Recipe for Success: Life + Pepper

There's a saying that a Dutch friend of mine shared with me that I simply cannot shake. She said she felt like someone needed to:

Eat a little more pepper!

The visual of a person choosing to add spice and a little "get up and go" to their approach to life was humorous for sure. In her direct, poetic way she was expressing frustration about a person's hesitance to make decisions and move boldly. And, while not making a commentary on the specific person/situation she was referring to, I gave a hearty "Amen" to the sentiment. You see, I am constantly amazed at the hesitance of Christians. When I read the Bible, I see so many examples of boldness and so many moments where God asked for people to walk with authority. You look at the patriarchs of the faith and see examples people like Abraham who left on God's command and walked boldly into what they were called to do or women like Jael who without trembling immobilized the enemy with a nail into the temple in his sleep (Judges 4). When you look at all of the people who made it into the "Faith Hall of Fame" in the book of Hebrews, you see countless examples of boldness and courage that continue to baffle us to this day. Or you can even think of contemporary examples like Albert Einstein, MLK, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Margaret Thatcher, and so on across the nations who were world-changers because of their boldness.

Some moved on behalf of Christ and others in the name of whatever power they held dear. And so I find myself wondering how, if people can change the world and walk boldly with non-Christian motivations, how much more can we as Christians do in the boldness we draw from Christ? You may be reading this and have been on a see-saw of emotions--wondering what your next steps in life are, seeking God on which way to turn...which way to go, people to see, places to be. Today, I want to challenge you to move in boldness and add a little "pepper" to your approach. Pick up your mantle of faith and walk without fear. Remember what God has placed in you--the gifts and dreams that have simmered under the surface. Remember the doors He has opened; and walk through those doors without abandon...or to echo my friend...Eat a little more pepper! Need scriptural basis for this command? Try out:

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:6-7)

Though you may fear making a mistake, I ask you...what is the harm in that? Most mistakes are the building blocks of greatness. So for now, disregard the potential for mistakes and spice up your life. For sure, a little dash of pepper/boldness can surely be that one last ingredient to a recipe for success that you need to accomplish what God has called you to.

Be encouraged,
Pastor Andrea

Moving Past "Didn't"

"Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 

For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God 

you may receive what is promised....But we are not of those 

who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those 

who have faith and preserve their souls." 

Hebrews 10:36-37, 39

New Year's is one of my favorite times of the year (besides my birthday and Christmas, of course). I'm one of those people who thoroughly enjoys the pomp and circumstance of bringing in a new year (fireworks, dressing up, etc.); and I suppose that it's mostly because I like the idea of fresh starts. However, even with the promise of a fresh start around the corner, there is often a time at the end of the year when my heart starts to wane. I find myself doing self-assessments and pondering all of the things that happened throughout the year and all of the things that didn't. And it's the "didn't" things that tend to get top billing in my heart. I consider all of the things I wanted to accomplish or all of the hopes that I had for various promises of God to be fulfilled/made manifest in this year and my confidence begins to falter. "Didn't" seems to win out.

But without fail, God does what He did this week. He points me to His Word in reminder of how I can nip the downward spiral in the bud. I think we (including me) sometimes forget that God is the ultimate Father who wants to give good gifts...He's God who is actively "doing" and hasn't forgotten what's on his task list. He's not like our image of Santa Claus--He doesn't put us on a "naughty" or "nice" list and attach his promises to our works (though sometimes consequences to our actions feel that way). Keep in mind what he already DID despite whether we deserve it or not. I mean...He already gave the ultimate gift in His Son, but that wasn't the end. We (me too) need to remember that God isn't done. It's like if a parent gives a child what they asked for for one birthday...they don't resolve to never give their child another gift ever again in life. Such is how God does me (His favorite daughter). Such is how God does you.

And so, this end of year time as you begin to self-assess and wonder/worry/ponder on the things that you didn't get or do, take heart that there is still a "great reward" that awaits. God is in the did business! Do not shrink, but instead be one to have faith and endure because what God promised is still on the horizon.

