I've been thinking about direction...

GO THIS WAY!

There are times in life when the right direction could not be more obvious. Paul Sailhamer snapped this image while driving home from Arizona to California recently which got me thinking.

Growing up in Iowa, I remember the phenomenon of the cattle chute. Cattle were loaded into trucks or railroad cars using this method. The cattle entered single file into the chute and then were propelled
through a sloping channel into waiting vehicles. Once they were in the chute they could not turn back or entertain any other options. They could only move forward into their destiny.

Sometimes I feel like one of those cattle. A force outside myself is propelling me forward while keeping me boxed in on all other sides. This is disconcerting to say the least and in the larger sense extremely frustrating to navigate with a submissive attitude. Do you ever feel like I do? If you do, then read on. 

In many life situations there are choices which include good, bad or neutral options. Situations involving choice always require wisdom. Then there are situations in which the will of God is clear and unmistakable like the arrow above. When God's will and my will align we are good to go because I don't care about other options. 

A big problem shows up when I do care about other options. I struggle when the way ahead does not align with my will but nevertheless is clearly the obvious direction I am to go. Remind you of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane? At this point I wish I had not heard Darryl's definition of maturity. He says that the more mature the person - the quicker the repent. Bummer! I can't get away with anything less than humble submission and retain my mature status! 

The bottom line is that no purpose of God can be thwarted (Job 42:2). I eventually acknowledge God as the force propelling me forward. Unfortunately that admission does not necessarily bring comfort right away. I am left to press on just like Paul in Philippians 3:13&14, Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Faith is the heroic effort of your life,

as you fling yourself in reckless confidence on God.

- Oswald Chambers

So, here is the deal. I have been recognizing signs of change over the last year which were directing me to resign from my position as Executive Director of the Center for Women with Vision at Phoenix Seminary. As much as I have enjoyed my playground there, it is time to transition through the chute to my destiny. If this sounds mysterious - well, it is! I cannot fully explain it or even understand it all right now, but I am a cow in the chute and I have nowhere else to go but to fling myself in reckless confidence on God. Onward!

 

I've been thinking about pressure...

AVOIDING THE SPIRITUAL BENDS

DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS or DCS is caused by a reduction in surrounding pressure that produces micro bubbles of gases, similar to the fizzing of a carbonated drink, within the body. It can happen when leaving a high-pressure environment like ascending from depth or ascending to altitude.

In scuba dives micro bubbles are eliminated through the lungs. If they are not given enough time the bubbles grow in size and number causing DCS. You might be familiar with the earliest descriptions of DCS, like the term "bends" for joint or skeletal pain; "chokes" for breathing problems; and "staggers" for neurological problems.

Decompression During Ascent
This is how it works. When a diver descends in the water column the pressure rises. Breathing gas is supplied at the same pressure as the surrounding water and some of this gas dissolves into a diver's blood and other fluids. As a diver moves up the water column, with ascent interrupted by stops at intervals for decompression, the surrounding pressure of the breathing gas is reduced until the inert gases are dissolved in the tissues and start diffusing out again.

Decompression at the Surface
It is also interesting to note that the period at surface pressure after a dive is an important part of decompression and can be thought of as the last decompression stop of a dive. This is because it typically takes up to 24 hours for the body to return to its normal atmosphere levels.

DCS Risk Factors
There are two principal factors which control the risk of a diver suffering DCS:
1. the deeper or longer the dive the more gas is absorbed into body tissue in higher concentrations than normal;
2. the faster the ascent and the shorter the interval between dives the less time there is for absorbed gas to be offloaded safely through the lungs.

Why all this information about decompression?
Decompression seems to be a good analogy for dramatic, high-energy sequences of life events which are often followed by rapid descents into deep discouragement and bone-numbing fatigue. So often I have experienced the "spiritual bends" all the while not understanding what was happening to me. If I had known, I could have planned a more gradual recovery by staging "decompression stops" for myself.  I now understand that adequate decompression is absolutely vital and necessary after a particularly taxing season of high energy output. In addition, here is a new thought. It is quite possible I might require more decompression even when I think I feel fine! 

What does decompression look like in the Scriptures?
Remember how God allowed Elijah to decompress after his very dramatic public battle with the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings chapter 18? Remember how Elijah wanted to die in chapter 19? One commentary explained Elijah's state of mind this way, "His despondency was deeper than personal. It was despair of the world; despair of the fate of true worship; despair about the future of faith and righteousness; despair of everything." Please note that God tenderly allowed Elijah to decompress by providing ample rest before giving him his new assignment and sending him on his way.  

Treatment of DCS
In the event of physical bends, treatment is by hyperbaric oxygen therapy using greater than normal pressure in a re-compression chamber. In the event of spiritual bends, treatment is by greater than normal amounts of rest and refreshment in a safe and peaceful environment. Both kinds of bends, if treated early, have a significantly higher chance of recovery. Our hero, Elijah, survived spiritual bends and modeled the way back for us to renewed vigor and purpose after a near-death experience!

I've been thinking about hope...

LITTLE GLIMMERS

In 1929 a song was copyrighted by Milton Ager (music) and Jack Yellen (lyrics) entitled "Happy Days Are Here Again." This song is #47 on the Recording Association of America's list of "Songs of the Century."  The chorus goes like this:

Happy days are here again
The skies above are clear again
So let's sing a song of cheer again
Happy days are here again.

Have you noticed that for most folks happy days have fallen on hard times? When things are tough the light of hope grows dim. Hope may even shrink to a faint little glimmer from our perspective. No matter what kind of circumstances we are facing, however, the truth does not change. It remains the same from generation to generation. Little glimmers remind us of the huge hope that is ours because of the work of Jesus Christ.

Happy times
He can move heaven and earth for me. Jesus said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me (Matthew 28:18).
He loves me like a doting father. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty (2 Corinthians 6:18).
He holds me close and will never let me go. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword (Romans 8:35)?
He takes care of me. I know You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted (Job 42:2).
He has my back. Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies (Romans 8:33).
He has secured my future. He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).

Happy nights
He finds me when I am lost. I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be My people and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart (Jeremiah 24:7).
He gives me eyes to see. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him (James 1:5).
He lifts me up when I am down. Who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God (2 Corinthians 1:4).
He never grows tired of me. The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary... (Isaiah 40:29).
He heals my broken heart. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3).
He helps me do the right thing. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them, but the transgressors stumble in them (Hosea 14:9).

Happy days
He makes me beautiful inside. Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:2-5).
He never rips me off. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change (James 1:17).
He helps me do good. God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8).
He makes me smile. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11).
He surprises me. For nothing will be impossible with God (Luke 1:37).
He directs my paths. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake (Psalm 23:3).

It has been said three things reveal the heart of a person: eyes, friends and beliefs. What are you believing in the midst of the storm, feelings of failure, overwhelming odds, the visit to the doctor's office, attending a memorial service, being pummeled by the enemy? Do you see any little glimmers? Keep watching! Our God will prevail. He will deliver the goods. He will overcome the evil one and the pain of this world.

