Take the First Step…The Second will Follow

The first step in any journey of change or challenge is the hardest.

The Most Finite Resource

I know you have heard it…I have heard it…everyone is talking about it. We hear it on the news, on our social media and a few of us may have said it. The President has referenced it. Memes have been made about it. And professional athletes are tik-toking about it.

What am I talking about? The “myth” that we have more time now than we had before this pandemic started. This idea that all of a sudden we have more time in a day. But this is simply not true. There are still only 24 hours in a day, 60 minutes in an hour and 60 seconds in a minute.

However, I would agree that there has been a significant change. We do not have more time we just have fewer choices. Did we have time to go on hikes with the family before the pandemic? We did but we chose ballet lessons instead. Did we have time to linger around the dinner table before the shelter in place order? We did but we chose tennis practice instead. Did we have time to work on a jigsaw puzzle prior to the postponing of MLB’s opening day?  We did but instead chose binge watching the Andy Griffith show.

Please don’t get me wrong, I’m all for ballet lessons, tennis practice, baseball and the other myriad of things that filled our calendars prior to March 15th. But I do want you not to buy into the myth that once this pandemic is over is life goes back to “normal” we will have less time. We will have exactly the same amount of time each day. We will just be bombarded with more opportunities to spend that time.

You see time is not something we can save up and use in the future. Time is the most precious commodity we own but it is a finite commodity and it is not reusable or renewable. Once it is spent it is gone. Never to be reclaimed or returned.

In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus, he says something that I find very interesting. “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” Paul is encouraging us through this ancient letter to be circumspect…to be wise…to be mindful of how we use our time. Why? Because we live in evil times. How much more is that true today than in the 1st century when Paul wrote this letter?

In Jen Wilkin’s book, None Like Him, she says, “Redeeming the time requires being fully present in the present. We can squander today by feeding two different sins: laziness and busyness.”

She goes on to describe laziness as one who thinks she has all the time in the world to accomplish what is on her plate. Meanwhile, the uber busyness person believes that there is not enough time in the day to get it all done. Both are misaligned. 

We need to find the balance between doing what God has called us to do in the time frame He has given us and practicing the Sabbath and stillness. In the worksheet for this week, you will take the time to look over the past 90 days and see what you want to keep doing, what you need to start doing and what you need to stop. This will be the first steps needed in redeeming your time.

Because It Matters - Spiritual

Carol Kent shares practical steps to keep spiritually strong during this time.

Because It Matters - Emotional

Georgia Shaffer shares about the need to take out the emotional trash.

Last Man Standing

Failure is only final if we quit. Keep on!! Persevere!! This is the testing of our faith.

Because It Matters - Mental

Barbara Wilson shares on how our brain can be trained.

Because It Matters - Physical

Vicki Heath, CEO of First Place for Health, discusses how to improve your body as you look at your holistic self.

Put Your Oxygen Mask on First

Even though I have not stepped onto a plane in almost 7 weeks (a record for me since 2010), I could almost give you the word for word announcement of the flight attendant as we taxi away from the gate. 

You know…tray tables up, seat beats buckled, seats in the upright and locked position, etc. But the announcement the crew gives extra special attention to is that all passengers are to put their oxygen mask on first before assisting others. 

This announcement is so important, the crew actually walks the aisles and communicates this again to all who have a child with them. Anytime I have had an unaccompanied minor beside me, the flight attendant even reminds me to do it.

Why do they emphasize this so much?

Because if a passenger is not receiving the life sustaining resource of oxygen, then she is unable to help the others around her. It is not a selfish act to secure her mask but rather one that allows her to serve even longer.

As we continue the series, Because It Matters, I want to share how we can apply this advice outside the cabin of an airplane. In this world, there is really not much we can control despite our most valiant efforts.

We can’t control the weather we can only murmur about it.

We can’t control traffic we can only avoid it.

We can’t control our adult children we can only pray for them.

We can’t control a virus we can only do our part to avoid it. 

Yet, there is something or rather someone we have complete and absolute control over – ourselves. I can control myself…you can control yourself. And when we take control of our ourselves it is putting our oxygen mask on.

This week, you will look at your holistic self– your physical self, your emotional self, your mental self and your spiritual self. How are you doing in those areas?

Physically – are you getting enough exercise? Eating nutritious meals in appropriate portions? Are you sleeping enough?

