Landing the PERFECT Triple Salchow (spiritually speaking…)

“The Salchow is a figure skating jump with a takeoff from a back inside edge of one foot. The rotation in the air is made in the direction of the curve of the take-off edge. The landing is made on the back outside edge of the foot opposite the one used for take-off. One or more rotations may be made in the air. It was invented by the Swedish skater Ulrich Salchow in 1909.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salchow_jump#Variants

Strip away the diva behaviors, the outrageous costumes, and the unending controversies of competitive figure skating for a moment.  What do you see?

I see art.

Without all the other trappings to get in the way, we are left to marvel at the pure artistry of the sport.

I’ve never been a coordinated ice skater. But even though I’ve never mastered the backward skate, let alone a spin, I’m bewitched by the strength, the spectacle, and the beauty of it all.

Especially, the dazzling jump known as the Triple Salchow.

It’s supposedly one of the most difficult tricks to master because you go into the jump “blind” and cannot see where you’re going to land. The skater needs to trust that all her training, all her practice, and everything she’s done to get her this far IS going to get her exactly where she needs to be to land…on her feet, with grace.

Isn’t it just like our God to groom us for such a jump? A leap of faith, you might say.

You see, if the skater were to take off into midair, only to begin flailing her arms, legs, and body in distrust of her training and the One who had trained her for this moment, that landing would not be a graceful one.

But if she stays full of confidence and peace, reliant on the training and instruction she has received exactly for this moment, she soars with her head held high, holding her position through the lift, spin, and free fall, landing firmly on the ground without a single wobble.

Grace in motion.  Regardless of conditions.

A brilliant Psalmist brings the reality of the dangers and anxieties of this life to the forefront in Psalm 124. (Click here to read it yourself!)

Here’s one of the many reasons why God is so cool. In one amazing Psalm, He turns danger on its head and lets us in on a scary yet completely life-saving fact:

“The danger is real, but so is the rescue.” Josh Moody, Journey to Joy: The Psalms of the Ascent.

Life continually throws us up in the air and creates new circumstances and complications every time we turn around. What will we do in those moments? What will define our trust in God? Will we flail about and freak out because we’ve been thrown somewhere and don’t know where we will land? Or will we use the wisdom we’ve been graced with all along to help us stay tight in the jump and land on our feet, secure in the knowledge that He’s got us?

Let me be REALLY clear here. GOD’S GOT US. There is nothing that can happen during that “Salchow” that throws Him off EVEN IF we willingly choose to freak out. That’s our control issues sending us off kilter, sweet friends, not Him. But if we stay tight to the jump, eyes on Him? Perfect landing!

Our God is the God of Rescue.  The ultimate story of rescue comes directly from Jesus.  WE are the rescued. HE is the rescuer.  Never in the history of the world has there been another story like His.  He died for our sins and was resurrected to grace us with everlasting life. Why?  Because He loves us like no one else ever has, ever could, ever will.

Our God is the God of Rescue. He’s got us. If we can just learn to stand faithful and firm, staying strong in what we know to be true, we WILL land that jump on our feet, fists pumped in the air, with God smiling by our sides.

Whatever the danger, God has a rescue plan. No matter what.  No matter when.  No matter why.  And it’s beautifully perfect.

(excerpt from post originally dated 3/6/2014, copyright Wendie Connors 2014, all rights reserved)

 

Peace, love, and joy,

Wendie

PS:  Today (1/14/15), this post is dedicated to the beautiful Kara Tippetts at Mundane Faithfulness.   You are loved by so many, but most importantly, by the God who orchestrates Triple Salchows here, and in heaven.  Prayers to you.

 

The Days I Always Dread

“Sunday Night Syndrome”.  It’s honestly a real thing.  I don’t make this stuff up.  (Plus, Google says it’s real so I’m going with it… 😉 )

But seriously, I do believe it’s actually a REAL deal of a psychological phenomenon.

It’s that “blue-ish” kind of feeling many of us get on Sunday evenings (or ANY evening, really) as the fun and relaxation of the weekend comes to an end and we get ourselves back into “go” mode for the work week/school week, or whatever kind of week you might be dreading!

Know what I’m talking about?!

I’ve been known to experience it from time to time, especially around the time an elongated vacation comes to an end (as in:  summer vacation) or even the end of a special time I’ve spent with people I care about (as in:  the last day of Bible study).

That’s where I find myself today – feeing the blues – because today is the final day of our Fall 2014 Bible study series:

So, yeah.  I’m feeling a smidgen “blue”.

I know, I know.  “All good things must come to an end”, and all that.

And yes, I know that we’ll start up again after the holidays have come and gone.  But it doesn’t change the fact that, today, I’m sad.

But here’s the crazy thing.  I’m also elated!  I’ve seen friends grow exponentially through the study of this amazing book of Romans.

I’ve watched as light bulbs went on in the spirited minds of people in our study because of Paul’s honesty and willingness to share from his heart.

I’ve witnessed moments of faith, steadily maturing, as we full-on dove into God’s Living Word and let it change us from the inside out.

I’ve listened as people told stories of sharing insights with their families and friends (even in the grocery store!); I’ve been amazed at stories of spouses sharing back their own experiences.

And I’ve been overwhelmed with gratitude for a Father in Heaven who so graciously gives us exactly what we need, when we need it.

A God who speaks to us in inspired words penned 2000 years ago, yet still somehow relevantly apply to our life situations today.

A God who hasn’t once left our sides, even when we veer directly off course, and shines the light back on the path to encourage us to come home.

