This week our sermon at church was the calling to service of the disciples as told in the book of Mark. I appreciate this scripture because it shows the dedication of the disciples to Jesus?And it always makes me wonder, if I was in the same situation would I be so willing to drop everything and just follow this person? And then I realize, we are in the same situation. God is calling us to move into action. To follow someone, Jesus, whom we have never met before blindly into the world. We must trust that He will lead us the right way and not into any danger that we can not handle. Are we willing?
Our pastor challenged us to think of a Bible story or verse that we relates to our personal story. I have a few that I could relate I suppose but the one that came to me yesterday is similar to the commissioning of the disciples. There is one version that talks about a man coming to Jesus and asking what he must to do follow Him. Jesus says the man must drop everything and follow. The man hesitates and asks Jesus for some time before he follows, saying that he needs to take care of a few things first.
I think often times that is me. I will feel the call to do something, but instead of my first reaction being, "Okay, let's do this God." I am more of a "Ah, okay I will totally do that, but first I would like to do x,y and z." I know that may come as a shock to some because I have a rather spontaneous nature and am usually up for anything but when I comes to big projects or things that I am uncertain on, I hesitate and wonder if I will be able to do it before I jump in.
If I am striving to live a life fully dedicated to God, I need to remember that all of the other stuff will be taken care of. God has a plan for us and if we are living with an open mind and an open heart, we will be lead in the right direction and everything will be provided for us. This not to say that there will not be work involved because there always is. This is just to say that if we don't worry about the small stuff, the journey will be better.
The challenge is always to put our full trust in God and what he has in store for us. For his plans are greater than anything we could come up with, and when we really jump feet first into something the results are often beyond our greatest imagination.
I admire the disciples that just dropped their nets and followed Jesus when he called them by name. They were willing to drop everything when asked and to not worry about what was going to happen. I strive to have that same mentality, to be willing to go in whatever direction I am called to. Because let's be honest, I would have never imagined I would be where I am today, and it is a better place then I would have put myself without God. So the challenge this week is to listen to the call and be willing to jump in without worrying about the consequences and without worrying about all the small stuff. To put in the work necessary to be ready for when the call comes, because you better believe that God has the most powerful cell phone and that call always comes through!
Until next time,
~Michelle
Monday, January 26, 2015
Monday, January 19, 2015
Friends are friends forever
I really like the daycare that I have Emerson at. It is a church/christian based daycare, the teachers are super nice and very approachable. But the things I like the most is that they call everyone in the daycare friends. My nephew also goes to daycare there, he will be 4 next month and when I was going to start taking Emerson there, Xander said to his Mom, "Emerson is not my cousin, he is my friend." Even though Emerson is still his cousin, I thought it was adorable that Xander called him a friend. Everyone is a friend, sometimes their friends hurt them, or do bad things, and sometimes their friends play nice with them and share their food and toys but they are always friends. We could learn a lot from a bunch of kids in daycare and kids in general.
Kids don't care where you came from, how your day is going, how much money you have or what you look like. Kids just care if you are there to play with you and how you treat them and others around you.They give love and affection without much thought to it and are always excited to see you again.
In the New Testament, there is a story of children wanting to see Jesus and the adults were trying to stop them. Jesus told the people to let the children go to him. He says that we must have the mind of a child to get into Heaven. Jesus was calling us to think more like children. We are suppose to be open to new ideas, new paths, and new adventures. Think about kids, they just want to learn everything and figure out how everything interacts and they always want new friends. To find joy in the moment to worry less and to love one another.
How can you not love someone that you call a friend? When you talk about someone being your friend it is someone you respect, trust, love and enjoy spending time with.
If we are truly following God's word we would treat everyone with those characteristics. Jesus is the glue that sticks us all together. We strive to follow his path, to be as much like Jesus as possible. Maybe the challenge this week is to refer to everyone we meet as friend? Sure people might look at you a little strange when you greet them but maybe not. I am curious to see how this would change your outlook and the way you treat those around you. I am going to take this challenge and encourage you all to do that same.
The wonderful thing about friendship like love is that there is more then enough to go around and it multiples and spreads. So will you take the challenge? And greet everyone you encounter this week as friend? I hope so, and I look forward to hearing how this affected your week.
Keep walking the faith, and share your thoughts, feelings and reactions. I look forward to hearing for you friends!
Until next time,
~Michelle
Kids don't care where you came from, how your day is going, how much money you have or what you look like. Kids just care if you are there to play with you and how you treat them and others around you.They give love and affection without much thought to it and are always excited to see you again.