Emotionally – for the most part, do you have joy? Motivated? Content?

Mentally – how are your thoughts? Are they uplifting or downers? Are you reading? Are you engaging your mind? 

Spiritually – are you spending time in prayer and meditation? Are you walking closer to God? Are you exhibiting Christ like characteristics?

Rate yourself in each of these areas and then make a plan to improve your lowest rating. Don’t try to bite off too much. Focus on just that area for 90 days. Then on day 91 continue the plan of improvement with the first area and begin working on the second lowest area. Remember, how do we eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

To help you with this exercise you can download this worksheet.  By making sure you are the best you can be, you will be able to serve those around you better. Keep those oxygen masks on!

Also, to help you even more, I am going to do a short 4-part experts’ series on the holistic self beginning tomorrow. Here are the experts that I will be interviewing:

Physical: Vicki Heath

Emotional: Georgia Shaffer

Mental: Barbara Wilson

Spiritual: Carol Kent

Be on the look out for these in your inbox, on my Facebook page as well as on my blog.
As always, if there is any way I can help you, please just let me know. 

Squirrel!!

What is your attention on? Is it things you can control or things out of your control?  Let me know what you have your attention on. 

Because It Matters

If nothing else, this COVID-19 pandemic has shown, what really matters. As of this writing the projections are for at least a 30% unemployment, a stimulus package that our great-great grandchildren will be paying off and hundreds of businesses both small and large shutting down because they could not survive the weeks of no business.

 Why do all this to our economy? Because social distancing and sheltering in place will prevent the spread of the virus.

Why does that matter? Because the prevention of the spreading of the virus will mean less people infected by the virus.

Why does that matter? Because less people being infected means fewer people needing hospitalization.

Why does that matter? Because fewer people being hospitalized means more people will be able to have access to ventilators.

Why does that matter? Because more people able to access ventilators will mean more people will be able to recover from the virus.

Why does that matter? Because it saves lives.

So let’s go back to high school algebra, if A=B and B=C than A=C, right? So, doing such “damage” to our economy matters because it saves lives and therefore lives matter more than our economy.

One day we will be out of this pandemic. One day we will be able to hug our friends and extended family members. One day we will get back on planes and shake hands and worship in our church buildings.

When that time comes, will we remember what really matters?  Will our priorities get out of whack again? Will we once again be driven by the temporary and not the eternal?

My passion is to make sure that does not happen to me or others around me. My desire is to help people especially women live out what matters to them. Hopefully, during this time, many of us have gained clarity in what matters. If not, before this is all over, maybe take some time to do that. If you do have clarity about what matters to you, begin working on a plan to make sure that when life gets back to “normal” you keep the main thing the main thing.

For many, this clarity exercise and plan development is challenging so that is why over the next few weeks, I am going to take time each day to speak into that. I am going to provide tips and questions to help you make sure you do not go back to status quo. That the things that matter most to you, continue to receive your best after this pandemic.

In the Principle of the Path by Andy Stanley says, “Direction – not intentions – determines our destination.” Here are some examples: 

o   A man says, “I desire to have a great marriage”…yet when he is with his wife he is on his phone.

o   A middle age businesswoman says, “I desire to be financially secure at retirement” yet lives above her means today.

o   A young dad says, “I want to be around for my grandchildren’s wedding”…yet spends no time exercising and overeats.

o   A college coed says, “I want to have a deep spiritual walk with the Lord”…yet spends each morning reading the latest blog posts.

o   A young woman says, “I want my husband to love the Lord with all his heart” …yet dates any guy that asks her out because he is cute.

o   A mom of teens says, “I want my children to have deep relationships with Christian friends” …yet doesn’t take the time for church during the week or on weekends.

They all had great intentions and for many deep desires but their actions did not reflect their intentions. When are actions are incongruent with our desires, we live lives of quiet desperation that will only be relieved when our actions match up to our desires.

I have created a worksheet that will help you begin to find clarity in your calling and help identify where you might have any inconsistencies. If you would like to download that worksheet, just go to this website. As always, if there is any way I can help you, please be in touch.

Re-post from Hebron Church’s Women’s Ministry

Not Unprecedent to God

During these unprecedented times we are experiencing….wait, are they really unprecedented? The online dictionary says that unprecedent means that it has not happened in the past…. But this has happened in the past.

