Father's Day

Growing up, I thought that every family on earth was perfect except for mine. I was certain that each of my friends had two problem-free parents who took their kids to Disney World every summer.  I just knew that I was the only kid in the world who had to keep quiet about what was really going on under her roof.

As an adult, I've learned that every family has their own struggles. And some are nothing more than strangers with the same last name. Dealing with family can be difficult and making conversation with those you’re related to can take great effort. Why else is social media so popular? It’s easy to be social without having to be around others.

Regardless of the complexity of any situation, God gives us the strength to endure. He calls us to commune with each other. He refuses to let us respond to difficult people and situations the way we want. And let’s be honest, that stinks sometimes. Some people just need a good telling off and some situations make you want to walk away and never look back. But the Father, who never leaves, disappoints, or abuses, uses His love and wisdom to guide us in all relationships. And if we desire peace, mercy, and grace, we’ll let Him determine our attitude and course of action.

As Father’s Day approaches and I think of my dad and the terminal disease that took his young life, I don’t see the days of doubt. Nor do I see the excessive bargaining he made with God or even the times he lashed out at those who cared for him. I’m not aware of any of those instances but I’m sure they took place because he was human. And humans, even those who love God with all their heart, when faced with their own demise, panic. It’s normal. Even expected.

But there are some who, after they've been knocked to their knees, stand, catch their breath, and move onward. Not beautifully. Not even courageously but onward, slowly limping to the feet of Jesus despite pain, grief, and the unknown.

I am thankful for an earthly father who continued to love God and preach the Christ until he had no voice because his voice lives on in the lives of his children.

Likewise, I'm thankful for a wise husband who continues to show me love and grace. God gave me a beautiful gift when he introduced me to him and I'm a better person because of it.

I'm also thankful for a fun, loving brother who spends his life in service to others. I'm proud of the husband and father he has become.

And I’m thankful for a Heavenly Father who continues to bless me with opportunities and adventures beyond my wildest imagination.   

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful men who love their families the way Jesus does. 

How You Forgive

At a Distance

There are two ways to follow Jesus. One is boring, comfortable, safe, and joyless. The other is an amazing adventure.





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Get Real

News flash, I’m a bit socially awkward. Ok, there’s not a bit to it. I’m weird. But the more people I meet the more I realize that we’re all weird. Right? (Agree so you’ll make me feel better, please. Thanks.)

Life is awkward and sometimes infuriating (I hope you aren't here for a pep talk. Wait, it gets better).  

Talking to others can be difficult. Learning about other’s lives and getting involved in those lives is not only hazardous to your heart, it can be downright draining. Ministry is difficult because ministry involves people and it means loving them like Jesus did.

I was trying to get this point across to my preteen daughter recently. I try to teach her without preaching to her that the relationships she has with others is her opportunity to be a missionary. To be a friend, to show the love of Jesus, and to point others to Him. That is hard when you’re 40 something but when you’re 12 going on 20, it’s nearly impossible. 

I’ll never forget the conversation we had recently. It went like this:

Her: Mom! I can’t stand ______. They get on my nerves SO bad!

Me: I understand, but you need to love them.

Her: I don’t want to love them. They’re annoying!

Me: I understand. Just try to be more loving than they are annoying.

You should have seen how far her eyes rolled back into her head. Quite impressive. 

The truth is, dealing with others can be stressful. Don’t you know that Jesus was at his wit’s end dealing with us?  But he still cared enough to go to that cross. He still loved us in spite of us.

Get real with people. Tell them about the times you've struggled and then let them know how Christ brought you through. Let them see the real you. The one who walked the dark roads. The one who knows that there is a better place. Show them your hope. Speak words of light into their lives. 

Love them anyway.

____________

"Let me introduce myself to you..."  Love this song.

Pray

Dear Graduate

Spring begets a bittersweet time in many of our congregations as some of our young people will be graduating from school and starting a new chapter in their lives. Let's take a moment and focus on those who, at a tender age, are determined to live godly lives in ungodly times.

So dear graduate our prayer is that you become:

as mighty as Samson,

as faithful as David,

as dedicated as Nehemiah,

and as patient as Job.

We are certain that you can be as brave as Esther,

as passionate as Jeremiah,

and as loving as Ruth.

We hope you are as quick to care for others as Elisha,

as motivated as Noah,

and as bold as Paul.

We will pray that you become as studious as Ezra

and as encouraging to others as Barnabas.

We encourage you to stay busy with good deeds like Tabitha,

are as humble as Moses,

as tenderhearted as Josiah,

and as trusting in the Lord as Abraham.

We hope that you are as understanding as the Ethiopian Eunuch,

as pure as Joseph,

and when you sin, because we all sin, we pray that you are as eager to repent as Peter.

We are so proud of your accomplishments thus far, and are excited to see what God has planned for your future and we make you this promise: 

we will pray for you, love you, and be here for you 

as you embark on a new adventure and set an example for others ( I Timothy 4:12), as you become more like Jesus.

The Elephant in the Auditorium

We are a nation of convenience. If we want dinner in less than five minutes, we drive through. If we want clean drinking water, we turn on the faucet. If we’re too hot, we punch a few buttons on the air-conditioner. If we’re too cold, we crank up the heat. If we want new clothes, phones, cars, gadgets, even a divorce or a new spouse, we get it and we do it quickly.

Seldom do we venture into an inconvenient place and when we do it’s usually by no fault of our own. I’m afraid that we’re treating our Christianity like I am my weekly trip to Wal-Mart. Shuffling through unimpressed with what is going on around us and trying to get in and out in record time. Since going to Hell wouldn’t be convenient we punch that Christian time card, listen to a sermon, and nod at everyone around else.

Jesus never called us to a life of assembling once a week. Nowhere in Scripture does it say that the church’s main mission is to fill a manicured parking lot with our nice vehicles on Sunday mornings. Warming a pew is easy. Christianity isn’t.

We go because that’s what our parents and grandparents did. That’s what good people do. We get our feet wet but our hearts are so wrapped up in our own kingdoms to spend much time on His. We are so overscheduled that we have put Christ in the backseat.

We’re great at telling others how right we are but what good is our doctrine if we fail to put it into action? Why do we refuse to go into the world (Matthew 28:19)? Is it because it’s messy, time consuming, awkward, and stressful?  Not to mention inconvenient.

Convenient Christianity is shouting to the world how lost they are while standing within the safe beautiful doors of our nice buildings. It’s existing on the premises, not standing on the promises. It’s wonderful, exciting programs directed inwardly at the saved while the lost are dying on the curb.

It’s being more fearful of earthly labels such as conservative or liberal than we are of the day when we’ll stand before our God. I doubt he’ll ask us how many programs our congregation had, what events our youth did or didn’t participate in, or which brotherhood preacher we just knew was a false teacher.  He might ask how well we loved though.  He might tell us how we were viewed by those people on that curb.

Convenient Christianity is being so decent and orderly in our assemblies that we don’t even notice we’re dead.

It’s refusing to acknowledge the visitor in our midst. You know, the ones who came in hoping to find love, acceptance, and a family but left without even being spoken to.

Convenient Christianity is forfeiting our responsibility to our Savior by letting the paid preacher be the only proclaimer of God’s goodness in the community.

Christ’s love calls us to action.  It beckons us out of our comfortable lives and into the lives of those in our neighborhoods. It motivates us to get off the pew and into that Samaritan city with great love and mercy.

In order for more souls to be added to this family, we must be more kingdom minded and more mission minded than we are convenience minded.

The cross isn’t convenient.  It wasn’t for Jesus and it won’t be for us. It’s time to rise up, accept our assignment, and change this world.