Walking on Water

Over the past three months, I’ve felt as if I was living in a somewhat milder, but just as shocking, “Kardashian-style” reality show. For weeks, I have weathered spiritual storms. It’s as if I’m drowning in one tragedy (okay, I’m being a bit dramatic…maybe a better word to use for “tragedy” is “disappointment”) to only catch my breath just in time to endure the next dunk. If my life were a TV show, I’d have a captured audience eager to TiVo the next week’s episode!

Through my trials, I had grown spiritually weak…desperately weak. I didn’t want to pray and I was avoiding my Bible or reading it reluctantly inadvertently blocking any of God’s Word from penetrating my soggy situations. Self-pity took over and for weeks I was covering my pillow with showers of tears. I was honestly feeling hopeless, but never wanting to admit it to myself (let alone anyone else).

I was battling with a prodigal teenager, failed employment attempts, and sobering financial strain--more crashing waves of “disappointments” than I thought my little mind could bear. But God had a plan.

Like many Christians, I had quickly forgotten that trials come to make us stronger.

“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” James 1:2-4 (The Message)

After weeks of receiving encouraging notes, emails, and prayers from loving friends and family, I woke up one morning with a smile on my face! God is still good. I realized that in order to get through these damp circumstances in life, I had to implement a new strategy. I began to ask God to “Fix me.” We will never be rid of problems as long as we walk this earth, but we can certainly change our attitudes towards them. I gained newfound peace knowing that God was working on me in His time, not mine.

Dealing with my current struggles remind me so much of the story of Jesus and Peter walking on water. Although the disciples were afraid when they first saw Jesus walking across that lake, they quickly gained strength when the Savior told them, “Take courage. It is I. Don’t be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27) I imagine Jesus saying those exact words to me, “Kenya, take courage…”

Like Peter, I’m afraid at times letting distractions weaken my faith and cause me to sink in the murky waters of life that beat upon my feet. What a blessing it is to cry, “Lord, save me!” (again and again)

He hasn’t failed me yet.

Although I’m still currently in my storms, I’m slowly learning to “sing in the rain” knowing that it is all working for my good. You’d be surprised what a good cry can wash away. I’m no longer afraid to get a little wet.







By Kenya
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Thou Shalt Move

A few weeks ago, I got to Bible study extra early. (I should probably repeat that first sentence to inspire us all, right?) Like most busy women, being extra early for church service is a very rare occurrence (I’m embarrassed to say). But this particular Wednesday, I had almost an hour to spare. I sat in the car with my two youngest boys wasting time by playing with my cell phone and listening to the radio. As I played the “Wait Game,” I peeked around the parking lot and noticed that a couple of other families were in their cars doing the exact same thing…waiting.

No one wanted to go in the building too early. I guess everyone has their reasons. It wasn’t that the doors were locked or that we’re forbidden to go in the building before services actually began. But for some reason we were all moved to not move. 

After about 20 minutes or so of checking my emails and sending follow-up text messages to family and friends, I decided I would turn the air conditioning off in my car, save some gas, and move toward the building. I figured the worst thing that could happen is that we’d sit in a quiet church auditorium until the multitudes began to arrive.

As we opened the door and entered the lobby, it was easy to see that the church building was still very much asleep. Lights were off and there wasn’t a soul insight. Then suddenly a petite, elderly woman appeared out of the darkness and said “Hello!”

I was surprised to see her. She was a familiar face, but we’d never actually met each other before. Her name was Evelyn Elmore. I thought it was cute that she immediately asked me was I visiting for the first time. I giggled a bit and told her that my family and I had been members for nearly two years now. She laughed too and said that we must sit behind her and that she was always taught that you never turned around to see who’s sitting behind you in church service. I’ve heard that rule too.

As we moved into the auditorium and travelled down the center aisle, we continued to interview each other to get acquainted. Ms. Evelyn has sweet little rituals she does before service begins. She rereads the church bulletin from the previous Sunday to make sure she doesn’t miss any important information. As we got closer to the front, I could see her finger point to pew, and she counted back six rows.
“I always sit on the 6^th row,”  she said. “I think we’ve gone down too far.”

