Soul-utions

2012-01-24T13:39:00.000-08:00

Nearly nine out of ten people in the United States say they believe in heaven, according to a recent ABC News poll. But what exactly do people think of when they think of an afterlife, and what do they believe is required to get there? Every culture has wrestled with the question of an afterlife, and most have come to a similar conclusion: The bad end up in Hell, the good go to Heaven.

I believe that I will go to heaven, not because I have earned my way but because I have surrendered my life over to Christ. What do you believe? If you think it doesn’t matter what you believe about heaven, THINK AGAIN! What we think about heaven can be seen in our perspective on life. Do we have an earthly perspective that focuses on our behaviors here on earth (being honest, kind, loving) or a heavenly perspective where our life reflects the love of Christ, focusing on our salvation and eternal life?

Scripture states:

Colossians 3:1-2, NKJV: If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

John 5:24, NKJV: Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

So what do you think?????

Glory of the Lord to be Revealed!

2011-12-12T13:06:00.000-08:00

The fourth candle on the Advent wreath is often called the Angel’s candle. The circle is now complete at last, and fills our view with light. “The glory of the Lord shall be revealed,” the prophet once had said, and now the light has come.

So, what do we see in the full light of the wreath? Look closely … for in the full light of the Advent candles, even now one may begin to see … a cross! The story begins with the glory of the Lord shining down on Bethlehem. And at the cross, where darkness fell again, the glory of the Lord shines.

The world had been waiting so long … centuries. And now the voice of the Lord is heard saying, “Here I am!” So what are you waiting for????

May God bless you with Hope, Love, Joy and Peace.

Let Fear Give Way to Joy!

2011-12-07T05:54:00.000-08:00

The third candle on the Advent wreath is often called the Shepherd’s candle, and its message may well begin by admitting that when the angel of the Lord appeared, the shepherds were afraid. The words “God is with you” could be a cause of real fear.

But a baby isn’t frightening, and as in the experiences of the shepherd’s who had come before, like David and Moses, fear turned into joy as the presence of the Lord was made known.

Do we fear as the Lord draws near? What concerns do we have as we become aware of the presence of God? Maybe we have concerns that God will see or know too much about us. Or maybe we worry that God will enter into our lives and take over. Or maybe we are afraid that if God gets to close he will reject us.

The message of the third candle on the Advent wreath tells us to fear not – The Lord is come! He has come to all of us with the message of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love!

Welcome to the season of Advent!

2011-11-29T05:39:00.000-08:00

What does it mean to be prepared?

Definition of PREPARE

1 a : to make ready beforehand for some purpose, use, or activity <prepare food for dinner> b : to put in a proper state of mind <is prepared to listen>

2 : to work out the details of : plan in advance <preparing a campaign strategy>

3 a : to put together : compound <prepare a prescription> b : to put into written form <prepare a report>

Prepare! That is the word of this week’s candle, second in the Advent wreath. This candle is sometimes called the Bethlehem candle because the history of the little town of Bethlehem may well be a lesson in how to be prepared… or how not to. Bethlehem was not ready to receive her King!

Are you preparing for the coming of royalty, the advent of the King? Are you prepared?

A second candle glows now on the Advent wreath to help us see – and hear – the message it proclaims.

Welcome to the season of Advent!

2011-11-23T10:46:00.000-08:00

You probably spend more time using your listening skills than any other kind of skill. Like other skills, listening takes practice.

What does it mean to really listen?

Real listening is an active process that has three basic steps.

Hearing. Hearing just means listening enough to catch what the speaker is saying. For example, say you were listening to a report on zebras, and the speaker mentioned that no two are alike. If you can repeat the fact, then you have heard what has been said.
Understanding. The next part of listening happens when you take what you have heard and understand it in your own way. Let's go back to that report on zebras. When you hear that no two are alike, think about what that might mean. You might think, "Maybe this means that the pattern of stripes is different for each zebra."
Judging. After you are sure you understand what the speaker has said, think about whether it makes sense. Do you believe what you have heard? You might think, "How could the stripes to be different for every zebra? But then again, the fingerprints are different for every person. I think this seems believable."

LISTEN is the message of the first candle of ADVENT. Here in God’s Word is a light that shines beyond the bounds of Bethlehem, beyond the hillsides of the shepherds, for all to see. He is the Word of God proclaimed for all the world to hear – a message of HOPE!

So what are you HOPING for? Do you have something to look forward to? A future!

That is what this first candle and the first week of Advent is all about, a bright future with God.

Something to give pause and think about…

2011-11-15T11:08:00.000-08:00

Death, illness, pain — these are the extreme human conditions that really dare us to count our blessings: death in the family, a prognosis of a dreaded disease, pain from rejection, misfortune or some irreparable damage. With such intolerable distress, how can you even start to count your blessings?

Let me share my little secret. When I feel that the world is caving in and my tears of hopelessness are just about to fall, I look down at my hands. I stretch my fingers and I start to count ... my blessings. I say to myself, “I have 10 fingers ... 1-2-3-4-5 ... I can move all of them. My skin is clear. I can see. I can hear. I can talk. I can walk. I have a family. I have a home. I have friends. I have a job. Not everyone has these. I am a very lucky person. I am whole and I can cope with this minor setback.”

Try it. In your darkest hour, at the height of a most unfortunate situation, count your blessings by starting with your fingers.
—Ruby Bayan-Gagelonia, “Count your blessings,” October 15, 1999, Suite101.com.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving and count your many blessings naming them one by one.

2011-11-01T13:56:00.000-07:00

What is a god? A god is anything that dominates your life or anything that controls your life. A career can be a god! Another person can be a god! Golf can be a god! Even good things that God has created for us to enjoy become gods when you give them first place in your life. God says, “WRONG.” God deserves first place in our lives. This is the foundation of our faith – put God first.

Today, American families are dropping like flies. They’re falling apart faster than we can put them together. Why is this? I believe it is happening because the families are built on the wrong foundation. When we put God first in our life – above our own self, above our spouses, above our children, then the foundation of the family will be secure!

2011-10-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906)

We Wear the Mask

WE wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!

As we enter into the season of fall, with our masks and carved pumpkins, let us reflect on the masks that we wear and remember that God can see what lies behind the mask. We can hide nothing from our Lord. Thanks be to God for loving and accepting us “just as we are.”

2011-10-19T11:17:00.000-07:00

We are constantly bombarded with others wanting us to "understand" one thing or another, but that sort of begs the question, doesn't it? We are still left with the fundamental question, "what does it mean to understand something?" Teachers almost universally seek to have their students learn and understand the subject matter they are teaching.

As we study the scriptures, meditate on the Word, and pray, we begin to “understand” what our faith is all about. But, what does it mean to understand faith? If someone says he or she understands what faith is, then he or she should be able to explain it to others. Faith, simply stated, is believing in God.

Jesus was a great teacher and spent much of his ministry trying to teach the disciples and others the great message about faith and salvation. Do you really understand it? Ask yourself this question: what does it mean to have faith in Jesus Christ? Can you explain it to someone else?

2011-10-04T05:58:00.000-07:00

Many of the greatest achievements begin with the empowering words of encouragement. When someone is feeling insecure, unsure, or apprehensive about taking constructive action or pursuing favorable opportunities, you should convey to them that you believe that they are capable and that their efforts are worthwhile.

