I was thinking today about words and how they can nourish our souls. Maybe it is because I'm a writer and speaker and work with words, but they can spark something magical in my heart.
Have you ever read a verse of scripture, and it nearly took your breath away? Every time I read certain verses, it happens. One is from The Message, Matthew 11:28-30 where it says, "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me--watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
Those verses bring comfort and remind of how beautiful the Christian life is meant to be.
Another is 1 John 3:1, NLT, "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him."
The thought of God lavishing His love on us just melts my heart. I'm overwhelmed by His amazing, generous love.
In addition to God's beautiful Word, there are also some wonderful words written by mere humans that have also nourished my creative soul. I wanted to simply list some of those here and ask that you share some of your favorites. It would mean a lot to me to hear what books have blessed your life and nourished your soul, especially as a child or as you read to your child.
I have to start with my favorite author, C.S. Lewis. Most of his writing nourishes my soul and challenges my mind. I don't agree with all of his theology, but I love reading his work. My favorites will probably always be The Chronicles of Narnia, but I also love The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and his essays. I think every child should experience The Chronicles preferably read together with a parent the first time through. I once read the whole series to my class. We read a section every day after lunch and made it through the whole series in that school year with just those few minutes each day.
My Mama Had a Dancing Heart by Libba Gray is a delightful book. I love the special relationship between the mom and the daughter.
Alexander and the Magic Mouse by Martha Sanders is an oldie but a goodie. It's out of print and hard to find, but it is the most magical, quirky story. I loved it as a kid and have cherished it for years.
Hailstones and Halibut Bones: Adventures in Poetry and Color by Mary O'Neil is another oldie that I love. It is illustrated by John Wallner, and the illustrations are beautiful.
Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say is a wonderful book. It spoke to our hearts because of being on the mission field for so many years. Once another country becomes a second home, a part of you is never completely at home no matter where you are. This book, which is beautifully illustrated by Say as well, depicts so many of those feelings.
The Oak inside the Acorn by Max Lucado is a favorite. It's a beautiful story of purpose and possibilities centered on God. Lucado has several beautiful books we should all read to our kids. Who doesn't love Just In Case You Ever Wonder?
One Wintry Night by Ruth Bell Graham is a long story, but a wonderful one. The illustrations by Richard Jesse Watson are gorgeous. It's a story that shares the Gospel in a Christmas story.
Quinn's Promise Rock by Christie Thomas is a new addition to our library. It is such a beautiful book. It is a Christian book about God always being with us. If you haven't read it, you will be blessed when you do.
When I Pray for You by Michael Paul Turner is a great rhyming book that is perfect for a parent to read to a child. It shows the parent praying to God as he interacts with the child and shows such gratitude and joy in God's gift of that child. This book will bless the parent and the child as they read it.
Water bugs and Dragonflies: Explaining Death to Young Children by Doris Stickney. You may think it's odd to include a book about death in this list, but it's really a book about eternal life in Christ, and it is beautiful. We used it in a Christmas memorial service for those who had lost loved ones that year. It is a very sweet story that helps explain death and eternal life.
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams is a classic and such a sweet story. Most see it as an allegory of the Christian life, but even as a surface story, it is wonderful.
Maybe I Can Love My Neighbor Too and Maybe God Is Like that Too are two books by Jennifer Grant. Both are really great for reading to your children and discussing spiritual life and the fruit of the Spirit. I love both of these books.
A very cute good night book is Ten Little Night Stars by my wonderful friend Deb Gruelle. It is a very cute book that is sure to become a favorite of any young child.
How Far Is Faith? by Amy Parker is a sweet book that discusses the characteristics of faith and God. It's a really sweet story that will spark great discussions. She also wrote How Big Is Love? and How High Is Hope? All three are just wonderful books that help make these difficult concepts easier for children to grasp.
I will probably feature some of these again in different blog posts, and I have so many others I could add and will share in future posts. But I'm anxious to hear from you. What are the children's books that blessed you?
At a later time we'll feature books for older children. And we'll have to do one of the books that give you serious belly laughs. But for today, think of the young children from toddler to about 3rd/4th grade and what books would bless them.
Thank you for sharing your favorites with us!
