Monday Musings - The Tour de France

Well, my  Monday Musing almost turned into Tuesday's Thoughts!  I have been enjoying the week in Colorado with my parents, Heather and Cooper.  It has been such a great time.  So - I've been a bit distracted.  One of my distractions has been watching the Tour de France bike race.  This race began in 1903.  A truly amazing event.  It is on each morning when I get up.  I am fascinated with this race for several reasons:

*Sheer Athletic Ability - this race runs for 22 days with 2 rest days.  They cover an average of 2000 miles including some extremely difficult mountain stages.  They ride in any and all kinds of weather and they ride hard!  It has been compared to running 2 -3 marathons each week for 3 weeks in a row.  Let's just say - it is very difficult!  These guys are in tremendous shape - lean, strong and cardio kings.


*There are 22 teams this year - with 9 riders on each team.  That is a lot of men out there at the same time!  I get nervous when I'm riding with just a few other people!  How they go at the speed they do (last year averaged 40 miles an hour) in a crowd like that I do not know.  Their skill is truly admirable.  Some excel at sprints and some excel at climbs. The winner needs to excel at all of it!

*It is dangerous.  4 riders have died during the race.  Many more are injured and have to drop out of the race.  With 198 riders, there are the inevitable crashes that send men flying through the air - sometimes over fences and sometimes down ravines.  It is not a pretty sight!  There are cuts, scrapes and broken collar bones.  There is equipment failure and lots of flat tires.  

*It takes a village.  Each team has a team car that travels along with the race carrying extra bikes, medical supplies, nutrients and any other kind of help they may need.  They can also communicate by radio to let the riders know where they are in the group and what they need to know.  These cars often have riders all around them as they follow their team.  It is a crazy looking situation.

*It takes the team.  Really, this is the most fascinating thing about this race.  This team of 9 men are really all working toward one of them winning the race.  They decide before the race who their best rider is - and everyone works toward that one man's success.  I can't really think of any other sport like that!  This is HARD.  To do this for someone elses glory - WOW
     *I've seen riders hang back to get water for the rest of the team from their team car - and then ride up to the others to hand out all the water.  They lose time and it takes a lot of energy to catch back up - but they do it.
     *I've seen riders give up their bike to a teammate who has a bike problem - then they wait for the car to bring them a new bike.
     *I've seen riders take turns at the front - leading out - which is the hardest position - so they can better position their team's best rider.  Several of the team will rotate this position.  After leading for a good while, they will drop off because they are spent on behalf of another.  Many of these riders will not even make it to the end of the race due to injury.
     *Most of these riders will never get any notoriety.  Their man may win the race, get a great prize and his picture on the cover of magazines and yet their name may continue to be completely unknown.  That just amazes me. 


There is not an earthly example that you can really follow all the way through for a spiritual application.  They all seem to break down at some point, but I think there is a lot to learn from this one.  Here are some of the lessons I am learning.

As the body of Christ, we may need to make sacrifices for one another.  What are you willing to do to further someone else's faith?  Are you willing to take a backseat to promote the leadership of someone else?  Are you willing to keep your opinions to yourself instead of always sharing them?  

Are you willing to serve others even if no one else sees it?  

Even if you never receive any praise for it?

Are you willing to lead out simply so someone else can 

come along side you and take over?

Is it all about the team - or is it all about you?

How's your endurance?  What kind of spiritual shape are you in?  

Can you go the distance?

We have a God who has sacrificed everything for us.  Jesus went the distance.   He endured more than we can imagine and He took the lead in the hard places so that we could receive the prize.  He gave it all.  

The least we can do is live in such a way 

that He receives the GLORY.  

Just once, I'd like to see the guy who sacrificed it all, so that his team could triumph, on the cover of a magazine.  "Jean Claude flies over a fence after handing out water to his team and is given the purple heart of cycling!"  Who knows - maybe it will happen.

Thankful Thursday - Who God Is

I was thinking about all the things that I am thankful for and when it comes right down to it, I'm most thankful for Who God is - for His character.  Here are some aspects of God's character that I am especially thankful for today. 

MY GOD IS:

MIGHTY

FAITHFUL

TRUSTWORTHY

LOVING

FORGIVING

GRACIOUS

MERCIFUL

CARING

COMPASSIONATE

STEADFAST

UNCHANGING

ALL KNOWING

HE IS:

MY HEALER

MY FRIEND

MY FATHER

MY TEACHER

MY COUNSELOR

MY STRENGTH

MY JOY

MY LIFE

MY GUIDE

MY LORD

What I have learned over the years is that this list is inexhaustible.  God is everything that I need when I need it.  He is enough in every circumstance.  He is the reason for living in this life and in the next.  All of the things I am thankful for in my life stem from this TRUTH.  Jesus is Lord - but what changes everything is that Jesus is MY Lord.  It's personal.  It's relational.  It's life giving.  And for that, I am so very thankful.  

