WCAGLS: Steven Furtick Session Six Takeaways

Takeaway One: Thank God for everything before asking Him for anything.

So what?:  I will continue to develop the discipline of gratitude.  I will work to recognize the every day graces of life and thank God for them, recognizing that if He never did another thing for me, I've already been blessed beyond all measure.

Takeaway Two: We can get excellent teaching and gather excellent teams, but "only God can make it rain."  I can't expect God's blessing on my work unless I do it God's way. (2 Kings 3:9-20)

So what?  All of my best efforts to grow and develop and cultivate leadership are in vain apart from the power of God poured through my life.  I will quit believing that I can accomplish anything of eternal value in my own pitiful strength, wit, or wisdom.

Takeaway Three: If the size of the vision that you have for your ministry isn't intimidating to you, there's a good chance that it's insulting to God.  Noah looked stupid building a boat ... until the rain came.

So what?  I will repent of small dreams.  I will repent of doubt.  I will ask God to fill my heart and my dreams with things that only He can accomplish.

WCAGLS: Seth Godin Session Five Takeaways

Takeaway One: If you want to do work that matters, you don't have to do it by yourself.  People long to be in sync, and they need someone to show up and lead them.

So what?:  I will quit throwing pity parties for the lonely leader and assuming that I must work as a long ranger.  I will work to rally others around a common mission to accomplish Kingdom-sized tasks.

Takeaway Two: Art is the risky human act of doing something you haven't done before for someone else with someone else.  Mass production leads not just to interchangeable parts but also to interchangeable people.

So what?  I will quit working so hard at fitting in and choose to do and be the things that make me original.  And, I will celebrate originality in others.  I will look for the people who are being effective by doing something unique and encourage them to keep moving forward.

Takeaway Three: We are constantly looking for a reason not to do our art, not to put ourselves on the line.

So what?  I will practice being someone who looks for reasons and ways to say "yes." To myself and to others. My favorite leaders and coworkers are those who consistently come up with new ways to say "yes" rather than the frustration of those who give me ten different reasons why something won't work before they've even tried it.

Bonus: If all you can offer in your institution is that you're the "local" church, it's not going to get you where you want to go.  Quit bowling.  Bowling is not an exciting spectator sport.  It's borning and the goal is perfection.  What people talk about, what spreads the word is something people don't expect.  Nobody talks about a brown cow.  The only cow people talk about is a purple one.  


If failure is not an option, then neither is success.  It's impossible to do art without failure.

WCAGLS: Brenda Salter McNeil Session Four Takeaways

Takeaway One: The next generation of emerging leaders are global by default.

So what? I can no longer claim ignorance of the problems and challenges facing the world, especially other believers around the world.  There is no excuse for not being informed.  There is no excuse for not doing something.

Takeaway Two: The mandate is to take the message of the Gospel of the Kingdom across cultural thresholds. 

So what? The promise of Acts 1:8 is that the Holy Spirit will empower believers to cross cultural divides.  I have access to the power that enables me to affect change in those who look and think and act like me (Jerusalem), in those who look like me but think and act differently (Judea), and in those with whom I have no obvious commonality and potentially some hostility (Samaria).

Takeaway Three: We need Christian leaders who do not view these seismic shifts in our world as catastrophes, but as catalytic events.  Summon your courage and interpret for the people you lead that God is not dead; He is alive, and He is able.

So what? It is not my job as a Christian leader to wring my hands in worry, fear, and doubt, nor to throw them up in despair.  It is my job as a Christian leader to recognize that people in need of rescue are ripe for the message of a Savior.  I will be ready and willing to preach Jesus in the most unlikely circumstances.

WCAGLS: Cory Booker Session Three Takeaways

I became acutely aware of something about myself during Mayor Booker's session.  I have a deeply held suspicion of charismatic leaders.  Perhaps it is simply that I have been described as a charismatic leader from time to time, yet I am well acquainted with my own flaws and the temptation to use charm to distract from them.  Whenever I sense myself being caught up and carried away by the passionate articulations of a well-spoken orator, something deep inside of me presses hard on the brakes and I pull up short.  Mayor Booker gave an excellent address full of many rich sound-bites.  He is a gifted and passionate communicator.  I am grateful having had the opportunity to hear him today, but I had to laugh at myself for how stubbornly my mind refused to fully engage in the energy of the moment.

