ash wednesday: commune

to be in intimate communication or rapport

commune

together…
…say nothing

together…
…sit

together…
….listen

repeat as necessary

thought4thursday: act

love A&E’s documentary “Intervention,” which follows the daily life of an addict before an…intervention!  about 40 minutes in, i’m usually holding my breath a little, longing for the person to accept the opportunity for treatment.

i edge forward in my chair toward the end, to learn the addict’s current status, hopeful to read the words, “[name] has been sober since [date], ” so i can issue a fist pump to my living room.  raw & deep emotion is notable in every show.  it’s gripping.

what the show really documents is that ACTION activates change. when action is based on truth, it brings positive change, conversely, when based on pain, it brings negative change.  the show portrays this vividly.  it is not about tackling the emotion, it is about changing actions.

the founder of Palmetto Addiction Recovery Center echoes this when he talks about their approach to treatment saying, “If you change the way you behave, it will begin to regulate your thinking, and that will begin to regulate your feelings and you don’t need [drugs & alcohol] to regulate your feelings.”   (Dr. Douglas Cook)

think about it:  act–>think–>feel…..do you agree?

thought4thursday

“Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.”
~Josh Billings

ways to play “your hand” well:

look forward toward the goal
think creatively
ask God to infuse your resources with supernatural power
dispel worry thru prayer & gratefulness
remind yourself that you are not alone

think about it: which one of these is most effective when you are facing a challenge? which one is hardest for you to practice?

leaders’ roundtable

speaker, Johannes Amritzer, pizza, wings, friendships, diet coke, worship, prayer… can you say, “Ahhhh?”

key points (Colossians 4:2-6):

• SALVATION IS a MIRACLE. it is the transformational power of God in action to change a person; it involves a decision, but if it stops at logic alone, it’s only intellect, not conversion.

• SPIRITUAL WARFARE without evangelism –> “spacey” kind of faith; disconnected from the people who need to be reached.

EVANGELISM without spiritual warfare –> intellectualism, dryness

SPIRITUAL WARFARE + EVANGELISM –> creates opportunity for God’s power to be activated in the lives of those whose eyes have been blinded to the the truth

• EXPECTING THE BEST creates HOPEFULNESS & changes how we enter circumstances

• God will open doors specifically for me; NO ONE CAN CLOSE A DOOR OPENED BY GOD

• stop using “church language;” SPEAK IN A WAY OTHERS RELATE TO

• be someone UNBELIEVERS WANT TO BE AROUND; HUMOR is a key

• BE ALERT; DON’T MISS OPPORTUNITIES the Holy Spirit is setting up; be ready for His “pass” to achieve the goal

• speak with BOTH GRACE & SALT; use relatable terms, yet present truth thru what you’re saying, no matter HOW you say it

which one of these “sticks” most for you?

sticky

dontcha think the stickiness of a message is inversely proportional to the stickiness of the room? i.e. the temp goes up, people remember less.

btw, this morning some friends & i were prepared for the casual comments that are really disguised, or not-so-disguised complaints about the heat in the sanctuary. (10am temp=87 degr). we coined responses for this brialliance, like, “yeah, can you imagine having to stand & preach in this?” or “i KNOW. it’s 87 today! a record!” or “well, not as hot as Africa,” etc. unfortunately, we did have to use these. it’s our subtle or not-so-subtle way to change perspectives. and for me personally, a way to avoid my initial response of “it’s hot. duh.”

i digress.

our pastor, being aware of this, did something to increase the stickiness of his message. he spoke for ~20 minutes then dismissed us, before the USUAL end time! before the heat stole our focus or distracted us. it’s gonna stick, despite the potential distraction.

it’s possible to acknowledge, not acquiesce to, conditions, then do what it takes to make your message stick.

community care

humidity didn’t dampen Community Care Day today, which mobilizes churches that are part of the Network of Hope to engage in practical, hands-on projects to help those in need. resigning myself to the sweat & grime ahead of time makes it so much better!

about 30 adults & youth from Ridgewood Assembly did a variety of projects: yard work at several locations; carpet cleaning, window washing, installing a/c units, and a cookout for the local police, fire & EMS crews.

