GCF 2014 Jingle Bells

Photo credit: The fabulous Bill Thompson

I missed out on my rhyme time last year from being out of the country for work for the last half of GCF...so, bringing it back for 2014! :) So thankful and privileged to do ministry with such an amazing group of people (Orchestra, Choir, Media Team, and Tech/Backstage crew, Decorating crew, Pastors & Staff) at Westside Baptist Church that combine to make Gainesville Christmas Festival a reality! For 2014, we saw nearly 7,200 people over 10 shows...coming from 17 states and 7 countries; we celebrate God working through the show's message centered on Christ to bring 19 people to a personal relationship with Him and 88 people rededicate their lives to Him! We put hours of love and sweat in for His Glory, and He blesses those efforts in abundance! Enjoy, fellow GCF-ers...I hope it brings a smile to your faces! Go ahead...sing along (because you can't just read it...)!   

GCF 2014 Jingle Bells
Dashing through the year,
Toward GCF show time
As the days grew near
We sounded so sublime.
With songs of joy to share,
Our dance moves all in step.
We covered all in glitter and prayer,
Through hours of toiled prep.
Oh, GCF, GCF, GCF is here!
Oh what fun it is to share
Christ’s love for all to hear! Yeah!
GCF, GCF, GCF is here!
Oh what fun it is to share
Christ’s love for all to hear!

With drummers flying high,
And sparkles glimmering,
Act one quickly went by
With voices worshipping
There was that wise men bit,
Then dancers filled the stage
Singers shared their Christmas spirit
Act two the crowd engaged.
Oh, GCF, GCF, GCF is on!
Backstage and tech crews rock,
They keep us from alarm! Yes!
GCF, GCF, GCF is on!
Oh what fun it is to serve
our crowds with Southern charm.

Then Gabriel came down,
with a fully sewn on cloak.
Mary gave birth in town,
A Savior for all folks.
Then kings came from afar
Silk pajamas they wore
The animals lead toward the star
Camels, elephant and more.
Oh, GCF, GCF, GCF goes on!
Miracles performed each night,
And a Pharisee in the pit! Yikes!
GCF, GCF, GCF goes on!
From birth to resurrection,
The whole story we do fit.

Oh, GCF, GCF, GCF is done!
Another blessed year in the books,
Now, let’s all get some sleep! 

Rhythms

"Restore us, O Lord God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved." - Psalm 80:19

Advent is sort of new to me in the sense that I knew about it growing up, but it wasn't something that we observed in our church for the Christmas season. At Westside, we do observe Advent, and it's a nice time of reflection for the reason this holiday season. And, in this crazy-busy, on-the-go, immediate gratification kind of society we live in, it is quite refreshing (and quite challenging) to truly pause and check in to see where my heart and mind are at this Christmas.

The first week of Advent focuses on the hope we have in Christ (Romans 15:12-13). When I think about hope, I think about an active expression toward a desire that represents truth and belief. We can hope for a lot of things, but the root of all hope is in Christ...He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6)! He is an active Presence through the Holy Spirit to provide hope right where we are, whatever season of life. We cling to the hope of Christ when we're in the valleys, and shout of the hope He brings from the mountain tops for the world to hear; He is our only hope for restoration in a broken world.

Personally, He has been teaching me more and more that restoration and renewal are in constant need of hope because it's a constant process of seeking, learning, and trusting in Him. And, part of His process is a honing of focus down to the One thing or perhaps a few things that He has specifically purposed us each for. That means learning to say "no" to some good things in order to say "yes" to His best for our life. And, the best example of this...Jesus! It's so easy to think that Christ was everything to everyone as he performed miracles, tended to the needs of others, and went about ministry. It's a perception of perfectionism in the sense of doing everything possible within a time frame...a perception that I clung to for many years...but, thankfully, it is a wrong perception and one He is correcting in my heart and mind. Have you been there too? Have you thought that you must be engaged in one ministry opportunity after another, packing your schedule full of things to do to share the hope of Christ? A refreshing lesson learned...even Christ rested and did not met the needs of all who He crossed paths with. He had a rhythm of life that reflected his crystal clear conviction of his purpose on this earth..,,His ONE thing. Because He knew his purpose and already said "yes" to that one thing, He was able to say "no" to others.

So, He continues to speak to my heart and teach me about such focus on my ONE purpose...to follow Him. This means a life-long learning process of consistently examining my calendar and schedule to ask myself: how is the rhythm of my life reflecting that ONE purpose? Where can I focus more? What disciplines do I need to work on to bring my life more into alignment? What good things am I doing that are preventing me from being my best for Him? "Busy" seems to be an understatement some days for me, and as He has been teaching me more on this matter, I cringe a little when I look at my calendar. Because realizing and reflecting on this is one thing...putting it into practice is an intentional process that may take years to undo what you've made commitments to in order to get to a point of true availability to reflect the rhythmic example Christ has set for us. Yet, regardless of how long it takes to get there...have hope that He is walking with you (and me!) along this journey, every step and mis-step of the way. Because at the end of the day, He is much more interested in who you are becoming than how much you are doing. Let's aim for reflecting the rhythm of Christ's example!          

Rustic Pear Butter Quick Bread

Pears! Last week, a friend brought me two big bags of pears...which became my UF Homecoming day off project of peeling and chopping for cooking them down into pear butter. About 24 hours and 3 crock pots later, I had a yummy batch of pear butter...about a gallon and a half of it! Of course, I thought of it too late to pull some out as pear sauce to make the work go a little further in volume before letting continue to cook down...oh well...it's all delicious. 

Well, I've been getting some pinterest time in lately as a product of limited attention span when it comes to a 3-hour statistics course. In my latest browsing, I came across an applesauce bread. My first thought was that I could definitely adapt it to use some pear butter. So, here's how it turned out...a rustic quick bread that I would love to try in muffin form. I call it rustic because it just had that whole-oats look to it, and "rustic" just seemed to pop in my head. After consuming a test slice, then the slice and pear in the photo below...now I can share the creation with confidence. :) I'm sure it would be great with some additional pear butter spread on it, or made with any kind of fruit butter. Enjoy! 

Rustic Pear Butter Quick Bread
Slightly adapted from Lovely Little Kitchen
Yield: 4 mini loaves*

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil (I used coconut oil)
2 eggs
1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1 1/2 cups pear butter

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350'F. Prep mini loaf pans with non-stick spray or butter and flour.
- In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flours, leavening agents, salt, cinnamon); set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine sugar and wet ingredients (oil, eggs, yogurt, pear butter, vanilla).
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just to combine.
- Drop batter into mini loaf pans to distribute evenly.