I giggle a little more and sit across the aisle on the same row with my sons, BJ and Jackson. I guess I assumed that our precious conversation was over, but I was mistaken. Ms. Evelyn was merely getting her belongings situated on the pew and then she moved over to chat with me a little bit more.

She complimented me on the good behavior of my children and told me about what it was like raising her own two boys. Realizing that we both still had lots more to share about our lives, I stood back up and escorted her back to her seat. I had decided that I would move away from my comfort zone and enjoy the service sitting next to my new friend.

Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives.

Titus 2:3-5 (The Message)

Thankful

Each in our own words:






Yvonne:

• salvation
• health
• family/hubby/children/etc.
• gift of motherhood
• home
• food
• church family
• grace - God's patience with me
• quiet peaceful life
• sunshine/flowers/blankets

Kenya:

• friends who are happy to listen to your vents

• a gut-busting, tear-dropping laugh

• cuddle time with my hubby

• sharing an evening swapping stories with my kids

• sharing the kitchen with generations of wise women in my family as we prepare for Thanksgiving

• a fun, impromptu sing-a-long that the whole joins in on (just makes you smile)

• (most of all) God's faithfulness to always give you exactly what you need, exactly when you need it. Why do we worry anyway?

Jennifer:

• Fall weather

• My patient and loving husband

• Godly parents

• The sound of the ocean

• My church family

• Chocolate in any form

• Sweet memories of those that are no longer with me

• Good health

• My job

• Friends to laugh with

• A loving and forgiving God

Erica:

• Grace

• Faithful, Christian parents

• Loving husband with a great sense of humor and more patience than I deserve

• Siblings I can count as friends

• Red Maple trees in fall

• Amazing brothers and sisters in Christ

• Modern medicine

• The new door that opens any time an old one closes

• Chocolate

• Freedom to worship and express myself

• Inside jokes

• A comfortable home with plenty to eat and a soft, warm bed

• New friends

• Old friends

• In-laws who break every stereotype and are a blessing

• The gift of another day

Togetherness is better than turkey, people are more important than pie, gratitude means more than green bean casserole, sharing is greater than shopping, love is above all.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. - Colossians 3:17

And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. - Ephesians 5:20

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! - 2 Corinthians 9:15

Above all today, remember the One to whom all Thanksgiving is due.

We'd love to hear the list of the things for which you are thankful; please share it in the comments.

Christian Diseases (Part 2)

Spiritual Diseases (Part 2)

Ever been diagnosed with any of these? Take honest inventory…not to hurt from it, but to heal. It’s amazing how the Holy Spirit can convict you (in this case, me) in such a way that not only ministers to others, but to yourself as well.

Thin Skin Infection

Symptoms: Everything hurts her feelings. She’s easily offended and often holds silent grudges against others.

Results: People are uncomfortable talking to her...you never know what her reaction

will be, lacks close relationships, can be moody

Treatment:

•  Eliminate insecurities by lovingly talking to people to make sure you understand them
•  Learn to overlook minor nuisances, nobody’s perfect
• Decide to forgive others no matter what it takes

Put up with each other. Forgive the things you are holding against one another. Forgive, just as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13

Self-Centered Syndrome

Symptoms: She can be a bit bratty. She always wants everything to go her way. She lacks flexibility in many areas and has a tendency to be bossy.

Results: Tends to be less involved in church activities when she’s not in charge, runs off

genuine workers who just want to serve, brings down working morale of group project participants

Treatment:

• Practice being a team player, but letting others lead the committee
• Train others to take on your traditional tasks
• Pray to have a more humble heart
• Set a weekly goal to do something for someone else and look for nothing in return

An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends; he defies all sound judgment. Proverbs 18:1

Humility Dysfunction

Symptoms: She can be very “puffed-up” at times. She thinks she knows “everything.” She rarely takes advice and feels she knows the bible better than anyone.

Results: Others find it difficult to talk to her, she’s perceived as being “fake,” lacks meaningful friendships

Treatment:

• Continue to study the bible and realize even Paul struggled (Romans 7:18-21)
• Put others before yourself by giving your time to those less fortunate...volunteer at a homeless shelter or give your designer clothes to the needy
• Practice giving compliments to others
• Welcome constructive criticism with sincerity

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. Proverbs 26:12

Christian Diseases (Part 1)

Over my spiritual life, I’ve encountered many spiritual sicknesses. From time-to-time, I fall ill and need a massive dose of spiritual vitamins! The great news is that there’s always a remedy. I thought I’d share what I’ve learned (many times the hard way). I’m certainly no "doctor", but I think I can offer some insight on the matter. After all, I’ve suffered from them all at some point in my life! (I wrote this originally for Vertical magazine.)