So, even in the feeling of not wanting this to end, I’m realizing there is an abundance of joy in my soul!  There is evidence of change for the better; proof of His faithfulness, grace, and mercy; and a hopeful sense of anticipation for what’s next!  Listen to this:

This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are.  Romans 8:15, MSG

So, my friend, maybe you’re like me today and facing the end of something you treasure.  Well… take heart!  God promises that if we stick close to him, something equally amazing (OR POSSIBLY EVEN BETTER) is right around the corner.

Experiences with our awesome God change us for the forever better, sweet friends.  Don’t miss out on opportunities to participate in them.  They exist all around you:

Join a Bible study; plug in to your local church; GO FOR A WALK; listen to some great music.

PRAY.

Have lunch with a friend; read a great book; hug your dog.  Take a warm bath; write a letter to someone special; or simply BE STILL.

Let’s encourage each other not to dwell on endings, but instead, seek out new beginnings with God.

He’s waiting!  Go find out what He’s got up His sleeve for you.  I guarantee it’s gonna be good.

And speaking of GOOD…

Even though this session of Bible study has come to an end, we are already gearing up behind the scenes to get ready for our NEXT one beginning in early 2015 – and it’s pretty awesome!  We’ll be announcing it soon right here.  In the meantime, beginning next week, we’ll be moving our posting schedule back to Tuesdays.  And not only will we be posting cool new stuff, but we’ll also be reprising some of our most popular posts from the past!

Thank you for your friendship, your comments, your insights, and your encouragement as we journeyed with Paul through his letter to the Romans!  I loved every second of it and sure hope you did, too!

One last song before we go, tho!  Check out this video for “Start a Fire” by Unspoken!  It’s the perfect anthem for our God-ignited souls!

Peace, love, and JOY!!!

Wendie

Up Next Week:  The Beauty of Saying Thank You!

Giving Credit Where Credit is Due!

We all like a little “atta-girl” or “atta-boy” every now and again, don’t we?  You know what I mean, that satisfaction we get when we’ve been acknowledged for a job well-done, right?

One of my favorite little treasures in the book of Romans relates directly to this and is tucked into one, small line, near the end of this glorious book.  Check this out:

I, Tertius, the one writing this letter for Paul, send my greetings, too, as one of the Lord’s followers. Romans 16:22, NLT

“Wait…who is Tertius?”, perhaps you’re saying right now.  “I thought Romans was written by Paul, not a ghost writer!”

Romans was written by Paul.  But Paul had a scribe who wrote his words as he, himself, spoke them to be recorded! And, joy of all joys, Paul gives Tertius a little “shout-out” in at the end of the book!

Imagine being the amenuensis of a great man like Paul. Being given the important task of writing down his words that will be passed along (and unbeknownst to him at the time, passed down and cherished for thousands of years). Yes, the words are Paul’s, as inspired in his spirit by the Holy Spirit. But historical evidence and several Biblical commentaries shows that he had a scribe here, and his name was Tertius!

His name  – Tertius – means third. And Biblical commentators speculate that gives credence to the fact that he must have been a freed slave, quite possibly redeemed (remember that word from our Grace of God section – all debts paid in full and set free?!) by Paul.

Tertius.  I’d like to suggest to you that we are all a Tertius of sorts to our amazing God. First, our debts have been paid and we are free – thank you Jesus!

And second, just like Paul allowed Tertius to acknowledge himself, we, too, are given tasks and calls to carry out, encouraged to let our own gift – our own light, if you will – shine – and, as long as we give the glory to the gift giver, He will also give us credit in return – give us a Romans 16:22 moment of our own and a heartfelt, well-deserved “way to go”, too.

I was thinking about this idea of giving credit where credit is due, especially as it relates to the gifts God gives us. The longer I do this job, the more excitedly aware I am that God wired me to do this. He graced me with a gift to teach His word to others through speaking and writing. And the more often I speak and teach, not only here on this blog, but also other places, too, I get a lot of love and accolades.

I won’t lie to you – it feels great to be praised, you know?   But the one thing I always try to do when someone tells me I’ve given a good lesson or created a great handout, or explained something they didn’t understand before, I pray that I consistently remember to say that it’s not me – it’s GOD working through me. The glory belongs solely with Him.

This is an important point of clarification, because it’s due to the Giver of the gift (and in my case the spiritual gift is one of teaching) that I’m able to do what I do. In other words, God gifted me with the ability to teach His word, therefore, the glory that I am using it (and hopefully using it well) goes to HIM, not me.

What’s your gift?  Are you ever tempted, in the name of humility, to deny any credit you get for using it well?  Did you know, that by denying it or shrugging it off, you’re actually “hiding it under a bushel”?!  I’m not telling you to go shout it from the mountain tops that you’re a rock star of CPA, the world’s best salesperson, or the coolest mom on the planet (even though I’m totally sure you are!)!  But I AM telling you not to belittle it when it’s been acknowledged by someone else.

Why?  Because it’s the perfect opportunity to you to practice giving credit where credit is due!  When you’re walking in that sweet spot of what God called you to do, you WILL do it well, and people will notice!  And that’s the best time for you to share the Giver of your gift to those around you. Accept kudos with grace, all the while giving glory to God for wiring you that way!

No matter WHAT you do, it matters.  Be excited that God created you for THIS!

Are you one of our Bible study peeps?!  If so, you KNOW this is our very last section of Romans – darn it all!  I want you to finish STRONG, sweet things.  You can click here for your FINAL week of Seeing the Big Picture homework, AND to an amazing tune by Francesca Battistelli that reminds us no matter what it is we do, we are FAMOUS in our Father’s eyes:  “He Knows My Name”.  You will LOVE it!!

Have a great week! See you here next week as we wrap up our fall season of Bible study…and maybe even a fun surprise!

Peace, love, and JOY!!!

Wendie

Up Next Week:  The Day I Always Dread

 

This is EXACTLY how much I love you… (what every daughter needs to hear from her momma)

To My Gorgeous Girl,

I know what you’re thinking. “A letter from Mom?” Don’t groan, or roll your eyes, sister. You might  like to hear what I have to say.

I DO get your reluctance to read this, though. You’re almost 14. You start high school next year and the world is truly beginning to open wide with possibilities for you!  You want to fly a little, don’t you? The last thing you want or think you need is a letter from me with opinions and advice, right?

But humor me, will you? I have some thoughts on the miracle that you are that you might just want to hear now, and maybe even tuck away for another day.

Here it goes…

I know sometimes you look around and see girls you think are smarter, prettier, funnier, or more popular than you believe yourself to be. But here is the honest to goodness truth:

YOU ARE GORGEOUS. Inside and out. You have an awesome sense of humor and make me laugh all the time (in a good way, of course!). You have more smarts up in that beautiful head of yours than you give yourself credit for. People honestly like you and are drawn to your kindness, goodness, and compassion. (And, BTW, I’m not the only one who thinks so.)

Now.  I’m going to let you in on a little secret about those other girls you’ve been looking at: they feel the exact same way you do. It’s true. Right now, their minds are running wild, just like yours, wondering if there’s food stuck in their teeth, if their outfit is cool enough to fit in without sticking out, if the boy in the second row of math class has noticed them, if their butt looks too big in those jeans, and what YOU (yes, YOU) think of them, too.

Here’s the BIG NEWS you may not know: You are ALL a part of something crazy big, something amazing, and something completely and beautifully orchestrated by God.

It’s called “life”.

In this life, the world needs you to become just exactly who God created you to be. To turn your back on that, or to act without the authenticity of who you are, will only lead you to unhappiness and leave you feeling empty and wanting something more.

I only know this from personal experience, my sweet girl.

And while I have your attention for a moment, I’d love to share a couple tips for living this life that I’ve happened to pick up along the way:

1. Be God’s girl. Remember how much He loves you and never forget to thank Him for all the blessings He places in your life. Act like He’d want you to act.  Make Him a proud papa, honey, and you can’t go wrong.
2. Don’t stoop to the level of people around you who hurt you or hurt others. The “low road” is quite literally beneath you. Maintain your dignity by remembering who (and whose) you are.
3. As tempting as revenge is (and as fun as it might be to imagine), keep the Golden Rule tattooed on your brain! It’s as simple as this: Treat others the way YOU want to be treated. Let God take care of the judging and the consequences. He’s got it all under control and He doesn’t miss a thing. End of story.
4. Notice the people around you and encourage them with your smile, your words, and your behavior. Laugh with friends when they are happy; cry with them when they are sad. Bring them a treat when they are discouraged or sick. Hug them when they need it, and back off when they need distance. Forgive them when they’re sorry. And, you know what?  Even forgive them when they act like they’re not sorry! Forgiveness is a gift God gives you to share. Your true friends will return the favor, my beautiful girl. You can count on it.
5. Stay away from the things you know are bad and wrong. While we will all slip and fall sometime or another (and maybe even more than once…;) ), stick to what you know is right and you’ll be just fine. (And, um, as a side note here, you should probably be aware that I always pray that you will get caught the very first time you try something outside the realm of what I’d deem “acceptable behavior”. And you KNOW I’m a pretty powerful prayer and know lots of other ones, too, that I’m not afraid to call in for the cause. I’m just saying… 😉 … !)
6. Stick up for those who are less able and/or less fortunate than you (and by that I mean ALL of God’s creatures!) Everyone needs a hero now and again. You have a gorgeously strong heart of compassion; don’t neglect it. The more you use it, the more others will see God through you. Be “that” girl – you know, the one people can count on as being fair and kind. Surprise people with your goodness, Elle Belle, and you will be rewarded beyond what your mind can even imagine.
7. Lead by example, but don’t be bossy. Nobody likes a “know it all”. Let others feel important by listening well. Respond by using your intellect and lots of encouraging guidance. Never make anyone feel stupid.
8. Be yourself. No one can “fake it” forever. It makes you too tired to try and you’ll find you won’t be able to keep it up. Besides, you were created by a glorious and perfect God…so what does that make you???!!!
9. Life can get hard from time to time. Don’t let yourself get burned out. Take care of your body by resting when you are tired, eating (nutritiously!) when you are hungry, drinking (again, nutritiously…) when you are thirsty, exercising your body and your mind regularly, and praying all the time.   Seek help whenever you need it; never be afraid to ask for it! Important decisions require prayer, expert advice, and your own brain power. You can do it – no matter what “it” is! Relying on God in the tough times grows your faith and your spiritual endurance. He is always with you.
10. Finally, Ellie Bean, remember that people – good, honest people –  are to be celebrated, not just tolerated, even when they don’t agree with you. God put you here for such a time and place as this, so use this time wisely, joyfully, and in celebration of the life you’ve been given. Life is a great, crazy gift of a ride from God, girl. Stay on His road and it will take you to places you haven’t even had a chance to dream of yet. I can’t wait to see where it takes you.

I love you so much, girlie-cue. I will always be here for you, no matter what. And more importantly, so will God.  These next few years will have plenty of great times and a few challenging ones, too, so let’s just keep talking, okay?

In the words of Bob the Tomato, don’t ever forget: “God made you special and He loves you very much”. 😉

Thanks for listening, baby girl.

Oh.  And remember how you used to always ask me how much I loved you?  Well, my answer remains the same, love bug:

Momma loves every single millimeter of you

to the moon and back…

infinity times infinity times.

Yep.  THAT is how much I love you.

Xoxo,

Momma

 

I based this letter to Elle on a blueprint of Paul’s advice for living a righteous life from the book of Romans, Chapter 12!  Click here to read Romans 12 and see if you might just find yourself motivated to write one to someone YOU love!

And speaking of Romans, if you are following along with us in Seeing the Big Picture:  The Book of Romans, you can click here for your homework for this week and a link to our song for this week, “Fix My Eyes” by For King and Country!

Enjoy your week, sweet friends!  See you back here next Thursday for our last section of Romans!  (Can you even believe it?!)

Peace, love, and OODLES of joy!

Wendie

 

Up Next Week:  Wrapping it All Up!

 

I Have Become (un)Comfortably Numb

Have you ever noticed the more you say a word in rapid succession, the less sense the word begins to mean to you? Try it.  Say something random like “debacle” really quickly out loud for about 30 seconds.

See what I mean? You become numb to its meaning – it almost sounds like nonsense after a while, doesn’t it?

I’m sort of embarrassed to tell you that the same thing has happened to me, week after week in church, as I repeat the words of the Nicene Creed (you can click here to read it, if you aren’t familiar with it). And as a result, I have become (un)comfortably numb to the power and meaning behind it.

A creed is a statement of belief. And in this case, The Nicene Creed speaks of what Christians believe to be true about our Holy Trinity – you know, The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit.  And, in case you didn’t know, that’s essentially the backbone of what we believe.  So for me to turn it into rote and repetitive nonsense isn’t exactly a good thing.

It occurred to me this week as I was reading Romans 9 – 11 that Paul uses this section of his amazing letter to remind us to keep speaking the truth about Jesus to all we meet. And, I’ve come to learn that evangelizing doesn’t always mean “speaking” as in “vocalizing”, although that is a very effective way for many people to share the Gospel!

Maybe, on the other hand, you’re called to “lead by example” without ever having to say a word. Perhaps you’re called to acts of beautiful service, doing things that emulate the hands and feet of Jesus while he walked the Earth.  Maybe you’re called to write about it, sing about it, dance about it, or even paint about it.

That’s the beauty of humans. We’re vastly different and wired with countless gifts and abilities in which the glory of God is meant to be communicated.  But one thing remains constant, regardless the form of your call – you have to know what you believe in order to share it profoundly and effectively.

Thus my problem with becoming numb to what I believe. I cannot be profoundly effective in Christian ministry without first reminding myself of what I believe about Jesus and what I KNOW to be true about my God.

Has this happened to you, too, on some level? Has the repetitive nature of daily life and the busyness of modern living lulled you into forgetting why you’re even here?  Then stick with me here today and let’s get back to the basics – What Do You Believe To Be True and WHY???

Let’s face it – it can push us outside of our typical comfort zone to “evangelize”, can’t it? But it will change you forever when you do!

If you wanted to share your love of Christ with someone, what would you say? When people sense the light and life of God in you, they want to know more than just, “I believe these things because the Bible tells me it’s true.”  They want to know your experience.  How has He made your life “better” ?

And ultimately, they want to know, “What’s in it for me?”

The most natural and impacting answer in return is for you to tell them what’s been “in it” for you!

When I realized I had zoned out for a bit, I took the very piece of writing that I had tuned out and re-wrote it so I could tune back in. In other words, I made it my own, using the bones of the Nicene Creed to give me an outline, but filled in the blanks with personal, meaningful and engaging examples to support the “spine”.

You can click here to read what I’m calling “Wendie’s Creed”! I’ll hang here while you do…

I gotta tell you, I felt so much better after doing that. I don’t have to wrack my brain anymore to figure what it is that I actually believe because now I know THAT I HONESTLY KNOW what I believe.

Wanna try it? It’s not hard and I’ve even created a little guide to get you started.  Click here to access it, and then find yourself a quiet space and a little time to spend reflecting on it.  I promise it will be worth every moment of your time.

To those who don’t know the freedom that comes from knowing Christ, you might just be the spark of light that brings them up and out of their own numbness. Don’t you want to be ready for it when that moment of the Gospel message needing to be delivered comes?

Paul tells us in Romans 10:9-10, 13-15 (NLT):

“And that message is the very message about faith that we preach:  If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. …  For ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 

 ^“But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, ‘How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!’”

You’ve got some preciously beautiful feet, sweet friends, don’t let them fall asleep. Let’s get them moving, shall we?

Following along with us on The Big Picture of Romans?! Click here for this week’s homework for The Majesty of God (Romans 9-11) AND a link to our awesome song of the week, “Glorious Unfolding”, by Steven Curtis Chapman.

See you next week!

Peace, love, and so very much JOY!

Wendie

Up Next Week:  A Letter to My Daughter (Advice from Romans 12)

Under New Management!

Two weeks ago, I shared with you that I have Lupus.  I gotta tell you, it wasn’t an easy road to get that diagnosis.  As a matter of fact, my first symptoms starting showing up about 10 years ago, but I didn’t get a diagnosis (or treatment) for it until about 8 years later.

I’ve since found out that my story is similar to others who have autoimmune issues.  Because symptoms vary wildly from person to person, AND because of the fact that symptoms can come and go quickly, it’s just really hard to accurately and quickly diagnose.

As a matter of fact, I went through several doctors in those eight years, trying to find one who could help me.  At one point, I actually had a doctor say to me, “Wendie, after a while, if you keep bringing your car to a mechanic and the mechanic can’t find anything wrong with it, you have to assume it isn’t the car; it’s the driver.”  In other words, “There’s nothing physically wrong with you.  It’s all in your head.”

Hmmmm.  Well Doc, eight years later, my lab reports and medical team say differently.  Turns out it was the mechanic, after all.

Needless to say, I no longer have my health managed by that person.  I’m now under NEW management.

Don’t you love when a place says that on the window?!  It’s like, “Hey! We know we didn’t have our act together before but now we finally have someone here who knows what she’s doing!  Come try us out!”

That’s what Paul is basically telling us in this section of Romans – chapters 6-8, or what we are calling “The Faithfulness of God”.

In Romans 6:12-13, Paul tells us that we don’t have to choose our old ways anymore.  We’ve been given “new life” and a new power within us (known as the Holy Spirit).  We can start living differently, knowing we are supported by Him.  As Paul succinctly states, “Sin shall not be master over you.” (6:14)  Whew!  That’s good news!

The thing is, we are all a slave to something. Who is your master?  Temptation doesn’t pass by a single one of us, and it is important to regularly check yourself and regroup with Jesus at the helm!

Paul, himself, admits to struggles with his flesh, too!  He paints a not-so-pretty picture of himself in Chapter 7! (Click here to read it...).  But he ends that chapter with some of the most beautiful words spoken in scripture:

I once read that the point of Paul’s  “..wretched self-portrait in Chapter 7 is to demonstrate that humanity can no more purify itself of sin after salvation than before. Only God can purify a soul.  And He does through Jesus.  And we become sanctified by growing ever deeper in him.”  (A Commentary on Romans, Charles Swindoll).

But how do we do that?  Grow deeper in him, I mean.  I’m so glad you asked!  Paul once again comes to our aid by explaining it all to us in Chapter 8!

Chapter 8 starts us off with some reassuring words.  Paul begins with this gem:  “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

For me, this is the turning point in Romans. Paul’s been sort of telling us what NOT to do for long enough and he switches gears now and starts to tell us what TO do, instead:  Let the Spirit lead you.

In the first 17 verses of Chapter 8, Paul is simply letting us know that our job is to let God do His work in us through the Spirit. Yes, we are willing participants in the process, but God has things prepared for us to do and we can only do them when we allow Him to work through us.

Did you see Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt in the movie, As Good as it Gets?  Jack’s character falls in love with Helen’s and he tells her, “You make me want to be a better [person]”.  (You can click here to see the clip!)

And that’s exactly what happens when we let God in the driver’s seat! We can’t help but sitting shot gun with a grin on our face, gleefully participating in His will!

Now take a second and read Romans 8:15-17.  Don’t worry, I’ll wait right here while you do!  😉

Paul’s message? Stop trying so hard to “be spiritual” and let the Spirit be spiritual.  If you already have the Spirit in you, you can’t get more Spirit!  But you CAN grow in your ability to let the Spirit go to work!

Now, read Romans 8:26-39.

Um, yeah.  That’s almost too much to handle, isn’t it?!  Nothing can stand against us when we are standing with Him!  As in NOTHING.  Nothing surprises Him. He’s got a plan.  And Paul ends with this crazy cool assurance of confidence that God’s got it covered. Let Him do His thing!

That’s one faithfully awesome God we serve, sweet friends.

Take this week to let the Spirit lead, will you?  Let me know what happens!

Following along with us in Seeing the Big Picture?!  Click here for this week’s homework AND a link to our song for the week, “Thrive”, by Casting Crowns!

Thanks for checking in today!  See you next week!

Peace, love, and JOY!

Wendie

Up Next Week:  He Knows What He’s Doing

 

How do you spell RELIEF? (I spell it like this: G-R-A-C-E)

Have you ever stopped to think about what you’d say would be the best human emotion to experience? Think about it for a second.  Would it be love? Would it be joy?  Would it be a relaxed state of mind (aka “peace”)?  Most people would list those three first. That is…UNTIL they’ve been given a list that includes the emotion known as RELIEF.  And then, the vast majority of respondents indicate “relief” as their emotion of choice.

Relief is one of those things that is sort of hard to quantify isn’t it? Mostly because each of us experience it in very different ways.  And THAT is because what we each need relief FROM is so vastly different.

Regardless of the situation or circumstance that leads us to the experience of relief, one thing is universal about it: the dissolving of tension and agitation.  And – God bless his soul – that is what our beloved Paul explains for us this week in Romans 3:21-5:21!

Beautiful stuff, isn’t it? RELIEF at its best, I’d say.  We need look no further than the first verse of Chapter 5 for a perfect explanation:

To me, that’s the equivalent of being someone who is very sick hearing: “You are 100% cured!”

It’s like a wrongly accused prisoner on death row hearing, “You are exonerated!”

It’s ALSO the relief that comes with the soul-level understanding that our circumstances and choices do not need to be the end of us.

There is so much richness in this section of Romans. The relief comes flooding in now because we have been assured of the ultimate outcome!  Peace in Christ.

We LOVE knowing the outcome of things, don’t we? It’s like watching a movie for the second time – we’re not so stressed and anxious about the ending so we can sort of enjoy the nuances of the plot a little more.  Or if, like me, you like reading books more than once, the second reading almost feels richer somehow because you’re not racing through just to find out what happens. (Am I seriously the only one who does that?!)

Living this life knowing the outcome –  in terms of our right standing with God through Jesus  – allows us to take a deep breath when the stress of “living” comes upon us, because, regardless of what it looks like to us in the moment, we can be sure that the ending is perfect and beautiful.

I’m always reminded here of another story from scripture, one of which you may likely be familiar with. It’s the parable of the prodigal son found in the book of Luke.  (If you are following along with us in our Bible study series, you will read it this week in your homework, but I want to quickly talk about it today because it is laced with BEAUTIFUL lessons of grace!)

Here it is in a nutshell:

Jesus is again being criticized by the Pharisees for hanging out and sharing meals with people they consider to be low-lifes. So, like he is prone to do, Jesus tells them a story:

This man has 2 sons, younger one says “give me my share” and went off to see the world. But he spent his cash foolishly (even wildly…).

Out of money with no food and no good prospects in the foreseeable future, scripture tells us he “comes to his senses” and makes a plan to return home, repentant, to his father.

Expecting nothing in return, and fully prepared to be completely sorry for what he did, he heads home. Scripture tells us that his father sees him coming down the road, and he runs to his son and throws his arms around him.  (Some translations even say he smothers him with kisses – I love that).  The younger son apologizes profusely and his father – instead of scolding him, or making him apologize harder, or even make him promise to repay him –  does this CRAZY thing where he throws a huge, extravagant party in the younger son’s honor because “my son was once lost, but now he has been found.”

 

Oh my. There is something so profoundly forgivable in honest-to-goodness repentance. (And darn it, our goofy doggies know it…)

But more importantly…so does our God.

Did you know that the word “prodigal” has nothing to do with being “wayward”l?   It also has nothing to do with the word “prodigy” where someone has incredible skill in one area or another.

Instead, it has two definitions (according to Merriam-Webster):

1. Having spent everything
2. Being recklessly extravagant

The son spent it all. The father forgave and was recklessly extravagant in his love and forgiveness.

Sound familiar? 

Jesus, THE Son who spent everything for us.  And then God – OUR Father in heaven, who (to those who do not understand the vastness of His love for us) appears to be recklessly extravagant in extending his grace and mercy to us, regardless of our actions.

Paul, in Chapter 5, assures us that when we miss the mark (and even when we repeatedly miss the mark), when we roam off for what we assume will be greener pastures because our human selves aren’t exactly capable of getting it right all the time, we have a God that spends it all to bring us back.

Relief. Peace.  GRACE.  That’s MY God.  And I’m humbled to be His. Aren’t you?

Following along with The Big Picture with us?!  If so, click here for our homework for WEEK 5 (can you believe we are half way there?!) and for our awesome song of the week!

Peace, love, and JOY to you!

Wendie

Up Next Week: MORE Rescue for the Sinner!

Sometimes You Gotta Just Rip Off the Band-Aid and Clean out the Cut

I have Lupus. It’s an autoimmune disease that affects my body and various organ systems in ways that, if I were not under medical care, would cause my body to turn on itself in not-so-fun ways.

I see a doctor (a rheumatologist – such a fancy name!) every three months to have labs taken, meds tweaked, and to get her advice and directives on how to continue to successfully treat Lupus so that I can live a normal, healthy life, just like most of you.

Sometimes, though, I really don’t like what my doctor has to say to me! Things like, “You’re overweight and out of shape, which is causing your body to worker harder.  Thus, your inflammation markers are sky high, which is why you are experiencing joint pain. Lose some weight and exercise.”

Or, “The more you continue to ignore your body’s need for rest, the more likely you are going to stress out your nervous system. This is why you have a fever and cannot see out of your eye. Time for you to take a break.”

It’s not like I LIKE having her tell me those things.  But in the long run, I’d much rather her speak the TRUTH of the matter so we can address the symptoms and I can get better.

I’d rather endure a few moments of uncomfortable, yet truthful, commentary on her part that have her just look at me and say something easier to say for her and easier for me to swallow like, “Well, things don’t look TOO bad. I’ve seen patients much worse than you so let’s just ignore your symptoms.  We’ll just address it if and when it gets life threatening.  We’ll just assume you’re all good and going to be fine.”  And then send me off with a handshake and a smile.

If we have something wrong with us, we want to know about it, no matter how hard it might be to hear, right?  Because once we know the issue, we can make a plan to solve it.

Well, that’s what Paul is doing in this next section of Romans – the one we’re calling “The Wrath of God”. Instead of sugar coating sinful behavior and the human condition of sin, he starts right off with what my grandma always referred to as “calling a spade a spade.”  Instead of saying, “well, I guess those crazy humans will just be human”, he reminds us (or maybe even enlightens us for the 1^st time…) that God means business when it comes to sin and He even uses a little tough love action on us to get His point across.

I think Paul does this to get the cards out on the table up front – and THEN he uses the remainder of the book to explain the remedy – or cure – for our condition:  Jesus.

First, however, Paul wants us to come to terms with one thing – we are all sinners. Every single one of us.

 

Amen to that.

So, what IS sin?

Anything that separates us from God. It’s human behavior that “keeps the world from working as God intended it to.”  (Chuck Swindoll, Insights on Romans).

Sin entered the world with the choices made by Adam and Eve way back in the Garden of Eden and remains here today. Scripture tells us that will continue to be the case until Christ returns.

We pick up this section of Romans with the second half of Chapter 1. Paul spends the remainder of the chapter explaining God’s anger at sin, and he lists a variety of sins, calling them out by name.

My sweet friends, this bit is going to make us uncomfortable on couple levels. First, because we may see ourselves and our own behavior listed here (kind of like me at the rheumatologist).  Paul states things here like:

“…every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip…backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy.” Romans 1:29-31, NLT

Ouchie.  Paul sure ripped that Band-Aid off quickly.

On a second level, we might feel uncomfortable reading those words because we may see word pictures develop in our brains of people who have wronged us in the past. We need to try really hard right here to resist the urge to jump on what possibly seems like Paul’s finger pointing band wagon (more on why we need to resist that in just a second – I promise.  Just push the pause button on the judge-y smudge-y feeling that might be brewing inside!).

As we may have already sort of deduced, judging the behavior and “sins” of others just makes us hypocrites, because we are all flawed. We’re so tempted to do so, though, because of our own insecurities and maybe even a “need to be right” all the time.  Pointing out someone else’s mistakes and flaws (and even their sins…) lets us feel a smug sense of righteousness (albeit misplaced).  We can get all caught up in “Well, at least I’m not as bad as so-and-so!”

I don’t know about you, but it’s when I feel the worst about myself that I can pull out what might look like my dearest, sweetest platitudes, but they’re really a guise to use against someone else. But just because I can speak it and look like it, it doesn’t mean my inside matches.

THIS is why we need this “Wrath of God” section from Paul. Not to feel condemned or hopeless or bad about ourselves, OR to stand in judgment of others.  Instead, we need it to know we are all in that same boat.  We are all at the same place.  None of us are ahead of the other in God’s favor, regardless the number of Band-Aids we put on our imperfections.

Sometimes we gotta just rip that Band-Aid right off to see the depth and dirt of what’s hiding beneath it.  Then, the wound can be tended to, cleaned up, and begin healing before it has a chance to really fester.

So, in pointing out our faults, Paul is really just getting us ready for the grace and mercy and beauty of Christ that HAS come and WILL COME again!

Have faith, sweet friends.  Hope is simply right around the corner!  Stay tuned for next week’s lesson on that FACT!  In the meantime, check out this week’s “homework” and song of the week by clicking RIGHT HERE!!!

Enjoy your weekend!

Peace, love, and JOY!!!

Wendie

Up Next Week:  Are you happy to see me?  (The TRUTH of being a prodigal daughter of God.)

 

 

Changing Wishes Into Prayers (instead of Praying for Wishes)

 

When I was a little girl, one of my FAVORITE days of the year was the day the Sear’s Christmas Wish Book arrived!  Nothing was more exciting than going through that book from front-to-back, and then again from back-to-front, making notes of all the shiny new things my little heart ached for.

(copyright Sears, Roebuck, & Company)

I’d spend days and days making and remaking my wish list for Santa, erasing then re-adding items back in, only to scratch them off again as soon as something shinier and bigger was found on a subsequent page.

Finally, list colored and detailed to the greatest of degrees, I’d head off to the mailbox and drop my envelope addressed to the Big Jolly Man Up North inside (without my parents noticing, of course – had to make sure Santa was actually real, you know).

And then, I’d wait.  And wait.  And wait. For what was sure to be THE BEST Christmas ever.

Ohhhh, and I’d “pray” a lot, too.  You know: “GOD!!!  You must make sure Santa brings me Chatty Cathy!  I’ll just die if I don’t get her for Christmas!  She’s on page 245 of the Sears Wishbook, in case you need to know the EXACT one I’m talking about!”  And, “Lord, I NEED that potholder making kit on page 230 – I’ll be the absolute laughing stock of 2nd grade if you don’t tell him to bring me that, too!”

And the thing was, Christmas morning would come and I’d receive a few things off that list, but certainly not everything.  And (if I can be honest) sometimes, as a naïve little girl, I was pretty disappointed.

Disappointed that the very THING that I just KNEW would make me the “happiest”, “prettiest”, “most envied”, “bestest” kid around wasn’t delivered, even after I spent all that time wishing and “praying” for it.

What was Santa thinking?! 

Better yet – what was GOD thinking???!!!

Well, He was probably thinking my parents would’ve blown through any savings they’d managed to sock away that year if they foolishly gave into my childish whims.  He was probably thinking, “This girl needs to grow a spirit of generosity and gratitude, not of selfish gluttony”.  And no doubt He was thinking, “I can’t wait for her to write a blog about this 40 years from now…!”  😉

You may have heard me say before that wishes are not the same thing as prayers.  And the truth of the matter is that neither one has to be “granted” or answered in the way in which we have asked it.  Remember Isaiah 55:8-9? (Hint:  His ways are higher than our ways, my dears.)

Don’t misunderstand me.  Any honest, heart-felt prayer that has a reason for being can truly be brought to God.   Just doesn’t mean that God has to answer it in the way it’s been prayed. Prayer isn’t a wish list – it’s an opportunity for soul growth.

When we earnestly pray to God, we grow in our relationship with Him. We spend time talking with Him, learning about Him, sharing our life with Him.  That’s the miracle of the vertical growth of prayer.  When we honestly pray with others, we grow with them, learn about them, share our life AND OUR GOD with them.  That’s the  miracle that comes with the horizontal growth of prayer.

