Most People Have No Clue...

The Summer Olympic games, as always, is amazing! Am I really enjoying watching water polo, synchronized diving, kayaking and archery? Things I'd never normally watch. But to every moment of success and victory, there's many more who experience failure and disappointment. As an athlete, I know that when a person doesn't perform to their expectation (or their nations), it's crushing. They may say they're happy to be at the Olympics, but it's a front. Yes they are happy for their team mate who did win and wish everyone well, but behind the eyes the tears are wanting to burst forth. What most people rarely understand is the tremendous sacrifice athletes make to compete in the Olympics. Every aspect of their life revolves around one or two races or competitions. There are no second chances, no reruns or make ups. For instance Jordyn Weiber, the defending world champion gymnast. She has a 4 solid performances in the all-round competition, but not quite up to her normal scores, and so she misses out on the finals (because of a dumb rule). Her one shot at the Olympics and it's over, well at least in the individual all-round competition. She wore her tears and heartbreak on her sleeve before a TV audience of almost a billion around the world. I'm so thankful that Christianity isn't like that. One bad day and you're out. You're done. But Proverbs 24:16 encourages us by saying, "The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again." Thank you Jesus for helping me up when I stumble, and helping me get back on my journey :)

Soldiers and Christians

Have you ever noticed how many similarities there are between soldiers and Christians? There are even verses in the Bible which refer to Christians as "fellow soldiers." We are definitely in a war and usually face battles daily. We also have weapons listed in Ephesians 6 that are vital to our warfare. We are part of a great army with Jesus as our commander. The similarities are numerous. I love looking for good books at thrift stores and this week came across the "US Army Survival Manual." It looked pretty interesting and it explains what to do in a host of difficult circumstances. But what caught my eye was something towards the beginning. The first chapter talks about personal qualities needed in a survival situation. Immediately I noticed how important most of these qualities were to not only someone in the Army, but to a Christian also. Here are several of them:
1. Being able to make up your mind.
2. Being able to improvise.
3. Being able to live with yourself.
4. Being able to adapt t the situation, making a good thing out of a bad thing.
5. Remaining cool, calm and collected.
6. Hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.
7. Having patience.
Several more were listed but you get my drift. These qualities are so important for us as soldiers of Jesus Christ. Today, you may experience warfare in the spiritual realm but don't be surprised by it. You are in a war, in an army, and must be willing to fight.

God Is Bigger Than Anything You Face

I think one of my favorite passages of Scripture is becoming Psalm 147. Why you may ask? Because it's about God and uses some great words to describe Him and tell us about Him. Not only that, but they can bring such comfort when needed. Verses 3-6 say...
"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
⁴ He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name.
⁵ Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.
⁶ The Lord lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground."
One of the most encouraging things being a Christian is that regardless of the size of any problem we face, our God is bigger. He's bigger, stronger, wiser and my defender. Sometimes we can allow the problems we face to overwhelm us, but it's in those time we must keep our focus on our God. Don't forget that you plus God is always a majority! Battles, struggles, problems and trials may try to push their way into your day today, but our God is bigger and stronger :)

                              

It's the Simple Things...

Have you ever noticed how it's usually the simplest of things that are bring satisfaction, contentment and joy? I know that some people feel the need to go out and buy things, do things or have things, thinking that these will satisfy. But in reality they never do. I know the Lord alone is the one who fills me, but He often uses others to help. One of the things that  brings me satisfaction, contentment and joy are my kids. All three of them are incredible and I'm so thankful for them. But today I want to tell you a little about my youngest daughter, Hannah, who yesterday turned 13. She's constantly making me laugh and smile. She has such joy that overflows into those around her. She can also make you laugh (even when you may not feel like it) :) So what is it about Hannah that's different? Nothing really, other than she loves to let Jesus shine through her. She's very sensitive to the needs around her and is always trying to help others. What amazing is that this should describe every Christian. We should all allow Jesus to shine through us and be sensitive to the needs of those around us. Isn't that the very example that Jesus Himself showed us? He was often "moved with compassion" as He saw the many needs around Him. Let the light of Jesus shine through you today and let your joy be contagious. Let others around you experience your love, care and concern. And thank you Hannah for being such a special daughter :) You're so kind, funny, thoughtful and loving. Dad loves you so much :)

Glad I'm On Her Team

We all know people whose team we'd love to be on. They encourage, serve, build up and strengthen those around them, often in ways they're completely unaware of. Today I'm introducing you to a young leader God has done so much in and through. Her name is Stephanie LaFramboise, and yes, one day she will be known by name around the world (as was once prophesied over her). She's one of those people whose team you always want to be a part of. Stephanie was part of Harvest Church's original youth group and has only moved upwards from those days. What are some of the things I see in Stephanie that are essential in any young leader? Well she has wonderful pastoral skills and definitely loves people. She's always encouraging others and has a huge desire to see them grow in their walk with the Lord. But there are several other things that are often overlooked by young leaders, which Stephanie thrives with. These include being a multi-tasker, focusing on multiple things at once. She also helps teams become amazing. Whether in dance, small group or any other team, she brings so much to the table and empowers others around her. Lastly, she's flexible. She's learned that things won't always go the way you planned, and you need to be ready for whatever comes your way. In fact, she often turns difficult situations into fun situations. But what's the one thing that stands out about Stephanie? To me it's her surrender to the Lord and to completely follow His leading. So many young people want to do what they want, but Stephanie chose to lay down her desires and embrace the Lords. This is a lesson all Christians could learn from. I'm so thankful for Stephanie's friendship and am so glad I'm on her team :)

How Do You Respond to Change?

For some people change is a way of life, while for others it can be very difficult. For me personally, I enjoy routine and consistency, but must be ready for changes as it comes. How do you do when it comes to change? I'm encouraged by the example of many people in the Bible who responded to change when it took place. For instance, how the Israelites needed to move when the cloud moved. Or the disciples when they were doing something and then Jesus would have them move onto the next thing. Change is something that's guaranteed to happen in our lives. The question is how will you handle it? How will your response be? Now I do realize that change is sometimes good, but other times it's not so good. For example, how the Israelites always sought the Lord before going into battle. Yet they didn't prior to attacking Ai, and we all know the consequences. Whether change brings good or bad with it, it's certain to come. One of the most important things I see when it comes to change is through my growth as a Christian. I have definitely changed so much and continue changing each day I serve the Lord. In this instance change is awesome! Are you ready for change today? Don't let it catch you off guard :)

For Any Team to Succeed...

With the summer Olympics right around the corner one of the things I'm personally looking forward to seeing is who will win the gold medal in men's basketball. When you look at the players on the US team, they are all NBA superstars. They each make millions of dollars each year and are usually the ones who take the winning shots for their respective NBA teams. But does this guarantee wins? On paper they should win the gold medal with ease, but if playing on a team was only that easy. There are some dangers that lurk not only on this team, but really on any team. And if a team isn't careful, any one of these dangers could take them down. Will they compete as a team and not simply a group of individuals with different motives and goals? Will they be willing to trust others on the team to make the big shot? Will they be critical of other team members when they make a mistake or be supportive? Will they be willing to step out of the spotlight for the good of the team? Each of these are great questions that will be answered in London. But as I've said, these problems can show their ugly head on any team. One of the keys to the success of any team is found in Ephesians 4:2-3 which encourages us to, "Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace." What encouragement and challenge at the same time. Can you imagine what it would be like if every team member on every team lived out these timeless principles found in Ephesians 4:2-3? I think teams around the world would look very different :)