Category Archives: Uncategorized

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Don’t Give up Yet!

Gotten lazy yet? Flat out given up? Didn’t even bother making any resolutions because you knew you would fail? Get over it. Do not RSVP the pity party. Get off the lazy train. Put on your big-girl (or boy) under-roos and get going.

God designed us to be disciplined. Check out the book of Proverbs if you don’t really believe that in your heart of hearts. (And BTW…God sees in there too!) “Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.” Proverbs 10:17

Practicing discipline starts with our mind. We have to make up our mind that we don’t like where we sit. Whether it is financially, relationally, spiritually, there is always room to improve (and don’t even tell me things are perfect- that is just plain delusional!) We all need improvement, and it starts with humbling ourselves, admitting to ourselves we need help.

There is another way. You don’t need to sit where you currently are. Stressed about work? Money? Your marriage? Your kids? The biggest key is this. Once you have truly identified that YOU can’t fix your life, then start to believe there is someone else out there that can. As my Pastor likes to say, “Evergreen, when I ask a question in church, the answer most always is Jesus!” It is the same here. The one who CAN fix your life is Jesus. Lord. Savior. When you can say, “I can’t, He can,,” then say, “I think I’ll let Him.” And that is when your real life begins, and the real work. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again…It’s simple, but it ain’t easy.

Here are 2 simple questions to ask yourself…

Do I follow through on my commitments?
If you say yes to a task but then regret it, too bad. Do it anyway because you said you would. You will feel better about yourself that you don’t make the excuses as to why you can’t or why you didn’t, excuses are just lies in disguise. Not only will you feel good, but others will start to trust you more and they will feel blessed to know you, and when we can bless others, this gives glory and praise to Jesus.

Am I managing my time efficiently and focussing the most important priorities with the best part of my day?
I am a morning person. My priorities are God, Husband, Family, Church, in that order. I try to have my schedule reflect my priorities. This means bible study, prayer walks and my self-care first thing. It also means I have to discipline myself to get up earlier than my husband so when he wakes up I can devote attention to him next. A Disciplined life looks different for everyone. A disciplined life doesn’t mean you can’t have fun or be spontaneous. It means we put our lives in the hand of the one that has all power and let him dictate what we do with our time. Scratch that. What we do with HIS time.

Practicing discipline is just that, practice. We fall. We forget. But if we continue to surrender we will find ourselves in the life we were meant to be in.

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First Things First

Most of us start a new year with great intentions. Yesterday, the gym was packed with people vowing to get into shape. Today, there were two. One of my goals for 2012 is to be more intentional with my prayer life and go deeper with my personal relationship with God. For me this means having quiet time with God to listen for his wisdom. I have gone through this last year doing reading and writing of spiritual form on a daily basis, however, I often let work or family interrupt the shut up and listen portion of my time with God. When we form habits they are often caught, not taught so I hope to catch myself and others keeping these thoughts in mind…

1. I pray to see obstacles as opportunities. I am someone who likes to have a plan. I have my lunch packed the night before, to-do lists written in the morning and a routine that does not vary often. So, when things are not going to go according to plan I get a little uptight. What this most often means, if you are anything like me, is we forget that God is the one in control, thinking we have the plan, therefore we are in charge of the plan. That is just not realistic. Things are not going to always go according to plan. It’s okay though. When we can see obstacles as opportunities we are better able to learn from our circumstances and thus able to stay on the beam.

2. I pray to keep in mind, How can I glorify God? When life throws me curveballs how can I respond in a way that is giving honor and glory to the Father? I highly doubt freaking out, getting angry or pulling the sheets over my head because I don’t want to deal with a situation is going to bring honor and glory to God. We can glorify God by careful, prayerful insight into what we are supposed to be doing, this is why it is good to keep in constant contact with God. On the commute, during lunch, before a meeting, in the mornings and evenings, multiple points throughout the day, asking for His will to be done, will give us insight on what the next right move is.

3. I pray to keep the priorities of time and resources clear and straight. Matthew 22:37 says “Jesus said, Love the Lord your God with all your passion, prayer and intelligence.”

God first so everything else in life can be first-class.

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Resolve to Make it Count in 2012

Rolling into a new year has always brought a sense of renewal for me into an otherwise dreary season of January’s gray days and cold nights in Minnesota. I have changed majors, gotten engaged, started new business ventures (btw, not a good idea to get your real estate appraisal license right before a huge housing market crash!) during the first part of various years. It is a natural season of introspective reflection and I often have increased leaps of faith. Whether it is new business endeavors, changing majors or any other life changes, the new year is a hopeful look to the future. I even give myself something to look forward to by planning spring break vacations.

Sometimes though, this season is filled with confusion, regret and failed resolutions two weeks into a new year. I think one reason why we find ourselves into fear-filled predictaments is our lack of believing God has a bigger plan for our life than our current circumstances warrants. And a big factor in not believing, is because we fail to believe a Holy Spirit lives within us, much less listen to that voice; instead we stuff little debbie snack cakes, money or alcohol down it’s throat or try to make it stupid with the idiot box.This season I propose something new.

