Lent Day 25: Riding the wave

I write on my calendar, "Goodbye, everything."

We spoke together in chapel this morning. And we bought our tickets today.

We've booked the flight that will take us from what we know. From our comfort zone. To a new place across the world.

I'm reposting again today. My heart is too full to write, feeling the swell of the new wave ahead.

---- CRESTING THE WAVE----

Life seems to be experienced in waves. Entire years and decades of Jesus' life go unrecorded. Then  his ministry crests: he chooses disciples and velocity quickens to wash toward his sacrifice on the cross as the Passover lamb.

The ebb of the resurrection, where God pulls back mortality's curtain to showcase His magnificence and power even over death, creates a riptide for the disciples. Jesus spends 40 quiet days with them, expounding on God's mission. He shows them their future as Life-With-God before he withdraws to allow the Holy Spirit to descend.

The Spirit roars into the life of the apostles with godly authority and power. Life and renewal splash throughout the city of Jerusalem and ripples into the world through the pilgrims attending the Pentecostal feast.

Throughout the book of Acts, ebbs and flows in the intensity mark the spread of the gospel:

• Organization and favor.
• Persecution, outward movement, and expansion. 
• Suffering and missionary proclamation. 
• Exile and writing to preserve the record of Christ and the early Church.

Have you experienced such seasons of quiet, followed by building energy and a surge of momentum?

Where am I right now? A bucket of "aha"s have been dumped on me since last weekend. The wave is rising and I am being carried into the future. I'm not certain of the shore toward which the power of "forward" is pulling me. And that doesn't matter too much. God only requires my "being in this" completely, attentive and intentional toward the work of His Spirit.

How do we "ride the wave" in seasons of change?

1. Breathe in the time of calm and stand at ease when there's no direction.
2. Mull over (and record) lessons learned and insights acquired during the pause between what was and what is becoming.
3. Still your fears of change. God is in control. Completely. Utterly. Beautifully. He holds your future securely and will not let you go.
4. Prepare yourself. Embrace whatever comes your way. Pray. Meditate on scripture. Serve at church. Read an insightful book, listen to a speaker, or attend an event. You may unexpectedly run into an acquaintance or eavesdrop on other conversations.
5. Be willing and obedient. When work appears, when a door opens, when God clears away the clutter of the past to a clear future ... say YES.
6. Surf the wave. God's current will direct you. Enjoy the ride: fighting the water will smash you, suck you under, and make you feel like you're drowning.
7. Enjoy the view as you land on the new shore. Wherever God takes you, He has planned this in advance. What is the wonder of this next job, this new ministry, or this fresh relationship?

What's your favorite wave to date? Were you surprised where the current took you?

Read more:
*The Lord said, "I have chosen Abraham, that he may charge his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice." Genesis 18:19 NEV

*Sing for joy, O heavens! Rejoice, O earth! Burst into song, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on them in their suffering. Isaiah 49:13 NLT

*And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.” Matthew 20:17-19 ESV

*Faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness. Romans 4:9 NEV

Moravian Prayer: God, teach us to do justice by entering into relationships with persons in need. May we learn from them lessons of dignity, faith, and righteousness as we serve—that we may become wholly committed to your kingdom's work. Amen.

CS Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Lewis wrote these to show the opposing intentions of God and the devil. In this novel, Screwtape is a young demon-in-training.) In which Screwtape reveals the Enemy’s (God's) intentions:

"Now it may surprise you to learn that in His [the Enemy’s] efforts to get permanent possession of a soul, He relies on the troughs even more than on the peaks; some of His special favourites have gone through longer and deeper troughs than anyone else. 

"The reason is this. To us a human is primarily food; our aim is the absorption of its will into ours, the increase of our own area of selfhood at its expense. But the obedience which the Enemy demands of men is quite a different thing. One must face the fact that all the talk about His love for men, and His service being perfect freedom, is not (as one would gladly believe) mere propaganda, but an appalling truth. 

