wave of existence you find yourself.  So what'll it be:  Sink or Swim?  Dehydrate or Dig?

We all start out surrounded by the brilliance of innocence only to pass through the gray pallor of adolescence to finally arrive in the great black void of the adult rat race and even that moves in waves and cycles; a path, whose pattern repeats in an overtly predictable rhythm, however boring or draining. 

Life is a song, a sound moving through time and space, unique and persistent, awaiting an adjustment, however slight or great, in order that it may discover its intended beauty.     

Search out the Lighted Path.  The path has been designed and constructed, it merely waits for a traveler. 

Burst through the surface of whatever is drowning you.  Cool, crisp air is resting just above you.

Dig down, deep if you must, to uncover refreshment.  The experience of drinking deep will be worth the effort.

Tune your song, it's already playing.  Ask yourself, when the final curtain falls and the last bow is taken, will the song resonating in my minds-ear be sweet or bitter? 

We're all in a moment... a moment that will step aside for another; each harmonizing with the last, continuing through all of eternity; a momentum that can only be redirected or halted with the purposeful interruption of a Word spoken before time itself. 

There is a better way.

 

Why Little Things Should Matter

On Sunday morning, as I open my eyes and consider rolling over, pulling my comforter over my head and going back to sleep, two things will come to mind:  1) I should have written the KIC (Kids in Celebration) teachers apology letters in advance for children I fully intend to drop off jacked up on at LEAST 3 different forms of sugar, and 2) how the Easter baskets left out on the floor of our living room are pretty laughable in light of the holiday they are intended to celebrate.

Photo by: Grant Cochrane

In an effort to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, my children will stumble, eyes half closed to my living room only to find a basket with some marshmallow chicks, a chocolate bunny filled with peanut butter, jelly beans in bags made to look like a carrot and a DVD I picked up off of the sales rack at Target.  In light of what the Mary's discovered at the tomb on the very first Easter morning, an angel just kickin' it, waiting to tell them the greatest news of ALL time, perhaps an empty basket would be more apropos?  On second thought, no, because that empty tomb held so much!  It held promises simultaneously made and fulfilled; victory complete and only just begun; that seemingly empty tomb held the salvation of all, whether accepted or refused.

I guess marshmallow chicks pale in comparison.  Though delicious, a chocolate bunny wrapped in gold colored foil, doesn't quite get it done, even if it is wearing an ascot and smoking jacket.  At least at Christmas we can explain the presents by declaring it's Christ's birthday.

Look, I don't really mind providing my kids with the socially expected Easter baskets, I don't.  But does it end with the bunny?  Does it end with dressing them up in their Easter best and packing them off to church so enthusiastic teachers can explain the miracle of Easter and give them color sheets?  Does it end with a nice ham dinner at the folks?  Does it end? 

I've recently considered this idea of dreaming BIG because my God is BIG.  What Jesus accomplished on the cross was BIG.  Victory over death is BIG, the purification of sin is BIG, putting hell in it's place is BIG, but where do my dreams fit in?  Does the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ end at 11:59pm Sunday night?  To me it's all connected.

I'd like to think that one day, one of my primary skills used by God would be writing.  I like it.  It's part of my BIG dream.  Would it be cool if I wrote a book and it was published?  Yep.  Would it be cool if that somehow became my primary source of income?  Yep.  Would it be cool if all of that happened on a grand scale?  I don't know.  COULD God include my dream in His plans?  Yes.  But does any of that have anything to do with my purpose in this life?

I don't think so. 

John 13:12-17

¹² When He had finished washing their feet, He put on His clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” He asked them. ¹³ “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴ Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶ Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."

Aside from establishing taking communion, doing a final rundown on important teachings that the disciples (us too!) would need for their ministry work and praying... lots of praying, He established an example of service to others, and His example was HUGE, but is actions were small.  It was Jesus, He had the authority to have them immediately cleansed from head to toe and clothed in sparkling white robes, He could have pulled a full-on Oprah's favorite things on them.  But He didn't.  He stripped down, got on His knees and washed their feet.  He washed their filthy, mud encrusted feet.  It was small, but it was so BIG. 