1. Recognize the person's struggle.

2. Be positive.

3. Be sincere.

4. Inspire a healthy outlook.

The important thing is to do it!!!

2011-09-28T06:27:00.000-07:00

At a gathering of senior pastors and spouses of the hundred largest United Methodist churches in the United States, a discussion took place on how these churches could assist the denomination as a whole in the new reality of ministry. Statistics indicate that there is a rapid decline in worship attendance and church membership.

John Wesley, founder of Methodism, faced a similar crisis in his own denomination. Wesley saw empty churches and, even more disturbing, empty spirits and decided something must be done. He took to heart the teachingsof the apostle Paul, focusing on our need to become what God had created us to be.

John Wesley traveled 250,000 miles to preach 40,000 sermons in the countryside. He did this because the people were there and God wanted him to go. Wesley realized that in giving our lives away in service to Christ, we find real life and it makes all the difference.

Where is God calling you to serve! Remember God has gone before you to prepare your path.

2011-09-20T06:30:00.000-07:00

You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view --- until you climb into his skin and walk around in it," -- Atticus Finch

Walk a mile in my shoes is an idiom that means you should try to understand someone before criticizing them. And as I look at the definition of what it means to understand someone, I realize that it means to personally interpret, or discern the other person.

I believe that God calls each of us to do our best to understand one another. I read in Scripture that God asks us to love one another, but to do this we must learn who that person is. I wonder how many of us take the time to really get to know the people in our lives? We learn just a little about someone and then we tend to be lazy and fill in the blanks with judgement, criticism and opinions that many times are far from reality.

How much better would our relationships be if we spent more time getting to know what makes another person tick? Do you really know what their likes and dislikes are? What motivates them or what frustrates them? What are they passionate about? And what do they struggle with silently?

Our world would be so much better and more harmonious if we would spend some time just getting to know one another. Who do you think you know – but don’t really have a clue about? Maybe you should take some time to get to know the real person!

2011-09-13T07:06:00.000-07:00

The Gospel of John paints a picture of Christ’s love for us and how that love shines every day of our lives. In Chapter 17, Christ speaks about his love for us and how much each of us should show that love to one another.

As I look over the passage, I am stuck by the fact that it does not quantify that love, but makes a broad sweeping statement about our love for those around us. It’s easy to choose to love our family and friends, but how about that noisy neighbor, or the teenager down the street with a hot rod, or the person who cuts us off while driving down the street.

As I read the scriptures, God is requiring of us to love everyone! So how can we show this love and acceptance to those in our community? Is there someone who you need to be more loving towards?

What the world truly needs is more love. Let’s be part of the solution instead of being part of the problem. Let us follow the example of Christ!

2011-09-07T06:24:00.000-07:00

Every traveler knows the importance of finding shelter by night – a place to rest, to claim refuge from the day, and to greet the morning. This is especially true during a storm; a place to find shelter is imperative. Each of us needs something to hold on to. So where do you seek out shelter during the storms of life?

I turn to the promises of God to shelter me from life’s turbulent times. So what is a promise? According to one definition I found: a promise is a manifestation of intention to act or refrain from acting in a specified way. God is the only promise maker that is a guaranteed promise keeper. I wish I could say that about other people in my life, but the truth is – God is perfect, man is not.

God’s promises revealed to us through the scriptures include the promise to have enough, to have confidence in God’s plan in the midst of pain, unconditional love, grace when we fail, hope in brokenness, strength for the difficult times, knowledge that in God life will be better, to feel the peace that passes all understanding, and to know that we have a future home with God. What more could I ask for?

I know that God’s promises will never fail me! Maybe you should give God a chance to prove his promises are for you too!

2011-08-24T19:47:00.000-07:00

A goal without a plan is just a wish.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery

To be successful in your life, you need to have a life plan. Without a plan, many of your dreams will only be dreams. A life plan, on the other hand, will help you turn your dreams into reality. It works because it gives you not just a destination, but also a way to get there.

A life plan doesn’t have to be complicated. It should answer just two questions:

What is your destination?
How will you get there?

This way of thinking helps us identify what matters most to us. For me, faith in God, family, and service to others are my top priorities. My plan for each day is to commune with God, to spend time with family, and to look for and respond to the needs of others. I know that if I work my plan, then I will get to my destination – heaven!

So what does your life plan look like? Don’t have one? – Maybe today is the day you ask God to help you develop one. I guarantee by doing this you will find purpose in life.

2011-08-15T18:25:00.000-07:00

Wow, what an opportunity to serve Christ! As I reflect on the 2011 Youth Mission Trip to Vancouver, Canada, I am amazed at the power of the Holy Spirit working within this world. Our purpose for the trip was to give the youth at Morrison the opportunity to learn about God’s love by serving others and experiencing a part of the world different than ours.

One lesson we all learned from this experience was that wealth is not measured in dollars but in the number of options one has. A life with options is more valuable than money. This is a very different way to measure one’s resources.

In light of this definition of wealth, how rich are you?

2011-08-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Most of us would agree with the statement that “obedience is the key to the Christian life.” The idea of doing the right thing is important to us as followers of Christ. But let me ask you something. Is just doing the right thing more important that the reason we do it? Are we to obey just for obedience sake?

This concept implies that we obey because it's the right thing to do, and that God will bless our efforts regardless of the motivation for our obedience. I don’t believe that this is exactly true! Our Christian obedience involves a relationship between God and us. We learn what he wants for us, then we respond. Obedience for obedience sake is not Biblical. Deuteronomy 5:33 says to “walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days.” God wants us to do the right thing so that we will grow in our faith and understanding. Obedience should be our response to our relationship with God. He wants us to choose to obey out of love, not fear. This type of obedience then leads us to growth and responsibility.

God doesn’t want an army of puppets, he’s looking for those who choose to follow him. What about you? What motivates you to do what you do?

2011-07-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

During the summer, I spend time planning for the fall. According to the Office of US Personnel Management, "Planning" means setting performance expectations and goals for groups and individuals to channel their efforts toward achieving organizational objectives. It also includes the measures that will be used to determine whether expectations and goals are being met. That’s just a fancy way to say that during the summer I spend some intentional time preparing for the fall.

I’d like to share with you some of what’s coming up later in the year. Beginning September 7, I will be teaching the Wednesday afternoon and evening Bible study on the Shelter of God’s Promises. God is the only promise maker who is always a promise keeper. For 10 weeks we will explore the scriptures uncovering what God has promised us.

Starting Sunday, September 11, Confirmation Class will meet in the office conference room at 9:45 am. The members of the class will be confirmed on Sunday, October 16^th during the 10:55 am Worship Service. This class is for those that are in 6th grade or higher and have never been through the class.

This fall in Soul-utions, we will be looking at the spiritual treatment plan for the chronic life. For those of us who find ourselves in the grips of unhealthy, chronic patterns, this plan will provide us with the opportunity to begin our recovery.

I have high expectations for a fall filled with spiritual growth and fellowship with other believers. So what is your plan for the rest of this year???? I pray that by sharing my plans with you it may help you start planning for your fall.

Aim HIGH!

How To Tell the Truth?

2011-07-12T13:52:00.000-07:00

Before you tell the truth, it is often wise to consider what you hope to accomplish by doing so.

