2 or 3 Together: Fear

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 

– Isaiah 41:10

I wish it wasn’t true, but FEAR has the power to paralyze progress, crush confidence, and steal joy. It has become, for so many of us, a constant companion.

Last week, I awoke to dozens of ravens squawking and circling a deer that a mountain lion had recently killed near our house. Before I could grab him, my dog Henry bolted towards it. I yelled for him to come back, but my voice was drowned out by his curiosity and hunger. My husband and I hastily threw on boots and coats to go after him.

I quickened my pace, fearing that the mountain lion was still down there. If so, it would kill Henry immediately. Would it turn on Dan and me too? The last time I saw a mountain lion I was sitting safely in my car, and I was still terrified by how big it was. We wouldn’t stand a chance. 

As we headed down the mountain in the direction of the circling birds, Henry bounded over to us with bright red blood smeared on his face. Just a short distance away, we could see the animal carcass. I quickly looked around… no lion (at least that I could see).  We grabbed Henry and ventured home with fast feet. Standing on the front porch, I ushered Henry into the house and said to my husband “that kill is way too close. The mountain lion will be hanging around for a while.”

Thinking back on those fearful moments, I am reminded of John 10:10, “the thief comes only to kill, steal and destroy but I (Jesus) came to give you a full and abundant life.” So true. 

Fear is one of the enemy’s greatest weapons against us. It is timeless. When the wind and waves on the sea of Galilee threatened to sink their boat, Jesus’ disciples were paralyzed with fear, despite the fact Jesus was sleeping right beside them. When they finally woke Him up and asked to be saved, Jesus first asked them why they were afraid.

Jesus asks you the same question. Why are you afraid? 

Matthew doesn’t tell us the disciples’ answers, but he does tell us that as soon as Jesus rebuked the storm, all was calm and quiet. The disciples stood in amazement. As they reveled in Jesus greatness, so can we.

When fear arises, we can remember His G.R.E.A.T. power.

• G - Go to Jesus first and invite Him into your circumstance (onto your boat). (Matthew 7:7) 
• R – Remember the times He has come through for you in the past. (Psalm 77:11)
• E – Everything is possible with Jesus. Believe it! (Matthew 19:26)
• A – Ask Him to see you through this storm. (John 14:14)
• T - Trust that He has the power to control every storm and calm your fears. (Isiah 41:10)

The one who is in you (Jesus’ Spirit) is greater than he (enemy) who is in this world. – 1 John 4:4

Stand confidently knowing Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). When you don’t know what to do, call upon Jesus’ name. Quickly you’ll find the darkness fleeing and your hope rising because there is power in His great name. 

Today and every day we can be thankful that Jesus’ power lives in us. 

2 or 3 Together Questions:

Real –What is one fear you are wrestling with right now? How it is holding you back?

Raw – Often times we know what we need to do to overcome fear. What’s preventing you from taking the first step?

Relevant – It’s time to face your fear! Use the G.R.E.A.T. list above to create a roadmap to overcome fear with God’s help. Make an action plan… “Over the next week, I will…”

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Lead With Love - Billy Graham

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” 

– Mark 12:29-31

At 99 years of age, Billy Graham went home to be with Jesus and his bride Ruth. My first response was sadness for our Christianity’s loss. In my eyes, Billy Graham was the greatest evangelist for Christ to ever live. He shared the gospel with, and changed the lives of, millions of people around the world. I was at a LifeWay conference in Nashville, Tennessee when I heard the news. The leaders at LifeWay who had known Billy, Ruth and their children had a response that I at first found curious. They were overjoyed. 

As I listened to the reasons for their joy, I learned two beautiful things about Billy’s heart. They told me Billy couldn’t wait to be with his first love Jesus and he missed Ruth terribly. He was a man truly driven by love.

Once a reporter asked Ruth Graham if she’d ever thought about divorcing Billy. She said, “No, I’ve never thought of divorce in all these 35 years of marriage, but I did think of murder a few times.” 

I’m sure being married to a man who wanted to reach the whole world for Jesus Christ was a wild ride. Most of us hope to love our family and friends well. Billy’s vision was to have this for love for the entire world. He took the great commission seriously and followed Jesus’ final words every day of his adult life. 

Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you (Matthew 28:19-20).

Jesus said, “Go” and Billy went. His vision was simple: love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love others (Mark 12:29-31). Wherever Billy went, he shared the gospel and made disciples. His powerful love changed our world. I will forever be grateful, aren’t you?

Here’s a challenge for you to honor Billy Graham this week:

Be Brave! Lead with Love!

Where is God calling you to GO and share your faith in Jesus? It might be on a walk with a friend, around the lunch table at work, in the car with your children, or while checking out at the grocery. If you’re willing to take the challenge, God will bring someone into your path. Be on the lookout.

Remember…we’re living in a time where darkness is pressing in all around us. Everywhere we go, people are hurting and desperate for Jesus, the Light of the World. 

Will you be brave this week and give the reason for your hope (1 Peter 3:15)? When you do, the joy you experience can remind you of Billy Graham’s joy in heaven with his first love Jesus and his true love Ruth. 

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Don't Hate on the Prius

From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind, from His dwelling place He watches all who live on earth – He who forms the hearts of all, who considers all they do. – Psalm 33:13-14

I was driving fast, on a mission to get to my daughter’s school as soon as possible.  School ends right at 3:00pm, so if my 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call sounds and I haven’t yet arrived, you’d better believe that after I give thanks, I’m asking God to move everyone either faster or out of my way completely.

On this particular day, my alarm sounded just as I was merging on to the highway after a much needed trip to Costco.  I zipped into the left lane and gunned it.  My daughter complains that I’m “always late,” and I didn’t want to give her any more evidence of that today.

Cruising along, I crested a hill where the view of the mountains is breathtakingly beautiful.  There is something about the majesty of the mountains that always reminds me of God’s presence surrounding my city.  As I descended the hill, I glanced at the clock.  I was going to make it!

Less than a minute later, my “I can do it” bubble was popped by a gray, electric car that zipped into my lane right in front of me.  A few seconds later, it slowed down by a good ten to fifteen miles per hour. 

Clenching my teeth, I had to slam on the brakes to avoid rear ending the little gray guy. Ugh! I quickly looked for an escape route, but the other lane was log-jammed too.  I was a mom on a mission in a gas-guzzling SUV, stuck behind a slow gluten free, free-range, electric Prius.  I had no choice but to follow it all the way into Boulder. 

Right before the exit, I glanced to my right and saw a black police car. I touched the brakes out of habit just as the officer pointed his radar gun directly at me. I read my speedometer: Bam! Right on the mark. 

Thank you little gray Prius!  I would have been an hour late by the time the ticket was written.  Thank you God!

These are the times when I think that God places angels of protection around us.  Do you ever wonder whether a delay is actually saving you from disaster or moving you closer to your destiny?  Whether someone’s words of encouragement or correction could be coming directly from God?  Or if the event that turned out so much better-than-expected perfect was guided by God’s hand?

Call me crazy, but I believe that there is so much more going on around us in the spiritual realm.  More than we can imagine.  

The Bible makes it clear that we’re constantly at war against the powers and forces of evil in the heavenly realm (Eph. 6:12). God’s word also explains that we’re blessed by Him in the spiritual realm (Eph. 1:3).  Don’t you agree that, while some blessings seem obviously divine, others are vague and difficult to recognize.

Where have you seen God’s interventions, personal touches, or gentle guidance happen in your life?  

These precious moments are when you know for sure that God is close, His power is real, and His love is everlasting.  Whether you call them “God Winks,” “Divine Encounters,” or “Wide Awake Moments,” they need to be cherished and remembered.

I challenge you to keep a running record of the evidence of God in your life.  Write down when you experience God’s grace, goodness, or love.  By keeping track of your blessings from above, you will strengthen your faith and be living proof that God is real. 

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a Part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

2 or 3 Together: Truth vs. Trash

The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. 

– Zephaniah 3:17

When someone hurts my feelings, love and forgiveness are not always my first emotions. At first, I usually experience some level of shock. Then my heart feels like it’s been ripped open. Pain is typically followed by a righteous indignation that fires me up to fight back and “right the wrong”. Unfortunately, I’ve discovered that there are times when no amount of “right” can wash away a spiteful, hurtful “wrong”. 