Then He said, "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."  Jesus always let by example.  So, it brings me back to my thoughts on dreaming BIG.  How do I define BIG?  Jesus defined big differently than our society.  Granted His entourage was BIG, but that's where the similarities end.  He performed singular, small, sacrificial acts that spoke volumes, that impacted all of eternity.  Sure, people's sins were forgiven, the dead were raised up, blind eyes and deaf ears were opened, feeble legs strengthened, demons driven out, but all done with a heart of service and in peace.  He didn't strive to do any of it.  He walked the path set in front of Him, He spoke the words given to Him, He performed the seemingly silly acts that He was given, He spent every moment saying "Yes." to the Father.   

His sacrifice on the cross was HUGE, but it was one step in front of the other on the road to Golgotha.  It was remaining silent in the face of His critics and condemners.  It was choosing to submit to God's perfect plan despite the cost to Him.  Even in the moment where the physical pain was excruciating as He hung on the cross, His earthly ministry spoke volumes and He considered the thieves surrounding Him.

Hebrews 12:1-3

¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.    

Even to the very end as He saw in faith the gates of hell thrown open, the veil torn, graves being tossed open, the Holy Spirit descending in the upper room, thousands being saved in a singled day, Stephen being stoned, Paul getting knocked on his hindquarters, every person that has been saved since that day and until the very end of time. 

His joy was not found in the end of His pain, but rather the salvation of people He loves so dearly.  I am convinced that if remaining on that cross, in that horrible pain would have saved even one more, He would have done so.

So, as we enter this most Holy and fun of weekends, please take a moment to make sure that your BIG dreams are not overshadowing the small tasks of service God has given you.  After you've colored your eggs and filled your baskets, be generous.  Be gracious.  Be forgiving.  Be loving.  Then let your BIG God come in and do what you cannot, heal the hurting, mend the broken, and save the lost.

Dream BIG with God's heart and let your small actions speak loud! 

Happy Easter!  Don't wait until Sunday to thank Him for all that He has done!        

Heck Yes!

"Heck yes!"

This was the answer my son gave tonight as they asked him whether Jesus was his Lord and Savior.

He gave it without thought, without consideration, without hesitation.  He didn't look around the room to determine if it would be the right answer.  He did not contemplate how his energetic answer might make him look.  He just answered "Heck yes!"

Then he was baptized.

My parenting approach to all things Jesus is this, if my kids don't have a relationship with Jesus, I don't want them to fake it to make me happy.  Though I am ever eager to figure out what each of them is going through and what they think about, well, most everything, I choose not to force them to say or do things for the sake of saying or doing them.  Yes, I believe in making kids go to church, but church is not what I'm talking about.  I'm talking about choosing Jesus and choosing to follow Him every day.  Those are two different things.

The Bible says I should train up my children in the way they should go so when they are older they will not depart from it, it doesn't say manipulate them to stay on the path.  It doesn't say force them to train themselves, all the while I sit on the side lines yelling at them.  This idea of training brings to mind a person out there in the field or on the track, coming along side the athlete correcting positioning, illustrating their tried and true knowledge and encouraging them to keep going.  Most people who train others are qualified based upon their own past performances and continued practice.

So, when God tells me to train my children up, I know He's calling me to a higher standard of living, so I can show them how life should look.  Then after I've trained them, they can run their own race of their own accord, not at my mandate, and this process starts early.

Tonight, when my 8 year old son stood in front of the church and shouted "Heck yes!" in front of a few hundred people, I know his answer was his own.  We show him how life should look by our example, we show him how it should not look by pointing out where we missed the mark, we provide correction, we provide encouragement, then we watch as he continues to grow into a man who knows the path God has for him.  The path from which he will never depart.

Then we celebrate...

Why Trouble is Good for You

I've told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world.

John 16:33 The Message Translation

Photo By: Simon Howden

Dear God,

You created the universe.  You created every planet and every star.  You designed the layout of the universe.  You pieced together my human body, creating every last chromosome.  All of this, You did with just the sound of Your voice.  So, why can't you just pay my bills?  Get me a job I love?  Make me feel better?  Make my children just listen to me?  Make my life easier? 