Bake for about 40 minutes. Cool and enjoy (or let it rest for a few minutes and then cut in to enjoy a warm slice). 

* I made two mini loaves and one larger loaf, but it definitely would have done well in 4 mini loaves. 

Obedience in Encouragement

"Obedience is never convenient." - Batterson

As I was reading the other day, I had to read this quote a few times...it was one I really needed to let sink in. I kept thinking about how often God has put something on my heart - to write a note, to give someone a call, to just pause and pray - yet, I was simply 'too busy' and kept going, thinking I would get to it at a more convenient time. Naturally, I wouldn't get around to it, would think about it again and realize the thought had escaped of what I wanted to do or write. As I let this sink in I realized that convenient or not, when He puts something on our heart He intends for us to follow in obedience sooner rather than later. If we follow sooner, He may desire to use us to interceded for a situation that we don't even know is going on in someone's life at that moment, to show His faithfulness in the little things, or to bless and encourage someone's day.

Lately, God has been reminding me how much joy I take in encouraging others...yet, it's often one of the things that gets pushed to the side when my schedule ramps up (or as it seems to lately, consistently stays in 'full throttle' mode). So, I have been trying to be intentional about obeying when He puts someone on my mind to encourage and pray for...and, you know what?!? He has provided energy when needed and blessed me with the peace and joy that comes from following in obedience. "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage..." (Romans 12:6-8). So...what gift is God bringing to mind today that He desires for you to obey to bring Him glory (because we know it's a daily struggle to keep life moving forward for Him)? What's your next step of obedience...convenient or not...in that gift?

One of my favorite verses says, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms." - 1 Peter 4:10 So, if we know we are gifted in something, it is our responsibility to use it...especially when He lays someone or something on our heart. My prayer today is that I (and you) will be faithful to obey his promptings to use the gifts he has given me (you), trusting that convenient or not in my (your) schedule He will sustain me (you) and provide for me (you).

Just a little word...

I was sitting in a tent in the heart of the Andes recently, thinking about a comment that had come up earlier in the day regarding being "just" a teacher. Although the student who made the comment did not mean for it to be interpreted in a negative connotation, the comment needed some additional context to avert that perception. However, the discussion that followed it brought up an excellent point: how often do we use the word "just" to qualify something that we perceive to have minimal impact or value within a culture, system, or perhaps simply our own life?

By definition, "just" when used as an adverb denotes precision, time frame, directness in proximity, possibility, simplicity, etc. However, this small word has taken on a depth of unspoken meaning within our culture in relation to the value of the action or person, place, or thing being described. It is not a simple descriptor, but rather a complex indicator of value. It is in this-as my brother would say-simply complex context that God has been working on my heart and showing me that I needed to adjust my attitude in this matter.

My tendency has been to view some of the things I do as "just" volunteering, "just" making a flier, "just" playing the music, or "just" coordinating an event. Oftentimes that qualification comes from doing a task multiple times, so it is nothing extraordinary to me. Have you been there too? Those repetitive tasks of our jobs that are natural to us, perhaps even our strengths that we realize we are gifted at but don't seem out of the ordinary for us to do, that have become "just" another thing for us to do, and perhaps we even truly enjoy doing them? Yet this qualifier seems to come out of our mouths when describing one of those tasks to someone else. Well, at least it has mine...and God has been pressing upon my heart the need to stop this simple use of a word that has such a complex connotation behind its use within our society.

You see, God has instructed us that, "whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Colossians 3:17). There is no "just" qualifier for living a surrendered life for Christ. Any perception otherwise - that tasks or opportunities that He has blessed us with are not comparatively valued is quite simply a plot of deceit from Satan. God is constant, never changing in His love for us and His perfect design and purpose for each of our lives through every task - small or large - that gives us the opportunity to glorify Him. James 1:16-18 reminds us, "Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created."

There's so much more to say about His design and purpose for each of us, and how we can each live intentionally and strategically to do what we do well for the advancement of the Kingdom. For now, though, let's agree to take this simply complex word and bring back its true meaning, ridding our vocabulary of its cultural context of minimizing value and restoring it to the "almost" and "precise" adverb that it is. Thankfully, in its appropriate form, a beautiful hymn was penned...and with it I'll end this lesson He's been teaching me and get back to a job that love and have been blessed with...

 1.    Just as I am, without one plea, 
but that thy blood was shed for me, 
and that thou bidst me come to thee, 
O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

2. Just as I am, and waiting not 
to rid my soul of one dark blot, 
to thee whose blood can cleanse each spot, 
O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

3. Just as I am, though tossed about 
with many a conflict, many a doubt, 
fightings and fears within, without, 
O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

4. Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind; 
sight, riches, healing of the mind, 
yea, all I need in thee to find, 
O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

5. Just as I am, thou wilt receive, 
wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; 
because thy promise I believe, 
O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

6. Just as I am, thy love unknown 
hath broken every barrier down; 
now, to be thine, yea thine alone, 
O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

Defining Moments

As I was cleaning up my desktop (read procrastinating slightly for the study session ahead), I found this writing and realized I had not posted it before now. I just love how God brings things into our path to remind us of how He has worked in our lives, and will continue to be faithful through all of life's defining moments.

Defining Moments

Markers of trials, pain and suffering endured;

You held me up and carried me through with Your reassuring voice.

Markers of great joy, decisions and changes with new adventures;

Steps of faith into Your calling, for such moments we rejoice.

In those valleys, Lord, we’re on our knees;

Living by Your strength, trusting Your best is yet to come.

On those highest peaks, Lord, we shout Your praise;

Preparing for the next challenge we’ll succumb.

Such moments in our lives are never one sole marker in time;

We are defined by the sum of little moments we choose to obey.

Often a journey leading up to and one that continues long after;

Lord, I lean into You as You show me Your way.

Each moment of our lives is defined with care by our Creator;

To grow and to challenge us, as more into the unknown of His will we heed.

He is working it all for His glory, some day we’ll understand;

Father, let these moments be defined by courage to follow Your lead.

A Stilted Prayer

The month of June has been a whirlwind; there were several times that I often wondered, 'why me?'...'how in the world do I get to be here?' While there are so many stories to share from travels to Benin, home to Illinois, and out to Montana, I just want to share one before heading to bed.