Soundbite One: You drink deeply from wells of freedom and opportunity that you did not dig.  You have a choice.  Will you grow dumb, fat, and happy consuming what you did not provide for yourself?  Or will you stand up from the banquet table your ancestors prepared and metabolize your blessings to move forward.

So what?  I will make a conscious choice to make the most of what was handed to me.  I am often most proud of the things I've accomplished for myself, but I will practice demonstrating greater awareness of and gratitude for the gifts that are pure graces provided by the work and sacrifice of others who came before me.

Soundbite Two: What you see in the world is less a matter of the facts that are there than a reflection of who you are and the attitude of your heart.


So what?  When I begin to lose sight of hope, I will remember that hope rightly placed in God does not disappoint.  I will strive to cultivate a heart and attitude toward the world that reflects His heart and love for the world.

Soundbite Three: Don't trip over people God has put right in front of you for a purpose. 


So what?  I will pray for God to use me each and every day however He sees fit, and I will not complain when He gives me opportunities to be a blessing, a bodily extension of His hands and feet to others ... even others that don't fit into my schedule or my sensitivities.

WCAGLS: Len Schlesinger Session Two Takeaways

Takeaway One: Failure doesn't mean game over. It means, try again ... with experience.

So what?  I hate to fail.  Hate it.  I mean, 99% of the time I won't try something I might be bad at doing.  I live a very safe (aka: boring) life most of the time.  I fear the stigma of failure.  I fear the misery of failure.  I fear the defeat of failure.  I hate to fail.  But, I've lived long enough to know there's not really any other way to  succeed but to endure some failure.  I will strive not to fear failure but to embrace it as an opportunity to learn and to do better with the next attempt.  I will not be paralyzed by the fear of failure.  I will continue to attempt new and greater things despite my fear.

Takeaway Two: Nobody can ride one business model through the life of his career.  Adapt.


So what?  It is okay if what once worked is no longer effective.  It doesn't mean it never worked.  It's okay to embrace new ideas and change.  A very wise 78 year old woman reminded me earlier this week, "All that is old is not bad, and all that is new is not good; neither is all that is old good, or all that is new bad."

Takeaway Three: In the face of unknowability (an uncertain future), rational behavior requires small steps based on what you've got in hand.  Start with what you care about.

So what?  Doing something is better than doing nothing.  I don't know what my organization or program looks like a year from now, but I do know who and what I have been given today, and I can move forward tomorrow with those provisions.  I exhaust myself (and many around me) with my attempts to see the future.  Rather than worrying about what might happen down the road, I can move forward by concerning myself with finding firm ground for the very next step in front of me.

WCAGLS: Bill Hybels Session One Takeaways

Every year my faithful blog readers endure with me through a series of posts from a Leadership Conference that makes me absolutely giddy.  It fills my head with so many profound thoughts and fuels my passion for leadership in ways that make me a little dangerous at times.  Normally, I just use these posts to regurgitate my notes, but I thought this year, I'd try to process my thoughts out a little further for you and tell you what I actually hope to do with all this wonderful and glorious information.

The only Leadership Summit faculty member you can count on hearing from year after year is Bill Hybels, and the reality is, he is by far the best of them all.

Takeaway One:  Leaders need to be incurable, insatiable learners.  When a leader stops learning, he stops leading.

So What?:  This year I did something I've never done.  I created a reading list at the start of the year.  And, I've kept track of what I'm reading.  I renewed my library card, and I've availed myself of all the riches available through Fort Worth's very excellent library system.  And, in the process, I'm becoming a better leader, and yet, I find myself wishing I had the ability to consume more, especially true stories about the ordinary lives of courageous men and women.  They remind me that I am not alone when I come up against difficult days.  I will continue to make the most of every opportunity to learn.

Takeaway Two:  Part of my job as a leader is to look problems straight in the eye, call them what they are, not be intimidated by them, arrest them, and put them on a new curve.


So what?  I will quit complaining that leadership is hard.  That's a given.  In my lines of work and ministry, problems most often come in the form of people.  I will quit acting surprised when problems arise.  I will deal honestly and directly with them with a commitment to a gracious and generous love for every individual.

Takeaway Three: How you finish is how you'll always be remembered.


So what?  With God's help, I will not be remembered for being a slow starter.  I will not be remembered for the years I've wasted.  I will not be remembered for all the times I fail (I will fail plenty and often).  I will be remembered for boldly following Him and being used by Him to love and live courageously.  I will strive to make each year of leadership better than the last, and to be remembered as one who consistently pointed others to Christ.

