Seasons

The Christmas season is over and a new year is upon us.  Last year ended with joy and the new year began with sadness.  The last Saturday in December had me holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers to celebrate a joyful wedding feast between my sister and her husband.  The first Saturday in January had me holding a single rose as we said goodbye to my grandfather who is now at eternal rest.  This is life, isn’t it?  Full of seasons; one that brings joy and another that brings sadness, one that brings chaos and another that brings rest and still another one full of laughter and the other full of tears.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 (New International Version)

This verse is such a comfort during the difficult seasons.  These seasons should be expected and we have a creator who never fails to be our comfort.  No one will pass through this life without experiencing the good with the bad, the sweet with the bitter, the happiness with the sorrow.  But there is joy in the extension of comfort from our Heavenly Father.  I think about the extreme emotions that I faced in a week’s time and I can’t help but smile at the tangible presence of God in each situation.  One of extreme joy that gives us a glimpse of the wedding feast between Christ and His bride, the church, and another that reminds us of God’s mercy over this life and the next life when we call on the name of Jesus.

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.  Psalm 30:5 (New International Version)

The Local Church

My dad recently asked me to write about my journey of growing up in the church to leaving church all together to connecting once again to the bride of Christ.  I consider it a great privilege to recount my journey back to the Father and what keeps me engaged and serving in my local church.

The Vision

As a follower of Christ, we are on a journey.  This journey is not one that the world teaches.  It is not a journey to seek happiness, wealth, independence, political gain, etc.  It is a journey to become holy; to become like Christ.  Christ calls us to be holy because He is holy (1 Peter 1:16).  We are made in His image (Genesis 1:27) and have the responsibility to bear His image to the world.  The local church is our training ground, our accountability to this call and our fellowship with the saints.   It is the church for whom Christ left His throne of glory to come into this dark world and shed his very own blood so that all who believe would have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10). 

So the vision for our local church is to have members who are on this path of holiness.  They are being transformed into the image of Christ.  They are going from glory to glory with the help of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18).  They are serving in the church so not to serve man, but God himself.  They are tithing and acknowledging the supernatural blessing that God has promised when we honor Him in this way (Malachi 3:10).  They are bringing others to church so that they too have the opportunity for salvation and transformation.  They worship God in truth and spirit (John 4:24).  They acknowledge the living God in every aspect of life, not just within the walls of the church building.

So how do we get on this path to make the church an integral part in our spiritual growth and training?  How do we become a people so desperate for God that going to church is not a self seeking endeavor?  Not just a place to simply fulfill a social desire, to rid guilt, to satisfy a check list of “to-do’s, “or simply a place to go “because we’re supposed to?”

My Journey

I grew up loving the Lord.  As a young child I simply loved Christ because I knew that He loved me.  I feel blessed to have memories from this time in order to understand what Jesus means when He says that we must have childlike faith (Matthew 18:3).  I was surrounded by a loving church family and had wonderful parents who trained me in the way I should go (Proverbs 22:6).

Early in my teenage years, the attack of Satan altered my life.  Satan took the sin of someone else against me and started whispering in my ear a false character of God.  My sins were too great and God was very angry.  This led to a great fear of God and eventually to an all out rebellion of this God.  I could not live up to perfection, for we all have sin and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). 

My story has a happy ending.  God put the right people in my life to open my eyes to the schemes of the devil and the love of the Father.  I briefly describe my testimony to set the stage for what I believe is important in winning the hearts and minds back to the Father and therefore back to the local church.  Our battle is not against the flesh but against the spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12).  What keeps people away from church or at best half hearted church-goers?  Satan.  His mission is to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10).  We must know who the battle is against in order to claim our rightful victory for ourselves and those around us. 

Outreach

When I returned to the church in my mid-twenties, there was a key ingredient that the world could not offer me – genuine fellowship.  God placed mature Christians in my path to teach me how to fellowship with Him and with other believers.  I love in Matthew 22 how Jesus sums up hundreds of laws given to the Israelites in two simple statements; love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…and love your neighbor as yourself.  This is what we were made for.  We desire intimate fellowship with the Father and intimate fellowship with each other.  I think this is vitally important in reaching the unchurched and making a vibrant community for those who do attend church.  We have to offer an environment that encourages and matures genuine fellowship.   

This is what the enemy stole from me early on in my life; a relationship with the Father and relationships with others.  He will never cease in trying to do so.  He keeps us independent, distracted, irreverent, desensitized, tolerant, etc.  When we realize that the enemy will thwart every effort to reach the unchurched, we can turn to scripture for guidance.  In Ephesians 6, Paul gives us two offensive weapons against the devil’s schemes; prayer and the word of God.  When we gather in a community that prays together and studies God’s word together, the enemy has no ground.  I believe this is the basis for genuine fellowship.  We are on a path to holiness with others.  We are doing life together.  We are holding each other accountable.  We pray together and for each other.  We confess our sins to one another.  We study God’s word together and let it change our thoughts, actions and lifestyles. 