If all you had today was what you thanked the Lord for yesterday, what would you have?

NURTURE YOU GRATEFUL HEART

Monday Musings - Are you clothed with the right stuff?

I just started reading a book by Kelly Minter called The Fitting Room.  I have only read the 1st chapter, but it has already got me thinking - so here is what God is already teaching me.  God generally starts teaching me about something and then gives it to me from all different angles.  Here is what He is stirring up.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness,  

humility, gentleness and patience. 

Bear with each other and forgive one another

  if any of you has a grievance against someone. 

Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all 

these virtues put on love, which binds them 

all together in perfect unity.   

Colossians 3:12-14

I love the concept of clothing ourselves in Christ.  Let's face it, we spend a lot of time shopping, picking out our clothes and trying to put some kind of look together.  Now, some people care about this more than others, but we all have to care about it to some extent!  

So - what if we cared even more about our spiritual wardrobe 

than our physical wardrobe?

Suppose you woke up every morning and thought about putting on your shirt of compassion, your pants of kindness, your jacket of humility, your shoes of gentleness and your hat of patience?

Or - are we more like the emperor in the Emperors New Clothes?  Remember that old story?  The Emperor wants to have the most beautiful clothing - to be admired by everyone.  He gets taken in by a tailor who is sewing him the most beautiful clothing - it just happens to be invisible!  He keeps telling the emperor how great he looks and how nice the clothes are  - making him believe it!  Now the emperor can not see anything, but he doesn't want to admit it - no one else wants to admit it either.  So . . . he ends up walking out into the town in parade style without anything on!  Only a small child is willing to tell him the truth.

I wonder if we are just a bit like that emperor.  Spiritually speaking,  we study the Bible and listen to great sermons - we know all about these traits of Christian character, right down to their dictionary definitions.  And yet, we walk right out of the door spiritually naked!  No one else may want to point this out.  Let's face it - that is not fun.  So, there we go, like the emperor, prancing around town without our essentials on!

So, how do we clothe ourselves with things like compassion, kindness, gentleness, humility and patience?  Well, I haven't gotten that far in the book, but here is what I've learned in my own life.  

*You have to be intentional about it.  Just like we choose what we are wearing each day, we must choose to clothe ourselves with these things. 

*Jesus is the tailor!  These are His character traits and we can not adorn ourselves with these without Him! 

*It is not a matter of will power - it is a matter of the Holy Spirit's power.

*Dirty clothes need washing.  If you find yourself in short supply of these virtues, you may need to go to the Lord and confess your struggles.  He is faithful to cleanse us from all unrighteousness!  (1st John 1:9)

*Life will be richer and much more satisfying if you choose to clothe yourself with compassion, humility, gentleness, patience and kindness.  Such outfits as indifference, pride, harshness, irritability and cruelty do not flatter!  They will only bring you and those around you heartache and despair.

*One of the hardest parts of fashion is pulling that look all together in the end.  In these verses, we are told that LOVE binds all these virtues together.  So don't forget to put on LOVE before you walk out the door.  We don't want parts of our outfit randomly falling off - do we?  Talk about a wardrobe malfunction!!

What is in your closet?

How carefully are you choosing your spiritual wardrobe?

Are you dressing for success (so to speak?)

Thankful Thursday - So many things . . .

Spending time in Colorado is always good.  I love it here!  I had a really fun July 4th week and got to spend it with some good friends here.


Larry and Rocket are our neighbors in Colorado.  Our time here is always better if they are up here too!  They are such great people that we love to spend time with.  They inspire us with their running, bike riding and swimming - triathletes!  

Karen and Steve are our good buddies in Chicago.  We are each others peer group in an area where just about everyone is in their 20's and 30's.  They are a lot of fun and we enjoy every minute we get to spend with them.  We are so grateful that the Lord brought us all to Chicago at the same time.  What a blessing!

It was also my niece's birthday this week!  Hannah Cunningham is 22!!  Hannah is such a sweet girl - so full of JOY and FUN. Hannah makes a difference wherever she is and whatever she is doing.  I am so thankful for Hannah and the blessing she is to my life as well as to so many others.  Love you Hannah!!
Happy Birthday!

I am thankful for this time in the mountains.  God's creation is so amazing - I love seeing the big city of Chicago and I love being smack in the middle of the mountains.  Every bit of creation speaks to a different part of our Creator.  Here is some of what I am seeing.

Where do you see the Creator today?  It may be outside of your window - or it may be inside your window!  Look around.  His imprints are everywhere. 

Tuesday Thoughts: Freedom

We had such a great 4th of July weekend.  The weekend started out with our annual meeting and neighborhood cookout.  It is always good to see our Colorado neighbors.  We love them and really enjoy our time up here with them.

