Christmas Joy: Resources

We celebrate Advent each December.  Some years we feel merry and bright; other years we feel lonely or anxious.  What restores our emotional center is knowing that God gives the gift of love and hope through Jesus Christ, Savior and King.  

When the Messiah was born long ago in a faraway manger, the world power system shifted.  God's mysterious arrival as a baby inspires awe.  The Son of Man defeated the powers of sin and death worldwide, forever, on the cross.  He offers us this  priceless gift of grace. 

During the Christmas season rejoice.  Immanuel, God with us, has ushered in his kingdom.  God reigns.  Therein lies our comfort and joy. 

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death."
Romans 8:2

BOOKS

Gorrell, Angela Williams. The Gravity of Joy: A Story of Being Lost and Found. Eerdmans, 2021. 
(Gorrell is the first speaker/author in the free, online Calvin January Lecture Series, starting 1/10/22.  See calvin.edu/january )

Lucado, Max. Because of Bethlehem: Love is Born, Hope Is Here. Neslon. 2020

Keller, Timothy. Hidden Christmas: The Surprising Truth behind the Birth of Christ. Viking. 2016

Stanley, Andy. Who Needs Christmas. HarperChristian Resources. 2019

Tripp, Paul David.  Come Let Us Adore Him: 31 Daily Advent Devotional. Crossway. 2017

Warren, Rick. The Purpose of Christmas. Howard Books. 2008

Wolgemuth, Nancy DeMoss. The First Songs of Christmas: A 31 Day Advent Devotional. Moody. 2021

Grace & Giving Thanks: November 2021 Resources

Grace, Mercy, and Thanksgiving are missing in action in today's world, unlike the kingdom of God.  

Have you been cut off in traffic lately, shut down in conversation, or cancelled from the family holiday gathering?  Or even more hurtful, have significant relationships, whether personal, business, or financial, fractured under the strain of manipulation, miscommunication, betrayal, or brokenness?   

The public record of achievement and success we post online, often does not match our real struggles and stumbling.  We'd like to imagine life as lofty, but frequently we experience it as draining. 

People are "wrecks" Beth Guckenberger reminds us in Start with Amen.  Admitting this fact is the first step in reconciliation.  The human condition is marred by sin, in other words.  In love, God reaches out to unlovable me and you, who perform poorly.  However, forgiveness, second chances, raising the dead, and making new creations characterize I AM.  Although wronged, God takes the initiative to reconcile, to forgive, and to give up holding anything against the one who did harm.  

Amazingly, through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, we can be restored to relationship with God.  Jesus paid our fees and redeemed us.  We are forgiven. We are adopted into God's family.  We begin living with hope and the expectation of reunion.  Here on earth, we may learn to say "Amen" or "so be it."  Amen "allows me to rest, even when all seems lost."  

If you are approaching this holiday season of Thanksgiving and Christmas with any measure of reluctance or dread, it may be time to rethink and surrender the role of controller or victim.  Say "yes" to God in trust, despite the chaotic times.

Here are a few good books for a fresh perspective.  You will find them at your library or bookstore.

Guckenberger, Beth. Start with Amen: How I Learned to Surrender by Keeping the End in Mind. Thomas Nelson, 2017.

Keller, Timothy. The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith.  Penguin Books, 2011.

Lerner, Harriet. Why Won't You Apologize?: Healing Big Betrayals and Everyday Hurts. Gallery Books, 2017.

Simons, Ruth Chou.  When Strivings Cease: Replacing the Gospel of Self-Improvement with the Gospel of Life-Transforming Grace. Thomas Nelson, 2021.

Voskamp, Ann. One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are. Zondervan, 2011.

Spiritual Disciplines Series: Getting Started Seeking God

Christianity is an ancient religion.  Around the world and throughout the ages, many have practiced spiritual disciplines to draw closer to God.  Like any healthy friendship or marriage, it doesn't just happen.  It requires time, effort, and intention.  When you make time to meet with God, the relationship deepens.  We see many references to "Seeking God" in the Old and New Testament.

"But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul." Deuteronomy 4:29

"You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water." Psalm 63:1

Do we really need God?  Do modern people like us have time for God?  In a word, yes.  Those mentioned in holy scripture are just like us.  We are still seeking God:

To Worship God

To Give God Glory
To Serve God

To Know God's Will
To Obey God's Laws and Commands
To Repent
To Find Comfort

To Find Peace
To Find Refuge
To Find Salvation
To Get Guidance
To Get Help
To Receive Forgiveness
To Receive Healing

To Receive Blessing 

In the end, ancients and contemporaries have found God to be trustworthy, praiseworthy, and all-sufficient.

"Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met." Matthew 6:33 (Message)

"But even there, if you seek God, your God, you’ll be able to find him if you’re serious, looking for him with your whole heart and soul. When troubles come and all these awful things happen to you, in future days you will come back to God, your God, and listen obediently to what he says. God, your God, is above all a compassionate God. In the end he will not abandon you, he won’t bring you to ruin, he won’t forget the covenant with your ancestors which he swore to them." Deuteronomy 4:29-31 (Message)

People from every age and place, who prize relationship with the Creator and purpose, seek God. They walk daily with God. I-AM exists. I-AM loves.  I-AM is present.

"Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him." Hebrews 11:6

Practicing the spiritual disciplines is one way seekers cultivate relationship and communion with God. Let's get started seeking God with 1 or more of the resources below.

RESOURCES
BOOKS

Dunnam, Maxie. The Workbook on Spiritual Disciplines. Upper Room. 1998.

Foster, Richard J. Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth. HarperOne, 2018.

Ortberg, John. The Life You've Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People. Zondervan, 2009.

Ronnevik, Gretchen. Ragged: Spiritual Disciplines for the Spiritually Exhausted. 1517 Publishing, 2021. 

Whitney, Donald S. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. NavPress, 2014.

Willard, Dallas. The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives. HaperOne,

 1999.

Wolpert, Daniel. Creating a Life with God: The Call of Ancient Prayer Practices. Upper Room, 2003.

VIDEOS

Foster, Richard J. Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. Full Movie. Nov. 9, 2020.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqAiVyBwsog  (3 hours)

Willard, Dallas.  Spirit of the Disciplines. (1/3) Changed Lives, Is it Real?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSZzJRJZSXE (1 hour)

Willard, Dallas. "Dallas' Personal Daily Practices?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqLmeubS65Q (6 minutes)

Fall Reading for Christian Growth

Fall is a colorful season.  Find a sunny spot in God's presence.  Spend time communing with your Lord and Savior.  Grow in Christ.

Reading is one tool available in Christian formation.  In addition to the Bible, you might read one of these recently published books, written by well-known authors, speakers, pastors, and psychologists.

To find a copy, go to your local bookstore or shop online at Amazon or Christian Books Distributors. 

 To save shelf space and money, go to your local library.  Often they will have the book in print or provide it as a digital copy: eBook or audio book for download.  Do you have a free Hoopla or Over Drive account from your public library?  It's easy to create by contacting your library branch or checking its website.

READ
Begg, Alistair. Brave by Faith: God-Sized Confidence in a Post-Christian World.  The Good Book Company, 2021. 

Brown, Brene. Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience. Random House, 2021.

Cloud, Henry and Townsend, John. Growth Has No Boundaries: The Christian's Secret to a Deeper Spiritual Life. Zondervan, 2019.

Lucado, Max. You Were Made for This Moment: Courage for Today and Hope for Tomorrow. Thomas Nelson, 2021. 

Martin, Charles. What If It's True?: A Storyteller’s Journey with Jesus. Thomas Nelson, 2020. 

Moore, Beth.  Chasing Vines: Finding Your Way to an Immensely Fruitful Life. Tyndale Momentum, 2020.

Simons, Ruth Chou. When Strivings Cease: Replacing the Gospel of Self-Improvement with the Gospel of Life-Transforming Grace. Thomas Nelson, 2021.

Tisby, Jemar. How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Toward Racial Justice. Zondervan, 2021. 

Townsend, John. People Fuel: Fill Your Tank for Life, Love, and Leadership. Zondervan, 2019.

Whittle, Lisa. The Hard Good: Showing Up for God to Work in You When You Want to Shut Down. Thomas Nelson, 2021. 

*Chris McCorkle, CC BY NC-ND 2.0, 9/7/2007.

Biblical Lament

I have been reading A Sacred Sorrow: Reaching Out to God in the Lost Language of Lament by Michael Card.  Job, David, Jeremiah, and Jesus all cry out to God in their pain, when they face crushing problems.  You know Jesus was a "Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief" (Is 53:3). 

Tears and sorrow, pain, and problems are part of the human condition.  They cannot be sidestepped.  At times we find ourselves wandering in the wilderness.  Sometimes "wilderness" is called by another name:  illness, injury, war, unemployment, bankruptcy, family breakup, failure, and the list goes on. 

Then we cry and we cry out to God.  Why, God?  Where are you, God?  How will I endure this?  Pour out your feelings. God can handle the unedited version.  Maybe it's time to read the Psalms or Lamentations?

Given a choice we tend to pursue happiness and dream of prosperity.  However, that is not how Jesus experienced life.  "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 

Jesus is not surprised by the troubles we face.  He asks his disciples, then and now:  
“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

What burden are you being asked to carry?  How are you coping?  Where or to whom have you turned for help?

