Reflections 2013: Life is Hard, REALLY

I usually end the year with a post reflecting on the challenges and lessons learned  this year and what my ambitions and disciplines will be for the coming year to make it much more fruitful. As I was thinking about this past year, I made an observation. Every year I think to myself something like this: "Next year is going to be different. Life is going to be smooth sailing. The bank account is going to show a few more commas, the family will get along perfectly, I'll finally get promoted, the Redskins will win the SuperBowl, happy happy happy." I think, "If I can just get these few principles I've learned down pat I can live the next year in peace without any hindrances." But for some reason this just hasn't happened.

Ian Smith has said, " Luck is great, but most of life is hard work.

Lesson learned:

Life is hard, REALLY. In fact, it's hard almost every single day. Aside from working everyday and caring for our families we need to stay healthy, build our skillset, and grow in our relationship with the Lord. Naturally, it takes time and hard work to cultivate anything worth while whether it's a relationship, ministry, or a profession. Meanwhile, there are problems and opportunities bundled in packages simply waiting for us to discover on a daily basis. REALLY. We should learn to expect problems and friction and not be shocked when they arise. I share this because I personally have believed the lie, I know some of  you have as well, that there will come a time when things get much easier. We think, "If I can trust the Lord through this season,  the future will be much easier to navigate." Following the Lord doesn't mean life gets easier, it means we can overcome in every situation and circumstance.

Allow me to share a snippet from John Maxwell:

"Everyone's reality is different. However, there are some realities that are true for all of life:  

Life is difficult. Life is difficult for everyone. Life is more difficult for some than others. Somehow people believe that life is supposed to be easy. This is particularly a problem here in America. We expect a smooth easy road to success. We expect our lives to be hassle free. That is not reality! Even if we are willing to concede that life is difficult for most people, deep down inside many of us secretly hope somehow this truth won't apply to us. I'm sorry to say it isn't so. No one escapes life's problems, failures, and loses. If we are to make progress we must do so through life's difficulties. If we don't understand and accept this truth that life is difficult, we set ourselves up for failure."

It's hard to swallow, but it's true. How many folks believe life is only hard for them? Don't raise your hand. My life has been a twisted mess of hurt, letdowns, and hardships but I've also experienced some great things and have made lasting memories. As I've matured, I've noticed a pattern. Life is full of ups and downs (REALLY) and most of the time everyday is a struggle. The application here is to accept the fact that that life is difficult. BUT, when the good times come, celebrate them. Learn to recognize the waves of peace, pause and enjoy them. Not long after your going to be grinding it out until you get over the next hump. "There's a time and a season for every activity under the heavens. A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance..." #Truth

The other lesson I learned is that it's ok to be me. I like and enjoy certain things because it's a part of me, it's how I'm wired. What a tragedy it is to copy the lifestyle, talents, and personality of others. If we aren't careful we won't fulfill our dream because we're to focused on imitating the dreams of others. The comparison game is never ending and exhausting. This came to a head for me while I was at an event earlier this year. I believe I compared myself to every single person I saw, for hours. Worse yet, I think I wanted to be like every single person, weird huh?

My grandfather taught me there's always someone better no matter how good you are. Let them do them and you do you. Or, "You, get you you and I'ma get, me me", as a friend of mine says. Except who you are, don't be ashamed of it. Grow in the areas you need to grown in but never compromise your personality, desires, and talents. If you've been living someone else's dream, ask God for a dream of your own and He will give it to you.

"Whatever you think, be sure it is what you think; whatever you want; be sure it is what you want". -TS Elliot


Life takes hard work, patience, and determination (REALLY) to make it through. I believe it was Augustine who said, "The more I have to do today, the more time I spend with God." Likewise,  Dr. Hang Yang's sermon this year was a powerful reminder as to how it's done, by fixing our eyes on Jesus. "Fix" literally means to direct one's eyes, attention, or mind steadily or unwaveringly toward. When we fall we dust ourselves off and get back up. We fight our battles on our knees. Keep moving forward, laugh at yourself, and know this, "It takes a long long time for God to work in someone's life before it amounts to anything."(Rick Warren)

My power verse for next year is Colossians 2:7:

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, so walk in  Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."

