The Parable of John F Kennedy

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."

John F. Kennedy

knowing God is not enough.

I spent today sitting in a coffee shop listening to worship music and simly being. And during my frequent attention-deficit-disorder-scannings-of-the-people-places-and-things around me, I noticed a display with books about the Kennedys. One book about the life was open to a page that had the phrase “An Unfinished Life”. I kept staring back at this phrase transfixed by the idea of living an unfinished life when we aren't dead yet.

Hear me out.

Knowing God isn't enough. I could know God, go to a weekly worship service, spend time in the word and it would be living an unfinished life.

Hear me out.

I saw a coffee cup quote while sitting here (I get distracted easily, this I know) that said “just when the catepillar thought it was all over,it became a butterfly”.

I know you're thinking what in the *&$^%&$ does this have to do with the price of an egg in China?!

Hear me out.

Romans 1:21 says:

“for although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him because they became futile in their thinking...”

We know of God but are we congnisant of Him around us? Would we hear if He asked us to pay for the car behind us in a drive thru line? Or if He prodded our heart to pray with a person in the other aisle in Walmart? Are we like the catepillar and become so distraught with how things look at the moment that we don't trust that He won't leave us a catepillar. You haven't reached your full potential. God won't leave you where you are if you are acting in full obedience to His word.

Let me translate that scripture into the MCWversion:

“even though they knew God, they weren't aware of Him in everything. They lived an unfinished life; thus encountering God only at certain times rather than in everything; and their mindset became stagnant, without growth, stunted and unfruitful”

When we limit God to an encounter in morning quiet time or a weekly worship service, we miss all that He has to say and wants to do in and through us throughout the day. Thus, we are walking around living an unfinished life.

Recently a friend and I were discussing how we feel like we are so busy that every time we have time with the Lord we are just delivering a laundry list. You know what I think? I need to SHUT UP sometimes.

God doesn't live in your morning quiet times. God doesn't live in a church a building. He lives in you and in me.

If the catepillar would have thought God only lived in a certain time 

or certain circumstance or certain moment then

 he never would have held on to see the transformation

 that God did in HIS OWN time.

The Parable of Captain America

Was anyone else weirded out by Captain America's tiny-little-scrawny-body before he was transformed? Oh you weren't? Oh yeah me neither...


so yesterday afternoon I watched the latest Avengers film (isn't it the latest one? oh i don't know!) and I was really struck by the character of Dr Abraham Erskine. A couple of things he said hit me and caused me to make a connection with some spiritual principles that I will come back to after a short anecdote...


Yesterday morning after worship rehearsal, I propped up my barefeet in the sanctuary and proceeded to play words with friends until our pre-service-meeting began. Within a few minutes two of the Pastors had decided they didn't want name tags on each chair on this particular Sunday and asked if I'd help remove them from the BAJILLION seats in the auditorium. I happily helped because not only was it a simple task, but these two Pastors were right in the thicke of the actions helping. As we were removing the said name tags, I noticed an elder come into the sanctuary. He took note of the rather large task we were tackling and instead of helping, chose to stand in the aisle and read his bulletin.


I'm not going to lie, I gave this man the stink eye.


I'm not sure why, but this really struck a chord in me that he was a man with a position/title/responsibility and yet even when noticing what we were all doing (even Pastors!), didn't automatically jump in or even offer his help.

Back to Captain America... the soon to be super hero asked Dr Erskine, 'why me?' and Dr Erskine explained that the power of the serum was that the good inside a person would be magnified into greatness and the bad in a person would turn into the worst. 


This made me think about leadership. When we are given a role of leadership, the humility and servanthood inside us will become greatness and the entitlement within us will also be magnified. I'm not angry with that elder, I just found it interesting his choice to not jump in and help when he saw the magnitude of the task. 


My mom has said that it may be your charisma that gets you into a position but it is your character that keeps you there.

"Whatever happens, 

stay who you are.

 Not just a soldier,

 but a good man."

(Dr Erskine, Captain America)

"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. 