I appreciate Michael Card sharing his journey.  We can either focus on the pain and problems or we can seek God's presence, Immanuel, God with us, no matter what.  God does not promise to fix, to heal, or to solve whatever problem weighs us down.  He does promise to be with us to the end of the age.  Anyone who has read stories in the Bible realizes God's people have suffered.  They have lamented.  They have worshipped God in the wilderness.  Persecution, prison, and prayer are described throughout the Bible.  

Lament is the first step towards worship.  In our neediness, we come to know who God is, all that God has done for us, and all that God has given.  Walking with God is the turning point from despair to worship.  God's presence is enough.

Michael Card. Immanuel. July 2, 2017.

Plant Wisdom

Advice from Plant Mom:  "Luckily the Croton Petra is tough, so even if your plant has lost all its leaves, don't lose hope.  I laughed after reading that, as my plant is drooping and wilted.  

We are like puny plants.  We need God's resurrection power.  We trust that God will raise the dead like Lazarus.  We believe that God will will make dry bones live, as the prophet Ezekiel declared.

"Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. Ezek. 37:4

Whenever we face a difficult, desperate, dreadful situation, pray the Holy Spirit's power into it.  We may feel terrified, but we cannot succumb to despair. We must learn to endure.  We can hold on to one another and to Jesus, who promises to be with us to the end.

Flags & Faith?

Sighting:  Communion Sunday July 4th, communion cups neatly arranged on the narthex table over an American flag decoration?  Hmm, that's different.  Yup, that's dangerous, theologically speaking.  Because as we know, Christ's work on the cross was for all time, all peoples, living in all places.  

"God so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Have you noted the latest publishing project, God Bless the USA Bible to be released in September 2021?  Why package the Bible plus U.S. Constitution, Pledge of Allegiance, and song lyrics "God Bless the USA?   Why conflate American nationalism and politics with the ancient, international Christian faith?  This too is dangerous drift, theologically speaking.  

No one country can claim Christ.  God's kingdom was ushered in at the cross where heaven and earth met in Christ.  

Yes, understanding basic Christian theology still matters, profoundly so.

Everyday Christian Education

Governments rise and fall, but God is eternal, immutable, and omnipotent.   Christianity is relevant and unique.  

We know Christians and spiritual seekers are blessed by loving Christian fellowship, growing in the knowledge of Christ, experiencing forgiveness, and relying on Holy Spirit power.  

So how are we to equip Christians for ministry?  How are we to develop the mind of Christ in believers?  How do we present Kingdom living in the here and now?  Life has always been difficult and messy.  People want the real story on how faith works in the everyday of handling anger, doubt, fear, failure, illness, stress...

People are struggling: individuals, couples, families, and congregations.  People are seeking meaning and purpose. Discipleship, listening, prayer, encouragement, hospitality, and service are still very much needed and appreciated.  It's only a question of where, when, and how they are made available in 21st century America.  

Perhaps Christian lectures are passé and outdated?  We learn best by hearing, seeing, doing, and through conversation as in apprenticeships, internships, mentoring, and following wise guides through the unknown.  

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."  John 16:33

How will you share life, light, and love in an ordinary moment today?

Life Is Messy. Get Real.

Although we make plans, changing circumstances often prevent us from "living the dream."  Life is messy and often harder than imagined.  How are we to experience joy and peace while treading troubled waters?

After a pandemic year of going nowhere, my husband and I took a road trip only to land in the hospital, far from home.  Now the many follow-up doctor appointments.  And of course, family life presents its own problems which spill over into ours.

Are painful, protracted trials portrayed in the movies you watch and novels you read?  The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (which our Crestview book group is reading) asks the question: Would I be better off picking a different life from the one I am actually living? 

The Apostle Paul writes many New Testament letters from jail.  Missionary work is tough.  Nevertheless, Paul rises above protracted suffering.  Read Philippians:  joy despite circumstances. What's his secret coping strategy?

We lean on Jesus Christ who gives us strength when we feel overwhelmed and weak.  He carries us through the darkest days.

"I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am." Phil. 4:12-13

Michael W. Smith. Hang On. Nov. 6, 2014  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piIfA6igo5Y

Like the Butterfly

Life is gearing up with the start of summer.  The cicadas are humming and flying.  Students are out of the classroom.  Many are making plans to visit family and friends after a very long pause.  It feels good to gather and celebrate life's milestones together.  Hunkering down is nearly done.

In the Mitford series, Cynthia would often say to Father Tim, who was struggling with the work/life balance as a new retiree, "Go and Be like the Butterfly."  

Life is short.  This message is shared in the Serenity prayer: "Enjoy one moment at a time" and the Lord's prayer" "Give us this day our daily bread."  Learning to live in the here and now requires a different mindset.  We can give ourselves permission to slow down, to sit, to gaze, to be.  We can change gears and pursue different goals that align with our values.  Performance, productivity, and possessions are lauded in the workplace, but they are not the key indicators of life.

