“A passerby named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the countryside just then, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. (Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.)”

Mark 15:21 NLT

There are a lot of mysteries when it comes to Scripture, and this is one of them – Simon from Cyrene. A man who had never been mentioned before and a man who would never be mentioned again in the Gospel story. I don’t know what happened to him after he helped Jesus carry His cross, but I can only imagine that it was life changing!

I envision an awful mess! Jesus – tired and bloody – carrying an undeserved cross. Some people cheering. Some people mourning. The confusion of the moment. The corruption of the Passover.

All Simon wanted to do was celebrate the freedom, renewal and faith of his people. But instead, He was thrust into the spotlight of following Jesus. And he found it was not an easy task as the cross is a heavy burden to bear.

I can’t imagine how Simon felt when he had to give up his own way that day to carry the cross of Jesus! He was commanded to share the weight of the cross and to suffer for hours as they made their way up to the top of the hill. But what an honor it must have been to be a part of the work of God – even if it was just a small part. His submission to the powers that be to sacrifice his day to suffer with Jesus, I must say, is inspiring and admiring.

But I am thankful that we live on the other side of that cross! Simon was forced to follow Jesus. But we are left with a choice.

Jesus told his disciples long before his crucifixion that “If any of you want to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34).

And taking up your own cross is hard! But just as Simon is forever identified with Jesus, when we walk in the footsteps of Jesus – submitting ourselves to Him, sacrificing our own desires, and suffering for the sake of good – we too, become forever a part of God’s plan.

When you choose to follow Jesus, the mysteries of the Gospel begin to unfold. The power of the cross is displayed. And the Life of the Holy Spirit is declared! This mystery was revealed to the early disciples when the grave was found empty. And it’s revealed to us when we empty ourselves.

It might sound like an easy choice to make. But it’s not an easy journey. Carrying our cross is hard work! But we can be confident that the suffering we endure by denying ourselves for Christ will bring joy in the morning because we become the work of God!

“For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.”

1 Peter 2:21 NLT

Saturday Soul Search

“Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous, moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized – whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ – but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t want to just talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!”

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (MSG)

This week I had the opportunity to take a quick retreat at the river. As I sat there reflecting, I looked over to see the spoils of the harvest being shared by Turkey, Deer, and Quail (pictured above). It was a pretty awesome sight just to see, but it also brought me an awareness of the barriers and labels that we as humans have built. Barriers that keep us comfortable, but also isolates us in a multi-cultural world.

Culture influences how people see their own world. It’s a pattern of human behavior which includes beliefs, values, practices, customs, manners of interacting, relationships and expected behaviors. But I think we get so comfortable in the world that we are familiar with, that we fail to even try to experience things from another person’s point of view.

Paul had the right idea! He knew that to be effective in his ministry, he had to move out of his comfort zone to meet people where they were at.

This didn’t mean compromising his own values or beliefs. It meant finding common ground. It meant humbling himself to invest time in people who were not like himself. Listening to them. Observing them. Attempting to understand them and the challenges that were before them. This meant being sensitive to their differences and making them feel accepted and loved. It meant hanging out with the lost. And creating open doors for the Gospel to be heard.

But it also meant that he was imitating Christ. In Matthew 9:10-13, Jesus himself, who came to save and not condemn (John 3:17), sat among sinners because they were the ones who needed Him most.

And I think we could learn a lot from Paul. And from the Turkey, Quail, and Deer.

I personally have found that intentional exposure to other cultures, values, and beliefs helps me search my heart for my own biases and prejudices. It challenges me to love without limitations and moves me into deeper reflection of my own hatred and hardness. It requires me to practice patience, empathy, compassion, and self-control. And it reminds me that it’s not my place to judge others or try to change what they believe, but that it’s my mission to sow a seed that can only be grown by God.

When I move myself out of my bubble and into the bubble of others, it sharpens me and it humbles me. Because it makes me let go of me, if only for a moment, to let someone else be. And it allows me to sweeten the pot with a little bit of Jesus and a whole lot of love in a way that might otherwise not be understood.

When it’s so easy to shun others because of our worldview assumptions, let’s think like Paul and be like the wildlife in the field; sharing our spoils and enjoying together the blessings of the harvest without hesitation, expectation, or resistance. Let’s reap the peace and joy that Jesus has so graciously sown into us by sitting with none other than us alone. We are the sinners He came to save so let’s not just talk the talk, but let’s walk the walk.

Saturday Soul Search

“Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, invincible in battle. Wake up, you sleepyhead city! Wake up, you sleepyhead people. The King of glory is ready to enter. Who is the King of glory? The Lord of Heaven’s Armies— he is the King of glory”!

Psalms 24:8-10 (NLT/MSG)

When I was in high school, (yes, that was 40 years ago), there was a movie being made right up the street from us in Fort Worth starring Rob Lowe and Wynona Ryder. I remember everyone, including me, was giddy and chasing the cameras with the hope of catching a glimpse of the famous heart throbs.

Looking back on that now, it seems kind of silly. I mean I have pictures somewhere that are lost and forgotten. I also had to look up the movie that had been filmed because it too, was lost and forgotten – by me anyway. And as it is really cool to have followed the two stars throughout their careers and know that I caught of glimpse of their glory early on, the reality is that my being there, meant nothing to them at all – or really to me. But it does make for a really good story!

I am thankful though, that there is someone else Who I have chased and still get giddy to see. He is the One who is the true King of Glory! He is the One who knows I’m there (and even knows my name)! He is the One who is intimately approachable, perpetually unchangeable, and eternally sovereign. And He’s a person who is hard to forget because His evidence is all around through His creation and His faithfulness.

My King of Glory is the One who displays His beauty and wisdom through nature, His grace and mercy through compassion, His power and righteousness through redemption, His justice and love through holiness, and His protection and provision through faithfulness. My King of Glory is the One who is worthy of praise!

We make choices every day to glorify someone or something. But who are we giddy and rushing to see? Who really makes our hearts throb? Is it entertainers, politicians, or even people in our lives who enchant us? Or is it the Living God!

Take time to reflect on the attributes that are worthy of your worship and praise. And give some thought to the character and roles that God plays in your life. Then thank Him! Give Him proper praise! And don’t forget to declare to the world that He is your King of Glory! The only King that is worthy of glory and praise.

Saturday Soul Search

““Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.”

Romans 12:2-3

They say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. But I think that you can! In fact I think it’s not only healthy, but expected, for us to learn new tricks and change the way we respond to the world, even if the world doesn’t change for us.

And as the New Year rolls in, may we reflect and resolve to learn new tricks, to try new things, and to better ourselves – not only for how it will benefit us, but for the sake of others as well.

Sometimes though it’s hard to embrace change, especially when it involves ourselves. In a world that is constantly changing, we can choose to be the old dog, or we can choose to learn new tricks to navigate the changes without compromising what we know to be true.

This can prove to be challenging for sure. But when we allow God to be Who He is and incorporate His unchanging character (Hebrews 13:8) into our resolutions to love better, lead better, and live better, we are less likely to fail.

Here are a few ways that you can embody the unity between Christ, yourself and the world. Whether you have decided to learn new tricks, or feeling like the old will do, incorporating these disciplines into your life can accomplish only good.

• Make time to be alone with God. This is not something that comes easily, but it is an intentional sacrifice that will prove to be powerful in your journey to change (Mark 1:35).
• Ask God to search your heart and give you a humbled and surrendered Spirit (Psalm 139:24).
• Be mindful of what you are watching and listening to. Keeping your eyes on things that are good, excellent, and praiseworthy will keep your mind positive and moving forward (Matthew 6:22-23).
• Ask a friend to join you in your journey. Share your challenges and what you hope to gain by learning new tricks. Ask them to evaluate you as well. And see what tricks might be up their sleeve (Ecclesiastes 4:9).
• Dress yourself for Success. The devil is gonna’ be on your back so wear that armor provided by God to stop those darts of defeat (Ephesians 6:10-20).

But of course, our desire to change can only come from Christ. And when He compels us to do so, it is for the good of our witness for Him and increases our effectiveness to love like Him, live like Him, and fulfill His mission in the world.

May the Spirit of the Living and Unchanging God reveal to you new tricks that you can use in this ever-changing world to build a firm and steady bridge to His Kingdom.

Happy New Year Ya’ll!

#SaturdaySoulSearch

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful I know that full well.”

Psalms 139:13-14

How do you measure success? Success can be defined in many different and healthy ways, but we often look at others and what they have accomplished to measure our own success. But our success should not be characterized by what the rest of the world is doing. The measure of our success should be how we respond in faith and obedience to God’s purpose for OUR life.

We each have our own role for which God has created us for, and when we begin to compare it to what others are doing, it leads not only to feelings of insecurity and inadequacy, but it can also lead to friction in our relationships.

Comparison can also neutralize our effectiveness for God. He made each of us in His own image but with our own individual gifts. He set us apart from everyone else to be who He wants us to be. But if we are too busy focusing on what everyone else is doing that might be bigger or better than us, we aren’t able to embrace the power of the Spirit that motivates us to bear our own fruit.

We are all created and wonderfully made by God Himself! And we can have confidence that He will equip us and empower us to make Him famous in His, and our own, special way.

Friend, you don’t have to compare and compete with others. God is the only one that matters when measuring your success. You can praise God for what He is doing in your life. You can rejoice in your friendships and acquaintances. And you can celebrate all that God has put on their plates, and also, all that He has put on yours.

Who do we need to give a high five to today? And what can you high five yourself for? Start by giving praise to God, who created you to be you – fearful, wonderful and capable you! Then ask Him to help you recognize your special gifts and in what unique way He can use you today.

12 words

Success isn’t measured by what everyone else does. It’s measured by God.

#SaturdaySoulSearch

“For the Lord is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos. “I am the Lord,” he says, “and there is no other. I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner. I would not have told the people of Israel to seek me if I could not be found. I, the Lord, speak only what is true and declare only what is right.”

Isaiah 45:18-19 NLT

Two parents. Three heart procedures. Two scheduled admissions for surgery. One unscheduled admission for unfinished surgery. Two unscheduled ER visits. One unscheduled admission for complications. One emergency visit to the surgeon’s office. Three unscheduled follow ups. All in nine days.

Ya’ll, it’s been chaos. But ya’ know what? I’m still standing. And fairly sane. WHY? First of all, the family unit that my parents created is amazing! My Dad’s four girls, including the one who was laid up with him, didn’t fail to stick together during the intensity of the moments. But mostly I made it by the grace of God.

You see, God didn’t create this world out of empty chaos. And he didn’t create it to be lived in empty chaos. He created us to find meaning and fulfillment even through our chaos. And even though these past few weeks are kind of a blur, they were filled with meaningful moments of seeing God show up. In our conversations. In our interventions. In our wisdom. In our tears. In those moments of pulling our hair out. God was in the midst and He never left us alone.

Our first order of business in any chaotic situation is to look at God and how He created the world! I can’t even imagine the chaos that was taking place as the light appeared in the darkness. As the seas were separated from the heavens and the earth. As the sun and the moon appeared. As the skies and earth were filled with life. As trees and plants popped up to bless all that He had created. He had a plan from the beginning to use chaos to bring blessings, purpose, and fulfillment.

And He is a God who shows up to bring us all of those good things. He isn’t a God who tells you to seek Him and then can’t be found. Oh no! He is a God who is right there! He boldly proclaims that He can be found in the darkness and confusion of life and He keeps His promise to show up.

In the middle of chaos or crisis lies the greatest of opportunities. The opportunity to seek God and allow Him the blessing of walking with you. The opportunity to be still allowing Him to infuse peace. The opportunity to give up control and trust Him to restore order. Admitting that it may not be in our timing or even the perfect way that we envision it, but if we pay attention and hang in there with Him …it’s an order that is magnificently designed to bring some kind of beauty to our battle.

One of the greatest mysteries of trusting God for me is the patience of not knowing what or when His outcomes will be. But I know that just as when He created the world and it was good, what He’s creating in me and for me through trusting Him will be just as good.

First Corinthians 2:9 reminds us that “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him”. And I imagine that in the midst of our chaos and confusion, we can’t even begin to imagine what He is preparing for us.

I am still processing all that He has done in these past few weeks, but what I do already know, is that as I wept in confusion and slept in exhaustion, I also shouted for joy because I know my God was there. When I sought Him, He showed up. And for that, I am thankful.

I encourage you today, whether you are in the midst of chaos or resting in confidence, to take some time to seek and get to know God. Don’t wait until you are in dire need! His mercies are new and His promises hold true every day! They will not return empty as He invites you into a personal relationship that can be found right now! A relationship that will bring order in and out of chaos, now and forevermore.

#SaturdaySoulSearch

“The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace”.

Isaiah 55:10-12a

Rain! As it can be such a blessing, we often complain that it never comes at the right time! During droughts it doesn’t come soon enough. And during the floods, we wonder when it will end. When we have outdoor plans, we pout at the disruption and redirection of our day. But God sends His rain because it is good. He sends His rain because He is good. And He has reminded me lately how much I need His rain!

Not the wet stuff that falls from the sky, but His Word that He plants in my heart to nourish and grow my soul.

His Word wasn’t necessarily appealing to me for many years. But that day He grabbed my attention was the day the floodgates opened up. He revealed Himself to me as the gift from heaven who could offer me life! Life! Unlike the one I was living. Unlike the one I imagined. Life! Enriched with meaning and purpose. Living to honor Him and reflect His goodness. Life! Loved, valued, and redeemed by Jesus!

And in the stress and insanity of this past month, when I felt empty and dry, I have been so thankful that God cared enough about me to send me rain! I’m thankful for the flooding of my soul with His Word and His faithfulness so many times in the past that I could confidently know that He would do it again!

Just as God sent rain to protect Noah and his family, He sends rain to protect us from our emotions and strain. He sent rain (manna) to feed the Israelites and He continues to send rain to nurture and refresh us.

God rains down Scripture and encourgement before we even know that we need it. It might seem like it’s not useful at the time, or that it doesn’t apply to us, but every Word that God has written is useful to teach us, to convict us, to prepare us, and to equip us to do every good work that He has planned for us to do (2 Timothy 3:16-17). And He does this because He loves us!

But if we have our umbrellas up and are not paying attention, we might miss what He has in store for us.

In Deuteronomy 11:14, God tells us He “will send the rains in their proper seasons – the early rains and the late rains – so you can bring in your harvests of grain, new wine and olive oil”.

God desires to bless you with a harvest of joy and peace! He desires to annoint you with the Presence and the Power of His Spirit. And He desires to equip you with everything you need. Whether it’s strength and energy, motivation and passion, or patience and self-control. God’s Word will always accomplish what He desires for it to accomplish.

But we have to desire it too. We have to allow God’s Word to saturate our soul – meditating on it day and night. We should obey the commands to love God first and to love each other regardless of how we feel. And we must embrace the fact that God’s Word was written out of love to help us shape our lives into lives that love.

Every good and perfect gift is sent from above (James 1:17) and He is waiting to shower that gift on you! Will you let God’s goodness rain on you today?

12 words

Into every life some rain must fall. Let it be from God!

#SaturdaySoulSearch

Soak in some Worship time with Micheal W. Smith! (You’ll have to skip through the ads).

https://youtu.be/ghHfnXPp2AA

““For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.”

2 Corinthians 4:6-10

I’ve been looking at the flower bed filled with withered Brown Eyed Susan’s all week with the intention of pruning them for the winter. So today, as I went out to trim them back, there was this little butterfly feasting on the heart of the “dead” flower. I couldn’t bear the thought of cutting down the flowers then – even though they are not very attractive to the eye – because apparently, they are still useful and attractive to those who depend on it for life.

