Daily Blogs

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A prophet’s job

I am spending my Saturday at a church conference led by a prophet. She’s teaching us about the role of a prophet in modern times.

Mary Frances Varallo has been following God in the role of a prophet for the last 30 years.

I’m learning a lot!

I am not saying that this is a gift that I carry, but I know that the teachings from this weekend are important.

The Lord told me when this conference was announced that I needed to go–and that’s something I don’t say lightly.

We, as Christians, need to be prepared for the changes coming our way. The prophetic gifting is crucial because prophets speak things to the body of Christ that pastors are able to guide and implement.

Understanding the gifts and callings of God within the church is as important as understanding how your human body works.

Unity is the goal.

And that’s why we, as Christians, need to understand the roles and functions of each ministry gift.

This weekend’s teachings are opening my eyes to the prophet’s job in God’s kingdom.

Blessed can’t even begin to describe my feelings….expectant, overjoyed, hungry–to name a few.

Here’s Mary Frances’ website if you want to read more about her.

And here’s my home church’s website if you want to listen to her teachings from the weekend.

http://maryfrancesvaralloministries.com

http://lifeoffaithchurch.org

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Internet 101: Think before you post

It’s really easy to be mean on the internet.

You can leave a comment or tweet anonymously.

You can post sarcastic memes in an attempt to be clever.

The sky’s the limit in the worst kind of way.

I know that the internet has a lot of good purposes, but that also means it casts shadows as well.

There is–and always will be–two sides: good and evil, right and wrong.

Be on guard as you use social media platforms.

Be on guard as you send emails.

Be on guard as you blog.

There are many days that I could get on here and share all kinds of things. My emotions and feelings can kick into overdrive faster than I realize.

But not everything has to be shared with the world.

Self-control is needed in this area.

My newsfeed on Facebook and Twitter is a mess…

Some things are mean, others are just silly and pointless.

Nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to what people will and will not share online.

This oversharing pandemic happens because many of us have never experienced the depth of a tight knit community.

Our culture’s tendency is to walk through life alone, without friends and family there in the crucial moments.

So we get online and start blabbing and blabbing and blabbing.

Or we hide our anger and resentment behind clever statuses and tweets.

This bad cultural trend will lead us down a dark path if we’re not careful.

Beware, my friend, of what you share.

Think before you post.

Get some real, two-dimensional friends who offer support–not just likes and re-tweets.

I am not a hater of technology, but we have to get a grip.

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Must Read: Love, Skip, Jump

I have another book recommendation for you.

If you’ve ever wondered what you can do to help others, then this is the book for you .

Shelene Bryan’s solution is simple.

Skip something.

A coffee.

Lunch.

A movie.

It doesn’t matter how much your skip costs. Any amount can help someone in need.

Love, Skip, Jump explains how and why Shelene Bryan, founder of Skip1.org, started her ministry.

bookThis book is challenging my perspective on how I choose to use my time, money, and resources.

Like I said before, if you’ve ever wanted to help and just don’t see how you can, this book is for you.

Give it a read.

And I promise your perspective will be changed too.

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Month One Reflections

I have blogged every day for a month.

Wow.

This project is stretching my diligence and consistency muscle.

Consistency really is key.

Before I started this journey, I had all of these ideas for blog posts, but I never got around to writing.

Now, I look forward to writing a post every day.

I won’t say that I plan my topics (because most of the time I don’t) but I know that, at some point, a post has to go up.

This knowledge serves as my motivator.

And now I’m thinking….

What else can I accomplish with a boost of consistency?

All of the clichés are true.

Add consistency to good character.

And then step back.

BAM!

You just found the formula for success.

It’s that easy…not!

But it’s worth it.

And that’s one of the biggest lessons I’m learning right now.

Here’s to another month of blogging.

Cheers!

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A fugitive’s life

I went to school with a boy who never talked. It’s not that he couldn’t talk because I know that he could (a few times in class he would answer a question). He just didn’t want to talk.

He also never ate lunch.

I sat across from him everyday and watched him do homework as I ate my federally mandated portions. A friend of mine made it her personal mission to get him to talk. It never worked. He did, though, laugh at her jokes. She was quite funny.

I asked him to sign my yearbook and, to my surprise, he did!

“I shall maintain my silence.”

That’s all he wrote.

Everything about him was a mystery to me.

He was a genius who won a full paid ride to college….

He was an artist who wouldn’t participate in the senior art show….

He didn’t even come to graduation….

So many things to not know.

My biggest question is why.

Why was he hiding?

When you boil his actions down, that’s all he was doing.

He was full of potential; He had no reason to hide.

I have to ask myself the same question too.

Why am I hiding?

We all need to answer this question.

Why do we hide our dreams?

Why do we play it safe?

Why do we stay small?

I always wanted to ask that boy why, but I never wanted to ask myself.

And that’s because the answers reveal the fears I never wanted to face.

Until now.

I used to be a fugitive, running away from my own life….

I’m tired of hiding.

I am answering the questions–even when it’s painful–and slowly finding my way.

What about you?

It’s time to stop hiding, to stop living a fugitive’s life.

Answer the hard questions.

Stop running and start living.

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Transitional daydreams

Ever been so lost in thought that it’s hard to come back to reality?

It’s a lot like daydreaming. You see all of these things happening around you, but it’s more like you’re watching instead of participating.

Maybe you’ve been there or maybe you think I’m a lunatic. (I won’t be offended if you think that.)

Either way, I think we’ve all faced times of transition and decision.

That’s where I am right now.

And, for me, it’s hard to know where to go when everything is colliding, when the past, present, and future are duking it out for time and attention.

