Beyond the Surface

“I could not help but think that somewhere along the way we had missed what was radical about our faith and replaced it with what is comfortable.” 

― David Platt, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream

Jesus calls us to a radically different life. Few of us comprehend the implications of the call at the beginning. The love of God simply overwhelms us. We who are satisfied drift along in the river of grace, love and mercy until our fingers and toes are all pruney. We may decide to take a break once in a while to sit along the river bank. I think most Christ followers are content to bob along the surface level satisfied with receiving all that Christ has done for them. I’ve been impressed by others, however, who have a different interpretation of what it means to follow Christ.

There is a story from Luke 21 that caught my attention a number of years ago. It’s the story of the widow who gave all she had to live on to the Temple treasury. As I first meditated on her story, I tried to imagine how old she may have been. There were many young widows during the time of Jesus because of illness, accidents and military tours. If her husband died of illness, did his illness use up all their money and did she decide to give all she had left out of desperation? What’s the point of keeping a few meaningless coins when you have nothing to live on, right?

I wondered if their marriage was an abusive one and if she gave all she had left as a freedom offering. Maybe she gave all she had to live on as a ‘freedom offering’ as she thanked God the chapter of her miserable life was over. I could imagine a dozen scenarios. I think of women from all over the world I’ve met who are widows. They are extremely resourceful and they continue to live each day as it comes. Christian widows have been curiously inspirational to me. There was a woman I met in India who had a gleam in her eye and a smile on her face that could only come from a deeply rewarding relationship with Christ. She had nothing. She lived at the mercy of other people. But what she did have was a robust belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and her savior. He provided for her daily needs. I honestly was a little envious of her faith. Simple. Deep. Real.

Could there be a more robust faith life available to us? Maybe it’s not limited to the surface where we are so contented to live. Having resources doesn’t mean we are shallow. But, our tendency as human beings is to make sure we take care of ourselves first and think of God as an after thought. Some people may believe it is our calling to take care of ourselves so that we can care for others. I propose we consider this call to follow Jesus as a radical upheaval to our common garden variety of everyday faith. Emboldened followers of Christ change the world. Even ones sitting along a roadside in India. They realize the power in giving all they have to live on to the God of more than enough. The great temptation for the rest of us is to remain ineffective and content drifting along in the shallows of faith. I don’t believe you are one of those people.  I believe Christ is calling us to more.

Imagine, just for a moment, what Jesus truly meant when he said, “Follow me.” What were his intentions for you? Could he be calling us to a more radical way of living? I look forward to worshipping with you this Sunday. We have much to talk about and to celebrate as we tackle one last myth: giving is for people who have extra. See you there.

“I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Luke 21:4 NIV

-Pastor Jen

Riches

"I've been at my store for seven months, I make way over $9.75 and I bust my butt everyday and I've earned every penny of it”  Big Box Store Employee 

I’d like to tell you that I’ve always respected money. But that’s not the case. I’ve abused money. Ignored it. Hated it. Pleaded for it. Made some and lost it. I could say I’ve had a rocky relationship with money. Sometimes I went for a long time not talking about it and that’s okay with money. Money doesn't care. It seems like money can just fly out the window and never return.

So, rather than feel rejected by money, I stopped acting like a victim and took action. I really took a hard look at my money habits and considered what I really knew about money. I grew up in a household of mixed messages. This was certainly the case when it came to money. I had my first piggy bank as a very young girl, maybe when I was three or four years old. Saving my pennies was a fun thing because I put them into this neat little bank. But, as I grew up, I was told I couldn’t do certain things because we had no money. Huh? I couldn’t play a sport because of money? Doesn’t that sound crazy?

I was told that if I really wanted something, I would have to pay for it myself. So I began earning money at a very young age. I worked in the barn early in the morning before school feeding calves, cleaning the barn and doing basic farm tasks. I started working at my mother’s flower shop and greenhouse when I was ten. I thrived in the workplace because I knew I was earning all my money and I could spend it on what I wanted! That money was mine!

My parents dropped my brother and I off at Sunday school most of our growing up years. I learned from very dedicated Sunday school teachers that it pleased God to give him a portion—a tenth— of our earnings. I had money. It felt great to give dollars in the plate—not the quarters that parents gave their kids to drop in the brass plate. I was generous with my money and it felt great.

I loved the feeling of being generous with my money. I felt a sense of accomplishment and confidence. I could control it and tell it what to do and where to go. As you may already know, trying to control something or someone never works. Soon, I was consumed with the thought of making more because I spent more. Saving money never occurred to me. I could always make more. My earning theory came to a screeching halt when I was fired from a job. I depended upon money and that experience of having my power ripped away affected me deeply.

Now, I am 50 years old and married for almost 20 years. My husband and I have learned about money together. We’ve learned a lot as we’ve met and overcome obstacles built from histories of bad money decisions. We recognized years ago that our resources really aren’t ‘ours.’ Neither of us earned or deserved or were entitled to them. They come from God. God was our source-not our earning potential nor our job. There was not a special ‘aha!’ moment. Over time, Bill and I could recognize God’s provision or his withholding was the way a great parent teaches about money. As our relationship with God matured, our relationship with money matured. We still have a lot to learn. I hope you will come along and we can all learn together.

This weekend we will talk about the third money myth, “I made this money, it’s mine.” Bring your bible. We will all learn from one of the bible greats, King David. I Chronicles 29 captures the essence of what a great leader or parent can leave as a legacy for the next generation: a healthy respect for all the resources that ultimately come from our God. See you Sunday.

Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great. And to give strength to all. I Chronicles 29:12 NKJV

A Little More

"Many of us have been living the life we’ve always wanted, or so it seems. But just under the surface of that lovely life is exhaustion, or isolation or emptiness. It doesn’t matter how pretty things look on the outside if on the inside, there’s an ache from a lifetime of trying to prove your worth." Shauna Niequist

I’m trying to make peace with a healthy medium.

But, it seems like the world wants me to be really thin and really tired. I hear myself say, “If I could just lose twenty pounds and get one more thing accomplished, I’d be perfect." It’s easy to get sucked into the ’skinny-hustle’vibe when I listen to other people compare their weight loss regimens and daily schedules as I drink my skinny latte. It can sometimes feel like we’re all competing for the “Most Ridiculous Life” award. To be honest, I grew up in a family where we were very conscious about what we ate and the clothing we wore. Initially, it was because we needed to wear the uniform of all the other families in our tax bracket. But, after my parents’ divorce when I was fifteen, money became scarce so we became very conscious about what to wear and what to eat for other reasons.