I acknowledge that You are smarter than me, but these seem obvious.

Fondly,

Your Daughter Brina

If I wrote a letter to God today, that is pretty much what it would sound like.  As a daughter of the Most High, my Father created EVERYTHING and yet I have issue after issue after issue.  Currently, I would say that I'm facing more difficulties than I have since becoming a Christian.  The sheer quantity of the difficulties could be best described as a tsunami, wave after wave.  I can see the issues for what they are, I can see where they come from and that I can choose to climb to higher ground catch some perspective, or I can stay frozen and be overwhelmed.  I'm choosing to climb.

While praying on my drive to work this morning, God brought to mind various human fathers who find themselves rich and powerful, and more importantly He brought to mind their children.  Now, I don't actually know any of these people personally, so I've only got public reports to go off of, but if you think of people that were simply given whatever they wanted, every problem solved for them, no need unmet, the result is never good.  Minimally, they seem to be inconsiderate, operate outside of the law, and have no idea what life is like for everyone else in the world.  In the worst cases, they have no regard for the value of other people or life, itself. 

I know that people like to use the term "spoiled" lightly and interchangeably with "well taken care of", but if you look up the definition of spoiled, this is what you will see:  

SPOILED

a. To impair the value or quality of.

b. To damage irreparably; ruin.

c. To impair the completeness, perfection, or unity of; flaw grievously: spoiled the party.

d. To do harm to the character, nature, or attitude of by oversolicitude, overindulgence, or excessive praise.

 Archaic

a. To plunder; despoil.

b. To take by force.

v.intr.

a. To become unfit for use or consumption, as from decay. Used especially of perishables, such as food.

b. To pillage.

None of that is good.  Often times people like to "spoil" their children and almost all of the time, their children will pay for it.  It's a hard adjustment when you find out that you are not THE most important person on the planet, that you have to wait in line, that you won't get your way, and that you don't always get what you want.  Even the best parent of all time is not perfect and yet would know this; since we find ourselves with a perfect Heavenly Father that already knows this, we can expect not to be spoiled.

Though I think I would like it better if I never had to struggle or sacrifice for anything in life, somewhere, deep down inside, I know that's simply not true.  Never requiring your children to work or mature is bad parenting. 

Sure, God could swoop in and save the day, and I believe that He will if need be, but I know that there are valuable lessons to be learned in the struggle:

1.   Trust - You can't have trust if there is never an opportunity to doubt.

2.   Responsibility - Just sometimes, there is work that I need to do. 

3.   Confidence - God blesses me with the opportunity to do things successfully.  Cheering for my toddler as she puts away her toys is a blessing to me, but it also makes her feel proud!

Photo By: David Castillo Dominici

There are lots of reasons that I allow my children to struggle through situations in their life, but it's only ever the situations that are not detrimental.  Sometimes they get through it themselves and sometimes I have to swoop in at the end and save the day, but I always let them try.  As they get older and more mature, the areas that I let them work a little harder expand.  There are things that I will do for my 6 year old that I would never do for my 10 year old, and by this time next year, that list will have grown and shifted.  Sure, it might make me feel like the hero if I never let my kids do anything for themselves and keep them hobbled, but I'm not that selfish.  Neither is God.

How Jesus is like Ross Geller

I must confess that I like to watch reruns of Friends.  Admittedly, I never really got into watching it when they were running fresh episodes.  Though, I may have seen the final episode when it aired.  Honestly, I can't recall, since I'm sure I've seen a rerun on more than one occasion. 

Well, unless you've made it a point to not watch Friends, on some level you must be aware of the episode where Rachel discovers that Ross has wuved her since she was in high school.  If not, here's how the scene basically plays out (forgive me for any inaccuracies, but I'm not going to go watch it right now, so it's based on my poor, poor memory):

The gang is watching a video recording of the night of Rachel and Monica's senior prom.  Basically, they catch on camera the fact that Rachel's date flakes and that Ross, at his parents suggestion, changes into a tux and heads down the stairs to save the day.  The next thing that the camera catches is Rachel and Monica happily leaving with their dates, then flashes to Ross' sad, sad face.  Once Rachel sees this, she rushes to Ross and they live happily ever after... well, not really, THEY WERE ON A BREAK!!!!

