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Friday, January 18, 2013
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Waiting and Anticipation, Part II
For most of
my life I viewed waiting as a bad thing.
I had the perspective of waiting or anticipation as a negative time when
nothing was happening. In studying God’s
word though, I’m beginning to realize that waiting can be an active and joyful
time. In the time of waiting God is
usually very busy. Rarely do our lives
happen in isolation but rather when we pass through life we often intersect the
lives of others. Our smile could mean
the difference in a person’s perception of a good day. Our speaking the truth in love might be the
difference in a substantial decision for someone. And our plans are often
fulfilled through others. So the Lord is
often involved in fulfilling the plan for our lives even when we think nothing
is going on. It might be, like the birth
of the Messiah, that a child is being born and growing in order to fulfill a
mission that impacts our lives.
I also used
to believe that a time of waiting had to be filled with worry. Now I’m learning what a waste of energy worry
is. Philippians 4:19 (The Message)
says:
And
now I have it all—and keep getting more! The gifts you sent with Epaphroditus
were more than enough, like a sweet-smelling sacrifice roasting on the altar,
filling the air with fragrance, pleasing God no end. You can be sure that God
will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in
the glory that pours from Jesus. Our God and Father abounds in glory that just
pours out into eternity. Yes.
Or
the NRSV version:
And
my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory
in Christ Jesus.
Now,
Jesus is a rich, rich person. Jesus will
fulfill my needs based on those riches.
Why worry then? The outcome is
already prescribed-I don’t need to be consumed with worry and negativity. My only job is to love the Lord and love my
fellow beings, the Lord will take care of the rest. No need to use the giftedness that God has
given me in negative or wasteful ways.
Rather be active in praising and pleasing the Lord. Don’t let the time of waiting be a time of waste. Be involved, be thankful, full of gratitude
because the Lord is active and so pleased you are his creation. He loves me and
he loves you so get involved in what He is doing and be ready for your
blessing!
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Waiting and Anticipation
As the holiday season came into focus this year I made a
note to be more intentional with my state of mind and state of heart. I read and reread the story of the expectancy
of Christ’s birth and thought a good deal about how the national of Israel must
have felt as they waited for their Messiah.
With a history of enslavement, abuse, and lose of direction
it must have been challenging to wait with expectancy year after year for their
rescue. So often today we get so routine
with our prayers, with our worship, and with our adoration. We go through the
motions but does it change us? Does it
help us love God and love others more?
The chosen people of Israel knew their Messiah would come but year after
year they waited. The prayers may have
become just words to be repeated out of obligation but I would like to think
that there were some in the nation of Israel who felt that little tickle of
magic when they thought of the birth of their Messiah. How wonderful to have the people fully
reunited to God. How magical to have the God of the Universe connected to the
people again.
Today, over two thousand years later we Christians would be
well-served to re-ignite that magic, that shimmer of anticipation as we now
await the return of the Messiah. Let us
not fall into routine. Let us not recite
prayers as rote words. Let the words
soak into the very fiber of our beings.
Let our requests change us. Let the flame be fanned into a raging fire
of love for God and love for others.
Psalm 27:14 says (The Message) 13-14: I’m sure now
I’ll see God’s goodness in the exuberant earth. Stay with God! Take heart.
Don’t quit. I’ll say it again: Stay with God.
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)14 Wait
for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take
courage; wait for the Lord!
Just as David felt when writing this
passage, we must wait. We should be
intentional and ever dedicated to keeping that hopeful stance. Every day the Lord meets us with new blessings. Our blessings begin new every day and let us
take a mindset of gratitude. Let the
love renew your heart and recharge you.
Let your passions swell and your mind be renewed.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Pursue Your Dream-Even When You Are Scared
HOW TO LIVE YOUR DREAM WHEN YOU’RE SCARED TO DEATH by Jeff Goin
There is a tragedy in our world today.
Most people aren’t living their dreams, and the reason is simple: fear.
They’re scared to be who they are.
When you endeavor to find your life’s work, there is a lot at risk:
• You could fail.
• You could lose the respect of your friends.
• You could go broke.
• You could mess up in a hundred different ways.
But—and this is important—you could also succeed. And until you start living into your calling, you’re robbing the world of a gift.
After years of procrastinating, I finally pursued my dream. I decided to become a writer. To my surprise, I saw success far more quickly than expected: I launched a popular blog, got a publishing contract, and found my true fans—all within a year. How did this happen?
Simple. I believed in the dream before it happened. I didn’t wait for fear to go away; I started living into the reality I was longing for. If you’re going to live and lead intentionally, you’ll have to do the same.
There are three steps you need to take if you’re going to pursue your passion.
Step 1: Declare it. Although I’ve written for most of my life, I never considered myself a writer—not until recently. When a friend asked what my dream was and I told him I didn’t have one, he said, “That’s funny… because I would’ve thought it was to be a writer.” I said that was probably true. Then he said something I’ll never forget: You don’t have to want to be a writer; you are a writer. You just need to write. The words resonated in my soul. I realized that before I could expect others to believe something about me, first I would have to believe it myself.