In the New Testament, there is a story of children wanting to see Jesus and the adults were trying to stop them. Jesus told the people to let the children go to him. He says that we must have the mind of a child to get into Heaven. Jesus was calling us to think more like children. We are suppose to be open to new ideas, new paths, and new adventures. Think about kids, they just want to learn everything and figure out how everything interacts and they always want new friends. To find joy in the moment to worry less and to love one another.
How can you not love someone that you call a friend? When you talk about someone being your friend it is someone you respect, trust, love and enjoy spending time with.
If we are truly following God's word we would treat everyone with those characteristics. Jesus is the glue that sticks us all together. We strive to follow his path, to be as much like Jesus as possible. Maybe the challenge this week is to refer to everyone we meet as friend? Sure people might look at you a little strange when you greet them but maybe not. I am curious to see how this would change your outlook and the way you treat those around you. I am going to take this challenge and encourage you all to do that same.
The wonderful thing about friendship like love is that there is more then enough to go around and it multiples and spreads. So will you take the challenge? And greet everyone you encounter this week as friend? I hope so, and I look forward to hearing how this affected your week.
Keep walking the faith, and share your thoughts, feelings and reactions. I look forward to hearing for you friends!
Until next time,
~Michelle
Monday, January 12, 2015
Struggling
Last weekend I was in Grand Island with about 1200 other people. We were there for the Great Plains Conference One Event. An event created to bring the youth of the Great Plains Conference (Kansas and Nebraska) to one location to praise God and unite the two states.
For me the most outstanding part of the event was an illusionist named Danny Ray. I have always been fascinated by magic and this was no different. He did some mind blowing card tricks, and one with a quarter, a can of Diet Coke Lime, and a lime but the one that sticks out as most powerful was a trick where he escaped from a straight jacket, one that was too small for him to begin with. He brought an incredible message about struggle. That even through life's struggles with God and when we rely on God the impossible is truly possible.
As we watched him struggle on stage to get out of this straight jacket, I began thinking of all those in our community that are struggling and the hopelessness that often occurs in the depths of our struggles. It took me to a place of deep despair and worry. I thought about the youth that surrounded me and what they must be thinking while watching this. I wondered if they felt as I did like there was no way for him to get out, that we were going to watch him exhaust himself on the stage. But as the struggle continued and he began to make progress on his restraints I started to feel hope. I remembered that all things are possible in God and that even in our darkest hours, God is there to show us the way out.
No situation is truly hopeless as long as we have God on our side. And the good news is that God never leaves us. He walks along side us, he carries us when we need a lift, he brings light to the darkness. And that to me is great news! Danny Ray escaped from the too small straight jacket and it was amazing! He was out of breath and looked exhausted, showing us that it wasn't easy but working through the struggle never is. But he gave a message of hope, a message that it is possible to break free, it is possible to accomplish the impossible. And that really there is no such thing as impossible when there is God.
There will be times of struggle, there will be times where things seem hopeless, but those are the times that we need to remember to rely on God. The help may come in many different forms, but it will always come. What are you struggling with this week and how are you going to rely on God to help you through?
Until next time,
~Michelle
For me the most outstanding part of the event was an illusionist named Danny Ray. I have always been fascinated by magic and this was no different. He did some mind blowing card tricks, and one with a quarter, a can of Diet Coke Lime, and a lime but the one that sticks out as most powerful was a trick where he escaped from a straight jacket, one that was too small for him to begin with. He brought an incredible message about struggle. That even through life's struggles with God and when we rely on God the impossible is truly possible.
As we watched him struggle on stage to get out of this straight jacket, I began thinking of all those in our community that are struggling and the hopelessness that often occurs in the depths of our struggles. It took me to a place of deep despair and worry. I thought about the youth that surrounded me and what they must be thinking while watching this. I wondered if they felt as I did like there was no way for him to get out, that we were going to watch him exhaust himself on the stage. But as the struggle continued and he began to make progress on his restraints I started to feel hope. I remembered that all things are possible in God and that even in our darkest hours, God is there to show us the way out.
No situation is truly hopeless as long as we have God on our side. And the good news is that God never leaves us. He walks along side us, he carries us when we need a lift, he brings light to the darkness. And that to me is great news! Danny Ray escaped from the too small straight jacket and it was amazing! He was out of breath and looked exhausted, showing us that it wasn't easy but working through the struggle never is. But he gave a message of hope, a message that it is possible to break free, it is possible to accomplish the impossible. And that really there is no such thing as impossible when there is God.
There will be times of struggle, there will be times where things seem hopeless, but those are the times that we need to remember to rely on God. The help may come in many different forms, but it will always come. What are you struggling with this week and how are you going to rely on God to help you through?