"He really does want to fill the universe with a lot of loathsome little replicas of Himself—creatures whose life, on its miniature scale, will be qualitatively like His own, not because He has absorbed them but because their wills freely conform to His. We want cattle who can finally become food; He wants servants who can finally become sons. We want to suck in, He wants to give out. We are empty and would be filled; He is full and flows over. Our war aim is a world in which Our Father Below has drawn all other beings into himself: the Enemy wants a world full of beings united to Him but still distinct."

The power of a simple idea

Through a screen ... darkly

My coach Angela and I had only 20 minutes in our group-mentor meeting. The worst of it? My head was spinning and I didn't have a clear idea on what I wanted to be coached. What a morning!

But we launched in. Got focus. Before long, I had a solution for my inner head-cloud and the procrastination that's dogged me since pre-Thanksgiving travels.

By now, you know I'm visual. When spaces around me get messy, my thoughts go fuzzy and disarranged. W's shifting his office from upstairs to the basement. In the process, my almost-done office and the rest of the flat are heaped with boxes, books, gear, and garbage. There's no way to get around that: the moving process is chaotic. And my headroom was utterly clogged.

"Why don't you get out of the house while I work on this tomorrow?" W suggested, noting my paralysis on the sofa yesterday.

So this morning I went to "the Boat," our friends' refuge, floating on Lake Union. 

the panoramic view of my perch...

I plugged in their hotspot and called into the coach meeting. The fantastic thing about coaching is that the issues discussed and the solutions are relevant to the client BECAUSE they come up with those ideas. Ideally, the coach asks questions but the client is in control of the conversation. Angela, a trusted friend, helped me find a workable solution to the clutter in my head and the resulting procrastination. 

Our high-tech solution? Paper. Well, pen and paper.

The question she asked? "What has worked for you in the past, to help you get things done on time?"

Into my memory popped the 3"X3" calendar I carried each college semester. I'd note assignments and deadlines in the minute squares as soon as faculty handed out their syllabi. The pages ordered my days, weeks, and months. I saw at a glance what was expected.

Grid dot notebook

I don't know why computer calendars don't do the same thing for me. Even when I'm logged in, I forget to check them. When they don't sync, I'm lost. On the other hand, the info on that little calendar was available in a blink of an eye. Everywhere I went. Without plugging in. I just pulled it out of my pocket.

My solution for managing our transition through June is equally simple. In the the grid-dot notebook a friend gave me this Christmas, I'm going to draw a monthly calendar-at-a-glance. I'll use the subsequent pages to sketch ideas and write to-dos.

During our closing minute, Angela asked, "Can you summarize what you're planning to do?" and I added a missing piece: I'm going to write down where task-related things are stored - online links, physical spaces, who has info, etc.

The weight that dropped off my brain was staggering. The load lifted. I have clear direction that will WORK for me and my style of categorization. 

Stumped? Stymied? How about checking in with a coach - for one session or more? Usually sessions are an hour; you can accomplish a LOT in that time. Clients often find a simple idea - something they already know - that helps them out of gridlock and into the next phase of life and work. I highly recommend it, especially after finding my "simple aha!" this morning.

Yeah, I'm a coach, and my clients say I'm a good one. But I'd gladly refer you if you'd rather talk to someone else. Contact me at rosemee at hot mail dot com for more info. 

Blessings - and hopes for positive forward movement in becoming the best person you can be - and reaching your goals in this New Year.

What's cooking?

I took trumpet in high school to get out of cooking class. Then we had 4 kids and I've never played trumpet again. But I've cooked thousands of meals!

A closed mind

This move has taken the cooking right out of me. I'm not yet at home in my kitchen. I pull two portable burners out of the cabinet when I need them, rather than having a stove. We don't have a regular oven: we have a fandangled halogen and microwave combination. I know how to use a microwave so that's fine. But the other part - for baking, roasting, and grilling - is beyond my energy or interest level. It exhausts me to think of adjusting top and bottom lights "just so," even with a cheat-sheet.

Some people cook by recipe: they like the formulas someone else comes up with. I prefer to read cookbooks and recipes as suggestions. "What's in my cupboard that might turn out like that?" The proportions, ingredients, and cooking time seem flexible. 

I'm also an "appetite" cook: "What am I hungry for?" I'll browse the fridge, freezer, or cupboard for a base ingredient and start adding to that. Usually there's a meal on the table in 10-15 minutes. In our new space, we have a full spice cupboard. Rather than looking at spice jar labels, I've always opened the lids to smell combinations to add to a dish. (Mind you, filing spices by type of cooking - American, Asian, baking, etc. - helps me sort options. 

Waiting for the chef's return

But I can't think of what to cook. I've been microwaving stuff or making soup or ramen. Chocolate sounds good - I might break off a piece of that to eat with raw snap peas for lunch. If I get hungry enough, I figure I can thaw something from the freezer or head for our full pantry. But I'm not that hungry when I go into the kitchen. Hopefully it - and my cooking skills - will settle down soon.

Have you faced a block in something that's always been easy or natural for you? If so, how are you dealing with it? Got a tip of how to move through the transition?

Read more:

*The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV

*This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 John 1:5-7 ES

From The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, Volume II. On feeling: I think the thrill of the Pagan stories and of romance may be due to the fact that they are mere beginnings—the first, faint whisper of the wind from beyond the world—while Christianity is the thing itself: and no thing, when you have really started on it, can have for you then and there just the same thrill as the first hint. For example, the experience of being married and bringing up a family cannot have the old bittersweet of first falling in love. But it is futile (and, I think, wicked) to go on trying to get the old thrill again: you must go forward and not backward. Any real advance will in its turn be ushered in by a new thrill, different from the old: doomed in its turn to disappear and to become in its turn a temptation to retrogression. Delight is a bell that rings as you set your foot on the first step of a new flight of stairs leading upwards. Once you have started climbing you will notice only the hard work: it is when you have reached the landing and catch sight of the new stair that you may expect the bell again. This is only an idea, and may be all rot: but it seems to fit in pretty well with the general law (thrills also must die to live) of autumn & spring, sleep and waking, death and resurrection, and “Whosoever loseth his life, shall save it.”

One hundred "Yes"ses

"How did you get to this point?" someone asked us last week. "How can you leave everything behind to live on the other side of the world?"

"Just say yes." It doesn't much thinking to come up with an answer. "A hundred small 'yes'ses make a big 'YES' possible." When our habit is following Jesus, it feels natural for our feet to turn to his ways.

Do we struggle? Question? Doubt? Struggle? Wonder?

Even sometimes, offer objections?

Of course.

But each small 'yes', repeated over and over as we grow in faith, opens our hearts to consider things we would have thought were impossible. We learn to trust that the One - who delights us with small and ordinary opportunities - has prepared us for extraordinary paths.

Where are your spiritual feet taking you today? (What is your "YES!" to Jesus?)

Our yes is here: http://gokowalskis.com. Please join us by praying and giving.

Read more: 
*If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding  gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others. It is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the completeness comes, what is in part disappears.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a (wo)man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13 NIV

(CS Lewis) Though Christian charity sounds a very cold thing to people whose heads are full of sentimentality, and though it is quite distinct from affection, yet it leads to affection. The difference between a Christian and a worldly man is not that the worldly man has only affections or ‘likings’ and the Christian has only ‘charity’. The worldly man treats certain people kindly because he ‘likes’ them: the Christian, trying to treat every one kindly, finds himself liking more and more people as he goes on—including people he could not even have imagined him- self liking at the beginning.

This same spiritual law works terribly in the opposite direction. The Germans, perhaps, at first ill-treated the Jews because they hated them: afterwards they hated them much more because they had ill-treated them. The more cruel you are, the more you will hate; and the more you hate, the more cruel you will become — and so on in a vicious circle for ever.
Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of. An apparently trivial indulgence in lust or anger today is the loss of a ridge or railway line or bridgehead from which the enemy may launch an attack otherwise impossible. 

Flux and flow

A quick respite after moving furniture

Two sons came over this morning. They hefted the massage recliner to the front porch. Then they helped W muscle a 200-lb literature sorter to the entry where Craigslist buyers picked them up. The futon from the upstairs guest room? It's joined two already in the living room. Of course, the coffee table and Corbusier lounger had to be moved into the kitchen to make that happen. Later in the day, a lady buys the 8 French wheat-sheaf dining chairs.

Yup, my house is in turmoil. Stuff is everywhere. There's not a room that's "normal" and I'm starting to lose track of what's where. I had a good cry yesterday while culling my art supplies from a closet. (In future, our granddaughter's bedroom.) So I'm good to go for another coupla days.

Fuller and fuller ...
the family room morphs
and the French chairs disappear

I'm grateful for our kids' help. K, who's moved many times, comforts me over the phone. The boys heave and haul;  R helped me sort and scan hundreds of files.

M is packing up her own house to move over. T's starting to bring their stuff over and push it into recently vacated corners. Let us know if you need anything!

Read more:

*And Jerusalem shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them. Jeremiah 33:9 NLT

*See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me. Malachi 3:1 NLT

*John the baptizer said, "One who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals." Luke 3:16 NLT

*Exalted to the right hand of God, Christ has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. Acts 2:33 (NIV)Moravian Prayer: Holy God, you sent your son to save us. You show us light where there is darkness. Move in our midst so we can see you, feel you, and hear you. Walk with us and be with us as we go forth in Jesus' name.  

God of goodness and grace, let us be your messengers of peace. Send us forth into the world in your name knowing that your presence is with us. Guide us as we prepare the way of the Lord. Amen.

A little birthday party, money, a Tiffany bracelet ... and a bit of freaking out

It's weird to see the 100-foot firs, the traffic moving between the lines, and the big yards and houses after we land uneventfully in Seattle. The 17 hours of travel take us over 15 time zones. I sleep 4 hours on the second flight.

Day and night are flipped (12 hours), and the clock goes back 3 more hours. So instead of 11:30pm when we land (Singapore time), it's 8:30 on Monday morning. Our daughter-in-love Rebekah picks us up from the airport and drives us home. (Thanks a million for that cheerful smile on arrival!)

Our "short nap" around noon lasts 4 hours. The contents of our suitcases lie strewn in heaps in our bedroom. Usually, we tackle the unpacking before everything else. But we may be gone for a few days this week, so what should we take? When the week's plans fall through, the half-done chore lingers.

For supper, we visit the kids and Kinsey, our granddaughter, who turned two Saturday. (The hazards of ministry: we were halfway around the world instead of being at her party.) She's surprised to see us but happy at her presents, a walking bike, some hair clips, and the most fun of all - squeaky Miss Kitty shoes. With every step, she "peep"s at us.

Once K figures out where the noise is coming from, she runs across the room, then stops and stamps her heels. "Peep, peep, peep!"

On this trip, we couldn't find squeaky shoes in any shops. We'd first heard them on little kid feet five years ago, but they're an old and forgotten trend. Sunday, our last evening in Singapore, a little boy runs past me in the food court, squeaking happily.

I chase after his mother: "Excuse me, where did you find his shoes?" She points me vaguely in the direction of the vendor: "Store here. Straight, then right," and off they go. When W returns from a haircut, I tell him, "We found those peeping shoes!"

We go round and round Tampines Market Center until we find a little shoe store at the back. The man points us to several squeaky shoes. Of course, the one in K's size is the most expensive. But she's our granddaughter. What can I say? [Once we're back in Seattle, I find a few online vendors. Trust me, these are a riot, though they look innocent enough!]

Sleeping beauty

Kinsey cries at bedtime. I pick her up. "Zeit zu schlafen!" I tell her (time to sleep). She settles immediate at the "hi-a hi-a" every German mother knows, accompanied by pats on the back. I put her on her pillow, stroke her eyes, nose, cheeks, and ears in our routine, and she falls asleep within a few mintues. Must be Grandma magic. It sure didn't work for my kids.

We fall asleep ourselves under a warm comforter, in a quiet room, at a decent hour and don't wake until 4am. Not bad! The silence is amazing: there are no taxis and motorcycles whizzing by our windows. There's no air-con buzzing and chasing air over our bed and no streetlights shining in the windows ... this is a different quality of sleep.

Tiffany blue heart bracelet: mine
never comes off

Tuesday morning, I meet my accountability group. One woman is having cancer surgery at the end of the month. We have a special treat for her: a Tiffany bracelet like the one they presented to me for completing my doctorate. It's a reminder of our prayers and love for her.

One gal leaves early to catch a flight to visit her children. The other has just spent three weeks hosting her daughter and grandkids. Our prayer requests are many and varied.

One of my requests is for an opportunity beyond W and my comfort zones. We have to raise our support this fall. We'll be in churches and meeting people to share our mission.

"Wait! You want us to start supporting you now?" ask the WPPRs. They're shocked. "We thought we'd help when you leave next year. We've never supported people at home. W is earning a salary. Why should we start now?"

I explain how the organization works: we're not "double-dipping" with a salary from NU and mission money. We have to gather resources before we can apply for our visas. We need $30,000 in the bank and $4000 pledged per month ASAP. Our budget includes travel to teach around Asia, housing, insurance, food, and ministry expenses. We can't go before our account is topped. Of course we'll be contributing to the cash amount also, but we'll live off the monthly support once we're in Asia.

Here's the link to support us now and later: in effect, we're asking you to "Come with us!" We need your help immediately, in getting ready for the future.

Friends are amazing!

In the evening, we eat supper with dear friends. There's nothing as sweet as talking about God and his ways, is there? Before we part, the fellow offers to help build out our space so we can vacate our house. He's experienced at building, quick on his feet, and efficient at getting the job done.

We accept with wonder and appreciation! This saves W weeks of work and frustration. It moves our timeline ahead by at least a month and gives us more time for itineration. Thanks be to God - and thank you, T.

Once home, we take a measuring tape and pencil into the raw space and mark out where walls and fixtures will go. We are both relieved beyond words.

Raw potential: BEFORE
(I'll post the after later.)

I promised to be honest with readers about the process of going next year. The stress of the impending build-out has been incredible. Our kids asked Monday if they can move into our house at the end of August - their rent is accelerating as their lease runs out. "We'll just be guests. We won't be in your way."

I am an event planner. I can imagine days unfolding. It's not going to be 3 guests, detachedly living in a side room while W and I cook, pack, eat, sleep, work, and itinerate!

I'm as bold and as courageous as I can be, while still being polite. I flat-out tell them and W that I'm not leaving here until the build-out for our new space is complete. The young family can stay in our guest rooms, but they can't move in their own things while W and I are packing up the house. They'll have to share our dishes, kitchen, bathrooms, etc. as the house is emptied. OOOOh, that will be messy.

Can you imagine a kitchen,
dining area, and bath here? I can.

Why won't I move into a construction zone? I've done it twice and almost gone crazy. We moved into this house 20 years ago, before it was finished. A few things are still unfinished. We moved into our roughed-in cabin 13 years ago. Living in construction chaos bothered me so much that I quit going up there for a few years. W all-but-finished it in June this year. Now, after this summer, we won't be around to enjoy it.

I'm adamant. "I'm not doing that again. If everyone understands that I can't move into an almost-finished space this time around, you kids can move in with us. Just don't pressure me to leave before Dad's finished!"

W and the kids look shocked at my determination and my ultimatum. Yeah, I am surprised, too.

However, my closest friends and my life coach have insisted that I clarify this survival item ahead of time. Everyone around me knows how visual I am. It's incredibly stressful for me to live in unfinished spaces. I can hardly function. I wander around in a distracted and distressed fog. It's not like W isn't busy without building! His pace of life is hectic and he's at the end of his energy by the time we move. I understand that. W and I know that the pace of building will slow to a crawl once the crisis of moving is over.

Kirsten and little Zoe,
her toy poodle

But I can't do that to myself this time ... not while we're remapping the future, selling off 20 years of accumulations, and packing up ... with a 2-year-old and grown kids underfoot.

Our friend's offer is a godsend.

Our daughter K and her doggie arrive from Texas late in the evening. Once again, Rebekah makes the trek from the airport up to our place.

W and I fall asleep about 1 a.m. In the morning, he's off on an all-day errand with a friend. K and I have a leisurely breakfast and I take pictures of the gleaming white floor, where W and I will soon place our furniture.

Lord have mercy! This process of life-change is as complicated as I suspected.

The quiet wait

Have you ever had to wait? You know something is changing. You're not able to read the outcome of what's coming. You hope it will be good, but the past is still with you - and you're not sure you're going to be able to negotiate the future.

The Saturday between Good Friday and Easter has become an annual day of reflection. Today I look out my office window at a forest of bare branches among the evergreens. Inside those trunks, life starts to stir. The cool nights and warming days trigger sap to move and buds to swell and open.

A few plants are early adapters. The Japanese maples have begun to unfurl; the witch hazel is setting out leaves after dropping its blooms; the sword fern fiddles are peeking out of last year's growth. But the big oaks, maples, and alders? They look deader than dead while their new energy accumulates.

Are you a quick sprout-er or does it take you a while to leaf out?

How do you negotiate the "between" day or days - when what's coming may not be confirmed but the past is too uncomfortable to hold onto? When you're being propelled into the future, whether by choice or circumstances?

1. Remind yourself that God knows the past, present, and future. He's able to help you into - and beyond - tomorrow. Be intentional in asking and listening for His help and counsel. For Jesus' disciples, hope had been crucified. The Messiah was dead. In contrast, God knew the glorious resurrection, the unanticipated wonder of Easter, coming in the morning!
2. Transition is a process. Give yourself grace as you explore, fail, reinvent yourself, and become more than you are today. Like the disciples, you may huddle behind a door in fear. Or you may be like the women, doing the chores of grieving to move on.
3. Let the past rest. You can't change yesterday. Resolve to move ahead with who you are and what you know. Yet don't let the limitations of the past determine the rest of your life.
4. Let the day unfold. Wait and watch. Transition is uncertain, scary, wonderful, awful, delightful, painful, healing, and many other experiences. Emphasize the emotions, actions, and attitudes that will move you forward.
5. Get a coach or mentor while you're negotiating change. Mentors show you what they've done. Coaches help you figure out what you want and how to get there. (NOTE: I have some "free" hours available for phone-coaching. Please contact me if you're interested in being coached. Your benefit: coaching. Mine: hours toward certification.) Trusted friends and family can also help you see where you are and where you're going.
6. Take steps toward the future. There are big and small steps in any change. Sometimes it means journal-ing dreams and hopes; sometimes it means making a phone call or sending an email; sometimes it means moving to another job, a new neighborhood, or another city. However, don't just blindly move. In a rafting metaphor, you have some control of the process: get your paddles and safety gear in the boat and make sure it's in good repair. Be purposeful about pointing the raft into the stream, and then let the current help get you there.
7. Evaluate whether you're moving in a good direction. Change course if you need to. Jesus' disciples spent listening to the risen Christ. The experience of Pentecost empowered them with resources and possibilities beyond their wildest imagination. If they had said, "We've never done this before. It's more comfortable not to think about what God's calling us to do," most of us (2000 years later) would never have known about Jesus.
8. The future is better than the past. God has taught you through family, friends, school, experience. What you know is important. Who you become serves and changes the world around you. Whether one or many are affected, fulfilling your destiny and following your passion is your choice. GO FOR IT!