Spoiler alert! He will carry us triumphantly across the finish line. Expect a Pollyanna ending because the good guys win! Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Even so. Amen (Revelation 1:7).

Happy times - Happy nights - Happy days - Are here again! 

I've been thinking about influence...

SWITCHING HATS

I have noticed a strange effect in my influence over others.  Some of the people that have resisted my influence the most have turned out to be my biggest fans and supporters.  Why is this?  I think it is because some individuals around me remain free thinkers, seasoned with healthy dose of cynicism, while still maintaining a genuinely submissive heart toward the things of God.

For me this presents the best kind of personal challenge.  I am invigorated when I have the privilege of stimulating a free thinker into a bigger and better place.  Let me explain.

Many times over the years, I have heard someone say to me - especially regarding personal mission statements - that they "didn't exactly like the assignment at the time" but that they did try to do their part and cooperate with me.  Then, I will often hear that later on they quoted their mission statement to others many times over.  They often report to me how, "it has been very formative in what aspirations I take on and what I don't."

In a recent e-mail, one person shared with me, "I think if we have a good statement, and live by it, it will end up shaping our dreams and not letting us get too far off track into areas where we are not so gifted and capable... which should enliven us to press forward and have a sense of joy about being in the right place for God to use us."

In the DelHousaye household we live by a concept called Switching Hats!  Switching Hats means Darryl and I switch roles - sometimes he wears the authority hat and sometimes I wear the submission hat.  Sometimes I wear the authority hat and sometimes he wears the submission hat.  This concept is based on a beautiful Scripture recorded in Ephesians 5:15-21 which says,

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.  Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.  And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit (in the Phillips translation - let the Spirit stimulate your souls), addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord in your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

The Apostle Paul wrote this letter while in prison and therefore these certainly are not frivolous remarks.  Notice how he ends this section - with a statement about submitting ourselves to one another and fitting in with one another out of reverence and respect.  Upon further investigation, submitting is a present participle referring to a continuous activity and it is in the middle voice indicating it is voluntary.  The idea is when we are filled with the Spirit we will practice continuous submission voluntarily.

The concept of Switching Hats reminds me that Darryl and I are trading around submission with each other all the time.  Sometimes, I submit to his influence.  Sometimes, he submits to mine.  These thoughts about voluntary submission set the stage for the next passage in Ephesians which addresses formal times of submission in marriage, family and work situations.  The rest of the time, according to the concept of Switching Hats, we are trading around the responsibility to gracefully influence each other.

Influence grows when I am allowed to influence you and you are allowed to influence me.  When this happens we are allowing the Spirit to stimulate our souls and we both end up in bigger and better places.
The issue is to press forward into the right place for God to use us - mightily!

Some of my best influence has even swayed the most reluctant hearts!  Imagine that!      

     

I've been thinking about vision...

WHEN VISION BECOMES REALITY!

I was cleaning out an old briefcase recently and I came across a most interesting document.  The heading identified it as a vision statement for my old non-profit, Prickly Perspectives, Inc., dated June 2005. 

Thinking back, I remember gathering a group of supporters to discuss the future direction of my mentoring ministry.  I had a sense that God wanted me to expand into a larger collaborative effort.  I also remember asking my mentor and friend, Carol Travilla, to facilitate the discussion.  We met.  We talked.  We dreamed.

Here is the vision statement the group generated that evening:
Expand Prickly Perspectives, Inc. (PPI) into a unique collaborative ministry for empowering women.  Facilitate the development of a center that houses a variety of resources for helping women realize their dreams.

Perhaps some of you reading this blog attended this particular meeting.  If you were present, thank you for participating in birthing a vision that would ultimately serve God's sovereign purposes and bring Him great glory!  Perhaps some of you even contributed to bringing it to life by providing much needed prayer and financial support!

The best analogy to describe what God has accomplished since 2005 is to compare the development of the Center for Women with Vision (CWV) to the function of a spyglass.  A spyglass is a small, portable, hand-held telescope designed to magnify an image.  (You may recall seeing it in pirate movies - "Ahoy there matey; Yo Ho Ho; Shiver me timbers!")  The spyglass functions by "telescoping out" to its farthest range so distant objects appear nearer - or as near as possible. 

Once in a while a look through a spyglass provides just the motivation we need!  The image may seem fuzzy at first - because it exists only in imagination - but with the help of the spyglass "telescoping out" the image is enlarged, expanded, amplified and boosted!  Our infinite God is revealing His Big Dream - something presently immaterial - to our senses!  Wow!  We must work to make His Big Dream a reality because anything else would be irresponsible!

Certainly on that evening in 2005 the vision was fuzzy but the desire was planted!  PPI eventually went away along with all the responsibilities of running a non-profit.  God cleared my plate and focused me on a new vision.  Slowly through a careful and humble process that vision - the immaterial center for women - became a reality!

Looking back, I was always a dreamy kid.  It was not until writing this blog that I fully connected all the dots from my past to my present day!  Out from the Somewhere Over the Rainbow quality in me as a child sprang forth the visionary entrepreneur I am today! 

Looking ahead, it appears God has prepared me to be a visionary guide to women all around me who dream Big Dreams for God.  With the CWV a reality and growing, I am embarking on yet another telescoping of my Big Dream.  In my e-mail signature I capture the essence of where I am headed. 

I am challenging every woman I know - Let's dream together!
God is honored when we challenge one another to abandon small ambitions and attempt things which are great in His eyes, exceeding human capabilities for His own sovereign purposes and glory.

Amen and Amen!  O Lord, show Yourself faithful on behalf of my sisters (me hearties) in Christ who are daring to trust You for great things!


  

I've been thinking about heroism...

MY EVERYDAY HERO - Part 3

This blog is a shout-out to some of the individuals who have stood with us in our transition from Scottsdale Bible Church.  They have stayed connected and helped us succeed at Phoenix Seminary.  In our home we use the expression, they have "skin in the game!"  Meaning, they have not only cheered us on from a distance but they have also walked alongside us in camaraderie and fellowship.

These individuals have stepped up to help us bear our burdens - communicating in all sorts of ways that "we are in this together - we believe in you - we support you!"  We have been blessed by their genuine caring and we want to take this opportunity to give thanks to God for them by name.

Cathy Brown - You are an unceasing prayer warrior!  You listen and discern and, therefore, no one could represent us better before the throne than YOU!  You know Darryl teases those he loves!  He probably is not joking, however, when he says he plans on you nursing him at the end of his life using what you know to ease his pain!  BTW - do you remember that time Darryl intentionally waited in an empty intersection to prevent you from turning so you had to wait for the next green light - while he mischievously sped away? Wasn't that cute and cuddly?  

Jacque Chadwick - We share many memories with you.  You guided Phoenix Seminary in an elegant and expeditious manner when you served as chair of the board of directors.  You provided the bridge to Darryl's full-time position at the seminary.  For those of us who know you best, you ooze love and loyalty combined with a gentle and extremely generous spirit.  You value the things of God, the work of God, the mission of Phoenix Seminary and you actively structure your life around your values.  You do what you say!  You are a treasure of a friend!