Step 2: Believe it. Friends and family often notice our gifts before we do. They acknowledge the talents and resources we’ve been doubting and dismissing. The only way to find your dream is to trust the gifts you’ve been given. I’m not talking about a misguided “name it and claim it” philosophy. You need to accept the value you offer, not invent it. But at some point, you need to stop doubting yourself. There is a word for this: it’s called faith. Before the ancient Hebrews saw the Promised Land, they believed in it. They trusted in a place they hadn’t yet seen, which brought them through the desert and into their destiny. You need to grasp the possibility of achieving your dream before it happens. You’ll have to believe it before you see it.
Step 3: Do it. A few years ago, my wife and I attended a concert, and halfway through the show, a man clumsily spilled beer on her coat. I complained to one of the ushers, and he warned the man, but no further action was taken. Later, I went to the bathroom and returned to a crying wife. She wanted to leave. On our way out of the auditorium, she told me the man had harassed her while I was gone. I was outraged. Turning around, I marched back into the auditorium, and confronted the man. It was, honestly, one of the scariest things I’ve done as an adult. I hadn’t stood up to a bully since the second grade, and there I was—in front of a towering, muscle-bound beefcake, calling him an idiot. With my heart racing and my palms sweating, I demanded respect and an apology. And then something incredible happened. He said he was sorry. In that moment, I learned an important lesson: until we act, our values are just dreams. I believed in my wife’s honor—in theory—but until I stood up for her, it was just a good idea.
This is an essential takeaway for all of us called to meaningful work. Although we are not merely what we do, we become what we practice. And if you’re practicing insecurity and fear, what does that make you? If you have a dream or calling you’re not yet living into, it’s time to get to work:
• Declare you are what you’re waiting to be.
• Believe in your dream before you see it.
• And then do it.
• Remember: Until you start living it, you’re only dreaming.
Question: When was the last time you pursued a passion in spite of fear?
There is a tragedy in our world today.
Most people aren’t living their dreams, and the reason is simple: fear.
They’re scared to be who they are.
When you endeavor to find your life’s work, there is a lot at risk:
• You could fail.
• You could lose the respect of your friends.
• You could go broke.
• You could mess up in a hundred different ways.
But—and this is important—you could also succeed. And until you start living into your calling, you’re robbing the world of a gift.
After years of procrastinating, I finally pursued my dream. I decided to become a writer. To my surprise, I saw success far more quickly than expected: I launched a popular blog, got a publishing contract, and found my true fans—all within a year. How did this happen?
Simple. I believed in the dream before it happened. I didn’t wait for fear to go away; I started living into the reality I was longing for. If you’re going to live and lead intentionally, you’ll have to do the same.
There are three steps you need to take if you’re going to pursue your passion.
Step 1: Declare it. Although I’ve written for most of my life, I never considered myself a writer—not until recently. When a friend asked what my dream was and I told him I didn’t have one, he said, “That’s funny… because I would’ve thought it was to be a writer.” I said that was probably true. Then he said something I’ll never forget: You don’t have to want to be a writer; you are a writer. You just need to write. The words resonated in my soul. I realized that before I could expect others to believe something about me, first I would have to believe it myself.
Step 2: Believe it. Friends and family often notice our gifts before we do. They acknowledge the talents and resources we’ve been doubting and dismissing. The only way to find your dream is to trust the gifts you’ve been given. I’m not talking about a misguided “name it and claim it” philosophy. You need to accept the value you offer, not invent it. But at some point, you need to stop doubting yourself. There is a word for this: it’s called faith. Before the ancient Hebrews saw the Promised Land, they believed in it. They trusted in a place they hadn’t yet seen, which brought them through the desert and into their destiny. You need to grasp the possibility of achieving your dream before it happens. You’ll have to believe it before you see it.
Step 3: Do it. A few years ago, my wife and I attended a concert, and halfway through the show, a man clumsily spilled beer on her coat. I complained to one of the ushers, and he warned the man, but no further action was taken. Later, I went to the bathroom and returned to a crying wife. She wanted to leave. On our way out of the auditorium, she told me the man had harassed her while I was gone. I was outraged. Turning around, I marched back into the auditorium, and confronted the man. It was, honestly, one of the scariest things I’ve done as an adult. I hadn’t stood up to a bully since the second grade, and there I was—in front of a towering, muscle-bound beefcake, calling him an idiot. With my heart racing and my palms sweating, I demanded respect and an apology. And then something incredible happened. He said he was sorry. In that moment, I learned an important lesson: until we act, our values are just dreams. I believed in my wife’s honor—in theory—but until I stood up for her, it was just a good idea.
This is an essential takeaway for all of us called to meaningful work. Although we are not merely what we do, we become what we practice. And if you’re practicing insecurity and fear, what does that make you? If you have a dream or calling you’re not yet living into, it’s time to get to work:
• Declare you are what you’re waiting to be.
• Believe in your dream before you see it.
• And then do it.
• Remember: Until you start living it, you’re only dreaming.
Question: When was the last time you pursued a passion in spite of fear?
Saturday, May 5, 2012
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