Need Energy?

When was the last time you felt unmotivated and unproductive? What prompts that feeling in you? Busy schedule, exhaustion, weather, stress... What if I told you there's a way to tap into endless energy?

This isn't a commercial for a new "fix-all-your-problems" product. I'm not going to give you an 800 number and tell you all you have to pay for is shipping, of if you order now, you can double your order. Yet I am going to challenge you to look in a mirror and ask yourself:

• How do you create your to-do list?
• How do you get energized?

I'm a list-maker. Someone saw my datebook yesterday and exclaimed, "Look at how organized you are!" I love marking items off my to-do list. What a sense of accomplishment. But years ago, I was convicted. I composed the lists myself. My tasks, my goals, my priorities. I felt like a failure if I didn't complete my list for the day or week. My lists became more important than the tasks. I rationalized the importance of my lists. After all, I had to take care of my husband, home, and two daughters, which can seem like a juggling act some days.

And God said, "What about my list for you?" Hhm. I can rationalize all I'm doing is for God...but is it? Really?

Through that same time, I also relied on myself to generate enough energy to get me through the day. I thought I was pacing myself well, because I'd try to get enough sleep, exercise, and even take relaxing breaks through the day to read to my daughters, enjoy a cup of hot chocolate, or exercise my creativity through quilting or something.

So God worked on me about my lists. Sure, I still create the list, but I give it to him. My time is his time. He's just giving me the hours and minutes to use as he intends. What doesn't get done on my list apparently wasn't on his list for today. I'll let him reprioritize tomorrow.

But the energy? I hadn't been as convicted about my energy source until recently...when I read 1 Colossians 1:29 (NIV): To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

The "to this end" is God's will. His to-do list. His list is the goal, not mine. It's not easy. In fact, the next word is...struggling! I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who struggles! It's the remainder of that phrase that gets me. With all his energy. Hmm. Sure, I know God gives me everything I need. I know he fills me up with fruit of the Spirit: patience, kindness, gentleness, joy, etc. I know that as he fills me up, I must let what he gives me flow out of me; otherwise, I'm filled with rotting fruit. But his energy?

The New Living Translation says the same phrase this way: depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me. Depending. Do I truly and completely depend on God for energy, power, and guidance?

No. But today is a new day. And I'm feeling energized and ready! How about you?

Genuine

I’ve had some tangled messes in my life. But in all honesty, I’ve been comfortable in the messes sometimes. It’s like being in thick vegetation of a jungle. I get used to it, so even though it’s difficult to maneuver, I know the path and can find my way through the tangled vines and dangerous places. It might take me more time than if I had a clear path, but I’m okay with taking a bit more time. After all, I get accustomed to it!

However, I don’t see the dangers lurking under the heavy vegetation. I easily trip. I waste time. And while it might be more comfortable to me because of the habit, I also have to realize…all habits aren’t good.

When I let God clear the path, I’m faced with a couple realities. (1) I don’t get to pick and choose what goes and what stays. God’s refining fire is pure, getting rid of the unnecessary junk and leaving the nonnegotiable necessities. (2) I likely won’t recognize my surroundings for a little while. I’ll need to orient myself again. But one thing is for sure. I’ll grow a lot better after the pruning process.

God purifies us to get rid of the junk in our lives. He prunes us.

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” – John 15:1-5 (NLT)

Being genuine is knowing you don’t have it all together. Being genuine is knowing you’re growing. You’re a work in progress. You don’t run around tooting your own horn, and you don’t sulk around bemoaning your lowly condition. Being genuine is reflecting on the outside who you are on the inside. And because of the Holy Spirit within us, our goal is to be so completely filled with the Holy Spirit that our selves become transparent so people see God in and through us. Being genuine is not putting on a mask, sad or happy, to appear as someone we’re not. We won’t share everything with everyone, but we can be authentic with everyone. No lies, deception, bravado, or posturing. Just actually and exactly what and who we claim to be: followers of Jesus Christ.

More or Less

What do you want more of? Money? Knowledge? Relationships? Opportunities? Time? ...Chocolate?

What do you want less of? Stress? Debt? Weight? People? Challenges?

More or less, are you getting want you want?

We all are getting more or less what we want...

You get what you want...abundantly. Yet because it's not what you need, you struggle with juggling it all in your hands. Even as your hands feel full, you don't realize the abundance is slipping through your fingers and falling to the ground, unappreciated.

You get less than what you want...and whine about it. While you whine about it, complaining about what you don't have, you miss out on what you do have.

Yes, we all are getting more or less what we want.