Jeff & Tracy Goble - We will always be indebted to you for our amazing 20th year anniversary celebration at Scottsdale Bible Church.  Our entire family was blessed by all the wonderful festivities and the fantastic cruise where we made many lasting memories together!  You have been loving and understanding all through the years and that has not changed even though we have moved on from SBC.  You remain sensitive and understanding of our feelings and you strive to do good in the name of Christ!

Ed & Diane Grant - You are our buddies!  Your large brood entertains and inspires us!  Ed, you are like a brother to Darryl.  You have watched over him, advised and guided him.  You even made it possible for us to join Paradise Valley Country Club - something that NEVER would have happened without your support.  Diane, when we are threatened and we need you - you watch over us us like a mother bear.  You guys breathe our air and keep a watchful eye to make sure we are okay!  We love you like family!

Wayne & Margaret Grudem - You share our love and commitment to Phoenix Seminary.  You both work hard to benefit the seminary in practical ways.  Wayne, you travel and speak and represent us incredibly well around the world.  Margaret, you are hospitable - opening your home many times to host faculty gatherings over the years.  We have told you directly and we remind you now - that you are a big part of why we are at Phoenix Seminary.  We depend on you to walk with us!  We feel blessed to know you! 

Wayne & Bev Lehsten - You are like parents to us - and we think you are the best there is!  You have
loved us unconditionally by praying for us, hosting us in your home for delicious meals and providing wise
counsel - always with enthusiastic balcony support!  We count on you being in our corner.  Your
smiling faces radiate - we love you and we think you are terrific!  No wonder we bloom when we are around you!  We want you to know your investment is a huge part of why are who we are!

Jim & Kathy McDowell - Oh man, have you guys saved our bacon, several times over!  Your generosity and willingness to help us out are like balm to our weary and sometimes very worried souls.  Jim, you are a big brother who provides a steady and loving presence in Darryl's life.  Kathy, you have loved on us graciously and generously through the years.  You both may not know just how much we appreciate you, so we are recording it here for all time.  You make our socks roll up and down!

Jamie & Kim Rasmussen - You have honored our history at Scottsdale Bible Church!  We hear all the time about how you mention your pastor emeritus - the good humor you share and the respect you have for Darryl's teaching - even recommending an expanded study of Romans in the President' class.  Kim, you stand by your man with dignity and grace!  You have entrusted your hearts to us and we have entrusted ours to you!  We hope you will always be a part of our lives and ministry! 

Astor & Sonja Stave - We have seen the world with you two - San Diego, the Pacific Northwest, Vancouver, Victoria, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, Hawaii and Norway!  You have opened doors and windows  of opportunity and adventure for us by befriending us.  Astor, as an older brother, you readily share your wise counsel at your on-going breakfast counseling sessions with Darryl.  Sonja, you have embraced us as part of your own family and nobody makes Norwegian pancakes like you do!

Steve & Barbara Uhlmann - We have been friends for many years and you continue to stand with us in this new season of Darryl's presidency.  You have expanded your own personal passion for marriages to include the mission of Phoenix Seminary because of your love and support of us.  Barbara, your service as chair of the seminary board and Steve, your personal interest in the development and deepening of the seminary, particularly in the area of personal growth and transformation, have contributed in mighty ways to God's Kingdom.  Steve, the CWV will be exploring transformation alchemy this spring.  I promise it will happen!
  
Ed & Mary Lou Willmington - Ed, you and Darryl were "hooked at the hip" for most of our 25 year run at Scottsdale Bible Church.  Darryl takes great joy in the beautiful music you composed out of the pain he inflicted upon YOU!  Your reverence for God, your humility and sacrificial service to the church have inspired us, blessed us and made us cry more times than we can count.  No one  puts a worship service together that lifts our hearts to God - with so many moving parts -  the way you do!  Mary Lou, we are blessed by your angelic voice and your tremendous poise and grace.  That same poise and grace has been passed on to your daughters - two of your finest accomplishments!  We have not forgotten that SBC was built on your monumental investment!

O Father, we thank You that we have been blessed by these dear friends.  We are thankful these remarks are part of our history and heritage.  We praise You because You are the giver of every good and perfect gift!  Amen.

I've been thinking about heroism...

MY EVERYDAY HERO - Part 2

My everyday hero is my husband, Darryl, who has displayed strength to meet daily challenges for all 42 of our years together.  This is my tribute to his heroism.

My everyday hero loves sacrificially.  I have seen Darryl go way out of his way to honor a prior commitment and value people even though it cost him dearly at times.  He lives by something he calls, First Commitment - Priority Commitment, meaning he will not flake out on a previous commitment even if the second opportunity is the one-of-a-kind, never-will-happen-again type.  The only time he violates this code is if the original person will release him - in grace. 

My everyday hero serves the person in front of him.  I have seen Darryl go down on his knees to talk with children; comfort the dying with Scripture; pray for families in hospital rooms; patiently answer Bible questions into the night, if necessary;  relentlessly prepare for a constant array of messages, talks, workshops, seminary classes; counsel the brokenhearted; reconcile enemies; disarm angry complainers; get totally absorbed in another's story; meticulously follow wise counsel; simply hold the door open for a family at their son's funeral; bury my father and nephew; take his sons to breakfast once a week for years; value and validate his beautiful daughters; spend quality time with his extremely beautiful, intelligent and gifted grandchildren; and protect and honor me - his wife.

My everyday hero solves problems.  I have seen Darryl weighed down with concerns; angry at rudeness; disappointed over the outcomes of major decisions; completely exhausted and then, the next morning, have a fresh supply of energy and joie de vivre.  I have seen him tirelessly clear his desk of piles of papers; over-communicate to keep misunderstandings to a minimum; share something he can do in the spirit of cooperation even when he can't do all that is requested; share his theological understanding on a myriad of issues to anyone who will listen; and meet his wife for lunch once a week for over 30 years to discuss scheduling and family concerns.

My everyday hero makes courageous decisions.  I watched Darryl walk away from 25 years at Scottsdale Bible Church because he felt Phoenix Seminary needed him - leaving the insulation of a remarkable reputation; financial stability; and weekly influence over thousands; to build a struggling school.  I watched him fall in love with the people of Grace Community Church and decide to set about bringing health to a body beaten down by problems and discouragement.


 My everyday hero leads with faith.  I have watched Darryl trust God for outcomes while he put one foot in front of the other and kept moving forward.  I watched him believe God for godly elders; assemble a talented staff; nurturing them to be successful while he faithfully did his job week to week - all year around - year after year.  I have watched him believe God for the needs of the seminary even when they seemed completely overwhelming - only to see him overcome and still be faithfully filling the requirements of his presidential role since 1997.

This is my husband, my everyday hero.  He has shown up everyday for 42 years and I don't think he has any intention of slowing down anytime soon.  He will be loving, serving, problem-solving, making courageous decisions and leading with faith until his last breath.  

