Happy Thursday!
This past week has been quite the ride with my Dad's hospitalization over the weekend, trying to get the Haiti health kits put together and shipped, and all of the other ministry expectations that come along. In it all, I have been humbly reminded of our humanness, our sameness, and what brings us together. I have been reminded of the importance of our relationships.
Sounds kind of funny, huh? That I needed to be reminded of the importance of being in relationship? It's not that I had forgotten, it is just that it had been glazed over in the hustle and bustle of daily living. The depth of our relationships to one another and to Christ is life-sustaining in the difficult times.
When I got the news about my dad late last week, my job was to keep all of the family informed. A big task when I was the only one in Colorado at the time and we have a big family! When word got out to my church family, the love, care and support was overwhelming. When word got out to my larger church family (the Conference), I felt the depth of our connection again. While nobody could do anything to "help", per se, it was the feeling of not being alone and experiencing the strength of the prayers that made it more bearable. It brought hope and peace.
When I think about our sisters and brothers in Haiti and seeing the response around the world, my prayer is that it will create a deep connection with the plight of the Haitians and that our connection with them as God's created people will help us realize that we are all in this life together. Maybe our "help" (offering humanitarian aid, prayers, health kits, money and other resources) will be used to create bridges of understanding and bridges that build relationships, not just buildings and infrastructures. It is those relationships and those connections to something deeper than ourselves that will bring hope and peace back to that land and even back to our own.
It all starts with the heart and our willingness to live from the center of our hearts as we walk hand-in-hand with each other.
In what ways is God reminding you that your heart needs to be started again? Is there a relationship that needs tending? A relationship that needs to begin? Is there a deeper connection that needs to happen with God? Has your heart stopped? If so, allow God to help it get started again.
Loving Lord, You are the heartbeat of our world and I want you to be the heartbeat of my life. Start my heart again that, through it, I may love more abundantly, connect more deeply, serve more passionately, and live more freely! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Rollercoaster of Life
Good afternoon everyone,
The last 24 hours have been interesting. Yesterday was my son's 11th birthday. We celebrated as a family, but my wife was sick with a migraine so she was not able to go to the movie with us last night. A bummer, but Ethan had fun. When we got home, I turned on the news to hear the story of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Since our church has supported missions to Haiti through Climbing for Christ, there was a deeper sense of concern and compassion for the Haitian people. I have remained updated on the progress of the villages our missionaries have served through the Climbing for Christ website (www.climbingforchrist.org). I continue to pray for them constantly, as well as Miguel Guante, as he ministers to the people and villages in Haiti.
If I remember correctly, in the movie Parenthood, the grandma refers to life as a roller coaster - up and down, up and down, up and down. Sometimes the movement makes us sick or we become ill just thinking about it. But, it is a reality. It is our lives. Filled with the joys that are associated with birth and emptied by the loss of lives. Up and down, up and down.
This morning, as I dropped off my kids at school, I was at the stop sign and noticed something on the ground that reminded me of a life event that happened to me while on a mission trip in London. While the actual life event isn't important, I was reminded in that moment of the power certain things have to help us remember things we may have forgotten.
God knows the power memories can have in our lives. Sometimes they are good memories, sometimes they are bad. Some may be tragic and others may have us at the top of the world. Our memories may be up or down. But, they are important when we are able to see how God is working within them.
In Joshua 4 of the Holy Scriptures, Joshua provided a means by which Israel could remember that God had acted on their behalf. They laid cairns (pronounced care-ins) or memorial stones and every time they looked at these stones they were reminded of God's activity in their lives and encouraged to remain faithful to Him. These cairns would be a place of solace and hope as they rode the rollercoaster of life.
What are the cairns we surround ourselves with today that remind us of God's activity in our lives? What are the visual experiences we have that tell us, with all certainty, that God is with us when we are celebrating the joys of life or experiencing the sorrows of death?
We decorate our homes and our bodies with crosses, ichthuses, Bibles, doves, angels, peace signs, etc. But, what if we saw worship as a cairn in our lives? When we worship together, we are reminded again and again of God's activity and presence among us. We are reminded that our Lord is with us and that His grace abounds in our lives. We are reminded that whether we are chugging up the hill, or at the zenith of life, or quickly descending into the valley, God is faithful!
When we come together as the Body of Christ to worship our Lord, we remember who God is, what He has done for us, and how He journeys with us. When we worship we are encouraged to remain faithful to Him and we find solace and hope as we ride the rollercoaster of life. But, to be reminded, we need to visit this cairn of worship on a regular basis. Let's continue to remember how God remains active in our lives and how God continues to desire a full relationship with us. One powerful way we can do this, is through our worship together.