one woman said, “my yard looks like a park!“

another, with relief on her face, said, “i’ve never had this much help!”

the woman i helped remarked about how blessed she is to attend a church where this is what it’s about. when she tells others, they’re amazed that her church does things like this. tears were in all of our eyes before we left.

one of the local heroes at the cookout commented that in 20 years no one has done anything like this to say thanks. what a privilege for us!

when i do something that’s easy for me that has a big impact on someone who can’t, it’s energizing because i know i’ve participated in this & this.

what’s something you’ve done to show love in a practical way?

good, very good

Pittsburgh City Outreach service tonight.

the celebration is loud, joyous, passionate & irresistible. i sense the weight of changed lives represented by each praising voice. my soul awakes & i gratefully express the impact of the living God in my life: His sacrifice, teaching, salvation, love, hope, life.

i am kindred to the other changed souls here regardless of age, race, gender, status, personality. united by the Holy Spirit; bearing witness to one another with few words. a holy bond. it is good, very good.

this phrase sticks: “God will deliver you OUT OF the situation & He will deliver you FROM it.” i find refuge away from harm, but even more, i find freedom because [the thing] loses its foothold from the terrain of my soul. when God works you can take the girl out of the sin AND you can take the sin out of the girl. this is good, very good.

baptisms, 7 of them: Jason, his parents, Lee (my cousin), Jeremy, Sheila, Stephanie. this is a beautiful symbolic act for belivers to display obedience.

beauty

entering the water, fully immersed
body, mind, spirit, strength devoted to the Savior
Christ’s life given unto death for me

under the water in an instant
the old life dead, buried
Christ is wrapped, placed in the tomb

rising out of the water, inhaling afresh
life, everlasting life is now
Christ ascends from the death chamber to ever-breathe prayers
at the Father’s side

standing amidst the applause, the celebration given voice
new identity, marked in the moment
a dove descends, the Father speaks,
you are my own dear son and I am pleased with you

it is good, very good.

thought4thursday

it’s 10:30pm & technically, it IS thursday, so this post is still legit & that means you have about 1.5 hours, so get busy!

i read today that we’re in the process of living history right now. history consists of the accounts about the lives we live today. have we forgotten that great figures & events of the past were embedded in & surrounded by the mundane of every day living by every day people?

being conscious of this fact adds value to my life. we’re all leaving a legacy. it is only the audience to whom it is left that differs-some more public than others, but all lasting.

think about it: knowing that your life now is the stuff of history, what would you do differently? what’s one thing you can begin today (ok, maybe tomorrow) to make that change?

rest

Mike Babcock, coach of the Detroit Redwings, referring to a 2-day break before game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals, said “rest is a weapon.”

the coach for one of the most physically grueling sports, during the most important series of the season, when players must be at their prime, refers to rest as a weapon. cross-checking, skating, stick-handling, balance, passing and….rest.

hmmm

usually underestimate the value of rest & certainly have never called it a weapon. it’s time for a new perspective on the subject.

REST IS:

• purposeful, not wasteful
• active, not passive
• intentional, not accidental
• necessity, not luxury
• mindful, not thoughtless
• fulfilling, not lacking

REST PRODUCES:

• mental clarity
• a “full breath” of life
• peace
• thankfulness
• renewed outlook
• energy & endurance

life can feel like we’re in overtime or sudden death, like in tonight’s stanley cup game. how do we stay committed & face what comes? by keeping our arsenal full with the tools needed, including rest. after all, the greatest “coach” of all, God, gives us a mandate that He himself practiced: to keep the sabbath (rest). weapons are only effective when they are utilized. God saw the value of rest, how much more should we?

who knows? in those grueling 6th periods, with strength fading & time ticking down, we can rise up to win & in this series called life.

rest up & …..go PENS!

thought4thursday: voice

psalm 29:3-9

The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.

The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.

The voice of the LORD strikes
with flashes of lightning.

The voice of the LORD shakes the desert;
the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.

The voice of the LORD twists the oaks
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

think about it: how would someone describe YOUR voice?