Category: Listening

Love = Action

My Bible reading this week is taking me through I John. Last night I was reading chapter 3 and these words in the middle of the chapter were the ones that jumped out at me.

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

As I read these words, I was thinking about my kids and the many discussions that we have had (and will continue to have) about what it means to love your neighbor (Matthew 22:39).

John says that we need to show love with actions and in truth rather than with words or speech.

Sounds a bit like the saying, “actions speak louder than words” doesn’t it?

If you tell your children every day that you love them, but all you do is berate them, yell at them, ignore them, never offer discipline or instruction, your actions are speaking louder than your words.

If you tell your spouse before bed each night that you love them, but you never speak to them kindly, never listen to their hearts, never choose to spend time with them, your actions are speaking louder than your words.

If you say that you love the poor, orphan, and widow the way that God has commanded, but you aren’t doing anything to help their plight, your actions are speaking louder than your words.

In other words, unless we are doing something active to show love, even to the point of laying down our lives for one another, we can talk all we want but our lack of action is still going to be louder than our words.

How are you showing love in action today?

Movement

Yesterday I got up for my Sunday morning run and about a mile in, the sun was just above the horizon behind some clouds. As I continued to run, I couldn’t take my eyes off this beautiful orange ball in the sky, moving slowly upward until the clouds were no longer shrouding it and it could be seen in all of its spherical beauty.

My running partner and I both commented on the fact that we love when we can see the sun rising or setting; when we can actually see the smallest movement taking place.

Of course we know that the earth is actually rotating, but to our eyes, it looks like the sun is doing the moving. There is something about that reminder that there is constant movement going on, without us doing a thing or even consciously acknowledging it.

I think this is a great metaphor for life.

For those of us waiting for something – healing, changes in circumstances, answers to prayers, etc. – I think it is a good reminder that there is movement, whether we realize it or not.

It’s pretty easy to get caught up in the fact that we can’t see any change or movement taking place and we tell ourselves that we are going to be stuck in this place forever. But just look back at other times in your life when you felt that way. Looking at those past situations now, can you see the movement that brought you out and to a different place? If you are like me, the answer is an absolute yes. Did it feel like you were moving at the time? Most likely not, but there was progress made and you aren’t in that place anymore.

Today I encourage you to hold on to movement – whether perceptible or not – and trust that you are moving, you will get through whatever you are going through now. You are experiencing movement, even if you don’t realize it now.

An Attempt to De-Funk

I’m in a funk. Life is crazy busy. I’m fighting a major depression episode. I am trying to exercise, but am doing good to get up to do so two days a week (which I realize isn’t terrible, but when I am used to 5-6 days a week and a lot more mileage, this feels like failure). I am trying to eat well, but some days I just don’t. My clothes are tight and I know how to fix it, but can’t seem to do so these days.

I have been constantly thinking about what I need to do and determining to do the right and good thing, but it seems like I fail every day.

Our community is doing The Biggest Loser again. I had great success doing that two years ago. Not so much last year. A friend of mine is leading it and asked me to consider being a team leader. I told her no. Another friend is helping her and has been talking about joining a team. I told her I had no desire to do so.

Yesterday, as I was at home with a sick child, it occurred to me that perhaps I should take on a team. Maybe focusing on helping others will help me climb out of my funk. So I sent a text to my friend and she signed me up. And both friends have signed up for my team. We’ll see who else joins us.

I don’t know that this is the answer, but I have learned that when certain ideas hit me as hard as this one did, I need to sit up and take notice because it is often a prompt from the Lord to take action in a certain way.

So, I guess I am going to listen to this prompt and see if we can bring an end to this funk that I am in.

Want to join my team?

Run, Mary, Run

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This morning at 9:30, surgery on the brain of my good friend’s daughter began. This surgery is being done to correct a blood vessel issue from a disease called Moyamoya. This surgery has to be done before she can have the next surgery, a kidney transplant.

If you have ever met Mary, you know she  is always smiling, super sweet, and ready to help anyone and everyone who needs it.

Now it is our turn to help her.

How do we help?

Prayer. Lots of prayer.

She is in the midst of what we are calling a Mary-thon, running the race of her life. And we want to hold her up in prayer so that she finishes this race well, in full health.

So whether you know Mary or not, would you join me in prayer for her today and in the coming months as she recovers from this surgery and prepares for the next one?