Be encouraged and encourage someone else...
Pastor Andrea

It Doesn't Take Much

A friend of mine passed me in the hallway and handed me an envelope. Inside was a simple colored 3x5" card with words from another friend who had sent her notes to distribute. Earlier in the day, I received a package. And when you're serving away from home both the packages and notes mean the world to you.  It's not about what's in them per se (although that's always nice), but it's the thought that someone took to remember you that really sticks out. I felt thought of and remembered and yes...loved...

And. as much as it meant to me, I was reading in 1 John 3 and noticed how that little thought means a lot even to God.

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

1 John 3:18

So my question to you today is what are your actions saying? No matter how big or small, what you do has the power to truly change someone's life? It's not rocket science. We need to stop trying to complicate things. Change our focus and realize that it's the simple things that make a world of difference. In all, we have great power and opportunity in all that we do, and it doesn't take much to love with action.

Blessings,
PastorA

That Nasty "P" Word

Recently, I've been really struggling with that nasty "P" word. You know the one I'm talking about. You know...P-R-I-D-E...(that is what you were thinking, right?). It seems a recurring theme in my life where something will happen that will make me feel affronted or disrespected. And, while I may not go off on people to their faces (my Christian standard would not allow that, she says haughtily), what's usually going on in my mind spells pride over and over again. "Don't they know how smart I really am? Don't they realize that I may be serving but I'm not their servant?" Yep...not exactly the picture of humility. And while I'm doing better that I could be doing, it doesn't make it any better before God. I used to have a friend who would always fuss and complain about the things that were happening to him. Somewhere in the midst of his rants he would express how he was so misunderstood because he was "soooo humble". I remember thinking (and saying a few times) that if you have to say you are humble the likelihood is that you are not. And in my mind, I'm sure I made a comparison to how humble I thought that I was...yeah...not much better, right?

So it's further convicting that the example we have is one of perfection in Jesus who somehow managed to genuinely not care what people thought or how they treated him as long as has Father in heaven was glorified. Mark 14:61 says that "He kept silent and answered nothing" when being questioned by the high priests. Jesus...Lord of Lords...King of Kings...Son of the Trinity...said nothing. So many of us would have said "Don't you know who I am?!" and quickly put them in check. In fact, some of you are being challenged in this area right now just as I am--wanting to give air time to the voices in your head that are telling you to defend yourself. But I'm here to remind you that it is HE who defends us at every turn. Isaiah 54:17 says that 'no weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgement GOD shall condemn.'

Today, you and I both have the opportunity to do better--get our minds right and check our self-righteousness and pride at the door. You may not want to call it that. You may feel (and actually BE) fully justified in your indignation, but that indignation gets us nowhere in Jesus. Today, be encouraged to allow God to do what He's so good at doing. Allow Him to shine above and beyond your "rightness". Allow His credentials to prove you right. Allow Him to fight your battles.

Blessings,
Pastor Andrea

He's Steadfast

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: 

The STEADFAST love of the Lord never ceases; 

his mercies never come to an end; 

they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, 

“therefore I will hope in him.” 

Lamentations 3:21-24

I've been thinking a lot about God's love recently. I simply cannot fathom how much He loves me. Even though I, like so many others, learned John 3:16 as my first memory verse and could recite it to this day in my sleep..."For God so love the world that He gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life..." I know I haven't fully gotten it. We say the words, but still don't feel the love. Today, when you woke up and the situation you left behind last night was still waiting for you in the morning, did you feel loved? When your car wouldn't start or you realized that you're coming down with a cold, did you simply know that you are enveloped in the warmth of God's love? When you got passed over for the promotion, lost your job, your house, your parent, your child...did you recall in those very moments that "Jesus loves me, this I know?" 

Some would say yes to that question. Some don't have a hard time plugging into God's love and can feel bathed in it every second of every day. But so many more of us struggle at times to truly feel connected to God's love and believe that it's there even when we've disappointed Him and ourselves with sin, disobedience, and simple lethargy. Do our actions reflect a true knowledge of the fact that God loves us beyond our imaginations? Or are we holding back on God just as we would a man or woman who we haven't fully decided to trust?