How do you stay centered?

I find three things helpful:

1. Journaling

2. Reading

3. Praying

I journal a lot about my thoughts, feelings, etc.

It helps to capture my thoughts so they don’t end up controlling me.

Then I read.

I read my Bible, I read books, I read articles and blogs because that helps me gain perspective and see the bigger picture. Reading shows me that I am not alone in my struggles and that there are answers to my questions.

Lastly, I pray.

I talk to God about what’s happening in my life. A few weeks ago I wrote on the importance of prayer and how God is truly interested in our day-to-day lives. Nothing proves that to me more than in these moments of transition. The coolest part is that I’m not talking up to a ceiling, hoping that God is listening. I am confident that God not only hears me but also talks to me.

Without these three things, I would be one confused girl. That’s the truth.

I encourage you, my friend, to recognize what helps you in moments of transition and decision. Don’t wait until the pressure is on to figure it out either.

If you feel brave, share with me what helps you.

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Celebrating a wonderful beginning

Last fall, I started my journey of learning sign language. This September will mark my first full year as a student and future interpreter.
I never imagined this journey would be as fulfilling and jam packed with adventure as it has been.

When I started learning, I honestly had no idea what to expect. Taking a sign language class was me stepping out in faith. It’s something I had wanted to do for over 3 years and I decided that it was time to quit putting it off.

I fell in love almost instantly with the language and it’s people!

All along the way, I have committed myself to prayer, asking God for opportunities to learn, grow, and serve.

The answer to this prayer has come in the form of great friendships–including one friend who I consider my mentor–with individuals who are willing to teach an eager newbie.

The opportunities to serve are beyond my wildest dreams for only being a beginner! All I can say is God is faithful…

There’s a lot more I could talk about but I will stop for now. We will definitely talk about this subject more as the year progresses.

Today I just wanted to reminisce and give thanks to God for a great first year.

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Must Read: Tangerine

Rereading books from your childhood can be a lot of fun. Some books are still equally as awesome now as they were back then. Others? Well, you end up chuckling at your taste.

 I recently reread Tangerine by Edward Bloor. The story sucked me in! I had a hard time putting it down.

The story centers around Paul Fisher and his family. There’s a lot of unanswered questions, things swept under the rug. His parents are so involved in his older brother Eric’s football career that they barely pay attention to Paul’s talent in soccer.

I don’t want to give too much away, but the Fishers’ move to Tangerine, Florida is the catalyst for major change. The box of skeletons they tried to leave behind moved with them and you know how skeletons don’t stay hidden forever…

I highly recommend this book. It’s still one of my favorites from childhood. If you end up reading it, let me know what you think.

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Rabbit trails about inadequacy

I enjoy walking to the bank. It’s a nice change from sitting  all day.

The bank manager normally mills around and talks to customers. Today was Friday, so he was dressed casually. Monday through Thursday he wears a suit–an ill-fitting suit–and he seems a bit jittery. I got to thinking that maybe he’s uncomfortable because the suit doesn’t fit him.

The sleeves go way over his wrists and his pants are too long….he reminds me of a kid playing dress up. Maybe he feels inadequate and that makes him nervous?

I realize I’m speculating and this guy could be the most confident man in the world.

But my imagined story is not far from a truth many of us face everyday.

Feelings of inadequacy can sneak up on the best of us.

I saw a girl from high school today in a restaurant. She always made me feel small and unimportant. When I saw her, I panicked and found myself looking down, willing her not to notice me.

I thought about her and the branch manager as I walked back to my office.

My rabbit trail of thoughts led me to this conclusion:

We all play dress up at some point. We all experience inadequacy from time to time.

The act of dressing up, though, is actually a great test of our faith.

Sometimes you need to do it scared. Whatever “it” is for you, I can guarantee you that the first few times you step out will require a great deal of faith.

Your clothes will be too big.

And then you grow in confidence until you’re like Arnold Schwarzenegger, biceps ripping out of the sleeves from all the muscle you’ve built up. (Sorry! My imagination just got the best of me again.)

 But growth like that takes time and practice and even a few failed test runs.

Don’t let these things keep you from trying.

Don’t let feelings of inadequacy stop you.

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Good friends are noticers

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” (Proverbs 27:6)

It’s hard to think of wounds being a sign of love.

But wouldn’t you rather a friend correct you, to notice and care about the decisions you are making?

This is a silly illustration, but it’s  a classic:

Having a piece of spinach stuck in your teeth all day, but no one tells you.

What’s the first thing you say?

Why didn’t you tell me?!?!?

Ouch moments are great tests of character.

Nothing says “there’s still room for growth” like your mistakes being noticed.

When facing an ouch moment, I have to battle three things: embarrassment, anger, and pride.

I have to filter all of these feelings–as well as who’s doing the noticing–before responding.

Please don’t read this and think I’m talking about rolling over and letting someone squash you like a bug.

Remember what the proverb said?

Faithful are the wounds of a friend.

Friends correct out of love. They are lovingly pointing out your mistakes–not rubbing it in your face or shaming  you in the process.

Friends are trying to help you.

If all of your friends are kissing your cheeks and telling you how awesome you are….well, read the rest of the proverb, okay?

In a healthy friendship, each person grows.

Here’s another proverb:

As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. (Proverbs 27:17)

If I’m not careful, I can resent correction. My natural inclination is to believe that others are out to get me.

But that attitude is destructive, which is why I have to beat it down daily.

Meaningful friendships are worth more than gold.

We need to give our friends permission to notice things –even the not so great things.