Man looks at the outward appearance, 

but the Lord looks at the heart"

(1 Samuel 16:7)

the parable of the lemonade stand

This past Sunday, Pastor Craig told a story of running a lemonade stand when he was growing up. And guess what? My sister and I had one too! In fact, we were very ambitious-minded-little-girls because we also had our own personal "yard sale" in addition to coming up with the latest snack ("GORP") and offering samples in bathroom cups door to door. 


There is only one problem, we didn't live in a busy subdivision or even a busy street; we lived on a cul de sac.

A cul-de-sac (literally "bottom of bag" in Catalan) is a word of Catalan

 origin coming to the English via French referring to a dead end, close, 

no through road (British English) or court (American,Canadian and Australian English)

meaning dead-end street with only one inlet/outlet. 

While historically built for other reasons, one of its modern uses is to calm vehicle traffic.

In thinking about our business venture as little girls, the Lord took a moment to speak to my heart.

Many times we have amazing

gifts

abilities

ideas

dreams

visions

but if we aren't in the best position, they won't reach full potential or maximize effect.

If i'm not walking in full obedience in every area of my life;

if my ear is not pressed against the heartbeat of the Father,

I will easily get frustrated that my gifts, abilities, ideas aren't reaching their full potential.

The lemonade stand was a GREAT idea, but the location LIMITED it's effectiveness.

Ruth knew the need (food) so she began to serve (her mother in law) by going to where she knew was food (a rich man's field) and picking up what was leftover. She was in position to not only exceed her familys' need but also to meet her husband.

Where's your lemonade stand?

the sweaty-glamorous life

I've never really been like anyone else. When I was younger I had my own fashion sense, dance moves and imagination. While other people (namely my sister) spent play time creating lesson plans for stuffed animals, or placing plastic bandages on fake wounds...I was pretending I was giving a "best new artist" interview to a magazine, I was conjuring up tears for my Grammy acceptance speech and writing songs on a swing set. All through out middle and high school I spent several hours a day with a mic stand and karaoke machine in the garage "honing" my performance. 


ever sense I can remember, I have said I'd be a recording artist. 

I'm a 23-year-old college graduate.

I bartend and serve 5 days a week.

This isn't exactly what I imagined...

yesterday I was reminded of something: the Lord KNOWS the desires of our hearts.

He is mindful and aware of them. HECK! He PUT them there!

but let's be honest, it can be difficult to be encouraged

when you get up early to be a rock star and then end the evening

sweating behind a bar slinging drinks for guests.

so on this day, let us BOTH (you & I!) be encouraged that those moments when we are doing what we were created to do our little gifts (post-it notes if you will) from the Father to encourage us that He hasn't forgotten about us.

One day I won't sing early and then serve guests at night. 

and neither will YOU!

He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He will also hear their cry and will save them.

(Psalm 145:19)

giving a middle -finger- jazz- solo to insecurity.

"I firmly believe that confidence gives

 us permission to be different,

 to be unique"

 (Joyce Meyers)

I was recently thinking about how powerful confidence is; the lack of it can hold you back and the acceptance of our confidence given by the Creator can propel us into impossibility.

When I don't feel confident (physically, mentally, spiritually or in my ability) I become a person who second guess every decision. Things I would normally feel completely suited for, become areas of my life where I feel like maybe I'm not worthy or able.


For most of my life I have allowed confidence (or a lack there of) to hold me back in so many ways. Have you ever been guilty of that? Do you know that we when lack confidence we are insulting our Creator?

"For the Lord will be your confidence

and will keep your foot from being snared"

Proverbs 3:26

so on this Friday, it may not be the most lady-like

gesture, but I would like to give a big old middle finger jazz solo

to my insecurity, self doubt, self consciousness  and thoughts of not being

beautiful

intelligent

talented

important

wanted

loved

able

"a person without confidence is like an airplane sitting on a runway with empty

fuel tanks. The plane has the ability to fly, but without fuel, it's not getting of the ground.

confidence is our fuel. our confidence, our belief that we can succeed, gets us started and helps

us finish every challenge we tackle in life. without confidence,

a woman will live in fear and never feel fulfilled. confidence allows us to face

life with boldness, openness, and honesty. it enables us to live without worry

and to feel save. it allows us to live authentically. we don't have to pretend to be somebody we're

not because we are secure in who we are"

(The Confident Woman, Joyce Meyers)

the parable of my tattoo.