Christopher Reeve defined a hero "as an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles."  And then, he adds, "They are the real heroes, and so are the families and friends who have stood with them." 

My next blog will pay tribute to the people who have stood with us - especially in our transition to Phoenix Seminary and the many challenges we have faced together there.

I've been thinking about heroism...

MY EVERYDAY HERO

Christopher Reeve, the Superman star, defined a hero this way, "A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles."  Christopher came to understand the nature of heroism after he was paralyzed in a riding accident in May 1995.  For the rest of his life he  remained dependent on a ventilator to breathe and was unable to move any part of his body below his shoulders. 

In his autobiography, Still Me, released in April 1998, Christopher shared how he found respite in his sleep.  He often dreamed of moving unhindered or even flying only to wake each morning to overwhelming obstacles that threatened to overcome and crush his spirit.  He survived pneumonia, infections, blood clots, pressure wounds and a dangerous condition known as autonomic dysreflexia.  He found the strength to carry on for nine heroic years until his death in October 2004.  He was 52 years old.

Some heroes commit courageous actions without considering the consequences.  Pehaps reflecting on this thought, Will Rogers once quipped, Being a hero is about the shortest-lived profession on earth!

Some heroes intentionally lay down their lives for something bigger than themselves.  It is the cause and not merely the death that makes the martyr. - Napoleon Bonaparte

Some go out with a bang like the rebels of Les Miserables!  If one is determined to die for the truth, even a common man can create history. - Vellupillai Pirapakaran

But, not every hero dies.  Heroes live among us.

Some simply show up.  A hero is a man who does what he can. - Romain Rolland

Some shed light.  The hero is one who kindles a great light in the world, who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets for men to see by. - Felix Adler

Some swim upstream.  To go against the dominant thinking of your friends, of most of the people you see every day, is perhaps the most difficult act of heroism you can perform. - Theodore H. White

Some are quiet.  True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic.  It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever the cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever the cost. - Arthur Ashe

Some only need a few minutes.  A hero is no braver than any ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Many heroes are men, women and children who surmount incredible difficulties every day.  My hero is an everyday hero.  My hero is my husband, Darryl, who loves and serves, solves problems, makes courageous decisions and leads with faith.  I will tell you more in my next blog...

I've been thinking about spiritual warfare...

WOODPECKERS

Remember the tongue twister you learned once upon a time, "How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?"  Of course, a woodchuck doesn't chuck wood but does chuck around 35 cubic feet of dirt in the course of building a burrow.  It follows then that if a woodchuck could chuck wood, he could chuck an amount equivalent to the weight of the dirt, or 700 pounds.  BTW - Cecil Adams provided this answer on a website called The Straight Dope - A Straight Dope Classic from Cecil's Storehouse of Human Knowledge.  I loved the byline - Fighting Ignorance Since 1973 (It's taking longer than we thought)!

Over Labor Day weekend I invented a new and memorable version of this tongue twister.  It goes like this, "How much wood could a woodpecker peck if a woodpecker could peck wood?"  Of course, woodpeckers DO peck wood and apparently, quite a bit, since I personally have seen hundreds of holes in just one redwood tree (Sequoia sempervirens) in California.  The woodpecker's bill is very hard.  He uses it to drill bark or wood for insect food or to excavate nesting cavitites.  The redwood tree's soft bark is a perfect delight for woodpeckers and there is no shortage to drill since these beautiful trees often reach a height of 300 feet.

Picture this!  It is Labor Day morning 2012 at Mt. Hermon Christian Conference Center in the heart of redwood territory in California.  Darryl is speaking to conferees gathered together for a time of worship and teaching.  He is in the middle of explaining spiritual warfare and the theology behind Ephesians 6:12, which he says is the most disbelieved verse in the Bible, For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (NASB).

Strange but true - a woodpecker began pecking on the roof of the conference center directly over Darryl's head.  The rata-tat-tat was loud and persistent, but Darryl continued on undeterred!  Soon it sounded like several woodpeckers were at work and the rata-tat-tats became impossible to ignore.  Darryl stopped, looked at the roof acknowledging the noise, looked at the crowd and said with intensity, "If you stay focused on me, I will stay focused on the text!"  

He was determined to not let this distraction stop him from communicating what the Enemy would not want shared.  Interestingly, he had been encouraging the audience to remain undeterred in their faith and trust in God during times of trial and tribulation - to remain hopeful that God's purposes will not be thwarted.  Thankfully, a few moments later, the drilling stopped completely!

As I reflect on the weekend, I realize I witnessed an illustration of  God's strength displayed through human weakness or what I would call human inability to control the outcome of an impossible situation.  This brings to mind 2 Corinthians 12:10 (NASB) which says, Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. 

Darryl did his part as well as anyone could - and the part he had no control over - God stepped in to control.  I can't explain the behavior of the woodpeckers - maybe it is one of those things you had to see (and hear) to believe - but I do know that God's purposes for the conference were NOT thwarted.  He overpowered the powerful distractions of the Enemy!  It is TRUE!  He is strong when we are weak!  His strength was made visible during our weekend in California!  

I've been thinking about proficiency...

DELIBERATE PRACTICE

"It is only when you are alone that you can engage in something called Deliberate Practice, which has been identified as the key to exceptional achievement" by research psychologists.  "When you practice deliberately," (meaning when you do the application opposed to speculating about the theories relating to it!), "you identify the tasks or knowledge that are just out of your reach, strive to upgrade your performance, monitor your progress, and revise accordingly."

Psychologists also note that "Deliberate Practice is best conducted alone for several reasons.  It takes intense concentration, and other people can be distracting.  It requires deep motivation, often self-generated.  But most important, it involves working on a task that's most challenging to you personally.  Only when you are alone, can you go directly to the part that is challenging you,  If you want to improve what you are doing, you have to be the one that generates the move."  Susan Cain, Quiet, The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking, Crown Publishers, New York, p. 81.

It has been determined that it takes approximately ten thousand hours of Deliberate Practice to gain true expertise - great skill or knowledge in a particular field - so it helps to start young!  According to one psychologist,"who studied the lives of ninety-one exceptionally creative people in the arts, sciences, business and government, many of his subjects were on the social margins during adolescence, partly because "intense curiosity or focused interest seems odd to their peers."  Quiet, p. 82.  I spent many hours of my youth alone with nature, books and ideas.  Thanks, mom, for the weekly trips to the library and the space to dream and breathe that are part of the solid foundation of farm life!

Thinking back over my 63 years I've been reflecting on how I spent my time.  Some of the thousands of hours were whiled away doing what I call "puttering" which means doing lots of little things to make my physical environment more beautiful.  But there are also thousands of hours where I made conscious, intentional, carefully considered decisions, too.

Follow my logic:
I have approximately 16 accountable hours every day and on my last birthday I was 63 years old so 63 years X 365 days = 22,999 days X 16 hours = 367,984 hours. 

I have been married since I was 21 years old so 63-21 = 42 years X 365 days = 15,330 days X 16 hours = 245,280 hours.

