Discovering Advent

The Christmas season is a crazy, magical time of year.  But, I will admit that I had gotten into a bit of a rut when it came to celebrating the season.  The past couple of years I just felt burned out and tired and wanted to hurry up and get it over with – not a great way to feel during the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”   I needed a change – an attitude adjustment, if you will.  The stress of shopping and trying to find just the right gift and running from one event to another was drowning out everything beautiful about the Christmas season.

As a Christian, the celebration of Jesus’ birth is central to my celebration of Christmas.  And, I felt like I needed to bring my focus back to the Christ child in order to regain the peace and the joy of the season.  While I was never part of a liturgical church that followed the formal church calendar, I began to read about the meaning and celebration of Advent, and I’ve found that I really love the symbolism that it brings to the days and weeks leading up to Christmas Day.

Advent is all about waiting – something we as Americans generally HATE to do.  But, it’s not about the kind of waiting that we do when we’re standing in a long line at the mall or waiting through the third cycle of a stoplight during rush hour.  It’s not that bored, frustrated kind of waiting that drives us to distraction.  It’s about waiting actively.

Advent invites you to lean into the waiting as you anticipate the coming of the Christ child.  Webster’s dictionary says that anticipation is a “feeling of excitement about something that is going to happen.”  There’s a tension in the air that’s almost tangible.  Think about how you feel as you wait for a concert to start or a wedding ceremony to begin or a roller coaster to crest the first hill and take you over the top.  That’s anticipation.  Advent is about fully experiencing that kind of anticipation as you think about and ponder the approach of Christmas day.  And, as you wait expectantly, you find that hope begins to rise – faith begins to rise – joy begins to rise – and peace begins to settle deep within your spirit as you turn your focus towards something bigger than yourself.

So, during this crazy Christmas season, take some time to stop and wait.  Think about how Mary felt as she journeyed to Bethlehem knowing that her baby was about to be born.  Think about the wise men as they journeyed for many days, following a star, drawing closer to the moment when they would meet the baby-king that they were seeking.  Look into the sparkling eyes of a child filled with wonder and excitement as they count down the days until Christmas.  Wait.  Expectantly.  With anticipation.  Find hope.  Experience joy.  Seek peace.  Embrace the journey to the advent of Christmas.

Now “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13 (NLT)

Why I still love the local church...

There have been a lot of articles written over the past couple of years talking about the decline of the church and what’s wrong with the church and why the younger generation is falling away from the church and why the “organized church” is no longer relevant to today’s society.  And, those articles have made some valid points – the church isn’t perfect.  Would you like to know why?  I can tell you why.  Because the church is made up of people – people just like you and me – imperfect people who make imperfect decisions and act in imperfect ways.  And, as long as the church is made up of people, it will continue to be imperfect.  However, I do NOT believe that the church is irrelevant.  In fact, I believe that we need the church more today than we have ever needed it.  So, here are a few reasons why I believe that we NEED the church – in spite of its imperfections – in spite of its failures.

We were created for community.  After God had created Adam, He looked at him and said, “It is not good for man to be alone.  I will make a suitable helper for him.” (Genesis 2:18)  He could have left Adam alone in the garden to enjoy creation, but he knew that Adam needed a companion.  In Ecclesiastes 4:12, it says “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”  There is strength and power and safety in community.  This world can be a tough place.  We need community to make it through. 

Have you ever heard the phrase “circle the wagons?”  It comes from the 1800s when the settlers were crossing the plains.  They didn’t take off across the country on their own.  They travelled in groups – in wagon trains.  And, when they felt threatened or when they stopped for the night, they would bring the wagons around to form a circle which offered protection from outside forces.  You didn’t want to be the one lone wagon out there on the prairie by yourself.  You needed that community – you needed to be able to circle the wagons in order to survive the journey.  In the same way, we need the church to be able to survive our journey through this world.  The journey is a lot harder – maybe even impossible – if you try to go it alone.

We need others to show us the way.  Just like those settlers in the 1800s didn’t inherently know how to get from North Carolina to California on their own, we aren’t born knowing how to get from here to eternity on our own.  We need others to help point us in the right direction.  When I worked for a large software company, our consulting organization had a basic process that they used to train new consultants – It went something like “See one, help one, do one.”  The idea was that a new consultant would tag along with a more experienced consultant and watch as he completed a project.  Then, the two would partner and work together on the next project.  And, then, finally, the new consultant would do a project on his own with the knowledge that he could call on the experienced consultant to answer questions if needed. 

