Traveling Giving Encouragement

Do you have friends who are wonderful at coming to your aid when you need some encouragement? I do and I love them dearly for it! I never thought of the Apostle Paul that way, yet I came across this verse...

Acts 20:2-3

² He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece,³ where he stayed three months...

Paul was traveling, and what did people notice about him? The people noticed that he went "speaking many words of encouragement to the people." Wow! I appreciate just a quick couple of words from my friends, yet Paul was hallmarked with being a person who spoke many words of encouragement to those he came in contact with as he traveled. Instead of being a traveling salesman, he was a traveling encourager; (Pause.) a different picture than what I typically thought of Paul. Maybe it is because of the life he lived before Jesus knocked him off his horse! Once again it causes me to stop and have a moment of amazement at what the regenerating work of Christ does in the heart of a person. Paul had been known for a lot of things before he encountered Jesus. Encouragement would not have been on that list.

His life is quite a challenge to us in many ways. I think I will take up this one simple thing this summer and look for opportunities to speak words of encouragement to the people I meet along the way. How about you?

Living with Intention

A man pleaser? Is that what we want to be, yet I read this verse that Paul wrote.

1 Corinthians 10:33, "I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don't just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved."

Where are we being "the church"?

This verse makes me stop and think a lot about what is the "bottom line" in relating to those around me. Are we looking to spend our time and talents on ourselves - consuming them for our own good? Are we gathering together as the church to be fed and have our needs met... or do we gather together with our hearts open to each other looking to encourage each other and to reach out to those we may not know yet?

Once more in this verse, Paul talks about "doing what is best for others so that they may be saved." How are we investing so this might be a reality in our lives and in the lives of those we have in our sphere of influence? Are we using our time and talents to reach those who are not yet followers of Jesus? Luke 15:4 says, "If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won't he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?" 

Am I living in a way that I let my life be led so it benefits others coming to know Jesus’ love? Do I live with intention, looking for the Holy Spirit to lead me to opportunities to share the Lord's love with others? Do I take time to truly listen to those around me and hear their hearts, so the words I share are relevant and show I really care? This might mean my life takes a turn in its direction and priorities. It might mean that sometimes I feel uncomfortable because the Holy Spirit challenges me to reach beyond my own personal comfort zone. It might mean my time away is spent differently than I intended... being led to invest in a stranger that I have met along the way. Maybe the individual in front of me on a Sunday or in a local diner has personal struggles they are facing. Maybe they have health issues, financial struggles, a marriage on the rocks, etc. How would Jesus respond to this person? Would he pause to give them time? Would I be willing to let their need touch my heart and move me in such a way that I show them Jesus in my response? Will I dig deep in my heart so I can find Jesus' words? Will I share some encouragement or comfort? Taking time to care is like giving them a cup of cold water when they are thirsty. 

Sharing Jesus’ love is not difficult. We just have to posture our hearts to be looking for the opportunities that are all around us. If we are willing to have our normal routine interrupted in order to touch a life with His love, doors will open and we will step into a great adventure this summer.

Another Shortcut?

Shortcuts, shortcuts, and yet more shortcuts..

Today I took a moment to pause... Well, I took several as I reflected on some good moments from the years when I was still at home with my parents. We were living in Alaska at the time and it started a "historic family phrase" that my dad would often use as we traveled from place to place. Every thing was so beautiful, but some of the road maps were not always that detailed. We would head out on what should have been a trip of a half an hour, then find ourselves still on the road after an hour. We would do the typical, "Are we there yet?" Often times our time delay happened because my dad had decided to take what he perceived was "a shortcut"... Often those shortcuts were actually "longcuts" instead. Yet those adventures often took us on very beautiful roads, in very beautiful country. We would discover all kinds of animals along the way and eventually we would arrive at our destination. None of the time spent was wasted, as we chatted, laughed, sometimes whined a bit, but always created 'memories' along the way.

When we moved back to the "lower 48" (at the time) we still took time to travel together as a family. We still took many of dad's "shortcuts" and made many more memories together.

Today my dad stopped by the office where I work. He was trying to send a text to a friend on his "non-smart" phone. I wiped mine out and used SIRI to help me get a quick text to his phone before he could get his sent. He complained as my text buzzed his phone in the middle of his message. Another friend told my dad about many of "smart" phones features including built in GPS. My dad said he didn't need it and I had to tease him that maybe he needed SIRI so he wouldn't need any "shortcuts" any more. He laughed and went on his way.

As I closed up the office, my mind was reminiscing on many of our past "shortcuts". I jumped in my car thanking the Lord that SIRI did not exist when I was young. I thought of all our "shortcut" trips that would not have happened if SIRI's GPS got us there. Then I reflected on how grateful I am that when I try to take "shortcuts" in my walk with Jesus, that He would knows how to turn those "longcuts" in to beautiful memories even if the road takes me longer.

A Weekend of Shifting

The Art Of Thinking Brilliantly with Graham Cooke

I recently attended a conference with some dear friends at North Heights. It was an incredible weekend! It was one of those times where you really get an "upgrade" as Graham Cooke says. Each session took us to the new step. The first was a time of "giving back our stuff". We had been in a season of stress as a family. The dream Graham shared opened up a whole new understanding to me of my own soul. As Graham shared how Jesus dealt with him when he allowed fear and worry back in to his life. He dealt with me as well. Jesus had pointed out to Graham how He paid for those things and were his. He wanted them back - I knew I had some of the same things to give back. It was the beginning of a weekend of re-surrendering the stuff I was "stressing over" back to the Lord. I went home that night with a fresh, clean feeling in my soul. Jeff couldn't imagine how much it would be of benefit to him as well. No husband wants a cranked up wife. :)

Anyway, the new day we learned about how problems don't exist in heaven... only promises and possibilities. We learned to re-frame ourselves and to also let our relationships get re-framed. Part of re-framing was about getting a heavenly perspective on both of those things. Then our final focus was one we all could work on forever - getting to know God's goodness. Wow! It opened up an understanding of knowing the Lord with a new depth, plus sharing His goodness with others... letting that share His love with others by helping them see His goodness.

I have been reviewing the CDs of the message and preparing my heart for the upcoming conference! I can hardly wait for the "Upgrade Life" coming in April.