"You're Gonna Do Big Things for Christ!"

From time to time, well-meaning friends have offered encouragement with these types of words, "You are gonna do great!"

Generally, it's in response to a prayer request for an upcoming speaking event, where my heart and intent is that the Lord's words be spoken with integrity.

I take very seriously James 3:1, which reads:

"Not many of you should become teachers...for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness (ESV)."

No matter what version you read, the verse stings with conviction!

I also heard (more when younger), "You guys will, undoubtedly, do BIG THINGS for the Lord." 

These statements ran through my mind this week as we hosted, loved on, and shared lives with a rural pastor and his wife who've served faithfully in small churches for the last 30-some years. Their current church boasts a membership of about 70.

Plus, we visited this week with a dear friend serving a church of 12-members (having left a church over three times that size), where he and his wife heard a clear call to minister.  By the way, this is a pretty "big" church for that area. 

The words "big" and "great" are really undefinable.

What is big to one is small to another and, maybe, HUGE to someone else. 

Both words imply comparison.

For this ❤ is big next to ❤

This ❤ is bigger...

...but this ❤ is BIGGEST, yet.

These words can also trip up Jesus-followers, especially if they have a desire to make a difference.

Ruth Chou Simons asks in one of her books:

"Can a small and hidden life be as glorious as one seen and heard across the globe?"

It's a valid question, and one those of us who serve the Kingdom in often small and out of the way places ask ourselves (albeit, silently) regularly.

Again, the words "big" and "great" mean something entirely different to those who live in this world; but we will never serve with persistence and steadfastness if we continue to look through the "perspecticals" of the world.

The world's way of measuring is totally different than the Lord's way.

The world measures in dollars, the size of the audience, the numbers of likes and followers on social media. The world measures in influence. 

Not so the Lord.

The Lord measures in faithfulness.

Are we walking in Jesus' footsteps? Are we living dead, dying-to-self, daily? Do we seek His face, discipline ourselves for godliness, serve with humility; and more importantly, are we living His purpose for our lives?

This is God's ruler: 

Are we seeking to bring Him glory? 

Are we displays of His splendor? 

Are we reflections of His character?

Are we lights in the darkness?

Grace and mercy (John 1:14)? Truth and wisdom? Creativity and love for all mankind (Psalm 19:1)? 

That's the answer to the question above that caused me pause this week...

...for the answer is: Yes! What seems to be a small and hidden life might be even more glorious as we look at how things are as seen through God's eyes.

Faithfully raising littles to love the Lord with all their heart, mind, soul and strength?

That's a big work!

Speaking Jesus to small audiences?

That's a big work!

Building a wall, like Nehemiah, because you know that no city can stand protected without one?

That's a great work (BTW, Nehemiah knew it and he refused to stop repairing the wall until it was finished)!

Cleaning floors, picking up trash, wiping out toilets in your church for only a nod, and not even a pat on the back? 

That's a big work!

Can I just be a sticky note on your refrigerator this week reminding you that if you are serving as "unto the Lord" and not as "unto yourself," the Lord sees, He cares, and He will reward in due time.

In the midst of all this pondering, I was reminded of two songs. One is a stanza from an age-old hymn, the other a more recent message in music by Casting Crowns. 

First the hymn: All Glory Be to Christ

"Should nothing of our efforts stand, no legacy survive;

Unless the Lord doth raise the house, in vain its builders strive.

To you who boast tomorrow's gain, tell me what is your life?

A mist that vanishes at dawn...

All glory be to Christ!"

Then these words from "Only Jesus."

All the Kingdoms built,

All the trophies won,

Will crumble into dust, when it's said and done.

'Cause all that really matters - 

Did I live the truth to the ones I love?

Was my life the proof that there is only one, whose name will last forever?

I don't want to leave a legacy

I don't care if they remember me

Only Jesus.

And I, I've only got one life to live,

I'll let every second point to Him

Only Jesus

It's true - when all is said and done, all that really matters is faithfully following and making certain that His name is remembered, and His story is told. 

XXXXXXXXXX

With that it feels a bit odd to let you know that I have a new Advent devotional that was birthed this week through Amazon. If you're interested in a short, little devotional that will help you focus on Jesus during the Christmas season, you can find that book here (both Kindle and Paperback): Don't Drop Jesus.