Slow Poke Virus

Symptoms: She says she’ll do something, then doesn’t do it. She waits until the last minute to do projects and does a half-hearted job.

Results: Very unreliable, frustrates those around her, ministry work may fail or be less effective because of negligence

Treatment:

• Set mini goals so that tasks don’t seem so overwhelming
• Have an accountability partner...someone who can text you reminders or encourage you to stay on task
• Prioritize your weekly activities...sometimes Peter has too many things going on

"No matter what you do, work at it with all your might..." Ecclesiastes 9:10



Party-Pooper Disease

Symptoms: This Christian never supports events outside of worship . She’s the first to leave after Sunday service.

Results: Lack of connection with the body of believers, offends event planners of church functions, often “never knows what’s going on”

Treatment:

• Leave your comfort zone by having a conversation with someone you don’t normally speak to
• Decide immediately to enthusiastically participate in the next fellowship event

"Let us not give up meeting together. Some are in the habit of doing this. Instead, let us cheer each other up with words of hope. Let us do it all the more as you see the day coming when Christ will return." Hebrews 10:25



Pessimistic-itis

Symptoms: She can find the worse attributes about anything! She usually criticizes all new ideas.

Results: Easily hurts the feelings of others, loss of respect from many young Christians, sets bad example for non-believers, many conversations end when they speak

Treatment:

• Avoid giving your opinion until you’ve thought through an appropriate response
• Make lists of things you’re thankful for
• Practice giving compliments

"Warn anyone who tries to get believers to take sides and separate into their own little groups."  Titus 3:10

"Do all things without complaining and disputing." Philippians 2:14

(stay tuned for part 2)

Singing Hallelujah!

Yesterday, my family was invited to have a family devotional with friends from church. Roberto, our gracious (and comical) host explained how he and his wife Jeana used to have group singing every week through college and how inspiring those moments were to their spiritual encouragement.

As with most of us, life gets busy and it’s so easy to let go of simple, important pleasures. They sought to revive their first love of having weekly devotions...and I’m so glad they did! We talked, we laughed, we ate (eating is always good, right?), but most of all, we sang our hearts out!

It’s beautiful to listen to the medley of voices…what a sweet aroma it must be to God. We all sing in worship service, but singing along freely and earnestly with friends at home just does something to you!

We took turns choosing songs…each person picking nostalgic hymns from childhood or suggesting favorite harmonious selections. Not only did I learn a lot of new songs, but I got excellent song practice as well. Everyone sang out, even looking up occasionally as if to tell God, "I love you so much for what you are doing in my life."

Ephesians 5:19 tells us to "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs..." Now that’s a great way to encourage one another! As we ended our evening, we locked arms and sang "Bind Us Together" and prayed for the families that were represented in our gathering. Simply put, it was a great way to end the week. I think we’ll host it next time.

Learning to Shut Up

Ok, it’s no secret that I have a big mouth. I love to talk! I’ve often thought of it as a gift at times, thinking of how it has allowed me to make new friends, avoid awkward moments, or even speak publicly occasionally without throwing up (I do feel that way sometimes)!

But we all know there’s another side, a dark side, to this "talent". Many times, I fail miserably of just knowing when to be quiet! This is especially true when it comes to Bible discussion (or maybe a better word is DEBATE).

I had a spiritual revelation this week. Nothing new. Not some scripture I’d never read before (as a matter of fact, this scripture was highlighted and underlined). Often times, seasoned Christians can (and should) be pricked by familiar scriptures in a new way. It’s more of a matter of spiritual maturity than it is of scriptural memorization.

In Bible class, we’re studying 2 Timothy 2 and all of the advice that Paul (whom I considered the boldest apostle) is giving to his younger Christian brother, Timothy. He’s reminding him to tell the other Christians to avoid "quarreling about words" (v. 14 NIV). The verse goes on to say that it is of no value and hurtful to those who are witnessing it. Wow. That was powerful to me this week. Me, a zealous Christian, who’s usually ready for the "throw down" any time concerning doctrinal matters and any other discussion in between!