I have been a mother since I was 24 years old so 63-24 = 39 years X 365 days = 14,235 days X16 hours = 227,760 hours.

I have been actively mentoring since I was 43 years old so 63-43 = 20 years X 365 days = 7,300 days X 16 hours = 116,800 hours.

I know, I know, I know... there are many other things to factor in to these numbers but you get my drift.  The essence is that the volume still indicates an immense amount of hours that were available to me.  The volume also indicates that I have easily put in over 10,000 hours in each of these areas, most likely several times over, and I do believe I did so while applying Deliberate Practice - deliberately - during many, many, many of those hours - because that is just the way I do things!  So now I am wondering - when is someone like me actually pronounced PROFICIENT (competent, skilled) at something?

This is one of those times that I am the only one who can determine proficiency for myself.  And, I don't mind if I do take a few moments to pat myself on the back.  And, while I am at it, let me do that for you as well.  Take a few moments to reflect on when and how you have practiced Deliberate Practice.  Aging does have some significant benefits, after all!

 

  

I've been thinking about vision...

GREAT AMBITIONS!

While editing a brochure recently for a new program coming under the Center for Women with Vision, I needed to focus on language to communicate our visionary philosophy.  After all, we are called the Center for Women with VISION and, therefore, it is extremely relevant and appropriate for us to figure out what we mean by using the word "vision" in our name.

What kind of vision are we talking about?  The verbiage I edited fits our culture at the CWV especially well but the credit for it actually goes to Phoenix Seminary where it is drawn from their values material.  Why recreate the wheel when something is said so well that it cannot be improved upon? 

Anyway, our version - based on their version - goes like this:
We believe God is honored when we challenge one another to abandon small ambitions and attempt things which are great in our Lord's eyes, exceeding human capabilities for His own sovereign purposes and glory!

Yikes!  I am in love with language about abandoning small ambitions!  When a simple phrase lifts me to a new place in my thinking, I am extremely grateful.  I want to do life better and that means thinking about something higher and greater than my own human nature can comprehend. 

When possibilities begin percolating new energy flows, but in the frothy ferment, how can I be sure what is really God's vision?  To help us out, His vision is accompanied by a wonderful thing - confirmation!
Although this "thing" may not be present in my life right now, I can test it and reconfirm it day by day before Him.  Even acknowledging I am waiting on God for His vision to become a reality is very different from my non-believing friends. In my waiting I am demonstrating respect for the limitless creativity and sovereign timeline of my Heavenly Father!

Doubles yikes!  I also swing into wide-eyed alarm about where an adventure with God and His BIG
ambitions might ultimately take me!  Great ambitions - even with the proper motivation - keep me hanging emotionally over a chasm of great risk.  What if I look like a fool for believing and following a vision He has planted in my heart?  What if He drop kicks me into the chasm itself - never to be heard from again?

This is why vision is a difficult word to embrace.  Some even believe, and I tend to agree, that the word has been stolen from us by our culture.  You - the person reading this blog - may feel that Christians have surrendered it to the nut jobs of the world.  How sad if this becomes our excuse for not abandoning our small ambitions!  The Bible records many examples of God giving great discernment and foresight to human beings through their senses - often through dreams as the medium.  What is clear is that He desires to make human beings carriers of what is currently immaterial but very real, nonetheless, in His economy.

My own heart is capable of vain wild imaginings - thoughts flying untethered in the wind.  However, when
God - the Master Planner - downloads His vision into my heart - He ties it to the tail of a high-flying kite!  When His "vision kite" bounces to earth, by golly, what He has planned - will be!  When it is my vision kite - He has allowed me to do something great in His eyes!  Oooooohhhhh!  I am so all over that!

Be Thou My Vision 
Ancient Irish Poem - 8th Century
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else to me, save that thou art.
thou my best thought by day or by night;
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

High King of heaven, my victory won,
may I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

I've been thinking about wit...

GLORIOUS REPARTEE!

Repartee is the very soul of conversation, so it is the greatest grace of comedy. - John Dryden

In the book, Amazing Grace - William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery, by Eric Metaxas, I stumbled across a concept defining a behavior in my husband, Darryl, that I have struggled to explain many times during our 42 years of marriage.  This behavior is unalterably stamped into his French DNA, an important fact that further corroborates my new understanding.  Let me explain.

The book notes that William Wilberforce and his Goostree Gang were well-known for their repartee - the art of responding quickly, smoothly and pointedly in their interchanges.  In fact, one of their favorite pastimes was trading quips - what they called "foyning," or "foining."

The term "to foin" - originally French - means to thrust, as with a rapier sword.  "Foining" swordplay with lighter swords and rapiers had replaced the earlier kind of swordplay with broadswords, which involved cutting and slashing.  So "to foin" meant to parry deftly and thrust with one's wits; the term "rapier wit" is a cousin of "foining."  It was an era in which wit was greatly valued, and Wilberforce and his friends, all inveterate wits, were dubbed by Edward Eliot "the Foinsters." p. 28

A rapier is a straight two-edged sword with a narrow pointed blade used for thrusting - in contrast to the broadsword - a sword with a long blade used for cutting.  So, to parry with the rapier sword in the context of foining - is to lunge at others with a kind of teasing wit which is imaginatively perceptive and articulate.  The banter that follows this lunge evokes laughter - even the sidesplitting, rollicking kind - in appreciation of the verbal ingenuity it requires. 

The sharper the rapier wit - the more ability there is to relate what appears to be seemingly disparate things.  Rapier wit is a kind of genius with a special proclivity for the incongruous - combining two things which are not normally meant to be compatible with each other!  This type of wit automatically captures attention, arouses interest, and amuses.  

On the upside, when wit becomes a firmly entrenched habit in an individual like Darryl, who is naturally good at it and continues to sharpen it, this gift thrusts him into the realm of effective speaking and teaching.  God has blessed Darryl over and over through the years - using wit to break down resistance, woo and illuminate - individuals as well as whole congregations.  As I have looked on, I am certain it is prized today just as much as it was in Wilberforce's day.  We love it, we are drawn to it, we want to be where it is happening!  It is some of the best of what life has to offer! 

On the downside, however, there is danger!  When someone employs great wit and places strain on incongruity, the result can be unpredictable and may sometimes even lack propriety.  People have often said to me, "I can't believe Darryl gets away with what he gets away with...!!!!"  At those times, he is skating very near the edge of disaster but somehow manages to stay in good graces with people.  I think it is because more times than not, he carries hearty fun and entertainment with him into social situations and the comedy he brings is not something any of us want to give up.

In my ongoing research on the subject of wit, I also found a term to describe a slightly irritating but nevertheless still affectionately endearing nuance of foining.  It is a behavior in Darryl called persiflage - which means frivolous (lacking in seriousness - and may I add - often at the wrong times) bantering talk.  Now, I just shake my head and smile benignly.  My little Foinster!

I've been thinking about poison...

BEWARE OF DEADLY DESPAIR!