In Ephesians 1:13-14 It reads, “It’s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this message of your salvation), found yourselves home free-signed sealed and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what’s coming, a reminder that we’ll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.” Let’s be more intentional at listening to the word of God. Three suggestions I have for the new year are:

1. Attend one additional church service per month (or find a church and start attending- I recommend http://www.evergreenpinecity.org!) Ephesians 1:23 “The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.”
2. Engage in morning prayer time for ten minutes each day for 30 days. Go to http://www.youversion.com for some really easy study plans to get you started in the word.
3. Choose one life change and before you do anything, pray for thirty days about that one decision. John 16:13 “But when the friend comes, the spirit of the truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. He won’t draw attention to himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and, indeed, out of all that I have done and said.”

When we are more thoughtful with life’s choices we are able to hear the Holy Spirit guide us, which gives us strength and courage in all of our decisions because we take comfort that the answers come from God. We can make all the promises and resolutions to ourselves we want but without works it is meaningless. Make 2012 count!

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Searching for the Perfect Gift?

I attended our Christmas services at Evergreen Community church last night (you can still come tonight at 6pm!) and our Pastor talked about being dead and coming alive in Jesus. It reminded me of the story in Ezekiel about the dry bones of Israel. “Our bones are dried up, our hope is gone, there’s nothing left of us.” Ez. 37:11.
In this passage God is telling Ezekiel to prohesy (preach) to the dead bones. Tell them to get up. He says “You’ll realize I am God. I’ll breathe my life into you and you’ll live.” Ez.37:14

Before I made the decision to turn my will and life over to the care of Jesus (and btw-this was the grace of God, so it wasn’t REALLY even my decision,) I was dead. I lived a hopeless life not understanding the hole I was trying to fill could only be filled by God. I didn’t even understand the feelings I felt of lonliness, hopelessness, irritable discontent had anything to do with a lack of spiritual development or connection. I thought those feelings were due to my circumstances so I would look to food, shopping, alcohol, television, anything to change those circumstances.

So many people try this same thing, this may be why christmas, which can be a lonely, depressing time for those far from God, changed from celebrating the birth of our savior to searching for the perfect gift.

This Christmas, take a step closer to an open heart. Attend a church service. You may just find what you’ve been searching for.

“They all were looking for a king
To slay their foes and lift them high:
Thou cam’st, a little baby thing
That made a woman cry.
O Son of Man, to right my lot
Naught but Thy presence can avail;
Yet on the road Thy wheels are not,
Not on the sea They sail!
My how or when Thou wilt not heed,
But come down Thine own secret stair,
That Thou mayst answer all my need-
Yea, every bygone prayer.
-George Macdonald

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Family Honor

I love all the traditions that bring my family together. The story of Jesus’ birth read by mom Christmas eve before bed, trips to Macy’s Christmas Room, the trumpet that keeps finding it’s way back into the white elephant gift exchange. Cousins and commotion and camradarie. We look back and reminensce, sometimes wistfully, always joyously. The beauty and the magic of these shared moments families carry is the creation of time well spent. The holidays make us more intentional about spending time with family. Makes us take extra time off work even when the big project isn’t done. Makes us travel long distances even when we dislike driving. We give more, eat more, speak to more people than at any one time the whole rest of the year. It is special. Take time to honor God by giving honor to your family. Even the crazy ones. And if you think you don’t have any crazies-you may just be IT!

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A simple Christmas [me]mory

When we were young, my mom would take my sister and I to the “rich” part of town and tour others’ christmas lighting. We loved fantasizing, imagining living in the grand homes free from the financial worries of being in a struggling, single parent home. We carried this tradition after the marriage of my parents and the comfortability of middleclassdom. I was fortunate enough to have a car throughout high school and one snowy evening during christmas break, decided to take my little sister out to tour the lights. First stopping at Caribou for some mochas and cocoa, we headed to the Kenwood area where the owners of the largest homes in Minneapolis hired their outdoor decorating and the entire neighborhood was a winter wonderland. That evening was one of my favorite memories with my sister. Listening to a ‘Randy Travis Christmas’, driving in a warm car through magnificent streets with snow sprinkling the windshield lightly. Good drinks, good sights, good company.

On the way home it began to snow harder and the roads became slick with black ice. Tensely gripping the steering wheel my mood immediately turned to fear and worry, snapping at Faydra to be quiet so I could concentrate on the road. We made it home safely but the night was tainted with my black mood. Isn’t it crazy that when the road becomes challenging, we shift our concentration and it is we, not our circumstances, that ruin our experiences? This season, do not fret over fear and worry or morbid reflection. Embrace the lights. Turn up the music. Have Faith. And all shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well.