I often get asked about the tattoo on my left wrist; what language it's in, what i means and why I got it. Recently during an afternoon at the beach, a tourist next to me asked those questions. I informed him that the tattoo was Hebrew for REDEEMED which translates into fought for, avenged or bought back. His response has stuck with me;

"did someone fight for you?

 I kind of laughed it off and went on doing my business

but I haven't stopped thinking about that, did someone fight for me?

גאל

I've been reading through the book of Hosea, and when I say reading I mean barely-getting-through-a-chapter-because-of-tears-blocking-my-reading-ability;  and I am still struck by God's promise to us through Hosea and his actions with Gomer. 

Just like Hosea with Gomer, Jesus has bought me back and fought for me even when I was unfaithful to Him.  He has fought for me even when I took matters into my own hands. He has fought for me when I didn't trust Him with both of my hands open.

Betrothed is defined as engage, promise, pledge, plight

"I will betroth you to me forever;

I will betroth you in my righteousness and justice,

in love and compassion.

I will betroth you in faithfulness,

and you will acknowledge the Lord."

Hosea 2:19-20

let's insert the synonyms for betrothed.

"I will pledge you to me forever;

I will engage you in my righteousness and justice,

in love and compassion.

I will promise you in faithfulness

and you will acknowledge the Lord"

Be humbled and encouraged on this day that the Lord has promised you righteousness, justice, love, compassion and faithfulness without condition. If we will walk with our heads held high,  as if we are His, He has promised these forever.

I am dust.

I am a sinner.

I am undeserving.

I walk with a man  who is the Redeemer.

 He has bought me back. He has fought for me.

Don't forget who has and is and will fight for YOU.

"I was broken and You mended me;

before I was, You loved me.

You healed  my body 

and You made me whole,

no matter what I do,

You don't let go.

I will say to the King,

for I am the ransomed one"

-Forever and a Day (Bethel Worship)

when my present circumstance doesn't match my dreams

Ever felt stuck? Ever dreamed of being something that was vastly different than your 9-5 job? Ever had dreams of being a rockstar but what paid the bills was flipping burgers at a fast food joint?

I have.


My mom has reminded me on multiple occasions that when you begin to feel discouraged, look back on times when God has come through; so in my moments of feeling like my dreams are vastly different than my every day I have been reading through the stories of David and Joseph.




we know David as the great king, as the man who defeated Goliath, as the Psalmist, as the man after God's own heart; but David began in the most humble of beginnings, as a shepherd.


Sheep are seen as "stupid" animals who are mindless and need a shepherd in order to survive, this was David's humble job day in and day out. One thing I find precious is that even when doing a job that felt mundane, David honed his giftings and skills (whether he realized it or not, he was being prepared for the rest of his destiny). David wrote songs out in the field and he probably had no idea that the worshiper in him was being developed into a worship leader (in all aspects of his life). The strength he needed to defeat Goliath was developed when he protected the sheep from wild beasts with his bare hands. 

what is God developing in you now?

In the book, Sun Stand Still, Steven Furtick talks about there being a need in the world that we have the giftings and abilities to meet; we just have to train our eyes to see them. 

"God's invitation for you to step out in audacious faith isn't going to fall from the sky

 and hit you in the head. You've got to train your eyes to look for it. 

The impossible becomes possible for you only as you carefully 

observe and faithfully obey the direction of the Holy Spirit" 

David met physical needs, by bringing food to his brothers on the frontlines of battle. He didn't get discouraged his oldest brother questioned his presence on the battlelines, "why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those sheep in the desert" (1 samuel 17:28)

And when the need around David became clear, he realized that the Lord had already prepared him for this moment within the "mundane" activity of watching sheep, 

"Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine"

(1 samuel 17:34-37)

don't lose heart, this time you are in is not useless or without purpose.

look around you, what needs can you meet at this very moment with the abilities you have?

don't fret, the Lord is preparing you with skills now for a purpose later.

and don't worry, I'm reminding my own self of this.