Culture’s reign must be disregarded for Jesus to reign over you. You don’t have to fight culture; you simply have to be willing to be different, God’s way.
FACT :: You were created to make a difference!
One of my favorite movies (Kingdom of Heaven) has this amazing scene in it. Balian, played by Orlando Bloom, is one of the few knights left in Jerusalem to defend it from the enemy. When confronted with the problem that they have no knights to defend the city, he commands all the men at arms to kneel before him. After communicating this amazing oath he tells them to rise as knights. This one evil guy asks him, “Who are you, will you alter the world? Does making a man a knight make him a better fighter?” To this Balian pauses and simply replies, Yes.
I believe the reason we don’t see more difference makers around us is because we don’t know that we are difference makers. You were created to make a difference not only that but you are God’s difference making masterpiece. (see Ephesians 2:10 in the Bible)
Let me show you how much power you have to make a difference. Have you ever had one of those days where you seemed to run into every idiot on the planet? It might have felt like they were everywhere. I’ve felt this way before. However, one day I got to thinking deeper on this and realized that I was the only common denominator in each of those situations. I was the difference. The moment I realized this I began to use that difference making power for the better. It was better for them and for me.
Difference makers think differently. They see the world through a different lens. Here are some questions that might help you see the world through the lens of a difference maker.
If I am truly purposed to make a difference would I be more effective in a perfect situation or a chaotic one?
So many people try to pray there way OUT of chaos but the truth is that’s where the difference needs to be made. Perfect doesn’t need difference makers, chaos does.If I am truly purposed to make a difference would I need to be like the environment around me or a little different?
Ofter we want to blend in instead of standing out, however this can keep us from being the difference we need to be.If I am truly purposed to make a difference would God waste my painful experiences or allow me to use them to help others?
Don’t hide away your deepest hurts and pains. The very things we don’t want to think about are often the things that could help others the most.
You were made to make a difference, you just need to first KNOW that and second shift your thought process.
Being a difference maker is not easy, maybe this is why there are so few of us. It will require you to be a giver of yourself. So the question is are you willing to give away the comfort you desire, or the subtlety of blending in, or the painful experiences you’ve learned from. You were made for this and I believe that you won’t be totally content until you become what you were made to be. A difference maker.
Remember the game “Clue”? Where you had to guess who the murderer was, what weapon they used and in what room this grievous act was committed. Even better was watching Tim Curry run around hilariously in the 1985 movie, “Clue”.
Here’s the interesting thing about that game... before you ever start playing, one of the characters is already dead.
There is a serial killer that goes undetected because he kills before the game ever gets started. His name is Fear and his victim is Creativity. You and I are left playing a game where fear has already killed one of our best attributes as human beings.
It’s really simple how it works... we fear being wrong, so we don’t answer. We fear missing an opportunity so we say yes to everything and eliminate the margin or space in our lives. Which, by the way, is where creativity thrives. We fear failure, so we don’t even try. And so creativity is dead before it ever has a chance to live.
Don’t be afraid to be wrong, or look stupid, or try something new. I love being right, who doesn’t. I love to look like I know what I’m doing. However, in my attempt at being right and not wanting to look inexperienced, I stifle opportunities of fun and creativity in my life.
Many of you know that my wife and I are expecting our third child today. We’ve always made it really exciting by not finding out what we were having until the baby gets here. I have been reluctant to guess... mainly because I don’t want to be wrong. I’m gonna take my own advice, and you should too. Don’t let fear kill creativity before it even lives.
BTW - I think it’s a boy. We’ll see if I’m right.
Marriage & Motherhood:
Turn Miniature Moments into a Big Mission
You go to church and hear them talk about an upcoming mission trip in the announcements. How amazing it would be to go overseas and make a difference like that. You go home and prepare dinner, clean up that mess your toddler made, change a diaper, kiss a bo-bo, pack your husband's lunch, and you think, "Mission trip? Make a difference? Ministry? Who and I kidding? These people at home couldn't survive for one day without me."