It was Day 4 of our clinics in Ganvie and we were at a different location for the day - the school right next to the new church. I spent the morning with Jen at the intake station, taking blood pressures and temperatures. Despite the fact that my French is essentially zero, it amazes me how far a smile, gentle touch, and looking someone in the eyes can go (along with a sad attempt at hello in their language). Midway through the day, Jen and I were told that it was our turn to go out with one of the translators and the Pastor to visit a couple of homes. (Cue a little nervous excitement, as I had not prepared nearly enough with stories for outreach as I desired.)
After another quick round of patients, Jen and I boarded the boat with Michael and the Pastor to head for a home. The first home was a kind man who welcomed us in, engaged in conversation (lead by Jen and the Pastor), and I sat quietly praying for the conversation and guidance. The man proudly showed us his master certificate in corn grinding as we prepared to leave - a neat 'ag' connection for me! At this point, to be perfectly honest, I was a little relieved that Jen led the conversation, and I...in my perceived unpreparedness...was not called upon to share. Yet, at the same time my heart dropped because I also figured this may be the one opportunity to share...and sharing the Gospel was indeed the key purpose of the trip in the first place. Just as I was about to be disappointed, the Pastor led us to another home and knocked on the door. A handful of kids opened the door and welcomed us into their home; their parents were not home, but they were open to hearing a story (let the frantic prayers begin...it was my turn to share). After a little nervous banter with my translator, I took a deep breath and shared the Creation to Christ story. As I sat on that floor and shared (while being double translated), I found myself completely at peace and simply praying for the next words to come, to not mess up the story. It was a confidence that only can be explained by His Presence with us...humbled that He would use my perceived weakness in a simple yet meaningful way. And, in the stilted house, His Word drew a young man out of bed and into the area we were sharing and brought a young girl to tears...because they had not heard the story of Jesus' love for them before. Praise God, we gained a new little brother and sister in Christ that afternoon! What a joy to share in the growth of His work in Ganvie, and to encourage the Pastor as he begins his work with the people of Ganvie and the new church! They prayed in their heart language of Fon; but you don't have to speak the same language to see His work in someone's eyes and in their smile. That is one afternoon I will not soon forget!  

As I began reading a little book tonight, I came across this quote: "The pride of learning is against the dependent humility of prayer." - EM Bounds. It made perfect sense to me...how often it is that I get caught up in thinking I need to learn or relearn something to be able to share it or present it; yet, God simply desires us to come to him in prayer with a humble heart, so that He can work through each of us in various ways. I can't help but wonder how many opportunities I have missed to share the Gospel because I was so concerned about not having the knowledge rather than trusting in His words to come to mind. You know what...the words do come by His grace, and His word will not return void. Thankfully, as I sat on a mat in that stilt home, He answered my simple prayer and brought to mind step by step the greatest story of all time with a passion that grew with each bit translated.

I pray that the Ganvie church continues to reach out into the community to share the truth of the Gospel and grow in the simple yet profound knowledge of Christ's love and sacrifice, never losing the joy and urgency of sharing the story with others!

Lemon Raspberry Muffins

After a day of staring at the computer screen and a week of pretty intensive focus on homework for my summer class, I decided I needed a break...a muffin baking break. Since raspberries are in season, I snagged a few containers in the midst of a rainstorm and made it home only mildly drenched to put those berries to good use. This seems to be a good balance between the muffins that shout their healthfulness and those that are overly sweet (should really be in the cupcake category). So, hope you enjoy...just finished my fresh from the oven sample :).

Lemon-Raspberry Muffins
Slightly adapted from EatingWell
Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup oat flour (1 1/4 cup oats ground in the food processor for about a minute, or just use +1 cup above)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
dash cinnamon

1/2 cup cane sugar
Zest of one lemon
1 egg
1/3 cup coconut oil (or other cooking oil)
1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt or sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. lemon juice (squeeze half of the lemon you zested)

1 1/4 cup fresh raspberries (washed and dried)

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400'F. Prep 12 muffin tins with liners.
- In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flours, leavening agents, salt, cinnamon); set aside.
- In a small blender or food processor, combine the sugar and lemon zest; pulse to incorporate.
- Add remaining wet ingredients, but not the raspberries. Pulse or blend to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just to combine.
- Add the raspberries; fold to incorporate.
- Drop batter into muffin tins to distribute evenly.

Bake for ~25 minutes. Store in fridge, or toss in the freezer for a quick on the go breakfast or snack (after you enjoy one just after cooling from the oven, of course).

Provision for His Purpose

I had a meeting this week in which two questions were posed to me; I've been thinking about them since Monday, and am equally challenged and thankful the more I ponder. The questions...
1. How has God provided for the desires of you heart? 
2. How committed are you to consistently praying for His provision of the desires you don't currently see met? 

Really, these two questions are intertwined; I don't think you can truly answer one without a 'gut check' on the other to determine if I'm aligned with God's intentions. When I think about provision, a habit that Oswald Chambers noted in His Utmost for His Highest today as the first godly habit we should develop, this Psalm comes to mind: "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." (Psalm 34:7) The Hebrew translation brings us to the word Mish'alah, which connects desire with request or petition. How often so we look at the latter part of the verse, that he will grant our desires, without remembering the preface of delighting in Him? In that sense, do my requests and petitions connect more to my own selfish desires or are they reflective of delighting in Christ and trusting in His provision accordingly? 
Sometimes, I think we just need to take a simple step back to check our desires...not the frivolous petitions and requests we so easily send up in prayer, but truly the deep desires of our heart...and look broadly to see how He has provided (through people, unexpected circumstances - both challenges and blessings, His Word)...according to what He needs to develop in us for accomplishing His purpose down the road. 

Trusting in His provision also implies action on my part...to obey and abide. 
Obedience: "Whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight." - 1 John 3:22

Abide: "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." - John 15:7
This active work is reflected in the Greek root for abide, which infers the responsibility to wait for, remain in, and be aware of His Presence to allow His words to continually be in us, so that my wishes align with His purpose for my life...and that when it is accomplished, all glory goes to Him.  

My final thought...I know I can trust in His provision (not just because He has proven it time and time again), but we know that He is able (in spite of my shortcomings and selfish desires) to meet my deepest desires, needs, and more importantly...His purpose! 

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." - Ephesians 3:20-21

(It's pretty neat to think about His orchestration of your life up to now...how He has Provided, even in ways you may not have recognized while in process! Just take a minute to think about that...and praise Him for His Provision!)

Responsible to empty...

Spring semester (check)...ALE Site Visit (check)...Commencement (check)...Leadercast (check)... whew!...the past month has been all sorts of crazy! I'm sitting here enjoying the simple fact that I have taken a couple of days to relax before diving in to the summer semester full force. It has been a welcomed pause for processing and a little planning for the month to come (which is really like two months of work/school in one). I suppose it has been a bit of calm between the "storms" of chaotic schedules.