Love is the primary force, not power.  We cherish those we love.  We will travel miles to see their smiles, as Michael Card sings.  What will you be doing this summer, as the lockdowns lift?

The Sunrise of Your Smile. Michael Card.  https://youtu.be/pCnmnTeB1lE

Gardens by the Creator

Gardens can inspire and awaken the senses.  They attract birds, insects, and wildlife.  Often they provide peace, respite, and healing for the frazzled soul.  As you recall, Jesus spent his final hours praying in the Garden of Gethsemane with his disciples, before he was betrayed.

Genesis opens in the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve roamed in perfect harmony with one another and their Creator.  "And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed." Gen 2:8   

Today romantic types seek out beautiful gardens in which to walk and talk.  Creative types take photographs, draw and paint, or hold concerts in gardens.  Reflective types read, journal, and meditate in gardens.  Hospitals provide gardens to promote healing for their patients.  

Did you know the French painter Monet spent the last 20 years of his life gardening and painting those water lily gardens in Giverny, France?  Such a lovely legacy that is still enjoyed by many today.

Will you you slow down to be dazzled by the designs, colors, scents, and shapes of tulips in Keukenhof, Holland?  

Gardens lift the spirit; worship and praise overflow in our hearts.  We glimpse the Kingdom of God made visible here on earth as we walk or sit in such places.  This summer why not stroll through a garden or even plant your own?

Resisting Growth

     "Author and Presbyterian minister Eugene Petersen was quoted in an interview as saying, 'The assumption of spirituality is that always God is doing something before I know it. So the task is not to get God to do something I think needs to be done, but to become aware of what God is doing so that I can respond to it and participate and take delight in it.'
    This is the motivation behind waiting prayer. We place ourselves in postures of the heart, in the stillness that enables us to become aware of what God is doing so that we can gradually say yes to it with our whole being." (Kidd, p. 129)*

What do you make of this spiritual insight?  

Shifting the preferred, modern mindset of being in control to letting go and trusting God is often a difficult journey.  I suspect it was tough in ancient times too.  Take Daniel, for example.  A young man at he prime of life and with plans is suddenly taken captive and relocated to a foreign country and culture where he lived thereafter.  

Franciscan priest and author Richard Rohr describes the spiritual transformation process as moving from order to disorder to reorder.  Often suffering triggers transformation.  Often waiting prayer is involved as we process, adjust, and eventually receive unexpected happiness.

Kidd, S. M. When the heart waits: Spiritual direction for life's sacred questions. New York, NY: HarperOne, 1990.

God's Kingdom Arrives

In N. T. Wright's How God Became King: The Forgotten Story of the Gospels, we are reminded that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all tell the same story.  They describe a new kind of king who changed the world.  Jesus is the suffering servant (Isaiah 40-55) and the son of man (Daniel 7) who completed the historical mission of the nation of Israel.  Jesus ushered in God's kingdom on the cross; heaven and earth met in Jesus.  God's kingdom differs from worldly kingdoms in the tactics it uses.  Telling the truth is God's weapon; whereas empires rely on fighting, violence, and injustice (p. 146).  On the cross, Jesus the king crushed the opposition.  

"Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death." 1 Cor. 15:24-26

The cross, then, is mainly about Jesus as king.  Too often, Western Christianity has wrongly emphasized the personal aspect of Jesus atoning for our sins on the cross, so that believers can get into heaven.  Much more was going on than personal salvation.  

"The gospels were all about God becoming king, but the creeds are focused on Jesus being God." (p.20) The Christian creeds such as The Apostles' Creed and Nicene Creed summarize theological agreement among early Christians on debated issues.  The creeds don't address what Jesus was doing between his "miraculous birth and saving death, resurrection, and ascension" (p. 20).  Jesus' teaching and public career, detailed in the gospels, are missing from the creeds.  

Invest time in reading and praying the gospels.  Place scripture above tradition.  Become an agent of renewal, making the kingdom a reality.

Wright, N.T.  How God became king: The forgotten story of the gospels. New York, NY: HarperOne, 2012.

Healing and Wholeness

Moving towards healing and wholeness for yourself is worthwhile, if scary.  Because really, who knows where it will lead?  Most of us feel a bit shaken and stressed after a year of world pandemic, government turmoil, food insecurity, joblessness, relocations, and family-at-a-distance.  Life turned upside down in 2020.

Journal:  What changed in your life?  How are you feeling now?  What do you need?  What support and resources would you like, if anything were possible?  

Instant relief is not the goal.  Transformation and spiritual maturity often  result from trials or times of crisis. Typically adults are more open to change in crisis.  We tend to tolerate stressful conditions stoically and far too long.  And then something happens and we are forced to act...  

• Call a doctor
• Call a therapist
• Call an attorney
• Call human resources
• Call the pastor
• Call the police

I have made many of these calls, when life became unendurable, when I had no answers, when I lacked experience, when I needed help.  I have faced the giants of aging parents miles away, cancer and mental illness in the family, academic hurdles...  Your list is different, but our neediness is the same. 

Awareness of need and willingness to seek help are initial steps in healing.  It takes courage to admit all is not well and that things could be better.  Stop pretending; start speaking truth to yourself.  Move forward with God's guidance.  Acknowledge God the Father's call to trust, to yield, to submit, and to surrender to his will.  We were never in control.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths."  Proverbs 3:5-6

The healing process can be long, painful, and difficult.  It may involve uncomfortable discussions with therapists, honest confessions to family/friends, or breaking away from destructive habits and people.  To become whole is a gradual process. It may require setting new goals or finding peace with new realities.  Begin by praying with Reinhold Niebuhr:

"Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace:
Taking as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it: 
Trusting that you will make all things right
If I surrender to our will:
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life
And supremely happy with you in the next."

Spiritual Spring Training: Resources

What will you toss in your gym bag to work your spiritual muscles this spring?  Give your brain a workout that will transform you from the inside out.  Christian authors and speakers bring their deep and broad life experience as well as years of research and study to us through books, speeches, podcasts, interviews, broadcasts, videos, etc.  Sharing life and learning with fellow disciples of Jesus Christ will strengthen your spirit and equip you for ministry.  Enjoy this buffet of new books at your library or bookstore.

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might." Deut. 6:5 

Always a Guest: Speaking of Faith Far From Home. Barbara Brown Taylor. Westminster John Knox Press.  Oct. 20, 2020.

Broken Sign Posts: How Christianity Makes Sense of the World. N.T. Wright. HaperOne. Oct. 6, 2020.

Dusk, Night, Dawn: On Revival and Courage. Anne Lamott. Riverhead Books.  March 2, 2021.

God and the Pandemic: A Christian Reflection on the Coronavirus and Its Aftermath. N.T. Wright. Zondervan, June 19, 2020.

Hope in Times of Fear: The Resurrection and the Meaning of Easter.  Timothy Keller. Viking. March 9, 2021

How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Toward Racial Justice. Jemar Tisby. Zondervan. January 5, 2021.

My Tech-Wise Life: Growing Up and Making Choices in a World of Devices. Amy Crouch and Andy Crouch. Baker Books. Nov. 17, 2020.

Mysteries of the Messiah: Unveiling Divine Connections from Genesis to Today.  Rabi Jason Sobel and Kathie Lee Gifford. Thomas Nelson.  March 23, 2021.

A Rhythm of Prayer: A Collection of Meditations for Renewal. Sarah Bessey.  Convergent Books, Feb. 9, 2021.

Saving Us: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World. Katharine Hayhoe. Atria. Sept. 21, 2021.

Seeing Beautiful Again:  50 Devotions to Find Redemption in Every Part of Your Story.  Lysa TerKeurst. Thomas Nelson. March 31, 2021.

U-Turns: Reversing the Consequences in Your Life. Tony Evans. B&H Books, January 12, 2021.

Until Unity. Francis Chan. David C. Cook. April 2021.

Right Living

"God’s Law is more real and lasting than the stars in the sky and the ground at your feet. Long after stars burn out and earth wears out, God’s Law will be alive and working." Matt 5:18, The Message

Why is that?
Because the omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient Creator God gets it right the first time, in the beginning. There is no need for revision, nor amendments. God's will is good, acceptable, and perfect out of the gate. See Romans 12:12.

God's is holy and righteous. His character always has been. "Holy, holy, holy says is the Lord of hosts;" says the prophet Isaiah in Is. 6:3. God is immutable, unchanging in character. People like us? Not so much. Still we bear God's image; human beings are made in God's likeness.

"So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." Gen. 1:27

Incredibly, God loves people just like you and me, despite our many faults, despite our wandering away. God was willing to go on a seek and rescue mission because he loves all of us, not just one corner of the planet. He chose to love rather than crush his creation. "For God so loved the world..." John 3.16

Now what?
God expects his followers to live rightly. The fruit of the Spirit ought be on display in the lives of Christians.

The prophet Micah writes:
"He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8 NSRV

Jesus challenges:
“Unless you do far better than the Pharisees in the matters of right living, you won’t know the first thing about entering the kingdom." Matt. 5:20, The Message

Christians are called to follow Jesus. Thomas Merton prayed in Lent and Easter Wisdom from Thomas Merton, Day 24: "By your grace let me be an instrument of your call to freedom and creativity in the lives of all whom you redeem. Let them hear your call to the only liberty that matters: to choose to follow you."