Are you trying to hurt someone or make your relationship stronger (see, should I tell)?

And it helps to keep in mind, that both telling the truth AND using deception are important in a close relationship. Whether we like to admit it or not, both are required to make a close relationship work (see, pros and cons of lying).

But, if you ultimately decide to tell the truth, what is the best way to do it?

This was the beginning of an article I found online when I googled “telling the truth.” The source is a website called Truth About Deception: Advice about lying, infidelity, love and romance. This really bothers me. When the Bible states in the 9^th commandment, “Thou shall not lie,” my understanding is that lying is always wrong. The message of scripture is that we are to tell the truth. I find it offensive that this article believes that deception is an important aspect of a close relationship. No wonder the divorce rate is so high and we find it hard to trust people. I don’t need an article or anyone telling me how to tell the truth. It should be very simple. Every word that comes out of my mouth should be the truth! If I say something, those around me shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not it is fact or fiction. Every healthy relationship has a solid foundation of truth. What about your relationships? Are you telling the truth? Just remember, God knows the difference!

2011-07-06T05:36:00.000-07:00

When Rabbi Harold S. Kushner wrote the book When Bad Things Happen to Good People in 1981, I believed that he was writing to me. You see, this book was the product of a personal tragedy in his life that made him re-examine his beliefs about God and the ways of God. I too was living in the midst of a personal tragedy.

My son, Mathew was born in March, 1980 with profound brain damage, cerebral palsy, and a seizure disorder. Like the author, I too believed that I was living a more religiously committed life than many other people I knew with healthy children. So questions started to creep up. How could this loving God I had faith in allow this to happen? Why should my son be subjected to physical and psychological pain everyday of his life?

One of the ways we try to make sense of suffering is to assume that we get what we deserve, or somehow our adversities are a punishment. Yet I came to understand through prayer, consultation, and scripture that God is a loving God and does not cause these things to happen.

Life happens! It has nothing to do with deserving or not deserving things, nor is it a form of punishment for things we have done. God wants us to know that his son, Jesus, died for our sins and that when life dishes out hardships, He is there to walk with us through the valleys. God is our comfort and strength in the midst of the pain – not the cause of it.

I pray that if you are walking through the valley, you know that God is there with you, ready and willing to help, if you just ask! I am also here to help.

May God bless your steps through life.

2011-06-21T07:25:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine sent this to me and I wanted to share it with you!

Shirley & Marcy

A mother was concerned about her kindergarten son walking to school. He didn't want his mother to walk with him. She wanted to give him the feeling that he had some independence but yet know that he was safe. So she had an idea of how to handle it.

She asked a neighbor if she would please follow him to school in the mornings, staying at a distance so he probably wouldn't notice her. The neighbor is up early with her toddler anyway, and thought it would be a good way to get some exercise, so she agreed.

The next school day, the neighbor and her little girl set out following behind Timmy as he walked to school with another neighbor girl he knew. She did this for the whole week.

As Timmy and his friend walked and chatted, kicking stones and twigs, Timmy's little friend noticed the same lady following them every day all week. Finally she said to Timmy, "Have you noticed that lady following us to school all week? Do you know her?"

Timmy nonchalantly replied, "Yeah, I know who she is."

The little girl said, "Well, who is she?"

"That's just Shirley Goodnest," Timmy replied, "and her daughter Marcy."

"Shirley Goodnest? Who the heck is she and why is she following us?"

"Well," Timmy explained, "every night my Mum makes me say the 23rd Psalm with my prayers, 'cuz she worries about me so much. And in the Psalm it says, 'Shirley Goodnest and Marcy shall follow me all the days of my life', so I guess I'll just have to get used to it!"

Take comfort in knowing that God cares this much for us!

2011-06-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

What comes to your mind in response to the following questions: Who has hurt you? Who has offended you? Who has lied about you? Who has betrayed you?" How quickly can you make a short list of people who have caused you pain? And who were these people who hurt you? Family members? Your wife? Your husband? One of your parents? Your children? Or was it a person at work? Or a friend from church? (perhaps better labeled "a former friend.) How many friendships have been shattered because cruel words or actions left you feeling betrayed?

Hollywood makes blockbuster movies with a simple story line-the hero of the movie is hurt or is a victim of injustice, and throughout the movie seeks to be justified. And then, toward the end of the movie, we cheer for the hero's revenge, "All right, go for it, that evil person deserves it!"

But how does God want us to respond to people who hurt us? Whether that person is a family member or an enemy, how should we react? Is this what God would want?

Don't just think about it. Let 'em know what's on your mind!

Have you always wanted to tell someone something, but didn't know how to do it? Well, this is the perfect site for you. Read on. . .

ThePayback.com is your home for all of your revenge needs. So you never had a chance to get revenge on your ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend? Your current spouse lied to you when he said that he would never cheat on you?

Well, you know the saying "Don't get mad, get even".

Get Revenge On People Who Have Done You Wrong!

This is the opening paragraph of a web site called thepayback.com that really caught my attention. This is not the way God would want us to handle the pain we cause one another in the midst of our relationships. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you is what we are told to do in Ephesians 4:32. God also instructs us in Matthew 5:44, But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. But maybe most importantly, God tells us very clearly in Romans 12:19, Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

The worldly response to someone hurting us is to get back at them; to seek revenge. But God has a plan for us to love those that hurt us and work toward forgiveness and reconciliation. Two wrongs have never made a right! How are you going to respond the next time you get hurt? GOD’S WAY or the world’s way?

2011-06-08T06:25:00.000-07:00

In Daniel Patrick Moynihan's memorable phrase, deviance has been dumbed down. “Everybody has a deviance they need to open up, and the rest of us are supposed to be a 'support group' for their deviance. Is there anybody out there who doesn't have a support group?”

"Healthy" and "sick" have replaced "good" and "evil."
Dennis Prager tells of one day playing in the park with his 2-year-old son. A 5-year-old boy walked over to him, threw him onto the concrete. The 5-year-old's mother rushed over to her son and demanded: "Honey, what's troubling you?"

Where is the reprimand? Where is the sense of wrongness to throw another human being to the ground, or away?

Self-esteem is now deemed more important to teach our children than self-control. In fact, in a recent book called Evil: Inside Human Cruelty and Violence (New York: W. H. Freeman, 1997), Roy Baumeister has found four "root characteristics" of the most violent criminals. One of them is "high" self-esteem. Parents that focus all their rearing on building "high self-esteem" are increasing the likelihood of creating a criminal child.

What do you think? The Bible gives us guidelines to help us raise our children. Some of those passages include:

"For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” (Heb 12:6) “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” (Pr 22:15) “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” (Pr 29:15) And “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” (Pr 13:24)

Discipline is as much an integral part of childrearing as love is! May we love our children enough to discipline them when needed.

2011-05-31T12:06:00.000-07:00

Life is the sum of all your choices.” – Albert Camus

We make decisions every day. Everything we say and do is the result of a decision, whether we make it consciously or not. Whether our choices are big or small, there is no easy formula for making the right decision. The best we can do is to approach it from as many perspectives as possible and then choose a course of action that seems reasonable and balanced.

