I grew up going to church. It’s just what my family did on Sundays. To be frank, I didn’t particularly enjoy most of it. It was the days before junior church programs when Sunday School  always involved those felt board cut-out characters.  When I was a kid, church didn’t really apply to me all that much, but I’m sure glad I went.

Going to church as a child instilled in me some core beliefs that guided me toward a personal relationship with my Jesus.  It taught me that the church is a community–a family.  A place where God moves and people can share their hearts, burdens, and pains.  It’s a place of healing.  I watched people pray, give, and love. It’s a place where people (to whom I was not related) loved me.  I learned the basics of who God is and how the Bible teaches His truths. I learned that prayer was important. I learned I was specially created and valuable.  I’m thankful that my parent took me to church so that I could know a lot about Jesus, even before I knew Him.

There are many of us who were church-going kids. It was a tradition that felt like we  just had to endure. It was boring. But, we did not leave unchanged.  Many of us now have families of our own:  accomplished  resumes, comfortable homes, lovely spouses, and beautiful children.  We carry our religious heritage with us whether we appreciate it or not, utilize it much or not.  It is a part of us. It’s an important part.

But, what happens when we don’t take our kids to church? They will not receive that heritage that we were blessed with. They won’t know the basics of who God is and how the Bible teaches His truths. They won’t know what the Bible says. They won’t know there is a community of believers that would support them, love them, and pray for them.  They won’t know about Jesus.  They won’t get to make the choice we made.  If we don’t take them to church—how will they know?

Following Christ is a personal decision. It’s not to be made lightly, and it carries with it some serious responsibility and consequences. But you, church-going kid, you were given the information to make that choice for yourself.  You know the truth.  Shouldn’t you give your child that same option?  If you don’t take them to church—they will never know.

It’s the end of October! The blessed time for pastor’s appreciation.

Just want to throw out the best and most beneficial thing you can do for your pastor to show your appreciation:

Pray for them……and their families.

We have been dealing with some difficult spiritual warfare that seems to be taking significant chunks of our time and resources. I think the enemy enjoys the opportunity to tear down leadership. Sorry, not today.

So, if you would like to show your appreciation for all that those in ministry do, please take the time to hold them up in prayer—all the time. We appreciate it!

One of my favorite aspects of motherhood is learning from my sons. Observing them in action reveals so much about who we are as humans before we mask ourselves behind our failures and pressures.

Watch my boy dance and you will see FREEDOM! We were jamming out to a TobyMac album. That boy was singing incomprehensible words totally convinced he had them spot on. His moves flowed seamlessly from Micheal Jackson to epileptic monkey and back again. It was as if no one was watching. But in reality, he was doing it all for his audience: “Look, Mom. Watch this!”

What if….

We lived in that type of freedom. If we caught what John 8:36 teaches: “If the Son sets you free…. you are free indeed.” In Christ, we are not bound by our past, our mistakes, our sin, or our insecurity. We are free to dance. To live in the security of grace. To live in a manner that says

“Hey, Dad, Watch this! “

Today our electricity went out approximately ten minutes before the service started.  My husband and I quickly gathered materials for our plan B.

Today got me thinking.   Completely stripped of all that we hide behind, what is left of our church?

We didn’t practice the songs we sang. We didn’t have any technology or sound equipment.  Absolutely no flash, no whiz, no boom.

But, we had Holy Spirit goosebumps singing “It is Well with my Soul” with our slightly off-key congregation.

We had church.

We struggle sometimes when we look at what we’re doing against all those church growth models.

We just aren’t that cool.

But Glory, Hallelujah! ….We’ve got Jesus and the Church!

It takes a humble and contrite heart to seek the Lord.

To prostrate ourselves before the Almighty in utter brokenness
is the most intense and awe-inspiring experience we can encounter this side of heaven.

And yet…
In His mercy, the Lord does not leave us in a state of bitter defeat.
He gives us a transformed heart and mind fueled and activated by the Power of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit is calling for us to dare to love with reckless abandon: to give and pray and ache for more of His Heaven and Kingdom reign here.

It hurts. The righteous frustration of a world and people out of whack.

This is what Lent is. Sitting in the pain. Contemplating the Sacrifice. Seeking relief for a world that is so desperate for a Savior. To feel the heart of God: The Holy Ache.

Start making a move toward the heart of God and watch Satan begin to stir.  It is difficult when those arrows come with a face. It’s the hurtful email from the one you’ve been trying to invest in or the phone call from the fellow you thought you could always count on. It’s spiritual warfare with a face. It takes a moment sometimes to recognize that truth, but rest assured that if you are moving toward God and things begin to fall apart; it’s a spiritual issue.  It’s a good sign. It’s uncomfortable, but gear up and push on.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesian 6:12

“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes…” James 4:14

It is a fundamental truth. Mist. Vapor. Fog. Look it up in any translation the meaning is the same– temporary and quickly vanishing. Of course this reminder came to me in the midst of heartache and tragedy, again.

And this time, God has graciously and patiently imparted a drop of wisdom on my heart.

I’m an observer. There are countless things that I admire about so many folks I have the opportunity to connect with. Why do I hesitate to share those insights with them? It’s awkward and the words come out like the first time I tried to say “I love you.” But, I believe I should start sharing anyway.

I don’t know if I will be the next fleeting vapor or they may be, but either way–love can’t hurt. I could talk more about my great Love, even if it’s a bit fumbly, or Heaven Forbid! if it’s not well received. Because life is a vapor. And after all, tomorrow never comes.

One morning I got up before my alarm. I neglected to turn it off as I continued my morning routine downstairs.  The alarm clock beeps for about 30 seconds, and then the beeping increases in frequency until it goes beeping crazy! I didn’t realize it was still beeping away until I had been downstairs for a solid 15-20 minutes.

I went upstairs to turn it off.  There was my little boy, sleeping through all the beeping nonsense. Oblivious. Content. Safe & Secure. Why does that sweet boy sleep so soundly? Because he doesn’t have a care in the world.  He feels entirely safe and secure.

I couldn’t help but envy his child-like faith.  When all the world is amiss–can I live in the safety and security of my Father? Perhaps, not sleeping obliviously, but so secure that I can’t be shaken, not for all the beeping in the world.

I’m often involved in decision making and conflict management, yet I have never attended a board meeting or had the “restoration” conversation over coffee. Perhaps the ultimate frustration in this pastor’s wife journey is the responsibility of leadership coupled with no actual authority or position.

It’s not about the power or status of a leadership position; those things aren’t of real interest. I do have a interest and desire to lead. I like to organize and plan. I’m a leader trapped in a wife’s body. We do ministry as a partnership, but in reality, he’s the pastor and I’m his wife.

I’m busy, too. I have my own full-time problems (I mean job) and someone has to care for the children while these meetings are taking place. Perhaps I am in part jealous that I don’t have have an official voice. Perhaps, I don’t fully understand the impact I can and do have on the direction of the church. I probably just need to get over myself.

And to be completely frank, the hardest part is when conflict comes (and we all know it comes) is that I have to work through the forgiveness part by myself, sometimes with great difficulty and prayer because it’s not my responsibility to be there to heal and restore relationships…I’m just the wife.

Take a second to consider the work of a minister if you find yourself exhausted. The highest and best moments of people’s lives and the lowest and worst moments are what a pastor deals with almost daily.

Weddings, baby dedications, baptisms, salvation experiences are what keep pastors in the game. Beautiful, glorious moments. Those Jesus moments where the body is fully functioning: giving, praying, and the Spirit is moving. It’s a piece of heaven here on this broken earth. It’s enough to make you cry big, embarrassing tears of joy.

There is the other side. Sickness and Death. Broken bodies and broken relationships. Addiction, pain, and loss. Tragedies that don’t make any sense, and there are no words that can even be prayed. You have to just start with the groan of your spirit as you seek His. Yet, these moments are a divine privilege. Sacred in themselves.

Nobody calls the pastor on the mundane days. So if you feel a little tired, and your spouse is a bit whooped, it may be for good reason.

“But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31, NLT).