That may cost you and me some votes, views, likes, or your life, as it has in times past. Look to Jesus. Look at church leaders from Martin Luther to Martin Luther King Jr. Look at the ripples running through the Southern Baptist denomination today, when Beth Moore realigns her life with God's character and values.

"Let your light shine..." Matt 5:16

Waiting to Spring

Well, it's been a year since we have stopped social interactions and gone into hibernation.  This pandemic-enforced isolation has taken its toll on us.  Lost lives, lost jobs, lost family gatherings...  But Easter hope and resurrection power are a month off, April 4, 2021!  

Vaccinations are being offered to more of us.  Life is about to shift and we will emerge transformed, after a year of WAITING.  

How have you changed in the past year?  Take 10 minutes or 3 pages to just journal your journey from NOWHERE to Now Here.  It wasn't the trip you planned, but you traveled nonetheless.  How have you grown?

Lent 2021 Resources

WORSHIP
Crestview Presbyterian Church, Ash Wednesday 2021

Music for Lent and Passiontide. Updated as of May 30, 2020.  Playlist. YouTube

Worship Songs for Lent Updated as of January 13, 2021.  Playlist. YouTube

In Christ Alone.  Celtic Worship. 1/16/18

Rodney Barbour. Organ Hymn Concert. First Baptist Church, Murray, KY, August 2019.

REFLECT
Redeemer Presbyterian Church, NYC.  Lenten Devotionals, Ash Wednesday to Easter  Daily email option

Presbyterian Mission Agency Lenten Devotional 2021
The Way to Shalom: A Lenten Journey to Peace and Wholeness
See introduction and daily reflections.

READ
Read from the Gospels.  Spend time in the presence of Jesus.  Read widely from Christian Lenten literature.  For example:

The Art of Lent: A Painting a Day from Ash Wednesday to Easter.  Sister Wendy. 2017.

Lent and Easter Wisdom from Thomas Merton: Daily Scriptures and Prayers, Together with Thomas Merton's Own Words.  Thomas Merton. 2007.

TALK  
Lent Conversation Starters - 7 Symbols

WATCH
The Chosen - The Life and Ministry of Jesus.  YouTube

In All Circumstances

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Our Bible study group chose these verses from 1 Thessalonians 5 to guide us through 2021.  Attitude matters.  Appreciation matters.  Thanking God, whatever happens, matters.  These are the daily practices that keep hope, joy, and peace alive.

And a lot of tough stuff has happened of late, personally, nationally, and globally.  

In my circle, loved ones have been hospitalized, have had to move out and move in despite Covid-19 constraints, have had to become online learners rather than on-campus students, and have become remote employees with nary a co-worker in sight.  Beef up the home network and web conferencing skills! 

Nationally, the country is queuing up for promised vaccines while putting travel on hold, year 2.  Resuming normal interactions is still fraught with danger, what with the spread of Covid-19 mutations.  So many forego holding the grandbaby, visiting friends, celebrating in a restaurant, relaxing at a concert/play, or gathering at funerals and weddings.  It certainly didn't help that American government leaders were feuding over power and fencing over constitutional principles and practices, post-presidential election.  Defending a democratic nation is demanding, draining for all involved, and deadly for some.

Internationally, many are suffering.  Tanzania's leader has unilaterally rejected the Covid-19 vaccine for all its citizens.  No public health relief, only politics.  Leaders of other countries would like to protect their citizens but can't get sufficient vaccine supplies.  And the on-going 21st century crises continue to undermine civilizations:  rising seas and storms due to global warming, wars, sex-trafficking, hunger, poverty, unemployment, lack of educational opportunity.  Yes, these issues and others weigh heavily on our hearts.  

Have you heard of "forest bathing" where you walk the woods to decompress and appreciate beauty.  Since time began, Christians have bathed their lives in prayer.  If you are a fiction reader of the Mitford series by Jan Karon, perhaps you have read Bathed in Prayer:  Father Tim's Prayers, Sermons, and Reflections, 2018?  Christians go on in faith.  We endure by the power of the Holy Spirit.  We stand firm on foundational truths:  God loves us.  God is with us.  God delivers us through Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.  We take comfort from the lives of saints who preceded us and struggled as we do.  As pilgrims, we give thanks in all circumstances, for life today and forevermore.

Keep Out of the Way

Have there been spiritual troublemakers in your life who wrecked havoc?  Have they nearly crushed you or chased you from church?  

One would think that living the Christian faith would be plain and straightforward.  Love God.  Love your neighbor.  Jesus simplified the Old Testament law for all of us in the gospels.  Unfortunately, "love, joy, peace" is not the church history record on file.  