Because every decision we make has consequences, the process can be very stressful. Have you ever been afraid to make the wrong decision? The key to relieving the stress caused by making decisions is found in scripture. The answer is simple: we need to let God guide us. Now I know that some of you are thinking that you have tried this before and it didn’t work. Knowing God’s will isn’t easy, but I can assure you that God wants to communicate with us and guide our decisions. The book of James tells us to ASK IN FAITH. God promises to give us wisdom if we just ask for it.

The real key is to ask ourselves if we really trust in God. If we do, then we must turn over control of our lives to Him and keep moving in the direction that he leads. God sees paths that we don’t know exist. He will make a way. God bless you and guide your decisions, large and small.

2011-05-25T06:43:00.000-07:00

If we don't take care of ourselves, we won't be capable of taking care of others. It's as simple as that. So why do we go on and on and give and give until we're emotionally and physically exhausted?

by Beverly Smallwood, Ph.D.

Have you ever asked yourself that question? I have! I know in my head that I need to take care of myself in order to care for others. I’m even reminded of this every time I ride in an airplane and hear the instructions given before each flight. If the overhead compartment should open and the oxygen masks come out, I am to place mine on first before assisting others. This seems to make sense when I hear the airline attendant say it. So why is it such a hard concept to practice in my everyday life?

As a Christian I have heard it stated and restated numerous times that I should stop thinking of myself and put the needs of others first. The message of self-sacrifice and service comes across loud and clear. However, I don't believe that this message is a complete interpretation of the scriptures.

Yes, self-centeredness is at the core of our sinfulness. We are to deny ourselves and sacrificially give to God and others, but I believe that we confuse unselfishness with stewardship. The Bible actually teaches the value of our needs, which are God-given and are intended to propel us to growth and to God. Neglecting our needs leads to spiritual and emotional problems; meeting our needs frees us to meet the needs of others cheerfully and without resentment.

What do you think?

I’ll be praying for you ….Karen

2011-05-10T13:18:00.000-07:00

Imagine yourself behind the wheel of a car driving 45 mph on a curving mountain road. Your speed is safe for the road conditions…or so you think. The pavement is wet due to a light rain, and though you are not aware of it, the temperature is dropping rapidly. It is late at night and you have been driving for hours. The radio is on and your mind is focused on the road ahead of you . All of a sudden, the road feels different. The steering wheel is loose and unresponsive. Your heart begins to race as you realize the back end of your car is sliding. The rain has frozen and become a layer of ice. You are beginning to slide out of control. Reflexively, you push your foot on the brake. That action simply increases the speed you are sliding and you go into a full tailspin… you are out of control!

Few people ever experience the feeling of being absolutely out of control. It is unnatural, uncomfortable, and creates intense anxiety. Yet, from time to time, we all experience the sheer panic of being somewhat out of control. All of us live with a profound need to have order established in the chaos of our lives. We long for peace in the middle of the turmoil. We want to discover how to regain control. We need to get a grip on our lives.

In order to gain control we need to allow the Holy Spirit ‘s power of self-control be infused into our lives. Then, if we work diligently on balancing our lives, we can accomplish this goal.

Spend some time this week asking God to take control of your life and provide you the peace you so desperately want and need. God wants to be a part of every aspect of your life. He is a God of order. He can help you get a grip on your life.

I’ll be praying for you ….Karen

2011-05-02T13:48:00.000-07:00

If I had my life to live over, I would perhaps have more actual troubles but I'd have fewer imaginary ones. ~Don Herold

Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday. ~Author Unknown

I love both of these quotes about the subject of worry. So what actually is worry? According to the dictionary “worry is thoughts and images of a negative nature in which mental attempts are made to avoid anticipated potential threats.” So much of what we worry about are things yet to come. Anticipating possibilities of the future causes us more stress than does dealing with the realities of each day. The Bible tells us not to do it! Yet we all have our pet worries. What are yours: finances, marriage, kids, health, jobs, other relationships, etc?

As Dr. Phil says: “ How’s that working for you?” Our lives are full of stress and challenges. The real question we need to ask ourselves is how do we deal with the stresses of life in a healthy and helpful way.

Come and join us in Soul-utions at 11:00 AM on Sunday mornings to find out the answer to this and to other questions about stress and how the Bible encourages and instructs us to deal with it.

Easter Season

2011-04-20T05:57:00.000-07:00

People think it is strange to like Lent. It is after all a penitential season, and who likes penitence? Feeling penitent sounds bad enough, but actually enjoying the Lenten season seems to verge on Masochism. I should be joyful that Lent is over, Easter has come and I can once again say Hallelujah!

But I’m actually a little sad. Once Easter comes, we seem to go back to business as usual. I liked having the emphasis of our faith placed on our personal spiritual journey. Lent gave us the chance to look at our lives with a critical eye and to find the obstructions that keep us from God and then work to remove them.

Wait a minute – why do we only do that during the Lenten season? Why don’t we concentrate on our personal growth in becoming more like Christ all year long?

I want to challenge you to join me in making a special effort to continue to search for this newness of life and forgiveness. Following close upon Lent’s penitence is hope – hope that the barriers between us and God will disappear and be gone for good. Pray with me that with God’s help, we will keep clear a space for God and experience greater joy on a daily basis.

Here are some suggestions for clearing sacred space in your life:

v daily prayer/meditation time

v media fasts

v meditative walks

v creative activities – music and art

v journaling

v volunteering in Christ’s name

May you emerge each day transformed and closer to God.

Repentance

2011-04-13T08:15:00.000-07:00

Repentance. What is it? It's an excellent question, and a subject about which there is considerable misunderstanding. Some believe repentance is feeling sorry for what they've done wrong. And that is a fine thing, but it's not the same as repentance.

A 180-DEGREE TURN
A Hebrew word translated repent in the Old Testament is shuwb, meaning to turn. Changing our mind in repentance involves a turning. Moses told the Israelites, "When you turn [shuwb] to the Lord your God and obey His voice...He will not forsake you nor destroy you" (Deut. 4:30-31). The same word is used three times in Ezekiel 14:6, "Thus says the Lord God: ‘Repent [shuwb], turn away [shuwb] from your idols, and turn away [shuwb] your faces from all your abominations.'" It is for this kind of turning that Paul commends the Thessalonian believers: "You turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God" (I Thess. 1:9).

A CHANGE OF MIND AFFECTING OUR LIVES
"Repentance," in the New Testament, is translated from the Greek word metanoeo, and means a change of mind. This does not simply a superficial change of some opinion we have–such as, "I've decided I prefer chocolate ice cream to vanilla ice cream." Repentance is a genuine change of attitudes and values that affects our lives in a significant way. Paul said he preached to the Gentiles, "that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance" (Acts 26:20). It was expected that their repentance would fundamentally change the way they lived.

A RESTORED RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
Biblical repentance always involves our relationships with the Lord. It involves seeing our sins as offenses against a holy God. In repentance, we change our minds about selves, our sins, and God. When we sin, we are actually rejecting God's rule over our lives and placing ourselves on the throne. We imply–whether or not we actually say it–that God is wrong, and we are right about how we should act. In repentance we change our minds about that false view of ourselves and our sins, and admit that God is right. That change of mind affects how we behave.

How have your attitudes, priorities and lifestyle changed during this Lenten season?