Although I've heard a lot of great messages lately, I'll focus in on Leadercast because I'm flipping through the program book and photos of the event over my lunch today. In the grand scheme of the event, there are many great take-aways; however, when you're overseeing the run of show for the event, you tend to be more concerned about what's coming next or any issues rather than the content of the speaker at hand. Yet, in the midst of trying to figure out a feed issue and the chat room being down, I was able to hear a little snip-it of Andy Stanley's talk. In that short window, I heard two important things:
1. It's not my responsibility to fill their cup, just to empty mine.
2. The value of a life is always measured in terms of how much of it was given away.

Thoughts on these two statements:
1. It's not my responsibility to fill their cup, just to empty mine.
This one hit home for me, to the point that it was what grabbed my attention while I was working on getting the chat room support back up; I stopped and jotted it down before pausing to listen to the contextual description he was giving. As one who typically assumes responsibility in various situations, this was a refreshing reminder that I truly can only accept responsibility for what I have control over. I cannot force someone to see from a new perspective or understand the importance of cultural context, but I can certainly ensure that I share my experiences and pour out what I do know and think would be beneficial for someone/a situation. To grasp on to this means less frustration with wondering if students 'get' the why behind things and more of me simply sharing the content that informs my passions of leadership development and intercultural competence. I also enjoyed his caveat of 'you're smarter than you think you are...share!'...how often do we hesitate to share because we assume others may already know something or because we don't have the full picture/all the answers? I find it oddly encouraging when leaders are transparent about their areas of expertise, knowledge gaps, and how they're trying to grow. 

2. The value of a life is always measured in terms of how much of it was given away.
When we focus on self, there are limitations to and perceptions of personal value; yet, when the focus is on pouring yourself out (emptying your cup), limitations and perceptions subside and living a value-added life leads to ripples of your impact continuing beyond your own sight! How powerful, humbling, and inspiring it is to see a little bit of your heartfelt service impact someone else! 

Great reminders from such a gifted communicator! Now, back to that planning thing :)!

"Do what you do well, and do it strategically for the Kingdom."

One Resonating Question

The past couple of weeks have brought some amazing opportunities for growth...God's timing never ceases to amaze me; He knows exactly what I need to hear, when I need to hear it. Although challenging, such messages are also answers to prayers and great encouragement to my heart in the midst of seemingly constant 'business'. Especially in times when I feel stuck in between what my heart desires to do and fulfilling commitments to routine tasks, these messages also provide me with a gut check of how I could and should be living and growing through each and every day.

Opportunity 1: Last weekend, I was blessed to join a group from church for dinner; this group included a sweet couple that spent numerous years on the mission field and hold such profound wisdom from life's experiences. I was humbled to sit around the table in a beautiful home of another couple who welcomed a few extra guests that evening, a few whom I highly respect and thank the Lord for placing in my life, as well as a couple of new folks whom I admire for their service within the church. I have been praying for God to open up opportunities to soak in wisdom from others who have served in ministry and missions; thus, an answered prayer and incredible blessing to share an evening with this group! Out of the entire evening, however, there was one statement, one question that penetrated to my core with conviction and has continued to resonate as I look at my daily life. This nugget of wisdom came from the sweet couple I first mentioned: "If you are not boldly sharing the Gospel and reaching the lost where God has you now, how do you expect Him to use you on the mission field 1,000+ miles away?" Let that sink in.

What excuses am I making? What limitations am I placing on myself from perceived barriers to share? How am I actively challenging myself to reach those in my sphere of influence here?

God's Word commands us to go locally and globally; He has each of us right where He desires us to make an impact for His Kingdom both now and wherever He leads us next!  

Opportunity 2: Last night, I participated in Secret Church - an intensive Bible study to help bring awareness to those who go boldly in the midst of persecution around the world. Truly, we take so much for granted in America regarding the access to Christian resources and the freedom to meet with fellow followers of Christ. The focus of the evening was "The Cross and Everyday Life". Given my question from opportunity #1 and tug-of-war in the midst of the end of the semester business, this intense and focused time could not have come at a better time. David Platt, the pastor who leads this time of teaching, adequately describes the 6+ hours as trying to drink from a fire hydrant, advising to try to keep up and process later. To say the least, I have a good bit of processing left to do, but there was a key point from the first teaching segment that connected with this resonating question. And, really, I'm still trying to wrap my mind completely around this point.

His point (one of many...) was that so often when we think of the cross and our salvation, we focus on the concept of Christ dying for our sins...with emphasis on ourselves. But, the cross is not ultimately about me...it's all about the uniquely qualified and sinless sacrifice that was the full expression of God's character and value, the obedience of Christ to God to die a substitutionary death so that I/we can experience and access God for all eternity. Thus, I am the beneficiary of Christ's obedience to God; yes, He took my place and His blood covers my sin...but, He didn't do it for me, He did it in obedience so that His name could be glorified.

My finite mind cannot grasp on to the full magnitude of this foundational act of obedience. Yet, as I/we are called to be Christlike...does this not then imply such full and radical obedience to the commands He has given me/us through His Word? As this first teaching segment closed, we heard from those who serve in highly persecuted areas...where Christianity goes against the laws of the country. One thing the man said was that it is simple...we need to go back to THE Book...God's Word to instruct our daily living.

So, connecting these two questions/concepts...strategic and intentional impact for the Kingdom is a result of understanding a fraction of what the cross means to our daily lives reflecting Christlike obedience to the instructions given to me/us in His Word.

This is no light matter...it is one to be covered in prayer daily, to seek His Word with a hunger and desire to hide it in my/your heart, and to ask God to guide us step by step into radical obedience of His commands in the normal routines of everyday life.

(Thankfully, the remaining sessions focused in on the 'how'...so, much to process for application.)