Ok, back to Jesus. 

I think that if we were to all sit down and watch playbacks of our lives, in the moments when we needed Him the most, He was there ready to save the day, but we left with the jerk. 

In our lonliness or in our pain we turned to drugs and alcohol, but He was there.

In our financial distress, we turned to credit cards and loans, but He was there. 

In our heartache or feelings of abandonment, we turned to casual sex, but He was there.

In our grief or anger, we turned to food, but He was there.

In our shame, we turned to violence and rage, but He was there. 

He was there waiting, ready to grab our hand and help us; to love us.

Picture the worst moment in your life, it might be an instant or a decision stretched out over time.  But, you know the moment.  The moment that you can instantly go back to if you want to feel bad.  You may have more than one, I know I do.  But I have one in particular.  It's the place that in the midst of feeling like God might have a plan for my life after all, my mind goes to that moment and instantly I feel disqualified and unlovable.  It's a trump card.

This past weekend, during praise and worship, God pulled the trump card.  He'd never done that before, but in an instant, He took me back to that place, that moment all those years ago.  In that same instant, I felt defeated, confused, ashamed, sad, unlovable, disqualified.  Just as quickly as those emotions rolled in, Jesus held back the tide with just His nail scarred hand and said STOP!  Once He had my attention, He said "I was with you in that moment and despite your failure, I loved you then just as much as I do now, in this moment."

I cried.  Heck, I'm crying now as I recall that moment and type these words. 

And no matter how crazy all of this sounds, it's true, you know.   

I challenge you to pull up that moment or all of the moments where you feel you failed the most and see Jesus in that moment, standing with you, loving you just as much then as He does now.  You may be reading this and realize that you're still in that moment.  I want you to know that He's with you now and He loves you more than you can comprehend.  That He still sees you the way you were intended to be and He's just waiting for you to turn and run to Him.

I can't say that if Rachel had looked up to see Ross the day of her prom, that she would have rushed to him and dumped her boyfriend, she was in high school after all.  I also can't say that if someone would have caught my arm that day and said "He loves you, you know.  You don't have to do this.", if it would have changed anything in that moment.  What I can say is that knowing that now makes His love that much sweeter and poignant.  Most importantly, it has torched the trump card.   

So What Now... Q & A Part 1

So, last week I posted a blog named So What Now?, which was a follow up to a previous post I had written about really assessing my life and, more specifically, how I spend my time.  Neither post was earth-shattering or totally original, but both carry the potential to change my life, if I allow them to really take hold and sink down deep.  A wise man once requested of God:

                     "Search me, O God, and know my heart; 

                          test me and know my anxious thoughts.
                                    Point out anything in me that offends you,
                                              and lead me along the path of everlasting life."

I can, in the very least, simply follow suit.  In light of this, here are the first three questions on my list.

1.  What will this "life" that I'm expecting look like, really?  Can I reasonably assume that it's possible?    

WARNING:  If you are confused, offended, frightened, or angered by the use of words such a "miracle," "healing," "church," "evangelize," "sacrifice," "give," "tithe," or "Jesus" please continue to read under the pretense that I am incredibly sane and of above average intellect.

Illustration by: Idea Go

So, most of the time when I consider my life, I don't really make it much past the last known agenda item on my calendar.  Sad, I know.  I've never been one for 5 year plans or 10 year plans, with incremental increases of success and responsibility.  I've never climbed a corporate step stool, let alone a corporate ladder.  I'm kind of a day to day, week to week, paycheck to paycheck kind of gal.  I don't have a 401k or a retirement plan of any kind.  I suppose my plan is to work until I drop dead, which, come to think of it, isn't much a plan at all.  That being said, something you should also know about me is that I don't care about these things.  I feel as though I have so much to spend time being concerned over for the day at hand, that I don't really have much time to commit to the future.  Yes, I know.  I am in my mid-thirties and have four children, how could I not have a plan?!  It's appalling, I get it.