"Calmin' the Wind; God's Helping"

(Last year following a storm on the Sea of Galilee)

XXXXX

Bay brought up a beloved memory the other day.

It's not one I've forgotten, not by any means.

In fact, I think about it frequently at times when I walk in through the door of my house; however, this time, it struck a different chord within...

When our nephew, Andrew, was just a little guy, we came home from church one Sunday, to find that he had come visiting.

At the time, he lived next door, so this wasn't an unusual occurrence, but he rarely came inside if we weren't home.

Apparently, his family arrived back from services before we did and he had something on his mind that couldn't wait, so he came on in to make himself at home. 

However, that particular spring Sunday, the winds blew with no-small-force, pine cones and needles dropped, the hot tub cover was blown askew, and pillows from our deck chairs had landed in the yard. 

We noticed all this as we drove into our carport; but, as we walked inside there stood Andrew at the large window overlooking the havoc. 

Wee as he was at the time, he stood straight and as tall as his little height could get, arms outstretched parallel to the floor, eyes closed.

Interesting. 

"Hey, bud, whatcha doing?"

His reply came quick, never missing a beat, "Calmin' the wind. God's helping." 

(Caesarea National Park)

(Maybe this had been his Sunday School lesson that day, I dunno... 🤷‍♀️)

Tucked away in my heart, this memory serves as a cute little story - one of many cute stories I can share about this particular nephew. 

When Bay brought it up at the beginning of the week (and, honestly, I don't even recall the context of it at this point), something stirred inside me...and, I knew, this many years later, a Biblical lesson needed to be heard with the ears of my heart.

XXXXX

Oh, my!

There are a lot of storms that crash onto the shores of my world...

Like yours, there are some more intense than others.

If you're like me, you look for ways to "calm" the wind; find order; manage the chaos; discover a quick-fix.

I really don't like it when the pillows are blowing off the chairs in my world...and, I just want things to go back to some kind of normal.

So, it's easy for me to want to take advantage of that dirty little seven-letter-word: CONTROL.

I want to make decisions that I think will make everything right, and remove any consequences. 

It's exactly what Sarah did, while she was still Sarai...

Remember this?

Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, "Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children (this storm is God's fault*). Go in to my servant (since it is God's fault, listen to me*); it may be that I shall obtain children by her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai...He went in to Hagar, and she conceived...and, Hagar bore Abram a son, and he called the name of his son, Ishmael (Genesis 16:1-2, 4, 15). 

(*my words.)

We all know how this turned out, right?

We're still suffering the long-term-consequences of Sarai's "calming of the storm" (and, she didn't even let God help!)...

So, when we, like Andrew, try to calm our storms, our way, with suggestions about how the Lord might help...OR NOT... 

Well, I guess the question really is, 

"How many Ishmael's do we birth as we try to advance our plan as God's plan?" 

-Peter Scazerro-

The consequences might be just as dire, but on a personal level (vs national)...

We're so much better off letting the Lord calm the storms, still the waves, and bring peace back into the boat....HIS WAY and in HIS TIMING. 

It may be hard sitting in the waiting room; but, HIS WAY IS PERFECT.

In the meantime, that's what I must remember, when tempted to be "calmin' the wind;" and, maybe(?) allowing God to help.

Broken and Still Useful

Shortly after Bay and I first moved to Pagosa Springs, we joined a small group Bible Study with younger married couples our age.

One night, a question came up that required us to think through a response to the following question, and bring the answer the next week.

If you could choose what went on your grave marker before you died, what would you want it to say? 

(cemetery located on an old homestead I walked past in Montana last weekend while on retreat)

That question is slightly reminiscent of the one that spurred a blog post on tattoos (here).

It also calls to mind a post I read not too long ago called "headstone humor." You'll find some pretty funny ones clicking on this link. 

I took the assignment seriously, though, and it took me almost the whole week to come up with mine.

(the beautiful, old homestead)

As it was, I was reading Paul's letters to Timothy for my quiet time, and when I got to 2 Timothy 2:21, I stopped my perusal and began pondering.

Something about that verse resonated within my soul and that verse has been my go-to-answer since then...and, yes, I'm sticking with it.