Our good friends, Steve and Karen, came to visit us from Chicago.  We started our time together by going to Church in the Park - The River Church always has church in the park around the 4th.  It was a great service - very different!


It was a beautiful day.  We started out with singing and then Dwight gave a great message on the freedom we have in Christ.  Then to our great surprise - he performed a wedding!  

How fun is that!  Chris - the groom - had become a Christian that week.  His girlfriend had been a believer for about a year.  Once he accepted Christ as his Savior, he wanted to make things right by marrying his girlfriend.  Well - there is no time like the present!  In his freedom - he made the right choice.


Freedom - that word means a lot of different things to different people.  On July 4th, our minds immediately go to the freedoms we enjoy in this country and to those who fought and those who continue to fight to give us that freedom.  We are deeply grateful.

But - if that is the only freedom that you know, you are missing out!  There is greater freedom to be had in Christ.  When you give your life to Christ, you gain the freedom to live without fear, to fully develop your gifts and to discover your purpose.  Most importantly, you have the freedom to choose. 

We all like to have choices.  Who likes to be told what to do?  Not anyone I know!  But in that freedom - there is room to make life giving choices and life debilitating choices.  

I have the freedom to live in obedience - or not.
I have the freedom to love others - or not.
I have the freedom to be selfless - or selfish.
I have the freedom to trust the Lord - or go my own way.

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.   Galatians 5:1

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  Galatians 5:13

Our country's freedom came at a high cost and is certainly maintained at a high cost.  My freedom in Christ came at a high cost too.  So - I choose to live in freedom - but in that freedom I choose to follow Jesus.  

To be free in Christ is to be free indeed!

 

Thankful Thursday - Rain

It seems that in our country right now - there is either flooding or drought.  We have driven through both in the past week and it is truly amazing.  When we arrived in Durango, we found that it had not rained in 2 months.  The people here were desperate for some rain.  There are wildfires in New Mexico - not too far away.  Rain is needed desperately to put out those fires.  Fireworks are banned for the 4th and there is a "no burn" edict.


Considering how long it has been since it rained, it is amazing how green things are here in Colorado.  The hills look green and the trees are beautiful.  You know why?  They have deep root systems.  The winter snows soak the ground at a deep level.  The root systems of the trees soak it up and store the moisture.  They draw on those reserves when needed and they grow.


Seems like my Thankful Thursday is turning into a Thursdays Thoughts . . .  but hang in there with me.   In our spiritual life, we all go through seasons of drought.  If you haven't, you will.  It is inevitable.  In times of spiritual drought, we feel a lot like the Texas summer landscape.  Dry, brittle and not so lovely!  God may seem far away and even the most beautiful worship song or powerful scripture seems to just bounce off of us.  We are not experiencing those spiritual highs and mountain top moments.  What do you do when you are experiencing drought in your spiritual life?


*Know that you are not alone - this happens to everyone and it is not permanent
*Continue to practice sprititual disciplines - Read the Word, Pray, go to Worship, Fellowship with believers 
*Be real - be authentic - share your struggles with someone - more than likely they will know exactly what you are feeling
*Know that God is as near to you as He was in your highest spiritual moment - He is unchanging
*Know that a critical part of deepening your faith is learning to walk in faith even when the "feelings" are not there
*Know that just like those trees, times of spiritual drought take your roots deep into the ground 
*Drought will not last forever - and when the rain comes, it will be sweet indeed


Our faith is based on facts, not on feelings.  How God feels about you and His promises to you are not based on emotions - they are based on His character and the sacrifice of Jesus.  Know that if the Lord is entrusting you with a dry spell, you are very special to Him.  He knows that you can be entrusted with a tough, dry season that will sink your spiritual roots deep into His love, His strength and His faithfulness.  He knows that when the rain comes, you will be ready to take off and serve Him with a new appreciation, a new energy and a new purpose.  


It started raining here in Durango this morning.  The first significant rain in two months.  It smelled wonderful and looked beautiful.  We are grateful.  After a time of drought in your spiritual life, you too will experience a shower - even a rainstorm of God's presence.  He is Good.  He is Faithful.  He Provides.

LET IT RAIN, LORD, LET IT RAIN!

Tuesday Thoughts: Church

My Monday was great - I went on a hike and after that, I was useless!  I couldn't put a string of thoughts together so I decided to wait until this morning to write.  I had several ideas rolling around in my head, but I settled on this one.

CHURCH

That word brings up many different thoughts depending on who you are and where you are in your life.  I know - I've been there!!  Here are some possibilities.

*Church - stiff, strict, stuffy, boring, hypocritical, exclusive, too long, outdated, not for me, I'm not good enough, you have to dress up, everyone will be staring at me, the preacher yells, I just don't fit in . . .

I believe that those phrases are often spoken.  Sometimes there are negative experiences from the past or maybe even your parent's negative experiences.  Sometimes it is just an impression that you have from someone you know, a commercial you saw or simply your own thinking.  Church just seems like it is for someone else - not you.  You know that you are not one of those "good" people.  Perhaps you have been hurt or disappointed by "the church" itself or by someone in a church.  Maybe you are just afraid - afraid you won't like it or afraid that you will.  Maybe you are afraid that something will have to change if you buy into this.

Well - as someone who grew up in church from the baby nursery on - I can tell you that I have had several of those thoughts over the years.  It has been a growing process.  The Lord has done a lot of work in my life over the years and He has used things outside of the church (Young Life, Bible Study Fellowship) to make significant changes in my life.  He has also used the church in a big way.

I have had the privilege of being a part of a lot of different churches over the years as I have grown up and moved around.  As an adult, I've been in some great churches that have challenged me and encouraged me.  Some of these churches went through some very hard times too.  I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly.  After all, churches are made up of people and people make a lot of mistakes.

First Baptist Arlington - this was the first church that Alan and I really belonged to when we got married.  Our young married department was so central to us building a marriage based on our faith and developing friendships with other couples.  We had teachers over the years that truly poured themselves into us and invested in our growth.  We lived in Arlington three different times, so this church as been key to our walk with the Lord.

Westchester Baptist Church: when we moved to Ossining NY as a young couple (our girls were 3 and 5) we found a little Baptist church to be a part of.  It has about 50 people.  We learned so much while we were there - about ourselves and about our God.  We learned to "do" church.  Everyone had to be a part to make it work.  No sitting on a back pew being anonymous!  We grew up a lot from this experience.

Karl Road Baptist Church:  we moved to Columbus, Ohio and found Karl Road.  We were there 6 years and what an important 6 years it was!  We spent most of our time working with the youth.  I had the privilege of being the youth director for 3 years.  Our time there with students was priceless and we made life long friendships.  Between church and Bible Study Fellowship - I was pushed beyond what I thought I could do and be - and as a result I grew tremendously.  I will always be grateful for that experience!

The River Church:  when we are in Colorado, we attend The River Church.  We love this church.  It is a Four Square Gospel church and it is full of life and energy.  The pastor, Dwight Saunders, is an amazing man of God who is so authentic and so real that we are just drawn to him.  He is a great speaker because he speaks from the heart.  He shares all of his life - the victories and the struggles.  He challenges us to love Jesus more deeply and to seek after the Lord with all our hearts.  We never leave a service without being changed by the message he brings.

Destination Church:  this is our current church in Chicago.  It is a church plant (or start up if that makes it clearer) by New Frontiers.  We have been a part of it since August and we have been immeasurably blessed.  There were about 35 when we went in August and we average about 55 now and have had up to 80.  It is fun to be in on the ground floor of a church and see it grow and develop.  The people are amazing and Matt Sweetman, our pastor, is fantastic.  He is a young man with incredible depth and maturity.  He is humble and very real as he shares his walk with the Lord.  We have the opportunity to grow and to serve and we love it!!

So - here are a few questions:

*Are you currently involved in a church?  

God created us to be in relationship with others and to be part of a community of believers.  Solo Christianity is too hard.  We need each other.  If you are not a part of a church, I encourage you to check one out.  You need to go beyond just attending a service and be a part of some kind of small group - get connected!

*Is church all about meeting your needs? or is it about serving  the Lord and others?

*Are you hesitant to attend a church because you are not "good" enough?

Well - join the crowd.  None of us are good enough to come before God - but fortunately, He does not require that.  He only asks that we come as we are and in faith and trust Him to make us the people He desires us to be. 

*Have you been burned, hurt or disillusioned by the church or someone in the church?

First - I will just say that I am so sorry.  I wish that nothing like that ever happened but we are sinful people and we make mistakes.  On the other hand, God is holy and He is always GOOD, always GRACIOUS and always JUST.  If we only look to people to see what God is like, we are bound to be disappointed.  We must look to God Himself, learn of His character and then we will see glimpses of Him in people that are doing their best to follow Him.

*How do I find a church?

These days, it is so much easier to check out a church before you ever attend.  Just about every church has a website that states their beliefs, their programs and what you can expect when you check it out.  I believe that you will be pleasantly surprised at how welcoming and kind the people of God are.

Churches are not perfect - not at all, actually.  To me, that is quite a relief because I am far from perfect myself.  I need to join together with others who are struggling with life and yet are all striving to be more like Jesus.  I don't know what I would have done without my churches over the years.  They have been there for me when I got married, had my babies, lost loved ones and went through a lot of changes.  There is a heart connection with all of those people, even if I don't live there anymore.  

You can choose to stand back and be critical of the church - or you can choose to jump in there and make it a better place.  A church is not a building - it is a group of people that loves Jesus.  

You are the church.  

What will your part be in this great story?