In my mind, I translated the perfect weight as having the perfect life. The perfect life was within my grasp. It was only six months away.

Perfection. I think the world wants us to believe perfection exists somewhere between exhaustion and starvation. I think some of us are okay with the idea. We know that it will cost us everything to gain that perfection. We have what it takes. After all, doesn't it say a lot that we are willing to sacrifice so much to get it? So, we accept we must live in some kind of depleted state. We cope with the obvious signs of depletion such as anxiety and depression. Day by day, the message of 'all we need is just a little bit more’ is fed, watered and cared for so it grows continuously isolating us. The mixed messages the world sends keeps us on edge. We can feel panicky and strung out because someone else found the new and improved secret to achieve that elusive perfection. That’s where the myth of “I just need a little more’ abides.

As you can imagine. Jesus has something to say about this.

Jesus confounds the listening ear and astonishes the diminished heart. He offers a relationship of indulgence based in radical abundance and outrageous acts of hospitality. Matthew captures his words succinctly. They almost sound too good to be true.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” *

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”**

Sunday, we will talk about the myth of 'needing a little bit more.' This myth convinces us that we will never have enough which translates into we will never be enough. At one level that is absolutely true. We, as human beings, can never be perfect. But, that’s where Jesus makes up all the difference. Whether we need 5% or 95%, his perfection makes up for all shortcomings and imperfections. His perfection isn’t linked to anything we can scramble to achieve or accomplish. With Jesus Christ, we are enough. We might even call it luxury of the heavenly kind. It’s not available in six months. It’s available now to anyone who would believe. 

*Matthew 6:25-27

**Matthew 6:33

-Pastor Jen

Money Myths

“Growing old is not an option. We don’t have a choice. But we do have choices that will greatly affect our quality of life for the rest of our life.” Henry K. Hebeler, 

Bill and I finally made it to our financial planner’s office for the first time. Our retirement plans had been on our mind. It was time to take responsibility for our financial future. I’m still kind of amazed at how nervous I was. I think Bill was nervous too. Earlier that day, we visited the Social Security Administration office to get an online account set up so we can access our information at any time and to have a print out of what our Social Security benefits may be when we retire. 

Afterwards, Bill and I sat with Aaron, our financial planner, for 90 minutes. He asked for our current numbers. We put numbers into a projection formula. I honestly felt like I was doing a good job saving and investing for my retirement. I started saving more than 20 years ago. I will also receive a ministerial pension from the United Methodist Church. But, Aaron showed us a projection graph that made my stomach tie up in knots. I saw a lot of red toward the right side of screen. That red symbolized my shortfall. It didn’t matter if I thought I did a good job. I missed the mark. 

We needed to make some changes.

Aaron told us the truth. He also gave us some much needed financial advice. We could make some adjustments now that would impact us positively in the future. So, Bill and I made immediate adjustments where we could. We now think differently. We pay attention to financial news. We met some amazing people whose hearts are truly in the right place and want to see us succeed well into our mature years. I also know that I am at the beginning of the financial journey and want to learn all I can to be a good steward of the resources God has entrusted to me.

I recognized a distinct parallel with my spiritual life. 

I think most of us believe we’re doing a pretty good job when it comes to being a devoted, connected and generous follower of Jesus. In our own minds, we consider all the good things we do and some of us have done for years. I wonder if any of us would have the courage to go in for a spiritual review. It might be interesting to sit down with Jesus for 90 minutes now to get the truth. Imagine listening to Jesus talk with us about how we lived our lives to this point. As someone who truly cares about us and our future, he would tell us the truth. He would encourage us to make some adjustments now that could have an enormous impact for eternity. These little changes don't just impact you but your family, loved ones, friends. I believe Jesus may even challenge you to think about impacting your enemies.

We begin a new series this Sunday called Money Myths. 

What if we all had the courage as a community of faith to do a financial, spiritual and relational assessment? Jesus gave us some very profound counsel from his message encapsulated in chapters 5-7 of Matthew’s gospel. If you have been with us for the January Clean Slate series, you know that Matthew has a special place in all our hearts as someone who accepted the invitation to follow Jesus and his life was utterly transformed. Matthew was a tax collector. He was very good with numbers and finances. I believe Matthew has some very cool insights into money, life, Jesus and transformation. Don’t miss church Sunday. It’s an honor to welcome our Boy Scouts to worship with us. They will have an active part in our worship at the Naperville campus this weekend.

‘When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.’ Matthew 7:28-29 NIV

-Pastor Jen

"Obedient"

What if I told you that 10 years from now, your life would be exactly the same? I doubt you'd be happy. So, why are you so afraid of change?--Karen Salmansohn

It was about this time in 2013 I got the call from my district superintendent. All United Methodist pastors know about this call. It usually means the Bishop and Cabinet have been deliberating about where a pastor’s gifts and graces can be best used for the Kingdom of God. Now, as you may expect, some pastors believe they can make better decisions than the Bishop and Cabinet. But, we as ordained servants of the United Methodist Church, put our hands in the air and solemnly promise to serve the local church as the Bishop and Cabinet see fit. There is always room for input from pastors since other personal circumstances may be at work the Bishop and Cabinet know nothing about.

January 2013, I got the call.

I had some inkling that my tenure at Grace was coming to a close. I had served ten years. The parish was in great financial shape. We were looking to expand to a second site. Ministry was empowered by the Holy Spirt and mobilized hundreds of volunteers. I had my own radio show that aired Sunday mornings. We advertised positive messages via the radio waves during the weekday drive time and during the long nights of the weekend. I was the pastor to the community and loved playing an influential part in the local community’s cast of characters. David Murrow even made a film about our local church and its influence with getting men back into church. 

I day-dreamed about which churches I thought I could serve next. I made several selections. I even let my District Superintendent know my selections and my rationale as to why I was best suited to continue the great work at that parish. Wheatland was not on my A-list. As a matter of fact, it wasn’t on the B-list. It wasn’t even on my list. I never would’ve picked it. But, the Bishop and Cabinet did.

Announcements were made. God did amazing work behind the scenes. Bill and I went through the agonizing process of emigrating from a community we loved. We purchased a home and began to learn the culture of a whole new region. Bill got a job right away. I began the transition to become senior pastor at Wheatland. We both went through our own personal gauntlet of relocation.

At our Annual Conference meeting in June, a colleague from a neighboring community inquired, “So,what’s it like being the Senior Pastor of Wheatland?” I thought for a moment and replied, “Obedient.”