Jesus also set an example for us.  During his short ministry here on earth, he called 12 men to walk with him and help him and learn from him.  And, then, when he sent them out, he didn’t send them out on their own.  He sent them out two-by-two.  There weren’t any lone rangers on Jesus’ watch.  (Mark 6:7)

So, what should the church look like?  What are the characteristics of a vibrant community that is actively encouraging and protecting and teaching and guiding?

In Acts 2, we find that the church devoted themselves to prayer and to the apostles teaching.  They fellowshipped together and ate together.  They shared with others in their community so that no one was in need.  In Romans 12, we’re told that the community of believers should rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.  They should live in harmony with one another.  They should not be proud but should be willing to associate with those that are on the fringes of society.  In James 1, it says that true religion is to look after the widow and the orphan and to take care of those in need.  And, in Titus 2, it says that the older should teach the younger so that they will know how to live a good life in this world. And, above all, an authentic community should strive to live out the great commandment and the great commission:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" -- Luke 10:27

”Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” -- Matthew 28:19-20

I know it’s easier said than done, but if we get those two right, the rest should really fall into place.

So, I’m not ready to give up on the organized church just yet.  I need community – I need mentors – I need people to come alongside me and walk through this world with me.  I don’t want to be a lone ranger.  And, I am thankful to be a part of a vibrant, authentic church community that isn’t perfect but that is striving to love God and love others in the best way that we know how. 

Life is a Mist - Live it Well

"What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." - James 4:14

I’ve been thinking about this verse this morning and wondering how differently we would live our lives if we really believed that this verse is true.  Because, the wisdom of this verse is freeing in a way.  Life here on earth is short – too short to waste it worrying about “what ifs…”  Fear of what might happen or what people might think often holds us back or causes us to put things off until later. 

But, we aren’t guaranteed a later.  And, if we’re not careful, we’ll waste the time we have here.  We’ll be so focused on avoiding pain or loss that we'll miss the opportunity to experience great joy.  We may be ”safe” – but how boring is that?!  I don’t want to look back at the end of my life and just see a pale grey existence.  I want to see a life filled with colors – ups and downs – love and joy and sorrow and pain.  I want to experience all that God has for me here in this life with the knowledge that there’s even more to look forward to in the life to come. 

I want to make a difference in the world – and making a difference sometimes requires us to risk everything that makes us feel safe and secure.  It requires us to step outside of our comfort zone into the great unknown.  But, if we remember that our life here is but a mist – a precious mist meant to be enjoyed and lived to the fullest – a mist meant to leave a mark on the world around us – I think it makes it a little easier to take those risks and chase those dreams and sacrifice the safety of the “good life” for the wild and wonderful ride that makes this a “great life.”

To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson:   “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

And, I would add - The purpose of life is not to be safe.  Life is too short to be bound by fear.  James 4:14 reminded me this morning that it’s time to kick fear in the face and get out there and live life – and live it well.

Potato Salad Won't Change the World, but YOU Can!

The power of social media is amazing.  It reminds me of that old Faberge Shampoo commercial – You know, the one where the spokesperson says “I’ll tell two friends, then they’ll tell two friends, and so on, and so on, and so on…” – and pretty soon, the whole tv screen is filled with girls who know about Faberge shampoo.  Except, social media puts this concept on steroids.  Now, it’s “I tell 400 friends on Facebook, and you tell 750 friends on Twitter, and they tell 2000 friends on YouTube…” and the next thing you know, it’s gone viral, and the whole internet is abuzz with your message.

People are now starting to harness the power of social media through “crowd sourcing” to help fund all sorts of ideas.  I recently saw an article about crowdsourcing your wedding.  Websites like Kickstarter let you crowd source capital for all sorts of business and charitable projects.  You pitch the concept, and if you can convince enough people to buy into your idea, you can end up with a pocket full of cash to help you chase your dream.

If you think about it, it’s a pretty cool concept.  If enough people get behind a project, and everyone pitches in just a little bit, you can very quickly raise enormous sums of money – without putting a huge strain on anyone’s wallet.  But, here’s the rub… There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to determining which ideas catch on and “go viral” and which ones lie dormant and unnoticed.