Homesick

I don't think about heaven enough.
And, I really don't write about it enough.
This week, I can't help but think about it.

Right now, friends are travelling back from Ethiopia where they hoped to meet the children their hearts have already claimed.
Right now, friends are praying anxiously for the health of a baby boy suffering from Malaria in the Congo, a baby boy they've already named, the son of their hearts.
Right now, a sister is weeping over the brokenness of her father who is once again in the grips of alcoholism.
Right now, a sister sits by the bedside of her 33 year old husband who has not breathed on his own for nearly three weeks, his body ravaged by an unknown infection.
Right now, a family grieves the sudden loss of a husband, father, grandfather.
Right now, a family wrestles with difficult choices as their savings dwindles to nothing and they wait prayerfully for news from the latest round of job interviews.
Right now, a sister makes a choice every single day to work hard, stay clean and prays nothing happens to prevent her 8 month old daughter from being returned to her custody next week.
Right now, a brother prays that someone will look past the things he's done and see who he is and give him a real chance to build a life on this side of the bars.
Right now, a pastor battered by the humanity of his most recent congregation prays for a new direction for himself and his family.
Right now, a soldier endures separation from his loved ones, scorching heat, and hostile enemies.
Right now, a mother prays moment by moment for a miraculous demonstration of provision to meet her family's most basic needs.

And, I don't just think about heaven or write about heaven.
I long for heaven.

For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 

2 Corinthians 5:4

Sweeter Than the Day Before

July 13. I've written about it here and here and here.

I'm hard-pressed this year to find a fresh way to talk about it. Yet, I'm unwilling to let it go by unheralded.

I think, this year, perhaps more than ever, I am aware of just how much life in Christ is the extravagant grace of God poured out on me. See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (I John 3:1)

My life is not at all about me. It really is ultimately God's story. His grace. His willingness to pour out Christs' blood, to accept that sacrifice in place of the insurmountable debt of my sin. It's about His faithful covenant-keeping despite all of my weaknesses and failures. It's about His ability to make beauty from ashes, to use what would otherwise be useless for the sake of declaring His glory. He alone is worthy, and He alone gets all the praise for any good in me. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. (Ephesians 1:7-10)

I no longer feel like a child. I no longer feel ashamed of how old I am or how long we've walked together. I only look toward the days ahead and pray that with each passing year, you would see less and less of me and more and more of Him. ... the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. (Colossians 1:26-28)

Things I Learned from Big Dave

1.  Always do what you know to be right.

2.  Sometimes nice guys pretend to be jerks.  Ignore what he says; watch what he does.

3.  Sports announcers on the radio are better than the ones on TV.

4.  Football is cool.  (I won't repeat what he taught me about soccer.)

5.  Honor your father and mother. (Loved listening to him call his own Dad this morning!)

6.  Defensive driving is good. Offensive driving is better.

7.  Old people are cool and tell great stories. Value the wisdom of those who've walked before you.

8.  Cherish opportunities to be with those you love. "It will never be just like this again."

9.  Investing in people reaps lasting rewards.

10. Be kind and compassionate, forgiving one another just as Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

God Has Brought Me Laughter

Mother's Day this year was harder on me than I expected it to be.  Normally, the "stress" of Mother's Day is finding an appropriate way to honor the woman who gave me life and let me live through those teen years and became my close friend and confidante.  This year, my thoughts were a bit more inward.

At 32 and single, this was the first year I was truly tempted to grieve on Mother's Day, tempted to throw myself a pity party over the idea that Mother's Day may never be my day.  It sounds weird, I know, especially for my male readers.  Stick with me, I promise this post isn't about my ticking bio-clock.  Promise.  The thing is, I've said repeatedly over the years that I am not even sure I want to have kids. I'm a little afraid I'd be terrible at motherhood, but I guess, because of the selfish brat that I am (further proof I'd probably be a bad mom), I want the option.  I want it to be MY choice, not a choice that's made for me by the passing of years.

I didn't give in to the temptation to grieve.  I didn't wallow.  In fact, as I talked these thoughts over with a friend that Sunday night, I told her I was fairly certain that as soon as I give in and let myself have a pity party over something I'm not even sure I want and something I definitely can't control, God will step in and show me how big and how good He is by satisfying all of my desires with good things (Psalm 103:5) and make me feel ridiculous.  It would be something I'd have to laugh at myself over, and everyone else would laugh to, and say, "See?! Told you so!"