I ran across this quote in my Runner’s World Quote of the Day today and thought it was very appropriate for Mary during this time:

I run because it’s so symbolic of life. You have to drive yourself to overcome the obstacles. You might feel that you can’t. But then you find your inner strength, and realize you’re capable of so much more than you thought. –Arthur Blank, co-founder of The Home Depot

Thanks for joining us in prayer for Mary!!!

Oh,the Places You’ll Go: A Runner’s Thought Process

Sometimes when I am running I feel a little bit like Dug, the dog from the Disney movie Up. (If you don’t get that reference – SQUIRREL – immediately go find that movie and watch it. Not only is it a great movie, my family and I may yell out SQUIRREL at the oddest times.)

What I mean by that is this – my thought process is all over the place. I’m not sure there is anything that I haven’t thought about on a run. So today, I thought I would give you a peek into my mind, scary as that may be.

  • I don’t want to get up and run. I have to get up and run. But I am tired. But you will feel better when you do.
  • Oh, the weather is so (nice, crappy, cold, hot windy) today, and I am up and running to start off the day.
  • Wow, am I starting too fast?
  • This feels so good. I love running!
  • My legs feel like lead? Why am I doing this?
  • I should keep a list of all the different kinds of roadkill that I have seen on runs. Squirrels, raccoons, possums, snakes, mice, birds, turkeys, cats, skunks.
  • Oh, I hope that isn’t a skunk over there.
  • Good, it is just a couple of birds.
  • How is my form? Make sure you are hitting mid-foot. Lean a little forward. Good.
  • I should pray, that would pass the time. (Start praying – two minutes later – SQUIRREL!)
  • Wow, I am really going at a good pace. (Check watch and see I am going slower than normal).
  • I wonder what these people are doing up so early and driving around town. They are probably wondering why I am running this early.
  • What is my schedule today? Oh, yeah. How am I going to make that work?
  • Work. What is my plan for work today?
  • I hate this hill. No, I love this hill. This hill is my friend and we will make it to the top together.
  • I love being able to run with my friends. Oh, I need to tell them __________.
  • Is that lightning?
  • I need to talk to so-and-so about such-and-such. (Then completely plan out said conversation in my head.)
  • Only ___________ to go.
  • There was that article in Runner’s World last month about breathing. I should try that. (I try that).
  • Random song pops in my head – I run to that beat.
  • Is my leg hurting or am I just imagining things.
  • Don’t look at your watch. You are just on a nice leisurely run. Don’t look at your watch. Don’t do it. Don’t!
  • I want to stop and walk. Ok. You can walk when you get to that corner. (Get to that corner). Eh, you can keep running, don’t stop.
  • What should I say about this run when I put it on DailyMile later? (Then plan out clever wording that I promptly forget.)
  • That sunrise is beautiful! Thank you, Lord!
  • Oh my gosh! I am sweating like a pig!
  • This Spi-belt is supposed to not bounce, why is it bouncing? (Move Spi-belt to a different location on my hips.)
  • This shirt and these shorts don’t work together, the shirt keeps sliding up. I have to remember not to wear this together again.
  • What the heck is that driver thinking? I’m wearing a headlight and flashing armband, surely they can see me!
  • I can’t hear my feet hitting the ground. Good job, you are running lightly.
  • Man I am breathing hard, is it the weather? Am I running too fast? Am I going to have an asthma attack? (Look at watch.) Oh, that’s my pace, no wonder I’m breathing hard.
  • I wonder if the girls turned at this corner. This is where we usually turn, but I don’t see them.
  • My leg is hurting, should I stop or push through. Push through.
  • This town really needs some running paths. And lights. Definitely more streetlights. I could help the city plan that out. (And proceed to make a plan in my mind.)
  • I wonder how many miles I have run in these shoes. I will have to remember to check that later. (Again, I promptly forget to do that.)
  • Almost there, just _______ to go. Why don’t you push it a little for this last _______.
  • Yay! I did it! I finished the run!. Wow, that felt good (or terrible). So glad that is done and I can say I got my run in today.

See what I mean? And that’s just a smattering of the types of things I am thinking on my runs. Sometimes my thoughts are productive – I problem-solve, plan, pray – and sometimes they are completely random and pointless.

But I guess the important thing is that I am running. And I’ll take that, even if my thoughts cover more ground than my run does.

Does your mind work like this or is it just me?

Unexpected

When I got up this morning, today looked just like every other day; one to get through. It was laid out to be a typical day filled with exercise, getting kids to school, going to work, going to an appointment, going to meetings, getting kids from school, taking them to church, getting them to bed and trying to accomplish something along the way.