My prayer is that I would be worthy of the words -

Here's how it reads in the ESV (but the way the verse is written, I have to include the previous passage):

Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master...ready for every good work.

It's the second part of that verse, I want emphasized: a vessel of honor, set apart as holy, useful to the Master, and ready for every good work.  

I like old things, as last week's post revealed.

(farming equipment on the homestead property)

I especially like old things repurposed. 

That's been on my mind for a couple weeks.

Maybe I like them, because this vessel, which houses my soul, is getting older. 

Like some of the things that we've reclaimed (and consecrated), I'm a bit worse for the wear. 

Dents and dings. Weak and worn. Scarred, sore, and stiff. Bruised and a bit broken from the storms of life, which can unmercifully batter us. 

This hasn't changed my desire to still be a useful vessel...

...ALTHOUGH, here's what struck me, this past weekend. 

I'm in the process of studying the life of John the Baptist: "what is it about the man that caused his cousin, Jesus, to say, "Just what did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? A man dressed in soft clothing? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than... Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist...(Matthew 11:7-11a)"

The retreat series I'm writing, based on his life, will be titled "Who Are You?" for you and I have much to learn about our identity in Christ and our PURPOSE in life from this unique, mysterious, feisty, and, yes, broken man. 

We also have this potential that arises from the promise Jesus spoke that, "even the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven (could that be moi?) is greater than he (Matthew 112:11b)."

How can that be? 

The Light of the World, who dwells in us, actually shines brighter through broken and battered vessels.

When I go to speak, I certainly don't want my audience to look at the vessel, I want them to see what is inside the vessel: the power of the Holy Spirit at work through me.

When I go to speak, like John the Baptist, I want to simply identify myself by these two words, when asked "Who Are You?"

A VOICE.

No one ever sees a voice.

We only hear the voice. 

Like John, that is my desire.

To carry the voice in this vessel, shining His Light through the broken cracks, and bringing Him glory.

So, I've improvised my prayer to ask: Sweet Lord, may I be a USEFUL VOICE housed in a VESSEL OF HONOR (even if it is dented and dinged; weak and worn; scarred, sore and stiff; bruised and broken....) set apart, holy, prepared for every good work. 

Any voice, in any vessel, has great purpose when used for His glory.

Reclamation and Consecration - Old Made New

This past summer, my sweet husband dedicated some of his time to helping a couple of dear friends with some jobs around their homes that he knew needed an extra pair of hands to accomplish.

So, many a morning, while the temperatures stayed in the low 70's, he'd give a few hours to assisting in what promised to be a tiresome, difficult, lonely project without a helper.

You know what they say, "one man's trash is another man's treasure."

I don't know who "they" might be, but "they" certainly nailed Bay, for in the trashing of our friend's stuff, Bay brought home many a treasure.

An old stove base is becoming a coffee table...

An old door from a stove became a birdhouse. 

Old rusted stoves became "vases" for dried weeds or lawn ornaments...

An old metal grate that sits over our bonfire pit in the yard, and has become home to an old coffee pot he rescued. 

Some old pots are now planters; and...

...my favorite - an old oil can (beat up, dented, rusty-in-places, and speckled with a few spilled paint spots) has turned into a lamp for our Ezra House. 

Truly, all these "treasures" deserved their trip to the metal-reclamation-yard in Durango, yet their salvation gave them new use, new purpose, a re-purposed reason to keep on keeping on. 

Where others see "trash," Bay's creative heart saw a new "why" for their existence. 

He brought them home, cleaned them up, and gave this stuff places of honor around our house and our yard. 

There, they proudly stand, a testimony to all, that beauty, indeed, exists in-the-eye-of-the-beholder.

I love this capacity in him to see usefulness beyond quiddity. 

XXXXXXX

Three times, now, in just a matter of hours, I have either heard or read this word: consecrate.

It's a great word, rarely used anymore. 

Perhaps it feels a bit distasteful - for in this day and age, a commitment to just one-thing is rather passé; and, consecration brings with it a deeper commitment of setting oneself apart for sacred service. 

In fact, I found this chart that shows the usage of this word over time in our society:

As I mentioned, rare these days.

This is a stretch from what I wrote above to what I write now, and yet...

The Lord who stooped down from glory to pick us up out of the trash heap, headed for the fiery furnace of the "metal recycling plant," brought us salvation.