It's Ok To Be Different

How is that we're the only ones that "get" there's a God and the world should be worshipping Him? Why are we jeered at, mocked, and socially unaccepted? Can we straddle the line between church and culture? Can we live differently and be accepted? These are tough questions to answer and more than likely every Christian has pondered these. No doubt, it's challenging to live out our faith in a world with polar opposite morals and views. But it's nothing new, the church has always met resistance, it was birthed in a fallen world. Most will think this to be obvious, which it is, I'm only offering encouragement to stay the course.

First of all, it's ok to be different, in fact we must be different if we're to be the church, grow the church, and bring forth the will of God. Jesus told the disciples, " I'm sending you out like sheep among wolves." Well that isn't very comforting is it? In fact, it sounds intimidating. The point however, is that we are most definitely different than those around us and we will definitely meet resistance. Indeed it costs us something socially to walk with the Lord , but the peace and favor of God far outweigh the sacrifice. Jesus also said, "You didn't choose me, but I chose You." Tap tap. is this thing on? Did you hear that? We should cling to that revelation because it's so easy to forget.

Can we forfeit fearing the perception of what others think about us and choose a different path? We dress, act, and live differently than those around us because we have the Holy Spirit living inside us and we're called to live differently. It's why we read our Bibles,  fast while others indulge, seek Him early and late, and guard what we watch and hear. It's why we choose not to curse and use filthy language either publicly or in our homes; our hearts and minds are guarded in Christ. Let your righteousness go before and have the glory of the Lord as your rear guard. We shouldn't be embarrassed or uncomfortable by the way we live, we should be empowered by it.

So, is it wise to live the way the world lives?    

The other half of the scripture in Matthew 10, says, we are to be "wise as serpents and harmless as doves."The word "wise" means prudent, careful, cunning, discerning, thoughtful, intelligent, or sensible. If you would like to be described as that kind of person, raise your hand.  We aren't going to become wise by hanging with fools nor following the customs of this world. We aren't judging others by the way the way they live, we simply choose to live differently that's all.  The word "fool" means one who is deficient in judgement, sense, or understanding. A mentally deficient person and an idiot. Nice huh? Moving right along. To be foolish is to be ignorant of the truth and/or know the truth but simply reject it. "The wise man does at once what the fool does finally."

As I'm writing this, I'm aware that both Christian and Christian may one day stumble across this post. Perhaps even my own children and other family members. To you I write; I have a secular job, I have secular friends, and I have secular family members. I know what it's like to be around folks who curse all the time, drink all the time, and waste all their time. I see the selfish ambition and greed of others on a daily basis and I know what it's like to live opposite of those things. It's hard to tell your friends and family that you can't do things with them. It's hard to walk away from co-workers conversing. I share this because I'm not an insider peering out. I know how hard it is to say no and choose the right path. 

We will fail many times as we try to straddle the line between church and culture. Not just because we throw our hands up and walk away from God, but because transformation and sanctification is a process and most folks learn things the hard way. Our focus needs to shift from temporary satisfaction to lasting peace. Romans 8:6 says, "So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace." We must practice the things that feed the Spirit. Solomon said, "Wisdom is like an inheritance and benefits those who see the sun and preserves the life of it's possessor. She is a tree of life to those who find her and all her paths are peace." He put the kibosh on Ecclesiastes by saying, "Fear God and keep His commandments.", penned after a lifetime of observing how life is lived and how the world operates. It's ok to be different, wisdom doesn't follow the crowd. 

"The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

-2 Corinthians 2:4 

"Only fools say in their hearts, "There is no God."