The very next morning, our Bible study lesson from Kelly Minter's No Other Gods study came from Genesis 16, the story of Sarah, and the dangers of trying to fulfill God's promises in our own folly.  In case your memory's fuzzy, Sarah's the one who didn't have kids, but God has promised her husband Abraham that he would be the father of many nations.  Sarah gets tired of waiting on God to open her aging womb, so she tells her husband to sleep with her maid Hagar. Hagar, of course, gets pregnant right away and family chaos ensues.  Sarah is every bit as unhappy and dissatisfied as before.  Then, the lesson had us look a few chapters over, in Genesis 21, God fulfills His promise to Abraham through Sarah, and she gives birth to a son, Isaac.  This was a very familiar story, and if you'd asked me, I may have even known what the name Isaac meant, but reading it on the heels of the previous evenings lament, it took on such a sweet personal significance.  Sarah named the promised baby Isaac, meaning laughter, and she said, "The Lord has brought me laughter, and all who hear it, will laugh with me."  (Genesis 21:6)

Sarah's words, recorded in ancient scripture were so similar to my own that I had to sit and just marvel.  I have no idea what God's got in store for my life. I have no idea if it includes marriage or children or a life time of serving him with all the freedom singleness offers, but I believe with everything in me that when the story is told I will laugh (probably loudly) with joyful delight over how well God fulfills His plans for my life.  He who does exceedingly, abundantly beyond all I ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20) has never failed me.

The Lord is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, and He will make me walk on high hills. Habakkuk 3:19

For you make me glad, Lord, by your deeds; I sing for joy at what your hands have done for me. 

Psalm 92:4

She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. 

Proverbs 31:25

Great Day's Should Be Remembered

My heart is very happy this afternoon.  These are the things I want to remember about this day:

1. Early morning. My day started unintentionally early.  I was awake long before my alarm went off.  I made a quick trip to an uncrowded grocery store, then came home, cleaned up and enjoyed an unhurried time with my Bible and a cup of coffee.  It was nothing short of delightful.

2.  Memorial Day Brunch. Everyone else plans Memorial Day bar-b-ques, but we planned a Memorial Day brunch.  It's basically an excuse to get friends together, fix an awesome mid-morning meal, and have the rest of the day left to play.  The idea seemed strange to me when I first heard it, but having experienced my first Memorial Day Brunch, I think I'm hooked.  French Toast, scrambled eggs, waffles, fruit salad, kolaches, sausage, and mimosas?  Yes, please!

3.  Pool Time.  I really love an afternoon by the water with a good book, and the company of good friends is like icing on the cake.  My apartment pool is particularly entertaining to me because about 2:00 p.m., it starts to look like a scene from MTV Spring Break.  It's a little out of control, but it's some great people watching.  I also love any setting with friends where there's opportunity for lazy, rambling conversation that may or may not lead to profound discoveries.  And, listening to the college kids beside us try to figure out Bill Clinton was impeached or not (and what exactly impeachment is) was priceless.

4.  Afternoon nap.  The best follow up to pool time is a cool shower, lots of lotion, and a few hours of free time before evening plans.  One of my favorite things is laying under a blanket while my hair's still wet and allowing myself the luxury of doing nothing for an hour or two before I finish getting dressed.

5.  Community Group.  I appreciate that the women in our Monday Night Community Group love one another and the study of God's Word so much that they didn't want to take the week off.  I love being with them, learning from them, and the privilege of speaking into their lives.

Today is, of course, Memorial Day, a day set aside to honor the memories of the men and women who've served our country's armed forces and defended our freedoms.  I am deeply moved this year by that notion, particularly at the thought of two very dear brothers and their current military service.  It's so easy as I go through my regularly scheduled life not to think about what thousands of families are sacrificing daily to provide such comfort and ease for the rest of us.  May we never forget.

Chase the Lion

"Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Grab life by the mane. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God.Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Consider the lilies. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshiping what's right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze a new trail. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away. Chase the lion." 