There really isn’t a lot of support for pastors asked to serve such a unique challenge. I checked. I did the research. I joined a group of solid Christian business leaders. I knew exactly what was going through some of my colleagues’ minds. Their condescending comments, sideway glances and personal jabs at my gender, age and inability to lead Wheatland with all it’s ‘challenges’ confirmed my speculation—this was going to be ‘me and God.’ And that was exactly what God wanted. I was pruned, right down to the soil line. Anything above that line was not existent. But, my roots grew deep and rich and strong.

Negativity was a constant companion. I was certainly swimming in it. I learned long ago to stay focused on God, even during the most excruciating components. I was tempted to dive into negativity’s unrelenting waves and I did on a number of occasions. I fought hard not to get overwhelmed and lost the battle. My feelings of hopelessness and unworthiness were compounded by a sea of situations and circumstances beyond my control. Apathy soaked into my soul. I welcomed apathy and finally surrendered. In-truth, I began to believe that maybe all the nay-sayers were correct. I wasn’t what Wheatland needed. 

But, then there was God. He spoke to the waves and they were stilled. 

It was just recently that I began to thank God for the process of becoming a better servant. I think Matthew and I may have shared some similar experiences. This weekend we read the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard he in included in Chapter 20:1-16. God isn’t interested in creating fair, just or equitable servants. God is most interested in making us holy. Negativity will not only steal, kill and destroy us. Apathy keeps us from being effective for the Kingdom of God. Negativity and apathy's effects influence those around us for generations. Consider what's planted and the fruit in your life. Have you been pruned? Are you in the process of becoming a servant? You may find out what’s really going on as we discover the scriptures together Sunday. See you there.

-Pastor Jen

But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?' Matthew 20:13-15 NIV

Bitterness

Bitterness is an Old English word meaning ‘to bite one’s own heart.’*

I still remember the first time I read that statement. It took my breath away then and it still causes me to pause. 

Before I met Bill, it seemed like I was the queen of relationship failures. In my twenties, I was able to maintain a close friendship with my best friend Anna. We met at church and almost instantly became friends while I lived in Tulsa. I was pretty good at being a friend but could not seem to keep a boyfriend in my life for very long. I wasn’t good at balancing my time with friends and boyfriends. Every time someone new came into my life, I threw myself into that relationship and forgot all about my friend Anna.

I did manage to hold onto a very dysfunctional relationship for almost three years. I think about all the toxic drama that unfolded from that one relationship now and wonder how I could’ve made the mistakes I did back then for so long. I was young. I grew up thinking dysfunction was normal. I migrated toward the dysfunctional because that was all I knew. While all that was true, I underestimated the effects of that long-term dysfunctional relationship even long after it was over. I turned into someone I didn’t want to be. I became bitter.

I believed in my heart people were basically mean, manipulative and out to get what they wanted from me. Bitterness effected my world-view. I saw negativity and darkness everywhere and in everyone. Bitter words and sarcasm became tools to project my internal toxicity onto everyone else. Bitterness’s toxicity pumped like sludge through my beating heart while I was a believing Christian. So, don’t believe for one minute that just because I professed Jesus Christ as my Savior I was a healthy mature Christ follower. I wasn’t. I was angry, resentful, unforgiving, bullheaded and my heart was hard.

God was at work in my life when I had no reason to believe in him or myself. I call this the Hansel and Gretel method. Do you remember their story from the Brothers Grimm? Small clues were left for me to find along the way. These clues kept me motivated to discover something extraordinary. While on his path, God revealed to me insights as to why my relationships were always filled with drama. My favorite way to learn is to recognize something on my own. Back then, I didn't like being told what to do or how to think. So, God, being infinite in wisdom knew what would keep me engaged and on the pathway to a healthy mature spiritual life. 

Bitterness had truly invaded my life and I can honestly tell you, I was biting my own heart and beating myself up for all the wrong things I had done. Bitterness convinced me I was not worthy of a healthy life let alone a healthy relationship. I was wrong. I was the problem. I cut myself off from God, family, friends and anything positive in my life. It took me years to accomplish some very intense heart and soul work. Little by little, I received a blood transfusion from Jesus that led to my healing. I’ve heard of people being instantly healed. That’s awesome. Praise the LORD! My healing and restoration took a long time. I could not give something I did not have. I couldn’t lead others if I wasn’t completely surrendered to Jesus’ leadership in my life. I don’t know exactly when it all happened. There was no “SHAZAM!” Just the awareness the bitterness was gone and forgiveness became my preferred way of living a life Jesus would be proud of.

This weekend we will explore what it can mean to have a clean slate with regards to bitterness and resentment. Someone may be healed instantly this weekend. I know that for sure. Someone may see the light for the first time. Someone else will be encouraged the pathway they are on is the right one that God honors over time. I pray for those who continue to sit in the dark and allow bitterness and resentment to eat away at their heart. If you know of someone who’s struggling with bitterness and resentment, invite them to attend worship with you this Sunday. Read Matthew 18:21-35 in order to prepare. God is at work. Come expecting him to do something in your own heart.

Make sure that no one misses out on God’s grace. Make sure that no root of bitterness grows up that might cause trouble and pollute many people. Hebrews 12:15 CEB

Pastor Jen

*Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype. Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes.1996.

Feeling Pressure

“It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.” Lou Holtz

Anxiety is part of our daily lives.  It is the evidence we are alive and that we are still spiritually learning, challenging our minds and expanding our hearts. Some people call it our growing edge. Most of us are familiar with performance anxiety. I remember feeling anxious about my speech class my Sophomore year of high school. Somehow knowing I was to practice public speaking in front of my peers made me very uncomfortable. But, getting better at public speaking didn’t help me feel less anxious. It opened doors for me to speak in places I never dreamed including the Oxford Union Society which is a debating society in the city of Oxford, England. I had the privilege to debate in the same chamber as hundreds of others over the years such as Benazir Bhutto, President Ronald Reagan, Mother Theresa, Yasser Arafat, and Malala Yousafzai. I used the same podium Prime Minister Churchill used to make is address in 1945 that the war with Germany had ended.  

You may have noticed a slightly different variety of anxiety plaguing our society. Global competition, increased longevity, 24/7 technology are some of the factors that drive the type of anxiety known as pressure anxiety in our contemporary lives. Pressure anxiety is different from the performance anxiety or general anxiety most of us experience. Performance anxiety is related to performing a task. Pressure anxiety is a perpetual feeling that if you do not continue to produce—you will be weeded out. There is no task to perform but there is a feeling that certain expectations and results must be met. For example, a corporation needs to meet third quarter sales goals in order to remain solvent or educators need to see improved test scores or lose important funding. Parents may feel this pressure as they consider what type of parenting their children require. The pressure is increased by the underlying feeling of uncertainty. We wonder whether or not we’ve got what it takes to meet the expectations and to gain great results.

