Compelled

"For Christ's love compels us ..."

- 2 Corinthians 5:14 -

Compels me to worship sacrificially. Serve faithfully. Give lavishly. Love well. His love compels me to release and reject anything that does not draw me closer to Him. It compels me to pursue solitude and embrace quietness with Him. It is the grace that saves me. The force that drives me. The peace that fills me.

Compels. Onward, forward, upward, ahead. Away from sin, sadness, frustration, and pain. Toward holiness. Righteousness. Godly living.

His love not only compels me, it is compelling. It draws me closer and closer to Him. To what is "true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). In order that I might more and more bear His image, know His heart, be entwined with Him.

I am deeply grateful today for that compelling love. It fills me with desire to be more and more like Him.

Linda

Jesus Understands

Are we left alone when temptation comes our way today, or does Jesus understand and help us?

Hebrews 4:15 says, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses but we have one who has been tempted in every way just as we are - yet was without sin."

Much like you would take a picture from different angles to get a more complete shot, the writer in Hebrews 4:12 pointed at the positive side of Jesus' ability to sympathize and now he views it from another angle - the negative - "We have not. . ."

To "sympathize" means to "suffer along with." Jesus feels our pain, hurt, and frustration - He has been there.

Our confidence is directly related to His ability to help us in our "weaknesses" - "any kind or form of felt need."

Two phrases of encouragement express that Jesus' experience matches ours - "
1. "Just as we are" - His temptations were just like ours.
2. "In every way" - His temptations extend to all points.

"Yet was without sin" - Jesus never succumbed to temptation. Note that temptation in itself is not sinful - He was tempted to be sure; but, He never fell! Jesus was exposed to the same temptations that we will be exposed to today. In fact, He passed through stresses and strains beyond what any man has experienced. Jesus has set an example, but more importantly, He has given us inspiration in that He understands, and gives us hope and power to refuse the bait that Satan puts before us.

Isn't it great to know that we are not in this alone? May He give us all strength to say, "No" when we want to say, "Yes" to the things that bring death, destruction, guilt and shame.

Trusting our understanding and symnpathetic Jesus for today~ Bob

Satan's Schemes

What tactics will Satan use to cause us to stumble and fall today? Paul says in 2 Corinthians 2:11, "In order that Satan might not outwit us, we are not unaware of his schemes."

James helps us understand a bit about temptation and falling. Temptation is a process:

1.) Desire -
"Each one is tempted when, by his own desires ..."
- James 1:14.
God has built desires into our being - food, work, material things, etc. Satan takes a God-given desire and runs away with it until we are consumed with wanting to fulfill it in ungodly ways.

2.) Deception -
"He is dragged away and enticed"
- James 1:14.
"Dragged away" is the word for snared in a trap; "enticed" means to be lured by bait. Satan knows our hot buttons and weaknesses - those are the ones he pushes to make us slip today.

3.) Disobedience -
"Then after desire is conceived, it gives birth to sin"
- James 1:15.
What begins in our minds ends in action; what begins in imagination, comes out in life as disobedience to God.

4.) Death -
"And sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death"
- James 1:15.
Sin's final outcome is death - separation from others, separation from God, guilt, and despair.

Satan's Process: Desire, Deception, Disobedience, Death.

There is Hope: "Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world." The temptations we suffer today do not have to end in separation from God and others, guilt, and shame. Knowing the schemes of the Evil One will help us put on God's armor today and defend ourselves against the schemes of the Devil.

Praying for victory for us all today ~
Bob

Isn't It Time?

Something happened a long time ago. Truth be told, you probably can't remember the details. But the resulting disconnect, severed ties, and estrangement has left a tender wound that has never quite healed.

Isn't it time to begin the journey toward forgiveness? To take the path of re-connection? We only have so much energy given to us each day. Do you really want to expend what little you have on resentment, regret, anger, hurt, and bitterness?

I've spent the last four days working with families where terminal illness has hit home. I am in awe of their determination to live well. My admiration for them knows no bounds. These incredible, courageous men and women have reminded me again about the importance of loving connections. The power of spoken affirmation and appreciation. Cherishing the simplest of joys ... and creating priceless memories that will impact the next generation.

There's simply no time to waste on stupid pride or nursing useless, foolish grudges. Most of them have figured out that looking backwards and wringing their hands at what might have been is a colossal waste of valuable energy. There's no time for regrets. Every moment received is a gift of priceless value. And they know it.

So, please read on to discover how a health crisis can force us to evaluate what's really of value. And then make the choice to take that first difficult step toward the healing of old wounds. No - you probably won't forget, but it is possible, by God's grace and strength, to begin the journey toward forgiveness.

Let's face it, we really have no idea of what tomorrow will bring ...

"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you"
- Colossians 3:13.

Forgiven ~
Linda

Fresh Starts

Throughout our lives, there will be seasons where we need a fresh start. A new beginning. An event has taken place that has turned our world upside down. It might have been of our own doing - more often, not.

We are deeply impacted by a relocation. Illness. Job loss. Financial devastation. Family upheaval. Divorce. Death.

What do we do when tragedy strikes?