Case in point:  You may have heard about the potato salad guy (and, yes – I realize that by sending you to his Kickstarter page, I’m just contributing to the visibility of his project, but indulge me for a moment).  He decided to use crowd sourcing to raise $10 to make a bowl of potato salad, and as of right now, he has raised somewhere in the neighborhood of $40,000.  He hasn’t indicated that he has any intention of doing anything with the money other than making some potato salad.  He’s not going to give the food to the homeless, or donate any of the money to help alleviate poverty or human trafficking or (pick your favorite cause) – He’s just going to make some potato salad. 

I don’t have anything against this guy – or potato salad.  Good for him for getting his idea to go viral and raising enough money to pay his bills or take a vacation or make enough potato salad to last him a lifetime.  What really bugs me is that there are lots of other projects – on Kickstarter and elsewhere – that could have a huge positive impact on the world around us, but they are severely underfunded.  If you don’t believe me, just do a quick search for the word “poverty” on Kickstarter.com and you’ll see what I mean.

There are people who I know personally who have dedicated their lives to helping relieve poverty of the body, soul, and spirit – who have left the comfort of their American homes and jobs to live among the people in underdeveloped countries - and they are struggling to make ends meet.  They have to take months out of the year to raise support (e.g., beg for money) when they could be spending that time helping the people who they feel called to serve.

For the life of me, I can’t understand why in the world someone would give $10 to help some random guy make potato salad when they could take that same $10 and give it to an organization who could use it to feed a starving child for a week.  I know that the potato salad project is funny and human nature compels us to participate in the fun, but just stop for a minute and think about the impact that $40,000 could have if it was placed into the hands of people who are trying to help better the human condition around the world…

So, what’s the point of this rant?  The point is this:  Potato Salad guy was able to raise all that money because lots and lots and lots of people gave a very little bit.  Most of the donations were less than $25.  Sometimes, we fail to give because we feel like we don’t have enough.  We feel like our tiny donation of $5 really isn’t enough to make a difference when the needs are so great.  But, guess what – If you gave $5, and each of your friends on Facebook or Twitter or Tumblr or Instagram gave $5 – you might be surprised to see how quickly all the $5 donations add up to a lot.  On your own, you may not be able to change the world with $5.  But, guess what – Together, we CAN change the world if ALL of us give a little.

So, here is my challenge:  Find an organization that you believe in – one that is doing something good for the world – and give a little.  And, if you really don’t have anything to give financially, then take a Saturday morning and volunteer.  Giving of your time can be just as valuable as giving of your finances.  And, if you don’t know where to give, here are few of my favorites for you to consider:
 

One Day’s Wages:  A grassroots movement of people, stories, and actions to alleviate extreme global poverty.

Help One Now:  A catalytic tribe committed to caring for orphans and vulnerable children by empowering and resourcing high-capacity local leaders in order to transform communities and break the cycle of extreme poverty.

Compassion International:  A Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social, and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible fulfilled Christian adults. 

Exodus Road:  A nonprofit organization that exists for the purpose of alleviating human trafficking.

Wheresoever Ministries:  A Christian organization that encourages individual and community wholeness including spiritual, physical, mental, and environmental aspects in Mozambique and Malawi and around the world.


Thanks for listening – and remember – You can make a difference.  You really can…

The Freedom to Fail

Growing up is hard.  I think that all of us have experienced that truth at some point.  It’s especially true as we navigate those awkward teenage years through Middle School and High School.  I definitely had my share of struggles during that period of my life. 

Surprisingly enough, I now find myself travelling down that bumpy road from childhood to adulthood again – only this time, I’m in the role of a parent who is taking the journey with my kids.  And, guess what?  It’s not much easier the second time around!

Don’t get me wrong – I love being the parent of tween/teenagers.  I love seeing their personalities blossom.  I love hanging out with them and doing things with them and travelling with them.  I love dreaming with them about the future.  I love having deep discussions with them as they wrestle with the hard questions of life and faith.

But, as the parent of a teenager, I’m more aware than ever that my job as a parent is to prepare my child to “leave the nest” and become a functioning, self-sufficient adult – preferably one who is responsible and kind, who loves God and loves others, who makes good decisions and operates with integrity – one who no longer needs my help on a daily basis…

This task of preparing your child to launch into the real world is different from the task of teaching your child to walk or go to the potty or read or ride a bike or respect authority.  Those tasks require a parent to be very hands on, offering lots of direction and help and encouragement along the way.  But, preparing your child to leave the nest means loosening your grip and expanding boundaries and offering independence. 