72% of Americans feel stressed out.* That’s 3 out of 4 of us! Stressful feelings, pressure and performance can be ingredients of a whipped up life of chaos. They can block our ingenuity. They stand in the way of our creative, innovative and explorative process. The keep us locked in a tiny, ineffective jail cell. When I think about it, stress, anxiety and fear have been negatively effecting our God-honoring ordered world since we left the Garden of Eden. Sometimes, the harmful effects of all types of anxiety are tied to feelings of worthiness or self-loathing. I don’t think anxiety is evil but it can mess with our internal world if we are not fully convinced of our place with Christ in God. Just think about the chain reaction that follows the chaos-induced line of thought and why Jesus Christ must intervene. Jesus can and will intervene by your invitation. 

This Sunday, we will talk more about anxiety and fear. Matthew’s narrative describes an epic story about Peter as he was challenged to expand his faith and get out of the boat. Not only Peter learned who Jesus Christ really is. I believe Matthew was sitting in the boat in the midst of a storm. How else could Matthew tell the story with such passion and detail? Peter actually did walk on water. But, when he focused on the circumstances instead of the one who called him, he began to sink. He lost faith in himself and reached out to Jesus. 

Friends, you and I are called to do great things in the name of Jesus. Far too many of us are still waiting for the opportunity when Jesus has already called us to ‘come.’ Consider what you could accomplish if Jesus provided a clean slate for you with regards to anxiety and fear.  What could the next chapter of your life include? 

‘For we live by faith, not by sight.’ 2 Corinthians 5:7

*Pressure Anxiety: A Contemporary Plague : https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/thicken-your-skin/201503/pressure-anxiety-contemporary-plague

Spiritual Health

What’s your spiritual health quotient?

Over the years, a lot people have come to me for guidance or direction. I think they believed God was going to rescue them from a bad situation at work or miraculously intervene for them while they’re going through a tough spot in their marriage. This mindset reminds me of the ‘get out of jail free’ card from the Monopoly game my brother and I used to play when we were kids. I think God fully expects us to grow up and take responsibility for the life we’ve been given and the choices we’ve made. That may mean taking time to discover what put us ‘in jail’ in the first place. It can also mean learning how to have that difficult conversation at work and doing the hard work of relationship building with your spouse. It requires us to stop avoiding, complaining about and blaming others and do the hard work of self-examination first.

So, ask yourself, why are some people successful at work? What does a great marriage require of me? Why am I experiencing my current results?

Think about this for a minute. Are you convinced that you are worthy of having a great career and marriage? Do you get to a certain point and then fail to move forward? Sometimes we stumble over the same old obstacles of guilt and shame. Guilt is an emotion of conviction. Guilt says, “I made a mistake” or “a mistake was made.” Once we recognize there was a mistake, we can work on fixing the problem. People actually make a living discovering mistakes and fixing them. They are called 'trouble shooters.' The key is to begin the hard work of trouble shooting in our own lives. Don’t aim for someone else’s trouble. 

I believe we confuse guilt and shame. Guilt is meant for course correction. Shame is very destructive. It’s not about a course correction or making amends. Shame drives deep into our soul. It says, “I am the mistake. I am shameful. I am unworthy because of who I am. There is nothing I can do to change.” Shame is a lie. It’s origin is with the father of lies.  Brene Brown calls shame the epidemic behind many forms of broken behavior.

According to Matthew’s gospel, Jesus says he can do something about both of these problems. It’s as if Jesus equates sin with illness and Jesus is the doctor. Look it up for yourself in Matthew chapter 9. We all have the problem. Who among us is sick? There is a remedy for this sort of thing. You can have a healthy work life and a rockin' marriage. But, there is some work to do. Imagine going into that troubling work situation or relationship challenge with a clean slate because that’s exactly what is possible and available to you. You simply need to see the doctor.

On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. Matthew 9:12 NIV

Christmas Story

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6, NIV)

In my family, every single year on Christmas morning, before we dig into our stockings and unwrap our presents, we pause for a moment to read the Christmas story from Luke 2.  You know the story, it’s a familiar one about a census and an engaged couple on a journey, a manger and no room in the inn.  There is an angel choir and a bunch of terrified shepherds.  There is Mary, Joseph, and a child who is a Savior, the Messiah, Lord.

Every single year we read the same story.  It never changes.  I vaguely remember one year on Christmas morning (long before I became a pastor, I’m sure) asking my mom why we had to read the same story yet again.  “I know the story!” I reasoned somewhat irrationally, really just wanting to get to the good stuff waiting under the tree.  I don’t remember what she said to my protest, all I know is we still read the story and I survived.

Every single year we read the same story.  It never changes.  

But we do.

And that’s why we read it over and over and over again, year in and year out.

Our story is always changing.  One year there is laughter and celebration; the next year there is failure and despair.  One year there is a graduation, or a marriage, or a newborn child; the next year there is a diagnosis, or a fractured relationship, or the death of a loved one.  One year there is love and joy; the next year there is desperation and sorrow.

There are some stories worth repeating, and then there are other stories that need repeating. This is one of the latter.  We need to hear this story again and again and again.  We need to hear again and again and again “do not be afraid.”  We need to hear again and again and again this “good news of great joy for all people.”  We need to hear again and again and again that the glory of the Lord shone around them, that a Savior has come, that God is with us.

Regardless of who you are, or where you are, or what’s going on in your life, this is the story you need to hear: “To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Merry Christmas!  We look forward to seeing you at one of our 9 Christmas Eve services in Naperville, Oswego, or at the Barn, as well as on Christmas morning at 10:00 a.m. in Naperville and 10:30 a.m. in Oswego.

“All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.  But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.  The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.” (Luke 2:18-20, NIV)

-Pastor Derek 

Prince of Peace

The Prince of Peace

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

   and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

--Isaiah 9:6

It can be overwhelming—the barrenness of sin that perpetuates oppression, destruction, and lifelessness. The sex trafficking of women and children; refugees fleeing for their lives, being blockaded by numerous countries; and social shooters killing in public places are all overwhelming systems of injustice and sin. Looking at such turmoil, the prospect of peace may seem unimaginable. Yet, despite what seem to be impossible situations, the longing for peace never truly fades. And it is precisely in that space of longing that we ask the question, “from where does the hope of life arise amidst such barrenness?”

