Let's Celebrate a Life!

Sometimes, the Lord will bring a person into your life at the right time with just the right ways to help pick you up, renew you and make you a better liver of life. I believe that's what the Lord did in my life a little over two years ago.

I remember the first time I saw Lucas. I thought he was the best looking guy I had ever seen, but I didn't imagine that one day we would be married and trying to figure out this life together.

However, knowing him has changed me, and I find this to be a beautiful parallel to how knowing the Lord changes a person. I want to share with you all some things that knowing him has taught me, and probably some other funny things along the way.

1. I have learned to not take myself so seriously. Before I knew Lucas I was a feminine whirlwind doing my best to "take care of myself," and I conquered the world one task after another. Knowing Lucas has taught me to calm myself down, and laugh when things don't go as planned. Sometimes, when we realize how silly our human plans are, we really see the majesty of God.

2. I have learned to chill out. Like, literally, sit and do nothing. I probably don't do this as often as I should, but I've always had this thing where I think I need to be busy all the time.  Some of Lucas's most frequent words to me are probably "Can we just chill?" I'm so thankful for this. It will probably save my blood pressure when I'm old too!

3. Lucas has taught me to see with more "spiritual" eyes. I am a very practical thinker, and He is a very discerning man when it comes to the things of the Lord and questions of "what should we do to honor the Lord?" There have been countless times in the past two years where I have seen Lucas decisively say "I know this is what the Lord wants us to do," when that really wasn't my opinion, but we did that and were so blessed and other people came to know the Lord more than they did before as a result of his faithfulness.

4. I call Lucas "the most honest man in the world" because it's true. One of the most important things I have learned form Lucas is complete honesty. I'm still working on this one, but I have always been very honest 90% of the way, but like to withhold just enough information to remain mysterious or just know something that other people don't. But this man.. He doesn't leave out those details and he is more honest than anyone I know, honest with himself and with others.

I could go on for hours, but I love birthdays because it is an opportunity to let a person know just how important they are to you and how happy you are that they were born. Take a minute to think about what life would be like if the Lord had never breathed life into the people closest to you.

I think that sometimes on the birthdays of our loved ones we go through the obligatory rituals of birthday celebration without really taking time to savor the fact that they were skillfully placed in our lives to minister to us in some way or another. (Even if their ministry is the trying of our patience). I hope that in the future we can really celebrate from a place that says "if you weren't born, my life would be different." Isn't it true that the Lord uses the people in our lives to shape who we are. (Just think about how you are turning into your parents).

There are some things that just aren't accidental, so let's celebrate from the depths of our hearts and give gifts and hugs and smiles and laughter that say "I see you, as I person, I see you, I see and know your heart and I am thankful for it."

Happy Birthday you, crazy, sweet man! I love knowing you and I look forward to knowing you more! 

Let's Just Call it Life

Lately, I've been learning a whole lot about missions and missions opportunities. I know countless people who are going out and sacrificing time and money to serve the Lord by taking his name to the world.

Hallelujah!! I am so thankful this is happening and I know that many people are sincerely called by God to this ministry.

The question: Where does that leave us who are just living where we live and doing what we do? Are we called?

Most usually when we hear “missions” people think that means we have to get up, walk to our neighbor’s door and say “Do you know Jesus.”

·      I’m not saying this is a wrong thing, but many, especially in my generation, after these encounters people are left thinking that we don't care about them as a person and we are just trying to get converts.

·      I have been on trips designed around this premise and I walked away feeling like I really didn’t know if any of the “conversions” were genuine.

·      I walked away feeling defeated and thought “If I could just stay with them longer, I could really know and disciple them.”

These types of revelations led me into knowing that in life, I do not wish to be that type of “evangelist.’ 

·      But we can’t go with what I think is right or true, we have to look at the scripture.

When churches or others do a big missions talk we usually use this scripture passage:

Matthew 28:18-20 “Then Jesus Came to them and said all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore Go and MAKE DISCIPLES of ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

This is great, and Jesus really intends for this to be our life’s goal, but often we miss it.

·      We take the part that says GO! And we think that we have to go

·      We think that if we aren’t in another country, we aren’t on mission

·      It doesn’t say “Get your passport, pack your bag, get on a plane, ride 15 hours, then make disciples.”

·      AS WE GO ABOUT OUR LIVES our call is to missions.

·      We can’t put this word in a box or category in our minds

·      Our life In Christ is a mission!!!!!

Also, let's not that the passage says to "make disciples." It doesn't say "convert people." 

·      When we “convert,” the most important thing we can do is invest. It’s even more important than the conversion.

·      Discipleship lets converts know that this is real.

·      Discipleship lets converts know that their new family of believers truly cares

·      Discipleships leads converts to make new disciples. 

Ladies and gentlemen, let's call this the life of the believer. Sometimes, when we have the opportunity to share we walk away thinking that we are something special for sharing God's word. Let's work to not make that something special or outlandish. Let's call it life.