This summer, I’m realizing that all of that means that you have to give your child the freedom to fail.  Why, you might ask?  Because…

• Sometimes they don’t fail – they succeed – on their own – without your help.  And, it gives them a tremendous sense of accomplishment.  It increases their confidence.  It makes them more willing to try something a little harder next time.

• Sometimes, they fail.  And, they experience the consequences of their failure – and they learn from those consequences.  They learn far more by experiencing the consequences than they ever would by just listening to you tell them about the potential consequences.  And, you’re there, providing them with a safety net of love and concern that helps them pick up the pieces and try again, but that doesn’t judge or condemn or say “I told you so.”

• Because by giving them the freedom to fail, they can learn to succeed.

This is a hard lesson to learn as a parent – especially when you’re an overprotective parent with a tendency to do too much for your children.  It’s a hard concept to implement when you want so badly for your child to succeed.  It’s hard to hear your children say that they don’t need your help and realize that they’re actually right and that they’ll be ok without you and this is exactly what you’ve been preparing them to do for the past 13 – 18 years. 

So, that’s my goal for this season of my life as a parent – loosen my grip and offer my kids more responsibility while giving them the freedom to fail – and pray – a lot – without ceasing…  What are your goals as you journey through the wonderful world of parenting teenagers?

“Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old he will not depart from it.”  Proverbs 22:6

Rest is a Verb

December is a crazy month.  It’s that time of year when everyone I meet exudes a sense of childlike excitement mingled with very real adult-like exhaustion.  In December, maybe more than any other time of the year, we run ourselves ragged trying to insure that we find just the right gifts for everyone on our list and attending every party and event for school, work and church while attempting to stay on top of our regular daily to-do lists as well.  And, as I sit here in the midst of all of this craziness, I’m struck once again by the fact that our culture has lost sight of the importance of rest.

This idea of “rest” (or the lack of it) has been an ongoing theme in my life for the past several months.  As I’ve transitioned from a demanding corporate job to a more relaxed academic career, I’ve taken some time to examine the things that are working well in my life and the things that needed some adjustment.   And, I’ve realized that one thing that is glaringly absent from my life is time for rest.  The rest that I’m talking about is not just sleep (although I could certainly use more of that).  It’s something more than that.  I’ve spent quite a bit of time thinking about this concept of rest, and this is what I’ve concluded:

Rest is a verb.

When I say that rest is a verb, I’m not just talking about a part of speech.  What I’m saying is that rest is active.  Rest requires us to DO something.  It doesn’t just happen on its own.

Newton’s First Law of Motion goes something like this:  “An object in motion tends to remain in motion unless acted upon by some external force.”  Once an object is moving, it doesn’t just stop on its own.  You have to DO something to make it slow down or stop.  I think that the same is true of our lives.  We’re all busy – all the time.  We are constantly on the move – running to school, to work, to the grocery store, back to school, to soccer practice, back to work, to band practice, back to school, to church,… and so it goes.  I’m guessing that most of you know what I’m talking about.  And, even when we’re at home “unwinding,” we’re still in motion – talking on the phone, texting our friends, reading e-mail or social media feeds, or even catching up on work to make sure that we’re prepared for that big presentation.  It never stops – and it won’t stop – unless we take some action to MAKE it stop.

That’s why I maintain that rest is a verb.  It doesn’t just happen.  You have to be intentional about carving out time in your schedule to stop the motion so that you can rest.  Rest is active – not passive.  The kind of rest that I’m talking about is more than just passing out on your bed at midnight from pure exhaustion.  The kind of rest that I’m talking about is a “selah” break in your routine.  The Psalmist used Selah to remind the reader to stop and mediate on what they had just heard.  That’s the kind of rest that’s needed in our lives today - a time to pause our schedule and simply reflect.  Selah.

I have come to the conclusion that we need to specifically build time into our schedules for rest – physical, mental, and spiritual.  Physical rest gives our bodies time to heal and renew.  It’s ceasing from activity – sitting down on the couch or the porch – taking that Sunday afternoon nap.  Your physical strength is renewed when you take time to rest.

Mental rest allows us the luxury of quieting our minds.  It’s putting the to-do list aside, turning off all of the inputs that demand our attention, and doing something that rejuvenates your thought life.  That could be reading a book or writing in your journal or just enjoying the silence.  It’s ok to close your computer and ignore your e-mail and social media feeds.  I guarantee that anything there can wait 30 minutes or an hour while you take a break.  It’s ok to turn off your cell phone once in a while.  That’s why God created voice mail.

