Connect @ Grace

I believe that is a quote from the martyred missionary Jim Elliot.  I love how it says such a profound thing in just 7 words.  I wish I could do that.  “Which that?” you might ask.  The say profound things in just 7 words or the be all there where ever I’m at?  YES! to both. 

Being around very small children again (my youngest son is 6 and my granddaughters are both 2), I’m reminded that children are masters at profound statements in just a few words.  My 6 year old stated just the other day that I was “his best mom ever in the whole tired world!”  How did he know that I and the rest of the world are so very tired?  A profound insight I do believe.

But what I’d really like to master these days is that “being all there” thing.  I’m a pro at being somewhere and not all there at the same time.  Like when I’m driving in the car and my brain is somewhere else entirely for a long period of time.  The next thing I know 20 minutes have passed and I’m at least 20 miles further down the road and I don’t remember driving a single moment of it.  I was off somewhere else.  Granted, the drive up Highway 231 from Rensselaer to DeMotte is boring, but not being “fully there” when I’m driving can be dangerous.  

There are some places in my life right now that aren’t boring but they are painful.  I don’t want to be fully present to those painful situations.  I want to be somewhere else.  But as I went for my Saturday morning run, God reminded me that He can and will work those things for good.  And He wants me to trust in that truth so much that I can be fully present, all there, not holding back or hiding or tucking my heart away whenever I am in those painful places. 

All there.  Where ever I am.  Because He is right there with me. 

Where ever you are, be all there.

Holly

Africa
In November of this year my husband John and I will be taking off on an adventure to Africa. We’ve been a lot of places, but never Africa. It all started with bidding on a trip at a Christian School auction; a week photo safari in South Africa sounded awesome. So we got the trip and started the planning. Of course this might be the only time we ever get to Africa, so we decided we’d better see what else we could do while we’re over there. We decided that we would also like to visit some friends in Malawi, our Compassion boy (Godwin) that we support in Tanzania, and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
Then something started to happen to me, which happens every time I get ready to travel somewhere; everywhere I turned I started hearing, seeing and reading about Africa. I think what happen was that my brain suddenly started paying attention to stuff about Africa because I was actually going to go there.
So what have I been learning about Africa? I’ve been learning that there are lots of problems there. Travel is difficult, food is scarce in places, good clean water is sometimes hard to come by, there are a lot of Aids orphans, there are major threats from other diseases and there are wars, among other things. We began working with a travel agent in Africa because we needed help in planning flights and places to stay. Then she started telling us about cool things we could see and do. I love to see and do cool things in other countries, but something in my heart said, “This is Africa where so many problems are; you can’t just spend your time seeing and doing cool things.” So I e-mailed the travel agent and our Compassion contact person and said, “We’ve got these days to spend visiting with our boy, Godwin; is there anything else we can do to help while we’re there?” And then I prayed and asked God to direct our paths toward ministry on this trip.
What I’ve learned about myself is that I’m not a very good tourist anymore. I know that seeing and doing cool things brings pleasure for a moment, but ministering to people in need brings satisfaction, fulfillment and joy. It’s the way God wired us. And the great part about this is I don’t have to travel to Africa to find people in need; I can find them anywhere I am.
Jan

Last night, one of my least favorite things happened.  I had just got my two kids, Caleb and Haley, down for bed.  Jessica and I were just starting a show that we like to watch that was recorded on our DVR, when about 4 or 5 rapid knocks slammed my front door (another non-favorite).  I got up, after getting my dog to stop barking (did you know that dogs barking in your house wakes your kids up?) and looked outside with full anticipation of what I’d find.

You guessed it!  Toilet Paper.  And lots of it.  This is probably my least favorite thing in the world.  Add to that, that the forcast was for rain that evening and I had a huge mess on my hands.  So, instead of finally getting to hang out with just my wife last night, I got to hang out with my rake in my front yard in the middle of August.

As I watched my unnamed perps drive past me 3 times, it certainly did nothing to releave the angst I felt in that moment.  I continued to rake and pull tp out of my trees, off my bushes, out from under my car, on my car, under the door handles of my car, under the hood of my car, under the door mat of my house, and around my front yard light.  All the while, thunder and lightning were warning me of the mess I’d have in the morning if I didn’t finish.

Then it hit me.  I was angry.  Had I mentioned that?  I wasn’t pleased one bit.  You try to remind yourself that they do this only because they love you, but it never really works when you’re spending your evening that should be spent with your wife picking up shards of toilet paper out of your grass.  Just that morning, I had taught the large group in Rush Hour.  Our bottom line: ”When you love others, you’re quick to forgive.”  That very phrase was replanted in my head, right in the middle of my anger.

“Jesus, I’d really rather not hear it right now,” I thought.  “When you love others, you’re quick to forgive,” was the only response I got.

Sometimes, in the middle of situations where we’d rather be angry than right, Jesus steps in and bites us.  He bites, because it’s the only way we’ll really listen.  Sometimes it really hurts.  Often, it’s  far more difficult scenerio than toilet paper in your yard.  So I listened.  Not because I wanted to.  Not because I was forced to.  But because I had just taught kids the very same lesson that very morning, and like we say every week in Rush Hour, “I should treat others the way I want to be treated.”

I have an appointment in the morning with a Spiritual Director.  Sounds rather professional doesn’t it?  I mean I have arranged to secure (yes, there is a session fee) the services of a person who has received a seminary degree in this.  Much like going to the doctor or the dentist I suppose.  I will meet with her on a monthly basis for the purpose of getting help in listening to God – which sounds rather mystical to me.   So I’m excitedly nervous about this professional, mystical adventure that lies ahead.  I don’t know what to expect.

What I do know is this: there is more God to be had than I am currently connecting with and I want it – all of it.  I don’t want to know more stuff about Him, I want to know Him.  I want to know what it means to draw close and listen to Him.  I believe God has intended for some of that kind of connection to Him to come by joining together with other believers for that purpose.  So I was encouraged to seek out another believer to help me. 

Let me encourage you.  If the growth in your own spiritual life seems stalled or lacking in some way, perhaps an adventure using a new spiritual discipline could jump start things again.  Having someone to mentor me in my spiritual life is new to me.  Hooking up with a Spiritual Director isn’t the only “new” thing to try however.  For you it might be a prayer walk, or journaling, or maybe fasting.  Maybe the new thing is asking another believer to join you. 

One of the cool things about an infinite God is that there is always more of Him to be had – may He give us all a hunger for more!

Holly