Draw from the Well

Foursquare President Response to President Obama

Glenn Burris, Foursquare's president, posted on his facebook page this thoughtful response (italicised below) to President Obama's recent statements. 

I really appreciate the wisdom and sensitivity that our denomination's leader put into these words.  He will be speaking at Living Water next weekend (May 19 & 20.)

This is a hot issue.  As a believer, you need to prayerfully consider how you are going to engage this issue.  I so appreciate Pastor Glenn's challenge for us to articulate "what we stand for", not just what we oppose.

Please read and consider his words.

I disagree with our U.S. President concerning his recent statement on "same sex marriage & unions".  I do not agree that convictions and values are simply open to "evolving".  While this issue invokes a lot of passion and disagreement, and we often get mired in a debate on rights, the Church must find a way to clearly articulate what it's for, not only what it's against.  We should:

1) Model an environment of love, acceptance, and forgiveness.  Jesus did not marginalize those whose lifestyle he disagreed with.  He invaded their world and was honest about his views.  He did not condemn them nor did he condone their decisions.

2) Stay true and faithful to the core foundations of our faith.  We should always be clear and courageous concerning our convictions.

3) Model our beliefs by valuing our own marriages with fidelity, honor, respect, and commitment.

4) Create a culture where people who have been wounded, hurt, marginalized, and considered worthless and often laden with guilt and condemnation can find their way to healing and restoration.

How to Take Next Steps in Friendship

Recently I shared about friendship with our Women in the Word Bible Studies.  It seems strange to have a full blown introvert chatting about how to cultivate relationships, yet I realized, though I am an shy introvert, I do well at building relationships.  What doesn't come naturally, can be practiced and learned.  Often times people are paralyzed because they don't naturally know what steps to take next.  Our lives and situations rarely get less busy, complicated, full of distractions, easy...building and maintaining friendships takes intentionality.  If we don't stop and make an intentional plan, we often get stuck settling for less than satisfying relationships.

As part of my research for sharing I did a highly unscientific fact-finding poll on facebook and was surprised to find out the number of people who believe that other people are too busy for relationship.  They dismiss the possibility before it's even presented.  They assume that people w0n't make time to relate with them.  That false believe coupled with a lack of plan keeps makes so many people miss out on great frienships!

As part of my talk, I gave some practical tips for taking next steps in cultivating friendship.  I admit that these aren't profound.  However, sometimes we need to be reminded to do the basics.  So if you've found yourself making excuses for other people about why they don't have time to relate to you or you just don't know what to do next, I challenge and encourage you to to go back to the basics of cultivating relationships and take a step towards friendship.

How to Take a Next Step

1. Get a phone number or an email address.  Use it.
2. Establish a relationship on Facebook.  But don’t be a stalker!
3. Plan to sit with or near people at events or services to build relationship.
4. Find common ground for discussion (music, books, sermons, Bible Reading Plan)
5. Start with non-threatening events to building relationship (women's event, a movie, service, casual dinner, coffee)
6. Pay attention to small ways to bless (i.e. write out a recipe or share a book or article)

Friendship Conversation Starters

1. When/how did you become a Christian?
2. What has your involvement in church (others and LW) been like?
3. If a couple, what's your story? (Actually for singles or those divorced, I sensitively ask this as well.)
4. Who makes up your family? Tell me about your children.
5. How is your faith walk today...what does it look like?
6. What do you like to do for recreation?  Hobbies?  Special interests?
7. What do you do for a living? What do you like and dislike about that?
8. What is one thing you are really excited about in your life right now?  What is one thing you are not excited about?
9. Which of your life events shaped you the most?  Which person in your life shaped you the most?
10. What is one area you are pursuing growth in?  How are you pursuing that growth?
11. What is your favorite book, CD, movie, vacation place, food, animal, etc?  Have them explain why.

How Do You Rest?

It's tempting to debate who is busiest. Truth is, everyone is busy in their own unique way. We all have different roles and responsibilities which consume our energy and time. Furthermore, as we move through different life stages, we are faced with new requirements and new demands on our resources.

One thing I've learned is that life is less about time management and more about energy management. Energy management brings up the issue of "rest" or refreshment. In a nutshell, how do we get replenished?

Early in my Christian walk I became convinced of three things: daily reading scripture, tithing, and sabbath (thank you IVCF!) However you define a sabbath, there is some element of rest involved.

Clearly, different personalities and people find renewal and rest in different ways. I'm not sure there is a universal "right" answer.

I've realized that I'm very aware of my energy needs. Working in a highly extroverted job, yet being an introvert, there are times when I literally have met my relational quota for the day. I love and guard my sabbath time because I know I desperately need to be refueled to serve at my best.

Here are the ways that I find rest and renewal:

Solitude - after a week of people, I literally run to a quite, alone place. I love people, but it takes my energy to interact and focus (because I give my attention to them!). I love the quiet and stillness. Yes, I have been alone and quiet for a whole 24 hours (and didn't go crazy. It was nice.)

Hard Physical Labor - "work and pray" is a motto I believe in. I am totally recharged by mowing the lawn or working in the garden. Outside is a bonus, but also painting or cleaning the garage. Finishing the project is a must. It feels good to use my muscles, not my mind, for a change. (I wish house cleaning fit in this category, but it doesn't.) (Kayaking is physical labor I quite enjoy too!)

Mind Candy - I like to consume random, non sequitor information. I troll different disciplines and genres just to see what is out there. Wired, pinterest, and tumblr are great for this. Everyday on my lunch hour I take 15 minutes for randomness. Redirecting my mind is refreshing. (Caution: this has to be done with moderation, cause it can be a rabbit trail which becomes counter productive.)

Contemplation - this manifests itself in one of two ways and is focused on God and Jesus. Either this is deep study (not uncommon for me to spend several hours in personal study on my sabbath) or its pure reflection. I've found I have a great capacity to just dwell on a thought and do nothing.

What brings you rest? When was the last time you recharged?

Life Isn't Fair

Let’s face it – life isn’t fair.

If you expect life to be fair, you’ve got a lot of disillusion to deal with.

(I could talk about the fact that our perception of what “fair” means is totally skewed, but that’s another blog post.)

What do you do when you feel that life isn’t being fair?  Here are three practical things you can do:

1)      Stop looking at other people and comparing your situation with theirs.

Often we feel that life isn’t fair when someone gets something and we don’t, i.e., someone else gets a raise and we don’t, someone else gets a boyfriend and we don’t.  Our concept of “fair” is being based on the blessings which others are receiving and what we aren’t getting.  Dangerous ground!  Comparisons rarely help to improve our situation, instead fostering bitterness, jealousy, and envy.  Stop looking at those around us.

2)      Be grateful for what you actually do have.

A thankful heart is the first casualty of the pitiful attitude of “life isn’t fair!”  We long for what we don’t have and totally miss what we do have.  If you find yourself focused on what doesn’t seem fair - refocus on what you are grateful for.  This will change your trajectory and attitude.  And you just might realize that your life is better than you really thought it was!

3)       Trust God.

If Jesus is truly the Lord of your life, if you’ve entrusted yourself into His care (which every Christian has!) you need to believe that He’s got your back.  You may not understand your present circumstance, yet you must believe that He does.  Why?  Because He repeatedly promises us in His word that He cares for us (remember the sparrows and the flowers?)  His time table may not be ours.  His solution may not be our solution.  Yet when we believe that God has our best at the center of His heart and will (and He does) our “trials” and "difficulties" are easier to handle, even when we honestly admit that we don’t “love” going through them.

 

Aim Small, Miss Small

So often we set out with a dream, a goal, a desire but we fail.

Why?

I believe it's because although we had a real dream, goal, or desire, we left them vague.

The principle of "aim small, miss small" means that you have a very clear, defined goal...so much so that even if you miss, you are still going to hit near what you are aiming for.

For example, what if you have the goal of just losing weight?

That's vague.

A little better would be, I want to lose 10 pounds.

More specific, more focus, yet still missing the "how" implement.

Even better would be "I want to lose 10 pounds by only eating 1500 calories per day"(or whatever level would produce weight loss!)

That's very concrete.  Even if you missed your goal, and ate 1700 calories, you are still doing better than the unchecked amount most people eat each day (2500+ calories.)

In business and personal growth circles many people adopt SMART goals.

A SMART goal is a goal that is

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely

Smart goals are a great example of "aim small, miss small".

I can't operate without goals...I find that I become overwhelmed and terribly inefficient.

Big projects became much easier when I break them down into manageable tasks.

For example, I have a large, wild lawn that's I've been taming.  It would be overwhelming if my goal was to "make my yard beautiful."

Ultimately this is my goal, but that large, vague goal doesn't motivate me.

So I've broken my yard into smaller, manageable goals that help me get to my ultimate desired end. (You can read more about that here.)

Even though I don't finish the whole goal, each project I complete is one step closer.

Where in your life do you need to "aim small, miss small"?
Where have you felt frustrated by lack of progress toward a goal?