Spiritual rest restores your soul.  Meditate on the goodness of God.  Count your blessings.  The psalmist says “BE STILL and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)  When was the last time that you found a quiet place to simply be still and soak in the presence of God – without asking him for anything – just thinking on His goodness? 

I’ll say it again – rest won’t “just happen.”  Downtime won’t magically appear in your schedule.  Believe me, I’ve tried that approach, and there’s always something else that needs to be done.  Rest is something you DO – it’s a verb – something to be actively pursued.

As a society, we’ve lost sight of the importance of rest.  And, if we’re not careful, we’re all going to suffer as a result.  My goal for next year is to be more intentional about building rest into my schedule.  Yes, there are things that might not get done immediately, but in the long run, I believe that taking time to rest will help me to be physically healthy, mentally sound, and spiritually at peace.  And, ultimately, all of that will benefit not just me, but my family, my friends, and my co-workers.

During this Christmas season, find some time to rest and reflect on the most wonderful gift that this world has ever received – Think about that silent night – Imagine yourself in the stable gazing on the face of the baby who would one day save the world.  Be still and know that He is God and remember that He loves you and has good plans for you.  If you do, I believe that you’ll find a renewed joy as you celebrate the season this year.

Moses Meets Universal Studios (or, Walking Through on Dry Ground)

Have you ever wondered what it must have felt like to follow Moses through the middle of the Red Sea?  We all know the story:  The Israelites were on their way out of Egypt heading towards the Promised Land.  Pharaoh’s army was coming up behind them.  And, then they ran right up against the Red Sea – completely blocking their escape route.  They needed a miracle, and God didn’t disappoint!  Moses held out his hand; the water parted; and he led the children of Israel through on DRY GROUND.  (Exodus 14)  Crazy, right? 

It sounds really cool, but it was probably a little scary.  We don’t know exactly how it happened or what it looked like, but we can imagine.  In fact, when we visited Universal Studios in Florida recently, we got a little taste of what it might have been like.  We went through the Poseidon’s Adventure attraction, and there is a point where a door opens up and you have to walk through a tunnel with water swirling up the sides and overhead.  You go through on “dry ground,” but you can hear the rush of air and water all around you, and you can feel the mist on your face and arms as you walk through.

It must have been like that for the Israelites.  The ground was dry, but I believe that they still felt the effects of the water piled high on either side of them and the wind that was holding it back.  They had to feel a certain degree of confidence given the miracle that was evident all around them.  But, they could also hear Pharaoh’s army quickly approaching behind them; so, their faith may have been mingled with fear. 

I guess this has been on my mind recently because I’m feeling a lot like the Israelites in the middle of the Red Sea.  I’m heading in a new direction in my life right now, and I’m leaving the comfort of the familiar behind.  I feel confident in the direction.  In fact, I’ve been reassured by these scriptures over and over again:

Psalm 139:4-6: “ Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.   You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.   Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.”

Isaiah 52:11-12: “Depart, depart, go out from there! ... for the Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard.”

I know that the Lord is going before me and preparing the way – just like He went before the Israelites and parted the Red Sea.  And, I can feel His presence behind me, protecting me from any danger that might try to sneak up on me  – just like He came along behind the Israelites and let the Red Sea crash in on Pharaoh and his army. 

But, to my surprise, things have been a little bumpy as I’ve traveled down this path.  Fear has tried to creep in – opportunities have tried to distract – misunderstandings have tried to break down relationships – and I’ve wondered why… Why, if the Lord goes before me and behind me – leading me and protecting me – why do I still feel shaken at times?  And, as I thought about the story of Moses and the Red Sea, I began to understand. 

I realized that I am, in fact, in a SAFE place – I am on the RIGHT path – I am PROTECTED by the mighty hand of God.  But, I’m NOT IMMUNE to the forces of the world around me.  I can still feel its effects.  However, if I stay focused and faithful - if I persevere – I’m learning that I can remain immune to its consequences and come out unscathed on the other side.  I might be a little damp from the mist and out of breath from running the last few yards before the water closes in behind me, but I’ll get there – safe and sound.

So, if things in your life are a little bumpy right now, think about the folks who followed Moses into the Red Sea and walked through on dry ground.  Keep pressing forward.  Don’t look at the water all around you.  And, remember that God’s got your back, so you can make it through to the other side…