Rest...His Command

In our 24/7 on-the-go culture, rest seems to fall to the wayside far too often. There's always more to say 'yes' to, one more thing to do from the ongoing list, and opportunities to do errands practically at any hour of any day of the week. We try to function on the least amount of rest we need, simply to achieve more, be entertained more, etc. Though far from where I'm learning I would like to be, I've been working on getting better at including intentional rest and reflection into my schedule, and not being so concerned with everything that just "has to be done" on my to-do list. To say the least, it's a slow process. I still find myself working on homework or running errands when I know I should just rest. And, when rest is not prioritized, it inevitably makes itself present through a surprise nap or limited creative brain function. Rest is one of those things that we've read about so many times we can easily lose the context or importance of its meaning. Enter this past Sunday morning...a great discussion in our Young Professionals Sunday School class regarding rest. Want a convicting lesson? Simply take something like rest and bring the culturally acceptable behaviors into the light and scrutiny of the Biblical commands on the topic. Gut check and work to be done! Here are a couple of the take-aways for me:

1. A day of rest was exemplified by God. Did God need a day of rest? No...but, He knew we would need it, so He demonstrated what rest is to look like on a consistent basis. Even when we feel fine, we don't know what is to come that we may need some extra rest for...He knows.

2. Rest is not optional; it's a command. God would not command us to do something is there were not a purpose behind it.

And, the big one for me...

3. Rest is multifaceted. It's physical, mental, and spiritual! All facets of rest are designed by our Creator.

He designed us to need physical rest (aka sleep) for our bodies to function properly. I watched a TED talk a little while back about the purpose of sleep; it's pretty interesting...you should check it out here. The point Russell Foster is making, is that we need sleep on a neurological level to enable our brain's processing and memory consolidation...aka all of the connections our brain makes for future application.

So, if this is the purpose of physical rest...could this also have implications for God's command of a Sabbath rest? 

Perhaps it is a stretch, but a stretch that makes a positive impact toward my thought process of rest...therefore it's an implication I'm willing to make. Think about it...if we truly honored the Sabbath rest, we give ourselves time to reflect upon what He has been teaching us in the past week and make those connections for how we can best apply that to our lives. Maybe He wouldn't have to teach us the same lesson multiple times if we protected time for such processing. :) Maybe we could be better servants to one another as "iron sharpening iron" with the insights gained through this protected time. So much potential by keeping this command...

So, what does this mean today? For me, it's translating to better preparation and time management throughout the week...intentionally planning tasks to be completed and protecting a solid block of time to honor the Sabbath. Realistically, the entire day is not going to be blocked off in the coming week...it will be a process of pulling back my random errands and work procrastinated to the last moment to honor the Sabbath with more time for worship, fellowship, and simply being in the Word and prayer more intentionally. So, my goal for this week is to complete homework by Saturday night.

How much more energized could I be throughout the week if I honor the Sabbath rest? How can applying these thoughts positively impact my discernment of time available for other commitments and prioritization of activities?

Bottom line, rest is not laziness or cause for guilt; it's a Biblical command to fuel a productive life for Christ.

OH...and, get this...the Greek word for the reference to the Sabbath rest in Hebrews 4:9 -Sabbatismos - means, "a keeping Sabbath, the blessed rest from toils and troubles looked for in the age to come by the true worshippers of God and true Christians". So, if we are not honoring the Sabbath, how are we different than the rest of the world?

The Sabbath (Exodus 31: 12-17)

12 Then the LORD said to Moses, 13 "Say to the Israelites, 'You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy. 14 " 'Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death; whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people. 15 For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death. 16 The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. 17 It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested.'" 
 

This is my birthday wish...

My birthday wish is...to complete my fundraising for Africa!

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to connect with the missionaries we will work with on the field in Africa through a training event we held at Westside. In the training, we went over a massive amount of information regarding strategies for communicating the Word in an oral culture through storying and many of the 'what if's' of going into a new culture. At the end of the training, we did a short simulation of going into a new village...as one of the three coming in to the simulation from the outsider perspective, it was a completely overwhelming yet exciting glimpse into many experiences yet to come. And, a great connector for me to see what and how to prepare best for adventures ahead! To say the least, interacting with some of our team members and missionaries has me SO excited for what He has in store for this trip! I can't wait to sit down to start working on the stories we will use and continue processing the packed information that was presented. Though I have not yet stepped foot in Africa, a little piece of my heart is already there through the stories told by the missionaries and the desire that He has put on my heart to go this year!

So, how does this tie to my birthday? Well, our first big fundraising deadline is April 6, in which we must have enough funds in our account to purchase the plane ticket (~$2,400). I am so grateful for those who have given already to my trip...I'm a third of the way to the total cost of the trip! He is providing through such an amazing support system (both prayerful and financial support)! But, I still have a ways to go...thus what I am dubbing my birthday blitz! :) Would you consider giving $29 to my trip in honor of my birthday?

If you feel so inclined to do so, you can make a check out to Westside Baptist Church with Trip #8102-Benin in the Memo line. Here's how you address the envelope to make sure it goes toward my trip:
Westside Baptist Church
Missions Department
Natalie Coers #8102
10,000 W. Newberry Road
Gainesville, FL 32606

And, prayer support is always welcome! You can leave a comment below, or send me an email or Facebook message to let me know you'd like to be added to my prayer team.

He is truly transforming my heart with a passion for missions and ministry...thanks for considering supporting me in prayer and/or finances to go to Africa! Here we go....Birthday Blitz!  

Matthew 28:19-20: The Great Commission
“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 and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Obey - His Call

Growing up in an incredibly small town and church, my conceptualization of ministry and missions was pretty limited. Ministry was the Pastor, perhaps a Youth Pastor, and maybe an intern from the local Christian College for worship. And, the extent of missions was supporting an amazing missionary overseas, or the occasional trip abroad to serve. The rest was done by amazing volunteers to ensure that other areas of ministry needs were met. So, naturally, I knew that my place within the church was in volunteering. A call to ministry...never even a thought for me personally.

Then, I moved south and engaged in a church during graduate school that was about three times the size of my home town. Connecting with peers facing similar struggles and joys as me, and truly beginning to dive into the Word to affirm what I believe...all began to spur on my spiritual growth that had been a bit stagnant/cyclical through college. I was thankful to find a similar setting at Westside when I moved to Florida for a fabulous job. Westside continues to open my eyes to SO many opportunities, with its strong leadership and emphasis on missions! I fell in love with missions after my first mission trip, which was the moment I connect to beginning a deep personal growth process (though I confess I put it off for a while). About a year ago, I began praying "unsettle me" from anything that is blocking my growth and ability to follow His will for my life. Late this past summer, I started working through those barriers of growth. Naturally, as I started breaking down some of those barriers, He has been working on my heart and teaching me what "follow Me" may look like in my life. I began to see various opportunities in missions and ministry that really excited me to be engaged within, which started putting the question of 'am I called to this?' in my mind. Over the past couple of months, that sense has become stronger. So, after chatting with my pastor a bit about a potential idea for changing my dissertation topic, the question of being called to ministry and a 'signs of the call' check list came out :). Obviously (given the title of this post), I answered yes to 9, maybe 10 of the items on the checklist.

