Double Great

Go or stay? Out or in? What are we called to do as Christians? What if, we’re called to do both? Can we go out and make disciples while staying and growing believers stronger in their faith? Can we go out and reach the one who is lost and also minister inwardly to our Christian brothers and sisters? From my viewpoint, we shouldn’t do one without the other.

I believe churches are called to be missional. We should have a ministry focus on reaching those outside the church. Sharing the gospel with them to grow the family of God. Serving them to meet their physical and spiritual needs. Trusting that God will lead us to the one we can connect with to share His truths. That’s essential to church growth, but more importantly it’s vital in reaching hurting souls with the compassion of Christ and His saving grace.

However, if that is our sole focus, then we can lose sight of our upward relationship with the One we follow as well as our inward connection to the family of God. All aspects of church life are always open to those who don’t have a saving relationship with the King of Kings. Yet, I think if a Bible study group is composed of only church members or a small group is focused on praying with and living life with other believers that it is still a beneficial and vital ministry of the church.

As I was praying over and pondering my thoughts on this matter, I tried to find something that could represent my viewpoint. I happened upon gracetruth.blog and found my perspective very well-stated:

Discipleship – learning and growing in following Jesus
Worship – praise and prayer to God, participating in the sacraments
Fellowship – building relationships within the church
Mission – going out to share the gospel in words and actions

Personally, I’d switch the order of Discipleship & worship as I think worshiping God is what we were created to do. However, I also assert that discipleship helps us grow more like Jesus. Fellowship allows us to be His hands & feet to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Then, because of Worship, Discipleship, & Fellowship we will be strengthened, prepared, and encouraged to carryout the Great Commission’s call.

With this mindset, all things that transpire within the church as a family of believers would connect with one of those four prongs. All would focus on building the Kingdom of God whether it’s focused on our personal upward relationship, inward spiritual growth, inner relational connections, or outward service mission.

Well, that’s what I’ve been thinking about and praying through these past few days. One final thought…have a GREAT DAY and do the GREAT things that God has called us towards. Both practicing the GREAT COMMANDMENTS and obeying the GREAT COMMISSION.

New Year, New Word, Same Me

A few years ago, Jon Gordon had written an article about having a “word” for the year. I picked JOY. Last January, Pastor Mike challenged us to pick a word for the year. I chose TRUST. My focal verse (personalized) was to trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding. In all my ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct my paths.

Well, around October, I started pondering what my new word would be for 2025. By November, I knew. My word would be….

My 2024 word got me through a lot of times of doubt. When things looked bleak in an area of my journey, I would remind myself to TRUST the One who guides my step. This year’s word takes trust a step farther. It calls on me to Trust Him, and….to hold on to the HOPE that good things are in my future regardless of what hat I’m wearing at the time.

As I take steps into 2025, I will find my HOPE in the one I trust. Afterall, He’s the original Promise Keeper.

In 2024, I ended a dating relationship of almost 2 years. He & I remain friends, but it became clear that our views of a our “relationship” were different. After lots of shed tears, I remain friends with him. I chose to find the lesson in the loss. I know what conversations to have before letting myself fall for someone new. I still cherish the relationships I’ve built with his family, but…I had to let go of the idea of what could be and accept what was. I trusted He would restore my joy, and He did. This new year, I start in HOPE that if a relationship is in my future that it will be God-centered and for my good and His glory. If there’s not, my peace remains.

Over the past few years, I’ve watched the membership of my church decline. This is a church that I’ve called “my family” since I was a 4th grader. It has prompted lots of tears, but I’ve continued to serve and to trust Him. My viewpoint on church membership isn’t like most. I will remain faithful until I find myself in a relationship with someone who goes elsewhere or until the person behind the pulpit fails to preach scripture. I’ve remained constant through good times, bad times, and really bad times. I continue to trust. Now, I will take the trust a step farther, and HOPE. I will hope that the next chapter brings growth in membership and faithfulness for those who gather as a family. Maybe I’m Pollyanna and refuse to see the downside, but I believe that He who began a good work will continue it for His glory. I will serve. I will sing. I will trust. And…I will have HOPE.

So, as 2024 comes to a close, are you ending discouraged? If so, rest on the One who sustains.

We live in a fallen world. A world of disease, divorce, wars, and meanness…those things can play a toll on our hearts and our minds.