- Psalm 14:1

The Heart of Marriage II

If you haven't read the book, I encourage you to do so. The FIVE love languages are as follows, Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, and Physical Touch. My purpose is to not give away all the juicy details of the book but to share some highlights and personal insights. I'm going to share a little on the second language, Quality Time. That is not to say it's the most important it's just simply one that I personally believe we could all do a better job at. The stories and life applications behind the others are just as good, if not better. I'll conclude this post with the thoughts and hopes the impact the book will have by Dr. Chapman.

A central aspect of quality time is togetherness, not simply proximity. Togetherness has to do with focused attention. On the other hand, quality time does not mean we have to spend our waking moments gazing into the starlight of each other's eyes. It means that we are doing something together and giving our full attention to the other person. Quality time can be an activity or a conversation. Quality conversation is a sympathetic dialogue where two individuals share their experiences, thoughts, feelings, and desires in a friendly uninterrupted context. Below is a testimony from the book.

I met Patrick when he was 43 and had been married for 17 years. I remember him because his first words were so dramatic. He sat in the leather chair in my office and after briefly introducing himself, he leaned forward and said with great emotion, "Dr. Chapman, I have been a fool, a real fool. I've been married for 17 years and my wife has left me. Now I realize what a fool I've been." I asked the question, "In what way have you been a fool?" "My wife would come home from work and tell me about the problems in her office. I would listen to her and then tell her what I thought she should do. I always gave her my advice. I told her she had to confront the problem. You have to deal with the problem. The next day she would come home and tell me the same things. I would ask if she did what I told her to do and she would say no. So, I'd repeat my advice."

"After 3 or 4 nights of that I would get angry. I would tell her not to expect sympathy from me if she wasn't willing to take my advice. She didn't have to live under that kind of stress and pressure. She could solve the problem if she simply did what I told her. It hurt me to see her living under that kind of stress. The next time she'd bring it up I would tell her I didn't want to hear about it. I would withdraw and go about my business. What a fool I was! Now I realize she didn't want my advice when she told me her struggles, she wanted sympathy. She wanted me to listen, to give her attention, to let her know that I could understand the hurts, stress, and pressure. She waned to know I loved her and was with her. What a fool and now she's gone. I was blind to what was going on and I have failed her."

Who can relate? I know I sure can, I've done it. We forget that marriage is a relationship, not a project to be completed or a problem to solve. As men, most of us are trained to analyze problems and create solutions. Amen? Amen. Here are a few suggestions written elsewhere, not just this book that can help us really listen.

1. Maintain eye contact when your spouse is talking. This keeps your mind from wondering and lets her know she has our attention.

2. Don't listen and do something else at the same time.

3. Listen for feelings...(I know it sounds weird) Ask yourself, "What emotion is she feeling? Then attempt to  relate.

4. Observe body language.

5. Refuse to interrupt. Just simply listen. Research shows the average individual listens for 17 seconds before interrupting or injecting their own ideas. (You too ladies) The goal is to discover your spouses thoughts and feelings.

Finally, we have to learn how to talk. Dr Chapman says there are two personality types when it comes to talking. The first is the "Dead Sea" and the other is the "Babbling Brook." The "Dead Sea" receives many experiences, emotions, and thoughts. They have a large reservoir where they store that information and they're perfectly happy not to talk. If you ask a "Dead Sea", "What's wrong, why aren't you talking tonight?" he will probably say "Nothing, what makes you think something is wrong?" That answer would be perfectly honest. The "Babbling Brook" on the other hand...whatever enters the eye or ear comes out the mouth. If no one is home to talk to, they'll call someone to talk to. If you're a "Dead Sea" and you date a "Babbling Brook" you will have a wonderful evening. The "Dead Sea" doesn't have to worry about how to keep the conversation alive and the "Babbling Brook" can talk for hours on end. Both walk away thinking, "Wow, what a wonderful person :)"


Focus on listening to your wife as she's talking. Listen intently and try to relate, ask yourself how or why she may be feeling a certain way.  This takes practice. My wife and I have started asking each other to tell the other 3 things about their day. We have to initiate the quality time and conversation because for most of us men, it doesn't come naturally. We're simple. We have to make time for quality time even if it means sacrificing things we love which it certainly does. The saying goes, "If mamma ain't happy, nobody's happy." I agree, but the wonderful thing about putting in the work is that it's reciprocal. The health of our marriage affects every aspect of our lives second to that of our relationship with God. Out of balance in either of those and we're jacked up all over the place perhaps not even realizing it. Reading the book and applying the principles doesn't mean we will never have another bad day or argument. Don't throw in the towel after attempting these things once or twice, put in the work. I am and will, I owe it to God, my wife, and my family.

I have not written this book as an academic treatise to be stored in the libraries of colleges and universtities, although I hope professors of sociology and psychology find it helpful in courses on marriage and life. I have not written to those who are studying marriage, but to those who are married, to those whose have experienced the "In love euphoria", who entered marriage with lofty dreams of making each other happy but in the reality of everyday life are in danger of losing that dream entirely. I dream of a day when the potential of the married couples in this country can be unleashed for the good of humankind. If it were possible I would hand this book personally to every married couple in this country and say, "I wrote this for you. I hope it changes your life. And if it does give a copy to someone else." -Gary Chapman

Dr. Gary Chapman seeks to fulfill his call to the ministry as a pastor, speaker, and author. He speaks extensively throughout the U.S. and internationally on marriage, family, and relationships.

http://www.garychapman.org/

The Heart of Marriage

How would you rate your marriage? Good, bad, ok? Is it not bad considering...Compared to other people you know? Well, if we're honest most of us would have to say it's nothing like we thought it would be in the beginning, life happily ever after. I know there are life situations and circumstances that affect a healthy marriage, but that's not going to be my focus here. The focus is simply you and your wife's love relationship. Did that make you cringe? If your like me, love talk just turns you off. As a man, I'm not into all that love goo goo and in fact I hardly ever read books on love because well, it's just not manly. Can I get a witness? You may be thinking that's harsh and I have to admit that my perspective has radically changed. Love means something different and is shown differently to us all.

I picked up a book that had been sitting on our bookcase for quite sometime. It's called "The Five Love Languages", by Gary Chapman. I laughed at the title as I started flipping through the pages. It didn't take long for me to discover that this book was different. This guy was being completely honest about marriage! Who does that? Over the next few weeks I'm going to share some insights and truths that I learned from the book and have already begun to put into practice. It works! I'm definitely promoting this book, and it's a must read for every man who is married, newly wed or old timer. The principles in this book have the potential to save any marriage no matter the damage that has been done and to breathe new life and passion into your relationship right now. Trust me.

The foundation...

The desire for romantic love is deeply rooted in our psychological makeup. Almost every popular magazine has at least one article each issue on keeping love alive in marriage. TV, talk shows, radio, etc. Keeping love alive in marriage is serious business. With all the books, magazines, and marriage seminars, how is that so few couples seem to have found the secret to keeping love alive after the wedding? Not to say those things aren't helpful, but the fundamental truth we have all overlooked is that people speak different love languages. Mr Chapman's conclusion after 20 years of counseling is that there are FIVE basic languages that either the male or female respond to. Five ways that people speak and respond to emotional love. I'll glaze over each of these the next few weeks without giving away the meat and potatoes of the book. 

The most shocking realization I made was that most couples fall out of love shortly after the wedding and in fact can even fall out of love before the wedding. This is because of our high natural emotions that go haywire when we initially fall in love. In fact, as the counselor puts it, this stage should not even be called love. It's a euphoric high that we eventually come down from sooner rather than later. The longest period of the "In Love Euphoria" can last up to two years. As we begin to come down from the high, we realize that we're two individuals with dreams, hopes, and plans, and we gradually start gravitating back towards our individual self. The real work begins once we come down from the high and if done properly our marriage can be full of passion and happiness. More so than the original "In Love Euphoria", because there's also a deep emotional bond.

The negative feelings we have at times towards our spouses are actually pretty natural. The reason is because we aren't being loved ourselves. You may say that I'm way off point here but it's actually true. When we're loved we give love back, that's the way it works. Another piece of wisdom I learned, is that love is a choice, we choose to love. That means doing things we really don't feel like doing. On the flip side, it soon becomes natural and the payoff incredible. Finally, we actually begin to enjoy doing those things that make our spouses feel loved. The languages and techniques in the book are not difficult to apply. Once you learn the love language of your spouse and she learns yours, it's all downhill afterwards. Your eyes are going to be opened and more than likely you'll slap yourself in the face for not seeing this yourself, I promise.

Dr. Gary Chapman seeks to fulfill his call to the ministry as a pastor, speaker, and author. He speaks extensively throughout the U.S. and internationally on marriage, family, and relationships.
http://www.garychapman.org/

When Pride Hurts

Buildings sometimes implode. They collapse, leaving a mess to clean up so the rebuilding process can begin. Comparitively, the same thing happens in our lives from time to time whether it be self inflicted or just part of the natural cycle of life. One thing is for sure, if you're not going through a rebuilding process now, you just came out of one, and if neither of those is the case unfortunately you're headed there. Though the degree and magnitude of the collapse will be a variable, the only hope of recovery we have is to see it all through the lens of a faithful and loving God.

As Christians we have an advantage that other folks do not have. We have experienced salvation, we know that God has a purpose and plan for us, and we have the Word of God to stand on. We don't have the luxury of going backwards or staying idle for a long period of time because as I've said before, God is not interested in us functioning at half or less than half of our full potential. That means He will do whatever is necessary to get our attention and to get us back on the path He destined us to be walking. He may attempt to use the garden snips to prune or He may need to bring out the chainsaw. At worst, the rug can be pulled out from under you so fast that you land on your face.

To the particulars...

As men I wouldn't be going to far out on a limb in saying that our biggest issue is pride. Pride comes in many shapes, sizes, and colors. We don't like to lose at anything. Whether it be a game of Madden NFL 2013 or a friendly game of go fish. We feel the pressure managing the finances for the family, when our children get out of line, and of course in our careers. Those are obvious outward materials that affect our pride. The not so obvious pride creeper, is the wall that erects in our spiritual life. That wall makes us Bible scholars, teachers, arrogant know it alls, unteachable, not willing to take the advice of others, and gradually and eventually weans us away from our Source. This has to be the thing that hardens most hearts of men and the dangerous snare that leads to most downfalls.

Thank God that if your heart is pliable the wall can come down and the rebuilding process can begin. The greatest example of this in the Bible would have to be Peter. The man was so sure that He wouldn't deny Christ. "How could you dare to say such a thing Lord? You know me. I'm the rock."  I'm paraphrasing but you get the point. We know that Peter did in fact deny Jesus. Now, think about that. Denying Jesus after being the greatest Apostle has to be one of the worst implosions and trainwrecks of all time, at least in Peter's mind. The Lord knew how to get Peter's attention and it was needed in order to get Peter back on track and dependent on the Source.

Proverbs 16:18, "Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall." The downfall usually involves sin. We choose to sin when we attempt to meet our needs apart from God. When we choose to meet our needs apart from God something has gone terribly wrong. If we choose not to acknowledge our sin and take action, it will be done for us. Again, thank God. Faith in Christ brings many new things- a relationship with God, a new spirit, a new outlook on life, but it does not eradicate all traces of our old nature. That is done through intentional devotion, renewing the mind via the Word, and valley experiences.

When we repent of our bad experiences, God uses them to make us stronger, as the case with Peter. He doesn't excuse them or remove the consequences, but He is bigger than our failures. We create some messes, make some mistakes, and commit some sins simply because of our own weaknesses, flaws, or rebellion. Yet God allows us to fall into some because He knows that when we come back, we will be stronger, our perspective will be deeper, and our commitment will be truer. It teaches us something about ourselves and about God. We may fail but we are not failures. Seek God in and through the mess. We all fall short but God is greater still. He will restore and He still has a plan. God is good, His faitful love endures forever.

Transformed

"But let He who boasts boast of this; that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness in the earth: for in these things I delight says the LORD."

-Jeremiah 9:24

Eye to Eye, Knee to Knee, Toe to Toe

Since I've been away from writing for several months my mind is all over the place with ideas of how to nail this one down. I'm not going to be methodical in laying this one out, just going to let it rip. What I'm about to share comes from my own experience. The focal point of this post is a story shared by my Pastor this passed Sunday. It had such a powerful effect on me and has changed my perspective in how I view my relationship with God. It's not so much knowledge that I have lacked it's the surreal experience of knowing and abiding in the Lord.

We sing the song, "It's all about you, it's all about you Jesus." And it may be on Sunday, sometimes...But usually the song goes, "It's all about me, it's all about me Jesus." How often are we really praising and thanking Him? Especially when things aren't going so well or we're in a dry season. We want to get in our worship, hear the Word, and ask God to bless our plans. When trouble comes we may pray, speak the Word, or apply the blood. Or we may spend so much time in prayer, read the Word daily, go through our rituals just so everything is kosher when trouble starts to attack our plans. I'm not trying to offend anyone, unconsciously I catch myself doing this. The blood isn't to be applied, the rituals don't protect, it's all about abiding in Him all the time.

The Pastor's question went like this, "If you were sitting in front of Jesus; eye to eye, toe to toe, knee to knee, what would He say to you?" Visualize that for a moment, what would He say? Honestly? If you know who He is and what His character is like this should rock you to the core. Let me share just two scriptures. From Isaiah 42, "He will not shout or raise His voice in public. He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle." We should all be familiar with the passage in Matthew 11 that says, "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

I believe the Lord would look at me and say, "What are you doing? Let me explain the gospel to you and what I've done for you." Can you imagine that? "You're trying so hard and getting nowhere. I have poured out my compassion on you, saved you, created you with a purpose in mind. It's not about you, the sin is gone, abide in me, and you will be everything I created you to be." If that happened to me I'm not sure I would ever get up from my chair. You talk about being overwhelmed, and overwhelmed with compassion at that. That's amazing to me.

Every time you pray do it eye to eye, toe to toe, knee to knee with the Lord. That's an encounter. "Abide in Me." That's what He says to do. It's easy and light. Get a new grip, sit down in the chair, and let Him mold your heart. It's a tough, fast world out there. We weren't created to destroy ourselves or to simply enjoy life to the maximum. We were created to worship the Creator. We were created with a specific purpose in mind. Lay aside the sin that entangles, walk in the Light, be pure, and take on the heart of a servant. Seek His will, stay in the Word, abide don't apply, and sit in the chair.

Trust through Change

"Perpetual change is not something unsettling, but an unfolding pattern, scintillating and God given. Instead of frozen perfection, there is a kaleidoscopic movement of innumerable processes, each with its own character and period of blossoming and ripening, beautiful in its time and contributing to the overall masterpiece which is the work of one creator." -Iain Provan

We all deal with change, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The ending of one year and beginning of the next is traditionally the time when we contemplate the possibility of change. But what happens when change is forced on us, say through the loss of a relationship, a job change, or a family issue? This week I write to  offer some encouragement for those of us who are going through a season of change.

Coping with a change that you didn't initiate requires that you change your perception of the event. That being said, if we aren't careful we can easily get distorted and lose our sense of direction. It's even possible to begin to resent God and while we second guess Him, the devil seethes as he assaults our minds with all kinds of negative propaganda. (And that's where we put him in his place) I don't casually say this, but sometimes we have to "Let Go...and Let God.". While I admit that its extremely hard to do so when life is making changes that don't seem to fit, we must. While I don't know what the future holds for you or I, I do know the One who does.

Perhaps you have been  waiting for the windows of heaven to open up and for God to bless your socks off for all that faith you have? I say that with a bit of sarcasm, but there is a sense of entitlement we think we deserve because we serve God. I'm not speaking of claiming promises, I'm saying, "I know what's best for me and this isn't it", in other words. Oh how vastly different our needs are compared to what God knows is best for us at the time. I have heard many pastors and people of influence say God took them through the desert. They never imagined the journey would be as it was, but hindsight is 20/20.

While the world waits for us to fall, the scriptures say He will guide us with His eye and that the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him. It's ok to embrace our imperfections, it's ok to admit our failures, it's ok to be uncertain of our future. This is why we have a mighty God we put our trust in. And if we know He always has our best interest in mind, and all things work for our good, then we have to trust Him. CS Lewis put it this way, "Withhold nothing from God and trust Him with everything."

God is never surprised by something that happens to us, He has already met every need you and I will ever have. Thankfully, we’re not at the mercy of the unknown; God’s Word tells us each pilgrim appears before Him (Ps. 84:7). We will be victorious, no matter how long and jagged our valleys might be, because our needs have already been provided for by the master Logistician.

 "The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men.

 From the place of His dwelling He looks on

 all the inhabitants of the earth; 

He fashions their hearts individually;

 He considers all their works."

TRANSFORMED

" For God is not unjust  
as to forget your work and the 
love which you have shown toward His name..."

New Year, New Focus

My wife and I had the opportunity to enter 2013 in the presence of God. We went to a service at a local church, one that her and I attended several years ago. It's actually where we met. It was a small scale homecoming for us and we enjoyed seeing the familiar faces and catching up with those who are such a big part of our life, some of which we owe many thanks for guiding us to where we are today. If you ever get the opportunity to attend a new year's service, do it. There's no better way to reflect on the past year and to renew your spirit to walk into a new one.

By far, the most captivating part of the night were the testimonies given throughout the service by those who attended and also the pastors. One thing was clear, 2012 was a tough year on us all and at times it seemed as though we may not make it through. Our families, marriages, careers, and ministries were under heavy assault. This was the theme for all, and it was comforting to know that we were not alone. Through it all, we kept our minds on the Lord and His Word. Our relationship and worship may not have been anywhere near perfect, the point is that we stayed the course.

“For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.” -Alfred D'Souza

There's a lot of wisdom in the above quote and again it's nice to know that we aren't alone. There's a reason for the struggles, they create maturity and shake those things which we need to let go of. We are faced with a choice when we meet an obstacle. We can fight it ourselves and burn out, or we can surrender and conform to the Lord's will and walk through it with Him. Last year was a year of great preparation for those in the house of the Lord. The enemy has tried to play many of us out of position because he knows what lies ahead. If you made it through 2012 you can make it through anything.

 My objective in this blog is to encourage you to renew your focus this year. What has the Lord been saying to you? What is that thing inside you that just keeps coming back? What are you passionate about? Make this the year that you focus your energy on your passion. Develop and practice the skills you need to be successful.

The task I feel that I have been given is to perfect my evangelistic message. The Lord opened my eyes to this in early December. I feel this responsibility is something that we all have as well. We are stewards over the mysteries of God, and we are the only way those around us will see the Kingdom. This year I'm taking a targeted approach in my Bible study and reading. I'm going to memorize all necessary scriptures, and work on my presentation for leading a person to Christ, as well as answering  the questions that most folks raise about God and salvation. I'm laying out a clear plan, one that starts with the existence of God, His attributes, and why Jesus. This will no doubt be a lot of work, but its something I'm passionate about and exactly what the world needs. May God help me in my pursuit this year and also in yours.

In closing I'd like to share the scripture the Lord gave my wife and I to stand on this year:

Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
 He who continually goes forth weeping,
Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.

-Psalm 126:6

2012 was tough, it took a lot of effort to make it through, and much of the work we did was done through pain. But...We shall doubtless come again rejoicing! 

Shout out to Living Faith Church and the Isaiah 58 Project!
419 N Cameron St
Winchester, VA 22601
www.isaiah58project.com/