Are you wearing your LifeVest?

Often times, we look at our current circumstances and think, "why?" We wonder why we are going through what we are in this current moment. We cannot see the plan or the purpose behind our suffering. Usually, the result is unrest, anxiety, discontentedness. We feel neglected, abandoned, left to die. If we look at the story of Exodus in the Bible, we can see the misery and distrust that has worked its way into the hearts of the followers of Moses. They feel the way we often do when things go wrong in our lives.However, today, I write to tell you great news. You see, if their suffering was not so apparent and their way out was not as far from being seen, God's power in their lives would never have been recognized.

Your suffering is the place that God chooses to show his power over all things. The situation of those in Exodus was desolate. They had no chance. But, God proved that he could control the sea and make a way for them. The same is true for you today. God can part a sea where there is no hope. He can move mountains and tear down walls of hardened hearts. Every time we think "why?" God is there ready to answer. It is in our place of greatest humility that God can show his power.

Today, if you feel discouraged, if you feel there is no way out, I ask you to wait a few minutes longer. I ask you to pray fervently for the waters to be parted and the seas to be made calm. There is always a way out with God. There is always higher ground that he wants you to stand on. The suffering will come but, you can be assured that so will God's rescue. And, his name will then be made greater than yours.

Do you read your Bible? Really?

Today, I write on encouraging you of the importance of knowing, and living God's word in the Bible. Yesterday, at church, God used a woman to speak to me about the importance of meditating daily on God's word. When we forget, or do not feel like it, or have other things to do, we are saying to God that we do not care what he has to say to us. But rather, when we read and listen to God, we find out many things. We find out about his character, about his promises to us, about our identity in him, and about knowledge and wisdom that come only from knowing him.

I tend to find myself in the camp that promotes and organic relationship with Jesus. One that is dictated by our love for him. However, after listening to this exhortation, I am convinced that we need to schedule time for reading, studying, and meditating on God's word, daily. You see, somethings need a place of honor. Our relationship with Jesus and our Father should be booked into our schedules.

If you find yourself worried about your future, or full of unrest, I say go to God's word. Spend time reading and God will speak to you. Only through his word can we learn from God. We sometimes expect him to speak in a loud booming voice, for which he sometimes does, but often his plans, purposes are hidden in his word for us to discover. We can be sure that God is with us in our process of study and he will answer us in big ways. It is in studying his word that we can become patient with him in the process of this life he has given to us.

So, I encourage you, make time for reading God's word each day. You will see that your heart has more love for others, that your brain is no longer fuzzy about decisions, and that the Holy Spirit is alive and active in your daily life. God's word has power and purpose we must not neglect it for the ordinary things this world has to offer.

I like Boston about as much as Bacon...

I ate bacon today. Yep, pork, greasy, bacon. I know. It is such a shock to you. The truth of the matter is that I missed it. I missed something that I normally despise. How is this possible? The truth is that we don't really know what we have until it is no longer there.

I have been contemplating this as I have travelled around the world to a place I am not familiar with. Suddenly, all the things that I hate about Boston have become the things I greatly miss. I miss the sights, the smells, the yells... ok the last one is a lie. But, I do love my home in Boston. For so long, I have tried to leave. I've tried to escape being a Bostonian. Yet, I kept getting pulled back in. Lured in by the pushiness, snottiness, and hard heartedness. Yet, just like bacon, I miss it. I miss the way people talk and walk. I miss the sports! I miss the TV shows! But, most of all, I miss my church.

Please, all of you people that have fainted, get up! Yes, I miss my church. The mission in Boston is so tough. We often think, its hard to share the gospel in a place dominated by Muslim or Atheist believers in countries far away, but really it is so hard to share Jesus in Boston. It's easy to get discouraged and want to up and leave. People in Boston have been burned by religion and have no place for God because they feel like he has hurt them. It's totally understandable really. But, its a hard place to plant a church. It's a hard place to fight the good fight of faith.

I write to you today to encourage you. When you feel discouraged about sharing your faith, be encouraged because God had placed you in Boston because he thinks you have the best stuff. You have what it takes. You are the Rocky Balboa of his army. Boston is a place where God wants to heal the broken and save those who have been burned. How happy I am today to realize this! How great a cause I fight!

Boston and bacon are in the same camp for me. Every taste makes me question, "why?" Why this place? But, my realization today is that I have the stuff that it takes to get the job done. And, if you find yourself wondering, why? Why Boston? Be encouraged, you are in for the fight of your lifetime. But, if you go away, you will soon be pulled back again. Boston needs you. And, even if you share and are dismissed, share again, and again because the truth prevails and Jesus will reign in Boston because he loves this place. He loves these people.

Knitting is not for Loners!

I am so holy. I went to church, twice today! Bet, you can't beat that! Ha. Well, we checked out some pretty awesome churches today in Singapore. It was such a joy! So much joy, that tears where shed over how amazing it is that you can walk into a church around the world and feel so welcomed by others.

We often talk about church being a family, but I think you do not realize this is truly possible and happening until you leave the US. As Americans, we are not like other cultures. So far, I have shared dinner tables with people I've never met before, sat so close to people on the train that I think all Bostonians would constitute it inappropriate, and stood in line for long periods of time without anyone getting inpatient or annoyed! I know! It is a shocker. Singapore is a shock to my system. But, it is the fibrillation for my heart that I need.

Today, I heard a sermon on being "knit together in the body of Christ." I have heard that phrase a MILLION times in my church at home. I never once understood it because it was never lived out in front of me. You see, "being knit together" is not just a cool expression we can use to say, "I am your sister or brother in Christ" but in reality we only talk to that person on Sunday, on Facebook or in email. Nope, sorry but that is not what Paul meant by using the word "knit". He meant get out of your stinking house, and spend time with the people in your church! Care about them! Love them! Cook for them, sit in a cafe and talk for hours, and get to know them! We never do that in America. We go from place to place and never sit and enjoy our relationships. Starbucks and, even McDonald's, here is not a "to go" place. You will not see one person carrying around a "to go" cup. Probably, because you get fined $500 if you bring it on the subway, but you get my point. Sit, savor, and enjoy your relationships.

Friends, we need to be knit together in God if we really want to be effective. The preacher shared today that we have 10% of what God needs and the other 90% is found in other people that he wants us to work together with. The problem we have as Americans is that we think we have 95% of what God needs and maybe we will get the other 5% from someone else that we can "use." If we keep living this individualistic diseased life we will miss the whole point of the Great Commission.

If you are not a Christian, I'm sure you can agree that you haven't given church a full go because you feel disconnected. You feel like we talk about a big, awesome God, but we live a very hypocritical life. And, you are true! But, hang in there. God is bigger than the simplicity of the people you have met. The plan for you is that you will follow after God and you will have friends that are not just pushing you to go to church and leave you at the exit. No, he wants you to find Christian friends that love, support, encourage, and teach you the word of God without worrying if its Sunday morning, Tuesday mid day, or the middle of the night.

God's church is about relationships built on the word of God and love for Jesus. If you want to be by yourself, you have quite the hurdle to overcome. If you want to invite 50 friends to church on a Sunday, and forget about them the next week, you are doing it all wrong. Yep, I said it. Face it. Church is not a meeting to be blasted through in the streets with tally counts of how many people attend. Jesus and his saving grace and mercy is what is to be blasted through the streets of our neighborhoods.

Jesus' love for you and God's plan to build his believers up in his word is what being a Christan is all about. So, I urge you. Actually beg you, to stop thinking about Church as another meeting to be held and a box to be checked off. Rather think about it as a bunch of people that live lives willing to want to talk to you, love you, and share and encourage you with God's truth about Jesus' saving grace...DAILY.

Be uncomfortable. Stretch out your tent. Do things you would not normally do. I promise that the only way to be "knit together" is by tightly pinning the stitches together and if you drop a stitch, don't worry too much because God looks and sees your work as beautiful!

Just in case you needed biblical basis for my ranting, Check out Colossians 3 (The Message).

"Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way"

Addicted? Are you really?

What a journey! Chris and I arrived in Singapore last evening. It was quite the trip. You would think, 'what can you do on a plane for 20 hours?' Many things, I tell you! I did not even realize we were flying for that long. I just hope the trip back is the very similar. Well, since I had well over 20 hours to think, I did just that. I started thinking about addiction. Now, this came about because I watched many news reports on the death of Amy Winehouse. At first, I had the same reaction as most people, 'I thought that would happen.' But, then I started thinking about how tortured that thought really is. I gave up hope that she could be healed. I also pinned my self righteousness up against hers, and to my dismay, I won.

Addiction is a battle that everyone fights. In this world, we are all addicted to something or in some cases someone, which could very well be ourselves! What separates us from Amy is that were are closet addicts. Sometimes, it can be hard to see what we are addicted to. For me, I will tell you, I am addicted to vanity. I care about how I look physically and on the inside and care about it at all costs. I have suffered disorder eating, over exercising, people pleasing, and many other slave behaviors because of it. I have said yes, when I meant no. I have manipulated, lied, and cheated my way to being seen as "the perfect person." But, the reality is that my addiction has lead to broken relationships, sickness, and the exact opposite of what I was trying to achieve, identity.

Amy Winehouse may have had many addictions but, God never gave up hope. God never gives up hope that we can be healed. He looks at us and sees the way we were meant to be over the way were currently are. You are more valued than your addiction. There is nothing more powerful than God's ability to overcome our sin. He made it clear when he put an innocent man up on a cross to show you that he wants your victory. Think about what drives your day. What are you constantly thinking about? That is the thing you are addicted to. And, today, God can change your way of thinking. Today, you can repent, and be made new. Its a matter of asking.

So let's stop being slaves to things that will give us no reward. And, think and reflect on the idea that when we hold on to something so tightly, it will usually slip through our fingers. But, if we trust that God knows more than we can see, we will hold on to his love and everything else will fade in the distance.

Pray because you want to Praise

I'm still trying to figure out a few things in life. Hmm, maybe a lot of things. However, today, I was greatly encouraged by the idea that we do not have to push God to do anything. Actually, he is very active, in ways we do not see or understand. That my friends is part of having faith. Too many times I have heard that we need to seek God, press into God, or even pray our way to freedom. However, I was encouraged by a Psalm today that tells me a much more expansive story of God. The Psalm I am referring to is 113. It does not tell us that we need to do anything but praise God and think about him. I am not trying to tell you to become a passive follower of God. I know that the Bible and Jesus tell us to live lives of sharing his word, and praying without stopping. But, if you are expecting God to move by you doing stuff, you truly have it wrong.

When we pray by reflecting on God and praise him, we are then transformed and his love compells us to do things we would not imagine. But, if we are just attending prayer meetings and prayer walking without praising God from the depths of our hearts, we will show a false faith. It also shows others that we do not trust God that he is at work. Please do not fall into a trap of thinking that the more we do for God the more we will see God working. It's just not true. And, anyone that tells you that forgets the point of the gospel. The point of believing in Jesus is to have relationship with him not see cool stuff happen. Although, when we love God and we praise him, cool stuff happens. It's the chicken and the egg. But, please don't forget that God creates both the chicken and the egg. Our minds are too small sometimes and we forget that we have a God that is more powerful and more amazing that we are! Pray, and love Jesus and I promise that others will follow suit. But, never pressure people to follow God or pressure people to pray. Its not biblical and will not result in God's goodness.

Stop Making Plans

I read such encouraging things in the Bible today from Hebrews 4. I was sitting and praying to God when he prompted me to read this chapter. You see, last week, I resigned from my job as a physical therapist. Since, then, people have been asking me, "what are you going to do next?" I sit back and think, "I really do not know. I have no plans." I will tell you, I am not a person without plans. I always have plans. Plans on how to eat right, plans for marathons, plans for life goals, etc. But, I heard this soft voice from God saying, "rest, and stop making plans." And, this was further reinforced by Hebrews.

It is difficult to imagine a life without plans. I am not a person with a million 'to-do' lists. Yet, my brain is always churning on what's next. But, our God is not just a God of what's next. He is God of right now. This passage in Hebrews reminded me that God calls us today to rest in his presence. I firmly believe that is what he wants me to do with the next several months of my gracious life. So, if you think I am crazy for just quitting my job, you are right in worldly terms. Who knows where the next check will come from or if I will have enough for that race I really want to run. But, time with God is so much more important to me.

Do you ever feel like you are constantly looking for the next thing in your life? I propose to you that it is likely that you are doing this because you do not know how to rest with God. Sure, he may not say anything to you at first, but I guarantee that if you give him half a minute he will bring you peace and joy. I am not saying you need to quit your job, although you may want to consider it, but I am saying that there are seasons of work and seasons of rest in life. If you are all work and no rest, you will end up in a place that is empty and lonely.

So, I have no plans. No plans for a family, for a PR in a marathon, a five year career plan, or even plans for what the day will hold. This is entirely new to me. But, I can sense that I will be better off for it. I am excited to see what a season of rest will bring for me. But, the best part is that I will be looking in the moment and that's about it.