That brings us to current time...well, technically last weekend. I went forward to ask for prayer from my Westside church family for clarity of the direction of this call in the coming few years while I finish my Ph.D. and continue doing a job that I love while serving at Westside. I don't have all the answers right now...actually I probably have more questions than answers, but have never felt more at peace with a decision regarding my future. Maybe it means going to the mission field for a couple of years (which, I know makes my mother extremely nervous at even the mention of such adventures)...maybe a position that connects my leadership passion with training and development for churches....maybe connecting my passion for missions with training and development through an international organization...only the Lord knows! I know a lot can happen in three years...so why answer the call now? Simple...obedience (obey is my 2014 word after all). And, I just have to say that sharing this with my church family at Westside will forever be etched in my memory...such an amazing and humbling moment of prayer, confirmation, and affirmation from so many that mentor me, speak into my life, and 'do life' with me here in Gainesville.

28 Lessons from my 28th Year

I don't typically make much of a fuss over my birthday...it's another day to be thankful for and grasp on to just a bit of how much God has blessed me through the amazing people He has put in my life. But, this year...this year has been quite the journey and if you have read the sporadic posts on here or "do life" with me, you know that it has been a year of intensive growth! What started with a simple prayer of "unsettle me" led to only that which could have been orchestrated by God...tackling tough questions and answering a call to ministry/missions. Truly, I can only wait in expectation and seek to know Him more each day through His Word and prayer to see what He will teach me and how He will grow me in my 29th year! But, for now, here's an evolving list for the coming week of 28 things God has taught me in my 28th year:
1."For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD." - Isaiah 55:8
2. Pray, pray, pray! Prayer is the foundation of everything!
3. If you appreciate or admire a quality about someone, tell them! You never know how it could make a difference in their day!
4. If you want to know more, don't hesitate to ask! Learning is a process of inquiry, not assumptions.
5. Find a mentor and allow them to feed into your life...their wisdom and encouragement is irreplaceable!
6. Multiple mentors are great, too...various stages of life bring different perspectives and insight to share!
7. Intentionally feed into the lives of those whose sphere of influence you have been placed!
8. Simplicity goes a long way!
9. Consistently evaluate what you "need" vs. "want"...a great perspective reminder.
10. Even if you only have a couple of minutes, journal a few thoughts...it's amazing to look back to see how much God transforms you through the little things over time.
11."Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change." - Brene Brown
12. "Vulnerability is the cornerstone to confidence." - Brene Brown
13. Prayer + Preparation = Confidence
14. If you're going to be mischievous, ensure that positivity results.
15. Be kind to yourself.
16. My identity is in Christ. Period.
17. Rest is vital to being effective in all you do.
18. "Do what you do well, and do it strategically for the Kingdom."
19. God places people in our lives to teach us, encourage us, and draw us closer to Him. Be thankful for each person as they come into your life, whether it be for a season or a lifetime.
20. True friends are a blessing...ensure they know they are loved and appreciated in all their realness.
21. Temporary comforts of the world are short lived; they pale in comparison to the Comforter.
22. It's OK to let people see the mess I am, so people can see the beauty God forms from my mess.
23. Take as many opportunities as possible to gain wisdom from others.
24. A little word of encouragement lasts far beyond the moments it is spoken.
25. "Comparison is the thief of joy." - Theodore Roosevelt
26. Sometimes, the to-do list can just take a back seat...embrace moments of genuine fellowship!
27. God can flip your world upside down in  a moment; other times, He slowly transforms your heart to His will for your life.
28. Seek Him with all your heart. (Not what He can do for you, His blessings, or His work. Simply Him.)

Faith in Transition

Life's a bit crazy at the moment, but I'm excited about what God is teaching me and showing me in this season. I'll fill y'all in on the back story in the near future, but for the time being here is my latest writing...

Faith in Transition

Serving with love where You’ve blessed me with people to influence;

Safe and secure, to leave does not make sense.

But, Lord, You’re changing the desires of my heart;

I know it’s a process, so show me the right time to start.

Affirm to me this is Your prompting, Your direction;

I’m giving You control, slowly relinquishing all of these questions.

Lord, give me strength to respond, to help others understand;

Give me courage to follow as You orchestrate Your plan.

With each step I learn, with each step of faith I am growing;

My identity reflecting more of You, through each challenge transforming.

Doubts will come of what could be, fears and distractions from plans undone;

No regrets, Lord, focus me – You have already overcome!

To trust and obey, I’m on my knees and in Your Word;

Lord, lead me with Your counsel to faithfully push forward.

With confident hope, I will patiently pursue Your call;

Guide me and protect me, I’m in it with my all.

Strawberry Muffins

It's the height of strawberry season herein Florida! I typically get a flat or two to bake with and hull for the freezer to utilize throughout the year. I ended up just going with one flat from a friend this year...I'd go for more if I had the time to make yummy things with them. Hoping to get some freezer jam made tomorrow, but was able to get 3 dozen muffins made tonight with the delicious fresh berries!  I did a double batch of these Strawberry Oat Muffins from Lauren and a single batch of the recipe below, which are about as dense and packed with healthy ingredients as possible!

Strawberry Almond Muffins
Slightly adapted from Mariel Lewis at Amazing!Paleo
Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups almond meal
1/2 cup flax seed meal
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

4 eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 T. vanilla
1 banana, mashed
2 T. honey

1 1/4 cup diced strawberries

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350'F. Prep 12 muffin tins with liners.
- In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients, but not the strawberries.
- Dice up the strawberries and set aside.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well.
- Add the strawberries; stir to incorporate.
- Drop batter into muffin tins to distribute evenly.

Bake for ~25 minutes. Store in fridge, or toss in the freezer for a quick on the go breakfast.

I'll update the info below when I get the opportunity to calculate.
Approximate nutrition per muffin:
Calories per muffin (205) Fat (15g.) Carb. (12g.) Protein (7g.)

Obey - Africa!?!?

With deciding on my word for 2014 (obey), I knew one of the first things I needed to do was decide where I was going to go on a mission trip this year. In 2012, I went on my first mission trip to Romania; to say that it had an incredible impact on my life would be a vast understatement. I knew when I returned that a mission trip was going to be a regular occurrence, Lord willing, for the rest of my life. Yet, with my work travel schedule, accumulating vacation time, and doctoral studies work, I also knew that it would most likely be an every other year occurrence for the time being. Well, mt 'even' year is here, and was reminded that, it's not whether or not we're called to go...we're all commanded to go...it's a matter of praying through where and when (and then committing to go). I've been off and on thinking and praying about where to go this year since before our Westside Around the World in October where we share all of the coming year's trips. After going back and forth with a few of the options, I finally rested on the decision that I really knew all along...perhaps just didn't want to obey and take the leap of faith. So...this June I will be traveling to Benin, West Africa!