2011-04-04T20:22:00.000-07:00

“Life is pain." This is the first sentence of Scott Peck's book The Road Less Traveled. He point's this out in his book to help us see that the sooner we accept that life is pain, the better off we will be. Many of us have had setbacks in our lives. We may have suffered divorce, bankruptcy, death of a loved one, illness, substance abuse, or just plain disappointment. It’s important to realize that each of us is an individual, but our experiences are not unique. Others have suffered our same struggles. We all have had obstacles that we have overcome. Some pain takes a long time to heal, but we can get better with time, perseverance, and a positive attitude and spirit. When offered a second chance in life, we need to make the most of it.

Second chances are not guaranteed in this world. But Paul wrote in Romans 8 “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Because of Christ, our God is a God of second chances.

When given a second chance in life, living to the best of our abilities shows our gratitude for what we have been given. It will take prayer, patience, focus, and support to ensure we make the most of it. Above all else, knowing that God is on our side, and doing something about it will make the difference. Life is about God’s continual call on our lives, and our willingness to stop running and allow God to enter into our hearts and create in us a clean heart. This is an offer God makes to all of us! Thank God we serve a God of SECOND CHANCES!

Have you heard God calling lately?

2011-03-29T07:43:00.000-07:00

Claustrophobia is one of the most common phobias in America. Claustrophobia is characterized by panic that is a result of being in enclosed spaces. It can develop from either a traumatic childhood experience (such as being trapped in a small space during a childhood game), or from another unpleasant experience later on in life involving confined spaces (such as being stuck in an elevator). When an individual experiences such an event, it can often trigger a panic attack. This response then becomes programmed in the brain, establishing an association between being in a tight space and feeling anxious or out-of-control. As a result, the person often develops claustrophobia.

Jonah is certainly a great candidate for developing claustrophobia. Jonah’s prayer to God from the belly of the great fish comes from his distress and anxiety over being in this confined space. Yet Jonah is thankful to God for being saved by the fish. Jonah had done nothing to deserve being rescued; his salvation was by grace alone.

The Lord deals with us not according to strict justice, but rather in ways that are consistently full of grace. We have a tendency to turn away from God until there is a crisis. Then out of panic or anxiety, we turn to God for help.

When you are in a desperate situation, do you have a tendency to pray with hope or is prayer a pessimistic last resort?

Lent

2011-03-22T10:55:00.000-07:00

All of us have times when we think our own personal situation is so blighted with an imperfection or a mistake we might have made, that we can never repair it. This is the point of a wonderful story by a famous Polish-Jewish teacher called the Dubna Maggid, or the preacher from the town of Dubna. Here is the story:

A king had a large beautiful jewel, a ruby that was especially precious to him because it was a gift from his deceased queen mother. Through some careless accident, the jewel was ruined by a deep scratch and the king was in despair. He called many experts to repair it. Some tried polishing. Some tried chemical solutions. Nothing worked.

A proclamation went out that if anyone could remove that scratch, the king would be indebted to him for a lifetime. Many tried and failed. One day a craftsman of humble demeanor came to the king saying that he would like to try to repair the ruby, and the king, who had nearly given up hope, turned it over to him. Some weeks later, the craftsman returned. No, the scratch had not been removed but the king was delighted because the craftsman, through his artistry, had turned the jewel into something far more precious than before. At the end of the scratch, he had engraved a beautiful rose. The scratch had become the stem of the rose through that craftsman’s skill. A curse turned into a blessing beyond price.

Each of us is given a precious jewel by God, more precious than any earthly jewel. There can be a scratch in any one of our lives, an imperfection that we sometimes think can never be repaired. But through the artistry in our own souls, the image of God within us, we can turn those imperfections into works of art that make our lives priceless blessings, not only for ourselves but for many others. I think this is what God meant when he blessed Abraham with the words, "Be thou a blessing." We can be sure that we will be a blessing with God’s help.

2011-03-15T05:32:00.000-07:00

Some of life’s storms come upon us suddenly as was the case for the disciples in the ship. (Mark 4:37) We suddenly lose someone we love; we have a bitter disappointment, a crushing financial situation, or a physical illness that threatens to change our life forever or even threatens to end it.

Other storms come more slowly. You see the sky darken around you and the visibility of your life dims until it seems a black cloud has surrounded you. It is during the storms of life that our God equips us for service. The history of mankind has always been rough and rugged. No one that wishes to be of value in this world will escape the storms that shape and mold us.

Randy Travis sang the “storms of life are washing me away.” God wants each of us to be washed away by the storms so He can mold us into His creation. As life rages around us, let’s remember that God is there to guide us through the peril and bring us to the other side.

The next time you start to experience the tempest, thank God for his abiding presence and embrace the new you!

2011-03-09T05:43:00.000-08:00

So What Is Lent?

People ask me this all the time. I wanted to share with you some of the details about this season in order to help you understand it and to give you the knowledge to sound smart if someone asks you that question.

Many Christians throughout the world observe Lent. Catholics, Orthodox, and many Protestants look forward to this annual time of sacrifice and simplicity. For non-Christians, Lent can be a bit of a mystery. To some, Lent is a period of going on a diet; to others, it is when Catholic co-workers show up to work with ashes on their heads, and fast food restaurants start selling fish sandwiches.

Lent is meant to be a season of fasting, self-denial, Christian growth, penitence, conversion, and simplicity. Lent, which comes from the Teutonic (Germanic) word for springtime, can be viewed as a spiritual spring cleaning: a time for taking spiritual inventory and then cleaning out those things which hinder our corporate and personal relationships with Jesus Christ and our service to him. Thus, it is fitting that the season of Lent begins with a symbol of repentance: having ashes mixed with oil placed on one's head or forehead. It is important to remember that our Lenten disciplines are supposed to ultimately transform our entire person: body, soul, and spirit. There are a few basic rituals that have traditionally been associated with Lent. Many of these (fasting, almsgiving, and prayer) have a long history. In addition, reading the Scriptures and the Church's Writings can help foster growth during Lent.

Let’s take a closer look at the beginning of Lent. Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday. It comes from the word "shriving" meaning confession and absolution. Traditionally, this was a day when Christians would confess their sins in preparation for Lent. It is a custom to eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. This probably originated because of the ingredients in pancakes: oil, eggs, and butter, which were forbidden during Lent. Making and eating pancakes was an easy and convenient way to get them out of the house before Lent began. Shrove Tuesday is also called "Fat Tuesday," which is what Mardi Gras means. It is called this because many took it to be the last time to party before Easter. However, the Church has traditionally tried to discourage the carnal and material celebrations of Shrove Tuesday. In the Western Church, Ash Wednesday marks the first day of Lent. On Ash Wednesday, a mixture of ashes and consecrated oil is imposed on the heads or foreheads of the faithful in the sign of the cross. The symbolism is rooted in the Old Testament (and sometimes early Church) practice of wearing sackcloth and ashes to symbolize penitence. It also symbolizes our being ashes and dust, our mortality.

In the course of a year, the Church celebrates the unfolding of the mystery of Christ, beginning with Advent, the anticipation of his first coming, and reaching a high point at Easter, the feast of feasts, the celebration of Christ's resurrection. Throughout the Church Year, which includes the seasonal, daily, and yearly cycles of Christian time, we commemorate and participate in events in the lives of Jesus and his followers, through sanctified time. Thus, we experience in symbol what Jesus and his followers experienced in reality. Join me in making this season of Lent a meaningful spiritual journey!

There's An APP For That! - Part 8

2011-03-01T13:35:00.000-08:00

In the late nineteen-sixties, Carolyn Weisz, a four-year-old with long brown hair, was invited into a “game room” at the Bing Nursery School on the campus of Stanford University. The room was little more than a large closet, containing a desk and a chair. Carolyn was asked to sit down in the chair and pick a treat from a tray of marshmallows, cookies, and pretzel sticks. Carolyn chose the marshmallow. (Although she’s now forty-four, Carolyn still has a weakness for those air-puffed balls of corn syrup and gelatin. “I know I shouldn’t like them,” she says. “But they’re just so delicious!”) A researcher then made Carolyn an offer: she could either eat one marshmallow right away or, if she was willing to wait while he stepped out for a few minutes, she could have two marshmallows when he returned. He said that if she rang a bell on the desk while he was away he'd come running back, and she could eat one marshmallow but would forfeit the second. Then he left the room.

Although Carolyn has no direct memory of the experiment, and the scientists would not release any information about the subjects, she strongly suspects that she was able to delay gratification. Most of the children in the experiment struggled to resist the treat and held out for an average of less than three minutes.

Dr. Mischel’s conclusion, based on hundreds of hours of observation, was that the crucial skill needed to delay gratification was the “strategic allocation of attention.” Instead of getting obsessed with the marshmallow—the “hot stimulus”—the patient children distracted themselves by covering their eyes, pretending to play hide-and-seek underneath the desk, or singing songs from “Sesame Street.” Their desire wasn’t defeated—it was merely forgotten.

Self-control is a fundamental character strength. It is also a gift from God offered to us as a fruit of the Spirit. This experiment highlights the fact that if we focus on Jesus instead of earthly desires, we too can delay gratification in search of heavenly treasures.

I pray that each of us will download the APP of Self-Control and “turn our eyes upon Jesus.” God bless you!

There's An APP For That! - Part 7

2011-02-22T07:15:00.000-08:00

Being gentle is part of God’s character and this virtue is highly treasured by God: "a gentle and quiet spirit…is of great worth in God's sight.” But what is it? I believe that we really do not understand what Biblical gentleness is.

There are several words in the Greek which are translated "gentleness." One is a word which comes from two words which mean "fitting" and "into." Putting them together we come up with "fitting into" or better still, "appropriate." We must learn to be appropriate. This would include manners, ethics, etc. If we learn to “better fit into” people’s lives, then like Jesus, we too can meet them where they are and share the love of God with them.

The story is told that Abraham Lincoln was once eating at a formal banquet when a fellow next to him poured his coffee into his saucer and drank from the saucer. The elite audience was shocked at such a gesture. Abraham Lincoln realized the man's embarrassment and likewise poured his coffee into his saucer and began to drink from it. This is Biblical gentleness.

An additional translation of "gentleness" in the Bible is "firm care." This is found in II Timothy 2:24, "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient." Gentleness is not weakness. It is not even what the average person calls meekness. It is not softness. Gentleness is firmness. Gentleness is strength. It is love wrapped in character. It shows itself as a mother’s loving discipline with her children.

Still another word used in the New Testament for gentleness could be translated "evenness." We have learned that meekness is not looking down upon or up to anyone, not thinking ourselves better or worse than anyone, not thinking of ourselves at all, but looking at everyone equally. Now gentleness could be called "the acting out of meekness." Meekness is a feeling that we have toward all men; gentleness is the acting out of that feeling. It is the laboratory of the theory of meekness. In other words, there should be evenness in our handling of people. We should be as nice to the poor as to the rich. We should be as courteous to those who need our help as to those who help us.

How do we live out Bible gentleness? We must make an effort to better “fit into” the lives of the people around us. We must use “firm care” in our relationships. We must demonstrate “evenness” by seeing and treating all people as equal. Do our words and actions express gentleness to all people, or are we gentle to some but harsh with others?

There's An APP For That! - Part 6

2011-02-15T07:10:00.000-08:00

Valentine’s Week is a great time to be talking about faithfulness! God has shown us through his word and by giving us role models what it means to be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ and what it means to be faithful in marriage. What is faithfulness? Faithfulness: The quality of being faithful. The word 'faithful' means loyal, full of faith or trust; firmly and resolutely sticking with a person, group, cause, belief, or idea, without waver. Other words in the word-field of 'faithful' include true, constant, loyal, steadfast, devoted, staunch, and trusting.

Loyalty and faithfulness may sound like mundane, old-fashioned concepts, but research shows they are vital to emotional and physical health. Married people live longer, more productive, healthier, and happier lives, especially if their marriages are happy and monogamous. People who are married and faithful in their relationship have a big advantage. Being in a good and faithful relationship confers huge benefits on people.

Our God is faithful, trustworthy, and believable. GOD’S faithfulness to his people is a great benefit. God can be trusted to keep his promises, and we can count on him to be there for us no matter what. How often can we say this about the people in our lives or even ourselves? As we say our I LOVE YOU’S this week, let us commit to being faithful to those we say we love! This will make God smile and do our hearts good!

God loves you and so do I!

There’s An APP for That! - Part 5

2011-02-08T05:37:00.000-08:00

God has APPS available for each of us to download in our hearts.

One exciting APP is GOODNESS! Goodness: the state or quality of being good, especially morally good or beneficial. In a sense, it's the quality of having quality. Other words in the word-field of goodness: beneficial, gainful, useful, helpful, profitable, and excellent. Moral "goodness" is grouped with words such as uprightness, virtue, benevolence, worth, value, generosity.

What is Goodness?

You see goodness when someone is consistently seeking your good or those of another ahead of their own. Goodness is not just a matter of being good or doing good or being taught goodness -- the teaching feeds the doing, the doing feeds the being, the being enables us to grasp the teaching, which feeds into more doing and being. Jump in at any point to start the cycle.

Jesus spoke a lot about false goodness, about how many leaders of the faith are putting on Oscar-worthy performances of their own goodness in front of an audience of God or their community. God's not impressed. And "fake it 'til you make it" doesn't make it before God. Mark Twain once wrote that it is "very wearying to be good". It takes work to be consistently good, because it's so thoroughly against our natural inclinations.

The root of all goodness is the goodness of God. Sounds simple, right? But there is a problem with what we think of as 'good'. We think, "If God is good, He'll do good things for us!" And what do we think of as good? We define it as acquiring material wealth, having things go our own way, instant healing of our ills, and the removal of suffering. But God’s goodness may include humility, suffering, loss, service, and maybe even boredom. The things we think of as the gifts of a good God may well be the most important things for us not to have. God's goodness is defined by God's love. God's goodness is goodness; it is our expectations that must change in its light.

Goodness has a way of setting things straight. When we see other people being good or doing well, it often reminds us of how short we fall. The exposé can be quite a shock, puncturing our self-image. Even when we do good, goodness may have nothing to do with it. While nothing entirely gets rid of this tendency in our lives, God has given us a way to face up to it: through confession. This not only opens us for God's response to our un-goodness, it also brings about a more truthful self-image. The only way to increase our goodness is to know what ways we're flawed so we can replace that with goodness.