It’s a great point to ponder. Here’s the (arguably) most-passionate apostle who’s kept his spiritual fire for the Lord through several near-death experiences telling his son in the gospel to be gentle and pursue peace rather than give way to stupid arguments. (Yep, the NIV Bible says "stupid") He went on to say that they (the arguments) are pointless.

The heart of the matter is that when we argue about the Bible or any of its principles, we’ve taken God out of it and replaced spiritual truth with personal pride (you know, basically just "getting somebody told"). And that turns it all into "Godless chatter".

Now, none of this means we can’t have Bible discussion. We need that. God expects that. It’s just having the self-control to know when the discussion is fruitful and when it’s not. For instance, arguing with your colleague about how wrong he or she is to have instrumental music during the worship service, usually just leads you to losing a friend...not bringing someone to spiritual enlightenment. Wouldn’t it be easier to just study the Bible together without pointing fingers and calling names?

There’s lots of wisdom in Paul’s letter. He’s near his death in Rome and, as you can see, he’s wiser about a few things concerning the matters of Biblical discussion and exhortation. I think spiritual maturity brings you closer to the goal of knowing that the best persuader for Christ is living your Christianity out loud..not yelling about it!

I feel as though this newest growing pain has helped me to rise above my spiritually-adolescent thinking. Praise God for spiritual growth...

Someone's Watching Me

It's not that I didn't realize others mattered on my race to heaven, it's just that usually I'm so focused on how I'm going to get there that I forget that Christianity is a team sport.

Now don't get me wrong, we all have to do our part (I guess it's more like a relay race...Philippians 2:12-16), but God is pleased to see his children working and growing together.

I recently received two very encouraging notes from two younger sisters in Christ. They weren't long profound letters or phone calls, but the impact was enormous! One came in the form of a text message. It simply said, "Hey Kenya! I wanted to send you a few words and let you know that I love you and appreciate your example as a Christian woman!"

"Wow, where did that compliment come from? What did I do?" I thought. I thanked God for her that moment...she had truly made my day. The second sweet encouragement came in the form of a Facebook status (maybe you didn't realize how encouraging Facebook can be). My sister simply mentioned several ladies in her status that she was blessed to know through their spiritual marriages. (another humbling compliment)

This message isn't really about compliments at all (although they are very nice). This message is more about the fact that your sisters in Christ are watching you.(Unfortunately, this means they notice the good and the bad.) They are noticing the things you say. They are noticing the church events you attend. They are watching the way you interact with your husband and your children. You are someone's big sister and maybe you never even realized it.

Dirty Hidden Places

Even after years of cleaning house, I'm amazed at how often I still find new little hidden places that need lots of cleaning attention. Today, as I mopped my kitchen floor, I noticed nasty little splats of dried milk at the bottom of the kitchen table's legs. "Eww, gross!" I thought to myself. "How long has that mess been there?"

It's funny because I stood there alone and a little embarrassed at my dirty little oversight, so I quickly started finding cleaning products to get the spots clean.

I find that my spiritual "kitchen" can be the exact same way. I try my best weekly to keep myself clean with routine processes like faithful church attendance, bible study, and prayer, but sometimes I find little hidden places in my Christianity that are dirty with old, dried stains.

Yesterday's stain was self-pity. Sometimes when I'm down, I justify my feelings by the actions of others. I can find a reason to be offended by any little thing. Being overlooked for an invitation to someone's party. Someone deciding, without notification, to not attend an event I invited them to. Any little reason will do. I often expect that others should act and react in the same ways that I do. I know this is completely wrong and un-Christian-like behavior, yet I allowed those sinful stains to dry up and make a mess of my Christian display.

A friend once told me, "Avoid self-pity. It is an aggressive enemy that will keep you from your destiny."

I know that I should heed Paul's advice to the Phillippians to always "think on good things." (Philippians 4:8) If I'd stop allowing myself to be so easily offended, I'd be a much happier individual and reap the benefits of counting everything joy.

My sister Lana always reminds me to ask God to create in me a clean heart (Psalms 51:10). And that's exactly my prayer for today.