But, when I consider my future, I don't see retirement and playing golf or knitting.  I'm not saying that those things won't happen, you never know, I may learn to golf yet... or knit.  However, those are not my dreams.  Aside from an occasional vacation, I don't dream of relaxing on the beach or in a condo in Tahoe.  I don't really know what the setting will be for my future, but ultimately, I dream of speaking to ladies of all ages and encouraging them.  Speaking truth and breaking the bondages of the lies of the world.  Praying for people and seeing the miraculous manifest as God pours out His grace and mercy.  To see lives changed and souls saved.   To see love spread like wildfire, never to be contained. 

I dream of watching my children walking this earth with indelible footprints left wherever their feet tread.  I see a life filled with the annointing of God and to see that annointing crash over onto my children and their children like a flood.  That's all.  Short.  Simple.  Sweet.

All that said, I don't intend on going into full time ministry.  All of this in the context of working a secular job and raising a family.

2.  What uses of my time do I employ that I find wasteful?  Take a few moments and jot them down.  Really, think about it.    

Television.  Facebook.  Twitter.  Pinterest.  Movies.  My phone.  Worrying.  Being angry. 

3.  What uses of my time do I employ that I find beneficial?

Studying the Word of God.  Praying.  Reading books that are designed with spiritual growth in mind.  Spending time with my Husband.  Spending time with my children.  Attending church services, bible studies, retreats and conferences.  Connecting with women that I can influence and with women that can influence me.  Writing.  Praise and worship.  Working at my place of employment.  Spending time outside.  Sitting quietly.  Cleaning my house.  Spending my time serving others, be it at church, on my own, or through outreach organizations. 


These are my honest answers for these questions.  I can't wait to get through the next set. 

Please, please feel free to go through and answer these questions for yourself.  How you see your future shouldn't look like mine, or at least it doesn't have to.  Even if you aren't a Christian, these questions are great for doing a little internal inventory, so to speak.  So, jump in and leave a comment below!

Recommendations

Most of the time when people are trying something new, they ask their friends, acquaintences and sometimes the guy in front of them in line at the grocery store if they have a recommendation.  Need a recommendation for a restaurant?  Look no further, but before I answer, let me ask you this, "What kind of food do you like?"  Thai?  I have a couple of options.  Japanese?  Pizza?  Chinese?  Indian?  Burger Joint?  Bistro style?  Bakery?  Mexican?  Breakfast?  Greek?  I have a recommendation, most likely a few recommendations.  Granted, when you start asking about fancy, more expensive places, I can really only tell you what I've heard. 

Photo by Suphakit73

You need a recommendation for a movie?  I got-cho back.  What kind of movie you wanna see?  Horror?  Romance?  Comedy?  Romantic comedy?  Drama?  Suspense?  Action?  Documentary?  ROCKumentary?  Oh, yes, I have some recommendations for you. 

Wondering what shows I might think are worth a peek?  I don't typically watch T.V., but I have a few shows you can catch on Netflix. 

I may not have driven every type of vehicle on the market, but I can recommend vans similar to mine.  I can tell you which banks I've had a great experience at.  Need a doctor?  What kind, I may be able to help. 

Recipes?  Websites?  Blogs?  Books?  Baby products?  Yep!  I have some concise opinions on all of those subjects, all of which I am more than happy to quickly provide to anyone caring to listen.

But when you come to me and ask me something important, like:

My marriage is falling apart, what should I do?  Should I just say forget it and leave?  I never thought I'd get a divorce.

I've been struggling with depression for a while now.  I've been to a couple of doctors and they have me on these pills, but I'm tired of living this way.

I lost my job and don't know what to do next.

My children hate me, how can I fix this?

My life is a mess. 

I feel lost.

There must be more.

Am I so quick to answer then with my true recommendation?  You see my answer for all of these will be the same.  Jesus.  Sound too simple?  Not enough variation for the multiple issues you might have or the complexity of your specific situation?  That's ok.  The answer is still Jesus. 