Well, what are you waiting for, do something for goodness' sake!

There’s An APP for That! - Part 4

2011-02-01T07:33:00.000-08:00

God has APPS available for each of us to download in our hearts.

One exciting APP is KINDNESS! God understands what His children need in their lives that will move them closer to Christ. Kindness is something that all of us would like more of in our lives.

Kindness is the act or the state of being kind. It is marked by goodness and charitable behavior, mild disposition, pleasantness, tenderness and concern for others. It is known as a virtue, and recognized as a value in many cultures and religions:

The Talmud claims that "deeds of kindness are equal in weight to all the commandments."
Paul of Tarsus defines love as being "patient and kind..." (I Corinthians).
In Buddhism, one of the Ten Perfections (Paramitas) is Mettā, which is usually translated into English as "loving-kindness". Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama wrote "my religion is kindness" and authored a book entitled "Kindness, Clarity, and Insight".
Confucius urges his followers to "recompense kindness with kindness."
Kindness is listed as a fruit of the Spirit in Galations 5.

The world tells us that behavior doesn’t matter as much as results. Winning matters! It’s one of the worldly games of life. Christians are in another game of life, an eternal game. Our rules and our goals are different. We live in the world but we do not follow the rules of the world because they do not have eternal value. The values in the Bible are the ones that are eternal. It is these that we adhere to. God promises to be kind to us and asks that we practice kindness to one another and the environment we live in.

If this is an APP for you, then simply pray for God to come and install this gift of KINDNESS from the Holy Spirit into your heart and watch your relationships transform in front of your eyes!

God loves you and so do I!

There’s An APP for That! - Part 3

2011-01-24T20:26:00.000-08:00

God has APPS available for each of us to download in our hearts.

One exciting APP is PEACE! This is something that all of us would like more of in our lives. The peace that God is offering us is so different than what the world offers. The world is not waiting to offer us peace. Just look at the breaking news of the day; “Bombing at the airport in Moscow” (1-24-11), to see the destruction and hatred that has infiltrated humanity. Everywhere we look we can find signs of strife and disharmony.

So what is this PEACE that God is offering us? Maybe it’s a world full of relationships that operate harmoniously and without violent conflict. Probably not! The peace the world offers us is only deliverance from tribulation; the peace that God offers us is the result of deliverance from self! The peace offered by God gives us quiet and rest in our hearts in the midst of the trials of life. Now that’s the kind of PEACE I want in my life. How about you? Wouldn’t it be nice to feel peaceful when the society around you is in chaos?

If this is an APP for you, then simply pray for God to come and install this gift of PEACE from the Holy Spirit into your heart and watch your relationships transform in front of your eyes!

God loves you and so do I!

There’s An APP for That!-Part 2

2011-01-18T12:23:00.000-08:00

I have been amazed to find that God has many APPS to make my life more in tune to the creation He designed me to be. God has APPS available for each of us to download in our hearts.

One exciting APP is JOY! You’re probably wondering what this is all about. This APP helps us to see and experience clearly the outward expression of the presence of the Holy Spirit. So what does this joy look like? In the Bible, joy is expressed in worship by using a loud voice, by playing an instrument, by dancing or stomping your feet. Joy is smiling faces, twinkling eyes, and that all over bubbly feeling that rises up in you. Joy is that overwhelming feeling that brings tears to your eyes. Happiness comes and goes but a relationship with God leads to eternal joy.

If this is an APP for you, then simply pray for God to come and install this gift of JOY from the Holy Spirit into your heart and watch your relationships transform in front of your eyes!

God loves you and so do I!

There’s An APP for That!

2011-01-10T11:18:00.000-08:00

Its 2011 and I for one want to make this the best year possible! So I’m looking for ways to do that. A friend of mine suggested that God has an APP for that. Actually, when I started to investigate God’s APPS, I was amazed to find that God has many APPS to make my life more in tuned to the creation He designed me to be. God has APPS available for each of us to download in our hearts.

One exciting APP is LOVE! You’re probably wondering what this is all about. This APP helps us to see clearly what genuine love REALLY looks like. It looks like quality as well as quantity. Genuine love is limitless, never guarded and totally unconditional!

Each of us understands the world’s definition of love – it is selfish and insincere, always asking the question: What’s in it for me? This kind of love is easy to discern, for it is limited. It is guarded and conditional. It has the attitude – if you do this for me, I will do this for you.

So what does the love in your life look like? How do you love? What kind of love are you receiving? If this is an APP for you, then simply pray for God to come and install this gift of LOVE from the Holy Spirit into your heart and watch your relationships transform in front of your eyes!

God loves you and so do I!

Power of Prayer - How powerful is it?

2011-01-04T07:52:00.000-08:00

The power of prayer should not be underestimated. James 5:16-18 declares, "…The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. God most definitely listens to prayers, answers prayers, and moves in response to prayers.

On January 20, 2011 Lake and Sumter Counties are planning to come together for the annual New Year’s Prayer Breakfast. The faith based community strongly believes in the power of prayer. Therefore, during the breakfast numerous religious leaders will be praying for all aspects of our community and its leadership. All residents of Lake and Sumter are invited to attend; the cost is $9.

Each of us should be praying continually for the community we live in and its leadership. As Christians, we say we believe in prayer – then we need to practice this on a regular basis. The world we live in needs our help. Prayer is a crucial way to receive wisdom, healing power and unity for the neighborhoods we live in. Join me in this opportunity to change the world – one prayer at a time!

PS – I will be happy to take prayer requests through the blog – just let me know what’s on your heart!

God Doesn’t Make Junk!

2010-12-28T22:14:00.000-08:00

What do you see when you look in the mirror? Do you see YOU or do you see Christ? God created each one of us for a purpose and in his own image.

It’s easy to look at our mistakes and think that we’re useless to God. But no life is so messed up, so broken, so physically imperfect that it can’t be restored into a beautiful handiwork. The Bible is very clear – we are wonderfully made, we are his workmanship – and we each have tasks or good works to perform. And what God makes is “perfect”.

Yet at times we may feel like “junk” – everything we do seems to be wrong, nothing in our life seems to be right, and we get discouraged. It’s easy to look at our mistakes and think that we’re useless to ourselves, to others, and to God. Everyone else seems to have it all together, when in reality, we all are struggling with our own brokenness, mistakes, and hurts. There is not one person on this planet who isn't struggling in some way. But God loves each one of us and wants us to learn to love ourselves.

God expects those who follow Jesus to look more and more like him from the inside out. It can seem as though God uses a chisel and hammer to chip away at and shape our lives so we can become the people God longs for – true followers of Jesus. The longer we live as followers of Jesus, the more and more our lives should look like his because of God’s work in us and through us.

As Christians, it doesn’t take us long to see the areas in need of improvement. We struggle with issues of anger, pride, jealousy, bitterness, lust and self-centeredness, just to name a few. Our goal is to fix our eyes upon Jesus and to allow God to chisel away those things in our life that are keeping us from looking in the mirror and seeing Jesus. This can be a painful process, but is exactly what must take place for us to become the people God desires.

Remember, God is at work in us. We are to work in tandem with God to fulfill our purpose and to have the relationship God wants with us. As we come into this new year – what would God “chisel” first in your life?