There was the Spanish flu in 1918, Influenza in 1889, Cholera pandemic in 1852 and the deadliest the Bubonic Plague in the 1300’s. What makes this unprecedented is not COVID-19 but that we have had to stop. We are having to be still. We are having to learn to do life in a different way.

We do not have calendars filled with activities or practices or church services. We cannot fill our days with gym workouts, work relationships or outings to the movies. For the first time in many of our lives, all we have are our four walls and our immediate family.

Because of that, many families are getting back to the basics. Reminds me of what Vince Lombardi, one of the greatest football coach of all time said after a particularly bad defeat, “Gentlemen, this is a football.” Any moms out there who had to say, “Kids, this is a dining room table and we eat meals around it. Kind of like our van but without wheels.”?

Yet, what a gift this can be. I have seen more family hikes, board games, arts and crafts projects and home-cooked meals than ever on my social media feeds. Families are reading stories together, getting house projects done and just being a family.

Please let me encourage you during this time to practice three things: gratitude, trust, and peace. Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be known to God.” (ESV) The key to not being anxious is the thankfulness mixed into the prayer. During this pandemic, why not take a few minutes each day and write down three things you are thankful for? Then spread some of that encouragement and tell three other people and ask them what they are thankful for. This is a habit you will want to do long after we get to go to the movies again.

Another reason, we cannot be anxious comes from the verse just before verse 6. Philippians 4:5 says, “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand.” (ESV) We cannot be anxious because the Lord is at hand – the NIV translates it as the Lord is near. The God of the universe…the Great I AM…the Risen Savior and soon coming King is near. He is right here with those who know Him. This Sovereign God in which nothing is unprecedented is present and we are assured in Romans that nothing can separate us from Him. Trust in Him who promises us that troubles will come but we are to take heart because He has overcome the world.

Lastly, Philippians 4:7 has an amazing promise. “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (ESV) Peace is not something we work up. It is not something we can strive for and achieve. But rather it is the fruit of the Holy Spirit and a byproduct of prayer and gratitude. The key to this is being still (Psalm 46:10.) In the original Hebrew, still from Psalm 46:10 means to relax, refrain and even to withdraw. Now that our bodies need to be still, the next step is to help our minds be still. Be sure to take time each day and quiet your mind. Even if it is for 10 minutes while in the bathroom. Below are three verses that you can meditate on during this time.

·       When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. (Psalms 56:3-ESV)

·       Fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10-ESV)

·       For God give us not a spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7-ESV)

As we all operate in gratitude, trust, and peace, Christ will be glorified and we will come out of this unprecedented time transformed. Let’s take full advantage of this gift that has been given to us.

What are your essentials?

Had this quoted scheduled LONG before COVID-19 but isn't its timing perfect?

Focus on the Should’s that Give Life

Yesterday was Palm Sunday…and what a different way to celebrate Jesus’ triumphant entry. It should have been celebrated with lots of brothers and sisters in Christ. It should have been celebrated with children walking down the center aisle of the church waving palm branches and shouting, “Hosanna!” And this should have had the most church gatherings in the calendar year as many gathers for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday services. It should have…but it’s not.

And this so grieves me. This loss of fellowship…this loss of connecting together…this loss of celebrating as a faith family…this loss of remembering as a body the work of Christ. My heart is saddened and it is ok – and really healthy – to admit that.

Yet, I do not want to stay there. I do not want to stay in the “shoulds” of life that are draining and totally out of my control.

I should be married by now.

I should have children by now.

I should have grandchildren by now.

I should weigh 150 pounds by now (ok, I might have a bit more control over this one. )

If I am going to spend anytime in the should of life, I want to focus on the ones that are life giving and in my control.

I should be dead if not for the grace of God.

I should be an emotional basket case if not for the transforming power of the Word of God.

I should be lonesome if not for the amazing love of those around me.

I should be in debt if not for the teaching of wise people.

I should be creating content for future blogs.

I should be reaching out to those who are shut-in.

I should be praying for my lost friends.

I should be trusting more.

There it is!! The last one…trusting more in the sovereignty and assurance of God. Romans 8:24-28 says, “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”

And what is that purpose…to be conformed into the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29).

So today, grieve what is lost and what this pandemic is doing to our lives but also turn quickly to the “shoulds” that give life and that you can do something about.

Perfection is Stagnation

Formula 409 was called 409 because formulas 1 through 408 failed.