Why Benin? 

Well, there are a few reasons, and I'm sure additional purposes that are yet to be discovered. First, my first recollection of missions is sitting on my grandma's living room floor while she was visiting with the Hoyt family (John, Glo, & Deb), who served as missionaries in Zimbabwe for many years. Since then, I have always wanted to visit Africa...no better reason than Kingdom work! Next, the missionary connections through Westside have visited a couple of times; their stories always move me and inspire me to go...as well as the stories of others who have gone with Westside teams. Finally, the dates work...the only Westside trip that dates did not conflict with something already on my calendar; this may seem a bit simple, but I prayed as I prepared for the decision that whatever trip I am to go on would fit into my crazy summer work travel schedule. All that I can say at the moment is that this is a leap of faith...for His provision and preparation that I know has already begun.

Want to stay in the loop, or support me? 
There are a couple of ways to do so...
1) Prayer - It's the foundation of every mission trip at Westside. While I will probably make a couple of Africa related posts on here along the way, I will also be sending out specific emails for how folks can be praying for our team as we prepare and go. You can leave a comment below, or send me a message to let me know you'd like to be added to my prayer team.
2) Financial - Every little bit helps! This particular trip is at the top of our mission trip cost spectrum, as we will have a medical focus and take a good bit of medicines with us to hold daily clinics in the villages. If you'd like to support me in this way, you can make a check out to Westside Baptist Church with Trip #8102 in the Memo line. Here's how you address the envelope to make sure it goes toward my trip:
Westside Baptist Church
Missions Department
Natalie Coers #8102
10,000 W. Newberry Road
Gainesville, FL 32606

Thanks for considering supporting me in prayer and/or finances! 

I am so excited to see what God has planned through this journey...perhaps not so excited about the couple of vaccinations I need to get in the coming months. :)

Developing Strengths (in times of 'weakness')

First, a little background: StrengthsFinder 2.0 is an assessment tool I have utilized or participated in for probably 7-8 years. It identifies your top five "signature themes" that, with intentional effort, skill development, and knowledge acquisition, develop into personal areas of strength (the ability to consistently deliver a positive outcome to a context with the applied talent/skills/knowledge). It has been proven to be a reliable and valid instrument of assessment, and millions have taken this assessment from the Gallup organization.

Ok, now that you have the context (in case you were not familiar with this tool), on to my aha moment of the week. I get the opportunity to teach Strengths each Spring with my CALS Leadership Institute students; this semester is no exception. However, this month I also am in the midst of teaching a Strengths & Spiritual Gifts course at Westside (my church). Each time I teach or do an exercise with Strengths, I typically gain a new nugget of insight to one of my own top five signature themes. This particular combination of teaching this time around brought about an aha moment regarding my "Learner" Signature Theme...perhaps you can connect with it also (even if Learner is not in your top five).

The "Learner" Signature Theme manifests itself for me in its emphasis on the process of learning. I won't get in to how my other thematic areas overlap with this theme, but in general a "learner" is indifferent to the content and more interested in the general process of going from ignorance to competence with whatever topic is at hand. It can be a short assignment or a longer, in-depth project; as long as I am allowed the space to learn and process through the information I am a happy camper. Just be careful to specify how much you want to know if you ask about a topic I've been reading up on :). This is one of the reasons I enjoy higher education, and probably why I have always enjoyed school (especially when given the freedom re: learning process).

Yet, despite knowing and understanding this about myself in the context of educational opportunities and information, I never applied this to my own personal development. I often get frustrated with myself because I (unrealistically) would like to do things "once and for all"...completing a task or coming to a realization and ideally never having to re-learn a lessen. I fully understood that I typically have to re-learn content as a refresher for teaching due to the constant flow of new information we have today; but have failed to appreciate that fact in the personal context. How easily we forget the lessens He has taught us over time...

So, as I was thinking through my top five this week, I came to the question of why am I fighting my learner/process-orientation in my personal development? Just like there is only One who is perfect, there is only a sole instance of 'once and for all'...the decision to follow Christ and accept His gift of salvation through His death, burial, and resurrection. Beyond that, He has our backs. Even when we fall back into temptation, He is there waiting for us to call upon His name. Even when we forget the Source of our success, He is waiting for us to return to Him in humble thanksgiving. And, with One perfect Savior and one decision, that means everything else is a process.

So, why fight it?...Embrace it. Every opportunity, every minute of every day, is part of a process of  learning and growing closer to Him. That process may (ok...it will) have high points, slow points, perhaps unexpected turns, etc. But, that's life...a journey, a process, a slow & steady or fast & furious adventure of learning His plan for each of our lives. For me, this means maximizing my "Learner" strength to approach each day with an open mind and heart, anticipating what He wants to teach me and where He wants to guide me. And, applying my 'learner' tendencies to the Word...what better book to dive in to for consistently new insight!?!? Easy? No...but we are not called to a life of luxury. We are called to be ambassadors of Christ!

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

"So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:a The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

So, what are your top five? How are you intentionally applying them to your personal growth? Interested, but not sure where to start? Let me know...and we'll get you going!

Making Life Messy

Routine...I like it...I thrive on it. There's a reason that discipline is in my top 5 Strengths Themes after all. Generally speaking, I like my life to be neat. Organized closet, everything has its place, a structured way of writing in my journal when I do devotions in the morning, and well, you get the picture. Am I complaining about this characteristic that is ingrained in my being? Nope...I'm quite fond of this characteristic...it makes juggling the various responsibilities I have taken on possible without going completely crazy. However, I had an epiphany today as I read this in The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson:
"We usually focus on what we're doing or where we're going, but God's primary concern is who we're becoming in the process....Success has nothing to do with how gifted or how resourced you are; it has everything to do with glorifying God in any and every situation by making the most of it. Success is spelled stewardship, and stewardship is spelled success."
 
So, while my affinity for routine is not necessarily a bad thing, I do need to be building in more margin for 'becoming' rather than just 'doing'. While structure keeps things neat and on task, I think God likes life a little messy...that's when we rely on Him more. So, what' does margin look like? If structure means only writing one page per day in my journal that reflects a few key points pulled from my devos, then margin means taking time to reflect and put my own thoughts down in my journal to have a record of what He is teaching me through my devo time. If structure means only take 5-10 minutes to intentionally pray through my handful of popsicle sticks, then margin means progressively being intentional about 'praying without ceasing'. If structure means consistently playing catch up, then margin means planning more ahead to have flexibility in my schedule. Adding margin means being a good steward of resources and gifts through how I spend my time.