Don't Let This Happen To You

Last week I got taken.

Someone told me they were in need and asked for help. And I helped them.

But it was a lie.

I hate it when that happens.  (And I especially hate it when it happens twice with the same person!)

I find myself replaying the events, thinking I should have been able to discern what was actually going on. I should have been able to see beneath the surface and detect the untruth.

It makes me feel a little foolish - perhaps I should have been more guarded and less trusting.

Wait...that's what I want to warn you about...

There will be times when we are "taken" because of our kindness, our desire to do good and bless.

Don't let those experiences harden your heart and soul.

Ultimately Jesus is responsible for holding people accountable for what they say and do.  He is the last judge and jury.

Experiences like this can leave us guarded and hardened...don't let them.

I'm not advocating that you be a door mat or enter situations without discernment. But the tempting response after a situation like this is to use it as the new paradigm for all future situations, i.e. because I was taken once, I will never give again.

Think about the danger of such theology:

Have you been "taken" in a relationship?  You are tempted to not enter into new relationships. 

Have you been "taken" by a ministry leader?  You are tempted to never use your gifts to bless the body again.

Have you been "taken" by some one who misused information you shared?  You are tempted to never to share deeply again.

This type of living will suck the life right out of you!

When I lived in China, I was confronted daily by beggars asking for money.  I had no way to discern if they were truthful or dishonest (and they all looked super pitiful!)  I was told many times by Chinese people that they were all cheats and liars.  In the end, I decided that I would give to the beggars who asked me...not because they were worthy or deserving (I had no way of knowing)...but for the sake of my own soul - because I didn't want to become hardened and judgmental.

I don't like being taken, but I refuse to let a person's bad actions snuff out my generosity and good heartiness. 

Don't let that happen to you either!

Lessons Learned at the Apple Store

I'm certainly not an Apple-head by any means.  I'm proud to be PC and I have no problem saying it.  That being said, I do occasionally nibble of the forbidden fruit. 

So I was quite sadden when I dropped and cracked my Iphone 4.  Just in case this happens to you, here are some things I learned:

• Back up your apple product (if you can): They can only save your contacts, so be sure to back up if you want to save your data.
  
• Make an appointment if you've got a problem:  Apple stores make it easy to make an appointment for a genius bar appointment.  Many people around me were frustrated because they came by without an appointment and the place was busy.
  
• Don't be late for your genius bar appointment: I was late...too bad.  Don't be late, or you will have to get in line again.  It doesn't count if Apply is late - I waited for my second appointment for 20 extra minutes.  (I tried not to be bitter!)
  
• Apple gives you 1x grace:  Once in your lifetime they will replace your phone (I don't know about other products) with a cracked screen or water damage - no questions asked.  These issues are not covered under the Apple Warranty.

Since I had time to kill while waiting for my second appointment, I also observed some things about the store itself:

• The place was clean: they keep it simple and focused.  Amazingly so.
• The workers were friendly and busy: neither time I was waiting were the workers just hanging out.  They were active, helpful, and working.
• The workers were joyful: I actually witnessed a few high-fives when difficult problems were overcome (like getting past the security code on a blacked out screen.)

Thanks Apple for replacing my phone. Appreciate it.

 

 

Help for Building a Solid Life

This weekend Pastor Jon began to define what it means tangibly to become a solid life.

The process begins with being build on the sure foundation of Jesus. 2 Timonthy 2:19-21 reminds us that there are two cornerstones to our solid foundation:  security - knowing we are Jesus', and sanctification - the movement of our life towards greater godliness.

Key to our building process is understanding that what we fundamentally believe about Jesus and ourselves matters a ton.  And although satan can't steal our salvation from us, he can and does try to mess with our heads!  We must battle for our mind (2 Cor 10:3-6) by taking every thought captive and placing it under the command of Jesus. 

Tangible things that build us up include daily time in God's word and prayer, regular worship and fellowship, and intentionally examining our lives for "cracks" in our foundation which include unaddressed sin and bad habits, ungodly beliefs, and other immaturity.

But sometimes we discover cracks that our too big or deep for us to deal with on our own.  Know that they are NOT too big for Jesus!  He can and does heal and mend everything we bring to Him.  Sometimes He uses processes to help us expose and deal with the cracks in our foundations.

It is not shameful to ask for help (tell satan to "shut up" if he is saying so!)  In fact, it's smart to ask brothers and sisters in Christ to help us get healthy and whole so we can be a force in the kingdom of God!

Here are some of the tools we use at Church of Living Water to deal with cracks:

Addictions Support group - fellowship, instruction and prayer for those who struggle with addictions, particularly alcohol.