The more we pray, the more in tune we become to God’s beautiful voice and His sovereign and holy will for this earth. The more we pray, the more in tune we become to the needs of those around us.  The more we pray, the more joyful we can be in celebration and praise when those needs have been beautifully met by God.

If we aren’t careful, we begin to look at prayer as some sort of magical, direct line to God to get requests granted the way we want them to go.  But honestly, but prayer is a supernatural mystery.  God orchestrates healing, creates beauty from ashes, and brings the blessings our minds could never have imagined.  Not us.

We cannot possibly know why and how some prayers get answered in the way we ask but other prayers don’t.  But what we DO know is that God is good always…always God is good. And we live for that FACT, regardless of the earthly outcome of our human prayers.

The Bible has many directives for us on prayer. But my favorite it this:

God always gives grace, peace, and mercy to those who pray.  I encourage you to bring your heart to the “table” of prayer. Watch how fellowship and prayer can change everything and create hope. Participate in the supernatural mystery of prayer that our human minds cannot even remotely begin to fathom.

The true miracle of prayer isn’t necessarily in the answer we expect to come. Instead, it’s in the knitting together of the lives of those who are participating in it.  Changing things on the inside and out.  Partnering with God, and with one another, so that God’s will is indeed done here, as it is in heaven.  AMEN.

Are you following along with our Seeing The Big Picture series this fall?!  Click here for everything you need for Week 2, including the link to our song for the week, “Hope Can Change Everything”, by a group of amazing K-Love artists!  See you back here next week, when we jump right into our first section of the Book of Romans!

Peace, love, and joy,

Wendie

Up Next Week:  Salutations To You, and You , and YOU!!!!!  (Romans Style!)

 

Time to Get Off the Bench and Get Into the Action!

This is my amazing Elle Belle.

 

As you might guess from her photo, she plays softball.

Elle spent some “time” this past year on the bench.  Now, on the surface, this can seem like a bad thing for an athlete.  Elle was not exactly pleased about it, let me assure you.  But, there are some good things about playing this game of softball that relate to living in real life (click here to see the post I wrote about that).

One of the good things about sitting on the bench is that you become a very well-educated spectator.  You watch the game while it’s played, learn a lot about the rules, the “spirit” of the sport, what NOT to do when you’re out there, and also some great tips on what you SHOULD do when you’re a real-life participant in the action.

One of the BAD things about sitting on the bench is that all your instruction is by observation, not action.  Sitting on the bench, Elle learned a lot last year.  But I don’t know how much of a better game-time player she became.  Why?  Because being part of the actual action is where the most true growth comes from.

But this upcoming year?!  Oooooh.  THIS year, Elle is on a new team.  One on which she is a starter.  One on which she will see a lot more playing time.  And, because of it, I have no doubt she will grow into a much stronger and better player.

This season of Bible study is one I believe will be a season of major growth for each one of us because we are getting into the action!  This season, let’s commit to getting off the bench (or couch as the case may be…)!  Let’s commit to coming to study not just to be entertained or filled with information.  This season, let’s GET IN THE GAME.

We’re getting off our warmed bench and running out onto the field.  Let’s participate in the miraculous truth that God, Himself, wants to “do life” with us.

More than simply “do life” alongside us, He desires to be our Head Coach, our Head Cheerleader, our Teacher.  He wants to demonstrate how it’s done right, and then let us try our own hands at it.  He knows we’ll miss some catches and even strike out sometimes.  But He promises not to bench us, as long as we are willing to try.

Before we dive on in, let’s get geared up, shall we?  Here’s a few things you might need to know and do before we begin:

Step One:  Get a good Bible!  It is essential in getting to know God and letting Him reveal Himself to us.  Without His word, we are clueless, sweet friends, to know how this life is to be lived for His glory. Click here for my Bible Buying exercise and get yourself a good one that you can read and understand!  Even the most sophisticated French dinner cannot be truly savored unless you know what it is you are eating, right?!  I can personally attest to the same thing when it comes to Bible translation.  If I don’t “get” what I’m reading, I’m not able to understand it on that gloriously delicious soul level!

Step Two:  Use it!  Your Bible, I mean.  I think this is self-explanatory, don’t you?  Afterall, it doesn’t matter how many paper towels you have stocked up in your pantry.  If you don’t open them and use them, that mess on the counter isn’t going anywhere!  And speaking of USING it, we’re digging deep into the book of Romans this session to encounter God in a fresh, new, life-giving way!  (We’ll talk about that a bit more next week!)  For right now, once you have a Bible you love, open it up, take a look at the Table of Contents and the extra stuff at the back (like maps, index, concordance, etc.).  Then, place two post-it notes in your Bible – one on the Table of Contents Page, and one on the first page of the book of Romans (use your Table of Contents to find it!).

I’m so excited to begin our NEW study next week!  In case you missed the “memo” (!), we’ll be studying the book of Romans for our series, Seeing the Big Picture:  The Book of Romans.  And don’t worry if you aren’t local because everything you need to participate alongside us will be posted up here each week, starting NEXT week!

Speaking of next week, I’m switching things up with my posting schedule.  Starting next week, my weekly blog posts will be going up live on Thursdays instead of Mondays.  This just helps with the flow of our Bible study dates!

You ready to get in the game with me?  To do Bible study for more than just the sake of knowledge?  To actively dig into His Living Word with me AND with a lot of other sister friends both here and around the globe together?  I hope that answer is a resounding YES!

See you here next THURSDAY with Week One of Seeing the Big Picture:  The Book of Romans!

Peace, love, and joy!

Wendie

Up Next Week:  Permission to “Do What You Can”