Not so long ago I sensed the Holy Spirit gently reaching for the key to my ignition as I earnestly spun my creative wheels in the mud of my own making. Every extra moment was spent working on blog posts and other writing projects, especially on Sunday afternoons. After all, what’s more relaxing than stressing over content?
I don’t know about you, but one way I detect that God’s power has been kidnapped, if you will, by that of the fleshly sort is that I become exhausted—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Working hard is a good thing. Overdoing it for all the wrong reasons is not.
Image by Pixabay // Hans
For me, it always comes back to the question of WHY I write, or do anything else, quite frankly. When I remember that my whole purpose in writing, teaching, speaking, creating, etc. is to bring God glory, a rest envelopes me much like the shade from a sprawling oak on a hot summer day.
“God is more concerned about our integrity than our personal success.”
-Arleen Jennings, Created to Be Creative
If it’s been awhile since you’ve answered the question of WHY you are doing what you’re doing, perhaps today is that day. It has a way of cutting through all the excuses, the when-will-my-day-come questions and getting straight to the heart of the matter.
My refusing to rest, especially on a day God provides for exactly that, was a form of pride. Yes, it was a painful realization but I thank God for it. Now, I set aside Sunday afternoons for true rest (and yes, that includes a NASCAR race!) When I’m tempted to start the next blog post or project (which I do enjoy!) I recognize that God set the pattern for rest. He chose to rest one day of the week, who am I to do otherwise?
“You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by your will they exist and were created.” Revelation 4:11
Your turn. What’s one indicator that flesh has kidnapped the Spirit’s control in your life?
❉ One of our teaching pastors, Kyle Estepp, recently talked on Sabbath Rest. It was by far the best sermon either Brian or myself have ever heard on the subject. If you would like to listen, visit Summit’s site here.
Would you consider yourself a competitive person? See if any of these five signs show up on your radar, compliments of Story Pick:
1. You get super crazy when you’re about to lose a game.
2. When you are on the treadmill at the gym you have to go faster than the person next to you.
3. When you lose, you take it personal.
4. You fake congratulate your opponent (if he/she beats you.)
5. Your competition doesn’t have an age…kids to the elderly, bring ’em on!
Who needs “Team Gwen” shirts? (The Voice)
It’s fun watching our children compete in sports and competition certainly offers many life lessons hard knocks along the way. Sometimes, though, this competitive spirit can trickle into our churches. If names were stitched on the back of jerseys, some might read:
Dunker
Sprinkler
Confessor or
Shouter, just to name a few.
A competitive spirit can even occur in churches who are very similar.
It’s for this reason (and many more) that I’m grateful to be part of a church that believes in partnering rather than competing. A few tangible ways this philosophy is fleshed out at Summit Upstate:
Our pastors/elders often pray for other churches within our community on Sunday mornings.
Summit blesses other nearby churches financially on a regular basis.
We are encouraged to pray for the churches passed on our way to Summit on Sunday mornings.
As one of our lead pastors, Jason Malone, points out: one local church won’t reach a city.
Personally, I’m also trying to become more intentional about lifting up Gospel-driven churches if they’re criticized in my presence. I can’t say that’s something I’ve always done, unfortunately, but now I try to find what a church is doing right, knowing they will reach people our church never will, and vice versa. We’re all on the same team!
Staying in Step with the Spirit: Some of us are hands, some are feet—but we’re all one Body in Christ Jesus. When we move as the Body was designed to, we can’t help but stay in step with the Holy Spirit, bringing much glory to God.
Heavenly Father, may our churches stand firm in truth with our fingers wide open, releasing any spirit of competitiveness in order that we might embrace the blessing of partnership instead. None of us, Lord. All of You.
This weekend we celebrated the BIG 5-0 birthday of a crazy dear friend, Kevin. In lieu of gifts, we were asked to bring a card expressing what we appreciate most about him.
It was one of the easiest cards I’ve ever written.
Several years ago, he and his a-mazing wife, Carolyn, were in a Bible study I co-led during one of the morning services at Crossroads. I’ll never forget how his eyes lit up when I announced we’d probably stay in the book of John for a year. Kevin didn’t simply attend a Bible study, he came anticipating God to teach him of Himself. Light bulbs often sizzled above his Rod Stewart doo as newly discovered truths came to life. His zeal for the Word ignited something within us all.
Fast forward four years. We found ourselves at different churches…until Brian and I joined Summit Upstate in 2012, where Kevin and Carolyn were already members. Care to guess who became our small group leader? Yep! The guy with the studded 5-0 glasses, birthday sash, and pink cords. (You know you love them, Carolyn!)
Brian and I could not ask for more godly, transparent, and Christ-focused leaders than Kevin and Carolyn Kennedy.
So you see why the words flowed with such ease as I took pen to paper before the weekend celebration. How often in life does God not only allow paths to cross again, but to also come full circle?
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
Prayer is a gift that far surpasses the fleeting bliss of a February day.
While I plan to post several gift ideas for the literary lover in your life later this week, today is about blessing our husbands (or future husbands!)
Below are a few specific ways:
Lord,
Give him strength to lead (Joshua 1:7), time to know his family (John 10:14), and a passion to manage his home (1 Timothy 3:4).
Bless his work and show him daily how to honor You in his attitude and spirit; confirm the work of his hands unto Your purpose (Psalm 90:16-17; Daniel 6)
Protect him physically, emotionally, and spiritually (Psalm 28:7-9; Psalm 41; John 17:15; 2 Thessalonians 3:3).
– taken from “Praying For Your Husband” pamphlet, Summit Church
To learn 31 more ways to pray for your husband, visit The Time-Warped Wife. Awesome site!
4 Reasons Why My Barnes & Noble Membership is a Friday Fave:
1. A 20% coupon lands in my inbox at least once a month.
2. I enjoy supporting a brick-and-mortar business.
3. I receive 10% off a favorite magazine, Writer’s Forum.
4. I’m purchasing Song-Writing Without Boundaries today at a discount (see #1) with my Christmas gift card. You don’t have to be a songwriter to appreciate this latest release from Pat Pattison. Contributing writers include multiple Grammy-winning songwriter Gillian Welch, professional poet Caroline Harvey, and songwriters from the Berklee College of Music faculty.
I’m not a member of much — my awesome church (Summit), the library, our gym, my writer’s group, and Barnes — but for $25.00 a year, I’m tempted to add a #5.
I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.comand affiliated sites.
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