The Advent season is also a season of longing. Placed on the church calendar right before Jesus’ birth, Advent reenacts and remembers the deep-set longing of the Jewish people for their Messiah. The Messiah was an Old Testament figure who God would use to restore Israel and bring about peace upon the earth. If anyone understood what it meant to yearn for peace, it was the First-Century Jew. The land of Israel was a hotbed for political turmoil and empire conflict. Because of its geographical location, Israel was in the middle of a constant tug-of-war between major empires. To make matters worse, before Jesus arrived on the scene it had been over four hundred years since God had last spoken to Israel. Talk about barrenness!

The Gospel of Luke sheds light on the theme of barrenness and life. Luke introduces us to Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, who was unable to conceive a child. Elizabeth’s womb was barren. Amazingly, Zechariah (the husband of Elizabeth) would experience a vision while tending to some duties in the temple. In this vision, an Angel of God would reveal the good news that life would be brought from Elizabeth’s barrenness. A husband and wife would bear a child through the life bearing work of God. Barrenness would be overcome by life.

Luke does not stop there. The narrative continues with Mary who is without a husband and is clearly stated as being a virgin. Why bring that up? Because Mary’s barrenness is of a completely different nature. This is not a husband and wife who are unable to conceive. It is a situation where life is completely impossible apart from God. Like her cousin Elizabeth, Mary would also be visited by an Angel revealing the astonishing news of the life to come. From barrenness, in which life is completely unexpected, a virgin gives birth to a child and his name shall be called Prince of Peace.

The Advent season is a time of acknowledging the barrenness in our lives: the systems of injustice, the pains of sickness and disease, the wounding of friends and family, and the loss of those closest to us. And yet Advent is also a season of hope. It is a season of longing for Christ to enter those barren places in our lives and birth his peace and life in those spaces. In a mysterious way, Mary and Elizabeth represent all those who long for the hope of life. We too can clutch to that same hope in the midst of barrenness, in the midst of injustice, in the midst of sin, in the midst of mass pain and suffering. Rather than remaining aloof from such places, Jesus brings his very self by the Spirit and enters into the barren womb. It is Jesus who can bring life from the impossibility of life. It is in Jesus that our hope is found. During the Advent season, we prepare with eager expectation for the peace of Christ to come. My prayer is that we would not forget that what we often see as hopelessly barren places, God sees as fertile ground from which Jesus, the Prince of Peace, may be birthed.

May the peace of Christ be with you.

-Corey Ashley

Everlasting Father

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6, NIV)

In his prophetic writing Isaiah lets us know that this long anticipated Savior-Messiah will be called Everlasting Father.  Now for us as New Testament people we are very familiar with this title.  We’ve come to know God as precisely this, a Heavenly Father.  Jesus uses the expression more than 150 times to refer to God.  Most notably he taught us to pray to “Our Father in Heaven.”  And the Apostle Paul also urges us to cry out to God our “Abba, Father.”

But for the first audience hearing Isaiah’s message, it would have been almost completely unheard of to refer to God as Father.  In fact, while the word Father is used over 1,200 times in the Old Testament, less than ten of those instances refer to God as the Father.  Isaiah uses the title the most, four times alone, nearly half of all the references to God as Father found in the Old Testament (9:6; 22:21; 63:16; 64:8).

Now I fully understand that a lot of people are hesitant at, even resistant to, this idea of calling God their Father.  Usually because there is a lot of negative association between them and their earthly fathers and so they can’t bear the connection.  As someone who personally didn’t really grow up with a Father because he took his own life by suicide, I get it. I really do.

But I think to ignore or avoid this title of Everlasting Father because of those negative associations would be a huge mistake.  

Because what we see beginning to happen here with the prophet Isaiah is a revolutionary shift.  The more familiar understandings from that day and age of God as almighty, unapproachable, impersonal, mysterious, and all-powerful are slowly being replaced with an image of God as personal, intimate, and relatable.

For people who had gone their whole lives thinking of God as some distant supreme entity, think about what it must have been like for them to consider God as a person instead of a power, as someone focused on relationship rather than requirements.

Not only is there a shift happening here to a concept of God as more personal, intimate, and relatable as denoted by this title “Everlasting Father.”  But this revolutionary concept is carried even further in the incarnation, which we celebrate this season of Advent.

It is through the birth of Jesus that we can come to know God for ourselves in relationship, because he has taken up residence among us.  This God who would otherwise be thought of as distant or impersonal or detached from our lives, is suddenly intimately involved and entirely relatable.  We can now personally come to know him as a Father, a parent, someone who gives life, loves unconditionally, provides for our needs, encourages, and protects.  This happens on a worldwide scale, but it can also happen on a personal level in each one of our hearts and lives.

Part of what it means for us to search for the Savior this season, is to search for this God who is personal and relatable.  And to learn to live into this new revolutionary reality that he is our Everlasting Father, but also that we are his children.  All of which, we’ll be exploring more this coming Sunday, so see you then!

“But you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us or Israel acknowledge us; you, Lord, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name.” (Isaiah 63:16)

-Pastor Derek

Mighty God

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6, NIV)

When the prophet Isaiah recorded these words of promise and hope that he received from God, things looked pretty bleak.  Judah was on the verge of moral and political collapse.  The nation was surrounded by their enemies.  The great Assyrian Empire, who had already overtaken all the surrounding neighbors, was breathing down their necks.  The people of God were on the brink of defeat.

Yet, God revealed to Isaiah that He was still on the throne, still in control, still in charge.  He was at work in the present—as he had been all throughout their history—as the Mighty God who would rescue his people.  Those living in Jerusalem had forgotten all the previous events that had been told and retold from generation to generation where God had stepped in to fight for them, to stand up for them, and ultimately to save them.

How often is this the case for us as well?  How often do we need reminding that we have the Mighty God on our side who promises to never leave us or forsake us?  How easily do we forget the amazing ways that God has stepped in at just the right time in our lives to rescue and redeem and deliver?  How often do we believe in the lie that God doesn’t care about us, that he isn’t concerned about us, that he’s not even there?

This season of Advent is a reminder to us, just in case we had forgotten, that God is most decidedly for us.  The birth of Jesus as the Mighty God is living, breathing evidence of hope and promise even when things look most bleak.  He has come to dwell among us, to meet us in our places of pain, helplessness, despair, and fear.  He not only does for us what we could never do, but he also empowers and emboldens us to do what we could never dream of doing on our own.

To be sure, this Mighty God, doesn’t always work in ways that are expected, or even preferred by us.  He doesn’t work on our schedules, and often we don’t get the results that we would have liked.  But that is not for us to complain.  We are simply to trust and obey.

This Sunday we’ll be exploring more of what it means for us to put our trust in the Mighty God.  In the meantime, consider what places in your life that you need a God who is mighty to fight for you.  Confess the ways you have sometimes forgotten or refused to trust in the promises of the Mighty God.