- Mark Batterson

My Latest Playlist

So, besides Baseball Fanatics, I've also got a bunch of Music Snobs in my life these days.  Erin's been working hard with me for years now to expand my musical knowledge and palette.  Steve, Jason, and Erika have joined in the fun, too, at times.  It might be a hopeless effort, but here's my current eclectic list of "Songs I Love":

Love Is You - Chrisette Michele
The First Snowflake - Boy Least Likely To
Harder Than Easy - Jack Savoretti
Everything Sad Is Coming Untrue - Jason Gray
She's Like Texas - Josh Abbott Band
When You Find Me - Joshua Radin
Incomplete and Insecure - The Avett Brothers
I've Got This Friend - The Civil Wars
Lorelai - Fleet Foxes
Towering - Seryn
You're The Reason I Come Home - Ron Pope
Marry Me - Train
Beautiful Things - Gungor
Holding My World - Kristian Stanfill
Blessings - Laura Story
LA River - HoneyHoney

What I Should(n't) Have Said

My head and heart are EXHAUSTIFIED tonight.  I've been on a roller coaster ride of thought loops ever since news broke last night that Osama Bin Laden had been killed -- finally.

One thing I know FOR SURE tonight.  It's never a good idea to break my own rules.  I have just a few rules for myself.  Every single one of them has been established to keep me from making painful mistakes, and breaking them almost always leads me directly to the pain I was attempting to avoid.  The rule I broke last night?  Using short-form social media (Twitter, Facebook Status) when emotional about a subject to attempt to succinctly communicate very complex thoughts.

I shouldn't have said anything.

If I was going to say something, it should have been timed differently ... and it should have been here, not there.

I should have led with a few disclaimers, such as:

1. I am exceedingly grateful to our military.  A lump swells in my throat at the sight of a man or woman in uniform.  Every. Single. Time.  I appreciate more than I will EVER be able to say any who has been willing to put his or her life on the line to protect my freedom.
2. I know that Osama Bin Laden deserved death.  I don't wish we'd captured him and given him a "fair" trial.  
3. I am relieved that his reign of terror is over.  I am grateful that specific threat is undone.
4. I do not begrudge the world for being elated over the achievement of a tactical military goal that will hopefully bring us another step closer to the end of a long season of war.
5. I have not confused relief or the rightful celebration of "justice" with the celebration of a soul in hell.

That being said, when I tweeted the following thought and Scripture, I was specifically troubled by Christians, especially influential leaders, who were openly mocking a soul in hell.

• "Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways & live? Ezek.18:23"
• "It seems incongruous to me that we who believe hell exists could rejoice in the death of any man who would go there."
• "Food for Thought tonight: Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, let not your heart rejoice when he stumbles."

A sample of the type of sentiment from influential church leaders to which I was responding?: 

• Now would be a good time to ask Is there a Hell? & is Bin Laden there? The answer is YES AND YES. Justice wins!!

I could quote PLENTY of others, but I'll just stop with that one.  The thoughts that kept me up last night and have weighed heavily on  my heart throughout the day:


ALL of us apart from Christ deserve death and hell (eternal separation from God). See, Ephesians 2:1-7 Hell is a horrific reality.  Because I believe in hell, I cannot rejoice in or make light of it. At all. For anyone.  I know that death is a part of life.  I know that bad guys lose and good guys win (sometimes), and we cheer when the good guys win.  I know that there are dozens of examples throughout the Old Testament where God grants victory in battle to His people, Israel, and they celebrate.  I get it.  I'm not naive or ignorant, but I am conflicted.


I just can't reconcile that the same people who argued vehemently just a few weeks ago that there is indeed a hell and it is indeed eternal punishment apart from God are now rejoicing that someone would go there.  Incongruous. 


I believe there's a hell.  I believe OBL is very likely there.  I believe that God has sovereign control in the universe, and is therefore ultimately responsible for his punishment.  I do not believe God takes any pleasure in his destruction.


Other bloggers, much more eloquent than I on the subject of reconciling these difficult ideas:


Aaron Lutz
Shaun Groves
Christopher Morgan

Baseball?

I've taken a lot of (good-natured) teasing recently about my new interest in the Texas Rangers.  Admittedly, I'm a bandwagon fan.  I didn't begin paying attention until they began winning consistently and the season got exciting last summer/fall.

However, the idea that I hate baseball is one I frequently have to put down.  I do not (nor have I ever) hated baseball.  I've known very little about baseball.  I've understood very little about baseball.  I've had few reasons to be interested in baseball.  Hate is a strong word; apathetic would be a more appropriate term for my attitude toward baseball in the past.

Here's the deal, even now, as much as I'm enjoying the Rangers and keeping up with their season, it's got very little to do with a newfound love for baseball.  I'll tell you a secret about me, and if you can keep this one in mind, it'll unlock many mysteries concerning me.  I love people.  Period.