On a practical level, community must happen outside of the church walls.  This can be done in many ways.  Reliance on the Holy Spirit on how to accomplish this is key.  Human effort will only turn this into a task or strategy that will eventually lose momentum (Galatians 3:3).  Whatever the format, fellowship fulfills the heart’s desires.  It’s transforming and engages people with the heart of God.  It puts them on a path to holiness.  Their hearts become an expression of God himself.  The fruit in their life is seen through their active service in church as well as the community.  Their obedience to the Lord and His call is their act of worship (Hebrews 13: 15-16).  Church strategies for keeping such people in church become irrelevant.  Their hearts have been capture by the only One who can fulfill our deepest desires.  When we find this kind of fellowship with God and with other believers, the devil and his worldly schemes are no match for God’s kingdom at work where two or three are gathered in His name (Matthew 18:20).

The Flow of Blessing

I am the mother of three children.  Since becoming a mother 6.5 years ago, I have probably spent less than $200 on clothing for my children.  I have been beyond blessed with quality hand-me-downs from friends and family to outfit the little people in my house.  This has obviously been great for our pocket book!

So here I am with wardrobe upon wardrobe being given to me and I was ready to take a bunch of clothes to a children’s consignment sale a few months ago to make some cash.  My motives were not evil.  I was simply looking to make a little cash to pay for other needs for my kids.  I was driving down the road one day and God stopped me in my thoughts and asked, “Why are you trying to nickel and dime these clothes?  Do not you trust that I will provide for your needs just as I have given you clothing item after clothing item?”  “But I could really use $100 to pay for x,y and z.” said me.  L

When I stopped arguing, I realized God was asking me not to stop the flow of blessing.  I like to think of God’s blessing like a bathtub.  He continues to fill our bathtub with an ever running stream of water.  The catch is we cannot put the plug in the drain.  He will keep the bathtub full and the water fresh.  Our job is to keep the water draining.  We receive the “water” and then we “let the water drain.”  We receive and then we give.  So in my little situation, I decided to keep the blessing going and give the outgrown clothes to others that I knew could use them just as I once was in need of them.  Obedience is always a key step in allowing God to transform you; to bring you from glory to glory.

This is not a post to brag about my obedience or put down the act of selling clothes to make money.  It is simply to show a revelation that God gave me on keeping the flow of blessing fluid and not stagnant.  In the bathtub example, we have to release in order to receive more.  Before long, our heart gets such a thrill out of the releasing to others that our selfish flesh forgets that there is a release for us too!  The act of giving does become our blessing!  Good stuff J 

Mr. Bean

Ever since the London Olympics back in August, my children are huge Mr. Bean fans.  He did a skit during the opening ceremonies that they thought was hilarious.  I myself did not see this skit nor have I ever thought Mr. Bean was all that funny.  He is now the litmus test for comedy in our house.  If they can imagine Mr. Bean doing it then it is funny.  “Mom, what if Mr. Bean took all of his trash and threw it out the window?”  Such statements are followed by a genuine, uncontrollable laughter.  It's a bit puzzling.  This too shall pass??

Still Smilin’

My sweet little girl (it’s sad that I can’t call her a baby anymore) broke her arm last week at the park.  This momma had a few days of the guilties L  She went down a slide and toppled over the side and landed just right (or wrong I guess).  She’s been a trooper.  She has to wear a cast for three weeks.  She hasn’t even noticed that it is there.  Every once in awhile she’ll point to it and say, “owie” but then she moves along with her business.  The amazing thing is that I can peel it off in three weeks and I don’t even have to take her in for a follow up appointment.  It was such a minor break that they are confident it will heal in 3 weeks time.  Aren’t our bodies amazing?!?

Signs You Might Be Living With Young Children

1.       Smudges on your wall start to appear as abstract art.  If I could just get one more little finger print in this spot I could see a very creative masterpiece.

2.       Your only matching set of “glasses” is made of plastic and decorated with an NFL logo.  These only get used when company comes!

3.       Small lego pieces can be found in every part of your house…the bathtub, freezer, underneath your bed sheets (this is very painful by the way), the flower pots…EVERYWHERE!

4.        The smell of poop does not even register in your brain.  It often takes a friend (or complete stranger) to suggest a diaper change. #totallyimmune

5.       Speaking of diaper changes…diapers really don’t look that bad.  It’s not like you get to use the restroom in peace anyway.  Why bother even having to go to a special room?!? L

6.       Your grey hair is definitely not because of your age…this can only be attributed to the younger population living in your home.

7.       You have mastered a second language.  You know what every syllable, grunt or sound means that is said by your 18 month old.  (ooo, tay, bumpa, ell, dayda, enna, ma…translated as shoe, okay, grandpa, Bill, Jadon, Sienna, more)

8.       Laughter is usually the best medicine.

Humor

This conversation took place between Jadon and his friend, Josiah while playing hide-and-seek with their sisters.

Jadon:  I know EXACTLY where they are.

Josiah:  Me too…….where are they?  Can you tell me?

Jadon:  They are either in the basement, the living room, the kitchen, my room or my parent’s room.