Thankfulness...

Thankfulness
11-24.15

I was standing on stage at church today, as we had mic checks and rehearsed for the Worship Service, looking around at my family and feeling incredibly blessed.  You see, all three of my sons were up there with me.  Jarod on drums, Alex on guitar, Taylor on bass and singing, my daughter-in-law’s mom and fellow alto, Ann, who is one of my closest friends and, of course, my sweet husband Scott leading the music.  How many people get to do that?  I mean really, when my boys were little, I always hoped that one day this would be a reality, and here we are all these years later together on stage leading worship.  I am wonderfully and incredibly blessed, and not just in that sense.  Whether it’s Taylor serving in ESL, Youth & Music Ministry, or Alex serving with the Youth, Music and Graphic Design, or Jarod serving in the Youth and Music Ministry, all three have grown into strong, Christian, men.  I have a beautiful, talented daughter-in-law who just graduated from OSU with her Master’s in Music and her Dad, Mark, is a kind-hearted, Godly man and a great friend.  My husband is one of the kindest, most humble people I have ever known. He is my mate, the other half of my soul.   We are blessed.  Of course, I wouldn’t be here at this point in my life if it wasn’t for the rest my family.  My upbringing was, to me anyway, quite wonderful.  I struggle to describe it because there are so many components that played a huge part in who I am.  It wasn’t always easy.  It wasn’t always joyous, but it was always filled with love.  I grew up playing outside, going camping and fishing, walking in the woods, building forts in the trees, catching lightning bugs, swimming in the lake, staying outside playing until the street lights came on, and surrounded by mountain music as my family members played and sang about cowboys, sweethearts and God’s unfailing love.  I’ve been taught how to be loving, kind, patient, compassionate, strong, creative, stubborn, joyful, thankful, optimistic, adventurous, determined, tough, persistent, honest, loyal, moral and faithful, and I’ve been taught those things by grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, teachers, friends, my younger brother, my husband and most of all my parents.  I am who I am because they are who they are.  The people who have influenced and taught me, and the circumstances I have faced, both good and bad, have made me into the person I am today, and that in turn has shaped my own children.  I don’t live a charmed life.  I’ve experienced heartache, sickness, pain, loss and fear, but I am so thankful for the life I’ve been given. Because, even though it’s not perfect, it is full of God’s unchanging love for me and for my family, and for that I am truly thankful.

*It’s funny that I wrote this Sunday after church, and then came home to see that my mother had written a similar note about the things for which she is thankful.  We share a love of writing, among other things, so all I can say is “Great minds think alike!”  J  Amy

 Colossians 3:15-17 

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 

Soapbox Moment - Definition of a Christian

I'm having a "soapbox" moment:

     I am so tired of anyone claiming to be a Christian being instantly labeled as a judgmental, hateful, racist, bigot, homophobe who wants to kick out all the immigrants and carry my automatic weapons down the street.  If you know someone who fits all these descriptions they are not a disciple of Jesus Christ and if they think they are, they are very, very mixed up.  Please don't put all who call themselves Christian in the same box. 

     The definition of Christian is: a person who exemplifies in his or her life, the teachings of Christ.  Now, in order to "exemplify the teachings of Christ" you have to actually KNOW what those teachings are.  His teachings are of love and forgiveness.  He is not in the condemning business.  He wants to restore even the most broken and wicked people.  His passion is to see the broken, sick and weak become strong, healthy and whole in His Kingdom.  He spent very little of His time on earth telling people why they were wrong and condemning them, but instead spent His time practically loving them and extending grace to the worst of them.  I'm afraid there are too many who call themselves Christian who operate on the assumption that it is their job to point fingers, and tell everyone else what is wrong with their lives.  We are ALL sinners.  Just because I am a follower of Christ doesn't mean that I am miraculously able to never sin again.  It means that, by the amazing and undeserving, unconditional, grace of Christ, I am forgiven.  That forgiveness is for ME, for my own peace, my own hope, my own eternal future, and has nothing to do with whether anyone else believes me worthy of it.  Jesus deemed me worthy.  He also deems YOU worthy.  He draws no lines as to who is worthy of that gift.  It is a gift He gave for every single person on earth....young or old, good or bad, every color and creed, because we all have that empty place in our hearts that longs for the One who created it.  We try to fill it up with all kinds of things...wealth, love, material things, work, drugs, alcohol. The list could go on forever.  The problem we all face is, there is only one thing that will fill up that void in our lives no matter how hard we try to fill it up with other things, and that is Christ.

     If you claim to be a Christian, I encourage you to be a follower of Christ...not the definition the world has given us, because it's completely wrong.   Loving people the way Christ wants you to doesn't mean you have to agree with their lifestyle or their choices.  We are to show His LOVE to the world, to be a lighthouse in the darkest, stormiest seas....helping, listening, having compassion and understanding for our fellow man so that they will see Christ in us and be drawn to His unconditional and eternal love.  

• “I have not come to condemn the world, but to save it.” John 3:17 ESV
• “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”- John 8:11 ESV
• “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven..." - Luke 6:37 ESV
• “If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen." - 1 John 4:20 ESV

"Doubt Truth be a Liar, but Never Doubt I Love." What's the Secret to a Happy Marriage?

This post is dedicated to my soul mate, the love of my life, my gift from God, my husband.  

     I've had people ask me, "You've been married a long time.  So what's the secret to a happy marriage?"  That usually makes me laugh.  Not because mine isn't happy, because it usually is, but because I cannot fathom why someone would think I know!  I do realize that being married, and staying that way, is a bit out of the ordinary these day.  Let me begin by saying that I've had wonderful examples in my life.  My parents, grandparents & great grandparents all stayed together and they were happily married.  I never thought about divorce when I was growing up.  It was never an option in my mind when I got married.  Now, I will stop there to say that IF I had married someone who was abusive, that would have been a deal breaker.  So don't think for one second I am telling you that kind of behavior is OK to live with, because it's not.  I have been blessed with a very gentle man....often stubborn, yes....but gentle.  I'm very stubborn myself, so if we ever have issues it usually stems from that character trait.  If I had to say who is more stubborn...well I have to confess, it's probably me.  I have known my sweet husband since 1987 when he became Choir Director at my little church in Chattanooga, TN.  After knowing each other for about a year, we started dating, and 2 months later we were engaged. We were married 6 months after our first date and moved to Fort Worth, Texas for him to complete his Master's at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.  The rest, as they say, is history.  Twenty-seven plus years later, here we are.  Through those years we have raised 3 boys, lived in 5 different states, served at 7 (I think) different churches, and somehow managed not to kill each other!  Truly, we have had some very difficult times.  Things that, if not for the grace of God and our mutual trust in Him, could have driven us apart.  You have to come to terms with the fact that you are both imperfect.  Now I'll tell you a little secret.  I love my husband beyond measure, truly.  When I think about how much I love him, it makes my heart overflow.  To think of my life without him brings me physical pain.  Truly he can exasperate me sometimes, especially when he's being grouchy or impatient.  But I have learned that if he is being grouchy then I need to try to encourage him in some way.  If he is very impatient, I need to help him refocus and try to understand the situation...smooth the ruffled feathers so to speak.  You see, I am his polar opposite in many ways.  I don't always get it right.  Sometimes I snap back.  Sometimes I sulk.  Sometimes I grouch right back.  But these days, I do try to stop, take a deep breath and think about how I can smooth things out for him.  I'm a pretty relaxed person.  I take most things in stride. He's a bit more high strung, tends to panic and get worked up over things.  He's is a musician after all, haha!  I have a pretty positive outlook on life and like to dream.  He's more realistic and in the moment.  We are both pretty reserved, although I tend to be a little more outgoing once I get to know you.  We both require some "me" time each day to recharge our batteries.  I can get so overdrawn in the "me" time department that I simply cannot deal with social interaction on occasion.  When that happens and I start to shut down, he seems to know instinctively, whether consciously or not, and lets me stay home to regroup.  We compliment each other in so many ways.  I have found that when we are at odds it is because one or usually both of us are being selfish.  In marriage the two separate people become one.  You wouldn't slap your right hand because it got the cookie before your left one would you? (If so may I suggest professional help)  You wouldn't stomp your right foot because the left one got ahead would you?  Well...not on purpose! What do you do when you cut your left finger?  You use your other hand to sooth it, bandage it, help it heal.  Your mate is your other half.  Your mate is the right to your left.  You are one.  When my mate is upset or unhappy, so am I and I want to do what I can to sooth him, ease the hurt, and help him feel better.  That way we will both be happy.  All that said, the most important equation in all of this is our personal relationship with God.  If you're relationship with God is not at the center of your relationship with your spouse, you are missing the key to happiness.  We've had seasons where we were at peace, and we've had seasons where we were hanging on by a prayer.  Without a loving God to show us how to love each other, how to care for each other, how to forgive each other, we'd have lost the battle long ago.  So, what's the secret to a happy marriage?  I'm still learning, even after all these years, and I will still be learning on the day God calls me home.  But this one thing I do know, it would not be possible without God at the center of it all.  

Genesis 2:22-23
Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.  For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.  The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman for she was taken out of man."

Proverbs 31:10
A wife of noble character, who can find?  She is worth more than rubies.

Ephesians 5:28
So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies.  He that loves his wife, loves himself.



Proverbs 15:15
A miserable heart means a miserable life; a cheerful heart fills the day with song.

What's Your Story?

   What’s your story?  We all have one.  Some of them are happy stories, some of them sad, some of them simply miraculous, some of them very dark.  No matter what kind of story you have, one thing is certain; your story, your history, has influenced who you are today.  Our stories are powerful.  I don’t think a lot of people understand just how powerful they can be.  However, our story, our past, cannot be allowed to define all that we are today.  Some people who have a very sad or dark past allow that to define who they are, and use it to justify all sorts of bad behavior.  In short, they use it as an excuse.  That is not what God intended your life story to be.  It’s not an excuse for drug abuse or self-harm.  It’s not an excuse for bitterness.  It’s not an excuse for holding grudges.  It’s not an excuse for being difficult to get along with, prideful or overly sensitive. Your life story can be used to inspire others who have had the same experiences.  Your life story can be used to draw others to God’s unconditional love and acceptance.  Your life story could save someone’s life…..someone’s eternity!

 

   What are you using your story for?  Are you using it as a crutch?  Do you use it to justify the way you react to those around you?  I want more than anything for you to understand that no matter how horrible you think your story to be, God loves you without condition.  He is waiting to take that burden from you.  All you have to do is lay it at His feet.  You may already be a disciple of Jesus and you may have been for a very long time, but you never laid that burden down.  You never gave it to Him because you thought it was too dirty, too shameful or you had gotten so used to it being a part of you that you were afraid there would be nothing left when it was gone.  It’s not true.  Those are satan’s lies trying to rob you of joy; trying to keep you from ever using it to point someone else to Jesus.  God loves you.  Do you understand the significance of that?  THE one who hung every star in the sky, THE one who knows every one of those stars by name, knows YOUR name and loves YOU beyond measure.  He has seen it ALL.  He knows it ALL.  He wants you lay it down at His feet.....let go of it.....RELEASE it.  I challenge you today if this is you, to lay those hurts down at His feet once and for all.  Allow God to use your story to point others to HIM.  If you've never known a relationship with God, it’s quite simple.  Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, believe in it your heart, and you will be saved!  Once you've done that, there is absolutely nothing in your past, present or future that will ever separate you from His love!  

2 Corinthians 1:4
"He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."

I swear.....

In Matthew, Jesus tells those wishing to follow him that they must make a difference in the world.  They must be the "salt of the earth".   The salt is "the flavor" or the good works believers are to do that are to shine like a light on a lampstand and offer a witness for Christ.  If salt loses it's saltiness, it's not good for anything.  But as we all also know, too much salt can ruin that "flavor" and is unhealthy.  And we must admit....sometimes we are all a bit too "salty".  

Do you swear?  I have to admit that sometimes I do, although thankfully it is infrequent.  I try very hard not to, but I am also very human.  That might shock some of you, knowing I'm a Minister's wife.  Others who know me very well will not be shocked at all.  My children certainly aren't.  Just because I married a minister, doesn't mean I'm something other than human.  I am nowhere near perfect as anyone who knows me will attest.  I don't know why we do it, I mean, there are so many other lovely words in the English language to describe our feelings...lovely words.  And yet, we seem to revert to some basic instinct to say disgusting words that shouldn't ever grace our tongues.  Now, I will clarify that I do not take the Lord's name in vain.  That is something I cannot do.  Do I think you're going to hell if you do it?  No.  We're human, and we sin.  The reason I am even writing this is because of my frustration with every single movie I have seen lately.  They seem to know only one way of expressing themselves.  It's almost like there is only one curse word left at their disposal.  I don't know the origins of the "F" word.  I really don't care.  It is a word that is used in epidemic proportions by everyone, in every situation it seems.  Why?  Is there a rule book out there that says unless you say the "F" word at least 100 times it's not a good movie?  We're becoming desensitized to it, hearing it over and over again until we just accept it as part of every day language.  Some would say, it's just a word.  Who cares.  If you are a child of God, you should.  Everything you say on a daily basis is judged by those who are not Christians.  If you say you'll pray for them in one breath and then proudly shout an explitive the next, don't you think that sends a bit of a mixed message?  I'm not one to curse in front of other people.  It tends to sneak up on me when I've injured myself or someone really scares me.  It's frustrating because I think afterwards, why is that the word that comes to mind instinctively?  Some people swear when they're angry, others when they're depressed, and more often than not it's done to look "tough" or "cool" in front of ones friends.  I've never been perceived as tough...or cool for that matter, so I always thought cursing just for the sake of cursing wouldn't do me any good anyway.  My point is, as disciples of Christ, we have to do everything we can to be a good, decent example out there in a very dark world.  Most of the time, that's not easy.  Most of the time, that's not cool.  But try to see the bigger picture.  What if your behavior stops someone from ever even considering coming to Christ?  What if you are so like a non-believer that they see no difference and don't see any reason to even think about what Christ could do in their life?  It doesn't just apply to cursing.  You don't have to think hard to come up with other examples.  1 Corinthians 8:9 says to "be careful that your actions don't become a stumbling block to the weak".  James 3:10 says "from the same mouths come blessings and cursing.  My brothers, this ought not to be so."  It's tough.  Why do you think the psalmist said, "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth and keep watch over the door of my lips."  It is obviously something we have struggled with for ages.
That's my thoughts for this post.  I hope you can take something positive away from it.

Titus 2:6-8 ESV

Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

This changes everything....

Christian is defined as a "person who believes in the teachings of Jesus Christ".  Ask anyone you know what a Christian is and you'll probably get a different answer from each of them.  They might say it's someone who believes in God, or someone who believes that Jesus is God's son, someone who goes to church a lot, or perhaps someone who has been baptized or has prayed to ask Jesus into their heart.  But, believe it or not, the Bible say much about being "Christian".  I've learned all this in the last few days from a bible study we're doing in Sunday School by Andy Stanley called "Christian, it's not what you think".  It has completely changed my perspective.  Stanley says, if we're honest, a lot of people would define  Christians as: "judgmental, homophobic, moralists who think they are the only ones going to heaven and secretly relish the fact that everyone else is going to hell."  That made me laugh, but it is truly what some people think, and I believe what we often fear that others will think about us.  The fact is,  a Christian can be defined in a million different ways.  The word Christian only appears three times in the bible and it's not defined!  It was actually a derogatory term used by people outside of the "Jesus community" to describe the ones who were inside it.  The people inside the "Jesus community" never used it to describe themselves!  Let me say that again, the followers of Jesus never called themselves Christians.  The bible does define the followers of Jesus, but it is not as Christian....it is as Disciples.  Disciple is defined in Webster's as "one who accepts the teachings of and who assists in spreading the doctrines of another.  An adherent follower."  That's very different from simply believing in Jesus Christ.  The bible says even the demons believe in Jesus.  They know exactly who He is, and they fear Him.  Anyone can believe.  But, believing is very different from actively participating.  It's very different from being an adherent follower.  So, the next question is....Are we disciples, or are we just Christians?  Are you a disciple of Jesus or are you a Christian?  Are you an active follower of Jesus, or do you just believe in Him?  It's a disturbing question isn't it?  It makes us uncomfortable.  It's very specific. Because if you define yourself as a disciple of Jesus, it requires something specific of you.  It's not broad like the word Christian.  Jesus gave specifics about being a disciple and it wasn't anything lengthy at all.  As a matter of fact, it was quite simple.  In Romans 10:9 it says if you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  Declare it, believe it.  The evidence of that salvation is spoken of in John 13:34.  "A new command I give to you.  Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another."  Let's just imagine for a moment that all of us in the church who claim to be Christians, lived as Jesus asked the disciples to live and we LOVED one another the way Jesus loved US?! Stop...let that sink in....Blows your mind doesn't it? What if the people looking in on our "Christian" lifestyle looked in and saw us and said, "Look... how... they... LOVE!"  Wow!!  What a witness for Christ that would be if we treated each other with the same kind of love that Jesus showed US!  Jesus went on to explain it in  John 13:35 when He said, "By THIS, EVERYONE WILL KNOW that you are my DISCIPLES, if you LOVE one another."  Jesus wants other people to look at the relationship you have with your  brothers and sisters in Christ, and be drawn in by the way you LOVE each other.  He wants us to create a community of people who are characterized by that kind of  unconditional, generous, compassionate, giving, almost ridiculous kind of love.  Can you even imagine the transformation in our church if we loved that way?  What about the transformation in our families?  This is EPIC!  This is WORLD SHAKING!!  Do you understand how this could change the ENTIRE world's view of what a "Christian" is?!  We're not some broad spectrum of loosely based rules and beliefs.  We are to be Disciples of Jesus....not just believing, but actively loving each other the same way Christ loved us! We are to be adherent followers, striving to be like Him and HE... IS... LOVE.

1 John 4:16 - And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.  GOD IS LOVE.  Whoever lives in love, lives in God, and God in them.   

"Christian, it's not what you think" by Andy Stanley

Watch the video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BK6Ohz5DH0o