In this current season of my life, I am surrounded (constantly, it seems) by baseball loving fanatics.  They watch baseball, they go to baseball games, they talk about baseball, they even play fantasy baseball.  And, I love these people.  I think they're pretty fun and cool and interesting people, and I enjoy being around them.  So, I am learning about baseball.  And, surprisingly, it's been kind of interesting.  There's a lot more strategy and skill to the game than I ever imagined.  But, the joy in it for me is getting to participate in something for which the people I love have a passion.

Spark St Louis Trip Report

Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shelters [her] all day long. The one the Lord loves rests between His shoulders.  Deuteronomy 33:12

Spark St. Louis was my third Spark adventure, and I'm noticing a theme.  Each trip is the "best ever."  They just keep getting better.

Let me begin by saying that the prayer support we felt throughout this weekend was remarkable.  As a team, we felt held together by God Himself.  We sensed His beautiful presence in so many of our moments together with the girls at Mercy Ministries.  24 of us traveled to St. Louis physically, but hundreds went with us spiritually.

Several things made this trip different than others.  First, the fact that Mercy has such a young population.  Working with women who are 18-28 and have their whole lives ahead of them was so cool.  Working with such young women who've been wounded in such profound ways was also heartbreaking.  Second, being at Mercy is a choice for these women.  Each of them has willfully chosen to be there, and is working hard at recovery and healing every single day.  That desire to be free deeply impacts they way they listen to and respond to the messages we share about their identity in Christ and all that He has for them.  Third, the staff at Mercy are amazing, and their support of us and all that we were doing with the girls was such a boost!

Reasons I love Spark Ministry and am so grateful I got to be in St. Louis this weekend:

1.  Baby Sparks!  We had no fewer than 9 first timers on this trip, and I had the privilege of being the "BabySpark Herder" much of the time -- riding in the van with most of them and encouraging them throughout the weekend.  Four of them were young women in their early twenties, two of them Mercy graduates themselves.  And, they did serve beautifully.  I was in awe of how they stepped up and worked hard and shared their own lives and testimonies so courageously.  

2.  Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion. -- Steel Magnolias.  Spark trips are filled with emotion.  Spark women are some of the most alive women I've ever had the privilege of knowing.  They laugh freely, never taking themselves seriously, but always taking any opportunity to have fun very seriously.  They are truly Proverbs 31:25 kind of women, "She is clothed with strength and dignity. She laughs without fear of the future."  Our work is weighty, but we never lose sight of the fact that God is on His throne and He makes all things beautiful.  

3.  Transparency.  Spark is made up of some of the most real women I've ever known.  Every single one of them is remarkable in her own right, and none of them bears any pretense when serving.  This weekend alone, the testimonies we heard from Spark team members were of sexual abuse, eating disorders, unplanned pregnancy, loss of a spouse, loss of a parent, unforgiveness, anger with God, and the illness of a child.  The way that God seemed to demolish emotional and spiritual barriers through the words of these brave testimonies was a powerful thing to watch.  For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes, II Peter 1:16

4.  Adopt-a-Sister.  What a gift to be able to tell those women that they were being prayed for by name throughout our time together.  The way that reality would sink in then light up their faces was priceless!  Being able to hug them and whisper the name of the person praying for them was so very sweet.   Later this week or next, they will receive  notes of encouragement from the friends who adopted them in prayer, a pick-me-up reminder that they are thought of and prayed for by people they've never even met!

5.  Transformation.  My favorite small group session is the last one on Sunday.  That's when I get to ask the girls a simple question, "A year from now when you've forgotten our names, what are you going to remember about this weekend?"  To hear them talk about encountering the extravagant love of God, realizing that God is a fun God who does permit laughter and dancing, to hear them talk about truly experiencing the freedom of being able to forgive someone who had wronged them deeply, or to hear that even though they don't yet feel lovable the weekend made them want to keep fighting for that peace makes it all so very worthwhile. 

All the Posts I'm Not Writing

This morning, I've got a number of thoughts rattling around in my head that I'd love to have time to write about, but truthfully, I just don't have it in me to develop any of them more fully at the moment.

1.  My devotional reading this morning was about faith and works, and it included Luke 6:46, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' but do not do what I say?"  What a heart breaking question from Jesus to his disciples, to me.  Faith demands obedience.  I speak volumes about my faith and the object of my faith when I refuse to obey.