"Energize the limp hands, strengthen the rubbery knees.  Tell fearful souls, 'Courage!  Take heart!  God is here, right here, on his way to put things right and redress all wrongs.  He’s on his way!  He’ll save you!’"  (Isaiah 35:3-4, The Message)

-Pastor Derek 

In Search of the Savior

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6, NIV)

During this season leading up to Christmas we enter into a season of searching.  We head to the malls moving from store to store in search of the perfect present to get for that special someone.  We search our basements and attics for where we stored the Christmas decorations and wrapping paper the previous year.  We search the cupboards and pantry for the ingredients needed for that favorite family recipe.  Children are secretly searching high and low for the hidden presents to get a sneak peak before Christmas morning.  This is truly a season of searching.

During this season, we at Wheatland Salem Church, embark on a search of our own.  It’s a search for something more than presents or sweets; it’s a search for meaning and purpose, a search for hope and joy, a search for peace and goodness.  It’s a search for the Savior.

This coming Sunday is the first day of Advent.  Advent is the season that counts down the days leading up to Christmas.  Advent is marked by anticipation and expectation, waiting and hoping, searching and seeking as we eagerly prepare for the coming of the Lord, the birth of the Messiah.

People for generations and generations, stretching back hundreds of thousands of years have embarked on this search.  The prophet Isaiah, who wrote during the 8th century BC, gave us words to describe what it is that we’re seeking.  The one you’re searching for will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Over the coming four weeks of Advent, we’ll be looking at each of these names of the Savior in turn.  Each of these titles gives us a slightly different glimpse or perspective into who Jesus is for us.  

First up this week, is the designation that He will be for us a Wonderful Counselor.  A counselor is someone who we go to in the midst of problems or difficulties.  A counselor is someone who is quick to listen and who gives advice and counsel.  A counselor is someone who wants the best for us and who stands up on our behalf when the going gets tough.  This week, we’ll explore the many ways that Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor as we collectively seek him during this season.

We all are in need of a Wonderful Counselor.  We all are in need of a Savior.  Join us this week, as we embark on our journey of searching.

“A shoot will come up form the stump of Jesse; from his roots a branch will bear fruit.  The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—and he will delight in the fear of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:1-3a, NIV).

-Pastor Derek

Your Mission

“Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted.  Stay wide-awake in prayer.  Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it.  Love makes up for practically anything.  Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully.  Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help.  That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything” (1 Peter 4:7-11, The Message).

Years ago, the television show Mission: Impossible always began with a scene in which the team leader, Mr. Phelps, would receive a tape describing his next mission.  The tape invariably began, “Your mission, should you choose to accept it…”

This iconic line came to my mind as I read through the final chapters of Peter’s letter to the early church.  The early Christians of Peter’s day, many of whom were pagan converts, were faced with a nearly impossible mission.  First, they had the difficult task of living out their faith in families, workplaces, and communities that largely rejected and were hostile toward their commitments and belief.  And second, they had the even more daunting task of speaking up and sharing this Good News they had come to believe with those very same people and even as far as to the ends of the earth.

When you think about it, our mission today is just as difficult and daunting.  We, like those early Christians, are called and sent out to our families, our workplaces, our neighborhoods, and even to the ends of the earth.  We face discouragement, rejection, doubt, and disdain just like the people Peter is writing to in this letter.  But yet, this is our mission, should we choose to accept it.

Peter gives advice to his first audience that holds true for us today.  Don’t get bogged down, don't be discouraged, don’t give up in spite of hardship.  Start small.  Be intentional.  Love.  Give.  Share.  Small acts repeated over and over again, in faith, can have monumental impact.  The ripple effects of one small faithful act magnified and multiplied over time can make all the difference in the world.

Early on in my ministry I was given advice by a Bishop in the United Methodist Church that I remember to this day.  He said that what made all the difference in his life and ministry were the small things that he did over and over and over again, week in and week out without fail.  They weren’t big things, they were small things like writing thank you notes every Monday morning, connecting in a meaningful way with one person a week, and praying for each member of his congregation on a regular basis.

Being on mission to the world can seem like an impossible task, but as the old adage goes “the best way to eat an elephant is to take one bite at a time.”  What is one thing that you can do over and over and over again, week in and week out without fail, that will make all the difference?

Is it prayer?  Is it a Faith Promise offering?  Is it serving in a local ministry?  It is inviting a friend to church?  This is your mission, should you choose to accept it…

**A reminder, that this Sunday we will be collecting your Faith Promise Commitment Cards in all worship services.  Be sure to bring the card that you received in the mail earlier this month (additional cards will be available on-site if needed).  If you are unable to attend this weekend, please mail or drop-off your commitment card to the Financial Office as soon as possible.**

-Pastor Derek

Always Be Ready

“Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence.” (1 Peter 3:15-16a)

You may have heard the often quoted saying from St. Francis of Assisi that goes, “Preach the gospel at all times.  If necessary, use words.”  On the surface, this saying has an important message to it.  We should live our lives in such a way that by our very behaviors and actions we are in essence preaching the gospel.  That’s certainly a way of life we should all aspire towards.  There is no denying that.

However, there are a couple of problems to this saying.  The first problem is, St. Francis of Assisi never said these words!  There is not a scholar or historian of Francis who can find any evidence to the contrary.  In fact, the first recorded instance of this phrase came almost 200 years after St. Francis’ death.

But that’s the lesser of the two problems.  The second, much bigger, problem with this saying is that it is not supported by the Bible.  To be sure, all throughout Scripture there is emphasis placed on living out the Gospel.  But always tied intricately with the living out of the Gospel is the speaking of, telling about, and preaching on the Gospel.

We are called to perform our faith: “Live such good lives among the Gentiles that, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits” (1 Peter 2:12).  As well as, proclaim our faith: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9)

We often err on the side of performing our faith because it’s easier, less daunting, and less intimidating.  And we often shy away from proclaiming our faith because we’re convinced we’re not equipped and we don’t want to come off as judgmental or pushy.  Scripture reminds us, however, that in order to truly be “on mission” we are called to both perform and proclaim our faith.  It’s not either/or it’s both/and.  “Always be ready,” Peter prompts us, “to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are.”

This week we will be looking at how we can tie those two aspects together as we are on mission in our communities and neighborhoods, and specifically how we can “be ready” to tell our story.  We’ll be thinking about our own personal stories of faith and how our own life story can be a means of sharing the Gospel.  So in preparation for Sunday, be thinking about your life.  Think about the significant events that shaped your life, the important decisions you have made in your faith, and the ways God has changed and is continuing to change you.