Many are the tales of those damaged in the church and by church people.  Jesus Christ comes to mind, as the church was launched.  Philip Yancey, Christian author, comes to mind, in our own day.  On his website, Yancey "jokes about being in 'recovery from a toxic church.'"   In my own life, a charismatic church led me to believe I no longer needed to wear glasses, as I had been healed.  (This librarian still wears glasses.)  Controlling churches and personalities harm your health, job, relationships, finances... 

Scripture warns us about persecutors, false teachers, legalistic leaders, those who err in interpreting the meaning of the law, and those greedy for gain.  Human nature bends toward the abuse of power, in other words.  In contrast, humility characterizes the Messiah Jesus Christ.

Don't be naïve about the dangerous, misguided people within the church.  They are adept at soul-poisoning and spirit-crushing.  Set boundaries, separate from them, and remind yourself:  "the truth will set you free" John 8:32.  Spend time getting to know the mind of Christ, watch how Jesus interacts with others in the gospels, learn what he values in the New Testament. 

Here's the script that Paul sets before us in Romans 14.  

First, "Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don't impose it on others."  Romans 14:22

Love God.  Serve God.  Recognize that Jesus is our Lord, our Savior, and "our Master across the entire range of life and death, and free(s) us from the petty tyrannies of each other." Romans 14:9

Don't fall into the trap of trying to perform for and please the people around you.  You are always and only called to follow Jesus, full of grace and truth.

Finally, keep out of the way of those growing in the faith.  Don't become a hindrance to them, whether children or weaker believers.  

"Here’s what you need to be concerned about: that you don’t get in the way of someone else, making life more difficult than it already is." Romans 14:13 (The Message)

Focus on proclaiming the good news which is a liberating message of forgiveness and redemption.

Journaling

"Investigate my life, O God,
find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
get a clear picture of what I’m about;
See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—
then guide me on the road to eternal life."  Psalm 139:23-24 The Message

The English and American puritans practiced regular self-examination.  Self-reflection was ingrained in their lifestyle and spiritual routines.  Fast forward to now where journaling is commonly promoted and practiced.  Writing is a creative outlet that sheds light on your feelings, experiences, struggles, fears, hopes, turning points... Regular journaling is one tool used to unblock creativity.  In the The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron challenges us to start each day with "morning pages," 3 pages of freewriting.  Journaling is often recommended in therapy.

Try journaling, whether 15 minutes a day, 3 pages, or whatever suits you.  What's on your mind by day? What weighs on your heart at night?  What's happening?  What are your feeling?  For what are you grateful?  What's stressing you?  Simple yet profound issues will surface in your sentences.  Insights, awareness, and healing emerge through creative expression.  You will grow and make meaning.

I usually start the day reading the Bible and journaling.  The main benefit for me is that it helps me slow down to become aware of what matters and what it means.  I become more deeply aware of stuff I would otherwise rush by and wouldn't notice, that impacts me nonetheless.  Learning to see the good and give thanks for it is life-giving.  Becoming sensitized to issues that are escalating and taking steps to deal with them, helps avoid crises.  Reflecting on how past events and relationships have shaped you is liberating.  Noticing what keeps coming up in your writing, reveals significant themes/patterns that demand further exploration. 

As Frederick Buechner said:

“Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery it is. In the boredom and pain of it, no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.”
Frederick Buechner, Now and Then: A Memoir of Vocation

Lord Have Mercy.  Michael W. Smith.  Nov. 6, 2014  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6jFvrOC9xQ

Transitions

Have your life plans screeched to a halt?  Where is God in the midst of crisis?  

The 2020 pandemic has shaken lives around the world in ways we can't ignore:  health concerns, business closings and job loss, restricted travel, disrupted routines and ways we socialize or don't.  

Stress mounts.  Now American deaths nearly equal those from WWII.  Mental illness is on the rise and discussed in forums, publications, and broadcasts.  So many of us have been personally impacted by trauma, fear, and loss. 

There is no instant fix, no easy way to reset to "normal."  Is this what the serenity prayer means by "Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace:"

Coping styles differ.  Some deny realities and cry hoax.  They blame.  They attack. 
Others jump in to help essential workers and the hurting.  They raise funds, give away food, or help with childcare and housing.  Medical information, supplies, and care are given by many.  What does loving your neighbor look like?

In human history, many have suffered various trials, disasters, or "lifequakes" as Bruce Feiler refers to them in his book, Life Is In the Transitions:  Mastering Change at Any Age, 2020.)  Historian David McCullough reminds us in The American Spirit: Who We Are and What We Stand For, 2017 that character and conviction have enabled Americans to persevere, problem solve, and pursue life.  James 1 encourages us to ask God for wisdom and assures us trials are indeed the pathway to maturity. 