But at that first appointment of the day, something unexpected happened.

Hope.

Did anything change in my circumstances? Nope.

Did anything get better than it has been? Nope.

Did I get a promise that anything will change? Nope.

But I got hope that something might change because one person said one thing that no one else had said to me before, and that one thing made sense and gave me a sense that there may be some explanation and help for a particular issue I have been dealing with for quite some time.

Hope. In an unexpected place. In an unexpected way.

I pray that those who need it may find some unexpected hope today. Just like I did.

From a Modern-Day Abolitionist

Today’s post is from my friend Ginger Coakley, a modern-day abolitionist working with the Set-Free Movement. I am so grateful to her and others like her who put injustices like these in front of our faces and make us choose whether or not we are going to put action to our beliefs.

I am a modern-day abolitionist. I know, cool title, right?! While I love my job, I still find myself shocked at the reality that there is a need in the world for people like me. There is a need for thousands, maybe millions of modern-day abolitionists. Modern day slavery is rampant in our world…our 21st-century slavery-illegal-in-every-country world…the best known number of slaves counts there are more slaves today than at any other point in human history: 30 million. That is 30 million individuals who are living and breathing, who have the image of God stamped on their souls, and who have (or had) hopes and dreams for their lives. Instead of experiencing freedom in all of those things, they are in bondage and forced to work for someone else’s gain.

Why am I shocked? Don’t we become numb to terrible realities that are put before us everyday? Yes, we do usually, but I am regularly made aware of new terrible realities. Here are a few: Law enforcement in St. Louis reports they could rescue at least 4 girls everyday from being pimped out but they don’t have anywhere safe and equipped to send them. In a neighboring town a mother is pimping out her son and her daughter so she can buy drugs. Young people are wrapped up in pornography and deceived into thinking they are loved by a guy, when in actuality they are being set up to be pimped out. A restaurant in a neighboring town is moving young Hispanics from work site to work site giving them no freedom and extremely little pay. All the major clothing brands I could buy for my young son (Oshkosh, Carters, Garanimals, Just One You, etc) have known slave labor in their supply chains. My shock, and perhaps better described as my heartache, continues and grows with each new reality I encounter.

The US Department defines human trafficking as the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act where such an act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age–OR–
The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery. Human traffickers are garnering $32 billion each year off the individuals who meet this definition in their everyday life. When I began working and ministering in this field, human trafficking was ranked 3rd among top grossing international organized crime; recently it has been moved up to the 2nd place position. Why? Because drug traffickers are using their incredibly networked system to move people instead, after all, people are a renewable resource whereas drugs, once used, are gone.

The Set Free Movement is committed to collaborating with first responders and key stakeholders to ensure communities are ready to help victims when their terrible reality is made aware to us. We are moving toward being a Zero Tolerance (for slavery, for injustice) Community. YOU are a key stakeholder in this community, in your community, and in our world.

This Friday, May 10, 2013, The Set Free Movement is hosting a training session where we will learn about slavery’s realities. From Assistant US Attorney, Monica Stump, we will be equipped to recognize the signs and indicators as well as be provided explanations of the laws that surround human trafficking in America today. Jeff Othic is a special investigator for Homeland Security’s Immigration and Custom Enforcement Division, and he will review the process of investigations within human trafficking cases. We will also hear from CleoTerry, Coordinator of the Rescue and Restore Coalition of Southwestern Illinois, who will be giving in-depth explanations on how to work with victims of human trafficking.

I recently found myself amidst a group of college students committed to pray around this issue. The prayer that came from my own lips was about Moses. Moses, the first abolitionist of our faith, was terrified to do what God called him to – he was called to free his community. And with that first call, I believe God put abolition in our spiritual DNA. The rest of my prayer was for the traffickers, that they would find plagues heaped upon them and be destroyed. There is a way to end modern-day slavery, but it will only be accomplished by thousands, maybe millions, of abolitionists. We must be willing to heed the call, one that will break our hearts and shock our “safe and quaint” communities. We must be willing to change the way me make purchases (start with www.free2work.org) and buy ethically sourced goods. We must educate ourselves (find out more about the Set Free training event here) as much as possible. We must move in three directions: Prevention, Rescue, and Restoration (check out the Set Free Primer).

I will end with the prayer of five-year old Mariah: “Dear Jesus, Thank you that we are free to walk and run and ride our bikes.  We are sad because you are sad that there are kids that are not free.  Please help those kids to know that you are near to them and you can be in their hearts.  Help them to not be too sad and help them to be free too.”

