Rest to Take Breath
I recently read a new book by Karen Ehman called Listen Love Repeat.
It rocked my world so much I read it three more times, allowing it to sink in. The text is about making a sacrifice of time for someone so they know they are loved by listening to their heart, loving them and repeating the process with others. As I was reading along, I related to the words inside. I have always been a girl who serves. I try to be available when my people need me; I am the strong one. I have the words, hugs, and handholding down. I can talk someone into seeing things differently after a good night’s sleep. I don’t answer questions I couldn’t possibly have answers to. I pray with someone, for someone, and over someone. My heart breaks for my people when they feel broken or hurt.
Recently, I’ve found myself on the other side of all this, making parts of the book hard to read. I believe God uses circumstances to prepare us for big things, yet in current situations, I feel unprepared. I am not ready for the inevitable changes. On top of that, I am feeling some other rather strong things as well. Maybe you can relate.
Overwhelmed?
Now there is a feeling we know all too well.
Loneliness?
Also our new best friend.
Under-served is another good adjective.
Hungry?
Only for a shoulder to cry on, and an ear to listen.
We never take the time to notice the very things we are good at are the things we need the most. Somedays, we need more than we receive. We need for others to understand our emotion, to hold our hand, to provide a shoulder or a listening ear. We need our people to expect little when we have little to give.
Amid all the things we are feeling, we are reminded of when Jesus separated from the crowd to pray, meditate and spend time resting. He took a few moments to spiritually fill himself. He purposefully escaped from his everyday situation, so he could return full force. He gave himself some rest turning to his father for comfort and reprieve, right up to the time of his death.
We need to remember if we are going to follow the path of Christ and all He laid out for us, then resting is a requirement. We have to take a step back to breathe, refocusing on ourselves for a time. Once we learn to utilize the tools Christ has provided for us in rest, we can move forward with more Joy and be thankful. We must make sure we spend time prayerfully considering all our life things, so when we have to handle the next stages, we are more prepared. We also need to be more intentional in our personal relationship with Christ.
This means making space in our planners for prayer, reflection and meditating on the word. Recognizing the ability within ourselves to tap into the gift of the Holy Spirit will provide us with greater understanding in our lives. It gives us the still small voice of discernment and compassion. Once rested, we can begin giving ourselves in service once again, continuing the cycle of work and rest in Christ.
Approaching Christmas
Approaching Christmas, I am counting down to my favorite things about this coming weekend.
Christmas at my parents’ house. Christmas with our own children and grandchildren. Christmas with some very good friends. A movie tradition with my husband. We jump from place to place, eating, sharing and laughing. We treasure our moments together. We take silly pictures and share them on social media. We spend time doing nothing specific, except the most important thing of all- spending time.
Time has been on my mind a lot lately. We watch the clock so much we forget to live the moments. We have an abundance of time when we quit measuring in minutes and start paying attention to the experiences. Even a couple of minutes catching up in a department store can mean a tremendous amount for someone on the receiving end. Taking a minute to listen is priceless. Making an extra phone call, reaching out with a card or even a text can let someone know you are thinking and praying for them at this moment. Time is short, and we need to embrace it.
This Christmas, how are you spending your time?
Do you find yourself with extra time, clicking through channels mindlessly?
Or do you find yourself overwhelmed because you overcommitted?
What does your planner look like this week?
Are there things you need to get done, or just things which keep you busy?
Making some things priority is essential. The ones I listed are traditions we keep on the calendar each year. Everything else is scheduled around our traditions. Time to stop and breathe together is so important for us. Hanging out in our pj’s, watching movies, eating junk food and playing games is the down time we need to re-boot. Doing these things with our people is a bonus.
The relaxation and laughter do my heart good. The continuous stream of people we love in the homes we have become accustomed to are soothing. The sweet children and pets and all their shenanigans bring a smile to my face. The replaying of favorite Christmas movies and music bring me joy. By keeping our traditions simple, we can enjoy this busy season so many others struggle with.
As we gear up for Christmas, let’s not forget to give God all the Glory. He has offered us his ultimate gift for redemption and grace. He allows us to unwrap this gift at our own pace, learning to love unconditionally and dole out mercy on others. We have the opportunity to share this gift in any way we want. Right now it means slowing down for a few days and soaking up some love.
Merry Christmas to you all.