He reclaimed us, overlooking our dents, rust, paint splotches, and set us apart to be used with a great purpose: to stand as a testimony to His glory. 

We are meant to be "vessels of honor, set apart for His use..."

What the world sees as useless, He sees as beautiful.

The truth is once saved, I've started seeing a pattern.

Some of us tend to forget our why and wander off as we're influenced by other sources (after all, influencers of all variety are at our fingertips with the push of an app on our cell phones).

Maybe we start to think that we were made for more...

Maybe we think we aren't deserving...

Maybe we're just bored...

I don't know what happens; but, over time our new "why" becomes a bit obscure (like the usage of the word "consecrate"). 

AND YET...with the price paid for our reclamation/salvation how can we set all that to the side and not continue to allow the Lord to do the good work He has purposed through us for His glory?!?

Why would there be no joy in consecration?

The Lord won't force us...

...But with love that SACRIFICIAL, that GAVE ALL? How not? 

I love this quote from dear George Muller (these old saints may not have gotten it "all" right, but they sure understood much more than I do -- so much to learn from them):

Thinking it's time for a little personal, internal review and renewed consecration;

and, maybe time to bring back an old word.

Refreshing Souls

There's nothing better for filling up my soul than an hour or two out on the little lake near our house in my kayak.

Somehow I breathe more deeply when my paddle hits the water. 

I've only been out three times this summer (just because of life-stuff), but in some ways that makes me cherish the times I get to go all the more.

It never fails that I come back home refreshed. 

Yesterday was no different...

XXXXX

REFRESH!

That word popped up numerous times this past week in a variety of circumstances. 

Interestingly it is sprinkled throughout the Old and New Testament of our Bibles, and as I did a word-search, I realized that it appears God created us with this need.

So, if you find yourself, as I do now and again, needing a little bit of a reset, just know you are not alone - and our need for replenishment is as unique and as individual as we are.

I love some of the Scriptures that I found with the word refresh, or refreshed, even refreshment tucked within the pages.

In Genesis, Abraham received a visit from three strangers. He could tell they had traveled far and were in need of "refreshment." So, he sat the three down under a tree, where they could escape the heat of the day, filled their water skins, and fed them from his own cook fire, in order to refresh their souls.

In 2 Samuel 16, David, whose son. Absalom, chased him out of the city in an attempt to take the throne, found himself exhausted and utterly depleted. Yet, David still found the time to "refresh himself in the Lord."

How? He tells us in Psalm 19, verse 7:  "The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul."

David must have spent time resting and reflecting on the words which the Lord spoke to him throughout his lifetime, all of which revitalize the heart.

One of my favorite passages is found in Jeremiah 31:25, "Thus says the Lord, 'I refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.'"

Of course, we can't ignore the fact, that the sage of Proverbs also tells us a sure way to refresh our hearts is when we spend time refreshing the hearts of others (Proverbs 11:25). 

I'm sure you are wondering at this point if I'm skipping God's commandment to us in Exodus. Expounding on His guideline to never forget to keep the Sabbath, in Exodus 23:12, the Lord says this: six days you shall work, and the seventh will be a Sabbath unto you, so that your spirits will be refreshed.

However, where all of this began is in the one chapter book in the New Testament I mentioned last week: The book of Philemon. 

Known to the church at Colossae as a loving, kind, faithful evangelist, Paul implored Philemon to do the one thing he did best: refresh the hearts of the saints. 

Philemon did not have a loveless faith, nor did he have a faithless love...his faith looked up to Jesus and then worked itself outward to his Savior's bride. 

Whatever else he did, he provided sacred space for folks to enter into his home, find rest and hospitality, in order to gather their strength and find renewed reason for LIFE. Re-energized!

So, Paul appeals to Philemon to keep on doing what he is doing...then, without saying it in oh-so-many-words, Paul lets Philemon know...

THE VERY BEST WAY TO REFRESH THE HEARTS OF SAINTS IS IN EXTENDING FORGIVENESS TO THOSE WHO SEEK IT. 

Sometimes, we can't offer a nearby lake to bless someone with refreshment, but we can give them the next-best-thing: FORGIVENESS. 

It might even be more refreshing. Smile.