During elementary school, when my youngest daughter was only eight years old, two of her classmates cornered her and told her she had a “fat butt”. Six years later, she asks me if her butt looks fat as she tries on jean shorts in a dressing room.

During a soccer game, I witnessed a frustrated player who got in her opponent’s face and yelled, “You’re so fat!” Those words triggered my oldest daughter to respond quick as a whip, “You are one of the reasons why so many girls suffer from eating disorders in this country. Shut up!”

During a recent visit to the doctor’s office, I heard the nurse record my eighteen-year- old daughter’s height and weight. Her numbers matched identically to my high school height and weight. Wait a minute! I stared at her body head to toe. She looked absolutely beautiful and healthy. But when I was her age, I’d have told you I was fat.

Sometimes we lie to ourselves. Sometimes others trash-talk about us. Regardless where the lies come from, they sting, scar, and stay with us for way too long. It’s time to tear them down and replace them with God’s truth. 

In Zephaniah 3:17, God promises you five priceless truths about yourself. The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. 

• God’s presence is with you always. He sees and knows everything about you.
• God is powerful to save you from the lies you’ve believed about yourself.
• God delights in you. You are precious in His sight.
• God’s love quiets the lies and replaces them with truths. 
• God joyfully sings over you with praise because you are beloved child.

Our identities come from how we see ourselves. Do you need to switch the lens from how you see yourself to how God sees you? Start today. 

Reread the five truths God says about you and let them sink in deep. Then discuss our 2 or 3 Together questions honestly and openly with others. Let’s encourage one another to tear down the lies and live each day in God’s truths. When you do, scars will begin to fade and wrongs become right.  

2 or 3 Together Questions:

The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. – Zephaniah 3:17

1. Real - Can you remember a time when someone’s words effected how you viewed yourself? Share your true story.

2. Raw – What lies have you believed about yourself for way too long? Sharing them with someone else, brings them into the light. Jesus is the Light of the World who tells you, “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) Ask Jesus to redeem your identity to match God’s view of you. 

3. Relevant – Which truths in Zephaniah 3:17 make your heart heal, sing, or give thanks to God? How will they replace the lies you’ve believed?

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank you for being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

2 or 3 Together

Jesus taught, “Whenever two or three of you come together in my name, I am there with you.” – Matthew 18:20 (CEV)

How often do you feel like you’re fighting your daily battles alone? You might even be in a crowd of people, but you still feel lonely. Every day we struggle and strive to find meaningful connections with God and with others.

I read recently that loneliness is now so prevalent in the United Kingdom that the government established a new branch of their public health service to combat it. Its leader is called, would you believe, the “Minister of Loneliness.”

I don’t think loneliness is just an issue in the UK, I believe it’s affecting people of all ages around the globe. A seventeen-year-old girl can still feel alone while texting on a group chat. A healthy seventy-year-old man can become a “shut in” living in total isolation once loneliness creeps into his soul.

If you’re reading this, then know for sure, you are not alone. 

You are one of thousands around the world that are a part of The 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call Movement. Thousands of women and men who are stopping every day at 3pm to give thanks and praise to God for our blessings. Whether busy or bored, happy or sad, fulfilled or floundering…together we are living out 1Thessalonians 5:18, Give thanks to God in all circumstances because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 

Now it’s time to link arms and form a stronger community built on our belief that giving thanks to God every day will ignite your faith and change your world. Are you ready? Here we go!

You are invited into our community called, 2 or 3 Together. Jesus promised us that whenever two or three of us come together in His name, He is with us (Matthew 18:20). 

2 or 3 Together 

Here’s how it works.

Every Wednesday, your 3pm text or push notification will take you to a blog post. You read the post and reflect on three key questions at the bottom. Then you will discuss the key questions with others. You will also be able to share your thoughts with the whole 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call Community on Facebook or on our website. 

Research shows us that we retain knowledge so much more when we discuss material with others then when we just hear it or read it alone.

Let’s break it down.

A – Ask one or more people to join you in 2 or 3 Together. A spouse, a couple co-workers, a son or daughter, a circle of friends…all combinations of people together are great. 

S – Share your answers. It can be as simple as an email or a text. Or better yet, set a time to talk them over, either in person, on the phone, FaceTime. 