Do you want more or less of Jesus? I'm not talking about the idea of Jesus or knowledge of Jesus. I'm referring to the living Jesus Christ...he who is God, came to earth, died an excruciating and humiliating death, and returned to life...for you. He's waiting for you to join him in eternal life. Meanwhile, he seeks you in a life-changing relationship. I'm talking about Jesus, who knows eactly what you need when you need it. He knows what you want. And he wants you. More, not less. He wants you to want him. More, not less.

Be honest. We sometimes want less of Jesus. Jesus changes our lives. He challenges us to love our neighbors. Ouch. He tells us to forgive. Really? He instructs us to sacrifice...everything. Everything? He requires obedience. But what if...?

Wanting Jesus more in reality and application in everyday living isn't easy or comfortable. God never says it will be easy or comfortable. But Philippians 4:19 says, "And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." (NLT)

Whether we want Jesus more or less impacts our relationship with him, but Jesus doesn't lessen or expand because of our expectations and wants. Be bold enough to "want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead." (Philippians 3:10, NLT) He's worth it.


All you want, need, and more.

Fast Food Faith

Significantly early for a meeting at McDonalds, I decided to open my laptop and use my time wisely. I questioned whether I could get much work done, since I was sitting in the television section. Have you been to a McDonalds that has a television...the monstrous ones on the wall that can be viewed from anywhere in the room, except if you're back is to it?

I was surprised at the low level of noise. In fact, I looked up from my work often, curious to what was going on around me. What I discovered that day and have continued to notice during following trips was this:

Families sitting in the seats just below the television, adults in the wall seats, so they couldn't see the TV, and kids in the opposite seats so they could. And that's how the families ate...in silence while the kids were entranced to the TV and the adults soaked itheir own thoughts or the momentary silence of their children.

The seating was intentional. Everyone seemed happy. Yet as I watched several families come and go, repeating the same seating arrangement and behavior, I wondered...

How often are we the adults at McDonalds? We need to eat. We need to spend time with family. And we need peace and quiet, so we try to combine it all in one magical experience. It's multi-tasking with a twist. Are we eating what is best for us? Actually spending quality time with family? If McDonalds is our idea of peace and quiet, we need to examine our lifestyle!

In our spiritual lives, we need to be nourished. We need to spend time with God. And we need to quiet ourselves and find peace in him. And yet we treat those needs as if they're a list of "to-do's" that we can multi-task in one swift move and get on with our lives. We rationalize any spiritual food is better than none at all, so we don't discern what's truthful and what's not. We justify our Bible study time as anytime we sit with our Bibles open in front of us even if we skim the words so quickly they blur...if we're even reading at all. Or we cram study time into any leftover nook and cranny of the day just to ease our conscience. And for quiet time, we might be able to find a location quiet to external noise but what about the noise within our minds? Do we slow down our incessant self-talk enough to hear God's steady, faithful voice?

Perhaps we need to consider alternatives to our fast-food, multi-tasking faith...

Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. - John 4:34

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33

The Biggest Pumpkin

On the way to the pumpkin patch today, my 15-year-old daughter shared her memories of searching for pumpkins when she was little. What she remembers the most is not being able to pick out a large pumpkin. I don't remember her sharing discontent at the time, but apparently she didn't like my pumpkin-picking rule: You must choose a pumpkin you can carry.

I let my mom fuss alongside Courtney for a few minutes about my "silly" rule before I decided to explain myself. You see, in my opinion, it's never too early to learn we have limits to what we can carry on our own...and we need to recognize our limits.

I doubt I thought through my rule much at the time, but as I meandered through the pumpkin patch this afternoon, I started thinking....

(1) We live in such a me-centered society, and we're taught from an early age that we should be independent. We're supposed to look out for ourselves, because "no one else will." Asking for help is often seen as a weakness.

That's what our culture says, but life here on earth is skewed: So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last. - Matthew 20:16

We need to know when to ask for help...from God, family, friends, neighbors, or sometimes even a stranger.

(2) Limits help us. Boundaries give us safety in our freedom and establish expectations.

We will not boast about things done outside our area of authority. We will boast only about what has happened within the boundaries of the work God has given us, which includes our working with you. - 2 Corinthians 10:13

(3) God wants to help us. He'll challenge us to grow through our experiences and relationships. He'll always share our burden when we rely on him, but he gives us the choice to share our burdens or stress ourselves. And as we rely on him, our strength and faith grows.

For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light. - Matthew 11:30

Courtney chose her pumpkin (after trying to lift the biggest one she found), based on the same rule I had over a decade ago. Her muscles were stronger...and she got some extra help: a wagon!