Let me know how this is working in your life and I’ll tell you about mine!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-22T06:22:00.000-08:00

Every child born into this world, needs the assurance that he belongs to a family who wants and loves him or her. It is believed that during the first year of our lives the need to belong is very dominant. God has intended that parents play the role of fulfilling this need. If our parents failed to minister to our need to belong, as we become adults, certain social and behavioral problems may start to manifest in our lives. This deprivation may cause some "cracks" to start showing in the very foundation of our existence.

Whenever the Bible gives an account of a person, we are told either their father's name, their mother's name, or where they came from. When we meet Jeremiah the prophet in the Book of Jeremiah, we are told that he is the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. However, what gives Jeremiah his sense of being loved, wanted, and planned for is when God tells him, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart: I appointed you as a prophet to the nations" - Jeremiah 1:5. Talk about having a sense of belonging!

At the end of the day when all is said and done, there is nobody on this earth who will ever grow up with a one hundred percent feeling of belonging, and of being loved and accepted. That is because we do not live in a perfect world, and no perfect parent has been born yet. Because parents have not been brought up in perfect families, they themselves cannot be perfect parents. So everybody is brought up with a certain degree of deprivation - some more than others.

The only person that can give a human being the feeling of being completely and perfectly loved and accepted is Jesus Christ, who died for us on the Cross of Calvary out of the Father's love for us. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" - John 15:13. The only way that a parent can perfectly love their child is to let God love their child through them. Only as God fills parents with His love, can they love a child in a way that gives him/her a sense of belonging. God is able to transform the lives of those who were brought up in an environment where they did not feel like they belonged, through a personal knowledge of His Son Jesus Christ. "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" - John 3:16.

Here at Morrison, we want everyone to feel a sense of belonging and find their place in God’s Kingdom. As we journey through the Christmas season may you feel the presence of God’s love and acceptance.

The Heart of Christmas!

2010-12-13T17:44:00.000-08:00

Thank you for joining me in this journey! WOW what a season this is!

As poor people who have met with the righteous wealth of God, it is now our turn to model his generosity by sharing our wealth with those in need. Christmas is our chance to move closer to those in crisis, not further away. It is our time to notice those who are normally ignored. In short, it is our turn to love as we have been loved. In practical terms, our love must include caring for the poor in our midst.

How can Christmas and the way we celebrate it still change the world? There’s no way around it: Jesus calls us to love and care for the poor. Throughout the Gospels, he raises the status of those the world mistreats and marginalizes – people who are deemed hopeless and beyond help.

We cannot let the broken and vulnerable become invisible. Which brings us back to how Christmas can still change the world. In Jesus’ words in Matthew 25, he describes simple acts of service – giving someone something to eat or drink, welcoming them, clothing them, and visiting them. Simple as they are, these gifts matter very much to Jesus – and to those in need. Why not start there? It is usually the simple, common-sense acts of love that make the difference.

As we come closer to Christmas let us enter into this broken world and show love differently! Share with me, and those who join us on this mission, the stories of how we are celebrating Christmas differently this year. Can’t wait to hear from you!

Abundant Giving

2010-12-06T11:18:00.000-08:00

Thank you for joining me in this journey! I have heard many of you tell me that this invitation to push back against overspending and overconsumption during Advent deeply resonates within you. Rather than reaching the end of the Advent season with an aching emptiness, sifting through piles of things we don’t need and may never use, let us find whatever it is our soul longs for this time of year.

Something deep inside me remembers that the special gifts I have been given are those that highlight a special relationship. The reason I keep the picture drawn by my son isn’t because it is an expensive piece of art work. It’s because my son gave me that gift and he created it just for me. When I look at that particular gift, I am reminded of his love for me and the special relationship we share.

It sounds so obvious, yet we seem to have drifted from this liberating, straightforward truth: God gave us his one and only Son. God’s answer for the world’s problems has never been material things. God did not give us more stuff – He gave us himself!

This simple truth is why giving is still a good way to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It also points to a way out of the chaos of consumerism that Christmas has become, taking us back to the joy that can still be found at the heart of the story. Our giving can, in some small way, reflect the power and beauty of God coming into our world as one of us.

As we give more this season let us be reminded that the gift is not about the giver, but about the receiver. Such gifts, when given with the spirit of humility, are expressions of grace. Can you think of a better way to celebrate Jesus?

If we can resist the trap of giving easy gifts, and if we can reject the assumption that giving expensive gifts or many gifts is the best way to express love, something else might happen. We might experience moments of relational giving that our friends and family will care about and remember.

Share with me, and those who join us on this mission, the stories of how we are celebrating Christmas differently this year. Can’t wait to hear from you!

Money and Love Are Not the Same

2010-11-29T12:10:00.000-08:00

So how’s the journey to enter into the Christmas story going? Still caught up in the season of excess? Holiday sales and “best deals of the year” continue to beckon us to join the masses. It is difficult to walk against the crowd that seems to want nothing more than to “eat, drink, shop, and be merry.”

Jesus is the reason for the season. Later in his ministry, Jesus said, “People try to serve both God and money – but you can’t. You must choose one or the other.” So how do we turn the tables? We may be face to face with a newborn Jesus who brings us to our knees in worship, but spending less at Christmas still seems like an impossibly difficult challenge.

Spending less requires us to plan, research, give of our time and energy, and cultivate relationships. These pursuits are more taxing than flipping through the latest catalog or bingeing at the mall. However, as we choose to go against the cultural flow, it is important to remember that spending less on Christmas presents doesn’t mean we love our friends and family any less. In fact, we will often find that those to whom we give creative, personal gifts will see our love – and perhaps God’s – more clearly than ever before.

Together we can strive to thoughtfully evaluate what we support with our spending and allow our spending to support products, people, and causes that are worthy of being supported. Our giving should be more about giving what is needed rather than what is wanted. At the end of the day I hope that your celebration of the birth of the Liberating King is focusing less on what you are spending and more on what you are giving from a place of true worship.

I encourage you to take a minute to share with others some ideas about how you are trying to be faithful to the reason for the season! Thanks for joining me on this mission and may you connect back to the beautiful story of Christmas.

It's All In Your Perspective

2010-11-22T13:19:00.000-08:00

This is Advent – a time to prepare for the coming of Christ! I want to invite you to walk with me to Bethlehem and experience firsthand the nativity, not as an innocent bystander but as a fully participatory individual. Together we will see the birth of Christ from inside the stable instead of inside the mall.

As we begin our journey, I am reminded that this trip is about the moment when God entered our world to make things right. My thoughts center around expectations. What am I hoping for? What will make this Christmas more meaningful to me? I am concerned that if I let the culture define this holiday season than I will be equating love with consumerism. So I want to get past the shallow story of our culture’s Christmas and enter into the deep, life-giving waters of the Incarnation. Free to give without comparison, receive with gratitude, and worship with abandon.

Join me in sharing the true meaning of Christmas with one another by giving of ourselves in ways that will truly make a difference in the life of someone else. During worship we were given “Act of Kindness” cards and asked to do something for someone anonymously and leave this card. If you have been the recipient of one of these or you are the giver – please take a moment and share your experience. Also spend a few minutes reading what others are trying and it may just spark some ideas.

Thanks for joining me on this mission and may you connect back to this beautiful story of Christmas.