Sometimes we classify ministry in a separate category than marriage and motherhood. I think we may have it wrong. What if our humdrum daily grind is actually our heavenly duty? What if our clichés are our calling? What if marriage and motherhood IS one of our mission fields?
Will you allow me to be transparent for a minute?
I do not have it all together. I am still a work in progress just like you.
Here's a little proof. Sometimes I journal because I like to write my way into giving thanks.
Saturday:
"After several times today of using Camilla's behavior as a teachable moment, she does something else to push her limit. I take a deep breath and ask God for help. I ask Him if any of my efforts are making a difference. Almost immediately after this question Camilla looks me in the eyes and says, 'Mommy, you're doing a good job.' What grace this is that God would use my two-year-old as His mouthpiece. For a brief moment I cannot move beyond the thought that she followed His prompting and spoke directly to my heart. Goodness the rewards of motherhood are so sweet. Marcus has been super busy this week. Meetings, budgets, even ministry. I get it. But I'm still wearing a lot of hats. Just when I think I have room to let a little bit of disappointment creep in, he comes home on his only break and speaks my love language. He sees me cleaning and asks if he can help. I am reminded once again of how much undeserved grace I've been given."
Tuesday:
"Hosting my first moms connect group in my home tomorrow. I am more certain now than ever that I am supposed to do this. The very thing we are studying... I am faced with today. Lettie & Camilla are having some humorous struggles that need my attention. Will I have time to prepare? Thoughts of doubt flood my mind. Then Camilla does my heart a favor. She brings her Bible downstairs and says, 'Mommy, can I sit in your lap? Can you please read me a Bible story?" OF COURSE YOU CAN. OF COURSE I WILL. I love to press pause for these moments. I remember what I read in the book we are studying for our group (Nothing to Prove by Jennie Allen), 'Ruth cared for her mother-in-law, gathered food, and found a good man. Then she raised her children and happened to be raising the ancestors of Jesus Christ.' Wow. This is my time. This is my place. This is my job. This is what I love. I want to honor the Lord in my ordinary moments. I want my faithful ordinary moments to equip my children. I want my children to be His tools to change the world."
We can turn our miniature moments into a big mission. I'd like to invite you to join me in this. What does that look like? How can marriage and motherhood be ministry?
1. Accept grace. Enough for yourself and enough to give to your husband and children. Don't overlook it. It's offered to you around every corner. “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness...." (2 Corinthians 12:9)
2. Imitate Jesus. Take deep a deep breath and maybe even say a quick prayer before you respond. Let's be "slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love" (Psalm 103).
3. Be a cheerleader and not a critic. Find the good. Talk about the good. Encourage the good. Set the example for good. Use moments of discipline to discuss with your children what behavior is pleasing to Jesus. Don't focus so much what your husband doesn't do that you let what he does do go un-thanked. Sure, he may not understand the pressures of your reality. But I am sure you do not fully comprehend the pressures of his either. “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” (Ephesians 4:29)
4. Protect your home. Don't tell people how terrible your children are. Don't shame your husband or speak negatively about your marriage. Quit complaining. Get off Facebook and pray for wisdom in your situation. “Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind..." (Proverbs 11:29) “A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.” (Proverbs 14:1) “A virtuous and excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones.” (Proverbs 12:4)
5. Enjoy your gifts. Be present. Love them deeply and wildly. Flirt with your husband. Find his love language (words of affirmation, acts of service, quality time, gifts, touch) and speak it. Date him. Build tall building block castles and play hide-and-go-seek with your kids. Get off your phones and make memories. When you're busy and they want to help you, find unique ways for them to help! Tell them how much God loves them. “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.” (Ephesians 4:2) “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
Chelsea Briggs
James 1:22-25 22But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
Cue the music... “I’m starting with the man in the mirror, I’m asking him to change his ways, And no message could have been any clearer, If you wanna make the world a better place take a look at yourself and then make a change.” Michael Jackson's song, "Man in the Mirror" will now be stuck in your head all day long. What would happen if we actually used the mirror to help us make change. James, from the bible, had this idea long before MJ. How stupid would it be for us to wake up in the morning, go look in the mirror, see the mess that is our face, and then not do anything to fix it. You don’t splash water on your face, don’t fix your hair, don’t brush your teeth. Nope. You just look and SEE all the problems. Crazy right. James is saying that when you and I read the word of God it’s like looking in a mirror. The mirror is there to reveal the problems. We then have to submit those problems to God for resolve. It takes doing something about it. Don’t just read the word and forget what you look like in it’s light. Make a change. Ask God to reveal and to heal. What if we began to not only look in the mirror, but we “took a look at ourselves and made a change”. This all starts with knowing what God thinks. Find out, through His word. Then you can begin following his instruction. Find out what God thinks about; racism (James 2); love (I Corinthians 13); life (Romans 12); and more by reading God’s word. But don’t just stop there, MAKE A CHANGE. If God’s word cuts sometimes, good. It’s working. Allow it to be your mirror, and then follow it’s instruction.
James 1:2-4 2Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (NLT)
What if you could be perfect. I’m a movie buff. One of my favorites is the movie “Remember the Titans”. In one scene coach Boone walks in and tells his team… “We will be perfect in every aspect of the game. You drop a pass, you run a mile. You miss a blocking assignment, you run a mile. You fumble the football, and i will break my foot off in your John Brown hind parts and then you will run a mile. Perfection. Let's go to work.” Coach Boone was smart enough to know that there was no way his team was going to be perfect, but he also knew that with every mistake, they could work on one of the most fundamental aspects of the game. Endurance. The book of James starts off by telling us to look forward to problems. What??? This guy’s crazy. That’s the way I look at it sometimes. Allow me to put James 1 verses two through 4 in a cross section of Coach Boone’s and my words. “Guys, ladies, consider it a good thing when you fumble. Because when you fumble you’re gonna get the chance to work on your endurance (run a mile). And if your endurance continues to grow, you will be unstoppable.” The trouble is that many of us don’t want our endurance to grow because that’s the part that hurts. I have two daughters so the movie Frozen comes to mind as I read verse four. “Let it grow, Let it grow, can’t hold it back any more. Ok, ok, bad example. However, that’s exactly what you need to do. The next time you approach what looks to be the largest problem you’ve faced, let it grow. Allow your endurance to grow. The following time after allowing God to grow that endurance in you won’t be near as difficult. Now you’re on your way to perfection.
Both sound uncomfortable, and in many ways both are. One big difference though. Being stretched grows you, stress just kills you. Yes both can be painful but it might be more painful to sit and think of who you could have been, what you could have done if you would have allowed yourself to be stretched. Therefore, the solution isn't "I'll just stop stretching myself to new levels", the solution is understanding the difference between these two.
So how can I know the difference between stress and being stretched? And how can I make the right choices that keep me choosing the correct pain. The more ironic problem may be that in many cases the choice of being stretched is allowed to go too far and leads to stress. Maybe the question should be at what point does stretching turn into stress. And the tricky thing is that it is always changing its location.
-3 ways to keep stretching from turning into stress
You know that guy/that girl who goes to the gym for the first time in a long time and just overdoes it. I mean they completely annihilate themselves. You're thinking, (I am that guy/girl). Me too. We can draw three conclusions from this example that show us why we allowed the process of stretching push us to being stressed.
1. Current assessment :: Current and correct information allows us to process the problem correctly and make the right decision. We overdo it in the gym mostly because we think we can still do what we could in the past. Nope. This one also reminds you to do what you can now and not wait until the ideal situation.
2. Past successes :: Focus on what worked before. If you remember back, the gym worked best when it was a routine, not just one extreme day of destruction. This is one where people can quickly allow stretching to overcome them and turn into stress. It is so easy when we think about the past to remember one of two extremes; either the glory days or the brutal failures of our past. Instead of either of these, focus on the times you were successful in the ordinary.