Why are you in despair, O my soul?  And why have you become disturbed within me? 
Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence.  Psalm 42:5 (NASB)

William Wilberforce (1759-1833), who campaigned for the abolition of the British slave trade experienced a nervous breakdown and his physical health collapsed after a particularly stinging defeat in 1796.
Parliamentary opponents offered free opera tickets to some of the bill's supporters for the night of the vote and the bill was defeated by four votes.  Imagine his disappointment and disillusionment! 

Disappointment is a natural outcome when aspirations and hopes are thwarted - when someone else's will is running counter to my purposes and intentions - effectively opposing me.

Disillusionment speaks to becoming disenchanted with something that formerly attracted or moved me deeply.  I may not become disillusioned as often as I become disappointed but its thwack can knock me senseless and I may wake to a state of cynicism from which my heart never completely recovers.

Even though William Wilberforce experienced disappointment and disillusionment in spades, he did not despair.  He lived to see the day when slavery was declared illegal in all of the British colonies.  However, there is another person living in the public eye today who moved through disappointment to disillusionment to despair right before our very eyes.

I recently read in THE WALL STREET JOURNAL that Thomas Kinkade, "The Painter of Light," died on Good Friday this year, at age 54, after a night of heavy drinking.  I am one of his legion of  Christian admirers who was deeply saddened to hear this news.  According to his brother Patrick, the genius of Kinkade's paintings was that they kept us on the outside where we longingly gazed at the warm, inviting homes portrayed.  His paintings connected to a deep hunger within all of us for the ideal.  Apparently, this longing in Kinkade created a vulnerability - an unfulfilled deep hunger - which allowed disappointment, disillusionment and finally, despair, to overtake him.  His death is a warning that we must take seriously the insidious poison of despair and guard ourselves against it!

Despair is a perilous condition.  When my spirit is attacked, I lose motivation to try and that is what happens when I descend into despair.  Despair means losing all hope.  When I believe things will never change - never be different, I am walking in enemy territory that is very treacherous - a territory filled with lies and misinformation inhabited by a being who desires my complete destruction.  

Over the course of our lives, a thousand disappointments drag us down.  How do we cope when simply a break from the daily grind is not enough to do the trick?  The Psalmist, with wise resolve, chooses to make his disappointment, disillusionment and temptation to despair, a reason to nestle closer to God.  Even though a child of God may know little or even nothing at all about what he is truly longing for, the true object of his longings is always God!

I long for a connected relationship with God where I give and receive regularly - where His presence is help to my soul - the seat of my emotions and desires.  I long to know all the mysterious joys and satisfactions of MOVING CLOSER to God instead of MOVING AWAY from Him during times of disappointment, disillusionment and despair.  With such an immense God, who can imagine the blessings upon blessings hiding there?

If God feels a million miles away, who moved?  I pray my resolve to stand against the enemy and the poison of deadly despair he uses for his advantage will keep me pressing ever closer to my Heavenly Father - the only source of goodness and light in my life.  Strengthen my resolve, O God!

I've been thinking about investments...

*UNCALCULATED!

Early in chapter 8 of the gospel of Luke, several women of distinction are mentioned by name: Mary Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out (she witnessed the crucifixion and was the first person to see the resurrected Christ), Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward (she accompanied Mary Magdalene to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus), and Susanna (who is not mentioned in any other accounts).

Many other women remain unnamed in this passage, however, they are referenced because they all shared something in common. They ministered to Jesus and the twelve apostles traveling with Him out of their own financial means. They invested their own private wealth.

We know Jesus' needs were met because even though the Bible says He had no place or dwelling of His own (Luke 9:58), it does not say that He begged for food, clothing or shelter. His needs were met by the kindness and generosity of people like Mary Magdalene, Joanna , Susanna and others.

This phrase "out of their private means" caught my attention as I sat listening to Darryl's sermon on Easter Sunday morning recently. For a few moments, I was carried away with the thought of what an amazing privilege it would be to contribute to the Son of God's needs directly!

This morning as I processed this thought further, I wondered how I would react if faced with the opportunity to make an investment into Jesus' ministry. Walking with Him, talking with Him, listening intently to His teaching, would I offer up whatever resources I had to support Him? I dearly hope so. I hope I would not miss the opportunity. I hope I would not be stingy or cheap, but that I would give gratefully - generously - rapturously - out of a heart filled with incredible joy.

Is it so different today? Jesus' work continues with the body of Christ investing into every need expressed by the human race. I have often considered how if everyone in the body of Christ participated fully in their area of gifting, there would be no unfulfilled needs. Imagine what it would be like if we all gave in uncalculated ways - everything we have, everything we are. It would be a glorious experience to witness this kind of fullness and abundance.

So I ask myself, why am I so calculated with my investments in Kingdom work? Why do I view everything through the lens of self-interest? I do believe that every once in a while it is good for the soul to give in uncalculated, lavish ways. This means, I don't over-analyze until I can find a reason NOT to give.

Ethan, my five-year-old grandson, and I discussed giving recently. He loves it when his mom and dad set out surprises on holiday mornings. We decided it would be fun to surprise them back. Ethan came up with gift ideas for each of his family members. I helped him by purchasing the items and delivering them secretly to his house. Together we tucked them away and we decided he would chose the moment to give them out! Oh, the excitement this caused in his little heart! (He could not help telling them that he had a secret and they were not to look in the closet!!!)

Ethan reported back to me the details of his giving adventure on Easter Sunday afternoon. His face radiated joy as he talked! It was so much fun to watch! I am praying that this meaningful experience will ignite a desire to give thoughtfully and generously as he grows older.

Just like Ethan, I want my face to radiate the same unpretentious joy at the prospect of giving! I don't want to miss opportunities to invest in Kingdom work. I want to invest regularly, purposefully, with a happy heart. I also like the challenge of giving out of my own personal resources. I am motivated to make more to give more - for all the right reasons!

God, use me to fulfill your promise in Philippians 4:19, And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

*BTW - If uncalculated is not a word, I agree with Darryl who frequently says, "Who made Webster God?" I know you get my meaning!

I've been thinking about potential...

A POTENTIAL TRAP WITH POTENTIAL

You know the scenario. You are cruising along in life minding your own business. The days are whizzing by and your activities are a blur. Then one morning you wake up shaken from a night of fitful sleep. As you slowly gain consciousness, it hits you. A deeply troubling question forms in your mind, "Am I living up to my potential?" It is followed closely by its evil twins: Am I missing the point? Am I wasting my life?

My observations tell me that I am stirred this way often after a particularly wonderful time of self-indulgence. Perhaps, I even feel a little bit guilty about how I eagerly absorb the gracious luxuries of life that God blesses me with from time to time.

What caused me to get off track, shaken to my core, about the course of my life? Defining terms always helps me sort out my thinking. Potential means something present and capable of becoming but not now visible or active.