Thank you to Chrisy, Megan, and Wick who graciously invited me to guest post on their blog. If you have further questions or want to join the ranks of abolitionists around the world, feel free to email me by clicking here.

If you want to learn more and you are in the Greenville, IL area on Friday, May 10, find out more about the training event here.

Shifting Focus

For the last three weeks I have been sick and struggling to just make it through each day. To top it off, then my daughter got sick enough early this week that we spent some time in the ER getting fluids and anti-nausea meds. Needless to say, my focus has been on how I feel and getting her better. Which means my focus has NOT been on training for the race that I am running on Saturday. Not to mention the injury that I have been nursing for the last two months that have kept me from running more than 4 miles consecutively.

After running the Goofy in January, I had a plan that I would set a new personal record at the 500 Festival Half Marathon in Indianapolis this coming weekend.

Guess what? That’s not gonna happen.

Between injury, illness, and a change in my running shoes, I won’t be running 13.1 miles. I hope to walk/run those 13.1 miles, but depending on how I feel that morning, I may have to change my plans and do the 5K instead. A mere 3.1 miles.

Is that disappointing? Absolutely! Is it frustrating? Most definitely!

But sometimes our focus has to shift.

Instead of focusing on the original goal of a PR, my focus now has to be on my health and staying injury free so I can look towards the next race. I don’t race to win (obviously – I am SLOW), I race to stay motivated in my day-to-day exercise routine. I want to continue running without having to stop and wait for another injury to heal, so I don’t want to push it so hard that I get sidetracked again. In addition, part of the fun of this particular race weekend is spending it with my best friend from high school and her family. I don’t want to push myself so hard after being sick for three weeks and end up in bed at the hotel not spending any quality time with my friends.

So I am shifting my focus and expectations for the weekend. And that’s okay.

It is good to set goals and to stay motivated to achieve them, but when life gets in the way, it’s okay to adjust those goals to be more realistic, too.

Do you need to shift your focus on any of your goals today?

Living the Hard Life

I have been spending the last month or so reading and re-reading I Peter. Last night I read I Peter 4 and 5 again. There is so much good stuff in here that I want to share with you, I just copied it all and italicized some of what has particularly stood out to me.

4: Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Suffering for Being a Christian

12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And,

“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”[a]

19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

5:  To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”[a]

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. (Italics mine.)

I am sometimes amazed at the number of Christians who believe that the Christian life is supposed to be easy and happy and care-free. It makes me wonder if they have actually read the whole Bible, because what I read reminds me that when we are living for Christ, life is probably going to be hard, hurtful, and painful, and that when we experience those things that is good! It means we are done with sin (4:1), it means we should rejoice (4:13), it means we are blessed (4:14), it means we shouldn’t be ashamed (4:16), and it means we should continue what we are doing (4:19).

I am guilty of it, too. Taking the easy way out. Not standing up for what I believe quite as strongly as I should because I am afraid of suffering. I am afraid of people not liking me. I am afraid of being labeled. I am afraid of not fitting in.

But we are called to a life that includes suffering and persecution. We are called to a life where we stand up against the grain of the culture. We are called to a life that puts Christ at the center and everything else falls away. And we are warned that this will be hard, we will be tempted, and the enemy doesn’t like it (5:8-9).

But when we choose to live the hard life, choose to resist temptation, choose to go against the culture, although we will suffer, after suffering we will be restored (5:10).

It is hard to live this way, but our commitment to Christ, along with the promise of restoration, has to trump comfort. We need to be accepting of suffering for the sake of Christ.

I am not suggesting that we suffer for the sake of suffering. I am saying that when we are living a life that is pleasing to Christ and bringing him glory and suffering comes, we can get through it when we trust in the restoration that is promised at the end of our time of suffering.

For those of you suffering for the sake of Christ today, I encourage you to keep on doing what you are doing.

For those of you living safely, I encourage you to step out and live the hard life for Christ.

How Big is Your Brave?

It’s Monday, and sometimes that means I share music with you that I am enjoying and today that fits the bill.

I ran across this song last week one day on one of the running blogs that I follow and I loved it. Then, I was at home sick with a fever on Friday and who was on the Today Show but Sara Bareilles singing this song!

My favorite line is “show me how big your brave is.”

This song is a good reminder for women of all ages (and probably some men, too) to be who you are created to be, to stand up for what you believe in, and to be good with who you are and not to worry about what others think.

So to all you women and girls out there – of all ages – “show me how big your brave is!”