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Monday Mayhem

Monday Mayhem
Pastor Seth wrapped up the series “Hot Potato” with deciphering Hell for us. Yes. Hell. Happy Thanksgiving! Here is an excerpt of Pastor Seth’s message from yesterday, illustrating the wonderful news we have before us…

“Hell isn’t God’s will for human life. No one hates Hell or is prepared to pay a higher price to suffer more greatly to prevent it in a human life than God. We can repent and ask for forgiveness and newness of life and God loves to give it. It’s really, really simple…Jesus saves. We are all nudging people in small ways or in large ones a little closer to God or a little farther from Him, a little more into the light or little more into the darkness.

Gang, we exist as a church not to serve ourselves, not to provide services or music or programs or traditions people inside churches happen to like. Not even just to do good things in our community. We are here because human beings have souls, because heaven and hell are realities, and because eternity is at stake, and Jesus saves.”
Now, that IS some good news.

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Thanksgiving Satisfaction

I used to love Thanksgiving. Seeing the cousins, being grateful for our fruits, saying grace the one time a year we prayed over food. But the best part was the food. I am a recovering compulsive overeater. This holiday wasn’t about Columbus or the Natives or the crazy elementary school program that, yes, they still put on in my neck of the woods! Its not even being thankful for my immediate blessings. It was about being allowed to binge on rich foods all day long and not stick out because EVERYONE is binging.

This is my 5th abstinent Thanksgiving. This means I still weigh and measure my meals and make sure I’m not ingesting wheat or sugar. I can have turkey. I can have potatoes. I could even have pumpkin if I so choose. And I can be free from the bondage of food. No feeling guilty. No feeling sick. No compulsive exercising after the binging. Freedom.

This is NOT because of my strong will power. It is not because I’m an ocd loony (although I totally am!) It is only by the grace of God I have been given true freedom from the cravings. All the many times I would diet throughout my life, I would either go off completely and still binge because its “Thanksgiving after all,” or I would be miserable and into the self-pity of “why do I have to be fat, why can’t I eat like she can and not gain weight?” Holidays represented a wartime within myself. Me and the food, me and the addict self. The guilt and shame and feeling of utter failure every year. I was never satisfied so I was never grateful. The disappointment in myself. My disease warped my pudding addled brain into blaming God for it all.

I found recovery in the 12 steps. I found God through recovery. I am learning emotional discipline and have developed a personal relationship with God that gets better every single day. I don’t feel lonely even when alone. I don’t feel left out even when everyone around me has a big family or can eat gobs of stuffing without gaining an ounce. I can truly say I am grateful. The promises in the word of God are realized and recognized for me today. I am satisfied.

“When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord you God for the good land he has given you.” Deuteronomy 8:10

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Progression of Identification

“And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.”- Colossians 3:14

Ahh, to wear love is so easy when you have those peaceful feel-good feelings. When things are going good, all the bills are paid, no conflicts to manage, when life is rosy and the sun is shining. But the trick to peaceful living is to starve the negative emotions and reactions. How do we respond in a thoughtful, Christ-centered way? I am no where near an expert on this (in fact, I needed help at least three different times today alone!) but here are some tips that actually helped me today…

Validate emotions without twisting reality by owning our feelings and affirming with three words, “I am responsible.” This pierces the illusion of blame. I am responsible for what I do about any situation I find myself in. This doesn’t mean another party didn’t contribute to the problem. It means, I control whether or not I feel disappointed when someone doesn’t follow through on something. And why would I want to feel disappointed?

Tune into the Big Picture. Step back and remind myself what is truly important. Usually I can remember that life is not about me. But, I’m human. I tend to forget and then I need a trusted friend or respected collegue to bring reality back. I ask if this negative state I’m is moving me in the right direction or move me in a different direction? A change in perspective usually helps a change of heart.

When we give up the need to be right, we expand our options and thus the ability to see we are only a small part of the whole. Ego does not want this to happen. This is why it is so important to remain humble and know our identity in Christ-not the integrity of someone else.

Progress. Not Perfection.

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How to overcome Self-Centeredness

“If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that’s charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.” -Luke 6:34

Charity means to care enough about people to really want to do something for them. Using up the odd moments of the day in doing small works of charity helps to alieviate the fear and boredom you may feel as you are practicing living for Christ. When we are improving our habits and changing our lives, it’s easy to get into boredom. The rest of the world seems so exciting, all the drama and material “necessities” make our wise choices to not spend money seem boring. The choice not to drink or engage in THAT kind of behavior seem prudish and lame. So…what do we do with our time now?

Boredom comes from thinking too much about yourself.

Get out, engage is acts of charity.
Kind words, prayer over stressed peers, extra volunteer hours doing manual labor or practicing a craft you are passionate about. Walk dogs at the shelter, teach sunday School, shovel a neighbors sidewalk. Churches have great outreach opportunities. Commit and be changed.