So, here's to more margin and being ok with allowing God to make my life a little more messy!

Pumpkin Oat Bars

As a cross between baked oatmeal and a granola bar, this has become another go-to recipe when I need a quick snack or breakfast bar for the week. They are simple and a snap to make, with so much potential for other combinations of add-ins/flavors! Just whipped up this batch for breakfast/snacks for the next few days...35 minutes from start to taking a bite of one of the corners.

Pumpkin Oat Bars
Slightly adapted from Sarah DiGrazia
Yield: 9 bars

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup flax seed meal
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 cup pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar (or other sweetener of choice)
2 tsp. almond extract (vanilla works great too!)
1 Tbsp. oil

1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup dried cranberries (I use the 50% less sugar Craisins)

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350'F. Prep a 8x8 square baking pan.
- In a food processor, grind the oats almost to a flour. Add flax seed meal, baking powder, baking soda,      salt, and pumpkin pie spice; pulse to combine.
- In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin, applesauce, brown sugar, almond extract, and oil; mix thoroughly.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well.
- Add the almonds and dried cranberries; stir to incorporate.
- Plop the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth into the corners; it will be a very thick batter.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool before cutting. Store in fridge.

I'll update the info below when I get the opportunity to calculate.
Approximate nutrition per bar:
Calories per bar () Fat (g.) Carb. (g.) Protein (g.)

A word for 2014...

Last Sunday night, our Pastor gave four questions to consider as we venture on into 2014. Given that I have been a couple of weeks behind on my usual depth of thought with beginning of the year reflection and goals, these were perfect to ruminate on this past week. Here are the questions:
1. What might He want from me in 2014?
2. What is my single word focus for 2014?
3. What are 3 measurable priorities that reflect that focus? Which is my top priority?
4. What is my greatest roadblock to that focus?

My previous post is an indicator of my thoughts on #1...essentially unknown, but seeking in specific areas. And, that thought process actually helped me think through the next few questions. I went through a few options...balance...prayer...health...relationship...but, each one just didn't seem quite right for one reason or another. Then, the connection hit me today while running...all of these words stemmed from obedience. So, my word for 2014 is OBEY.

The context of OBEY that I connected with is from Joshua 1:7-9:
7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Priorities for OBEY:
1. Prayer - Am I daily kneeling before Him in prayer? This is #1, as it is the foundation of growth.
2. Outreach - Am I dedicating time to go beyond myself in sharing the Gospel and my gifts for His glory?
3. Health - Am I honoring Him through obeying His instruction for care of His temple?

So often, I think my greatest roadblock is myself and trying to be too independent, not relying and not obeying the very instruction provided to help. Obedience requires me to be in tune with God through prayer to discern His path, as well as in His Word daily to understand my identity in Him more and more.

So, here we go 2014...just a few weeks late! And...I'm finally getting my "Christmas" letter out to family and friends :)...

Time + Vocation + Ministry...

Do you ever wonder what God is up to in your life? You know...those times when you get really passionate about specific things and wonder what it's preparing you for in the future? I have to think that I'm not alone in this inquiring mentality of the day to day. Sometimes it makes me question if I'm listening enough instead of talking/asking; other times it makes me step back to see the possibilities from the different pieces coming together. My latest contemplation comes from my increasing excitement as I prepare to teach a short LifeChange course in February at my church, which will cover using our strengths and spiritual gifts. Naturally, as I plan (and pray that I get a few folks to join me for the course), I am evaluating how I am using my strengths and gifts through my commitment of time, my vocation, and in ministry opportunities...here's what I've been thinking about.

Time: Am I truly being wise with my time? Am I wasting time in places where I could be more productive? What distractions do I need to eliminate? Am I being intentional about what I spend time on, or who I spend time with? I'd like to think I could answer these questions in a pretty positive manner; however, I know that this precious commodity of time is easily shifted when various demands arise. And, if something takes longer than expected, what is going to get bumped and how does that reflect my priorities? With a full plate of commitments, this is often a struggle in balance for me; however, if my time is going to my top priority then I have to trust that the rest will work itself out accordingly.

Vocation: Colossians 3:23 is clear in stating that everything we do we are to do it for the Lord. So, how am I using my strengths and gifts as a leadership educator? Can others see Him in me based upon the way I carry myself? How can I better reflect Him in my work? What skills am I developing through my vocation that could also be used in ministry?

Ministry: Am I serving in the areas which He has gifted me? How can I encourage others to engage in joyful service out of love, not out of just a sense of responsibility or task? How can I further develop my gifting?

I am excited to potentially get to know some folks at church that I may otherwise not meet, and allow God to use me to encourage their gift development and get plugged in to serve with their strengths and gifts! Every time I have the opportunity to cross my passion for leadership training and development with my faith, my heart is happy! I often go back and forth with the question of whether this is a combination for continued ministry service through my vocation or if He's preparing me for something in the future that would entail a form of vocational ministry through leadership training and development. Only time will tell...in the meantime, I can't wait for February's class and love the opportunity for self-reflection that comes with leadership education.  

Romans 8:28; Proverbs 3:5-6; Jeremiah 29:11-13

A Blessed Identity

A Blessed Identity

Who am I, Lord, 

That I am cast in Your image? 

I, who am blessed with the attention of my King & Creator.

I, who am freed from binding chains & secure in Your love. 

I, who am uniquely created & gifted for Your service.

Yet, the depths of Your desired blessing await my unwavering trust in You. 

But, who am I, Lord, 

That I may be worthy to receive such blessing? 

I, who am broken & prideful.

I, who squander Your gifts in selfishness.

I, who forget You are near & ignore Your steadfast pursuit.

Yet, You sent Your Son to cover my faults & failures in grace. 

Who are we, Lord, 

That we are welcome in Your Presence to worship? 

We, who bind together as sinners redeemed by Your blood. 

We, who desire to serve You through our gifts & ministries.

We, who see clearly Your hand guiding our legacy & vision.

Yet still, You long for more of us to show abundantly more of You, that we may bring the hope of Christ to all people.

Find us faithful, Lord, to reflect You to others; to grow in likeness to Your blessed identity, in awe of Your sacrifice, and in gratitude for a community transforming each other with Your love.