What transitions have you negotiated? What about the new place surprised you, either in the moment or in retrospect?

Read more:
*You shall eat your bread to the full, and live securely in your land. Leviticus 26:5 NLT

*And taking the five loaves and the two fish, Jesus looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And all ate and were filled. Luke 9:16-17 NLT

*Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:10-18 NIV

Moravian Prayer: Jesus, may we recognize you in the miracles of daily life: bread shared; a helping hand; a welcoming embrace. Feed us with your Spirit, so we will be inspired and willing to work toward your just and compassionate realm. Amen. 

Lent Day 16: Get moving!

What a smart man:

Find "Daily Thoughts" from Real Simple here.

Do you crave safety over activity? Prefer to stay where you feel secure rather than venture into the unknown?

For some, a difficult past produces fear about what lies ahead. I had a wonderful childhood. My affirming parents said, "Go ahead and try it!" when I wondered if I could do something I hadn't yet tried. (Mind you, to this day Dad's still learning new things!)

If you're stuck and cautious about what the future holds, consider the following:

1. God knows your past. Your present. AND your future. Nothing surprises him about you as you were, the way you are now, or what you are becoming.
2. God is strong enough to be in control of what's coming. He is able to see you through the best and worst of times. His control oversees the actions of others, too.
3. God is all-wise. If you depend on him, he will steer you through the unknown with perfect wisdom. Because you're human, you may make mistakes. But nothing will steer you so far away that he cannot retrieve you and your situation.
4. God likes - and loves - you. He works all things together for those that love him, to those who are called according to his purpose. (Read Romans 8 for the full scoop.)

If you've committed your life to God, decided to follow and obey him, and have begun to love him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, remember this: He's in charge.

When you feel overwhelmed or frightened, remember that everything is in view for Him. And everything is under HIS control. When our granddaughter was learning to negotiate stairs, she held tightly to our fingers. When she'd slip or take too big of a step, we'd close our hands over hers and keep her from falling.

Step out in obedience and see how God's hands hold you safe. (He's more capable and even more loving than a grandparent!)

Act with confidence, not trepidation. Do your research. Be wise. Then leap into this life that is the adventure of faith! You'll be happy to know that "You're not in Kansas [nor in the same-old same-old life] anymore."

Read more:
*Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you." Psalm 5:2 NLT

*O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God! Even now your enemies are in tumult; those who hate you have raised their heads. Psalm 83:1-2 NEV

*I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of your righteousness, of yours only. Psalm 71:16 (NKJV)
*The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 NEV

*Christ was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God. 2 Corinthians 13:4 NEVMoravian Prayer: With the power of your word, O God, you spoke the universe into being and raised Christ from the dead. Help us always to act with the knowledge that our strength comes from you.

God of all time and eternity, we your human children scurry around frantic with anxiety in the face of opposition. Teach us your patience and assure us that the final victory is yours. Amen.

Lent Day 7: Life in test mode

 I failed a test this week. I prepped for it, stepped up to the plate, and fell flat over my sneaker laces. Maybe you've been there:

• When you miss a deadline, do you beat yourself up for it? 
• If someone comes in the door and your entry is a mess, do you fret for days? 
• If a deadline seems out of reach, do you give up instead of pressing on for one more try?
• You had a great opportunity and it flopped. Now you are scared to try again.

 One of the hardest tasks for goal-setters and high achievers is self-forgiveness. Letting go of failure. Looking beyond the obvious miss to a possible future win.

"Always Hopeful" by Toni Grote

We sometimes find it easier to forgive others than to forgive ourselves. Is there something in your past (or in the day) that you need to release in order to move forward?

God has completely forgiven us through Jesus Christ. That means he does not remember our sins against us. He knows we have messed up (there's no God-amnesia, after all!) but he doesn't hold our past against our future.

Consider doing the same for yourself today. Learn from the past. Let it go. Then look to the future with hope and a sense of possibility.

Read more:
 *The Lord says, "I will not continually accuse, nor will I always be angry." Isaiah 57:16

*Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” Luke 5:20

*Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 NIV

Moravian Prayer: Forgiving Savior, as we journey through this season of Lent, our hearts are overwhelmed with awe and gratitude for the patience and love you show us. Bless us always thus, we pray. Amen.

Of all the stupid things...

Man gets head stuck in bin

We weren't aloud to say "stupid," growing up. It was considered vulgar. Mom would have washed our mouths out with soap.

But once in a while something comes along that's so ridiculous that "stupid" applies. For example, Scottish emergency responders had to separate a man from the bin into which he'd pushed his head. Dumb fellow!

I haven't gotten my head stuck in a public trashcan but I've done my share of silly things. As I was waking yesterday, UCB Ireland programming was highlighting the value of fear in preventing us from doing stupid things or putting our lives at risk. The speaker also noted that youth is known for risk-taking rather than the wisdom of fear. Experience and age produces caution. Probably true: I'm less willing to take risks as I age.

Back in the day: at a son's wedding

However, there are three other reasons that produce caution in me. Their names are Wilhelmina, Phyllis, and Patti. I'm going on a retreat this week with them. We've met for 18 years (if I'm wrong, they'll correct my dates). The first ten years, we met every 3 weeks and did 2 annual weekend retreats. The conditions for admission to the group?

• female
• wholeheartedly seeking God
• able to keep confidences
• willing to share life

Those gals know me inside-out, and I can predict their responses to life as well as they can anticipate mine.  We've shared things our husbands don't know (mostly girl-things, attitudes, and actions that wouldn't benefit our marriages if we told the guys).

I look forward to the retreats but also dread them. God puts a finger on my heart each time, pointing out where I am spiritually dense or unwilling, where my nature is not aligned with his, and where I've been disobedient. Oh how I hate to be put on the spot.

2012

And how I welcome God's love and the kindness of the WPPRs in pointing out my faults as well as boosting me for accomplishments. It's hard to make progress when ours are the only eyes permitted on our inner beings. We are too forgiving of ourselves, either overlooking flaws and sins, or excusing them with, "That's just how I am," or "If only they would ... , then I would be different/ respond differently/ etc." An outside look of compassion or finger pointed in love have made a great difference in my life.

Do you need similar accountability? Here's a checklist of questions to clarify your answer:

• I'm in a position of responsibility. Scripture says those in leadership will be judged more carefully and severely than others.
• I wrestle with an issue or issues that I haven't been able to resolve. This might be a hidden sin, a destructive habit, or stymied progress in spiritual maturity.
• No one knows me inside and out. This self-protection usually hides the issue above.
• My spouse or roommate or friends are tired of listening; I talk in circles or only to them ... without resolving issues. A good accountability group will challenge you if you make no progress or keep bringing up the same patterns. My search for the WPPRs began after my husband asked me to "find some girlfriends" because, as he noted, "I'm not Jesus. You need someone else to talk to."
• I need input from others. Your view of ministry or job or family life may have become myopic: your in the forest so you can't see anything but the nearest trees. Trusted counselors provide perspective and balance.

Finally, here's a summary in how the WPPRS have repeatedly hauled "off the stupid truck," as a Texan friend eloquently put it. WPPRs is not a Bible Study or friends' day out. What WPPRs does provide for each of us:

• a safe haven, confidential accountability
• regular meeting; you know you will be called to talk about your life about every three weeks; provides caution in life
•  prayer partners
• insight into being a wife, mother, daughter, sister
• balance, perspective – everyone has “something,” thank God for the shape of my own cross!
• retreat – “girl time” for talking, study, laughter, movies
• unexpectedly: deep, close friendships

I'd encourage you to ask God to bring you the joys of deep connections!