Conferences without expectations

I love to learn, to be motivated and to glean information from other people and their experiences and mistakes, and conferences are a great way to do that.  This week I’m once again at the Orange Conference in Atlanta, GA and I’m never disappointed by the level of excellence and creativity that Reggie and his team bless those of us who attend with.

One thing that I’ve come to learn is not to allow my expectations of last years conference dictate what I will or will not “receive” from this year’s experience.  It’s easy to want the mountaintop that took me to a new spiritual awakening or to yearn for God to reveal a huge new system or policy that will revolutionize my ministry, but really all that does is keep me from what God wants to teach me this year.  Some years the combined content from the break-outs and main sessions have nothing to do with ministry and everything to do with how God is trying to refine me and grow me personally.

This year I have had an amazing mountaintop experience as I shared communion with 5000 of my closest friends, have gathered even more great tips and ministry ideas to take home.  I love conferences, because I love to learn and this year has been rich with rewards that I leave with, one of which is learning to allow~  allow each day to teach me what it needs to teach me.

Trying to finish well each day~

Clarity

All I have to say is I love how God works!  I’m in Atlanta this week at the Orange conference (a conference for Family Ministry, KidMin, StuMin) and last night we were able to experience the more amazing time of communion and worship.  There are times when God speaks to me so clearly that I’m just brought to my knees… last night was one of those nights.  I have been a believer and a follower for almost 40 years now and I understand, believe and am so thankful for Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for me, but last night was the first time I’ve ever uttered these words:

Jesus, you shouldn’t have died for me, I’m not worth it…

Not one of us are, period.  But that’s the love He has for us.  He doesn’t care what we’ve done, what we will do, he simply loves us so much he went willingly to a brutal death on my behalf… on your behalf.  I know this, you do too, but sometimes God allows us to see and understand this with crystal clarity.

Today I was reading from Matthew 17:14-18.  The disciples tried, but failed to heal a son from demon possession… Jesus chides them for their small faith and turns around and heals the boy instantly.  The deeper part of this passage is what Jesus didn’t say~  “guys, you’ve got the engine to do this, you’re just not fueling it with the right stuff!”  Faith is the juice that empowers us to do and live a life of amazing power beyond our finite minds can comprehend.  The disciples could have healed the boy if they truly believed, but their faith was still growing and maturing.  

This week a group of us challenged each other on to pray about where God was calling us to extend compassion through serving… 1 Cor 1:5-7 says, “For in him you have been enriched in every way – in all your speaking and in all your knowledge – because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you.  Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.”  The minute you professed Jesus as Lord and Savior you were given everything you needed to live a life of fullness and faith!  

The place I fail in this most days is that I put my faith in me and forget about the jet fuel God has placed in me.  YOU have everything you need to be all that God wants you to be; a person of compassion and serving, a generous giver worshiping your Maker through the bounty he’s given you and a loving example to everyone you lock eyes with of a Savior who died for each of us.

I’m praying big, hairy, audacious prayers for each of you this week as you “continue to”… through and with the jet fuel inside you!

When a kid is inspired!

A few weeks ago, one of my 1st grade boys approached me with IPod in hand explaining that he had a song that would be perfect for worship in Kidtropolis.  It was before service, crazy-busy as pre-service can always be and the temptation to be drawn away by one of the 100 details that required attention at that very moment was magnetic.  But something (or Someone) urged me to take a listen.  And it was GREAT!!!

That quick 21/2 minutes of focused time with a six year old, led to him and his sister choreographing motions for the song Automatic by Stellar Kart, which we are using in December as one of our new songs for Kids Worship.

Do you know how you’re inspiring the kids in your care?  Do you realize the huge impact you’re making on the kids who enter your KidMin every single weekend?  Don’t underestimate the influence you and your team are having.  My buddy William, is  a quiet, thoughtful kid who the Holy Spirit is already working in and through for the Kingdom of God!

Here are some questions to consider:

• Are you being intentional with every element of the time you have with kids on the weekend in your programming?
• What are the outside influences that are competing for the kids in your culture/community?  Ramp-up your worship, make it loud, make it fun, make it amazing so that even the older “too-cool for school” boys can’t help but be up on their feet!
• Have you created an environment/relationship with the kids in your ministry that encourages kids to be ministers too?!  Are you creating passion in kids to share Christ even in lower elementary?
• Do the kids in your ministry see YOUR passion for God and your relationship with Christ?  Is your love for your Savior so deep that it splashes on everyone around you?

You never know the impact you’re making on the kids that are in your ministry, whether it’s through worship, teaching, doing an activity, repeating a Bible verse or hugging them in the hallways~ you are inspiring them one way or another!

Aroma~

“For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.”  2 Corinthians 2:15

The smell of fresh -baked cookies, fresh laundry, the warm scent of a rose in the afternoon sun, pot roast in winter and the clean, crispness in your nostrils as you hug a child after playing outside… these are some of my favorite smells.  Smells that, just thinking about them put a smile on my face and can quickly take me back in time to precious memories.

I’ve never considered the way I smell to God~ I certainly have given Him many occasions to cover his nose, turn his head or roll his eyes at the offending odor that has drifted from my bad choices and sinful nature.  The very thought that because of Christ in me, I give off an “exquisite fragrance” to people around me and a sweet scent rising to God (those aren’t my words, that’s straight out of the MSG Bible).

It got me thinking… do I consistently give off the exquisite fragrance of Christ to everyone I lock eyes with?  Sometimes it’s hard~ but never-the-less, in Christ we are an aroma to Him and to other~

• in the car
• at the grocery store
• in the hallway at church
• in the parking lot
• at home
• doing laundry
• changing the oil
• backing up the trailer
• pouring into volunteers
• distracted

Get the idea?

What growth has to do with it~

One of the things about serving and being a part of a growing church is change.  As God continues to blow us away with incredible growth, multiple ministry opportunities and a diverse community we have found ourselves in a culture of extreme change.  The change has been born out of necessity, in order to create more space for the growing number of people attending every weekend in both the adult venues and in the children and student venues.  As we like to say around here, “it’s a problem, but it’s a good problem to have!”

In the last four years we have grown by about 650%, which not only affects the space issue, but also capacity and sustainability for staff members and volunteers.  Here are some thoughts about capacity and sustainability I’ve learned over the last year:

1. The bigger an organization gets, the larger the scope of care and responsibility gets.  You will find yourself working more and more hours to simply sustain the minimum duties.  Work smart, stay focused during working hours, “chunk” your time for efficiency (focus for 2-3 hours at a time, then take a short break to re-focus and refuel), recruit more high-capacity volunteers, delegate and finally champion for specialized staff hires.
2. Keep and honor clearly defined boundaries for your quiet time, family time and personal time.  Nehemiah traveled approximately four months to get to Jerusalem to fulfill the call on his life to re-build the wall surrounding his precious city, but as excited as he was to get there, assess the need and get working, the Bible says after getting there he, “stayed there three days…” (Neh. 2:11), then he went out and started to work.  He understood the need for rest, rejuvenation and refueling.  Part of this “rest” cycle for us MUST include times of stillness with our Father.  We can’t lead if we’re not being led.
3. Listen to the wise counsel of those over you in leadership.  1 Thessalonians 5:12 hits it square in the face:  ”An now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience.” MSG.  Sometimes decisions will be made for your good that you initially might not understand or necessarily agree with, but trust and respect the godly leaders God has placed in your life and welcome the change as a growth experience meant to refine you to be who God original created you to be.

Change isn’t easy~ nobody really enjoys change, but here’s what God has revealed to me recently; He loves me so much and with such passion He’s not willing to allow me to be stuck.  Change when welcomed, will refine, smooth, cleanse and keep us out of the rut of mediocrity.  Man, I love the way He loves me!

Fog

Have you ever had one of those weeks where there are so many highs and lows that the line between the two gets a little foggy?  That was the week I’m putting to bed in just a few minutes.  Good night day 262, week number 37, there are things I have learned from you~

1.  The Discipline of Reticement is one of the spiritual disciplines I pray most for and get body-slammed most often because of.  I read an article a few years ago in a christian magazine about this discipline, which I can’t seem to find and to my surprise the word “reticement” isn’t even in the dictionary.  But the article named it as the discipline of keeping thine mouth shut.  ”Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.” Prov 17:28

2.  When you’re obedient sometimes you have the joy and opportunity to see the blessing!  Today my husband had the privilege of baptizing four of our small group members!  God has truly assembled an incredible group of people who gather every week in our home for a meal, study, prayer and a tapestry of emotions.  Today was the topping on the cake!  ”Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved…” Mark 16:16

3.  Conversations stretch us, grow us, deflate us, ignite us and give us hope, challenge us and hopefully always make us rely on His Spirit living within us.  ”…the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”  Luke 12:12

4.  At the end of the day, I’m just a sinner saved by grace and adopted by God through the blood of Jesus Christ undeserving of this amazing, crazy love, grace, forgiveness and mercy.  ”Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance:  Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst.” 1 Timothy 1:15

Good-night week 37, day 262~

Greetings…

The other day my daughter-in-law was re-telling a story about our three year old grandson Vance which got me thinking today.

They must have been talking about their hopeful trip to visit us at Christmas time in the car, when from the back seat V (as we call him), declared with great excitement and in grand form, “when I see Grammy at the airport, this is what I’m going to say, ‘GRAMMMMMMY,  GRAMMMMMY!!!!!’  There is no need to tell you that my heart just about burst and my face couldn’t stop smiling after hearing the retelling of this car saga.

Seating on my back patio this afternoon, enjoying a little quiet time after a great, busy, bustling weekend of Children’s Ministry, I remembered that story and once again a smile emerged onto my face and in my heart and I simply can’t wait to see V and his little sis in a couple of months.  I wondered just then about how my heavenly Father feels when I greet Him?!

Do you wonder about these things?  Or do we simply take the relationship we have (or could have) with the Maker of the universe,

the Creator of all things,

the Life-Giver~

All-powerful Sustainer… for granted?

Do you seek Him out, greet Him with child-like excitement, fall into His arms, put your head against His chest and listen to His heartbeat?  Or are we too busy to stop and spend some time with Him?  Am I excited, or does it feel like a chore, something I need to check off my list?  Do I slow down long enough to….. you fill in the blank.

The Bible says that God delights in those who love and trust Him.  He delights in us!  Ephesians 1:4 says, “…he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.”  2 Thessalonians 2:13 says, “from the beginning God chose you”.

He can’t wait to spend time with us, He loves us and chose us!  Every morning I want to run to Him and scream at the top of my lungs, “Papaaaaaaa”!