Noted Christian psychologist Gary Collins shares some thought-filled observations.

Applauding those who start anew ~
Linda

"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness"

- Lamentations 3:21-23.

Enough for Me

"By Your goodness,

give me Yourself,

for You are enough for me."

- Julian of Norwich -

He's What I Need ~

Linda

A Toolbelt for Wellness

When it comes to health and wellness, setting goals is important. Tools that help you track your progress are vital. They keep you focused, cognizant of your progress, and caution you when you're headed in the wrong direction.

Here's a great new health tracker where you can keep tabs on your food and nutrition, activity and metabolism, weight stats and goals, body measurements, and emotional state of mind. Best of all, it's FREE - a simple sign-up is all that's required!

So go ahead and add this tool to your arsenal. It might be just what you need to align your actions with your target! Remember - good health and wellness is a journey, not a one-time accomplishment. Don't go it alone. Be sure to utilize the aid that's available to you!

Celebrating wellness ~
Linda

"Pooped Pastors"

"I’m no longer a pastor but I haven’t been away from it for so long that I’ve forgotten ...

The discouragement

The battles that I sometimes won and sometimes lost

The hypocrisy I often felt in thinking that my being a pastor was insane

The times when I didn’t know what I was doing and pretended that I did

The criticism that often came from those who I thought were friends

The 24/7 schedule with work that was never done

The people who left my church because they “weren’t being fed”

The blank page late Saturday night and my reminding God about the sermon

The incredible guilt over my family and my ministry

The loneliness

The fear of discovery

The neurotics who hated me

The congregational meetings when I was sure it was coming apart

The hard road of authenticity when everything I did worked against it

The efforts at humility when people thought more of me than was justified

The questions about whether I and what I did even mattered"

- Brown -

Designed to be a "safe place" for pastors to truly be themselves, PoopedPastors.com is a comprehensive, interactive site packed with a vast library of resources. Video workshops. Confidential forums. Insightful perspectives from a wide variety of ministry leaders that speak to what's really true about you.

Pastors - do check out this site ... and rejoice! You're not alone in the battle for souls we delicately call "the ministry."

Church members - if you care about your pastor, please do forward this post on to him with words of affirmation, encouragement, and blessing. Your thoughtfulness will be appreciated. Probably more than you'll ever know.

Walking alongside those who minister to our souls ~
Linda

3 Keys to Loving Interaction in the Church

"Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the HOLINESS and SINCERITY that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom, but according to God's GRACE"
- 2 Corinthians 1:12.

I read this verse today with new eyes.

Holiness. Sincerity. Grace.

These are the 3 keys to our interactions with others - most particularly in the family we call "the church." Paul tells us to lose the "worldly wisdom." Forget all this business model stuff that's infiltrated our midst. Ultimately, it's not working because it doesn't deal with the heart. It's taken us in an ineffective and unedifying direction.

Sad, unfortunate stories abound. Hearts are broken. Trust is lost. People turn from the faith. Priceless relationships are shattered. The church's testimony is tragically marred and irrevocably altered as those outside the walls sit back, observe our behavior, and nail us as hypocrites.

Why? Because we didn't love one another well.

The solution? We need to get back to Scriptural basics.

Holiness. Sincerity. Grace. Character shows through. These attributes can't just be drummed up. They don't evolve from a hot new program or a snazzy game plan. They are about relationship. First, with God. And then, with others.

#1. HOLINESS - If I have any holiness at all, it is because He's changed my heart. Made it new. My intents and agendas slowly but surely lose their self-protective, self-centered focus. They become Christ-focused. They are pure. And powerful.

The goal? To please and honor God. Not myself.

#2. SINCERITY - No masks. Genuine and transparent clear through. No phony double-speak. My "yes" is "yes." My "no" is "no." I'm the same person on Saturday night as I am on Sunday morning.

The goal? I refuse to say one thing to one person and another thing to the next.

#3. GRACE - Unmerited favor. I don't deserve all that God has lavishly extended to me. I don't deserve who He is, what He has provided. But I accept it with joy. And because I have been forgiven much, I can extend that same generosity of spirit to those He brings into my life. I become a servant.

The goal? I don't keep a record of wrongs. I am able to extend lavish favor and forgiveness. Gladly.

Journaling, discovering, reflecting ~
Linda

"... I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to His commands. As you have heard from the beginning, His command is that you walk in love" - 2 John 5-6.

Open the Next Door

If you know me, you know I love to coach! It's in my blood. It's part of who I am. I love working with people who simply need to get unstuck! Asking them the hard questions. Encouraging. Providing resources and accountability.

And yes - it works! Just ask my clients!

So, I was delighted to find another coaching resource yesterday. And you know how I love to share new finds with you!

If you're a coach ... or work with a coach ... or have wanted to get your hands on more coaching resources, check out The Christian Coaching Center. This looks to be a great site to explore many of the niches that coaching embraces - women, wellness, family, career, ministry, groups. Helpful insight on training, research, practice building, marketing ... it's all there.

My challenge for you as the summer stretches before us? Consider using these "lazy days" to move toward that door that has you intrigued ... and see what happens as you begin to open it.

Accompanying you ~

Linda