And I’ll be honest with you, I’ve been struggling all week with what to write today. In light of what all is happening in our country with the division, the hate, the slander, and the perceived darkness, I was not finding many hopeful things to say. But this feasting little butterfly reminded me that even with our broken hearts, we always have a supernatural joy and a Divine Power to help us bring riches and blessings to others. We have the Light that extinguishes the darkness if we are willing to let it shine.

But our humanity, our jars of clay, can make us feel defeated in our purpose and even make us feel like we should just give up. And before we know it our fears and insecurities have us spiraling down a rabbit trail that breaks our confidence of Whose we are and what we are called to do.

The devil knows that if he can get even just a toe hold on our hearts in our most vulnerable times, then he can begin to shatter the jar that holds our greatest treasure – the Light and Power of Jesus. We may feel like we are at the end of our rope but Paul reminds us in the Scripture above, that we are never at the end of our Hope!

And that is why we never give up! Even when there’s division all around and all we feel is despair, we can find joy in the Light that holds us all together. We can stand tall with confidence instead of doubt. We can be determined instead of deterred. We can share Life, even when we are emotionally dead.

So just as the heart of my dead flower was still providing rich blessings to my beautiful butterfly, we can still provide the precious blessings of God’s Light, God’s Spirit, and God’s Truth- even from the shattered places in our hearts. We can do this because we are simply jars of clay who are enlightened with the treasures of Jesus.

I pray today that we can let our light shine brighter than ever before. Even if we don’t feel like it. Even if we’d rather slide under a rock and hide from the heinousness of this world. May your light shine through the cracks, through the chips, through the scars, and through the fragments, ultimately demonstrating the Power of the Treasure that holds all the brokenness together. There is still work to be done out there. And we are still useful! The Light still shines, even through the cracks.

“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT

#SaturdaySoulSearch

“Many people say, “Who will show us better times?” Let your face smile on us, Lord. You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.”

Psalms 4:6-8 (NLT)

It was my third trip to Haiti and I had never had trouble with my bags. But this time it was lost. The panic set in at the airport when not only could I not communicate effectively at the baggage claim, but also that I was in a country where I couldn’t just go to Walmart to pick up a few things until my bags arrived. I was stuck with just the clothes on my back and at the mercy of the airlines and the mission. (I was a also stuck with a hard lesson to at least carry an extra pair of underwear and a toothbrush in my carry on).

Later that night, I was given the news that my bags wouldn’t be there until day after next. Not quite the news I was expecting, especially since the mission only keeps items that were left behind and most of those are donated to the community. So, I had to make the choice to make the best of it.

As I prayed for that miracle of somehow my bags just appearing on a random flight, God brought me another hard lesson – that he wasn’t my Mr. Fix-It. But He also brought me His promise of joy and peace – even through my dirty underwear, my stinky underarms, and my unbrushed teeth. He quickly reminded me of my mission, and that it didn’t depend on clean underwear, but rather His provision. And more importantly, as I pondered through the night, He was giving me a way to better recognize the everyday struggles of those who I was serving.

The people of Haiti often times don’t even have underwear. If they have a toothbrush, they don’t have clean water to use it with. And deodorant is the farthest from their minds! At least I had a cold shower, while many of the people in the village took their baths in the dirty aqueduct or river.

God showed me in those three days that those were actually the “better times” of my trips. Because in those hours of waiting for clean clothes, God brought me the greater joy of His splendor. He showed me His smile as I peacefully slept and humbly had to walk out the door with the same underwear I had worn for 3 days. And He showed me the miracle of His greater purpose when I took my eyes off of me and put them back on Him.

What I learned is that sometimes we expect God to be our Mr. Fix-it guy. We want Him to fix it so we can be more comfortable. But He wants to fix it in a way that will be more meaningful.

God promises to be with us in every circumstance. And in every circumstance, we can find joy! But we have be willing to see the miracles of the unseen blessings. They don’t always come as we expect. But we can expect that they will always come!

How can you find greater purpose in what you are experiencing today? Ask God to not just fix your problem, but to help you trust Him so that you can find greater meaning in the midst of it.

#SaturdaySoulSearch