For a while I added a quote from The Lion King to my e-mail signature. It goes like this, "You are more than you have become!" Yikes! This stirs me up but in what way? If it is followed with accusations like - "Holly, you are wasting your life!" - "You are lazy and ineffective!" - I am tempted to begin to take back control of my life. I think I know better and I distrust the way my Heavenly Father is handling me. This, however, takes me down a dark path.

To help bring balance to my thinking, I turn to James 1:25 in the New American Standard Bible which says, But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

The word translated "looks intently" is in contrast to a casual glance. It pictures a person stooping over to see something better. It means a careful examination because of the importance of the subject under consideration. When a truly wise person looks closely at the Word of God and acts accordingly, there is a promise of blessing that follows. This means God will favor me with things like well-being, prosperity, contentment and satisfaction. I certainly want that!

My potential is always present because God put it there to motivate me - to move me toward the things He desires to do with my life - sort of like the phrase "already but not yet!" My heart tells me that I can only know now what God allows me to know. I can only run with the vision I have and wait for new vision to come.

This brings me to my concern. I don't believe a child of God should force doors open. Impatience is the potential trap with potential! I believe when I wait on Him to open a door then I have confidence that I am following His guidance and direction and not my own. In the meantime my responsibility is to look intently into His Word and obey as best I can.

Instead of cruel accusations these are the blessed encouragements I receive when I am blessed by God. Holly, you are pleasing an audience of ONE - your Heavenly Father. You are walking in obedience moment by moment. You are open and receptive to the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. You are praying about and looking for opportunities to advance God's Kingdom. You are following a course with your life that will bring God glory. You are entrusting your needs and concerns to Jesus. You are loving the body of Christ. You are growing in your understanding of God's Word. You are honoring your parents. You are nurturing your children and grandchildren. Your life is filled with a sense of well-being. You are blessed!

For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son... and those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified. Romans 8:29,30

I've been thinking about trust...

I AM A LABORATORY FOR TRANSFORMATION ALCHEMY - Part 4

In my three previous blogs in this series I have been describing elements of a change process I have identified in my own life as transformation alchemy. Transformation alchemy includes INSPIRATION + KNOWLEDGE + WONDER which God uses to move me along a path toward sanctification. Sanctification is God's term for the incremental changes He makes in me as He changes me to be more like His son, Jesus Christ.

Each element is required for transformation alchemy to occur and I do believe the order matters. The fourth and final element in the process is TRUST. As I mentioned in my previous blog, it was not until I learned about TRUST and specifically the moment to moment call to "entrusting" that I was transformed.

"Entrusting" is an active word to me. It reminds me that each moment of the day I am called to be in accord with God's plan by "entrusting" everything to Him. I have learned through many hard lessons that I cannot presume upon God, I cannot willfully construct my own plans and dreams and expect His stamp of approval. He reveals Himself to me only when I approach Him with a humble heart - sincerely desiring for union with Him. He then makes Himself strong on my behalf and cements the transformation that I cannot accomplish in my own strength.

When I looked up the definition of trust, I found out it means assured reliance on the
character - individualizing ethical traits
ability - state of being able to perform
strength - showing power to resist or endure
and truth - a transcendent spiritual reality
of someone or something.

In this context, entrusting is about constantly, moment by moment, placing my full confidence in my Heavenly Father. Modeling this concept, Jesus Christ, the visible image of invisible God, showed me just what entrusting looks like in 1 Peter 2:23, When He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly. Christ's suffering was undeserved, but He simply "committed Himself" to Him who judges righteously - His Heavenly Father.

Following the example of Jesus, my decision to commit myself to "TRUST by entrusting" brings me to a safe, peaceful harbor where I rest after the storms of life dissipate. A fruit of my commitment is that I am able to remain stable and sturdy under the weight and pressures that life brings. A thought that often comes to mind these days is, "This current difficult situation or circumstance will not change anything that I am doing for the pleasure of an audience of one - God!"

Meanwhile, the on-going cycle continues of INSPIRATION + KNOWLEDGE + WONDER + TRUST = causing a desire within me to aspire to CHANGE. These elements move me forward into a future shaped by God.

And those who know Your name put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You. Psalm 9:10

I've been thinking about wonder...

I AM A LABORATORY FOR TRANSFORMATION ALCHEMY - Part 3

In this four-part series testifying to transformation alchemy in the context of my own life, I shared in my first blog how I gained INSPIRATION from a quote by Anne Ortlund. Once inspired, I was directed to a passage of Scripture in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 which added KNOWLEDGE to my INSPIRATION. I learned that I must be careful how I build on the foundation laid by Jesus Christ. I learned that the works I do in this life will be tested by fire and that the only kind that will survive are the ones that are selfless acts for which I receive no reward here on earth.

After experiencing hope welling up in my soul through INSPIRATION and new energy and direction surging through my mind and heart provided by KNOWLEDGE, I remember sitting in our little Baptist church in California marveling that God had chosen me to serve Him.

The WONDER of it all wasn't so much that God could use people, He obviously could and He did, but the WONDER - intense surprise or astonishment at something awesomely mysterious or new in one's experience - was that He wanted to use me! This realization made my heart soar!

A vision floated into my mind that cemented the WONDER I felt:

I saw myself standing before Christ. He said to me, "What did you do with the gifts and talents I gave you?" As a young wife, I remember mumbling something about how I assisted and supported my young minister husband. Wasn't that enough? My view of myself was that my husband was the primary worker for Christ and that I was a very distant, ineffective secondary character in my own story! Jesus looked at me lovingly but I could see the disappointment in His eyes that I was missing the point. He was speaking directly to me and His message became crystal clear! He wanted me to use everything He had given me in my own direct, purposeful ministry for His glory.

The WONDER of it all caused me to bow in humble adoration and in that moment I joined the throngs through the ages that have confessed, For You are great and do wondrous things; You alone are God. Psalm 86:10

I moved on then - deep in the process of change - filled with INSPIRATION + KNOWLEDGE + WONDER guiding me along a path God designed for me. However, it was not until I learned about TRUST and specifically the moment to moment call to "entrusting" that I was forever transformed.

Stay tuned in! Next week I will explain what I mean by "entrusting" in my fourth and final blog in this series on transformation alchemy.

I've been thinking about knowledge...

I AM A LABORATORY FOR TRANSFORMATION ALCHEMY - Part 2

Where do I go to find knowledge? Do I seek out a wise mentor, a college professor, or an outstanding author? How about a course or a degree? And then, am I actually comfortable with entrusting my future to the opinions and guesses of men, even learned men who are worthy of my respect?

In my genuine search for knowledge, I eventually craved absolute truth - a plumb line providing crystal clear clarity and unmistakable definitions. My quest led me to the Bible and I learned that it made bold claims about being the source of knowledge, understanding and wisdom.

Read some of these claims for yourself:

Proverbs 2:6: For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

2 Timothy 3:16&17: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

2 Peter 1:3: His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence.

Do you believe this? I do and my life is a living testimony!

In this series on transformation alchemy, I shared in my first blog how I gained INSPIRATION from Anne Ortlund. Anne introduced me to the idea that my mission in life is to move others toward the Savior, Jesus Christ, and then she instructed that I am to build on the foundation He provided with materials of gold, silver and precious stones.

When I looked further into Anne's reference to gold, silver and precious stones, I found even more significance. These materials are a reference to Paul's comments in 1Corinthians 3:10-15 about building appropriately so that my work survives testing by fire!

This is the Scripture that added KNOWLEDGE to my INSPIRATION:
10)Because of God''s special favor to me, I have laid a foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. (11)For no one can lay any other foundation than the one we already have - Jesus Christ. (12)Now anyone who builds on that foundation may use gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. (13)But there is going to come a time of testing at the judgment day to see what kind of work each builder has done. Every one's work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value. (14)If the work survives the fire, that builder will receive a reward. (15)But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builders themselves will be saved, but like someone escaping through a wall of flames.

Note: Works that survive testing by fire will be selfless acts for which I receive no reward here on earth. Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 6:1

INSPIRATION + KNOWLEDGE are elements of transformation alchemy and they move me toward permanent incremental change. They produce sanctification that works in me during my time here on earth. Each morning I can anticipate a new day, new mercies and new growth if I willingly participate.

The question remains and must be answered at the crossroads. Will I entrust my life and destiny to the opinions and guesses of others, or will I once again choose to rest in the KNOWLEDGE that the Word of God provides?

I've been thinking about inspiration...

I AM A LABORATORY FOR TRANSFORMATION ALCHEMY - Part 1

God has me right where He wants me! I have been waiting on Him for a greater understanding of what causes transformational change in the lives of individuals. My theory is that there is a general process with specific elements that can be identified and once identified - can be encouraged and nurtured along by a sensitive, visionary facilitator - if God allows.

Last year I participated in a think tank simply called THE CHANGE PROJECT sponsored by Steve and Barbara Uhlmann. Our group of thinkers met several times over the course of the year. Our first assignment was to read six books selected by Steve Uhlmann and then use them as a jumping off place for our discussions.

We recently concluded our journey together by preparing a one-page summary of what we learned. Our summaries were presented to Steve and Barbara at a one-day retreat in early February.

As I prepared my summary, God revealed to me that the Center for Women with Vision is my own personal laboratory to test my theory of transformation alchemy. I did not need to yearn for one or build one. It already existed. And not only did it exist, but it actually was intended as a gift from my Heavenly Father to me so I could watch Him work. And, as if that was not enough, in the wee hours of the morning the day before my presentation, God also inspired me to look into my own life to see if my theory of transformation alchemy was validated by my own personal experience. My week turned out to be a heady revelation of insights.

What I shared in my summary was that my personal involvement with the Uhlmann think tank offered me a fresh opportunity to explore a philosophy that I have ascribed to for years. Early in my career as a pastor's wife, I became inspired by comments I read in a book entitled, Disciplines of the Beautiful Woman. The book was written in the 1970's by an older, more experienced pastor's wife named Anne Ortlund. Anne manifested an appreciative, joyous, effervescent approach to her life and its many demands.

Here are her comments that specifically gave me INSPIRATION:
"As a woman your eternity-oriented task is to affect others, to move them to God through the Saviour, Jesus Christ. Your temporary task, for the years you have them, is to affect the members of your physical family, by whatever means you can, to be "born again" into God's eternal family and to grow within that family to spiritual maturity. Your lifelong task, at least from conversion on, whether married or single, is to influence everyone you can, by whatever means you can, to the same ends - to help them become temple material of gold, silver and precious stones." Disciplines of the Beautiful Woman by Anne Ortlund (Inspiration Press: New York) p. 74-75.

I wholeheartedly adopted this statement of purpose as my own. It was as if a secret had been revealed about what I was supposed to be doing with my life and my role as a pastor's wife. Relief flooded my soul. A fresh, very welcome sensation welled up - HOPE!

Inspiration can be defined as divine influence on a person to prepare them for sacred revelation. This kind of revelation provides the power and energy to move the intellect and emotions. Inspiration in the Scriptures actually refers to God breathing His very own thoughts into individuals. His thoughts are, by their very nature, higher and loftier than our own. When God inspires a person - He actually infuses them - trusts them with His divine insight.

As I thought about it - it seems that inspiration thrives in an environment of lack. It arrives when I am not full of myself, my own answers, my own confidence, my own success. Inspiration fills the void and something new bubbles up in my soul - a new way to think, a new way to live - and I aspire to change.

The bottom line is that God loves me enough to care about inspiring me. He lives outside the box and moves in mysterious ways to provide motivation for change. Often I am inspired by His Scriptures which speak to my deepest needs or through people who demonstrate what is possible by their example. When I see something I want - that I am attracted to - then the transformation process begins. Inspiration is only the beginning of the process, however. There is more to come.

Praise God for glorious inspiration! Praise God it begins the process of change!

I've been thinking about waiting...

GOING SUBTERRANEAN

My blog has been silent since mid-November.

I went silent because of a major lifestyle change that came about when Darryl and I remodeled and moved back into the townhome we lived in (and still own) before our three year hiatus at the Optima Camelview Village.

Also, in November I reached a milestone of 100 blogs. As I crossed that finish line, I felt like it was a good time to breathe a little and give myself space to refresh, reflect and refocus as a reward.

With that being said, however, there is an even more significant reason for taking a break. I promised myself that I would never write anything without humbly waiting on inspiration from God first. So as the noise in my head increased with the chaos of moving and retooling my lifestyle, the ability to hear God's still, small voice decreased dramatically. God took me at my word and kept me sitting in His waiting room until the noise subsided.

I guess here is where you could make a good analogy between the children of Israel struggling with being guided by a pillar of cloud/fire in the Old Testament and my desire to wait on God for His insight before I write. My flesh cries out to push ahead, meet my own goals, do my own thing - but frankly, without His insight, there is really nothing of consequence to write about!

In essence, a stop sign popped up before me in mid-November. Looking back, my assignment was to "run silent" - dredging up a word picture from an old 1958 movie by the name of "Run Silent, Run Deep." The name refers to "silent running" - a submarine stealth tactic. As I contemplated orders to "Run Silent" I also heard a faint echo immediately following to "Run Deep" - perhaps even subterranean - if that was what God determined for me.

What came of plumbing the silent depths? I bow in humble adoration before the greatness of God's works and the unsearchable depths of His purpose which directs His works. From sunlit shallows or murky abyss, God's graciousness and goodness shines forth and I am entranced. I choose to trust again.

My new focus? Steady as she goes! Another colorful seaworthy phrase about finding equilibrium once again - moving out slowly - purposefully - quietly - into this new season. I am reveling in surviving the extremes of the last few months. I am finding the perfectly poised middle of equilibrium once again and it feels so good!

Why quietly? So I can hear inspiration when it comes and give utterance to all God puts in and on my heart. To revel in the adventure of following God's mysterious leading sometimes into the wee hours. Waking is better than sleeping! O happy day!

How great are Thy works, O Lord!
Thy thoughts are very deep.
Psalm 92:5