Today, I wanted to take a minute to simply encourage you as I was encouraged. You see, I've been doing a personal study with some friends on the subject of LOVE. It has thoroughly challenged me in ways that would never fit on a page. And, as I read Lamentations 3 today, I had one of those moments that I simply couldn't let pass by without sharing.

STEADFAST. God's love is steadfast. As I read that word, the image of a heart monitoring machine popped into my head. I could see God's rhythm as consistent and unwavering. The pattern of his heart repeats the same and will never change. While I can be fickle and not always show love, God is nothing like that. If you were to see my heart monitor, it would be all over the place with blips and beeps going from small to large with no rhyme or reason and certainly no consistency. God on the other hand loves us so strongly and so resolutely that we can trust in Him without any reservation. 

I'm not sure what your life looks like--you may feel like you're at the end of your rope or simply trying to stay afloat. But God wanted me to remind you today that He is STEADFAST in His love of you--so much so that He's prepared new mercies for you each and every morning. So make the choice today to hope in that. Don't hold on to what happened yesterday. Hope in the love that holds you up today. Be encouraged and share that same love with another. 

Blessings,
PastorA

Hit The Wall...But Keep Shuffling

“For You are my lamp, O Lord; The Lord shall enlighten my darkness.
For by You I can run against a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall...

2 Samuel 22:29-30

There's a phrase that is used in the runner's world (and beyond) that describes that moment when you're on a run or working out where you simply can't go another step. When I was training for a marathon, I used to hit that wall in our long distance runs somewhere around mile #13. And I can tell you that, when you've hit a big wall, your pace slows to a drag and you literally feel yourself shuffling to advance even an inch or two (if that). Your energy level plummets and you feel like sleep is the only option...right there in the middle of the road. It's one of the rare moments where you wonder if you will meet your Maker right then and there.

The thing about a runner's wall is that it's mostly mental. And if you have been trained well, the key to hitting a wall is not to let it stop you. You may drink a taste of water or eat a bite of your energy bar. However, that little shuffle may be all you can do. That little shuffle becomes necessary as a means of keeping momentum going. Because if you keep shuffling long enough, what always surprised me was that eventually the weight of the wall lifts and you catch that second (or third or fourth wind) and can finish your race. The key is to simply press on over your wall until you make it to the other side.

Similarly, life can sometimes get us to the place where we feel as though we have hit our "wall" and simply cannot go another step. Quite frankly, I was feeling this way earlier this week...on the verge of tears but not really sure where to pull from to even cry, hungry, hormonal, exhausted while still bubbling with energy, homesick while glad to be where I am...plain and simply an emotional mess. I had hit my wall. And, as I tried to explain the saying to someone for whom English is not their first language, the Lord began to minister to me. In the midst of my explanation, He reminded me that, just like that runners wall, this space I was in was mostly mental and that the key to getting over was to keep shuffling.

At times we may not have the energy to leap walls in a single bound like Superman/woman. We may not have the resources of Spiderman to pull us over. But we have strength greater than any comic hero. We have the strength and fortitude of The Almighty bottled up inside of us for such times as this. The scripture tells us that by Him we can run against troops and leap over walls--mental or physical. 

So today, if you feel yourself about to hit that wall...pull out your favorite Bible verse, call on your friend to pray...but most of all keep shuffling...Be encouraged that with God, you'll be able to make it over to the other side.

Blessings,
PastorA

P.S. Maybe this message wasn't for you but you have a friend whose been a bit down in the dumps...don't forget to "pay it forward" and pass it along.

Get Perspective

Have you ever felt like your mind was spinning? No literally...as if the inside of your brain may truly leak out of the side of your ears if you turned to fast to the left or the right? There's no doubt that 9 times out of 10, you understand this or know someone who has recently expressed feeling like they are in that whirlwind where everything seems bigger than what it really is. The roller coaster ride of your life seems to be never-ending and you wonder if today will be the day that the cart pulls into the station to give you a moment of rest.