Gracious, loving, God, I want to thank You for being with me through the ups and downs of my life. Remind me again and again of your faithfulness and help me to worship You in the midst of whatever life brings. In Jesus' holy name. Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
The last 24 hours have been interesting. Yesterday was my son's 11th birthday. We celebrated as a family, but my wife was sick with a migraine so she was not able to go to the movie with us last night. A bummer, but Ethan had fun. When we got home, I turned on the news to hear the story of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Since our church has supported missions to Haiti through Climbing for Christ, there was a deeper sense of concern and compassion for the Haitian people. I have remained updated on the progress of the villages our missionaries have served through the Climbing for Christ website (www.climbingforchrist.org). I continue to pray for them constantly, as well as Miguel Guante, as he ministers to the people and villages in Haiti.
If I remember correctly, in the movie Parenthood, the grandma refers to life as a roller coaster - up and down, up and down, up and down. Sometimes the movement makes us sick or we become ill just thinking about it. But, it is a reality. It is our lives. Filled with the joys that are associated with birth and emptied by the loss of lives. Up and down, up and down.
This morning, as I dropped off my kids at school, I was at the stop sign and noticed something on the ground that reminded me of a life event that happened to me while on a mission trip in London. While the actual life event isn't important, I was reminded in that moment of the power certain things have to help us remember things we may have forgotten.
God knows the power memories can have in our lives. Sometimes they are good memories, sometimes they are bad. Some may be tragic and others may have us at the top of the world. Our memories may be up or down. But, they are important when we are able to see how God is working within them.
In Joshua 4 of the Holy Scriptures, Joshua provided a means by which Israel could remember that God had acted on their behalf. They laid cairns (pronounced care-ins) or memorial stones and every time they looked at these stones they were reminded of God's activity in their lives and encouraged to remain faithful to Him. These cairns would be a place of solace and hope as they rode the rollercoaster of life.
What are the cairns we surround ourselves with today that remind us of God's activity in our lives? What are the visual experiences we have that tell us, with all certainty, that God is with us when we are celebrating the joys of life or experiencing the sorrows of death?
We decorate our homes and our bodies with crosses, ichthuses, Bibles, doves, angels, peace signs, etc. But, what if we saw worship as a cairn in our lives? When we worship together, we are reminded again and again of God's activity and presence among us. We are reminded that our Lord is with us and that His grace abounds in our lives. We are reminded that whether we are chugging up the hill, or at the zenith of life, or quickly descending into the valley, God is faithful!
When we come together as the Body of Christ to worship our Lord, we remember who God is, what He has done for us, and how He journeys with us. When we worship we are encouraged to remain faithful to Him and we find solace and hope as we ride the rollercoaster of life. But, to be reminded, we need to visit this cairn of worship on a regular basis. Let's continue to remember how God remains active in our lives and how God continues to desire a full relationship with us. One powerful way we can do this, is through our worship together.
Gracious, loving, God, I want to thank You for being with me through the ups and downs of my life. Remind me again and again of your faithfulness and help me to worship You in the midst of whatever life brings. In Jesus' holy name. Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Successfully Significant
Good evening!
This week has been quite a journey for me. Many who know me know that I am always thinking. Thinking about the church. Thinking about new ways to reach people. Thinking about the next item on my to-do list. Thinking about God and how He has been active in my life or what He is trying to tell me (sometimes He sounds like the character in the Peanuts cartoons - you know the one that sounds like, "Wha, Wha, Whaaaa"...does that ring a bell?). Thinking about how I am or am not being a good Dad, a good husband, a good pastor, a good leader, a good Christian, a good man. I can do so much thinking that I'm not really "good" for anything. My mind gets so full of things I'm thinking about that I lose my focus and my purpose. Does this ever happen to you? Maybe I'm alone in this, but I'd like to think I'm not.
Thinking can be good. We are told in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." It all depends on what we are thinking about. Not that thinking on ways to reach people is bad or thinking about God's purpose is wrong. Thinking on these things can bring excellence to ministry and bring praise to our Lord. But, if I am only thinking on the how and not the why - then I get bogged down and the Lord gets drowned out.
In ministry and in life we think about the HOW alot! How-to books are popular. How-to build your own deck...and save money! How-to build a strong a marraige. How-to get your kids to listen to you. How-to get your parents to listen to you. How-to do your taxes. How-to grow your church. We read these books as if they have all of the answers to our success in life and faith.
I guess that is the problem with thinking about the HOW too much. When we think about the HOW, we are thinking about HOW to be successful. We are thinking about what we can do to boost our confidence, shed those pounds, and inspire the masses. When we are able to accomplish these things, we feel victorious and successful in our lives, our marriages, our ministries. But, we forget Someone very important in the process. And, when we do, our success is usually short-lived and empty.
I am not indicting the "How-to" industry. Many of the books have some great ways to be successful in life. But, is success the crown of life?
As I mentioned, this week has been a journey as I struggle with my own thoughts about success and then I read in the book The Intentional Church by Randy Pope that we should be striving, not for success, but for significance. When we strive for success - we do it for ourselves. When we strive for significance, we do it for our Lord.
I realized this week, as I thought about all the things I needed to do, that when I pursue success, I run the risk of leaving significance behind. This point was driven home this week when I called a clergy-friend of mine to work out some details for an event (that I want to be successful of course). I asked him how he was doing and he said, "Crappy." I inquired. He said that an infant in their church had just died. This precious child was no more than 3 months old. It was a miracle baby. Born at 26 weeks. Many health complications. Finally home from the hospital, the child choked on the milk he had drank just moments before. He died sleeping next to his mother.
I prayed with my friend as he was reeling from the pain of such a tragic death. I realized in that moment that we are called to significance, not success. We can be successful without being signficant, but when we pursue significance, we will always find success.
A significant person invests himself/herself into the lives of others. A significant church invests itself in walking with all people in the joys and pains of life. A significant life focuses on why we invest ourselves in such ways. Because our Lord has done the same for us. Had Jesus been successful, He would have been the King of Israel and ruler of a people. But, instead, His life was significant and meaningful, so He became the King of Kings and Savior to All.
It has been a journey this week...it will continue...as I to strive toward becoming successfully signifcant instead of significantly successful. I'd love to hear from you on how you balance this in your life.
Dear Jesus, walk with me. I want to invest my life in the lives of others in such a way that they are able to experience Your significance in their lives. Forgive me when I strive for earthly rewards and achievements. Remind me of the eternal reward that waits for me in Heaven and the present reward of Your saving grace! Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Don
This week has been quite a journey for me. Many who know me know that I am always thinking. Thinking about the church. Thinking about new ways to reach people. Thinking about the next item on my to-do list. Thinking about God and how He has been active in my life or what He is trying to tell me (sometimes He sounds like the character in the Peanuts cartoons - you know the one that sounds like, "Wha, Wha, Whaaaa"...does that ring a bell?). Thinking about how I am or am not being a good Dad, a good husband, a good pastor, a good leader, a good Christian, a good man. I can do so much thinking that I'm not really "good" for anything. My mind gets so full of things I'm thinking about that I lose my focus and my purpose. Does this ever happen to you? Maybe I'm alone in this, but I'd like to think I'm not.
Thinking can be good. We are told in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." It all depends on what we are thinking about. Not that thinking on ways to reach people is bad or thinking about God's purpose is wrong. Thinking on these things can bring excellence to ministry and bring praise to our Lord. But, if I am only thinking on the how and not the why - then I get bogged down and the Lord gets drowned out.
In ministry and in life we think about the HOW alot! How-to books are popular. How-to build your own deck...and save money! How-to build a strong a marraige. How-to get your kids to listen to you. How-to get your parents to listen to you. How-to do your taxes. How-to grow your church. We read these books as if they have all of the answers to our success in life and faith.
I guess that is the problem with thinking about the HOW too much. When we think about the HOW, we are thinking about HOW to be successful. We are thinking about what we can do to boost our confidence, shed those pounds, and inspire the masses. When we are able to accomplish these things, we feel victorious and successful in our lives, our marriages, our ministries. But, we forget Someone very important in the process. And, when we do, our success is usually short-lived and empty.
I am not indicting the "How-to" industry. Many of the books have some great ways to be successful in life. But, is success the crown of life?
As I mentioned, this week has been a journey as I struggle with my own thoughts about success and then I read in the book The Intentional Church by Randy Pope that we should be striving, not for success, but for significance. When we strive for success - we do it for ourselves. When we strive for significance, we do it for our Lord.
I realized this week, as I thought about all the things I needed to do, that when I pursue success, I run the risk of leaving significance behind. This point was driven home this week when I called a clergy-friend of mine to work out some details for an event (that I want to be successful of course). I asked him how he was doing and he said, "Crappy." I inquired. He said that an infant in their church had just died. This precious child was no more than 3 months old. It was a miracle baby. Born at 26 weeks. Many health complications. Finally home from the hospital, the child choked on the milk he had drank just moments before. He died sleeping next to his mother.
I prayed with my friend as he was reeling from the pain of such a tragic death. I realized in that moment that we are called to significance, not success. We can be successful without being signficant, but when we pursue significance, we will always find success.
A significant person invests himself/herself into the lives of others. A significant church invests itself in walking with all people in the joys and pains of life. A significant life focuses on why we invest ourselves in such ways. Because our Lord has done the same for us. Had Jesus been successful, He would have been the King of Israel and ruler of a people. But, instead, His life was significant and meaningful, so He became the King of Kings and Savior to All.
It has been a journey this week...it will continue...as I to strive toward becoming successfully signifcant instead of significantly successful. I'd love to hear from you on how you balance this in your life.
Dear Jesus, walk with me. I want to invest my life in the lives of others in such a way that they are able to experience Your significance in their lives. Forgive me when I strive for earthly rewards and achievements. Remind me of the eternal reward that waits for me in Heaven and the present reward of Your saving grace! Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Don
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