First Century Politics in a Twenty-First Century World

As fall starts to show her face in my little neck of the woods (with signs everywhere of her coming), there is also a vivid reminder that this is election season. 

I love fall - not so much elections that often come with division, hurt, and wasted words. 

Do not get me wrong, I take very seriously my right to vote, paid for me at great cost and sacrifice.

I study, research, and read up on all the issues (I really care less about the people or the party).

After listing issues that are important to me, I ask myself, "What does the Bible have to say in some way regarding this topic?" 

I take this process even more seriously.

Then I vote the closest I can get to God's HEART 💗 on the issues.

I don't plan to blog about politics, that is for each of us to determine in our hearts, other than I will say - if you are a Jesus-follower you NEED TO DETERMINE YOUR BIBLICAL VALUES AND VOTE. 

Vote or do not complain about the direction of your country.

However, I was struck yesterday, as I began to study the life of an early Christian Church leader in the 1st century of an attitude that Paul took toward all things political, and I thought I would share. 

There's a tiny book in the New Testament comprised of one chapter. It's a brief letter to a man by the name of Philemon, who hosted the church at Colossae in his home. 

While Paul had never visited Colossae (yet), he was particularly fond of this church, for it had been founded by his child-in-the-faith, Epaphroditus. 

The link between Paul and Philemon was a runaway slave by the name of Onesimus. 

Historians estimate over 60 million slaves in the Roman Empire at that time, of which Onesimus was just one. 

Side note: a slave sold anywhere from 500 denarii (a denarii was a day's wage) for a common laborer up to 50,000 denarii for a highly educated and skilled slave. This to say - slaves were valuable property and a master did not want to lose a slave. While under strict laws, most owners treated their slaves accordingly, because of the price tag. 

It appears this young man had stolen from his master, ran for his life hoping to just get lost and dissolve in the large city of Rome. 

Somehow (we know how) his path crossed that of the Apostle Paul, and like most who "bumped" into Paul, he heard the gospel and became a Jesus-follower. 

The life of Onesimus changed drastically and he became an effective fellow-worker alongside Paul. His name meant "Useful," and useful Onesimus became to the prisoner "put for the gospel" in chains.

Even still, Paul's convictions did not let him just hide Onesimus, but knew he must return him to his master as he sent an additional instructional letter to the church at Colossae with Tychicus discussing the Supremacy of Christ in all matters. 

Of course, this issue was a BIG one to Philemon - and Paul pleads with him to care for Onesimus, not as valuable property, but as a brother in Christ. 

Paul says: 

"So if you consider me your partner, receive him (meaning: welcome him into the family circle) as you would receive me...I am sending you my very heart."

Paul earnestly urges Philemon, because he knows that Philemon is kind, loving, full of faith and an effective soul-winner for the gospel. Philemon is best known to "refresh the hearts of other saints (verses 4-7)."

Obviously, the issue of slavery consumed the hearts of caring people who longed to see it abolished even in 1st century AD. 

So why didn't Paul condemn slavery and tell Philemon to set Onesimus free?

This letter seems like an ideal time to do just that. 

Paul never speaks out against slavery, not in this letter or in any other letter where he talks specifically to Jesus-believing-slaves. 

Why not? 

I pondered it yesterday and remembered this truth about Paul: Paul focused on the gospel. 

Paul's desire to see salvation come to every household was not to be confused with politics. 

The times were not yet right for this issue to be boldly fought - Rome would have squelched the uprising pronto. 

For Paul, if preaching the political points of the nation (good or bad) in front of the lost, confused and buried the gospel, Paul stayed clear. 

He wanted nothing to obscure the gift of salvation. 

Paul no doubt prayed for change in the political climate as transformation came in the hearts of men and women who became new creations in Christ Jesus, but at that time, he kept the main thing the main thing.

Today, God has given us a voice through our vote. 

He gives direction to the issues through His Word. 

Both must line up together.

Pens can be mightier than swords, I hear. 

I'm bold enough to tell you if you ask what I believe and why I believe it; but, I will not push a dogmatic agenda.

REMEMBER:

The gospel matters most.

May it not be excluded, confused, or buried because of political argument.

There is a time coming for change...

BUT,

THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME! 

(No matter how beautiful it is in the fall!)

Let's keep the main thing the main thing at all times and in all ways...living the gospel.