K – Keep it up. Your answers are important. Even when you miss a week, pick up where you left off. 

2 or 3 Together is a simple and easy way to build a community around yourself where you can safely share together and grow in your faith. So let’s get started! Who can you ASK?

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call Movement

Tailwinds

God makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; He sends rain and brings the winds from His storehouses. 

– Psalm 135:7 

Isn’t it amazing how quickly we take good things for granted?  

Awhile back, I awoke to discover that we had no water in our house. Turning on the bathroom faucet produced only a hissing rush of air and the toilets were only good for a single flush.  We rely on a low-producing well to supply our water, so when the two storage cisterns get emptied by an undetected leak, we’re left high and dry until they slowly re-fill over the next few days.  

Without water, teenagers complain because they can’t shower.  Without water, I want to join them because the laundry and dishes quickly pile up.

I can’t remember the last time I was thankful for the water that runs clean and abundant (almost) every day.  But when gone, we’re quick to complain about it.   

Why do we tend to focus on what we do not have instead of being grateful for what we do have?  

A group of Cornell psychologists have recently described this phenomenon as the “headwinds/tailwinds asymmetry,” where “headwinds” are the challenges we face, and “tailwinds” are the so-called “lucky breaks” that go our way.  Even when the good and the bad of a situation are exactly equal, we almost always overemphasize the negative and focus on what’s not working or “unfair” in our lives.  

On the March 16, 2017 Freakonomics Radio podcast, they discussed how the headwinds/tailwinds asymmetry explains why people tend to think that their parents were much tougher on them than their siblings, why both Democrats and Republicans feel that the electoral deck is stacked against them, and why their favorite sports teams always seem to have the toughest schedule in the league.  

In a nutshell, they have found that we are not nearly as grateful as we ought to be.  We overemphasize the headwinds in our lives, making us feel that others have it easier than we do, which fosters a spirit of resentment.  We undervalue/ overlook the tailwinds in our lives.  This failing to recognize the good, leaves us ungrateful and unhappy. 

So how do we keep from getting blown backwards by life’s headwinds and stuck in a cycle of resentment? It’s simple! You’re already doing it!

The Cornell researchers, and many others in the field, have found that gratitude increases the strength of our tailwinds. Scientists agree, giving thanks has the power to push people forward toward happiness and a fulfilling life.  

Specifically, the researchers suggested establishing repeated and consistent patterns of giving thanks, such as creating a gratitude journal.  But they did come to the resolve that this is a hard habit to keep up.

In our case, by being prompted to stop our train of thinking and give thanks every day at 3pm, we are practicing a daily pattern that focuses our brains on our tailwinds.  When we stop to recognize God’s tailwinds, things like clean water, a cozy bed, delicious food, a friend’s hug, a spouse’s help, a child’s hand, safe schools, good roads, and fun vacations…we are strengthening the wind at our back.  

Gratitude shifts our minds away from the hardships in our lives and pushes us forward into the abundant life God has planned for us.

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a Part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Love is in the Air

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrong.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  

– 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Today is Valentine’s Day.  Are you looking forward to lavish plans with your “love,” or do you dream of crossing the entire “Hallmark holiday” off the calendar?

Seeing the seasonal red, pink, and white carnations in the stores brings me back to some pretty cringe-worthy memories of adolescence.  Around Valentine’s Day at my middle school, for a dollar, you could buy a carnation for someone you liked, loved, or admired.  Different colors were supposed to signal exactly how you felt about that person.  You gave a RED flower to proclaim your LOVE.  A PINK flower meant you LIKED them, and a WHITE flower you sent as a SECRET ADMIRER.  

It seems silly now, some thirty years later, but I vividly remember the stress acne and soaked armpits of my Izod shirts caused by sweating over those colored carnations.

Days prior to passing them out, the questions would start…

• He says he loves me but does he really?  Will he send me a red one?

• I know she told me she’s buying me a pink one, but maybe she’s just saying that so I’ll buy her one, then she’ll get more than me.

• What if she doesn’t receive any flowers?  Maybe I should send her a white one and not tell her so she won’t cry like last year.

Aren’t you thankful God’s love for us is constant, unfailing, and unconditional?