How the River of Your Spirit Flows
How deep and wide does your spiritual walk go?
Have you ever asked yourself this question?
Do you notice your journey doesn’t get shorter? It just expands in width and length.
As your spiritual life grows, so do your spiritual attacks.
How do we continue this walk as it becomes overwhelming?
Consider this:
As a river flows, it picks up bits and pieces, washing them away with the growing current. As our spiritual life grows, it too is picking up bits and pieces, growing faster, wider and with momentum gets longer. The only true spiritual arrival per say is upon physical death: when we look upon our Saviors’ face and are made spiritually whole. Until our physical death, we will never quite have our spiritual thirst fully quenched. Satisfaction will only come when we lay our eyes upon Jesus in another realm, created just perfect for that moment.
Thanksgiving is Eucharisteo
Chara means joy
Charis means grace
Eucharisteo means gave thanks
One root word, building on another, building on another
Chara. Charis. Eucharisteo.
Thanksgiving from grace from joy.
Joy becomes grace which becomes thanksgiving.
All translations of root words from the Greek language.
Simple, honest, and true, these words.
Thanksgiving this week is about more than a beautiful table, a full plate, and a nap afterward. It’s about more than being thankful for the people and things and experiences that surround us. It’s about being thankful for the eternity that comes with Joy, Grace, & Thanksgiving.
Only the Hardlines of Jesus Count
Recently We have seen people draw hard lines where hard lines don’t belong.
Scrolling on our computer screens, we’ve witnessed many changes in popular Christian culture. We have watched evangelists, authors and mentors change their views on worldly issues. At times they are basing changes on biblical principal and other times on personal belief. We are privy to conversations about where to go from here, where to stand with a decision and how to recover from the fallout. Regardless of our beliefs, we know we will be criticized either way. The truth is, our personal feelings and respect for others rights are not supposed to supersede biblical provisions. Lately, everything seems to have gotten a little fuzzy around the edges.
Yet one thing is crystal clear:
The church is not living up to even the wildest dreams of what Jesus had planned for her.
When My Hope Outshines the Sun
This morning my favorite pen flows quickly, leaving my words illegible. The thoughts which awakened me are more than my racing hand can write. Today I am reminded there is always hope for redemption. There is always healing, whether in this world or the next. The reason I know this?
Jesus
With Much Gratitude and Devotion
This morning, I can breathe again.
My heart is beating normally. A dark, heavy cloud has been lifted off my life. We officially transferred our church membership this past weekend. It may not seem like a big deal to some, but to us, it was an epic move. We’ve spent nearly a year healing and at times hashing it all out. We are still wounded, but mending. There is no doubt this is the right place for us to serve.
I want to shout from the mountaintop- “Thank You Lord”. Since I don’t live near a mountain, I will write it in a letter.
To Lift My Hands
I sit on the floor and weep.
I just don’t understand why I can’t reach up with my hands.
What is it that keeps me standing with them at my side, heavy and unmoving? Why do I find it so hard to just reach up and out, giving it all to him? It would be so easy, yet I find it impossible. It doesn’t seem like a tall order, really. How much energy does it take for a person to lift their hands and then lift their head? For me it is the tallest order. I am so afraid.
Normal Is Relative
Guest Posting over at The Glorious Table today.
I’ve been accused of being a lot of things in my life, but normal has never been one of them.
I will admit, on the surface, my husband and I together look pretty normal. We have a house, kids, and a dog. We follow a couple of sports teams, and we eat at the local pizza place weekly. We work hard, play harder. Sometimes we just lie on the couch and eat an entire barrel of cheese puffs.
Some things I do or don’t do, however, set me apart, making a personal normal for which I am grateful.
Marriage Is…
This is marriage.
It is holding her hand when things are uncertain. It’s sitting at the hospital for hours, waiting for news about her dad. It’s dropping your plans to go to the ER because his mom has been taken there unexpectedly. It’s hanging on by a thread to the last ounce of energy you have to stay awake, because it is late, and he has been driving for hours.
Marriage is picking up milk, kids, and prescriptions. It is standing by your spouse when people have ugly things to say. It is being a light in a room full of dark and crazy for the person you cherish most.
Sometimes marriage is walking away from your church together, looking for a new home in Christ. It’s making sure her heart can serve again, and his is not hard because of the ugly he protected her from.