Though sometimes I may fall prey to my own conceit and respond with what my brain and experience can produce, the answer remains unchanging.  I might even start by telling you about counseling or temporary employment services or recommend books penned by human authors,  though my first answer should always be the Author of Life, Jesus. 

Not sure how out of millions of life equations constructed by hundreds of thousands of variables based on circumstance, personal preference, geographic location, the actions of certain individuals, poor choices and perceived acts of God Himself, can result in the same answer Jesus?

Married too young + alcohol abuse + financial stress + I still love him though = you need Jesus
Can't pay rent + vehicle is broken down + we fight every day + I don't even want to get out of bed = you need Jesus
She doesn't believe in me anymore + I'm struggling to support my family + All I want to do is have a few beers and crash out = you need Jesus 
Bad diagnosis + Fear + Lonliness = you need Jesus

The Bible says in 1 Peter 3:15 - Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

My reason?  He saved me.  My marriage was falling apart and He saved it.  I struggled with depression and He brought me joy.  My life was a mess and He got in the dirt with me and cleaned me up.  I was bitter and miserable and He changed me.  I was lost and He found me. 

Everyone's road is different, just like everyones life equations are different, but if you set your focus on the Star that always points true north, then you will make your way out of your issues and into a life of peace that can be found only in Him. 

Photo by Luigi Diamanti

Even if the problem you face isn't found listed above, your answer will always be Jesus.  He is the reason for the hope that I have. 

So What Now?

Now that I realize that I do not have as much time for fruitless deeds as I had thought (see blog post here for what that means), what now?

It's an excellent question.  One which I hope to answer over the next few posts.  After some consideration, I decided that since the internal Q&A had worked thus far, I would continue in that same vein.  As such, here are the questions that I plan to explore, saving any God inspired adjustments, redactions, inversions, corrections or additions.  My plan is to be as honest as I can be and hopefully by the end of the series, I'll have figured something out.  I would imagine that in turn, God will have used something to speak to you as well so that it won't be an utter waste of your time.  Being that I'm exploring my wasteful time spending habits, I wouldn't want it to be an ironic ending for you.  

Here are the pertinent questions that I've come up with so far.  I've  chosen to leave them somewhat generic in terminology so that you can ask yourself these questions along with me.  Are you ready?  I'm not sure that I am, but here goes!

1.  What will this "life" that I'm expecting look like, really?  Can I reasonably assume that it's possible?    

2.  What uses of my time do I employ that I find wasteful?  Take a few moments and jot them down.  Really, think about it.    

3.  What uses of my time do I employ that I find beneficial?   

4.  Using Jesus as the posterboy of a life well spent, what were some traits He possessed that were integral in Him accomplishing His purpose?  What traits do I possess that are the same?  What traits do I lack?

5.  Other than Jesus, list three (3) people from the bible whom I would most like to emulate.  What traits do they have that I already possess?  What traits do I lack?

6.  What keeps me from making the adjustments that I already know to make? 

7.  How do you balance worldly expectations and duties with a life crucified for Christ?  Is there a balance?  What do you think God expects?   

8.  Can I really walk with the kind of anointing and in the same power and influence that can reveal Jesus as the One true savior and God, cause the sick to be healed and the dead to be raised?  Am I crazy?  

I'll stop here for now.  If you think of a question I should be asking myself, or want to answer some of these for yourself, please be sure to share in the comment section at the end of each post.  It would be nice to know that I'm not alone.  Depending on how long winded I am, I'll probably tackle one or two questions per post.

Personally, I like to laze about watching t.v.  Anime is a favorite of mine, well, certain anime anyways.  I love Raising Hope and The New Girl and Big Bang Theory.  I like to watch movies and spend countless hours reading blogs, looking at all of the neat stuff on Pinterest, reading Facebook posts and whatnot.  But since most of those things don't produce anything all that useful in my life, save a few blogs I follow, there must be something I'm missing.  There must be a direct correlation between the time I waste and the fact that certain aspects of the life I believe God wants for me remain still afar off.  Maybe I'm wrong and God just pours out His power and anointing on people that generally loaf about, but based upon what I've read in Proverbs, I'm thinking not.