At weddings, we often hear 1 Corinthians 13: “Love is patient, love is kind…” but is that love completely possible in marriage?  

I don’t want to burst your romantic bubble but I believe that passage of scripture is truly about God’s love for you.  We can strive to love others the way God loves us, but we’ll eventually fail because we’re not humanly capable of loving with God’s intensity or consistency.

So today, on Valentine’s Day, let’s focus on God’s true love, thanking Him that it is:

• ALWAYS – Patient, Kind, Truthful, Protecting, Trusting, and Hopeful. 

• NEVER – Envious, Boastful, Prideful, Rude, Self-Seeking, Angry, or Vengeful.

So no matter what your plans look like for today; a hot date, a gathering of gals, or by yourself on the couch with a blanket wrapped around you, know that God loves you more than any person on this planet ever can or will.

If God sent you carnations, He’d send you more red ones than you could count, because His love is deeper, higher, wider, and longer than you can even imagine (Eph. 3:18).  He’d also send you some pink ones, because He knows everything about you and still likes you, inside and out.  Lastly, He’d send you one white carnation to remind you that you are pure, forgiven, holy, innocent, and His beloved bride.  

Maybe carnations can remind us of what it divine, eternal, and entirely good: God’s LOVE.  

Happy Valentine’s Day my friend!

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Suck it Up Soup

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39

If you walked in my house today, you’d see the carnage, then you’d run for your life.

The kitchen island is littered with medicine bottles, vitamins, and half empty 7Up cans. Boxes of Lysol and Clorox wipes are everywhere, reminding us to wipe down everything. My daughter’s bedside table is covered with Kleenex, Gatorade, more medicine bottles, and a frequently-used thermometer. Yes, we’re in the trenches of the flu. 

It seems like everyone, everywhere I go, wants to give me advice about the flu.

The sales clerk at Walgreens predicted that the flu will end in three weeks, “so hang it there.” A friend swears by dripping vitamins under your tongue. My mom suggested buying a better thermometer to keep track of the fever. The cashier at the grocery told me chicken broth will do the trick. And my husband, an emergency room doctor, tells me to throw the thermometer out because “nobody cares about a fever” and is convinced that the only medicine our daughter needs is a bowl full of “Suck It Up Soup.”

Suck It Up Soup has been our family’s remedy for almost every sickness or injury we’ve had over the past twenty years. It’s not an actual soup recipe. It’s a reminder to, in Dan’s words, “quit yer whining.” I’m just now questioning our parenting practice. Maybe that wasn’t the most loving response after all. 

I’m so thankful God doesn’t tell us to us “suck it up” when we face fears, anxiety, or depression. Instead, He boldly proclaims that nothing and no one can separate us from His great love (Romans 8:38-39). 

So I serve my daughter with God’s love flowing through me. I sit with her in the middle of the night when I hear her coughing. I drive all over town picking up her favorite foods to soothe her hunger. And I rub her feverish back with lotion as I tell her I love her and agree that “the flu is the worst.” 

That’s what God does for us. He comes to our rescue no matter how far we’ve wandered. He nurtures our souls with hope, joy, and love. He draws close in our times of need. Not because He has to, but because He’s our good Father. I’ll never question God’s parenting practices.

Who can you show love to this week? Who could you humbly serve? What trench is God calling you into, to love with His love flowing through you? When you do, your good Father will be right there beside you.  

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Escape Plan

I was looking through some old posts and came across this one from last year. I liked its message so much, that I thought I'd share it with you again...

No temptation regardless of its source has overtaken or enticed you that is not common to human experience (nor is any temptation unusual of beyond human resistance); but God is faithful to His word.  He is compassionate and trustworthy.  He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability to resist, but along with the temptation, He will always provide the way out as well, so that you will be able to endure it without yielding, and will overcome temptation with joy.  – 1 Corinthians 10:13 AMP

Last Sunday, I sat in church listening to a sermon about the temptation to quit.  Though I couldn’t remember the exact verse, I knew that somewhere in the Bible that God said He’d never tempt us more than we could handle and promised that he’d always give us a way out.  (I was tempted to pull out my phone and look it up on my Bible app, but that since might make it look like I was bored and on Facebook, I resisted.)