3. Future goals :: It might be possible to stretch without a goal in mind but it probably won't yield the results you want. In my past I was a massive procrastinator until I discovered the secret. It actually takes less work to plan ahead and act than to wait. With a plan in place you can then begin going about working on the individual pieces of the plan instead of the whole thing at once, which is definitely a stressor. Another key, make realistic goals... Stress comes when our goals exceed our abilities and our faith.
Here's the crazy part. Leaving out just one of these insights while being stretched can quickly cause stress. Current assessment without a future goal is simply judgmental. A future goal without current assessment and past successes is just a dream. And so on... Imagine how much less stress we could have if we controlled the stretching process.
Now, I'm a Christian and I would be crazy not to tell you my biggest stress relief. Jesus said it this way and my hope for you is that you would understand this personally...
“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.””
Matthew 11:28-30 NLT
http://bible.com/116/mat.11.28-30.nlt
In her bright little face I see hope. A hope God placed within her to remind me that He never leaves & never forsakes. In times of doubt and sorrow, her smile helps me embrace my now and not be anxious for tomorrow. Her laughter brings me so much joy in my sadness. I have been called to love our one and only child (for now) so fiercely. A lovely testament to the truth that His strength is made perfect in my weakness.
Miscarriage just really stinks to put it plainly. It's heartbreaking, confusing, and a little bit twisted that society tells us it's the one loss we should avoid talking about because it makes people uncomfortable. We should know having been through it twice. This is a lie from Satan. Grief is an unavoidable & natural part of God's healing process, but SILENT grief is a choice. After 3 weeks of keeping mostly quiet about it this time around & praying about how public we should make sad news, we are choosing to believe we are made overcomers by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. If you've experienced loss due to miscarriage & feel like you're carrying a heavy weight that no one knows about, please find someone to help you carry your burden to the feet of Jesus. Ask my husband or me about our story. And if you've experienced a miscarriage after already having a child, please don't let your loss make you bitter, but instead allow it to make you a better parent to the one who needs you at this very moment. His grace is sufficient.
P.S. To those who have known, we can't say enough how much we've appreciated your prayers, calls, texts, cards, flowers, etc. Marcus, Camilla, and I are so very blessed.
Anyone can build something that they have thought of. Why… because you have the blue prints in your head. The real trick is relaying those thoughts to others. But that’s not the angle I want to take in this blog. Let’s look at the angle of you building someone else’s dream.
Admit it, you just got a little selfish. You probably thought something like… “what about my dreams?” or “I have good idea’s too”. And I’m sure you do, so do I. However, for the past 9 years my task and pleasure has been to help build a dream that my Dad was given. BRIEF BACKGROUND:: My dad (aka - Pastor, Boss, Friend…) several years ago started a church in south Shreveport; get this, in an abandoned theme park. Yep! And he did. Since then we’ve been trying to do church in a non churchy way. I mean come on it’s a theme park. He has a dream to be more than just a church on Sunday, but for our property, people, and actions to be the church 24/7. But more on this history some other time.
To get into the steps of how to build someone else’s dream we need to first know why; why build someone else’s dream. I remember an old school example that I think explains the why. If one horse can pull, let’s just say 1000 pounds and another horse can pull the same weight, then if we hitch them together they should be able to pull 2000. However, somehow they can actually pull even more. Ecclesiasties 4:9 basically says that two are better than one.
To build someone else’s dream your goal is to see it take shape and come to life. Here are three easy steps to accomplishing this.
1. Your first task is to make his/her vision your vision. (if you can’t do this you are destined to fail)
2. Find where the visionary’s weaknesses and your strengths overlap.
-This may require you to dig deep into yourself to discover hidden gifts. This doesn’t mean that you can’t
use other strengths that you may have, but it does mean that there may be a better way to use your time
and efforts. If I use my time to just dream all day instead of making my leaders dreams come to life, then
nothing is accomplished. Someone has to do the dream.
3. Be an echo.
-We live in a world where everyone want’s their own voice. Yet something heard from multiple sources
gains credibility, respect, and momentum. Our job as dream builders is to echo what our leaders say,
and make it our own. Only then can we make a giant wave in a pond full of tiny ripples.