This year, I’ve watched a friend’s niece battle cancer. On the day I celebrated my nephew’s 26th birthday, I attended this little girl’s funeral. Cancer…sucks. (If you know me, you know that’s not a word I use…but I don’t know a better word for that sentence.) It makes no sense that thousands of people can pray for a little girl’s healing, and in the end…her family must say good-bye to her. Life’s not fair. Sometimes, we can get overwhelmed by how unfair life can be. Yet, we must cling to HOPE. The hope that one day…a cure will be found to keep other children (& adults) from battling this terrible disease. The hope…that the One who didn’t answer our prayers as we wanted knows things that we do not. As this family said good-bye to her, I envisioned Jesus hugging her in a grand welcome and telling her that her battle has ended and she can rest. Hope that my friend and her family will reunite with this little angel one day…on the other side of the journey.

So, tomorrow….is a new day. In fact, it’s the beginning of a new year. May we each cling to the HOPE we can find in Jesus. If you don’t know Him, you can. Call on His name and follow the One who is Peace in the midst of chaos, Love in the midst of hate, Joy in the midst of heartache. Let Him be your Hope.

So, what’s your word for 2025?

Ya Gotta Have Faith!

Faith. Trust. Those are two words that have been ruminating in my thoughts through the first half of this year. So, it seemed like a good reason to write some of my ponderings.

At the beginning of the year, I picked my word of the year. My word? TRUST. Lots of reasons that caused it to be my word. Trust leads to faith. They’re like two peas in a pod. They’re like Laverne & Shirley. Salt & Pepper. Peanut Butter & Jelly. Oh well, I digress…

Over the past several years, the membership at my church has declined. Various reasons, but with each exit of a person or a family, my heart hurts. Yet, in the midst of each departure, a still small Voice whispers…Trust Me. It’s hard sometimes, but I stay faithful to the church that helped me become who I am. You know that song recorded by Miranda Lambert, The House That Built Me, that’s how I feel about my church. Not the building -but the people, the ministry, and the belonging. So, I continue to serve faithfully and trust that He will walk the steps with me.

Trust leads me to faith. My faith in God helps me to trust Him. Then, I ponder…in what else do we have faith?

In my classroom, when I explain faith, we talk about how we have faith that the chair will hold us each time we sit. We don’t think and debate each time we sit down whether we should or should not. Alas, those chairs don’t always last. When the chairs start to wobble, they’re thrown out with the trash…literally. Faith is important, but what’s more important is in what or who we have faith….

When I was growing up, I often heard “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds” when referring to the post office. Turns out that the saying has nothing to do with the post office, but it came from an ancient book and referred to messengers in the Persian Empire. It actually comes from book 8, paragraph 98, of The Persian Wars by Herodotus, a Greek historian.

Regardless, I’ve always had faith in our postal system. Each summer when I send post cards to my students, I trust that they’ll arrive within the week that I mail them. It’s a faith built on past experience. However, just like that chair doesn’t always hold up to the trust we have in it, my faith in the postal system also waivered. On April 12th, my sister mailed out invitations to my nephew’s wedding. Mine arrived on….June 10th. I kid you not. It took almost TWO entire months for my invitation to make it from Hanover to my house – which is less than a 10 minute drive. Granted, letters have to go through all the hoops of the postal system, but … that’s ridiculous! My faith has been severed. My trust has been abolished. When I send out my letters to my new students this summer, I’ll be sending them out 2-3 weeks ahead of school rather than just the week prior. Recent experience has destroyed the trust and faith.

Faith & trust also play important parts in relationships. Sometimes, I think it’s more hope than faith. We hope that one day feelings will be reciprocated and relationships will strengthen. In time, we find that the hope has been deflated and the faith we had in the connection has been extinguished. It’s part of life, I suppose.

Faith and trust aren’t infallible. Those we trust can betray us or a “little lie” can destroy it. The ones we have faith in can fall off the pedestal that they’re on and our hearts can feel betrayed. What do you trust? Where is your faith?

In the end, the only One who never falters is the One who created me (Father), gave His life for me (Son), and dwells within me (Holy Spirit). Those who don’t share my faith hurl swords at it on social media because to them it makes no sense. It doesn’t help that some who do share my faith have actions or words that tarnish the REAL faith. All I know is that the One who holds my faith is the One who also sees my tears. The One who reminds me that I’m worth it when I feel devalued. The One who reminds me that He has a plan for me and is using me to make an impact on the lives of others.

That Faith….that Trust….is my foundation and give me hope for tomorrow.

Thanks for reading my ponderings. Have a great day! Good-bye….