Then later that day, I visited a dear friend who is fighting cancer.  As we sat in her living room, bathed in the warmth and brightness of the afternoon sun, she shared how tempting it was to quit her fight and just let the cancer win. Exhaustion and chronic pain were wreaking havoc on her emotions, sending her into ups and downs as if on a never ending roller coaster ride.

As I reached into my purse for the church bulletin, hoping to share my notes from the sermon about being tempted to quit, my 3pm alarm went off.  I looked deep into my friend’s eyes and asked her what she was thankful for.  She turned and pointed to her “blessing board”.  

It’s really an amazing thing. Her entire refrigerator is covered with white butcher block paper. She and her family have been recording their daily blessings on it in bright magic marker, watching the paper fill up with bright and beautiful remembrances of God’s goodness and presence in her home. 

Her temptation to quit the battle against cancer gets pushed aside quickly by the plethora of blessings that leap off that page.  Thanksgiving fills her heart and distracts her mind.

Like watching quick clips from a movie, my mind reeled through years of giving thanks to God everyday at 3pm.  Ahha!  How many times had I wanted to quit?  To quit giving thanks because my kids’ lives were out of control, or my husband and I were fighting, or the work was too much and the bills were too many.  I have been tempted to quit looking up, giving thanks, and living out my faith in God too many times to count.

But God…is using a simple alarm to remind all of us that He is faithful and trustworthy every day.  Thanksgiving is our way out of bitterness, anger, un-forgiveness, and negativity. Counting our daily blessings is God’s escape plan for us.

I locked eyes with my friend and whispered, “Today is a gift from God.  We have so much to be thankful for.”  Nodding in joyous agreement, we knew that thanksgiving had sent the temptation to quit fleeing in fear of our faith.

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a Part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Head to Toe

Jesus said, “Come, follow me.” – Matthew 4:19

Have you ever heard someone say something so profound that you immediately searched for a pen and paper to write it down? 

Awhile back, I was listening to an Andy Stanley sermon while running with the dog. When Andy said the following, I had to stop right there and record it in the “notes” app on my phone.  

“Following Jesus makes my life better

and makes me better at life.” – Andy Stanley

It’s a simple sentence, but it’s packed with purpose.  Repeating it over and over, in time with my steps as I ran, it occurred to me that a lot of people might disagree with him.  

Many of us grew up thinking that if we followed Jesus, we’d have to lay down our fun and adventurous life and instead carry a cross of rules and boredom.  How does that make life better?

Others grew up afraid of God. We imagined God looking down on us from heaven and with some holy clipboard, keeping track of all our mistakes and mess ups on His “naughty list.” How does that make anyone better at life?

I couldn’t call Andy Stanley on my phone (and he’d probably just send me to voicemail anyways), so I clicked off the podcast and starting talking to God.  “Really?  Does following Jesus truly make someone’s life better and make someone better at life?”

That familiar, still small voice inside my soul turned my question around. “Do you believe following Jesus makes your life better and makes you better at life?”

Good question.  How would you answer it? 

I say YES, absolutely.  Following Jesus makes my life better from my head down to my toes.

• Following Jesus, my mind is better.  All day long, I think about God’s truths and His ways. I can distinguish between the Enemy’s lies and God’s good plans.  I’m quick to give thanks and complain a lot less.

• Following Jesus, my heart is better.  Bitterness, anger, resentment, and shame once thrived in my heart, Jesus has been replacing these with compassion, forgiveness, joy, and love.

• Following Jesus, my hands are so much better.  The work I do has purpose. It’s eternal. I touch, teach, write, serve, comfort, encourage, and hug more than I ever would on my own. 

• Following Jesus, my walk is better.  My feet go where Jesus went.  I visit the sick.  I feed the poor.  I stay within God’s boundaries, which keeps me safe.  As God leads me deeper into His will, I can more faithfully walk out into the unknown.  

From head to toe, following Jesus makes our lives better and makes us better at life.  Adventure awaits and the journey is filled with joy when you run the race God has marked out for you.  

Our races might look different but the leader is the same.  Will you follow Jesus and find your better life?