It takes a special person to build a dream you didn’t design, but the results speak for themselves. And look around you… you’ll notice your dreams now have been infused into the design of the original dreamer. You are making an impact.
Tomorrow is a work day at the park and I can't wait. We'll have several eager volunteers ready to roll up their sleeves, get dirty, and get some work done. Still there will be many people that "want" to show up but won't. Over the past few years of offering somewhere around 60 serve opportunities a year, we have learned that serving isn't everyones thing... whatever that it is. (But it should be) In the bible... Mark 10:45 it basically says that even Jesus came to the earth to serve. So why aren't more people ready and willing to serve, why isn't there a line of people saying... I'll get that. Well, there are many reasons. One, we are all too busy. Two, we are all too lazy. Three, it's not the easiest thing to be like Jesus. I contend that there is another reason. It's because serving isn't presented in the right way. Jack Hyles said "God's people can't be shamed into serving Him, the must be challenged". So here are some tips to challenge more volunteers so you don't have to voluntell people to do stuff.
1. Let them feel like they get in on the planning... Listen to them.
2. Don't make the job so hard that it requires tons of training.
3. Don't make the job so easy that people feel less than needed.
4. Ask for a commitment. Not a legally binding contract, but an "are you with me" conversation.
5. Re-tell the vision often with high energy and intensity. (people need to know WHY)
Begin these steps and watch the culture of your volunteers change.
I remember growing up and hearing people, (mostly old people) say "you can't see the forest for the trees". What in the world does that mean? I later learned that it's an expression of being so focused on one thing that you don't see the collective it is a part of.
In the church world, and business world too for that matter, we have truly experienced this problem. Our focus is and always will be people. For churches, it's loving God and loving people. Jesus said "And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ (Matthew 25:40 NKJV)" For businesses it's similar, give the customer everything they need to have a fantastic experience.
So it's obvious that our focus is people... Right? Well, maybe not that obvious. Could it be that we have become so focused on delivering a winning experience for "people" that we have forgotten about the main ingredient to do that..."People".
Businesses spend their time so focused on the customer experience and no mistakes, that they begin to eliminate the warmth that another human can bring, even with mistakes. Churches long for the days when they can hire full time positions thus eliminating the need and reliance on voluneers. However, a volunteer has something that no full time employee of a church has... Another job, where there are other people. I have discovered that the larger our volunteer base, the larger our influence and reach into the community.
If we are not careful we can become so focused on delivering something excellent to the people that we eliminate the people element. Embrace the people factor, mistakes and all and your church/business will grow. See the trees and the forest.
:: Based out of Isaiah 6:1-5 ::
There is a Godly fear that we have lost. This isn't the same as the "Spirit of Fear" referenced elsewhere in scripture, nor is it the same as the fear that perfect love casts out. This is a "Holy Fear" when we enter the presence of God. It's more than respect. It's a reverence that puts us in our place. A realization of how huge God Is and that we are "undone" in comparison to him. It's interesting that Isaiah isn't really scared when describing the six winged creatures, but when He sees God... "he's doomed". We have to resurrect this Holy Fear of The Lord in our lives. It's only after we recognize this Holy Fear that God then says "do not be afraid". This is as if to say that now that you recognize how great "I Am", I give you permission not to fear. Another way of seeing it is... After you've seen God (perfect Love) there is nothing else worth fearing.
When I first recognized my dad as one to be feared... (Not like I thought he was going to kill me, but I knew he had the ability) then I gave him the respect he deserved, and he continued to reassure me that He loved me. How much greater is the example of God, that when we recognize his greatness He then says now that you see me for who I am I no longer have to show you my glory through wrath, you can now move on and see my glory from another angle... Love. For us to understand God's love we must first start with a Holy Fear. We must get these in order so that we don't unintentionally dishonor God.
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Isaiah 6:1-5 "
1 It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!” 4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke. 5 Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the lord of Heaven’s Armies.”