Walk with God, hold on to your faith, and meet the day.  Your life matters.  You are needed now.  

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

"The Hill We Climb"  Amanda Gorman, 1/20/21

Family Dynamics

Sometimes getting along is hard to do.  Holding on to faith, hope, and love can be difficult. 

Family life may be blissful or dreadful.  Relationships within families can be troubled and abusive.  Creating relational space temporarily may become necessary.  Thus the foster care system.  Thus separation and divorce.  Thus restraining orders.

How far do you go in attempting to hang on to a relationship with a family member?

How do you set boundaries to safeguard yourself?  (As a first step see Boundaries: When To Say Yes, How To Say No To Take Control Of Your Life.  Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend. 2017)

To whom can you turn for emotional, financial, or legal support?  Does your employer offer an employee assistance program?  Does your school provide counselors?  What agencies and resources are available in your community?

Redefining relationships is necessary work as we grow and change.  Relationships require tune-ups.  Relational dynamics change with age, with knowledge, with experience, with new pressures, with earning power...  Struggles emerge in families that need to be addressed. 

Children are not in a position to question a parent who supplies food, shelter, and clothing.  When a child comes of age; however, that young adult may reassess and redefine how he/she will interact with the unsafe.  

The powerless, whether a child, a dependent spouse or older adult who can no longer manage their own affairs, may be taken advantage of, neglected, or harmed by a relative.

Confront family issues because you care, because you have faith, hope, and love.  Hold that sensitive conversation.  Do some research and reading.  Find available community resources.  Seek therapy or group support.  Get help.  Pray.  

These stories may provide a glimpse as to how individuals process family dysfunction and pain.   

Educated: A Memoir.  Tara Westover.  2018.  childhood

The Glass Castle: a Memoir.  Jeannette Walls. 2017.  childhood

Okay for Now.  Gary D. Schmidt.  2012.  childhood

Trip to Bountiful (Movie/elderly)

Still Alice (Movie/elderly)

  

Mission Control

 "You must get along with each other. You must learn to be considerate of one another, cultivating a life in common."  1 Cor. 1:10

Fighting among ourselves is perennial; it's what people did in the ancient city of Corinth as well as in our world today.  We prefer this person's leadership and views over that one's.  We create factions and categorize the people like us from the strangers over there, who think differently and threaten our control.  

Power struggles undermine the mission.  Let's remind ourselves as Paul did, that only one mission matters.  Let's proclaim the good news that Christ came to set free all who are perishing and who are prisoners of sin.  Think of 'sin' as our various addictions and habits which undermine human flourishing.

"God didn’t send me (Paul) out to collect a following for myself, but to preach the Message of what he has done, collecting a following for him." 1 Cor. 1:17  

Salvation comes through the work of "Christ on the Cross."  Christ paid the penalty required by a holy, righteous God to redeem us, reconcile us, and adopt us into his family.  Christ alone is in charge and sustains the universe.  

Knowing that, we must learn to consider the interests of others and to practice humility in order to exalt Christ.  We must be less concerned about our brand in order to promote his.  We must learn to work together for the sake of establishing God's kingdom.  

For ideas and strategies, see Uncommon Ground:  Living Faithfully in a World of Difference, edited by Timothy Keller, 2020.

Spiritual Adventure Awaits

How will you walk with God in 2021?  A new year deserves a new approach to meeting with God.  
Would you like to start reading one of these Christian devotionals in addition to the Bible? 
Spending time in God's presence produces good fruit and a changed life.
Check out these devotionals from the 1600s to present day, at your library, bookstore, or online.

Celtic Treasure: Daily Scriptures and Prayer. John Philip Newell. 2005

Diamonds in the Dust: 366 Sparkling Devotions. Joni Eareckson Tada. 1993

For the Love of God: Daily Companion for Discovering the Riches of God's Word, Volume One. D. A. Carson. 2006.

God is With You Every Day. Max Lucado.  2015

Gracelaced: Discovering Timeless Truths Through the Seasons of the Heart. Ruth Chou Simons. 2017

Listening to Your Life: Daily Meditations.  Frederick Buechner. 1992

Morning and Evening: A New Edition Based on the Holy Bible, English Standard Version.  Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Alistair Begg. 2003

My Utmost for His Highest: Updated Language. Oswald Chambers. James Reimann. 2017

New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional.  Paul David Tripp.  2014

The One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge.  Tony Dungy. Nathan Whitaker.  2011

The Songs of Jesus.  A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms.  Timothy and Kathy Keller. 2015

Streams in the Desert. L. B. Cowman and James Reimann.  1999

The Valley of Vision. A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions. Arthur G. Bennett. 1672

You Are the Beloved. Daily Meditations for Spiritual Living.  Henri J. M. Nouwen. 2017