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a Part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

A Servant's Heart

For even the Son of Man (Jesus) did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. – Mark 10:45

Living in the mountains of Colorado has some incredible benefits: challenging hiking trails, cooler summer temperatures, colorful sunsets and continuous wildlife sightings. Mountain living also has its drawbacks: gas tanks empty quickly, icy roads demand expensive tires, and scheduling conflicts often strand me in town for hours.

Today, while stuck in town, I ventured into Barnes & Noble seeking a quiet spot to think and write. I spent the first thirty minutes hiding behind a computer screen, taking notes and wiping tears from my eyes. 

Tucked in the back of the bookstore, sitting within earshot of me, a technology class is in session. Three adult men are perplexed. One man struggles to discover what button to push next. Another expresses frustration because what he’s expecting isn’t happening. The last man erupts in laughter when he finally finds success.

I too burst out laughing. They all look over at me. I blush, giggle and say, “Your laughter is so contagious. You have such a beautiful smile.” Now he’s blushing as the teacher nudges his elbow reminding him to thank me. 

They get back to work. I hear the teacher kindly encouraging each man by name to press on through their frustration. I can’t help but notice his gentleness and patience. He reminds me a little bit of Jesus. 

When we’re perplexed and struggle to know what’s next, Jesus promises to be our good shepherd and guide us. When our frustrations rise, Jesus reminds us to bring our burdens to Him, for He promises to give us rest. And when we finally succeed, Jesus is right there celebrating with us. 

When the teacher let the class know they’d be leaving in two minutes, the men handed over their tablet computers, tucked their personal items in backpacks, and pushed their wheelchairs toward the front of the bookstore, where a van waited to take them back to the center that serves adults with disabilities. 

Right before the men departed our area, they turned back to me and joyfully waved good-bye. I caught the teacher’s eye, smiled and said, “You are a great teacher! Keep up the incredible work.” He blushed, laughed a little, and lowered his head. I could tell that his servant’s heart often goes unnoticed. 

We are told to have the same attitude of Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5). How can you choose an attitude of gentleness, kindness or love today? Who will greatly benefit from your servant’s heart?

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

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Perfect Parent

Those who know Your name (who have experienced Your precious mercy) will put their confident trust in You, for You, LORD, have not abandoned those who seek You. – Psalm 9:10 (AMP)

Have you ever royally messed up a relationship?  Can you think of a time when, even unintentionally, your words or actions hurt someone’s feelings or sabotaged their day?  Once you realize how long it’s going to take to rebuild trust, the uphill climb can feel overwhelming.  

When my oldest daughter was in the third grade, I went hiking with a friend during the school day.  I remember it like it was yesterday.  Not for the great friendship or the beautiful weather, but instead for the gut-wrenching feeling I got when I realized, too late, that I had missed her scheduled parent-teacher conference.  While I had been enjoying a “Colorado blue day” in the mountains, my daughter had been sitting alone outside the principal’s office in tears, wondering why her mother had forgotten her. 

My daughter, now eighteen, enjoys reminding me every once and a while of when I “abandoned” her at school.  The thought of her sitting alone waiting for me, questions forming and disappointment mounting, still makes me cringe and question my heart as a mother, almost as intensely as I did all those years ago.

How could I have been so absentminded and not looked at my calendar?  Why was I so selfish, hiking instead of being where I was supposed to be?  The ridicule rioting in my mind built up to the point where, finally, I sat down with my daughter and apologized from the bottom of my heart.  Simple words, “I’m so sorry,” spoken in love and truth, began to restore our relationship.

Aren’t you thankful that God never abandons us?    

God said “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” – Hebrews 13:5

God keeps His promises.  He is with us and for us… always.  We may not recognize His mercy in every moment, or hear His voice every day, but once we believe in His word and walk in His truths, our confidence grows and our trust increases.  We begin to rely on His promise and count on His presence. 

Once you’ve accepted God as your Heavenly Father, then you know His name and He calls you by yours.  God woos you in specials ways, unique to your heart and mind.  God might play a specific song on the radio, right when you need to hear those lyrics, or He might cause you to open your Bible to a particular passage and remind you that you are not alone in this crisis. Or, God might use someone close to you to speak the words He desires your heart to hear.

One thing is for certain, your Heavenly Father will never abandon you.  He’s the only perfect parent in the world, just ask my daughter.   

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement