Break Time Bible Study

Ephesians 1: Spiritual Blessings

2012-02-06T08:30:00.000-05:00

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Eph. 1:3

When you think of "blessings," what comes to mind first?

health

family

home

financial security

job

friendship

church

Why instead don't we think of these?

love

joy

peace

gentleness

faithfulness

goodness

contentment

wisdom

strength

perseverance

character

guidance

When you pray for blessings, what list do you concentrate on?

Signup Deadline February 3!

2012-01-30T08:30:00.001-05:00

During this rest period between studies, we appreciate your understanding that we are using the Monday posts to let you know of our Bible study services. Regular posts begin again February 6.

Topic: Book of Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians

To go directly to the enrollment page, click here.

Duration: Weeks of February 6 through week of June 4, one chapter per week, with occasional breaks.

Options:

Email: Email discussion groups will receive a study sheet and discussion questions for interaction every Monday beginning February 6. You can enroll in only one book or the entire series via our store (see below.)

Prices are:

Ephesians: $10.99

Philippians: $7.99

Colossians: $7.99

All three: $25

If you are already a GOLD MEMBER of HOPE, these studies are FREE for you! For more info about Gold Membership and to enroll, click here.

Sheets only: For those who would like the study sheets but are not ready to be in an email discussion group, we will email the study sheet to you for private use every other week starting February 6, for a donation* of any amount you feel led to give.

Blog Posts: weekly blog posts on the topic will upload by 8:30AM each Monday.

400 Days in the Bible

2012-01-23T08:30:00.001-05:00

During this rest period between studies, we appreciate your understanding that we are using the Monday posts to let you know of our Bible study services. Regular posts begin again February 6.

Do you struggle keeping up with a "Read through the Bible in a Year" program? Do you fall short of your reading goals? H.O.P.E. Unlimited is developing a unique read through the Bible program to help busy people stay motivated and on track.

While under development, which is expected to take the entire year of 2012, this program is available exclusively to Gold Members of H.O.P.E. Unlimited (those who support us with a gift of at least $5 per month.) We hope to make it available in other forms after that.

Here are some specifics:

If you read approximately three chapters per day, it will take you about 400 days to read through the entire Bible.

We provide the chapter guides and one question/thought provoking statement for EACH chapter of the Bible.

You read at your own pace.

The chapter guides are NOT dated. They simply say "Day 1," "Day 2," etc.

If you miss a day, you do not make it up. You simply pick up where you left off.

The questions are for your private use.

You will likely NOT finish the Bible in one calendar year, but this program keeps you moving through it at a steady pace. It is about consistency over time, not finishing in a particular window of time.

Beginning the week of February 6, Gold Members will receive a sheet with 5-7 days worth of guides and questions each week with their weekly newsletter and other benefits. They can use the guides as they wish for PERSONAL use (not to be shared please.) They can also give optional feedback on the project as it is under development and be in on the ground floor of this resource.

This program is one of many benefits for Gold Members. Click here for more details about Gold Membership and to consider enrolling.

New Break Time Bible Study by Email!

2012-01-16T08:30:00.001-05:00

During this rest period between studies, we appreciate your understanding that we are using the Monday posts to let you know of our Bible study services. Regular posts begin again February 6.

Topic: Book of Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians

To go directly to the enrollment page, click here.

Duration: Weeks of February 6 through week of June 4, one chapter per week, with occasional breaks.

Options:

Email: Email discussion groups will receive a study sheet and discussion questions for interaction every Monday beginning February 6. You can enroll in only one book or the entire series via our store (see below.)

Prices are:

Ephesians: $10.99

Philippians: $7.99

Colossians: $7.99

All three: $25

If you are already a GOLD MEMBER of HOPE, these studies are FREE for you! For more info about Gold Membership and to enroll, click here.

Sheets only: For those who would like the study sheets but are not ready to be in an email discussion group, we will email the study sheet to you for private use every other week starting February 6, for a donation* of any amount you feel led to give.

Blog Posts: weekly blog posts on the topic will upload by 8:30AM each Monday.

Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness Revisited, and Self-Control

2012-01-09T08:30:00.001-05:00

I am re-visiting meekness today because in some cases, it is presented as gentleness. If we are not careful, meekness can be seen as weakness, as in yielding to another's power (which is not always a bad thing.) So, if we consider the alternative definition of gentleness, that can help us flesh out this characteristic.

Are you gentle with your approach to life? My nickname at my part time job (dubbed by me) is "Crash." I have a tendency to come into the office somewhat loudly and unintentionally knock things over or walk with a heavy step. I am concentrating more on being gentle and graceful, in part because it is more considerate to my co-workers (who never complain and actually laugh about it, but still...) Some of us can be rather harsh in how we approach people, share our opinions, etc.

A lack of gentleness often stems from impatience. When we are rushing about, it's harder to take the time to be gentle. Gentle doesn't have to be weak. We've all seen strong men, for example, who can be very gentle around wives, children, or pets. However, gentleness often takes more time. To think of the loving way to speak the truth rather than just blurt our opinion, to be more conscious of those around us so we don't crowd them or bump into everything, to listen to our kids before placing demands, all takes a humble spirit. This also involves a lot of self control.

Self control is the "last" characteristic mentioned but is the glue that holds them all together. Love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness and goodness are all products of self-control.

There's a difference between self-control and self-absorption. I feel like 2011 was, unfortunately, a year of too much self-absorption for me. I found myself to be obsessive about certain things and fearful about anything that would disrupt my peace. I recently again prayed a prayer of surrender to God and His will in my life. That's a scary thing to pray, but it's a better way to live. It's something that requires a daily "death" to me and my interests.

Surrender, ironically, can lead to self-control. When we take self off the throne of our hearts, it becomes easier to control other desires and impulses that would seem to crowd away such fruit as kindness, gentleness and joy.

Self control starts with a proper view of ourselves. Not thinking more highly than we ought to think, and looking at others as better than ourselves. (Phil. 2:3) It also means a reasonable view of ourselves as a blessed son or daughter of the king, who is covered in Jesus' righteousness and deeply loved. It's important to view ourselves as God does. Regularly doing that takes the focus where it needs to be, and allows the Spirit to control us, resulting in the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

A Special Request

2012-01-02T17:31:00.000-05:00

(We realize this may be a duplicate for those who receive these posts by email. We apologize for the inconvenience but needed to provide a working link. Thanks for understanding.)

If you have subscribed to this blog by email, we would like to invite you to also subscribe to our "Friends of H.O.P.E." list. We send occasional updates about services that may interest you...no more than two in a month, for example, and sometimes not even that. We announce opportunities such as Break Time Bible Studies, resources for organizing/team building/money management, and holiday greetings.

In the past, those subscribed to our blogs were automatically added to that email list as well but now we want to leave that up to you! Please consider joining that list so we can keep you informed without overwhelming your email box!

If the link below does not work (i.e. you received this in email) please use the box at the top of www.hopeunlimitedforyou.com. Thanks!

Thank you!

Fruit of the Spirit: Faithfulness and Meekness

2012-01-02T08:30:00.000-05:00

What does it mean to be faithful? Often, we think in terms of a marital commitment, as in faithful to your spouse and not having romantic relationships with anyone else (yes, emotional affairs count but that's not my purpose here.) Certainly, that is a great demonstration of faithfulness, but let's think of a few other ways faithfulness may be evident in us when the Holy Spirit indwells and our focus is on glorifying God.

We will think first about what God wants for the day, and lay our own desires down in a desire to be faithful to His commands and leadership.

We will be careful about what commitments we make, and those we do make, we will do our best to fulfill.

We will be trustworthy in our friendships, not revealing information to others that they do not need to know and giving focused attention to those we are spending time with.

We will finish out a commitment to its reasonable end (this does not mean we do something forever) and have a good transition plan for someone else to take over if applicable.

We often fail in faithfulness because we fall into the busy life trap and unintentionally get into habits like:

· promising to do something and forgetting to write it down or do it

· telling people we should "get together sometime" but never make it happen

· volunteering for a task, and then complain under our breaths about everything we have to do.

Meekness

The next fruit is meekness. We don't use the word meek very often. In fact, I needed to look the word up! One of the definitions is "yielding." I like that. "Yielding" is not a popular virtue, and indeed, there are some things we should NOT yield about. But as we look at the Holy Spirit in our lives, "yielding" is a good thing.

I remember being counseled during a difficult job loss to "lean into" what God was doing. It's like a child that comes into a strange situation. They tend to lean into their parent, sometimes burrowing their face into their mom or dad's side.

I think that is partly what God invites us toward as we develop meekness. It's a surrendering of the "me first" mentality and instead, accepting what He allows into our life. Again, I'm not suggesting it is biblically appropriate to never stand for truth, or to allow others to control you. I am suggesting that we often take too much control and fear leaning into, or yielding, to what God is doing. I confess I'm in a season myself where I have a hard time leaning into what God may be doing.

Ironically--or not--as we have a meek and humble spirit, we will likely see ourselves grow in faithfulness, love, joy and peace. Again, isn’t it amazing how all the fruitful characteristics complement each other?

Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness and Goodness

2011-12-26T08:30:00.000-05:00

Recently a friend of mine did a kind thing for me. This is an individual who I've done some business with and is a fellow church goer who I am interacting with fairly frequently on Facebook, and getting to know. She came up to me at church one day and handed me a journal with the word HOPE on it. She said she had been at a local craft store, and thought of me when she saw it. She knew that I collected things with the word HOPE on them.

I was touched, primarily because it wasn't for an occasion like a birthday or even Christmas (although it was in December.) It was nice to know I was thought of in someone's everyday errands and that she made the effort to follow through on that prompting to care for me in that way.

That, my friends, is a demonstration of kindness.

As the Holy Spirit fills us more and more, our thoughts turn to others instead of ourselves. It will become easier to think of kind things to do to demonstrate kindness. Sometimes we will even do something unanimously, like leave money for the next person's meal/coffee, or leave a close parking space for someone else to take, or praise something about someone to their spouse, etc.

Goodness (or righteousness) is another fruit mentioned in this list. What do you think of when someone is described as a "good person?" Goodness means different things to different people, and no one is good all the time (which is why we need a Savior.) When the Holy Spirit lives in us, our core soul is filled with good. Our actions begin to mirror our beliefs more and more.

The day I wrote this, I had gotten involved in a Facebook discussion/debate. I had made a statement and then clarified it, and a stranger accused me of changing my position before someone could pin me on it. That really frustrated me for awhile. Why? Because I did not want to appear to be dishonest or fickle in my views and I felt misunderstood (my position was the same...I think there was just some misinterpretation going on.) Well, goodness is like integrity...a rightness where values and actions complement each other.

We cannot be good in ourselves. That's why this is part of fruit of the Spirit. Cultivating that relationship leads to evidence of goodness/righteousness and kind acts...not for our own benefit or pride, but because it's part of who we really are, and are becoming. And when goodness lives in our hearts, kindness, joy and love naturally show. Do you see how the fruits are interconnected?

Fruit of the Spirit: Peace and Patience

2011-12-19T08:30:00.001-05:00

Would you describe yourself as a person at peace? Peace is hard to come by in our world. As I sit here writing this, I'm struggling with a season of confusion and distractions that make for an unsettled heart. I am tempted to look to information to provide my sense of security. However, God should be my source. Not that information won't help or be a tool He can use, but I should be able to draw peace from Him first before I avail myself of other resources.

Patience is not one of my best virtues, either. It's interesting how peace and patience can connect. When we are impatient for answers, impatient with others, or annoyed when something or someone gets in our way, our peace is disturbed.

So how can we learn to be more patient and thus, more at peace? First of all, we have to give up on the idea of "trying harder." So many of us willpower our Christian growth, but that is not the model of how it happens. Look all around you. Do flowers grow by trying harder? Do infants gain weight and strength by trying? Do you stick with something simply by trying harder? Typically, no. Growth and success happens when our hearts are sold out to the idea, and we've got an environment (either internally or externally or both) that makes way for the growth.

For example, we water plants. We feed infants. We gather supplies and people we need to accomplish a task. The growth begins to come naturally out of that provision.

That's how it is with our Christian life. Rather than try harder to be at peace, or will yourself to have more patience, you'd be better off concentrating on your relationships with God daily. Talking to Him. Listening. Reading His word. Spending time in a community of godly people. Serving others. All this will strengthen you and the fruit of the Spirit will grow.

For another example, let's say you start working out for the sake of your health. You faithfully exercise 3-4 times a week and watch your food intake to keep it healthy. You go to bed at a reasonable time, drink plenty of water, and avoid unhealthy habits like smoking. Over time, you begin to feel stronger and often, better. Now let's say one day you come across a situation in your community where you have to quickly help someone. Perhaps an elderly neighbor falls. You dash down the street, squat down to help and are able to lift her without too much strain. You find you are not that breathless and your muscles aren't crying out in pain. Why? Because by daily discipline, you were conditioning yourself to respond properly when the challenges came.

It's the same way with patience and peace. With daily conditioning and strengthening of your relationship with God and others, truly loving as He would, you'll be stronger to avoid the temptations that come.

It's not a matter of trying harder. It's a matter of strengthening your relationship with God. That is what will help you weather the tough times. And knowing you can trust Him, will help you be at peace, and treat life with more patience, because you won't be striving to do it on your own.

Fruit of the Spirit: Love and Joy

2011-12-12T08:30:00.000-05:00

For the next few weeks, we will be looking at the Fruit of the Spirit (notice it is not "fruits" of the Spirit, as if these are all separate characteristics that we work on one at a time.) The fruit of the Spirit is the type of attitudes and behaviors you will see in yourself and other Christians as the Holy Spirit fills and empowers you...and them.

This week we will look at love and joy.

Love: in the original languages of the Bible, there were different words for love. Words like "eros," "phileos" and "agape." These are romantic love, friendship love, and sacrificial love. For our purposes, let's consider sacrificial love.

Agape is an opportunity to love others with the love of Christ. We become His conduit, so that His loves shines through us and to others. The wonderful thing about this is that it is not based on feelings and goodwill so much as an empowerment of God. That's a good thing, because quite frankly, sometimes people are hard to love! I bet each of us could think of at least one person that we find difficult to love. With agape, we can depend on God loving that person through us. If we surrender to what He wants to do, we can sense His help in demonstrating patience, kindness, and thoughtfulness to them even when they haven't done anything to earn it. This is essentially the love God shows us, because we don't deserve His love either.

Interestingly, living in agape love leads to the next fruit, joy. I'm sure you've heard the description of JOY being "Jesus, Others, You," in terms of priority. There's some truth to that for sure. I find that when I get self focused, my joy diminishes. When I focus more on God and others, I have more peace (oops, jumping ahead.)

The Bible also tells us the "joy of the Lord is our strength." (Nehemiah 8:10) Joy, born out of thankfulness, fills our minds and spirits with new energy to handle what life has brought our way. Joy is more than happiness because circumstances are good. Joy is knowing that these circumstances will bring God glory, and in that we experience joy.

Galatians Wrap Up

2011-12-05T08:30:00.000-05:00

We've finished up our journey through Galatians, and next week we will take a deeper look at the fruit of the Spirit. During this bridge between the two, I'd like to summarize some major points from Galatians, picking one major concept from a key verse in each chapter:

Chapter 1: Verses 15-16 But when the one who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by His grace was pleased to reveal His Son in me in order that I would proclaim the gospel about Him among the Gentiles...

Paul is sharing his calling from God as an apostle to the Gentiles. Here was a man who persecuted Christians and was dramatically changed to be a strong evangelist and teacher. No one is hopeless. God can transform anyone!

Chapter 2: v. 16 But knowing that a person is not justified by the works of the low, if not by faith in Jesus Chris, and we have believed in Christ Jesus so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified.

v. 19b-20: I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, and that life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Paul lays the facts on the line here: keeping the law does not save. Salvation is available by faith in Jesus, who paid the price the law required.

We do not have to be slaves to this world's systems and temptations! Christ lives in and through us!

Chapter 3: Verses 24-26 So then, the law became our guardian until Christ, in order that we could be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

For a time, the law guided people into living in right standing with God. But Christ fulfilled the need of the law, because no one could keep the law perfectly. It pointed out our need and Christ met that need!

Chapter 4: Verse 7 So that you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, also an heir through God.

Paul reminds the Galatians of their standing as sons of God...there is no need to behave like a slave when you are a child of the King!

Chapter 5: Verse 1: For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

Don't create more rules for yourself in order to honor God. As His Spirit lives in you, and you nurture that relationship, characteristics such as love, joy, patience and self-control will naturally grow in you without the need of lots of laws and rules to govern your behavior.

Galatians 6: Verse 9 And let us now grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap if we do not give up.

Do you ever feel like giving up? This verse encourages us to not allow ourselves to "grow" weary. That implies that we could possibly sense when we are starting to grow weary and should take steps at that time to refresh ourselves, and accept the refreshing of others. Invest time to refresh yourself so that you won't be tempted to give up in doing good to others.

What have you learned from Galatians?

Galatians 6: Should We Carry Other's Burdens? Remix

2011-11-28T08:30:00.000-05:00

Last time, we took a look at several verses related to bearing one another's burdens. I promised that this week, I would take those same verses and comment further, after using a study Bible, so let's see what we find out! I am using the Quest Study Bible as a source.

Verse 1: Paul refers to believers who have evidence of maturing and his invitation to restoration helps keep us humble, too.

Verse 2: One way we can help others is to remind them of their righteousness in Christ and that they don't need to carry the guilt of their mistake.

Verses 2, and 5: the study Bible clarifies that "burden" refers to something too big for one person to carry, while the word "load" refers to something manageable. Isn't that neat? We are to help those who are under an overwhelming burden, yet as individuals we should be willing to bear what is unique to us...we have some responsibility for our own load.

Verse 4: Paul is talking about a healthy pride, a reasonable self-esteem because of who we are in Christ. An appreciation of God's grace is primary.

You see the value of using a study tool along with your reading of God's Word? While the Holy Spirit is our teacher, and tools are written by humans, they can be helpful in determining meaning and interpretation. In particular, the difference between the two words "burden" and "load" help us see things more clearly in this passage.

If you've studied this passage using another tool, share it with us!

Note: you may be wondering why I didn't blog about the famous "fruit of the Spirit" passage in Galatians 5. To be quite honest, I blogged about what I first discovered/was inspired by in each chapter. It's interesting to me that it's time for chapter 6 and we won't be blogging about that famous chapter. However, we will probably be looking at it over the holiday season as we have our Holiday Fruit of the Spirit email study available, too.

Galatians 6: Carrying Burdens

2011-11-21T08:30:00.000-05:00

Note: you may be wondering why I didn't blog about the famous "fruit of the Spirit" passage in Galatians 5. To be quite honest, I blogged about what I first discovered/was inspired by in each chapter. It's interesting to me that it's time for chapter 6 and we won't be blogging about that famous chapter. I'm prayerfully considering a separate series on the fruit of the spirit, over the holidays. We will see if that's what God wants.

Galatians 6

Should we carry burdens, or not?

In the first few verses of Galatians 6, we are instructed to carry one anthers burdens and then that each person will carry his own burden. Does that seem contradictory to you? It seems that it could be, but let's take a closer look.

There are probably several interpretations for this passage, so my thoughts here are just one way to look at it, verse by verse.

Before you read, let me add this disclaimer. I wrote this without any in-depth commentary study or look at study notes. In fact, I want to post this post simply as what I am sensing God may be saying in this passage, without the help of other sources. Before uploading it, I prayed for the Holy Spirit's guidance to edit as necessary.

NEXT week, I will comment on the SAME passage after having studied various sources in addition to more prayer. I want to see parallels and differences and share them with you, and also inspire you in the various processes of Bible study.

Verse 1 sets the context of a brother or sister in Christ having stumbled in their walk with God. Paul tells us as fellow siblings in Christ to be humble and seek to restore that individual with guidance and love, never feeling that we would "never" do such a thing ourselves.

Verse 2 is a strong statement, like a command, to fulfill the law of Christ by carrying one another's burdens. I think that it may directly relate to verse one. I picture a group of people all holding up one part of a burden. For example, when someone has perhaps made some mistakes, several people committing to pray, counsel (confidentially) and even help with accountability when necessary, can help the person bear the burden of their choices and the consequences.

Verse 3 is an interesting commentary on attitude in the process. It says to me that none of us should think so haughtily of ourselves that we can't take the time to help when someone else is burdened. When done properly, there's humility in helping someone because you put your own needs and conveniences aside, and again, it reminds us that we could be in the very same predicament ourselves at some point.

Verse 4 is where Paul tells us to examine ourselves, and be sure whether what we are doing really does bring glory to God. He may be referring to the work that each of us has to do to be restored when we stumble, even if we receive help from others. We should not let them take full responsibility for our mistake, but instead do our part about it.

Verse 5 is where Paul seems to conclude that in the end, we each carry our own burden. Even with help and guidance, ultimately we choose what we will do about our mistake and our journey with God going forward. This is tricky interpretation because God is Sovereign, and He can turn things how He wishes.

What do you think of these verses?

Holiday Fruit of the Spirit Study by Email!

2011-11-18T08:30:00.000-05:00

Want an easy way to stay in God's word and have a bit of accountability during the busy holiday season? Check out our 5-week "Holiday Fruit of the Spirit" email Bible study!

Galatians 5: Freedom and Love

2011-11-14T08:30:00.000-05:00

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:14

The book of Galatians has taught us to embrace our freedom in Christ. We don't need to be bound by legalistic rules and regulations. We can live in gratefulness for what Christ did for us, paying our debt when He died on the cross. We can follow the lead of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives.

Yet, Galatians 5:14 gives us pause. For some reason, Paul felt it necessary to caution the Galatians against allow their freedom to interfere with their love for one another. On one hand, you could wonder why freedom and love wouldn't automatically go hand in hand, as in "love freely" and all that.

But freedom is a gift to be stewarded, balanced by, and in fact, even guided by, love. A recent article I read about manners and the “no one else in the world but me” syndrome reveals this very thing. There are lots of things we have freedom to do, but are they couched in love and consideration for others? Consider these possible illustrations of freedom that has not first been filtered through love...all of which I have either done, or experienced with other Christians.

A talkative person dominates all conversations, speaking over other people, interrupting them, and not letting people finish their sentences.

A churchgoer parks in a non-marked spot, potentially blocking traffic flow, rather than parking in clearly marked spot a short walk away.

People have a conversation in the chairs behind me as we try to concentrate on the worship service.

Someone getting up in the middle of the service from near the front and walking out the front of the sanctuary in order to do whatever it is they need to do or walking to their seat from the stage entrance while the pastor is preaching.

Asking a family member a question when they are obviously in the middle of reading, watching a program, or otherwise occupied.

You get the idea. Being a Christian does not mean you won’t sometimes mess up and be rude. But allowing Christ, who lives within us (remember in Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ”) to love others through us will help us overcome our selfish tendencies. In all the cases above, the person(s) exercised freedom, but at a cost to relationships with others. Remember Paul's admonition...freedom isn't for us. It’s really to benefit our relationship with God and our community.

So let's turn it around. What are some ways you’ve seen a Christian has exercise freedom in a positive way and blessing others? Share in the comments!

Galatians 5: For Freedom Christ has Set Us Free

2011-11-07T08:30:00.000-05:00

Galatians 5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

What does it mean to be truly free in Christ? How about:

Respecting and living by what the Bible teaches out of a grateful heart, not to earn God's favor.

Living by the Holy Spirit instead of a list of rules.

Not expecting every other Christian to feel the same way you do about non-essentials.

Not misunderstanding what it means to be "separate from the world."

Not having to live by a checklist of Christian activities but instead letting Christ life out His purpose and personality* through you.

Having a worldview that leads you to live in a way where life is not about you, not about your happiness, not about you being accepted--and often receiving those blessings anyway.

How about you? What does it mean to you to be free in Christ?

*this phraseology is from Southside Fellowship, Greenville, SC

Galatians 4: But When the Set Time had Fully Come

2011-10-31T08:30:00.000-04:00

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Galatians 4:4

What does "set time" mean to you? Do you ever have a set time for something? Some families eat dinner at a "set time" every day. You may have a set time to do laundry, or arrive at your job, or attend church. We live our lives sprinkled with lots of set times each week.

Yet, we often think God is taking too much time to handle a situation in our lives. This verse reminds us that God had a set time to send Christ, and a set plan for that invasion into our world. He waited until the time had "fully come." It wasn't a half-hearted, partially thought-out plan.

It's kind of like a lot of weddings. When a young woman gets engaged, she starts to set in motion what may have already been a plan in her heart about her eventual wedding day. However, that day may not actually occur until months later. But rest assured, when the set time comes, and the time fully arrives, there will be a celebration!

It's easy for us to wonder if God is really interested in our lives and has a plan in motion. He does. Perhaps it is better to realize that we play a role in His plan rather than think of His plan FOR us. So often we get caught up in wanting to know what God wants for us that we forget to realize that we play a role in HIS drama, not the other way around.

Though we don't always understand the reasoning, He has a set time for various events in history and is often waiting for things to fully come together before He sets them in motion. He invites us to trust Him. Trusting leads to adoption and redemption. He put Jesus here and enacted a plan so that we can become His sons and daughters. He took care of the biggest things in life. Can He take care of our smaller needs?

Galatians 4: Why Be a Slave Again?

2011-10-24T08:30:00.001-04:00

Have you ever created a bondage for yourself? We all have elements of life that can become areas of slavery for us. Food, entertainment, need for affirmation, work and a host of other things can easily become our master.

In this chapter, Paul reminds the Galatians of what God did in order for them to experience freedom. He still can't imagine why they would want to subject themselves to unnecessary rules as if to somehow prove their worth for salvation. We can look at them and wonder the same thing, yet we fall into certain patterns that are similar. Ask yourself:

Do I feel the need to keep up a certain image because I am a Christian?
Are there practices (different from those clearly forbidden in Scripture) that I use as a measuring stick for my spirituality or that of others?
Am I quick to judge myself or others if I, or they, do something that I prefer they would not?
Do I place high expectations on myself to perform well so God will continue to love me?

You may wonder how to reconcile seeing the "fruit" of someone's Christian life with their choices about activities and preferences. Be careful not to assign moral value to some things that are simply preferences (i.e. food choices, for example.) The fruit of the Spirit will be specifically listed later in Galatians so we won't unpack it here. But remember that character and motive are important, not just specific choices like what someone wears, listens to, eats, etc. Yes, these can reveal a heart attitude, but so can a critical, judgmental spirit. Avoid enslaving yourself when God has provided freedom through Christ!

Galatians 3: Children of Abraham

2011-10-17T08:30:00.001-04:00

3:7-9 NIV - Understand then that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: 'All nations will be blessed through you.' So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith."

If you have trusted Christ as Savior, you are also a child of Abraham. I remember attending a Passover Seder and appreciating the symbolism of the Jewish faith. But you know what? It's my faith, too! Because of Jesus, I am adopted into God's chosen family, as a descendant of Abraham. God intended to bless "all nations" through Abraham. And what was Abraham's claim to fame? His faith.

It's hard to describe faith sometimes. We refer to our "faith" as a noun representing our religious beliefs. We consider "faith based" organizations (such as HOPE Unlimited) to have core values rooted in God and His truths. We tell people to "have faith," recommended they believe something will turn out for the best. Faith is all those things. Simple, yet deep and rich, faith is exercised when we believe in someone or something beyond ourselves.

Paul reminds the Galatians that simple faith in Christ is all that's needed for a relationship with Him. For those of us who have believed, it's still hard to live that faith everyday. Somehow, we want to add law keeping to it. Why is that?

I grew up going to strict churches and schools that could be described as "fundamentalist." I now attend and live a grace-based, rather than law-based faith. But I have to admit that it has been tempting now and then to go back to more legalist religious practice. Why? Because in some ways, it was easier. There was a side of me that liked having the rules and expectations clear to me. I'm a "do-er" and an achiever. I like measurable results. That's easier to get in a stricture culture. Did I have quiet time? Check. Did I wear the right things? Check. Did I attend enough services? Check.

But grace is simpler yet more complicated. It doesn't mean we do our own thing and ditch biblical principles. No! It means that out of gratefulness (appreciation rather than obligation) I want to be like Christ. Sometimes that's hard. It's not measurable. It's being available for God to interrupt my day. It's choosing to be patient with someone challenging to get along with. It's considering what God wants me to do rather than having my own life plan. (As I write these things, I realize how short I fall on them, but with the indwelling of Christ, it is HIM who lives in me! See Galatians 2:20. This is harder in some ways than reading the right books, wearing the right clothes, saying the right things, singing with the right music. It involves listening to God more than reading a list. It involves humility more than pride.

That's a true faith walk. Trusting God to show us daily what He wants, not just what organized religion expects. It's maneuvering through messy relationships that can't be fully defined. It's doing the things that sometimes don't make sense...following that prompting that takes a little courage instead.

And it's very rewarding in all the right ways.

Galatians 3: Deep and Simple Truth

2011-10-10T08:30:00.005-04:00

Galatians 3 can be a challenging passage of theology, but it breaks down into some fairly simple truths. Perhaps one of the best ways to understand it is to use an analogy.

Many of us have children in our life, either our own, or nieces and nephews, or the children of good friends. We celebrate the births of babies and the graduations of 18- year-olds, the entrance into Kindergarten and walking down the aisle of marriage. Through those first 20-25 years or so (and I realize this is a generalization) there are various stages of development and accountability.

I remember my husband and I considering having a somewhat "strict" (in the eyes of some) approach early in our son's life, eventually loosening the reigns as he became more and more responsible. By God's grace through our imperfections, our son, a young adult now, has a lot of freedom yet demonstrates character, responsibility and maturity. He makes decent choices in spite of having imperfect parents.

In Galatians 3, Paul alludes to a similar approach God has taken with His people. For many years, the Jews followed the law, much of which is outlined in the Old Testament. The law was a reminder that there was something beyond themselves to which they were accountable. Many of the laws were protective and applicable to the culture of the time.

When Jesus came, He fulfilled the law, and took away the legalist need to follow it to be accepted in God’s sight. Before Christ, people honored God's laws out of faith for the Messiah to come. Looking back, we now honor God through faith in what Christ did to essentially complete what the law was originally doing--helping people stay in tune with God.

Just like there tend to be more rules on children that are younger, and hopefully, an extension of grace as they get older, Jesus has now provided us a way to God that doesn't require our keeping of lots of laws. The very existence of laws provides order to society, but those who are filled with love for God and others will naturally tend to avoid breaking laws anyway. (If, for example, you truly love others, would you even think to rob them?)

This is why Paul was so adamant that the Galatians not be tricked back into adding the following of certain laws to their simple belief in Christ and what He did for them. He knew that would put them back in bondage.

Are you in bondage to certain laws you give yourself? Are you unable to accept God's free gift in Christ, thinking instead you must somehow earn it? Paul would strongly tell you not to put yourself back in chains!

Galatians 2: When Two Christians Disagree

2011-10-03T08:30:00.002-04:00

We don't want to think of Christians opposing one another, but it happens. It even occurred among early church leaders. In Galatians 2, we see Paul opposing Peter "to his face." Wow...what an upstart!

Seriously, Paul had his reasons. Take a look at the “why” and “how” of this opposition:

Paul opposed Peter to his face. He didn't hide by telling others about his dissatisfaction with Peter. He went right to him. That's much bolder than the easier approach of gossip or attacking someone by hiding behind a Facebook screen or sending a nasty reply by email.

Paul had a valid reason. Peter had acted inconsistently by eating with Gentiles until certain others were around. Then Peter pulled back, appearing to be afraid of what others may think. (That would be in line with Peter's personality.) Peter acted out of fear and Paul confronted him on it. This was not just about some personal preference Paul had. This was about Peter sending a mixed message to the young Christian Gentiles whom he appeared to be withdrawing from when Jewish Christians were around.

Paul saw how Peter’s actions had negative effect on others. Paul could see the damage to others on the ministry team. He mentioned that others joined in the hypocrisy and that even Barnabas, who was known for his skills of encouragement, was led astray by Peter’s example. Again, this wasn't just a personality conflict. This was concern for the impact Peter's behavior had on others.

Paul confronted publicly. Normally, it is best to approach a person privately and the Bible even teaches that in Matthew 18. But in this case, Peter's actions were influencing an entire team and were observed by the public, essentially. Thus, Paul chose to confront Peter in public. In this case, it was a wise choice so there would not be a "he said/she said" situation. Also, Peter, as a leader, had a deeper responsibility for his actions due to those looking to him for guidance. It affected more than just Peter and Paul.

Paul asked a question. Paul started with a statement about the behavior and immediately asked "How is it then you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?" Asking questions is almost always the better approach than simply attacking. Drawing out feelings and opinions can lead to more understanding.

Paul reminded Peter of the truth. Paul goes on to remind Peter of his--and all the team's--identity in Christ. He used a theological basis to exhort Peter, not his own opinion of what Peter should do.

We aren’t told any specifics of how Peter reacted to Paul's exhortation that day. History indicates though that Peter defended Paul at the Jerusalem council, which is thought to have occurred after this. (Source: bible.org) They both had strong personalities and there very well could have been “agreement to disagree” about some things. But the key is they both knew Christ as Savior and knew their callings. Even if they weren’t “buddy buddy,” they were still being used by God and did not appear to let their differences have a major impact on their walk with Him or ministry for Him.

How do you respond when someone criticizes you, especially if it is another Christian?

Galatians 2: Does It Really Matter to God? Should it to Us?

2011-09-26T08:30:00.001-04:00

I want to camp on a particular verse in this chapter today because it relates to some things I've recently been learning.

Galatians 2:6 As for those who were held in high esteem-whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism--they added nothing to my message.

When Paul says this, he had decided to meet with some leaders of the church to as a sort of self-imposed accountability meeting. (Interestingly, in Chapter 1, he had immediately began serving others without checking with leadership, but Paul seemed to sense when consultation was in order, and perhaps after 14 years of ministry…see verse 1…he began to see the value of accountability.)

Let's take a look at two important points in regard to Paul's attitude toward "those held in high esteem."

It made no difference to Paul. Paul obviously respected these leaders, but did not feel the need to make a big deal that he was spending time with them.

How different that is from so many of us! Confession: in these days of instant status updates, it is so tempting to mention if I've had a chance to meet or do something for someone of high influence in the community (not that it happens a lot.) People love to put up pictures of themselves with some celebrity or sports figure, or get an autograph. It's so tempting to say if someone "important" is a Facebook friend or Twitter follower, or to name drop about a project done with someone well-known.

I've done it too. And I still struggle with whether, for business purposes, I need to say whose project I helped edit or someone I met, etc. A friend used to tease me about name dropping on Facebook because I've built a sizeable network (which doesn't necessarily mean much.)

Paul, if he were sharing this on Facebook, would probably not have made a big deal about these leaders.

God does not show favoritism. Not only did it not matter much to Paul, it doesn't matter much to God either! Wow. The person with a platform of thousands is just as important as someone who leads a small group locally, or stays home to raise kids, or lives alone and prays for others.

That's not how our world works. We prefer to hold people in high esteem. As I write this, our community and an online community is reeling about the loss of an influential man who had tons of friends, yet a deep loneliness that ended his life prematurely. Many were shocked and very saddened. It was not enough to have been well-known.

In the past few years, God has been bringing home to me the importance of faithfulness rather than numbers. It's a hard lesson for me. Several years ago it appeared He was opening the door for some regular traveling and speaking. Then it abruptly shut, and the focus became the facilitation and teaching of small group and online Bible studies, with occasional seminars. I thought I had a dream to travel and speak, and that my personality worked better presenting to larger groups. But He is molding me to see that "when two or three are gathered," or today, when 12 of us sat around a table (hmmm...how many disciples did Jesus have?) THAT is where a lot of ministry happens.

It doesn't matter to God or my true friends how much influence I have. It's whether I am faithful to what He has called me to do today. Sometimes it may be for a small group, sometimes for a larger group, sometimes for those who read what I write. But as Paul and God remind us through one small verse, human reputation means very little. It's all about bringing glory to God.

Galatians 1: Christ Alone

2011-09-19T08:30:00.000-04:00

Galatians is a letter the apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Galatia (the area now known at Turkey) who were facing a problem. These believers were being challenged by false teachers to think that their simple belief and faith in Christ as Savior was not enough. They were being encouraged to continue to follow laws as a required part of their new found faith.

Paul writes a strong letter to discourage this false teaching and to encourage the believers to gratefully accept the gift of salvation in Christ. As we journey through the letter this fall, we will be able to reinforce our faith foundations. This is important. When an expectation of some type of good works is added to simple faith, it waters down and even totally changes the whole idea of salvation by faith in Christ alone.

Paul begins the letter with an assertion of the authority he has to speak to such matters, and refocuses the reader on God Himself (v. 5). He then goes on to say in verse 6 that he is shocked that they are so easily being led astray--in essence deserting the Savior in search of a more complicated salvation. Paul calls them back to their first faith and love!

Do you ever feel like you need to be "called back" to the basics? No matter how long you have been a believer, there is great wisdom in regularly revisiting the foundation of your faith...a simple, trusting relationship with Jesus as your savior.

I don't want to assume that everyone reading this has entered into such a relationship. It's really quite simple. It's trusting in Christ alone...not your good works (which never measure up to perfection) to save you and give you a home forever with Him in heaven. This faith can be expressed through a simple prayer but there isn't a magic set of words. If you'd like to discuss this more, please write me.

Galatians 1: Authority, Astonishment, Approval

2011-09-14T16:59:00.001-04:00

I apologize for the repeated posts today. I accidentally dated a post for today that is meant for later. So I am re-posting the proper article for this week.

Galatians can be summarized as “Jesus Plus Nothing = Everything.” (I did not come up with that, but it succinctly shares the essence of the book.)

Paul was writing to a group of churches in an area now known as Turkey. Jesus had ascended around 25 years prior, so His earthly presence was still part of the contemporary history, rather like many of us remembering Ronald Reagan.

In the first chapter, we see the following major points:

Paul’s authority: Paul established himself as an authority the Galatians could listen to. He had already ministered to them and then left for other missionary work. He reminded them that he had directly encountered the Lord, and that major life change had happened.

Paul’s astonishment: Early in the book (Paul wastes no time) he tells the Galatians how shocked he is that they are already turning from the simple truth of believing in Christ alone for salvation. A group of false teachers known as Judaizers had infiltrated and were teaching that in addition to belief in Jesus, certain rituals (such as circumcision) were still required for salvation. Paul is adamant that this is not true. Salvation is by faith in Jesus alone…no other action, ritual, practice or performance is required. Our good works as Christians come out of appreciation, not obligation.

Paul’s approval: Paul actually did not seek the approval of man (see verse 10.) He instead sought the approval of God. In our group, we discussed what happens when we don’t get credit for something we have done. We saw a beautiful descriptor in verse 24: “And they praised God because of me.” Our focus as believers should be less and less on ourselves.

Wouldn’t you want that to be the thing that people say about you at the end of your life?

Galatians 1: Authority, Astonishment, Approval

2011-09-14T16:57:00.000-04:00

Galatians can be summarized as “Jesus Plus Nothing = Everything.” (I did not come up with that, but it succinctly shares the essence of the book.)

In the first chapter, we see the following major points:

Wouldn’t you want that to be the thing that people say about you at the end of your life?

oops...wrong post

2011-09-14T16:43:00.001-04:00

The post on "When Two Christians Disagree" was not to appear yet. I can only hope that perhaps God knows someone needed it sooner.

Psalms: Imprecation - It's about God's Glory

2011-09-08T09:12:00.000-04:00

Note: this final blog post on Psalms is being sent early since our Galatians series begins next week.

Calling down a curse? hmmm...

Some Psalms can be referred to as "imprecatory," (meaning “to bring down a curse”) which means that the Psalmist is actually praying for God's judgment to come down on his enemies. Our live group and I discussed this recently. How do you reconcile what appear to be clear prayers for judgment with New Testament commands to "love our enemies?" Are there times when praying judgment or a curse on someone is acceptable?

This is a very difficult question. There isn't a simple answer, but here are a few points to consider as you read Psalms like this.

Remember context. The Bible must be interpreted in light of itself. You don't read a novel and pull out one paragraph to determine what the whole of the novel contains. Psalms are expressions of feelings and often a starting point for private prayer. While they often contain commands such as "Praise the Lord," they also share deep emotion that if acted upon, may not line up with godly behavior. (For example, the depression expressed in Psalm 88 does not necessarily advocate living in that mindset perpetually.)

Consider history. Remember that there were times that God made clear to the Jews that they should destroy their enemies. It's possible that the Psalmist was praying back to God something that God had already made clear He would do. Israel's enemies were often peoples who did not worship God and infiltrated the Israelites with evil.

Think about the prayer. The Psalmist is asking God to enact justice. In a sense, he is expressing his trust that God will take care of things as He should. God did use His children in war from time to time, but these types of prayers focus on God being glorified and God handling situations in the proper way, not "please stamp your approval on my plan for revenge."

Understand the relationship. The Psalmist was praying to God, showing a deep relationship and a willingness to express many different feelings. This shows a trust in God and an intimacy that allows for expressions of even negative feelings. There are times you might indeed "vent" to the Lord about something that seems unfair.

The Psalmist gives us a great example to go to the Lord in prayer whenever we feel attacked. This could be spiritual warfare, relationship issues, or any number of situations that can bring us down. Be sure to spend time with God before acting hastily to enact revenge or fix a situation to your liking.

Help us, God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake. Psalm 79:9

Psalms: Adoration

2011-08-30T08:30:00.000-04:00

Father, I adore You

Lay my life before You

How I love You.

Do you know that chorus? Often we continue to sing it with "Jesus, I adore You" or "Spirit I adore you." We sing the words, but do we really know what it means to adore someone?

Adore means to hold in the utmost esteem, to worship. Adoration goes beyond thinking someone is cool. It's to hold them in very high regard.

You may say, "Got that covered, Beth. I sure do adore God." Do you? Really?

Do you ever speak God's name loosely, not necessarily with a curse attached, but lightly in the popular OMG connotation?

Do you refer to God in a cliche form without thinking of what it really means? Example: "Lord willin'" or "God only knows?"

Do you think of God first when you need guidance, are feeling low, or are thankful?

Do you get annoyed when God doesn't work things out for you as you wish, like He is a genie in a bottle?

Do you take the time to think about God, His characteristics, and praise Him?

Do you spend time with Him? Not just the quickly grabbed moment to answer a Bible study question or read a devotional for the day but truly to just sit, relax, listen?

I know I fail when it comes to these questions. Yet I like to think I adore God. For a good exercise, take a look at the following Psalms this week (maybe one per day) and read them over more than once. Read them out loud. Read them quietly. Try to enter into the heart of the Psalmist and let his words express your adoration to our God.

Psalm 22

Psalm 100

Psalm 107

Psalm 145

Psalm 149

Next Break Time Bible Study - Galatians - Begins Week of 9/5

2011-08-25T16:05:00.001-04:00

Several options! Live, email, study sheets only, leader's license!

To register, please visit

Registration page: http://breaktimebiblestudy.eventbrite.com/

And, if you use the link below to let your friends know about this, you receive $1 for every person who signs up. Go to this link for details about becoming an affiliate.

http://www.eventbrite.com/affiliate-register?eid=2078636257&affid=7583229

Psalms: Confession

2011-08-23T08:30:00.000-04:00

"I'm sorry. I sinned against you. Please forgive me."

How often do you say that?

This week, our study groups are visiting Psalms of confession and repentance. The Psalmist's make some strong statements acknowledging their brokenness before God and the need for forgiveness. And God desires to forgive and wants to be in right relationship with us! He wants us to be in right relationship with others!

So, when a situation comes up that deserves attention to the tension, here are some steps you might want to consider. Please don't think of this only as a checklist though. There is danger in subjecting our Christian life and relationships to a series of steps and "how-to's." However, these can be beginnings for pursuing peace with others.

So, "hypothetically," let’s say you have hurt someone...or they perceive you have. (I've heard it said that "perception is reality" to the person involved. Their perception of what you have said or done is their reality...even if it isn't truly what you intended. So bear that in mind.)

Pray before doing anything. This may seem obvious, but in practice, many of us don't do it. However, immediately go to God and tell Him that you are sensing that you may have hurt someone, or there is tension in a relationship. Have a spirit of openness and confession (Psalm 32).

Perceive your part. There are at least two parts to every story. Some things can get very complicated. Rarely, though, are you entirely faultless for an issue. So while praying, investigate your own heart and confess any sin God makes you aware of in relation to this person. You must be willing to see your own fault. Paul said he was the "chief of sinners." If we all took that attitude in every conflict, we'd see a lot more resolution more quickly.

Pursue peace (Psalm 34:14.) Make contact with the individual and be quick to confess your sin against them. Ask them to forgive you. Don't just throw a quick "I'm sorry!" to try to appease. Truly acknowledge that you have hurt them. Yes, they may have overreacted, but you can still take responsibility for having caused hurt.

Peacefully wait. Just because you apologize does not mean the person will forgive, forget, or even pick back up where you were before. They may keep communication at a standstill or even mistreat you. But if you have lived by Romans 12:18, you can rest and wait.

Persist gently and consistently. If a person cuts off communication, you can acknowledge to them that you are ready to talk when they are. Tell them how you will next try to contact them and be consistent. For example, "I am ready to talk when you feel up to it. I will text/email/call you two times a week to check in." Then DO IT.

Prevent manipulation. This could take an entire blog post, so I'll just recommend that you be perceptive. Don't fall into traps of doing something out of the ordinary hoping that will impress or appease the person. For example, if you normally contact them 2-3 times a week, don't start contacting them every day just because they are giving you the cold shoulder. Don't buy him or her presents all of a sudden or stalk them, begging to be forgiven. Once you have confessed, you cannot control their reaction. Do not let them take control of your peace.

We can't sum up every situation in a short blog post. Let these thoughts marinate for awhile so you can be ready for the next situation. The key is to examine your heart and avoid the pride of thinking it's never your fault. Sometimes it is...at least to a degree. No need to live in guilt, but also don't live in pride either.

Question: are you dealing with a difficult situation now?

Psalms: Lamentation and Desperation

2011-08-09T20:44:00.004-04:00

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. Psalm 42:7

It's been the hottest summer on record for some time, all across the United States. In heat like this, it's easy to picture someone panting. If you have a dog, you've probably seen a lot of that.

In this verse, we see the Psalmist use a word picture again...this time of a deer panting to get a drink from a clean, clear stream. He likens it to someone longing for God...desperate for Him.

Several Psalms deal with the idea of being desperate for God, and/or lamenting a certain state of affairs. Psalm 88 is known as the saddest Psalm. It's entire content reveals a person longing for God's comfort and connection. The writer explains his feelings of being in a pit, weakened and out of touch with God, possibly due to sin. There is little if any hope expressed in the Psalm. Why would that be? Many Psalms mention sadness, concern or plights, but are sprinkled with words of hope and worship. Why wouldn't this one?

I think it is reassuring that God is big enough to allow such passages to appear in HIs word. It reveals a sincerity of life that we often try to cover up. Yes, the joy of the Lord is our strength, but there are times when we are weary, when we are burdened, when we do feel convicted. Psalms such as this remind us that those feelings have their place in a "real" life.

Are you afraid to reveal the quieter or "heavier" side of yourself from time to time? Do you feel it is essential to always give off a certain air or image? Psalms like these remind us that God is interested in our honesty before Him and others. This isn't to say to make everyone deal with every emotion you have. But at the same time, being willing to be real instead of worried about a certain image goes a long way in building truly honest relationships.

Question: In what way are you desperate for God? Or does showing desperation worry you?

Psalms: Who has Time to Meditate?

2011-08-02T08:30:00.004-04:00

Picture in your mind what it would mean to go “meditate” on something. Do you see yourself spending hours in the woods thinking, reading and praying? Or are you walking on a beach every morning, contentedly sorting through your thoughts? Maybe you are sitting in a quiet chair with your favorite mug, full of steaming flavored coffee.

Who has time for that?!

Even if you don’t spend hours in the woods, on a beach or in a favorite chair, you meditate more than you think. (If you tend to be a worrier, you are already very good at it!) Meditation is simply spending time in prolonged thought on a topic.

Some people, like me, can find themselves obsessing over situation. Obsessing is a negative form of meditation and it's interesting that our enemy can often take something that can be good and turn it around for bad. For example, if you tend to worry over something, think over and over about it, figure out multiple ways out of it and have a hard time letting go of the thoughts, then you are meditating in a negative way. But if you choose to concentrate on Scriptures, the attributes of God, His faithfulness to you in the past and other such positives, then you are meditating in a healthy way.

Our Psalms study groups are currently looking at Psalms with the word meditation in them. In a quick search of Bible gateway, the word meditate appears 16 times in the Psalms. It seems that God wants us to spend time in prolonged thought on His word.

The good news is, you don't have to spend hours in the woods to do this. You can creatively focus on Him and His word throughout the day. Try some of these ideas:

Keep a copy of the Scriptures with you (on a phone, in your purse, at your desk.) Read a few verses during breaks (such as visiting the rest room!)

Listen to positive and healthy podcasts and music instead of radio talk shows that concentrate on stirring up anger or silliness.

Post Scriptures in various key locations in your home or workspace.

Talk to your family and friends about biblical matters. Make it a habit, for example, to discuss your church's sermon from last week or Bible lessons your children may have had in Sunday school.

Subscribe to biblically-based blogs and e-newsletters so your technology is regularly watered with God-honoring content. If you are into apps, find some that provide inspirational thoughts for the day or Bible verses of the day.

With a little thought, you can make sure your life is anchored in God daily so you can more easily turn to meditating on Him when you are tempted to instead worry, strive or figure things out on your own.

Challenge: in the comment box, put a Scripture that has the word “meditate” in it. All commenters will be entered into a drawing for a fun little gift through the mail. Deadline Monday, August 8 at midnight.

Unique Facts about the Psalms

2011-07-27T08:30:00.000-04:00

Image: Catherine Hadler /

FreeDigitalPhotos.net

On Monday, August 1, our email study groups will begin their six-week study in the book of Psalms. In addition to the group emails for those registered, this blog will be looking at Psalms with the following themes:

Meditation

Desperation/Lamentation

Celebration

Restoration/Confession

Adoration

Supplication/Imprecation

If you will be following the blog, you may wish to also try this reading schedule, which will have you read through the entire book in six weeks by reading 25 Psalms a week. You could read 5 per weekday. The reading schedule is:

Week of August 1: Psalms 1-25

Week of August 8: Psalms 26-50

Week of August 15: Psalms 51-75

Week of August 22: Psalms 76-100

Week of August 29: Psalms 101-125

Week of September 1: Psalms 126-150

Here are some interesting facts about the Book of Psalms:

Both the shortest, and the longest, chapters in the Bible appear in the Psalms. (Shortest: Psalm 117; longest, Psalm 119)
The center chapter of the Bible is Psalm 118 There are 594 chapters before this Psalm and after this Psalm. 594 x 2 = 1188.
The center verse of the Bible is (you guessed it) Psalm 118:8.
The center verse says: “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”
The Book of Psalms is sometimes called the “Bible within the Bible” because it deals with all the themes that appear in other books as well.
Jesus quoted from Psalms more than any other OT book.

I look forward to this journey with you!

Sources:

http://jm.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=98025&p=3&topicID=25119199

http://www.suite101.com/content/facts-about-the-book-of-psalms-for-bible-study-a137432

Southside Fellowship Summer 2010 Sermon Series: Psalms: Turning Down the Noise

http://www.psalmsandaffirmations.com/psalms-themes.html#PTI and various other Googled sites

Material from this series is used by permission of First Presbyterian Church, Greenville, SC for whom it was originally written.

New Study in Psalms

2011-07-25T08:30:00.000-04:00

Starting August 1, we'll offer one more FREE Break Time Bible Study. This will be a six-week look through the book of Psalms. It is somewhat based on a series I'm teaching this summer in Greenville, SC. Future studies will continue to be offered at a reasonable registration fee for each (or FREE for current Gold Members.) Anyone is welcome to participate in this Psalms study to try it out. You'll receive a study sheet on Monday along with three questions. You hit "reply to all" to answer the questions, sharing with about 7-8 other folks from around the country in an email group. If you prefer to only receive the study sheets you can opt for that as well. Just email me your preference. Again, this Psalm study is offered at NO CHARGE as we introduce people to our format and transition from having a member site.

(Donations gladly accepted though!)

Future studies will be offered for a reasonable registration fee. Gold Members who wish to participate will have their fees waived.

Esther: One Night with the King

2011-07-20T08:30:00.002-04:00

Our most recent break time Bible study groups are wrapping up their studies in Esther. My husband and I watched the movie, One Night with the King the other night, which was a timely activity as I reflect on the essence of this book.

Like most books of the Bible, you could dig and dig and continue to learn more truths after several readings. This past time through, I think both I and our participants may have learned some things, or noticed some things that we hadn't before.

The movie, based on the story, but definitely taking liberties, helped me visualize more easily what was happening in this story. It enhanced my imagination in terms of the "real life" situation that was going on at the time--something hard for us to picture in our more modern, Western world. So, let's take a moment to modernize some of the book of Esther. What can we draw into our own lives, specifically from the characters in the story?

Esther felt fear. I'm sure it wasn't a simple matter to just be taken into a sort of captivity (spa-like though it was) and be brought before a king to see if he will approve. And certainly it was not easy to make the decision to bravely go against protocol to approach him, at the risk of death. We feel fear, too. Feeling fear is not wrong. Living in fear is. I know. I struggle with it quite often.

Mordecai lived his values. Last week's post talked about the summary of Mordecai in the last chapter. Would that we would leave such a legacy! Whether humbly in the background and barely noticed, or promoted to a position second to the king, Mordecai lived in surrender to God and in loyalty to his people.

King Xerxes probably gave off the typical powerful kingly demeanor but really, the guy couldn't think for himself. He surrounded himself with unwise advisors and seemed to make impetuous, far-reaching decisions. But he did have a tender heart toward Esther, and I think he did have feelings and perhaps Esther did have a positive influence on him for the rest of their marriage. Some strong, but misguided people, need loving, patient people in their lives to help them use their personality for good.

Haman was a great example of what NOT to do, and what NOT to be. Ironically, he also was perhaps overly influenced by his wife, who does play a fairly significant conversational role in the book. She was greedy too, and between the two of them, image and power became their god, which led to pretty tragic consequences.

Esther (the book and the movie) shows what happens when someone is devoted to themselves, verses devoted to God and others. i'm increasingly noticing in our world that devotion to self is rampant, even when it is disguised in apparent concern for others. I see it in myself--in my own self-interests which compete for my mind and heart everyday. Yet when we surrender and serve our loving, non-changing God, somehow our interests and needs fall into place too. May Esther and Mordecai inspire us to do that everyday.

Esther 10: A Fitting Epitaph

2011-07-14T08:30:00.000-04:00

Esther 10 is a very short chapter.

Only three verses.

But, wow, what a punch, especially in verse 3, which could be an epitaph for Mordecai. Let's investigate:

The Jew: Mordecai was strongly connected to his heritage, and assumably, God

Next to King Ahasuerus: in a foreign land he rose to a position of great power

Great among the Jews: yet he was respected among his own people, probably due to not compromising

Accepted by the multitude: Mordecai was well liked by a large group of people. This doesn't always happen of course, but he was apparently winsome (remember that Esther was, too, so perhaps learned this from him) and evidently had great people skills. This allowed him to have a positive influence on a wide variety of people.

Seeking the good of his people: Mordecai's motive was not his own advancement, yet in seeking the good of his people (which presumably was the Jews first, and then perhaps other) he rose in stature. God elevated him...he did not seek it himself.

Speaking peace to all his seed: Mordecai left a legacy of peace with God and others, speaking it, meaning actively sharing it.

What is distinctly missing from this chapter?

You don't see any reference to Esther. It actually appears that the main character of this book was actually Mordecai! Isn't it ironic, and somehow fitting, that Esther, for who the book is named, actually fades into the background, just like Mordecai was in the background in the beginning?

Sometimes, you will be in the spotlight. Sometimes, you will be in the background. You may be more comfortable in one place than the other, but no matter how God directs you, lean into Him and do it well. You may not like being in the spotlight, but may need to take a leadership role from time to time. He will equip you. You may not like fading into the background, but God may want you to have a season behind the scenes. (As I write this, that is happening to me in a particular way.) Lean into it and trust Him for your identity and peace.

Will you leave a legacy like Esther and Mordecai?

Esther 9: On the Very Same Day...God had Other Plans

2011-07-07T08:30:00.001-04:00

Now in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's command and edict were about to be carried out, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, the reverse occurred; the Jews gained master over those who hated them. Esther 9:1

It was fully expected that the Jews would be destroyed. Evil Haman had set in motion a plan of destruction. But in a twist of irony, and because of the character of Mordecai and obedience of Esther, God overrode evil and instead protected His people, making it effective the very same day they expected to be attacked. So instead of a terrible day, it was a day of rejoicing.

Humans like to have an idea of what is coming. We like to have a sense of control over ourselves and our destiny. As I write this, Americans are coming up to Independence Day. It's a day we take pride in our freedom. But I struggle with whether it is biblical to be independent. There doesn't seem to be scriptural basis for living life "my way" or without depending on others in a healthy, community type way. In our struggle for independence we want control, but no one has full control over their lives.

Every one of us could relate an instance in our life when what we thought was coming didn't, or what we didn't see coming did. Sometimes, these are wonderful surprises, like a couple struggling with infertility finding out they are expecting. Or a surprise visit home from a soldier. Or a great job offer that wasn't even on the radar a few months before.

Along with that come the sad things, like my dad passing away in his sleep while my son slept with him camping. Or the tragic parasailing accident that just this week took a former co-workers young son-in-law all too soon from his wife of two years. Or being told, "I'm sorry, but we are having to let you go from this job," or the "I don't love you anymore" statements that rock you to the core.

Why, in this case, did God decide to do a miracle, when it appears He doesn't do the same thing in other cases? I really don't know. All I can say is that we live in an unbalanced, evil world, that also is full of grace, love and truth if you look for it. I don't think God's first choice would be that Adam and Eve would reject His command. I also don't think He wanted to force them to obey. We blame God when things go wrong, but perhaps in some cases, He didn't cause it...it was a result of a culmination of sinful choices in our world. Yet, He does have the power to step in, and He did in the story of Esther.

I think God actually steps in more often than we give Him credit for...it just may not be in the way we want or expect. Like the times that true friendship shines and bonds because of intervention in a time of crises. Or discovering a brand new place to work and serve that would never have been considered if not for the current layoff. Or the new love found after the first spouse has gone home to heaven. So many people can give testimony of new strength, new love, new discoveries when they expected only negative things to happen.

So, today, open your eyes in that situation that seems hopeless. Or maybe not hopeless, but frustrating. There just may be a quieter way the God is intervening, to support, and rescue you in ways you may not expect.

___

How has God intervened in your life in an unexpected way?

Esther 8: The Importance of Administration

2011-06-30T08:30:00.000-04:00

In chapter 8, some excitement occurs in the story of Esther. It is at this point that the king makes a decision to "approve" Esther's request that her people, the Jews, be saved from destruction. Isn't that great?

Yes, but...

What if the king's scribes didn't respond quickly to write the edict? (v. 9)

What if people didn't know all the individual languages, to be able to write in that language, for all the various provinces? (v. 9)

What if the "sealing" of the edict hadn't happened properly, to affirm the authority of the command? (v. 10)

What if the person who "wrote in the name of the king" didn't accurately portray what the king wanted? (v. 10)

What if the mounted couriers didn't speed to deliver the news? (They didn't have email or Facebook back then.) (vv. 10, 14)

For that matter, what if those who took care of the horses did a sloppy job, resulting in sluggish, overweight horses that couldn't gallop? (It is noted that these horses were of prime pedigree.) (v. 10)

What if a specific date (the thirteenth day of the twelfth month) hadn't been specifically chosen? (v. 12)

What if copies weren't quickly made (they didn't have copiers) so all provinces could get the same message? (v. 13)

The Jews would have died.

Do you see how important good administration, training, and teamwork is?

Esther 7: Stepping Up to do the Hard Thing

2011-06-23T08:30:00.001-04:00

In Esther 7, Queen Esther finally has to "step up to the plate" and state that Haman was the man behind the evil plot against the Jews. When we read this book, we know the ending, so we may fail to remember her precarious position. Just because the king has looked in favor on her doesn't mean he will continue to do so. He could just as easily turn on her once she accuses a man who is in his inner circle. But, in obedience to a higher calling, she states the truth.

We may not be often called upon to state the direct truth about a situation in front of the person that it could affect (except, I suppose, if we are called to the witness stand in a court of law.) Even so, we may have to face the truth of a situation and for the good of all involved, deal with it appropriately.

For example. Let's say that you hang around with several friends and one routinely likes to stray into gossip about other people. You know it is bringing the relationships down, but no one is comfortable lovingly confronting this friend. One of you--maybe you--will have to be brave enough to "speak the truth in love" if his/her behavior causes division, distrust, or negativity. When you have to, remember the example of Esther:

Prayer. She spent time in prayer and preparing--"pray-paring" for this task.
Timing. She did not dump this info on the king right away. She waiting for him to be appropriately attentive.
Directness. Although she was subtle during the initial conversations, when it came time to speak the truth, she was direct about what was happening, and to the point when answering his question about who was the perpetrator.
Stability. Even when the king stormed out and Haman begged for mercy, there is no indication that Esther softened in fear. She held her ground, not giving in to Haman's pleas. She kept the higher purpose in mind.

What happens next is not pleasant. Haman is hanged on his own gallows. I trust your situations will never have to come to that! But Esther's example is that the relationship was severed, because it was not a good relationship. Period. In rare cases, you may have to accept a severed relationship if it is better to not associate with those who tear down your walk with God. Hopefullly, though, in most cases, your kind but direct approach when you sincerely feel God is calling you to it, will lead to a deeper, and healthier bond.

Note and warning: this post is not to encourage you to criticize and judge all your friends for every mistake they make, or to elevate yourself above them. I am suggesting instead that if a pattern of poor behavior is evident, and has a negative affect on you or others, you may in great humility have to handle the situation with a direct, in person, conversation. This should always be done in love and with a listening ear and humble heart.

Esther 6: Complete Self-Centeredness

2011-06-16T08:30:00.001-04:00

Haman is quite a character, isn't he? In Esther 6, the king re-discovers the act of kindness Mordecai had shown some time before by informing authorities of a plot to kill the king. Xerxes decides to honor Mordecai, and asks Haman, "What should I do for someone I want to honor?"

Immediately, Haman figures, "It must be me!" and lays out an elaborate plan to reward someone. Xerxes unknowingly turns the tables when he commands him to "Go do that for Mordecai."

Yikes!

I bet many of us are quick to judge Haman. After all, the guy was completely self-absorbed, evil and, well, a real jerk! But...

Uh oh. Here it comes.

I'm self-absorbed too.
I want things to go my way.
I'm tempted to manipulate situations to my advantage.
I sometimes have a hard time rejoicing with/for those who have been given a particular blessing.

How about you?

Indeed, Haman takes it to an extreme and I dare say that my readers are not plotting to destroy a whole group of people.

But are you likely to destroy someone with catty words?
Do you look down on a group because they are not like you?
Does it overly concern you to look right, get in with the good crowd, and seek honor and a good image for yourself and your family?
Ladies, would you never leave your house without makeup on?

Image. Pride. Arrogance. Evil. Destruction.

The are intricately connected and very powerful.

Guard against them, even in "small" forms!

Esther 5 Guest Post: Three Marriage Lessons Wives can Glean from Esther, by Julie Arduini

2011-06-09T08:30:00.001-04:00

This week we are enjoying a guest post by Julie Arduini. I realize that not all our readers are married, but I encourage everyone to read this anyway to glean wisdom in general. Thank you Julie for your post!

There are times God is speaking to me and I'm just not getting what He's saying. I have always prayed that when this happens He do whatever He has to do to get my attention. When I discover that I keep running into the same topic, song, sermon or Bible verse, I know that is His cue for me to listen up.

Lately the cue has been the book of Esther. I listen to a sermon and it's about her. I'm reading non fiction books and there she is again. Browsing blogs and yep, Esther. I started taking notes and found a common theme to her story.

Esther has great tips for contemporary wives to apply in their lives.

1. Be proactive, not reactive. Esther learned the Jewish people, her own family, were in grave danger of being obliterated and her husband was the one who signed the edict to make it so. I would think that if anyone had the justification to freak out, Esther did. I've overreacted over much less. One of our first fights was when I went out for ice cream but took a side trip to the mall without calling to let him know. This was before cell phones so he ha no idea where I was and he panicked. I returned safely to meet his disappointed gaze and I gave an Oscar winning performance. Esther is a good example of what to do in marriage. She went to prayer and declared a fast before approaching her husband. It's a good lesson I wish I modeled.

2. Soak it in. Before King Xerxes chose Esther as his bride there was a competition of sorts to see who would be his new wife. The process was lengthy and involved a series of beauty treatments. I thought it was something like a spa day where Esther and the candidates came out smelling pretty but it was more than that. There were certain fragrances that had special meanings that were symbolic in nature. They weren't dabbed on her but rubbed in until they became part of her skin. This spoke to me. It's so easy for me to spend a little time with God and think it's enough. As wives we were created to dispense wisdom to our husbands. Often we can see things long term and/or from a perspective our husband otherwise would not see. I need to allow time with Him, soaking in His presence and letting everything about Jesus become a part of me take place or anything I share with my husband isn't going to have a lot of substance to it. I want to have a strong fragrance of the Lord in everything I do, not a watered down perfume I just dab on and hope the anointing stays.

3. The best way to your husband's heart is through his stomach. Esther invited her husband and the evil Haman for a banquet not once, but twice. She made sure Xerxes had a full meal and was satisfied before talking to him. Queen Esther had Xerxes' full attention. By praying, fasting and serving her man two amazing meals, Esther had favor. She was able to tell her husband everything Haman had done and planned to do. She took careful consideration in preparing and her work paid off. When my husband is under a lot of stress I make a point to include a favorite meal that week. He loves salad for lunch and I'll get up early to prepare one just so he knows I'm thinking of him. Food definitely isn't the only answer but I think going that extra mile is worth the effort. It definitely paid off for Esther.

Julie Arduini is a writer and speaker residing in NE Ohio with her husband and children. She loves to encourage audiences to find freedom through surrender and I understand it has to start with her. Please join her as she surrenders the good, the bad, and —maybe one day—the chocolate.

Esther 4: For Such a Time as This

2011-06-02T08:30:00.000-04:00

When we read chapter four, we tend to focus on the second half of the chapter, where Esther makes a decision to go to the king despite the real risk that she could be executed for it. This is obviously a critical part of the book of Esther, with the key verse being verse 14: "And who knows but that your have come to your royal position for such a time as this?"

However, today, let's consider the beginning part of the chapter. Mordecai has found out about the plot against the Jews and begins intense mourning. Esther's attendants came and told her about the situation and four words in verse four stand out:

The Queen was stunned.

Esther had no clue what was going on. She was shocked by this turn of events. If her attendants hadn't told her, she would possibly have continued merrily on, enjoying what must have been some pleasant and protected joys in the castle, while her people were in risk of horrible abuse or more outside the gate.

This gives me pause. I live a fairly protected life. I'm blessed with a husband and son who know how to do their best to keep me safe. I have worked in pleasant jobs within non-profits and ministries with great, God fearing people. I haven't had to deal with a lot of greed or ethical temptations in business through the years. I feel like, for the most part, I am, to the best of my knowledge, at peace with the people I interact with and don't have a lot of relational tension. I admit it. My life is pretty sheltered. And, I like it that way.

God obviously planted Esther into the palace "for such a time as this." I don't condemn her for enjoying the spa-like atmosphere and her position. She didn't move out of the palace (although I imagine she would have been willing to if God called her in such a way.) However, once she became aware of the concern, she did not ignore it and overlook it.

She started with her own family. She sent clothing to Mordecai.

She asked for the full story. This is vital. So often (guilty as charged) we jump to quick conclusions about what is going on with a situation, not having all the facts. Esther decided to obtain all the info before acting further.

She didn't immediately agree to what was asked of her. Granted, we tend to think she should have obeyed Mordecai right away, but I don't fault her for having to take time to adjust to the very risky proposal he was making.

She took time for prayer. Enough said.

She involved others. She fasted with her closest attendants. It is wise and healthy to have a few close friends you can bounce life around with and encourage and pray for one another.

She became resolved. She didn't drag out the "I'll pray about it" scenario. Within a few days, she knew she was to take the step of going to the king. And she did it with courageous resolution. "If I perish, I perish."

So, in relation to my life, how does this affect me?

I don't think it's wrong to live and enjoy the life God has given. I have had hard times, and will have more. I don't need to immediately change my situation just because I learn of a need. But, if God clearly brings a need across my path, I should be praying and thinking and dialoging to some degree about why He put me in that situation.

You can't meet all needs. But with prayerful discernment, you can begin to sense that yes, indeed, God may have put you in a particular situation "for such a time as this."

Esther 3: The Story Doesn't Stop Here!

2011-05-26T08:30:00.000-04:00

If all you read from the book of Esther was chapter three, you would be discouraged and even fearful of what God is doing in the lives of His people.

Why in the world is He allowing this wicked Haman to achieve such power? Couldn't He have just stopped this before it started?

That's an answer we will never know on this side of heaven. Why does God even allow mean people to keep seeming to succeed? Why do some people experience such hardship? Why are people in power who could care less about honoring Him?

We don't know the answers. But we do know the good news....the story doesn't stop in chapter 3!

What situation in your life feels like it is going nowhere? Might God be writing a fuller story behind the scenes?

Esther 2: Credit where Credit is Due

2011-05-19T08:30:00.004-04:00

“But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai.” Esther 2:22

A very short phrase. “Giving credit to Mordecai.”

A very big meaning.

Esther had become queen. She had some influence in the palace (though still not a very high place, simply elevated among the women) while Mordecai, her caregiver walked outside the gate. Mordecai overhears a plot against the king and relates it to Esther, who tells the king. The key is, she makes sure to credit Mordecai.

She didn't have to do that. She could've elevated herself in some way, telling the king, "I've become aware of a plot against you." The king would never have known the difference, and indeed, even with a second mention of Mordecai (recorded in front of the king) Xerxes doesn't recognize Mordecai for some time to come. And, Esther doesn't force him to.

This is an interesting balance of recognition here, and shows great wisdom on Esther's part. On the one hand, she was careful to give credit where credit was due. On the other, she didn't push her own agenda. (Chances are, she would have really liked Mordecai to be rewarded.)

I ask myself two questions from this:

Do I defer credit to others when I share their ideas or thoughts?

Those in vocational ministry joke that there is really not anything original that we write or speak...we often use ideas from other sources and revamp them for our particular audience. There isn't anything necessarily wrong with re-packaging an idea (I've heard that ideas aren't copyrighted, but presentation can be, i.e. how you present the idea.) However, it is still a gracious gesture to indicate where an idea may have come from, particularly if someone says, "That's a great idea! I wish I had thought of that." Letting someone believe it was completely original to us is deceptive. Esther did not do that.

Do I refrain from striving to fix something for a friend?

I remember years ago that I interfered in a situation on behalf of a good friend. I thought I was doing a nice thing, trying to fix a relationship with a third party, which she had confided in me wasn't at the level she was hoping it could be. When she found out what I did, she said, "I wish you hadn't done that." I'll never forget that. We are still close and that issue did not ruin our relationship at all. But it sensitized me to the risk of overstepping. Often, our friends need a listening ear, not necessarily a plan for fixing a problem. They need to know they can trust us. If you have an idea for fixing a problem, ask them if they want to hear your idea, or want you to intervene.

For a young woman in a foreign environment, Esther sure was wise and a great example to us. I think God helped her grow in wisdom every day, with the help of a loving, wise mentor like Mordecai.

Esther 1: A Thing of Beauty

2011-05-12T07:45:00.001-04:00

The book of Esther begins with a vivid description of the setting that starts the exciting story. King Ahasuerus put his riches on display for a party that lasted 180 days. Thing of it as a museum display for six months wrapped up with a lavish seven day banquet (but one that got out of hand.)

I've been struck with the detailed description of how the banquet area was decorated and I wonder why, when this banquet was the start of something we would consider to be a negative event, would God have inspired the writer to go into such detail?

Perhaps God wanted to point out the materialism of the king and the extravagance that contributed toward self-indulgence. You could make a case for that.

But I prefer to think instead that God has an eye for beauty. I don't think the setting itself is condemned. I think instead the writer is pointing out the wonderful elements used to create a celebratory atmosphere. In other parts of Scripture, which include instructions for the tabernacle and our heavenly home, we see some displays of extravagance. Not too long ago, much of the world witnessed the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, marveling at the celebration and some of the costs. The human heart seems to be drawn toward beauty and plenty.

Sometimes this can lead to our downfall. The king and his cohorts in this situation certainly were self-centered. Sometimes in our day, we are condemned for being more interested in an extravagent wedding while there is so much pain in the world (severe tornadoes had just devastated people days before.) There are times the Bible seems to advocate simplicity (Jesus had no set home to lay his head.) But I don't think that God condemns this all the time. I think that He allows, and even advocates, occasional "over-the-top" worship and enjoyment of plentiful supply. The key, I think, is not to aim to live there 24/7. We serve a majestic king who is also a humble shepherd. It is appropriate to worship in occasional splendor and in occasional simplicity.

Introduction to Esther

2011-05-06T07:45:00.000-04:00

On May 9, our first study sheets go out to our email participants. We'll be taking a look at a book that could be made into a movie (oh wait, it has been!)

Esther is an interesting book--the story of a young girl who is put in a strange situation and is forced to depend on obeying her God even when she doesn't know what the outcome of her obedience will be. Ironically, her story never actually mentions the name of God. Yet, in the course of ten chapters, His influence is felt.

Do you ever feel like you are in a similar situation? Do you wish that God would give you clearer direction of what will be required of you and what He has planned? Recently one of my readers said that "skywriting would be great" when it comes to knowing where God wants her. I imagine Esther may have preferred to have an idea of what was coming when she approached the king. But God didn't allow her to see too far in advance. He doesn't seem to operate that way. Why might that be?

I think that we humans like to be in so much control because we fear what is coming in the future and if there is some way we can make it predictable, we will feel more comfortable. But God invites us to instead trust Him. That's hard to do sometimes, but His plan is better than what we would choose, even if it includes some very hard things. He has a "forever" view and we don't think in terms (often) of anything but this life. I think a lot of things will make sense once we enter into His presence in eternity, don't you?

I look forward to having you walk with us through this study whether you are reading the blog or participating in the e-group or both. Let's pray for God to open our hearts to what He wants us to learn these next 10 weeks.

Should we have watched the wedding?

2011-04-29T15:57:00.000-04:00

I commented a lot on Facebook today, but one last thing. There was some media criticism (from whom shall go unnamed) of people getting caught up in watching this in light of all the terrible tornadoes.

Here's my take: good and bad events have co-existed throughout history and joy and sorrow don't have to be mutually exclusive. You can't judge the compassion of a person based on whether they watch a wedding. I don't debate the extravagant cost, yet I know William and Kate encouraged donations to their foundation as gifts and I imagine they got quite a lot.

If you didn't watch, no problem. It's not for everyone. I hadn't made specific plans to watch, and truthfully didn't pay much attention to it in the weeks leading up to it. But I woke up early enough to turn it on during Kate's processional. From what I could see, there were a lot of nice elements to the day. In particular, whatever you think of the Church of England and whether it was pomp and circumstance only, God's Word was proclaimed and valuable things were said to about 1/3 (estimate) of the WORLD through this event. I don't claim to know what Will and Kate peronally believe and probably don't agree with some of their choices. But going by today, I think the two of them showed respect to each other, the people, the military...something that we sometimes severely lack in our culture.

We must remember that we serve a KING, not just a friend or buddy in our Savior. To see the pagentry today reminds me that there is a time to be silent, to be deeply respectful and in awe, to uplift the wonder of being united in marriage, of making vows (yes, I know they are sometimes broken...but many marriages do stay intact until "death do us part.")

With all the sad news in the world--and the sad marriage of Charles and Diana and her untimely death-- it is nice that for today there was a focus (even if overdone) on a happier occasion. I think emotionally a lot of people needed it--the world over.

God bless them for bringing a ray of sunshine to the world today.

Esther Starts May 9

2011-04-28T09:03:00.000-04:00

Our next Break Time Bible study will be in the book of Esther. We will begin on May 9. Enrollment details are available here. Don't delay...get signed up today!

Keep Your Mouth Shut...and other lessons

2011-04-15T09:32:00.000-04:00

Our email study group is wrapping up our study of James. Esther will begin soon. Contact me if you want to join in, receiving a weekly study sheet and questions to answer by replying to "all."

James is full of help for believers, so I can't begin to summarize it all in one blog post. But here is one key thought from each chapter:

James 1: Ask for wisdom

James 2: Good works are born out of your faith in God, not to earn His love.

James 3: Keep your mouth under control.

James 4: Selfishness leads to conflict.

James 5: Be patient with circumstances and people.

In this life, we need lots of wisdom, patience, and selflessness. That is not what characterizes our world. But it does characterize someone who has put their faith in Christ and is grateful for what He did for them.

It's not about measuring up in these areas in order to please God. It is about pleasing God out of love and reverence...something that grows from inside our souls.

Are you grateful for that today?

Ouch!

2011-04-07T20:07:00.000-04:00

Reading: James 5

"Do not complain against one another."

Ouch.

Surely I misread that.

Don't complain against any of my brothers and sisters in Christ? None of them? Not even the ones who are irritating, impatient, thoughtless...

"So that I won't be judged."

Ouch.

Surely I misread that.

I don't judge anyone.

No one judges me.

I mean, just because I have an opinion about that sister in Christ doesn't mean I am judging her. I just think she's wrong. And arrogant. And annoying.

Surely no one thinks that way about me.

Or do they?

Ouch.

You want what you don't get...

2011-03-31T19:53:00.000-04:00

Reading: James 4

What are you asking for from the Lord right now? What have your latest prayers been about?

In this chapter, James reminds us that the desires that "battle within us" cause us to sin, to "kill" and to "covet." We may not commit murder, but we kill relationships. We may not rob a bank, but we steal joy from ourselves because we can't be content with what we do have.

James also says that sometimes we don't get something because with don't ask God, and when we do, we often ask for the wrong motives. Let's ask ourselves the following questions as we consider this idea:

Was the last thing I prayed for something I could use for God's glory or the benefit of others, or was it for my own comfort?
Do I find myself often praying for and about material things such as money, home, vacation plans, purchases?
When I don't get what I want, or it seems to be delayed, what are the first emotions I feel?
Can I look back and be thankful for a time God didn't give me what I thought I wanted at the time?
Looking forward, can I lean into what God is doing (or even apparently not doing right now) in my life, knowing that His plan will bring together what is for my best growth and His glory?

These questions are not meant to make you feel forbidden from praying about specific material things from time to time. But more often than not, perhaps we should be crafting our prayers to be a time of listening first, then cooperating with how God leads us to pray for a situation. He will likely lead us to pray more about the development of faith, the bringing of grace and comfort, and the loving of others than about opening a specific door or providing a material thing.

Try praying differently for a week and see what you discover! Please share with us your discovery!

We ALL Make Mistakes...

2011-03-25T12:04:00.000-04:00

Reading: James 3

Whoa...you don't have to go far in this chapter before conviction hits. Take a good look at verse 2. "For we all stumble in many things..."

This past week, a tragic accident occurred in a city near mine. A children's train in a park overturned causing several injuries and the death of a 6-year-old son of a pastor/volunteer firefighter in the city.

As the story developed, it was discovered that an inspector had recently passed the train when he shouldn't have, and the conductor himself admitted that "he knew better" than to go as fast as he was at the time of the accident. He doesn't know how he will live with himself now. A blog of his was discovered (before it was taken offline) that showed his daily maintenance of the train and related some of the work he did and challenges he faced with the train. I believe the man truly loved working with trains and having fun with kids. I think he simply made a very unwise choice--born perhaps out of overconfidence--by taking the train up to a higher speed on it's third--tragic--loop.

When things like this happen, people are quick to cast blame. "He shouldn't have done that!" or "The inspector is at fault." I don't disagree. But according to the verse above, (and even the one prior that tells people to be careful about wanting to become a teacher) is a strong reminder that NO ONE is exempt from the possibility of sinning and hurting others. I know that God has protected me from being in or causing an accident when I have done something thoughtless with my vehicle. We've all been distracted when we should have paid attention to that child we were supposed to keep an eye on, or said something without filtering it, causing hurt and offense.

I feel bad for both gentlemen. I understand that they will have to bear consequences. I think they are already tormenting themselves about this. Their lives, and the lives of the families involved will never be the same. But don't be too quick to judge. As it is for them, God's mercy and forgiveness are available, and because it is unearned, we have no justification to become proud or ever say, "I would never let that happen."

In what ways do you feel pride over some sinful practice that you would "never" fall into?
How quick are you to judge the mistakes of others or cast blame?
How much do you appreciate the mercy and forgiveness of God in your life?
How would your life and relationships be different if you always considered yourself to be "the biggest sinner in the room"?

James 2: Is Your Faith Alive?

2011-03-17T20:45:00.001-04:00

Reading: James 2

This chapter contains some strong theology, some of which can trip people up. James tells us about the relationship between faith and works.

Some people believe that if they do enough good works they will be saved. The trouble is, no one is ever quite "good enough." It's like a bunch of people trying to jump the Grand Canyon. Some will, because of being in good shape, jump up and out farther than others, but no one will cross the entire thing. Even "good people" have a heart of sin (Jeremiah 17:9) so God provided Jesus as Redeemer.

When we accept the gift of salvation, we are new creatures and have new life (2 Cor. 5:17) Out of that life should spring characteristics and attitudes that reflect that life. These are sometimes referred to as the fruits of the spirit. James reminds us that without "works," tangible change, it is questionable that the faith is alive and well.

While we cannot earn salvation, we can certainly "work out" our salvation. (Phil. 2:12) When we "work out" physically, we enhance the energy and strength that is naturally part of the human body. When we "work out" spiritually, the same thing happens, and noticeable change can and often does occur.

Interestingly, this wasn't what I intended to write about for this chapter, but the Holy Spirit seems to be typing instead. I planned to talk about showing partiality, and our tendency as humans to be enamored of well known people, even famous Christians. However, perhaps there is a reader out there who needed this post instead. If that is you, and you have questions about what it means to have a relationship with Christ, would you email me?

For those who know the Lord, think about the following questions:

If someone were describing you to me, what terms would they use?
Would Jesus consider you to have a faith that is alive and well and being worked out?
What contributes to you feeling dry or dead inside? Is there a step to take to bring refreshment to your soul--to fertilize the soil so that growth can happen again?

I encourage your comments below, which also helps the blog. If you receive this post by email, please go directly to the blog, click on "comments" and share you thoughts so others can benefit too. And please tell others about Break Time Bible Study!

James 1: Consider it All Joy

2011-03-11T13:47:00.001-05:00

Reading: James 1

Think of it this way. You are in a small group Bible study and benefit greatly from the experience. Suddenly, the government sweeps in and shuts down the study, causing each of you to flee to your own homes, never to be allowed to meet again. What would it take for you to be thankful and encouraged in spite of this trial?

James is writing to believers among the twelve tribes of Israel, who have been dispersed away from each other. The first thing he tells them? "Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials."

I like the word "various." It helps draw James' exhortation into any situation, not just limiting his words to his specific audience. Trials can come in a variety of ways: relationships, health, finances, career, and a myriad of "little annoyances" that chip away at peace. Everyone experiences trials of some sort, and James encourages us with the reminder that trials produce endurance and leads us more and more toward completion in Christ (a lifelong journey!)

What trial are you facing today? Can you count it all joy? Perhaps this is a way that will help. The acronym JOY often means "Jesus, Others, You." So in light of your trial,

Jesus: How is this trial bringing you closer to Jesus? Are you running to Him first for comfort and guidance? (Your trial can be no worse than what He faced on the cross.)

Others: In what way can this trial be of help to others, perhaps in the way you inspire them by how you are handling it?

You: What character trait is God polishing in you through this trial?

As I write this, the falls outside the coffee shop are moving powerfully due to extra rain this week. (See video attached.) The rushing waters remind me of trials. Those waters are polishing the rocks and smoothing them out. The rushing waters won't be there for long. There will be many "normal" days of water flow. But occasionally, we need the polishing that comes from things not going the way we want.

There is a lot more in James 1 that we could talk about. I encourage you to read through the chapter several times this week, and make comments below that can encourage others.

Good news! We have a new and easier way to make comments on this blog and share your comments with your friends on Facebook, which allows more friends to know about this!

Please comment by clicking on the word "comment" below! And if you like our stuff, consider making a donation, which would make you a lifetime silver member and allow you to participate in our email discussion groups!

James: Are You Ready for the Test?

2011-03-04T09:24:00.000-05:00

We began the book of James this week. Written by “James, a servant of God,” one key word that could describe this book is "tests." James deals with several practical tests that can come to the Christian, exhorting us to walk the talk.

In this book, we will consider our behavior when we go through trials. We will see the challenge of controlling our tongue. We will be encouraged about where to go when we don't know where to turn. But we must be careful not to make a "to-do" list out of the book of James. It is dangerous to turn our relationship with God into a list of do's and do not’s. Why? Because simply following a list of rules does not guarantee a heart tender toward God.

I grew up in what many would consider a legalist educational environment. Sometimes, I miss that, to be quite honest, because it falsely feels like an easier way to measure progress. As a doer and achiever, I lean toward being most comfortable when I can tangibly measure my success on a project. For example, I don't like to think of myself as greedy, but I'm beginning to see more and more how much money motivates me in making choices about what I think I should do with my life. Money can be a tangible measure (we think) of our "success." I was good in school and my grades provided a tangible measure of achievement. (Ironically, certain "proofs" of my doing well in school have been lost or discarded accidentally, so I cannot hang them on my wall of achievement. Surely there is a lesson there...)

So, I am one that could easily take the book of James and love its practical applications because they can assure me whether or not I am doing well. However, I encourage our readers who are following this blog (even if you are not in the email discussion group) to open your hearts to what the book of James will tell us about our hearts, realizing that our behaviors spring from what we truly believe.

For this week, read any introductory material that your Bible provides so that you can know the context, audience, and other facts about this book. And please, leave your comments and observations!

Pour a cup of coffee and join us!

2011-02-26T12:57:00.001-05:00

The "Break Time Bible Study" for James begins on Monday, February 28. Email groups will take about 5 weeks to do simple study sheets and reply via email to a few questions each week. This opportunity is open to any silver member of HOPE Online. I'll also be doing more extensive comments once per week on this blog, with questions to invite you to further study.

Contact me if you want to enroll in the e-groups! Watch for updates to this blog on Thursday of each week.

James starts February 28

2011-02-18T10:12:00.002-05:00

Our next study will be in the book of James and postings will begin the week of February 28. To enroll in an e-group (have study sheets sent to you on Mondays along with discussion questions), please contact me.

In the meantime, I encourage you to read through the book of James. It is full of lots of practical help for Christian living.

In particular, consider what James has to say about;

wisdom
the tongue
fruit and good works that grow out of a heart of faith
favoritism
planning for tomorrow

Give your comments below!

Titus: Who are You Mentoring?

2011-02-11T13:12:00.004-05:00

Reading: entire book of Titus

As we wrap up our look at the book of Titus, re-read the book, putting yourself in the author's mindset. Think of yourself as a mentor to someone younger, writing a letter to encourage this person as they take on a big project. Use the following thoughts and questions to guide your re-reading.

How does Paul encourage Titus?
Think about the young man, and what type of characteristics he had. What is implied or stated to help you form a picture of him in your mind?
What is Paul's main charge to Titus? What is the goal?
What specific strategies did Paul recommend to Titus toward accomplishing the goal?
What type of mentor do you think Paul was?

Now, think of a person that you lead or mentor. Apply the above questions, replacing "Paul" and "Titus" with your name and that of the person you are mentoring. As you consider the wisdom and importance of investing into the lives of others, prayerfullly consider how best to carry out that role and declare your dependance on the Holy Spirit to do it well.

If you have enjoyed this post, we would love your comments below. If you benefit from this site regularly, we gratefully appreciate a donation of any amount, which also qualifies you to receive a lifetime silver membership to our HOPE Online site, packed with resources to help you stay close to God and do life well.

Titus 3: Profound Foundations, Convicting Questions

2011-02-03T19:32:00.003-05:00

Reading: Titus 3

This chapter can stop us in our tracks. There's so much to unpack, even in the first few verses! Convicting reminders, doctrinal foundations, practical instruction. Where to begin?

Let's focus on verses 3-7 before launching into questions that you can consider for the whole chapter. In this cluster of verses, you have what could be a statement of faith for a Christian of any denomination. It reminds us of our great need for God (which is also a basis for humbly relating with others.) It points out God's initiative in providing salvation that doesn't depend on our works (praise God!). It delights us with the establishment of our place as heirs with hope of eternal life!

Let that saturate your heart and spirit for awhile and see how it impacts the other practical applications such as:

• How you think about and relate to authority (v. 1)

• What prorities you have for doing good (v. 1)

• The way you handle debating with others, including, and maybe especially, believers. (vv. 2, 9-10)

• The danger of division (v. 10)

• How you speak of others (v. 2)

Questions:

How would you re-write verses 3-7 in a personal way?

Think about the five practical pointers mentioned above. Which one convicts you the most?

What would it mean to "speak evil of no one," not even people or authorities you may vehemently disagree with?

Titus 2: Teaching One Another

2011-01-28T11:24:00.003-05:00

Reading: Titus 2

Do Christians teach one another in the normal course of life? Yes, they do. In this chapter, Paul instructs Titus to train the church members in regard to their influence on others. Often, we go to church expecting to be taught by others "more qualified" than we are or whose role--vocationally--is to be on church staff. There is indeed room for pastors and teachers to lead on a regular basis. However, this chapter reminds us that we ALL have a role in encouraging, teaching, and helping one another.

A friend of mine who runs a counseling site reminded me that all Christians are counselors. When we interact with others, we often fall into the need to counsel, advise, exhort. We could add to that all Christians are teachers in some degree, whether you teach by word or example or both.

As you read through this passage, consider who teaches you, and who you have the privilege of teaching, either directly or indirectly.

Some questions:

What is important in regard to teaching?
What specific characteristic is mentioned or implied for all the groups?
Jot down particular instructions for each group.
What do you think it means to be "busy" at home? Isn't being busy something often considered to be wrong or detrimental?
Verses 11-14 are a powerful "creed" or doctrinal statement. Spend some time reading it slowly and taking in its meaning.

An aside:

Titus 2:5 is often used as base verse for instructing women about homemaking. Sometimes it is used to demand that Christian women avoid working outside the home. I've written a detailed article about this subject and it is available to anyone who makes a donation of $2 or more via the donate button to the right (plus, you become a lifetime silver member of HOPE Online!) If you are already a member of HOPE Online, simply write me to request it.

Titus 1: Characteristics of Leaders

2011-01-20T10:12:00.003-05:00

Reading: Titus 1

Paul left Titus in Crete to establish leadership in every town. It was not possible for Paul to oversee all the groups forming the early church, and it is no different today as ministries grow. There comes a time to duplicate efforts into the hands of trusted, equipped and appropriate people who can carry out the work.

In training Titus, Paul provides resume of characteristics to help Titus and other believers identify those who should be considered for leadership. These same qualities make great guidelines for appointing leaders today. Some of these characteristics include:

• Being faithful in marriage and in leading one's own family (and perhaps, purity if not married.)

• Displaying self control

• Exhibiting discipline

• Not behaving in an overbearing way (this could be viewed, at least in part, as humble and willing to serve others, not "lord it over" them)

• Being gentle

• Pursuing a living with integrity, not greed

• Firmly holding to the truth

• Encouraging others and refuting error in an appropriate way.

To be described in this way would be a wonderful compliment to any Christian, and in particular, those in leadership roles. But it's not about being complimented. It's about complimenting the work of the kingdom of God through a life lived with God as first priority. Here are some questions to think about as you read this passage carefully:

1. As you look through the list of characteristics, what ones are challenges to you?

2. When you read through this list of character traits, what person comes to your mind? Why did you think of them? (Perhaps it would be an encouragement to them if you write a note or email to them this week!)

3. Since all people are sinners, why would Paul stress that those in leadership are to be held to such a standard? Shouldn’t these characteristics be part of every Christian’s life?

4. Do you believe all Christians are leaders to some degree?

5. How can you actively grow in your personal leadership skills?

6. It can be said that effective leadership begins with leading oneself. Do you agree or disagree with that statement? Why?

The Book of Titus: Challenging Questions

2011-01-14T12:45:00.005-05:00

Suggested reading for this week: the entire book of Titus. Don't let it intimidate you. It's not that long.

Ah, but intimidate you it may. You see, in this book, Paul charges one of his sons in the faith--Titus--with an important work. Titus is to stay behind in Crete and serve the people of that church by providing for godly leadership. What an honor to be a leader, right? Yes...but.

Titus had to work with a church that was facing challenges. In fact, each of the three chapters provides a potentially thorny issue for Christians today to wrestle through. Likely, Titus had to maneuver carefully as he guided the church, so that the people in Crete could grow well in their faith.

Here are some of the challenges of the book of Titus, and some questions to think about as you read through:

Chapter 1: Qualifications for Leadership

What type of character qualities should church leaders possess?
Does this passage restrict women from being church leaders?
As sinners, we will never reach perfection in this life, but have the righteousness of Christ. Since we are all sinners, why should one type of individual be able to lead while others may not?

Chapter 2: Practical Teaching for Various Groups

What character quality seems to be repeatedly emphasized?
Does this verse (Titus 2:5) seem to prohibit women from working outside the home?
What does it mean to "encourage and rebuke with all authority?"

Chapter 3: Our Attitude Toward Leaders

How are believers supposed to relate with governmental leaders?
What should characterize the conversations of believers with others?
What types of conversations should be avoided?

I know you probably would rather I just give you the answers to these questions. But the truth is, that's not my place. The Holy Spirit is your teacher. I can guide with questions and ideas, but ultimately, your counselor and instructor is God. These are tough questions. The gospel is simple, yet deep, with far-reaching implications for our hearts, choices, relationships and actions. May we all prayerfully consider what God is teaching us through this book.

Titus begins January 10

2011-01-05T09:32:00.002-05:00

A new direction for the blog...

2010-12-27T13:13:00.003-05:00

This blog has been on hiatus for a few weeks as I considered what its best purpose is for the future. I am happy to give an update, as it seems the Lord is revealing a direction for it.

For the past several years, the blog has been a depository for random thoughts about life and faith. I now do much of that on Facebook instead, and with that, this blog was almost unnecessary except for the regular posts about the current Bible study I was hosting for members of HOPE Unlimited.

However, a new vision for the blog is coming together, and I feel that for the immediate future, it would be best used as a place to enhance the above-mentioned Bible studies I lead for busy individuals, known by "Coffee Break Bible Studies."

I'm working on making the blog more friendly, and more focused on the theme of Bible study during the pauses of life (I read that turn of phrase "pauses" somewhere and it seems to fit!) I hope to make navigation and commenting easier, and will soon have the URL www.breaktimebiblestudy.com and www.breaktimebiblestudy.org attached to it, as well.

For now, I invite you to look over what has already been done, and I would also like to share that I plan to participate in the Siesta Scripture Memory Team in 2011 and will be commenting on this journey as well. I hope many of you will consider doing that as well...who knows, maybe we can meet in person in January 2012 at the celebration event!

I plan to dive into the book of Titus for about four weeks, beginning January 10. Until then, Happy and Blessed New Year to All!

Blog Hiatus

2010-12-10T18:25:00.002-05:00

Hello readers,

I've decided to give this blog a short rest. I'll still be sharing regularly on Facebook/Twitter and with premium members of our resource center at HOPE Unlimited and will be praying and thinking about the purpose of this blog--if any--for 2011. I welcome your feedback any time.

Thank you and I hope you enjoy a wonderful Christmas season!

I need some feedback...

2010-12-03T11:24:00.001-05:00

I'm thinking about how to best utilize this blog, Conversations Over Coffee. Obviously, I can't have a live cup of coffee with all of you, but this blog is meant to initiate conversations virtually. So, I'd like to ask you a few questions and give me some comments or responses:

1. Do you read this blog regularly?

2. How can I best serve you with it?

3. Should I post more frequently?

4. Do you like random conversation topics? What would you like to talk about?

Thanks for your feedback. I'll happily continue this blog if it is a blessing to others. I know there are other ways we interact as well, so it may be that the blog is not necessary. Let me know your thoughts either via comments or on Facebook, or by email...you can reach me in several ways.

Thanks!

The fastest don't always win...

2010-11-18T10:39:00.003-05:00

"Here is something else I have learned: The fastest runners and the greatest heroes don't always win races and battles. Wisdom, intelligence and skill don't always make you healthy, rich or popular. We each have our share of bad luck." - Ecclesiastes 9:9

The writer of Ecclesiastes went through a lot of emotions as he observed life. Some of his thoughts should not be taken as doctrine, but as a transparent journey of feelings through the ups and downs of life. Within that process, he comes up with some wise sayings, like the one above.

I've been struck this week with the amount of information we have available to us. Too much, in fact. Everyone seems to have an opinion about things, and the Internet allows people to verbalize them from the safety of being behind a screen. Read almost any article now, scroll down, and you'll see a place for comments. I've seen mean and tasteless feedback about a person dancing on a show. I've seen varying opinions about events that happened far away from where I live. I've participated in dialogs and discussions that may or may not have been valuable or absolutely necessary.

Is it wrong to now things? To discuss things? I don't think so. But I think it is like eating too much or drinking too much or going to extremes in just about anything. Like the observation above, all this knowledge doesn't guarantee health, riches, popularity. I'm wondering if we are over-informed and overwhelmed with too much information and opportunity to pride ourselves on our viewpoints and opinions about matters. It's something to think about...and maybe not discuss.

I Dropped the Ball - and I'm Not Picking it Up

2010-11-15T11:52:00.006-05:00

Well, I've dropped the ball. I had intentions of blogging weekly about my experiences with the Getting Organized at Home class. I did okay for the first couple of sessions and then got to feeling over committed. So I've missed two weeks and the last class is this Thursday. Kind of ironic, huh?

Please give me grace for not sharing what I've been learning in a more timely way, but one of the things that is important is to understand why we make the decisions we do and to be willing to say "no" to things when you are feeling under the gun. I volunteered too quickly to add "blog about this class" to the list of things I do, because I like to serve people with good and inspiring information and tips.

I'm in a season of re-thinking some of my priorities and task choices. So I've decided that the blog posts I have shared about this class are enough--for now. In other words, I'm not going to pick the ball back up in this specific way at this specific time.

I'm sure some of this experience will flavor future writings, and I have gotten approval to teach this class locally starting in January, so who knows, maybe I'll be in a better position to blog about it then.

I will still add to my blog regularly on a variety of topics, with the priority being posts related to the current Coffee Break Bible study I am leading, which seems appropriate given that this blog is a "Conversation Over Coffee."

Dropped the ball but not beating myself up,

Beth

PS: This class was taught by someone I recommend as a Christian Life Coach: Stephanie Baker. Check out her site at Life In Abundance.

How do you worship at church? Ecclesiastes 5 & 6

2010-11-05T11:55:00.003-04:00

How do you approach worship? Worship is a lifestyle, not just a weekly trip to church. But for the sake of discussion today, let's think about church services.

Ecclesiastes 5 warns "Be careful what you do when you enter the house of God. Some fools go there to offer sacrifices, even though they haven't sinned. But it's best just to listen when you go to worship." He goes on to exhort us not to talk too much.

Now, before I go on, let's remember that taking one or two verses and building a behavior model around it may or may not be a good idea, depending on the context of the book and the passage. Ecclesiastes is full of observations, not always positive. It also has many good reminders. But reminders alone don't help us behave in a godly way. If our heart is not in tune with the Savior, any external action is shallow at best.

As the writer mentions, some fools go to the house of God for the wrong reasons. His example shows us that even doing something that appears to be worshipful, when it is not true, is wrong. I don't think he means people never sin. I think he is referring to people going through motions without a heartfelt engagement in the process.

When you go to church, what is your primary reason for being there? If your friends weren't there, would you still go? Do you talk a lot while there, or take the time to listen, reflect and meditate on the Lord?

Worship styles vary greatly at churches, as do the environments and culture. My purpose isn't to suggest that quieter, traditional services are more worshipful than casual and interactive ones. But whatever style your church practices, where is your heart when you go? Are you ready to listen? Are you helping others listen? (For example, are you being quiet in the service?Meaning, are you yakking with your family or friends while people are trying to participate? Are you courteous to those you cross paths with or in the hustle and bustle to get to your friends, are you rude to others?)

Be careful what you do when you enter the house of God. Listen more. Talk less.

I can't find my high school diploma!

2010-11-01T14:35:00.007-04:00

Session three of our Getting Organized at Home class made us face some of the external realities and psychological obstacles that get in the way of effectively managing our home environment. Who knew that a class on home organization would go beyond just sharing helpful tips and processes!?

Here are a couple of "external realities" that can effect our progress in this area:

Unrealistic workload: with downsizing and technology, people are expected to work more and faster, sometimes with fewer resources. At times, we must admit this is self-imposed, as we say "yes" to so many things, and don't realistically track and estimate how much time something really takes. I recently read a great article about "hidden tasks," you know, things like "walking to my office from the parking lot and stopping to talk to someone" that take up time that we forget to add to our calendar. (I'm not suggesting you write all that in your calendar, but instead, observing that we forget to allow 5 or 10 extra minutes to get to places or allow for delays and interruptions. and then are continually running late or feeling stressed.) Ironically, I can't find the article now. When I do, I'll post it for you.

Speed of life/technology: briefly mentioned above, we sink into the technology black hole, wanting to learn every feature of our new Droid (ahem) so that we can be especially efficient. Just because a gadget has a feature, doesn't mean I have to use it, unless it truly will help me with something I already do, or want to do.

Then there are some psychological obstacles to getting our home in order. Oh boy. Do any of these resonate with you?

Need for abundance: some people, having grown up feeling deprived of something, may keep lots of things because of the false sense of security and abundance it brings.

Conquistador of Chaos: there are people who thrill to conquering a task. They enjoy the victory so much that they will actually create new bits of chaos so they can stay on that "high" of being a warrior against it. They fear being bored.

Sentimental attachment: there's nothing wrong with keeping some meaningful items, but some of us go overboard. Some can't part with any schoolwork from a child's life, or every knick knack great-grandma handed down. We must remember that these things are just that--things. Things that someday, will be gone. The memories don't have to be. I somehow cannot find my high school diploma, cheerleading letter, or academic achievement pin. Yes, that bothers me. But, does it change the facts of my high school experience? No. I still was on the cheerleading squad. I still graduated. (As an affirmation junkie, I find it humorous that I can't find proof of graduation, academics and sports involvement. Go figure. Maybe there a lesson there?)

Homework for this week is to answer some personal questions about challenges, fears, and myself. Hmmm...I thought this was supposed to be a class on organizing my house? Maybe it starts with my getting some order in my heart.

Special thanks to Stephanie Baker, Christian Life Coach, our teacher.

Timing

2010-10-28T10:38:00.004-04:00

Ecclesiastes 3 and 4 is our Coffee Break Bible study focus this week. Ecclesiastes 3 has the famous passage about there being a "time for everything." The author reminds us that there is a time for birth, a time for death. A time for war. A time for peace. A time for crying. A time for laughing. He lists several other things that remind us of the seasonal, and cyclical nature of life.

Lately I've been learning about God's seasonal design. We're transitioning into fall here, one of my favorite seasons. But there will be things I miss about summer, too. I'm trying to embrace the seasons and the weather as they come. I notice so much negativity in our world--it's so easy to complain about so many things. Instead, it is more relaxing to enjoy a rainy day instead of wishing for sun. To celebrate my son's transition into adulthood instead of sadly wondering where the time went. To realize that activities we did regularly in past years may make way for new activities now. To accept changes in friendships and embrace the deepening ones I currently have and welcome the new ones I'm getting.

There's a time to speak up. A time to shut up. A time to eat. A time to refrain. A time to work. A time to play. How do you know when to do what? I think that abiding in Christ, relating with Him daily, helps us with that. We can develop a system, a task list, goals and desires, but He is the one that leads our day. If we can hang onto those things loosely, and realize that today, in His plan, it may be a time for _________rather than ___________, we can walk in the joy of surprises He has in store for us and the ministry tasks HE has in mind for today, that may or may not correspond well with our to-do list.

The day I wrote this, God did have a surprise for me. I had plans to go to the Y after work and before a class. Instead, He made me aware of a person who needed a visit, so I spent time with her instead. I knew that is where He wanted me at that time. It wasn't what I expected to be doing that afternoon, but it was what I was SUPPOSED to be doing.

A key thought then? Be sure to leave TIME in your day and your life...so you can ride the cycles and seasons without them upending your emotions, and especially so you can listen to the Spirit.

Getting Organized at Home, Part 2 "AdDentures in Organizing"

2010-10-25T13:00:00.014-04:00

I'm sure you are curious about this picture and the post title...just be patient and read on!

Well, as a good student, I just applied one of the lessons I learned in this class. I freed up a piece of furniture (a buffet type cabinet) for my husband's use. He has things he needs to store places, but needed an empty spot to move things to...you know, the "leap frog" process. You need an empty place to put the things you remove from a disorderly one. So, I took almost everything out of that cabinet, put it in a trunk to sort through later, and will surprise him with the extra space later.

This came from a principle we learned in class last week, from a book called The House that Cleans Itself. The idea is that you set up a system that is logical to how you use certain spaces in your home. Keith uses this buffet as a landing spot each day after work. So instead of fighting it, we are going to cooperate with it. By freeing up the drawer and cabinet in it, he will have even more space to neatly store what he needs in a place he logically goes to first anyway.

The trunk is in my office by my desk. I work at home several days a week, so having the trunk in my home office makes sense. I'm adding a task to my calendar called "Take 5" on three days a week. During that time, I hope to take five minutes or less to take five--no more--items out of the trunk and decide whether to discard or give away. To make it even easier, I have a trash can on one side and a "giveaway" container on the other. This too capitalizes on a space that I already regularly use.

This is only one of the many great insights from last week's class. There was so much that I'm not going to share it all. Someday I may teach the class myself! But here are three more key points:

1. By adapting the environment to compensate for and/or eliminate the clutter producing behavior, your house will stay clean longer and with less effort.

2. Identifying the actual causes of your cluttered condition is liberating. For example, is it simply technical errors, like not assigning items to a home or having too confusing of a system that you don't trust it enough to use it? (Example: complicated filing systems.)

3. Call the excuses what they are...excuses. Things like "I may need it someday." Really? You couldn't get it somewhere else if you really did? "My children may want it someday." Really? ALL of it? "I got a really good deal on it." Really? Is it a good deal if it stresses you out to store, sort and try to find it?

You may be wondering why I called this post "AdDentures." Well, one of the students admitted that she has hung onto her late mother's dentures for sentimental value. She's a good sport and let me take her picture (yes, with the dentures. After all, someone may want that someday, right?) Name withheld to protect the guilty. :) LOL

C'mon now, you have something you've hung onto too that your realize may not be necessary...

Tune in next time for more from Getting Organized at Home!

Many thanks to our teacher, Stephanie Baker, Christian Life Coach and to my anonymous, good-sport classmate.

I'm glad about discouragement...

2010-10-21T10:44:00.004-04:00

Our Coffee Break Bible Study group has just started Ecclesiastes. What a unique book! It seems unusual that God would allow such a book in His word. The writer (who many believe was Solomon, but it could have been another teacher) shares his journey of discouragement and questions. He wrestles with why God allows certain things, yet peppers the book with lots of practical wisdom, too.

I am glad that God is okay with us expressing discouragement. The Psalmist certainly did at times. The writer of Ecclesiastes begins the book with "all is meaningless" (or vanity or similar words depending on your translation.) But this does not threaten God. He allowed it to be included for all of history. Why? Why not only include what praises Him and points toward unquestioned following? Why allow someone to express doubts and anger?

Because He loves.
Because He understands.
Because He is there to wrestle through it with us.

Jesus wasn't afraid of questions (remmber His conversation with the woman at the well?) He was willing to hang around people who didn't have it all together.

This impacts me uniquely this week. I've been struggling regarding certain relationships. How do I respond and interact if friends and acquaintances have fundamental differences in thoughts, values and beliefs from me? I don't have the answer totally. But I know God is okay with me wrestling through it with Him.

Getting Organized at Home, Part 1

2010-10-18T11:19:00.005-04:00

I seem to be perpetually in a “not quite” mode lately--not quite making it to places on time. Not quite prepared for something. Not quite getting done what I wanted to. It's interesting (and perhaps pre-ordained?) that during this season I’ve also enrolled in a class called Getting Organized at Home—from “Want To” to “Will Do.” This class is being taught by my friend Stephanie Baker, a Christian Life Coach.

The first class was last Thursday night. It’s one of those classes where the chemistry already feels right—a special experience for participants and a teacher. For the first half hour or so, participants shared why they were interested in such a class. It’s always fun to see we are not alone in our tendencies and thoughts!

Stephanie encouraged us to make a list of the five areas of our home that most bother us. She began to guide us into the realization that unless the heart and mind are engaged, proper action will not follow. It goes beyond behavior modification. For example, remembering that we are the temple of God, can and should drive us to take care of ourselves and what God gives us. She also gently prodded us to consider having conversations (if applicable) with others who may have passed their stuff on to us, leaving us to deal with unnecessary clutter. (i.e. relatives, grown children, etc. Note: THEY are not the clutter, their stuff is, right? Just wanted to be clear on that.)

Stephanie shared about the “personalities of clutter,” such as the collector, the inheritor, the compulsive shopper, the scout and the hostess. While there can be positive sides to all of these personalities, they can trip us up if we go too far. For example, my best description would probably be the collector—but not of what you think. I do have some sentimental items, and I decorate my home office with items having the word “HOPE” on them. However, rather than closets full of clothes or every piece of schoolwork my now-graduated son ever did, I tend to collect “productivity or purpose” tools, sometimes to a fault. You should see all the tote-type bags I have, always on the quest for the perfect one. Or plastic bins to organize things with that somehow end up in a cabinet unused. Or file copies of all sorts of stuff that I probably will never refer to again. Or items from hobbies I thought I would stick with. You get the idea.

So, why I am adding another task to my week to blog about this class? Why am I even adding another appointment to my schedule by attending? For a few reasons. One, I think this topic has a lot to offer in my ongoing journey of simplifying my mind and life. Two, God has graciously brought Stephanie into my life as a new friend. We have discovered so much in common already. I feel I can learn from her and her teaching style. Three, I can share these important lessons by becoming a better communicator and by sharing valuable insights on what I’ve learned is a very hot topic for women especially.

I asked my Facebook friends whether they would read this series if I blogged about the class. Several said “yes.” So, in service to you and accountability to myself, look for updates on this for the next six weeks.

And thanks to Brookwood Church for offering this class via Brookwood U.

By the way, that photo is not of my office. Really. It's not.

Next Coffee Break Bible Study - Ecclesiastes

2010-10-14T10:14:00.003-04:00

The next Coffee Break Bible study by email will start on October 18. We will take a few weeks to go through the book of Ecclesiastes.

This week, I taught an overview to a live group, and brought PlayDoh. (Okay, so it wasn't the brand name, but still...) The participants loved working with the PlayDoh while discussing the book. I felt that the idea of "working and wrestling" fit with working a lump of PlayDoh. You see, the writer of Ecclesiastes asked a lot of hard questions and worked through a lot of feelings about the world. At one point, he felt it was all useless!

Isn't it something, that God would allow an entire book of the Bible to be included, that questions the meaning of life and what God does, too? He is not afraid of our questions! He faithfully remains by us even when we question Him and get angry.

The book also has some great insight to apply to our work. We'd love to have you join us for this journey via email. Just contact me for details.

I will bring them back...

2010-10-07T09:50:00.006-04:00

As our group finishes up Amos, we see a change of tone in the last few verses of the book. God has been reprimanding His people, using Amos. He has shown His displeasure at their selfishness and self-centeredness. He has every right to leave it there.

Yet, at the end of the book, He promises that His people will

return from exile

rebuild

replant and bear fruit

never again be uprooted from their land.

What a promise--so undeserved. What grace and love God is willing to show despite repeated selfishness on their part (and ours.) Why would we not want to live in grateful obedience when showered with such love?

I struggle with simply letting God pour His love on me--and being, not always doing or achieving. Join me for the next few days as we bask in His love and grace and serve Him because of our gratefulness, not to earn His favor or impress others.

Our next Coffee Break Bible Study by email will be on the book of Ecclesiastes and will begin October 18. Contact me if you'd like to participate and/or get the personal study sheets.

Extravagance

2010-09-30T10:27:00.003-04:00

Amos 6 and 7 has been our focus this week. In the early part of Amos 6, God has a message for His people about extravagance and complancy. He exhorts them because they care more for their comfort and convenience than they do for the the less fortunate.

I heard a popular speaker recently explain that extravagance is living above your means. What is extravagant for one person may be a necessity for another. I think that may be a wise way to look at things. Haven't you been tempted to look at the life of someone else and think, "Why do they waste money on ________?" Well, be careful about judging the motives of someone else. Perhaps they have saved up and are paying cash for that trip to celebrate a milestone. Maybe they want to employ someone starting a housecleaning business. Maybe their ministry or work demands much focus and paying for someone to run errands for them reduces stress in their family.

We each know what is extravagant for us. We often know--deep down--when we are being selfish or self-protecting, or judging the lifestyles of others. Is there something you can sacrifice so that you can help someone who needs encouragement? Is there an attitude of jealousy toward another's lifestyle that it is time to let go of? We are all the recipients of extravagant grace...let's extend some, too.

How would you like to be called a cow?!

2010-09-23T10:28:00.007-04:00

In this week's study of Amos (Chapters 4 & 5) we see God refer to "cows of Bashan-you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy and say to your husbands, 'Bring us some drinks!'" Yikes. How would you like the Lord to refer to you as a cow?! (Sorry guys, this post is for women only this week!)

Apparently these women were used to a cushy lifestyle and put their husbands in a position to take advantage of others in order to maintain it.

We would probably all say, "I would never do that!" However, do we act like cows sometimes without thinking about it? Here are some possible ways we act in an elitist, demanding manner.

Put our spouse under unreasonable pressure to make a certain amount of money to maintain our lifestyle, home and habits, even if perhaps he hates the job he has to do in order to provide it.

Think highly of ourselves because we are able to wear a certain brand of clothing or drive a certain car, or live in a particular subdivision.

Whine when little things don't go our way, when really, they are pretty minor inconveniences considering the suffering that many others have to endure.

Make sure our budget contains significant amounts of money for eating out, clothing, pampering and vacations and yet only designate a small porportion for giving to our local church and other worthy causes.

Making snide remarks about others while "blessing their heart" in public.

Judging someone's heart when we haven't gotten to know them.

God had little patience for this type of behavior. It's so easy for these habits to creep into our lives and though we may not display direct outward snobbery, we can do so in subtle ways. Let's ask God to show us areas in which we do not honor Him and others with our "cow-like" attitude. Instead, let's be another type of COW: Considerate, Open-handed Women.

Image: graur razvan ionut / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Modesty and Stumbling Blocks

2010-09-17T12:17:00.003-04:00

In this week's look at Amos 2 & 3, our email Bible study group is considering what it means to be a stumbling block (some of the Israelites were causing Nazarites, who took a vow that included abstaining from alcohol, to drink. See Amos 2:12.)

In the tradition in which I was raised, I was taught that simply by doing certain things (like attending a movie) I could cause a stumbling block. However, if you follow that logic, then you would refrain from many activities, for you could take almost anything and find someone who would be offended or put off by it. (Eating out on Sunday, playing too many sports, eating a certain restaurants...the list could go on and on.) Jesus' association with sinners and at parties would certainly have--and did--put off religious people of His day. So I'm thinking it means something else.

To me, being a stumbling block is when you tempt someone in an area over which they are trying to obtain victory. For example, if I know a friend of mine is having trouble staying on a budget, it is not wise for me to invite her for a weekend of shopping (which, by the way, would not be a way I'd want to spend an entire weekend anyway--shoot me now.) Or if another friend was dieting, to invite her out for dessert would be putting unnecessary temptation in front of her. So, I should kindly choose activities that would uplift individual friends, not tempt them in areas over which they are struggling.

Another area that women should probably think about is modesty. That topic has also come up these past several days in a couple of ways, including a news story about a female reporter being harassed by professional football players, so it seems timely to mention it. (I recommend you also take a moment to read this related blog post by a friend of mine.)

Modesty is a tricky one. There is no set way to define perfect lines of modesty. I've talked this over with my husband, and he admits that even modestly dressed women who look lovely can cause thought temptation for men. Yet, since the Bible teaches us to be more concerned about our inner spirit that our outer bodies, (1 Peter 3:3-4) I still think (and he can see my point) that Christian women who dress immodestly and in a way that attracts the eyes to the body unnecessarily are not being loving (in the Christian sister way) to their brothers in Christ.

I see a lot of immodest dressing among Christian women and girls and I think we should take more responsibility. Face it ladies, lust is a trouble spot for men--even Christian men--so are you causing that co-worker or friend to stumble more easily by the way you dress? Are you distracting males and females by the wide open shirt or overly tight clothing? It's something to think about...

Image: healingdream / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Note: although I use FreeDigitalPhotos.net regularly, I do not approve of all content of that site.

Amos: I have a confession...

2010-09-10T12:31:00.000-04:00

This week our Coffee Break Bible study groups began a study in the book of Amos, and our focus for the week is the Introduction and Chapter 1. On Fridays, I like to add an additional blog post commenting on what we are currently studying, and trying to aply it to our "today" life.

Recently I went to see the movie Eat, Pray, Love. From what I have picked up, many people in the world liked the movie and the journey it represents for many people, especially women. My confession? Me--not so much. Although it was somewhat interesting, I thought it portrayed a selfish woman who left hurt in her wake in her quest to find her own happiness and fulfillment--an ironic twist to a search for joy, love and peace. (I realize this is one summary statement--this blog post is not meant to be a review of the movie. Yes, it had some redeeming qualities. But that's not the point of this post.)

The Isrealites were going through the same thing as Amos opens. God sent Amos, a shepherd and fig grower, to speak some harsh words to His people. He was disgusted with their selfishness, their lack of caring for others and their rejection of His way of life.

I'm big on grace. We have a gracious God. But sometimes I think we also forget to see His holy, just, side. He is long suffering, but also will not put up with rebellion forever. Amos is a good warning not to take advantage (for granted) the grace and patience of a loving, holy God.

Thus, I ask myself, is confession a regular part of my life? Do I really understand how I grieve the heart of God when I worry? When I harbor proud thoughts? When I impatiently go through life angry when things or people get in the way of my plans? Thank the Lord that when I confess, He is quick to forgive--and forget! But may we all be careful to avoid complacency, and selfishness disguised as "finding ourselves." We find ourselves most when we lose ourselves to worship of God and unselfish love and service to others.

Praise from A-Z

2010-08-27T15:00:00.002-04:00

Acrostic Prayer

David wrote a prayer to God in Psalm 145, using the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Following that example, several friends used Facebook to write a prayer, using the English alphabet. May this guide us to meaningful praise!

Almighty God, I praise You.
Before time began, you knew me and loved me.
Cleanse my heart with Your word, O Lord.
Desire for You consumes me.
Encourage me in my walk with Jesus.
Forgive my sin.
Grateful I am that Your grace is sufficient for me.
Helpless to save myself, I turn to You, holy and mighty Lord.
Incredible, You are like no other! I humble myself, letting go of pride and self sufficiency, and surrender to You.
Jesus, name above all names, beautiful Savior, glorious Lord, I run to You!
King of kings, and Lord of lords, I will praise You forever and ever!
Love from You, Father, is like no other!
May I always be captured by Who You are!
Never will I forget all You have done for me, Jesus, by dying on the cross. Never ending love is Your precious gift to me.
Open arms had Jesus when He died for me. Open arms have I to receive Him. Oh my Lord, You always provide, even when I least deserve it.
Praise You forevermore! Praise the Lord in the heavens, praise Him in the earth.
Quickened was my heart, so I could respond to Your gracious offer of reconciliation with You. Quicken my heart to behold Your majesty.
Rejoice in the Lord always!
Savior, I love You with all of my heart!
Thank You for all of the wonderful blessings You give us. Thankful for Your many blessings!
Use me to share Your grace and love to others. Unending love is what You lavish on me.
Victory I have in Christ! Vehemently, I seek Your face.
Wisdom is what You long to bless me with
‘Xactly at the right moment, You lifted me up and drew me close.
Yearning I am, to hear Your voice. You bless all who depend on You and deeply desire You.
Zaccheus enjoyed your fellowship, as do I.
Zany as it may seem, You chose me and lovingly hold me.

Thanks to the following people for participating in writing this prayer and for Pastor Charlie Boyd for encouraging people to write one.

Doane August
Kim Eison Barr
Karin Bennett
Beth Beutler
Cindy Smith Bird
Debbie Bruno Branka
Patricia Butler
Brenda Covert
Jasmine Covert
Julie Gibson
April Gray
Erica Skelton Goldsmith
Janine Hewitt
Bonnie Holmes
Gail Kelly
LaDonna Loehrke
Kevin McElwee
April Mikolasek
Debbie Miller
Janice Moody
Mary Beth Morgan
Sally Norland Morris
Karen O’Neal
Jennifer Perry
Roger Stoddard
Christina Ward
Andrea Watson Wilder

There are plans to publish this formally through HOPE Unlimited.
Photo courtesy of www.reelworship.com

Don't Cross that Bridge - Redux!

2010-08-20T15:03:00.001-04:00

I am re-publishing a blog post from some time ago as we are currently in-between Coffee Break Bible Studies (which is what I have been using this blog for of late.) So, hope this post is encouraging.

Interesting note: I don't even remember the topic of the meeting mentioned in this post, which reminds me that often what we are worried about for the moment will have little impact when we recall it weeks/months/years later!

So here goes the repeat:

Taking a little side trip this morning because I am sitting at my fav coffee shop and have been prompted to share something.

It's been a bit of an anxiety producing week for me, mostly due to my "vain imagination." (I have too active of one at times, and worry about things that often don't end up happening.) Tonight, I had a meeting scheduled that for most people would not cause any anxiety. But for me, it was being a bit of a trigger to another fear of mine. Anyway, got a text this morning that I don't have to go to the meeting after all. So, sitting here, I'm realizing that once again, I tried to "cross a bridge before I came to it." Then I look up and see Falls Park Bridge outside the window (from a different angle than this photo shows, but the same bridge.) It was like the Lord reminding me, "Why are you crossing the bridge? You aren't even there yet, and may not have to cross it at all." Just because I'm looking at this bridge now, doesn't mean I will or will not cross it later. (I just might go stand on it for a bit to allow the truth of this lesson to sink in, but anyway...) It's like I'm worried about tripping on a bridge I'm simply looking at, not even crossing. It's the same way with my worries. What I'm imagining COULD happen, may never come close to happening. Most of my worry seeds are planted in the soil of looking ahead. But Scripture tells me to handle each day as it comes...not worrying about tomorrow. If I could learn to grasp the present journey rather than the future bridge, I think I would be at peace more often. How about you?

Grace...one day at a time

2010-07-30T17:03:00.004-04:00

This has been a very full week. A sad goodbye at the beginning. New opportunities in the middle. Exercising of the mind and body and emotions due to various happenings, tasks, and interactions. Endings. Beginnings. Middles. The journey of life is a walk with God through ups and downs, life and death, pleasure and pain, love and struggle. Release. Stretching. Relief.

To make it through all these cycles, we need grace. New mercies every morning. Not an upfront, preloaded "grace card" that we draw from as we need it. No, God chooses to give grace sufficient for the day. Each day has its own trouble. We don't need to borrow from the past or tap into the future. We just need to trust Him to give us what we need for today. That's hard sometimes. But that's often how He does it.

Great is thy faithfulness.
Morning by morning--new mercies...

Image: federico stevanin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Proverbs 31 Woman

2010-07-21T15:20:00.004-04:00

Does Proverbs 31 make encourage you or make you cringe? Sometimes women can read that Proverb and get discouraged, thinking, “How can one possibly be all those things at once?”

Perhaps it would be better to understand this as a photo of a godly woman with a variety of skills as well as excellent character. The Life Application Bible commentary shares: Some people have the mistaken idea that the ideal woman in the Bible is retiring, servile, and entirely domestic. Not so! This woman is an excellent wife and mother. She is also a manufacturer, importer, manager, realtor, farmer, seamstress, upholsterer and merchant." It goes on to share that her relationship with God is THE most important part of her life, and interesting to note, points out that little, if anything, is directly mentioned about her physical appearance.

The Proverbs 31 woman is a compilation of the grace, strength, and influence of a godly woman. If you read it as a demanding checklist, you can go crazy. Not every woman plays every role mentioned above. Instead, let this chapter encourage you in the specific calling God has put on you. Some of you are home managers. Some have roles at home and outside the home. Some are called to a specific role outside the home. But no matter how God has called you to serve, your roles in your family and in the community are very important and influential. Staying in close relationship with Him is your first priority, so that you can carry out these roles with His direction and with joy, and perhaps less of the underlying restlessness so many may feel when trying to do more than God has asked.

Image: djcodrin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Something about Huldah

2010-07-07T10:59:00.004-04:00

Huldah is mentioned in II Kings 22 and II Chronicles 34. The following are some notes from a lesson I shared with a group of women. Feel free to use the questions to generate your own discussion.

What we can learn from Huldah’s example:

Huldah was respected.

It was rare to have a woman play this role. She is the only prophetess mentioned in the books of Kings or Chronicles and one of only four in the Old Testament.

It is thought that she was a teacher to women. The men came to her to have her validate and share what the book said. Obviously, she was known to “know her stuff” for the men to even consider coming to her.

Has God called you to an unusual role?

Discussion: Talk about someone (preferably a woman) who you highly respect. Why?
Have you lost respect for someone? Why?

Huldah was chosen.

Jeremiah and Zephaniah, both male prophets, were around at the time. Why might Josiah have chosen her instead of Jeremiah? (We don’t know for sure. It is possible these male prophets were affiliated with another area of worship in Jerusalem; perhaps in his fear Josiah felt a woman may be easier to listen to.)

Discussion: Why might, in some circumstances, a woman be more approachable than a man? How can we exercise this gift in a proper way without being manipulative?

Huldah was courageous.

Imagine what it was like to have to give this bad news. She did not hold back.

Discussion: Talk about times when you have to deal with difficult situations or spoke the truth in love.

Huldah is a little-known Bible character, but was mentioned two separate times. There are valuable things we can learn from her.

My interview with www.christianworkingmom.com

2010-06-30T08:30:00.006-04:00

I am privileged to have been interviewed by www.christianworkingmom.com for their e-newsletter this month. Here is the text of the interview for those interested! I encourage you to visit their site, which is owned and operated by Kimberly M. Chastain, MS, LMFT, a Christian Working Mom Coach and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Interview

Beth graciously volunteered to be interviewed this month. Beth and I have actually met in person. I meet almost all CWMs through our virtual world.

Beth has a heart for teaching women more about the Bible. Beth is a married 44 CWM who lives in the United States. She has a son who is 19 and has been married to her best friend for 23 years now. Beth is the owner of www.hopeunlimitedforyou.com, providing resources and encouragement to people who want to stay close to God and do life well. She also works part-time on the ministry staff of a large church.

Beth shares the following joys of being a CWM:

-Being able to use my gifts and abilities regularly
-Enjoying my marriage of over 20 years and a husband who supports my work
-Seeing our son becoming a mature, wise, discerning, logical, courageous young man although he has grown up too fast!
-Helping to provide income for the family
-My journey with God through the process

Beth struggles in being a Christian Working Mom when:

-Sometimes being spread too thin, especially if I realize it's been my own fault
-Not always practicing what I preach (i.e. I've written a book on time management, but am not always good at it!)
-Trusting God for adequate income especially as it relates to our own organization
-Fears related to my desire for family to remain safe and healthy

Favorite Bible Verse:

Isaiah 12:2 "Behold God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song. He also has become my salvation."

What is God teaching you right now?
Most recently, He has allowed me to go through some humbling, (but nowhere near devastating) situations to gently prune me of fear, self-sufficiency, pride, and independence. I have a way to go.

Words of Encouragement for other Christian Working Moms

Learn to embrace yourself with joy, having a right view of yourself that is not too proud, yet not self-condemning. It troubles me that women (including myself) are so quick to criticize themselves-the work of our loving Creator.
He made us with the personality, abilities and gifts we have for a reason.

It is false humility to cut ourselves down-it is its own way of drawing attention to ourselves. Instead, we should rejoice in His work in us!

Anything else you would like to share:

I would like to invite the readers to visit www.hopeunlimitedforyou.com and
sign up (via the link at the top of the page) for our free weekly "HOPE Hint" that comes out every Wednesday. You can also connect with me on
Facebook, Twitter or Linked In via that page. I welcome "virtual" friendships even if we haven't-yet--had the privilege of meeting in person.

Thanks Beth for sharing today and your commitment to faithful living in all areas of our lives.

Something about Deborah

2010-06-24T19:49:00.003-04:00

Deborah. A woman. A wife. A prophetess. A judge. In her words, "a mother in Israel." A woman of many roles who obeyed her God, inspired a military leader, and led her people with wisdom. She played a role that was unconventional in her day. After a major victory, she and Barak sang a song that is relayed in Judges 5 and brings honor to the great Commander, the Lord God.

Verse 4, "Oh Lord, when YOU went out from Seir, when you marched from the land of Edom, the earth shook the heavens poured, the clouds poured down water, the mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai, before the LORD the God of Israel."

Is there some battle you are facing? Can a God of such power interact in your life? Will His story continue as He plans even when there are setbacks? YES. Deborah played an important role in HIS story. He used her leadership skills to help His people even when there were challenges. Are you using your gifts to serve Him and others even when it doesn't appear that all is going well or successfully? Let Deborah inspire you to trust God, and obey Him, trusting Him for results.

Image: Graeme Weatherston / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Lydia

2010-06-10T19:34:00.002-04:00

Lydia - a very cool woman!

Our conversation over coffee study sheet went out today. Participants are taking a closer look at Acts 16:6-40, in which we are introduced to a woman named Lydia. She is a neat Bible lady to get to know. She was head of a household as well as a business woman. She was used in the early stages of the church in Phillipi and respected by Paul.

Some time ago, I taught about Lydia to a group of women in Greenville. If I recall correctly, we met down by a river in Greenville. In a neat way, the spot we picked to host the class had a bench painted in guess what color? Purple! A light breeze blew at just the right time...God smiled on the lesson of a small group of women worshipping by a riverside. Here are some insights about Lydia:

She was successful.

-A savvy business woman, she dealt in a purple cloth
-color associated with high rank and great wealth.
-dye came from shells of a mollusk in the coition. Not easy to produce.
-Probably used to being around people of a comfortable socio-economic level
-Large home with enough room for missionary party indicates comfortable finances. Believers also assembled at her house.

Lesson: it is not wrong to be comfortable financially or with possessions. However, indications are that Lydia did not live for these things. She offered them for a blessing.

She was strong.

-Scripture indicates she was “head of the household,” meaning either that she was single or widowed.
-She had a number of servants.
-She was said to have “persuaded” the missionary party to stay with her.
-It is likely she played a leadership role with the group that prayed and met at her house. No other woman in the group is named, so that could mean she was the leader.
-She continued to host the church at her home even after Paul and Silas had been imprisoned and beaten.

Lesson: When God provides and calls us to a responsibility, we do not need to act in fear. Lydia accomplished much though God chose to keep her single. Notice that God used her in an influential position in this church plant, indicating Paul’s respect. She obeyed God rather than being concerned about a “woman’s place” or even what the community might think of her.

Also, she balanced her strength with an attitude of hospitality.

She was surrendered.

-She accepted Christ with enthusiasm and her household also believed and were baptized.
-She was leader of a prayer group. It’s been said that her prayer group may have been the magnet to draw the gospel to that area.
-Probably was what was considered a God fearer, those who worshiped God though not recognized as Jewish.
-The Lord opened her heart to respond.

Lesson: God knows our hearts. God can provide the guidance and information we need for every decision. God is in the business of drawing people to Himself. Where do you feel Him tugging? Are you surrendered to walk the path He lays out for you? (I struggle with that.)

Also, there is power in prayer groups. Sometimes we may think less of the power of prayer than we ought. These women faithfully prayed. Paul was stopped by a vision from going where he thought he should go, and instead headed to Phillipi. Their prayers prepared them and their country for the gospel.

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

First Impressions Gone Wrong

2010-06-09T07:26:00.003-04:00

You've heard it said that "You never have a second chance to make a first impression." That's a generally true statement, one that reminds us that the things that we do and say can paint a picture of us that may or may not be fully accurate. Thus, we feel should be making sure we make a positive first impression.

The only trouble with this is that we can drive ourselves crazy being concerned about what impression we make. The more people you meet or get to know, especially if you are into social networking, the harder it is to keep up the same image with everyone and still be a "real" person. There's got to be a better way.

Why not just be the person God created you to be and accept that your first impression may not "click" with everyone? It's far less taxing. I'm not saying go out and be a jerk, not caring what people think (although not caring what people think CAN be a good thing in proper balance.) And, also consider that there's a good chance you'll be able to make a second impression, a third one, etc. How many of us have friends now that did not really impress us when we first met? Aren't you glad you allowed for more opportunities to get to know them better?

I saw this in action recently. A person I know had read a couple of pieces written by someone else I know, and commented on by yet another person I know. Because the topic discussed was limited, and she knew the other commenter a bit better, a certain impression developed about the original author that I knew did not paint a fully fair picture of him.

I was able to encourage my friend to read more of that writer's work, and she was glad I did, for she discovered more about him than what she'd gotten from the first couple of pieces she read. You see, this gentleman's opinion about one thing was fair enough--yet it gave a bit of a negative "first impression" to a first-time reader. But my friend allowed herself to "get to know" this writer a little more and thus, uncover a richer mixture of thought and character that she might have missed if she refused to go past her first impression.

So today, if someone doesn't make a good first impression, give them the benefit of the doubt. Learn more about them and you may be pleasantly surprised. And if you don't happen to leave a good first impression today, don't beat yourself up! Just be real and true and eventually, others may see how special you really are.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Should a Christian Woman Work?

2010-06-04T10:31:00.005-04:00

Today, we start a Conversation Over Coffee that deals with the idea of Christian women working. An email group receives a weekly study sheet and participants reply to others on the list. Alternatively, these blog posts are available by subscription (see box under my picture.) This conversation will go for about five weeks.

Today, let me just comment generally, based on the article I wrote about this subject. It was prompted some time ago by a young working mom who was somewhat concerned about working outside the home and as I recall, had received some negative feedback from at least one other Christian woman (who probably meant well). Unfortunately, she is probably not the only young woman who has felt criticized for working outside the home.

This topic can be volatile, with strong feelings (and reasonable "proof") on both sides of the issue, with many, like me, landing somewhere in the middle. I think we might all agree that we want Scripture to guide us in life, so for the next few weeks, we will be looking at various passages to help us better understand the roles of woman. Interestingly, I'll also be attending a three-part study this summer led by the pastor I work for part-time. He will be diving into women's roles in the church. And if you think the topic of women working outside the home is volatile, imagine the topic of women leading in the church! This ought to be interesting!

In my article, my summary points come down to a woman needing to make this decision between her and the Lord and if applicable, her husband. God desires that Christians live in unity (even when we disagree) and in particular, biblical, loving leadership and submission as well as respect and love in marriage. There are many factors that contribute to a decision to seek a job outside the home. Given the scope of Scripture, I don't believe we can definitively say that all Christian women should stay home nor that all Christian women should work outside the home. Join us over the next few weeks as we graciously discuss the topic.

If you'd like to be part of the email group that will study more deeply and reply to one another, you simply need to be a member of the HOPE Center, our online library and communication center. Membership is available for life in exchange for a voluntary payment of any amount. Visit this page to find out why you should join!

Image: graur razvan ionut / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Do We Really Need to be so Connected?

2010-05-28T10:49:00.002-04:00

I am in the process of brainstorming an article about the pros and cons of Facebook (and possibly other social media technologies.) I've been using Facebook for over a year now, and I'm starting to have some different feelings about it. I'm not ready to throw in the towel--I do feel it has its value--but I'm not sure if it has contributed that much to my growth in several areas of life. LIke many good things, there needs to be a balance in the use of it. Everyone's threshold of wise usage may be different, so what I'm thinking about for me may not work for you.

I think being connected with others is nice, and modeled by Jesus. Yet I also understand that our capacity to be deeply connected well, may mean we can only do that with a few. Even Jesus only had 12 disciples that he did daily life with and deeply invested in. Of course He invested in many to some degree, and reached out to them. But He didn't seem too concerned about, or motivated by, building a big following or marketing Himself. Discipleship was more important to Him. He concentrated on following the Father's daily lead and the content of what He shared and not so much on the bottom line of results.

How different I can tend to be! When I want to see something "grow," I mean that more people are participating. But who can say that a class of 10 or less is not more effective than a class of 200? Do we really need to be connected with huge numbers of people to minister well? Do I? What do you think?

Will you be part of our next conversation?

2010-05-20T09:24:00.005-04:00

On Friday, May 28, I'll start another Conversation Over Coffee on the subject of whether Christian women should work outside the home and looking at three women in the Bible who were "working" women.

How does this work? You can participate in one or both of two ways. If you are a member of the HOPE Center , just email me at beth@hopeunlimitedforyou.com to become part of the email exchange group. Each Friday you'll receive a study sheet and an opportunity to "reply to all" by email.

Or, you can also subscribe to my blog (see widget near my photo.) I will put some thoughts on the subject up on my blog each Friday and you will get them directly in your email box.

The first option allows for a true, two-way conversation, but the second option is available if you prefer.

In any case, I hope you will join us!

Image: Graeme Weatherston / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Where Conversations Over Coffee is Headed...

2010-05-14T10:45:00.006-04:00

I'm excited about what's coming with this blog. There's a few new things to let you know about.

1) You can now directly subscribe to my blog posts and get them in your email. See the subscribe widget near my photo.
2) I plan to post at least twice a week now, most weeks. I used to just post on Fridays, but...
3) Friday's posts will be comments related to the "Conversation Over Coffee" that is currently in progress with members of the HOPE Center. Nearly every week, a group of folks scattered around the country comment on a study sheet I email out to them by "replying to all." We keep it short and sweet, but it helps us take a few minutes to think on something important. I'll add a thought via my blog for those who may not want to join the email group, and to complement those that are part of it.
4) A random post early in the week will also be uploaded, on any of a number of topics or observations.

If you want information about being a member of the HOPE Center (our online practical equipping center) just visit www.hopeunlimitedforyou.com/membershipbenefits.html. I promise it is affordable (especially since you name the price) and worthwhile (since it helps you do life well!)

Something about...Throwing a Match

2010-05-07T10:15:00.002-04:00

There was a story this week about a college student who purposely threw a golf match so that a senior (also a great player) that he respected could have a spot in national competition. This was a nice, feel-good story about someone sacrificing his own interests to help someone else. Well, somewhat. The student who threw the match was already "in" because his team qualified for nationals. But rather than be greedy and also go for the individual title, he in essence stepped aside so this other player could also go.

Whatever you feel about this--there are two sides, both fair--(some think the senior should have been allowed to earn it of his own accord)--it does paint a great picture of what Christ has done for us. He willingly laid down His life and interests so that we could also enjoy His kingdom with Him. We didn't earn it. We can't earn it no matter how good we are. He provided it because He loves us, and in that respect, it's nice to see the game of golf mirror something with redeeming value.

What do you think? Is there a time to "throw a match?"

The Beauty of Weeds

2010-04-30T12:31:00.002-04:00

On my way into the city recently, I noticed a cluster of weeds on the side of the highway. They were purple flowers, random, unplanned and probably to soon be mowed down. Even so, they helped me realize that sometimes, even weeds can be pretty. How often though, do we notice them? Most of the time, we ooohh and ahh over well maintained gardens or majestic scenery, and that's all well and good. However, we don't notice, or think to notice, the pretty flowers growing in grass that will be trampled, or the wonderful color in the blossom on what we consider a weed.

Noticing these small things can be encouraging. It reminds me that there is beauty even in the midst of challenges. We don't like weeds, and certainly it is wise to get rid of them if we want a garden to grow well. Yet, isn't it encouraging to know that even if there are some weeds in our lives, some beauty can still be seen? That glimpses of God's grace can still be enjoyed? That beauty can be found in unexpected places--and even in people where it's hard to see the blossom underneath their tough exterior?

If God cares enough to make even weeds have some beauty in them, how much more does He want to cultivate us into beautiful, faithful reflections of His grace?

Renewing the Computer (and My) Mind

2010-04-23T11:24:00.006-04:00

I was sitting in my favorite coffee shop yesterday and my computer was acting up. It was moving very slowly. It was frustrating. Turns out I had temporary Internet files bogging down the system, and an unneeded program eating up space. Once those were removed, it was back to behaving more like it should.

Life is like that. The book of Hebrews (12:1) tells us to lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets, or clings to, us. We all have besetting sins--things we tend to do or think that are ungodly or negative, and that weigh us down. For me, one little thought can trigger turn into a whole day of negativity or obsession about what appears to be a problem. It certainly bogs me down from running the race God has put before me.

So, from time to time (daily?) it is good to delete the temporary Internet files, get rid of negative programing, delete unhealthy input. My computer needed its "mind renewed" so it would not be sluggish and uneffective. So do I. How about you? What negative input can you protect yourself from today? What drains on your spirit do you allow to affect you? Take some time to renew your mind today by focusing on positive input, inspirational ideas, and God's Word.

Amazing Grace!

2010-04-16T13:56:00.003-04:00

Sometimes it's hard to get a grip on grace. We sing Amazing Grace, we talk about grace, but do we really absorb what the grace of God means in our lives? I know I struggle with this. I take it for granted and truthfully, sometimes I think I don't realize how much I need it.

Those who have had struggles in life or been saved out of dramatic circumstances sometimes appreciate grace more than those of us who had a relatively simple life. Many of us don't consider our "small" mistakes as the same as major issues we see in the lives of others. But guess what? "Small" or "large" sins, attitudes and hang ups ALL separate us from God. Think of it this way. If you've ever been "on the outs" with someone--and who hasn't?--was it always a "big thing" that divided the relationship? Chances are you can think of at least one situation where a "little issue" is what started the rift. Bottom line...even "small" things can lead to separation.

So whether you've considered yourself and your history as one of "generally good person" or "redeemed major sinner'" the need for grace is still there. In fact, those proud about the good life they have lived may need it even more!

So the next time you sing Amazing Grace, really think about how amazing it is that God offers His salvation to you...that He wants to bridge that relationship gap. Let's all be looking for His gracious gifts of love each day (again, isn't it the little things that often make our day?)

God's
Really
Awesome
Charity to
Everyone!

Who can you show grace to today?

Something about Poetry

2010-04-08T09:26:00.006-04:00

The other day, a mysterious package was left on my desk. (See photo.) It contained three pages ripped out of poetry books. The instructions indicated that I was to read, keep or pass along the package of poems, honoring April as National Poetry Month.

I decided to enjoy them at my favorite coffee shop the next morning, on my birthday. I listened to some quiet music and read them. I know exactly where to pass them on, but first, wrote my own poem.

For Wallace and Amy

I’ve read the poems
Left in the mysterious package for me.
Thoughts of movement
And leaves upon a tree.
Random words of poets
Whose meanings I can’t quite grasp.
And yet…
With quiet music background
I read the flow of words and wonder…
How is it I do not understand
And yet joy comes to my soul?

The Stuff of Life, Part 2

2010-03-19T07:33:00.002-04:00

Last time, I shared three ideas for better handling the "stuff" you carry around. Today, let me address the stuff we carry in our head.

A friend of mine aptly refers to this as "mental clutter" and boy, do we have it sometimes. If you think of your mind as a home, how much dust is collected? How many scattered piles of details hang out there? Just like outward clutter can drain us, so can mental clutter.

Women, I think, are especially challenged by this. We seem naturally designed to think about a lot of details at once. While this is a good skill, it can be exhausting. So here are three more tips about "stuff," this time referring to mental stuff.

Write it down
Keep a pad or electronic note taking device with you all the time. When you are focusing on a particular task, and something else pops to mind, quickly jot it down on your pad and go back to what you are focusing on. It's easy to jump to that other task, but it's better to finish where you are, first.

Let it go
I struggle with obsessing over certain things. But God tells us to keep our minds on Him and experience peace. (Isaiah 26:3) The only thing worth obsessing about is the LORD. Many other things we turn over and over in our mind only rob us of peace and productivity. When you feel an obsessive thought coming on, counter it with a verse or song of praise. (Preaching to the choir, here!)

Take Charge
Think through daily and weekly tasks that you do. Are they all absolutely necessary? Did you really have to volunteer for all those projects? We often act as if our stress is something we had no control over developing, but let's be honest WE are the ones who agree to do too much. WE are the ones that keep doing things "because they've always been done that way." Take more responsibility for your choices and stop acting like a victim. We don't have to fill our calendar as much as we do. Examine your motives for taking on an activity before you agree to it. As you simplify, your mind will be less stressed.

So, both physical and mental stuff can be handled in a way that makes life less stressful and more peaceful...who doesn't want that?

The Stuff of Life, Part 1

2010-03-11T20:22:00.004-05:00

The tote bag flops over in the car, spilling out the contents. The cell phone rings, and you dig through a purse to try to find it, lifting it out just as the call goes to voice mail. You forgot your workout clothes for that stop at the gym after work. You feel like you have to pack every time you leave home or work, always bringing stuff in and taking stuff out. Ever have days like that?

Everyday we deal with “stuff,” the items we need for various appointments and plans. Items we need to bring somewhere. Items we need to bring back home. Is there a way to stay sane while juggling all this stuff? Here are a few hints.

1. Don’t pack what you can stock.
When a store has something in stock, it means it is readily available. Think of the environments you regularly spend time in. (Home, work, car.) Are there items you can keep in those places so you don’t have to repeatedly pack them? Examples: an extra pair of walking shoes, personal grooming items, and sweater in your workspace keep you prepared.

2. Stock bags for unique activities.
If you regularly go to a gym, pack a bag with all the items you might need for a particular activity, or better yet, for any activity you might be prompted to do at that gym (i.e. swim suit, racquet, etc.) This will involve putting some duplicate items like shampoo, brush, etc. in the bag so you are always ready. If you often go to games for your kids, keep a bag of snacks, water, seating cushion, etc. ready to grab and go on your way to the park or field.

3. Unpack and repack quickly.
Make it a habit to unpack items as soon as you get to your destination. Restock the bags as appropriate (I.e. after laundering gym clothes.) Don’t wait to the day of the event to start packing. Keep those bags stocked!

Those are just three ideas to start. A few more are coming next time!