Well I get it. Been there, done that, still wearing the T-shirt. I, like so many others, get caught up in the minutia of my problems and forget the bigger picture. I stop seeing God and see only the threads of my life that are woven together in a pattern that only He truly understands. Recently, in the midst of that feeling, I was listening to a worship mix and the song I Choose To Worship (sung by Wess Morgan) came on. I felt God nudging me into release the details of my life to Him and Matthew 11:28 came to mind: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." I began to write in my journal the realities of my feelings--aching, discomfort, uncertainty, etc--and then sealed it with the words "God knows." 

When I took that moment to breathe...when I took that small moment to step back and get some perspective, the peace of the Lord began to work on my anxiety. Sure, money problems don't just go away, relationship issues don't simply vanish, trials and traumas don't magically disappear...but when I give it to God then I know it will be taken care of according to His will. No matter what "it" is, He knows. No matter how traumatic or dramatic the issue, God knows. And when He knows he doesn't just sympathize with us. He literally takes on our burdens--leaving us to do what we can and leave the rest up to Him.

Today, my friends, take a deep breath. Choose to worship and tune into Him instead of the rhythm of your concerns. Be encouraged that God knows and He will give you rest if you allow Him to.

Blessings,
PastorA

P.S. Wondering what the picture above is? A purse...but up close, all you see is threads...gotta step back to get perspective. Selah.

Only the Best

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.  

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;  

Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. 

Psalm 139:13-14

I was was walking down the hallway and someone said to me, "You're the best." In a joking manner, I said "Why yes...I am...but only because God made me that way. He said I'm 'fearfully and wonderfully made' and I believed him. I bet you're the best too." The people all around laughed at my silliness, but the thought stayed in my heart as I walked down to my office.

(photo taken from www.shirtsayings.net)

I suppose it sounds arrogant or conceited to say "Yes. I'm the best." But the truth of the matter is that I know that by worldly standards, I'm not so great at times and other times I've got it together. Like most people, I have my moments and I just pray that the good moments outweigh the bad moments. But when I remember what GOD thinks about me, it's a whole different story. I know it's hard to remember it...particularly when you've not done your best or when things haven't gone the way you wanted them to go, when you look at hot mess or you feel like the world around you is slowly (or quickly) unraveling. But God wanted me to remind you today that you are a special part of His Creation. He formed you with extra special care. He gave your form even more detail than He did the temple that Solomon built and, for that, He commanded that only the best be used (I Chronicles 28:14-19). For His temple, He used the best gold, the best silver, the best bricks, the best men. For you, He used only the best hopes, the best intentions, the best well...the best of the best!

You may be feeling less than adequate today. Your self-esteem has taken a few hits or you feel like you're slowly sinking beneath the weight of your life. However, the good news is that it doesn't have to stay that way. You don't have to continue bearing the burden of inadequacy. God wants to remind you that you are more than enough. You are AWESOME, so walk like you know it. Put a little pep in your step and reflect the fact that what HE made in you is GOOD. And if you still don't believe it then you have an assignment to say to yourself each day "Hello there Awesome" until you do. As the scripture says, "death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Proverbs 18:21). Today I speak life over you...Be encouraged and speak life over yourself.

Blessings,
PastorA

P.S. Don't forget to forward or share and encourage another person today.

This Is Not A Drill

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, 

you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, 

considering yourself lest you also be tempted.  

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians: 6:1, 2

If you've never been on a hospital ship before then let me tell you there are some very interesting things that make the whole thing work efficiently. Just like in any other mainland office building, regular fire drills must be conducted to ensure that all crew are ready and able to handle it should a blaze ignite on board. Every crew member must evacuate the ship and congregate at a designated "muster station" where their names are checked against the master list of people on board. 

As you exit and head towards your muster station (arranged by last name alphabetical groupings), you pass a group of people holding a sign and soliciting for STRETCHER BEARERS. You check in at your muster station and then, if you're feeling so inclined, you head back to said sign and exchange your ID badge for one that marks you as a stretcher bearer on a particular team. In the event of a true emergency, teams of people bearing stretchers will re-enter the ship and head to the hospital where they will be directed in helping to get hospital patients out to safety. Needless to say, like so many other roles on the front line, the role of the stretcher bearer is important and cannot be neglected.

Similarly in life, the Lord has directed us to be Stretcher Bearers to one another. It is a role in this life that is important and cannot be neglected. In today's society it is easy to get into a rhythm and focus on what pertains only to self, but God challenges us in His Word to do different, better and more. Galatians 6 tells us to "restore" and "bear burdens" for others. We are indeed directed to be our brother's/sister's keepers. You may have been asking yourself recently if you should even bother to invest in this person or that. Or perhaps you've felt a bit annoyed by a coworker or friend's constant "dumping" of their problems at your doorstep. The thing is that they see something you forgot you had--your new ID badge. The Lord sent this note your way today to remind you that when you decided to follow him, you turned in your own ID and you now bear HIS identification--making you a key player in His team of Divine Stretcher Bearers.

This is not a drill. There are people all around you that need your light to shine and need your shoulder to lean on or that simply need a lift. This week, your challenge is to take your eyes off of your problems and see where you can be that touch of a gentle spirit that someone else needs. And, though you don't do it for this reason, just know that as you pour out that gentleness of spirit on others, the Lord is faithful and just to return that same spirit unto you. Other Stretcher Bearers will be sent your way and have a mission of helping to bear your burdens and put salve on your wounds. So be encouraged...help is on the way...

Blessings,
PastorA

P.S. If this spoke to you...don't forget to "pay it forward" and pass it along to another friend in need of a "lift"...

Hidden Sunrise

"And when by His light I walked through darkness;" Job 29:3b

"And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way..." Exodus 13:21a

The other day, I arose earlier than normal. While some people make it a habit of waking up before the God-given indication that the new day has begun, I've always been a firm believer in seeing sunlight first. So, needless to say, I'm not a morning person. But that morning I thought that I would take advantage of my random alertness and attempt to see the sun rise. I made the trek to the deck on the ship and set up my chair with expectancy.

Time passed and as I sat in quiet prayer, the peace of the morning covered me like a down blanket. I knew God was with me. I have to admit that, for a moment, I began to understand how it is that those early risers must feel. And as the sky moved from dark to light, I thought for a moment that I had missed the main point of my being out there...the SUN. In all the peace, I realized that I missed the fact that I didn't get treated to a beautiful sunrise filled with oranges and purples and reds and golds. The sky went from one shade of blue-grey to a lighter shade thereof. The peace that I felt had distracted me from missing that "show" of light.

And before I could even think of being disappointed at that fact, the Lord began to minister to me about how the sun was still there and had, in fact, still put on a show that I simply could not see. Even though it was veiled by clouds, it was there. It didn't cease to rise just because clouds were in the way or because it couldn't "show off" its splendor. The sun had risen behind the clouds and pushed darkness away. Regardless of what my sight was telling me, the sun didn't change its habits just because the clouds were in the way.

And so it goes in life. There are times when we can't see God and when it seems like the He's not there, but there's evidence of His presence comes as the light (joy, peace, love, etc) pushes out the darkness (confusion, anger, bitterness, etc.) of life. If we allow light to enter and meditate on those things, there's no way for darkness to stay. It must go! No matter what you are going through, you need to remember that, like the sun, The Son is always there. As Job testified, He can serve as a light to help us push through darkness. (Job 29:3a) As He was with the children of Isreal so long ago, He will guide us in the midst of the clouds. (Exodus 13:21a) If you focus, God has a peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:7) waiting to cover you like a down blanket even in the midst of your trial. At the end of the day, be encouraged and remember that the presence of God has the ability to distract you from the fact that you can't make sense of the light.Walk in faith. Don't worry about your sight.

Blessings,
PastorA