“But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed?  And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard?  And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?  And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent?  As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” (Romans 10:14-15, NIV)

Pastor Derek

Night & Day

“You are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.”  (1 Peter 2:9-10, The Message)

Take a close look at the two pictures below.  Notice the difference between the two images.  Take all the time you need to figure it out.

I’m just guessing you had no problem with that little exercise at all, right?  The difference between night and day in the two pictures is blatantly obvious, isn’t it?  There is really no confusing the two.  The differences are immediately noticeable.  You don’t have to think about it, or analyze it, or get out the magnifying glass and examine it.  You just know day from night when you see it.

In the same way, Peter tells us that we as God’s people should be just as significantly different than everyone else we run across in the world.  He says that comparing the life of a believer to the life of a non-believer should be like comparing day and night.  You should immediately be able to tell them apart just by looking at them.

Which begs a much tougher question for us.  Is the difference between you (as a Christian) and some other person out in the world (not a Christian) as noticeably, blatantly, and obviously different than the two images above?  If not, why not?

The reason this is important is because living differently in the world is part of the way we are “on mission.”  Peter says it this way a few verses later in 1 Peter 2:12, “Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that, though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honorable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge.”

We’re called to obviously, noticeably, blatantly, and significantly live different.  To live differently among the people we work with and the ones we go to school with.  To live differently among our neighbors and co-workers.  To live differently at the grocery store, and the coffee joint, and the gas station.

Why?  So that… When people interact with us, they can see the night-and-day difference in us and eventually and hopefully come to glorify God through our example.

This week, we’re continuing our “On Mission” sermon series.  Last week we talked about being on mission in our own homes and to our own families.  This week we take a step out to widen the circle a little more.  Besides our family the people we spend the most time with on a regular basis are the people with whom we work, this is our second mission field.  

We have the privilege of having guest preachers Wes and Joy Griffin of the International Leadership Institute who will be helping us to consider how we can be on mission in our workplaces.  Also, this week in Oswego (and November 13th in Naperville) is our Mission Experience where you can learn about the local and global missionaries we partner with through Faith Promise.

-Pastor Derek

On Mission

“I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:18, NIV)

You’ve heard of Peter, right?  The often brash and outspoken disciple of Jesus.  The former fisherman, turned fisher of men.  The guy full of so much faith (or was it sheer craziness?) that he stepped out of the boat and walked on water.  He’s the man who first confessed Jesus as the Messiah, but then turned around and denied he even knew him not once, not twice but three times.  He’s the same guy who ran as fast as he possibly could when he received word that the tomb was empty.  Peter—a prominent voice in the early church, a performer of miracles, baptizer of eunuchs, receiver of a vision of God’s new creation.  Peter—an apostle, the rock the church is built on, a martyr for the faith.

Do you ever wonder how Peter became Peter?  I mean, what set him on his course?  What brought him to Jesus in the first place?  Many remember the story recounted in Matthew, Mark, and Luke of Jesus walking along the Sea of Galilee, and seeing Simon (soon to be renamed Peter) and his brother Andrew fishing and Jesus called out to them to follow him.  

But have you ever noticed the corresponding story in the Gospel of John?  In John 1:40-42, it’s his little brother Andrew who follows Jesus first and cannot contain his excitement over finding the Messiah that he runs to tell big brother Simon.  It was Peter's little brother Andrew who led him to Jesus.

We are all called by Jesus to be “on mission.”  To be so compelled, so overjoyed, so inspired by our own encounter with the Lord, that we go and tell and lead people to Jesus ourselves.  Many are daunted by this idea.  Scared by the concept of walking up to strangers, knocking on neighbor's doors.  But we don’t have to be.  We learn from Andrew and Peter that mission can begin in our own homes, with our siblings, our parents, children and grandchildren.  

We don’t have to jump on a plane to some far off country to lead someone to Jesus, it can begin with a conversation at the dinner table, a bedtime story, an invitation to a loved one to come along and see for themselves.

This week we are kicking off our month-long Faith Promise focus at Wheatland Salem Church.  As we explore what it means to be “On Mission” in our homes, our places of work, our communities and the world.  This week we’ll consider what we can learn from Andrew and Peter (along with a few other modern day examples).

Until Sunday think on this: Who can I lead to Jesus in my very own home?

As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness.  God said, ‘I am holy; you be holy.’” (1 Peter 1:14-16, The Message)

-Pastor Derek

Cookie Jar

Let the LORD lead you and trust him to help. A Psalm of David. Psalm 37:5 CEV

Let the LORD lead me? Trust him to help. 

• Follow God's lead without knowing where he's sending you.
• Wait for God's timing without knowing dates, times or places.
• Expect a miracle without knowing how God will provide.
• Trust God's purpose without understanding the circumstances.
• Believe in a vision without details. 

• It sounds so easy. I can say the words, "I surrender and give God control." I may even believe at some level that I surrender and give God control. But, then I stealthily sneak it back like I’m stealing a cookie from the forbidden cookie jar. I already know I get into trouble every time I my hand reaches for that cookie but I go ahead and do it anyway. There are a lot of cookies between me and becoming a fully devoted, connected and generous follower of Jesus Christ. There is even more required of me if I truly want to become a valuable leader. I must surrender to God’s authority and leadership in my life if I’m going to have any integrity in his kingdom. I have to accept I can not outmaneuver him. I must give up trying to manipulate others, force my agenda or control the situation to get my preferred outcome. I am supposed to trust him more instead of trying so hard to get my way. Munch. Munch. Munch.

I’m pretty sure King David may join me as I dunk my Oreos. I think he and I could have a laugh or two if we compared our leadership notes. Over the years, I’ve learned to consult the contents of the Holy Bible as a leadership manual. Leadership development requires an enormous amount of resources. I am convinced only God can truly develop leaders because He’s the only one with enough resources to invest in the process. Just consider the valuable lessons forged from the chapters of experience. Leaders must learn how to negotiate the chasm between knowing what has to be done and actually doing the hard work.

David was selected by God to become a leader. This was not an over-night process. God promised David he would make his name great and build a house through him. God did not reveal the exact details to the plan. He did expect David to trust him and to live into the relationship they constructed together. I wonder if it was the awkwardness of trying something he couldn’t do on his own that eventually eroded David’s confidence. He did a lot of things that were not God honoring and mostly self-serving. He started out well but like so many leaders throughout history, David did not finish well. God still kept his promise regardless of David’s behavior. God is far more faithful. We can trust his lead.