Care & Prayer ministry times - personal appointments for people who need personal prayer ministry.

Compassionate Care- long-term support for those walking through grief (currently for women only.)

Breast Cancer support group - for women who are or have walked through breast cancer.

DivorceCare - support, encouragement, and education for those dealing with divorce.

Financial Peace University - understand and establish solid financial principles and experience financial freedom.

GriefShare - understanding, support, and encouragement for those who've experience loss.

Hospital Visitation- personal visits for prayer and encouragement.

Men's Way of Escape - confidential support and accountability for men struggling with pornography and other sexual issues. We also have a support group for wives of men who struggle with these issues!

Restoring the Foundations - Intensive prayer ministry designed to bring freedom from generational issues, ungodly beliefs, past hurts, habits, and destructive patterns.

If you have other cracks that you need help addressing, contact us and we will work to find places of freedom and healing!

Fasting - One Week

Today I have been fasting (liquid - juice only) for one week.  Here are a few truths:

• This is the longest I’ve ever done a full fast.
• The first four days were easy.
• I’ve had some cravings (day 1:popcorn, day 2&3: pizza, day 4: waffles…)
• I’ve had some GREAT prayer times.
• I’ve mostly gotten lots of sleep.
• I’ve lost 10 lbs (I know it’s mostly water, but still…)

I admit that yesterday was a low point.  Starting after day four, the hunger pains set in with a new fervor.  The low point?  My co-worker caught me sniffing a can of almonds.  It was a weak moment. 

I have really enjoyed this fast, which is a surprise to me.  In the past, I dreaded fasting.  It encourages me because, these past few years I’ve been working on “being disciplined.”  I see some growth!

A few short days into my fasting, I realized that I wasn't "limiting" my intake of juice and had to set up a more controlled schedule (juice does have calories after all!) I believe that fasting should have an element of denial in it.  This helped, but also brought the hunger pains! (I'm getting just over 800 calories per day, a little more than half of what I normally do.)

Another thing I’ve struggled with is a low level of boredom.  I realize how much food, eating, food prep have dominated my social life.  This is not necessarily bad, yet when it is removed I shouldn’t be stumped for ways to hang out with people.  I’ve been challenged to get more creative in this area.

 One week to go.  Looking forward to it.

 I’d love to hear how others are doing.  Share what you are learning about fasting!

The Why Behind the Crazy

We as a church ask you to do a lot of crazy stuff.  Since I'm on the "inside", I fear that sometimes I don't see the impact of all of our crazy requests.

Take our desire to have ONE Combined Church Service on September 12. 

It's crazy.

We are asking you to:

• worship in a different place
• worship on a different day (for some) and at a different time
• trust your children to people  you might not know
• join in  a service with a very large crowd of people
• make a change during an already "change filled"  time of year (school starting!)

Change can be difficult.  Breaking out of the normal routine takes energy and effort.  I feel it too. 

The September 12 United by ONE service wasn't my idea, yet I wholeheartedly support it's vision.  But it's forcing me to do extra work, to adapt my routines, to change my plans.

So why do it?

As I was walking this morning I asked the Lord to give me some insight into why He is leading our church to this place, at this time. 

He gave me three pictures:

1) A Huddle

I never played football (mom wouldn't let me!), but I get the power of the huddle.  No matter what happened on the play before, the team gets to gather together, regroup, and make a plan for the next play.  United by ONE is a giant "huddle" for our church.  We get to gather together and hear the next play.  And leave the huddle with one big unified shout!

2) The Upper Room

Remember in Acts when Jesus told His band of followers to wait on what was next?  And they gathered together praying in the upper room?  The Lord reminded me that "Expect an Encounter" is a POWERFUL word.  As much as happened, He is not done with us yet.  There is more that He wants to do.  There is POWER when we all gather together, and worship and pray.  Let us move forward with great expectations!

3) A Light

I really believe that this service is for "us"; it's not designed to be particularly "evangelistic."  And yet, we have this event called HR & HD going on at the same time.  More importantly, we are getting back to Saint Martin's University.  There is something powerful about being "out" in the community.  More importantly, the Gospel, which is inherently evangelistic, is going to be preached.  Being "light" isn't an event.  It's a state.  There is something powerful about being authentically who we are no matter where we are which speaks volumes to a culture looking for authenticity. 

So jump in the craziness, make the effort, change your plans, get out of your comfort zone!

Join together with us in unity as we are United by ONE on September 12 at 10:00 am at Saint Martin's University.

Jesus has good things in store for us!