Until next time,
~Michelle
Monday, January 5, 2015
Church appropriate vs Outside world appropriate
A month or so ago, in my youth group I was showing a video from Shrek 2. The kids loved the clip and we had a great discussion but they brought up a video that I had to watch. They said that it was amazing and were astonished that I had not found this video before. (This is where I know that I am getting old, because I don't spend endless hours on You Tube, I don't see the point.) So, the next week, they asked me if I had checked out this video. I told them I had forgotten but that I would get around to it.
Two weeks ago, I was helping one of my youth organize some food for our Foodnet program. She had again asked about the video and I said I would go right upstairs and watch it. She looked at me like I might be crazy, which then lead me to ask if it was church appropriate. There was an adult volunteer that was helping us and she asked is there a different between church appropriate and home appropriate? My youth quickly answered with a yes. Which lead this same adult to ask why and should there be?
I have really had to stop and think about those very questions. I mean church appropriate is such an interesting concept isn't it? I mean what really is church appropriate, how does one deem what is and isn't church appropriate? I was talking to a couple of other young people the other day about this very thing because I am still rolling it around in my head. One of them said, "Yes, there is a difference because you can't bring everything to the church." That comment was like a slap to the back of the head. "What do you mean there are things you can't bring to the church?" I asked. She says "Well, like there are some videos and such that are hilarious that will make you feel better if you are sad but they aren't videos you should watch at church."
She walked away before I could ask her what those videos would be, but it made me think even harder about all of this. We want the church to be a place where people can be themselves, bring whatever is troubling them, or whatever is bringing them joy and share it with others. Yet, even a 12 year old girl already believes that you can't bring your true self to the church. When did we become another place where people have to put on a mask and not show others when they are struggling. If this is really what is happening, the church has failed. We are supposed to be the place where you can bring your sick, weary, and tired. Where we will all gather around each other and help each other out. Not a place for people to come to show off how well everything is going and then go and struggle in silence and loneliness.
Sorry, I went off on a tangent, a blog for a different day. Back to church appropriate. What do you think? Are there things that shouldn't be shown or discussed in the church? And if there are is it okay for you to discuss them outside of the church? Jesus says that our bodies are a temple of God. We sing songs that talk about us being the church? So is there really a difference between church appropriate and outside world appropriate? And if so how to we distinguish what those things are and when each is appropriate to discuss? I am still rolling this all around in my head, and am not sure where it will all land, but I would love to hear your thoughts.
Now, I still have not seen this video, I keep meaning to because I am curious as to what they are talking about but I keep getting distracted by the cute kitten videos. :-) I hope your weeks are starting off well and I look forward to hearing from you all soon.
Until next time,
~Michelle
Two weeks ago, I was helping one of my youth organize some food for our Foodnet program. She had again asked about the video and I said I would go right upstairs and watch it. She looked at me like I might be crazy, which then lead me to ask if it was church appropriate. There was an adult volunteer that was helping us and she asked is there a different between church appropriate and home appropriate? My youth quickly answered with a yes. Which lead this same adult to ask why and should there be?
I have really had to stop and think about those very questions. I mean church appropriate is such an interesting concept isn't it? I mean what really is church appropriate, how does one deem what is and isn't church appropriate? I was talking to a couple of other young people the other day about this very thing because I am still rolling it around in my head. One of them said, "Yes, there is a difference because you can't bring everything to the church." That comment was like a slap to the back of the head. "What do you mean there are things you can't bring to the church?" I asked. She says "Well, like there are some videos and such that are hilarious that will make you feel better if you are sad but they aren't videos you should watch at church."
She walked away before I could ask her what those videos would be, but it made me think even harder about all of this. We want the church to be a place where people can be themselves, bring whatever is troubling them, or whatever is bringing them joy and share it with others. Yet, even a 12 year old girl already believes that you can't bring your true self to the church. When did we become another place where people have to put on a mask and not show others when they are struggling. If this is really what is happening, the church has failed. We are supposed to be the place where you can bring your sick, weary, and tired. Where we will all gather around each other and help each other out. Not a place for people to come to show off how well everything is going and then go and struggle in silence and loneliness.
Sorry, I went off on a tangent, a blog for a different day. Back to church appropriate. What do you think? Are there things that shouldn't be shown or discussed in the church? And if there are is it okay for you to discuss them outside of the church? Jesus says that our bodies are a temple of God. We sing songs that talk about us being the church? So is there really a difference between church appropriate and outside world appropriate? And if so how to we distinguish what those things are and when each is appropriate to discuss? I am still rolling this all around in my head, and am not sure where it will all land, but I would love to hear your thoughts.
Now, I still have not seen this video, I keep meaning to because I am curious as to what they are talking about but I keep getting distracted by the cute kitten videos. :-) I hope your weeks are starting off well and I look forward to hearing from you all soon.
Until next time,
~Michelle
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