2. The scripture memory verse I'm working on right now is Psalm 119:7 from the NLT, "As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should!"  Again, true faith and obedience cannot be separated.

3.  Jeremy Powell is having brain surgery this morning to remove an infectious mass.  As I pray for him, my temptation is to simply pray that he be healed, but I keep remembering the night we gathered to pray before I left on a mission trip to China several years back.  Jeremy stubbornly refused to pray for my safety, but boldly prayed that God be glorified in whatever way He saw best, and that I be granted the faith and grace and courage to stand up under any trial or opportunity to declare God's glory.  So, today, I do pray for a successful surgery, for the doctors' steady hands, and for Jeremy and his family to have opportunity to exalt the Lord before a watching medical community.

4.  Last night I listened as a woman who was widowed unexpectedly while she still had three kids at home then watched her teenage son battle cancer just a few years later talked about how she feels blessed to have opportunity serve and minister to women who haven't had lives as "easy" as ours (indicating all the women in the room, including me).  I was truly in awe.

5.  The quote on my calendar for April 11 says, "What God gives in answer to our prayers will always be the thing we most urgently need, and it will always be sufficient."  Elisabeth Elliot  A response to that quote could take up several posts if I had the time.

That is all.  For now.

Faithful Wounds

Faithful are the wounds of a friend;

but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Proverbs 27:6

If you and I have been friends for any amount of time, this verse has probably come into play at least once, probably more.  I have a habit of being a very straight-talker.  I learned a long time ago that it was better, more productive to speak honestly in friendship, even when it hurts.  I want to love you enough to let you be mad at me.  I'd rather say something and be wrong about a situation than to not say anything in loving caution and be right, letting you walk blindly into a painful experience.  

I often ask myself what it looks like to love another well.  What does faithfulness look like?  I wish it meant just agreeing with every decision they make and encouraging any path they choose.  It doesn't.  More often, loving someone well means speaking hard truths, asking difficult or uncomfortable questions, gently but consistently insisting on their best over their comfort.  

Why am I bringing this up now?  Gratitude.

One of the keys to making this kind of friendship work is making it a two-way street.  I've got to be willing to receive as good as I give.  I've purposefully surrounded myself with people who value this principle as much as I do, and recently, I've had several potentially painful conversations with people who loved me enough to risk upsetting me.  Faithful friends.  In each case I come away feeling absolutely rich, blessed beyond measure to have friends so deeply committed to God's best in and for my life.  

Faith and Prayer

I haven't had much blogginess in me lately.  The things the Lord is working out in me have often left me speechless lately.  Literally.  However, one of my joys in this season is leading a group of women on Monday nights through a study called "Becoming a Woman of Faith."  This study has challenged all of us in profound ways at different points.  Today, as I prepare to meet with them again, I came across the following quotes, and just couldn't not share.  Hope you're blessed and challenged by them as I have been.

But I will tell you where that faith will be born, and grow big and lusty - in the heart of every one who goes off quietly every day into the quiet place with the Book, and bent knee and the bent will.  Into that heart there will come the quiet assurance that what you are asking He is doing. - S.D. Gordon

To venture to pray requires our trust in the goodness of God. ... It is not the amount of my faith that matters, but where my faith is placed - in a God who makes no mistakes, who is always working for the highest and best for His children.  ... Sometimes our faith can move mountains; sometimes it can only reach out and touch the hem of His garment; sometimes it simply cries out for mercy - but in all prayers of faith, in some measure, the true healing is that our eyes are opened and we see the Lord. - C. Heald

Questions We Will Be Discussing Tonight:

How is our faith impacted by the time we spend with God?
What needs, situations, or circumstances bring us repeatedly to God?
What does it mean to ask "in Jesus name" or "according to His will"?
Do our prayers for others reflect the heart of God for His people? (Ephesians 3:14-19; Colossians 1:9-12; Ephesians 6:18-20)
How might God's glory be displayed in our weaknesses, trials, or struggles?

Shout Out

Today's post is a HAPPY BIRTHDAY shout out to my friend and fellow-blogger, Keri!

While Keri and I knew one another in college, it's been post-college through the magic of blogs and social media that we've been able to truly connect and find many commonalities for which I am so gratefully blessed. She is a dear encourager and someone who continually points me back to Jesus and His grace.

Happy Birthday, Dear Keri!

Happy Birthday to you!!!