It’s still astonishing to me that God chose to do amazing work through David. God elected to make Jerusalem his holy city. God eventually built the temple and established the Davidic dynasty which paved the way for the ultimate King of Kings to reign in the hearts of men and women. God did build a house in his own way. Sunday we will talk about David’s legacy. God remains faithful. We can trust his lead and he continues to select people for his own purposes. Maybe it’s time to consider what leadership resources have already been invested in you. If you would like to talk about leaders and leading, I will bring the Oreos. We can learn together.

If you do what the Lord wants, he will make certain each step you take is sure. Psalm 37:23 CEV

Lights, Camera, Action!

Bill and I were there when it happened. Our daughter Hope called us and set up the appointment. Kayla was going to eat her first ‘real food’. We plopped Kayla on set for her first Hollywood photo shoot with backdrops, lighting and music. Bill and I were cast to be gaffers, lighting technicians and terrific audience members in charge of “ooo’s and ahhhh’s". Hope mixed up the perfect blend of water and cereal—we didn’t want it too soupy or too chunky. Everything was on target. Lights. Camera. Action. Kayla’s First Food, take one!

The look on Kayla’s face was priceless. A little mix of fascination and confusion. Her interior wheels were turning. She seemed to savor every spoonful her mom could get to those tiny little lips until the entire quarter cup was gone. We got it all on video. Satisfaction. Maybe even contentment. That day was a joyful achievement. High fives all around.

Now, fast forward, at two and a half years old, Kayla’ eating endeavors are no longer Hollywood moments. Abbie, the dog is Kayla’s favorite mealtime friend. Kayla can do it herself. There was a glorious moment long ago when Kayla reached for her food with great joy. Her mom was extraordinarily patient as she reached for more and made a mess. Hopeful Abbie was seated only millimeters beneath the high chair waiting for morsels. We loved watching Kayla try to eat birthday cake. That was definitely a Hollywood moment caught on tape. However, now we take great care choosing mealtime and snack selections. It’s more like Goldylocks moments. Nothing too big nor too small. Everything is just right. Abbie, is still millimeters away, of course.

No parent wants to spoon-feed their child for their entire life. We are designed to mature in every way. The bench marks can be obvious: reaching for food, riding the bike, driving a car. Other maturity moments could be telling the truth when it’s easier to lie, doing the hard thing instead of taking the easy route or being good when being bad is really tempting. Maturity is reflected in all of creation. And so it is with our spiritual lives. I believe it is God’s design for us to mature in our spiritual lives, to hunger and thirst for righteousness, to reach for more and no longer passively sit back waiting to be spoon-fed.

There were many Hollywood moments in the life of King David. Fortunately for us, the lights, cameras and media of his time caught more than just the high points. The same paparazzi lined up to watch the king dance and shell out party favors at the Jerusalem Party of the Century witnessed and recorded the juicy details of his personal failures. 2 Samuel 12 captured the details of what could be determined as a maturity moment miss. A child’s life was on the line. David spent days pleading with God. Tragically, things don’t turn out well. It appears as if David did not get the outcome he wanted. God did restore the loss with a beloved son who would be included in the line of the Messiah—who would take away the sins of the world. Restoration wasn’t on David’s heart or mind. His relationship with God had come to a serious stop.

David quit. Passivity crept across his life like an evening sunset. Darkness took over his heart. David’s relationship with God had always effected the people, especially Jerusalem. Relationships that took years to develop ventured toward a perilous end. David’s ambitious son Absalom watched the deterioration of his father and took advantage of the situation. Tragedy ensued. You have to read 2 Samuel 12-20 to believe it.

No growth comes by being passive. We have to reach. Make a mess. Start again and create something from the rubble. Giving up reveals a lot about our maturity level. Consider what is lost if we don’t step up. Consider what is gained if we do step up. Which life do you think Jesus died to make possible for us? Come worship our awesome God who never gives up. He never quits. He’s willing and ready when you are. It’s up to you.

Here’s a song that inspired me. One Thing Remains. 

Seasons of Life

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139: 23-24 NIV

 Difficult Seasons in Life

The bible records a very difficult season in King David's life from 2 Samuel 11-20. It's almost as if God's presence and voice are absent from these pages. Cracks developed in David's foundation. His spiritual and emotional life crumbled beneath the weight of poor choices and sin. David's later years were fraught with disappointment, family disaster and leadership failures. Alas, David was human. I am thankful to God the details of my difficult seasons are not recorded for others to interpret for all eternity. I believe God included the down and dirty details because he intends for us to learn important life lessons from this Shepherd Boy-Musician-Warrior-Superstar-King.

Difficult seasons can be prime time for us to take a time out and assess what is really going on in our lives. Mistakes can happen. People fail. Family and friends will act in ungodly ways. Our response to these normal human frailties reveals a lot about us and our belief about God. How spiritually healthy are we, really?

Consider the Top Ten Symptoms of emotionally UNHEALTHY spirituality:

1. Using God to run from God: I create God activity and ignore difficult areas God wants to change.

2. Ignoring the ungodly emotions of anger, sadness and fear: I was taught emotions lead to instability and are not to be trusted.

3. Dying to the wrong things: I am to die to defensiveness, arrogance, stubbornness, and judgmentalism not pleasure, joy, laughter, recreation and nature.

4. Denying the past's impact on the present: sanctification demands we go back in order to free ourselves from unhealthy and destructive patterns that prevent us from moving forward.

5. Dividing our lives into 'secular' and 'sacred' compartments: I separate my weekday life from my Sunday life. Jesus has little or no impact in my daily decisions at work or in my marriage.

6. Doing for God instead of being with God: I base my spiritual life on what I produce for God instead of who I am to God.

7. Spiritualizing away conflict: I hate conflict and move quickly to smooth it over but become resentful when there is no change.

8. Covering over brokenness, weakness and failure: I feel pressure to present myself as "having it all together." I could never be vulnerable with others.

9. Living without limits: I routinely add more to my life without subtracting anything. I can handle it all myself.

10. Judging other people's spiritual journey: I was taught it was my responsibility to correct others in error or sin. I secretly feel that I am more spiritually mature than others.

Be honest. Are you living the spiritual life you always dreamed about? Or is there something unhealthy about the way things are?

David was in a very unhealthy place during his later years. I believe he'd want us to learn from his mistakes. I think if he could write this blog, he'd say, "Connect with God daily. Stay humble. Don't let your life get so busy that the next generation pays the price for your arrogance."  

 I invite you to take the Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Course I am leading this fall. Orientation begins Tuesday, October 11, 2016 at 6:45 p.m.  Click here to register.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalm 51:10-12 NIV