Sunday, May 26, 2019
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Renewing My Mind about Church
I've been a pastor's wife for over 35 years. We've served in old churches, new churches, large churches, tiny churches, and house churches. I've seen churches start and churches end, and we've served in churches full of encouragement and churches full of discouragement. It kind of feels like the opening quote to The Tale of Two Cities when I think about it. Henry Blackaby once said when he's asked what the best part of ministry is, he answers, "It's the people" and what's the worst part of ministry..."It's the people."
We are the Church, and, sadly, sometimes we are a mess. But this is not about bashing Christians or the church. I love both! And so does God! But God has been renewing my mind about what being the Church means and what "doing church" should look like. And it comes back to the people and all our messy relationships as we live life together.
We are called very specifically by Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20 to make disciples, baptize people, and teach them what He's taught us. In most of the churches I've seen, discipleship is simply another class someone can sign up for. I don't think that is what Jesus had in mind; however, what He had in mind requires a lot from us and a real commitment to shepherding people in small groups.
God has been challenging me about where our focus should be. I love producing choir programs/dramas and special events in general for the church family. I love fellowship and Bible study. I love Sunday worship services full of prayer, music, and teaching/preaching. But none of that is really discipleship.
I've talked about this often, and I believe I've even blogged about it in the past, but it is becoming extremely obvious that we have to do something now to change the way most of us have done church. We are losing a whole generation of believers.
When I think of what Jesus did to train His disciples, I see several things that I think we should be focusing on in our groups.
1. He shared his experiences. We should share our testimonies, and experiences...the good, the bad, and sometimes the ugly. When we are afraid to share, we put up a wall between us and others. Our experiences from the past can help encourage someone who's struggling through the same thing now (2 Corinthians 1:3-4), and having others watch us as we walk through life's ups and downs helps them to learn how to navigate life as well. Hopefully we do it right, but even when we don't, we still get back up and keep going. We continue to follow God even if we need to repent in the process.
2. He told stories. Stories are powerful. Whether we are sharing with our children or with another adult, sometimes spiritual truth is grasped more easily through analogy and metaphor. We need to let God's wonderful creativity flow through us so that others can gain true understanding.
3. He spent time with them. Jesus spent nearly all of His time with His disciples. I know it's hard to spend extended periods of time with people in our current culture, but we must try. We need to text, call, email, and meet face-to-face as much as our schedules will allow. The more consistent time we can spend with someone, the more we grow. I have shared before about the year that I discipled two young women who would come to our home every evening after work. It was the most wonderful experience I've ever had as a believer. If you can do it, don't hesitate. One word of caution: I know that disciples can become too reliant on us for their spiritual understanding. The year I had with these two women was so wonderful because they were daily devouring the Word of God. They came equipped with questions and wanting understanding of what they had read. We used no other books except the Bible.
4. He taught them directly. Many times Jesus sat with His disciples and taught them directly. He knew what they needed to learn because He knew everything. When we spend time with people we can discern what God wants us to teach. We can use teachable moments and planned teaching times to help our disciples grow.
5. He answered their questions. I love it when disciples ask questions. Often they ask really hard questions! But what a joy to wrestle with those questions and help them find the answers. It's one of my favorite parts of discipleship.
6. He challenged them. Jesus lovingly challenged His disciples when they were making wrong choices or were lacking in faith. We have to challenge our disciples too in a loving and supportive way. We want to see them succeed and grow. To ignore problems is not loving or supportive.
7. He let God's miraculous power show. Jesus calmed the storm, walked on water, fed people, raised the dead, and healed. He showed His disciples that God's power was real and that God is real. He is concerned about His children and is active in our world. Letting God's work in our lives show is hard if we don't acknowledge it ourselves. I recommend making a prayer list and keeping track of answered prayer. It helps us become more aware of what God is doing around us.
Jesus had an unbroken relationship with God, of course, because He did not sin. However, He also spent time in prayer with God each day. We need to follow His example. As leaders, teachers, and most importantly, as disciplers, we must spend time with God in prayer and in His Word. We should daily lift up our disciples in prayer. When our hearts are right with God, we can be effective in obeying His command to make disciples because we can hear His voice and follow His leading in how best to lead others. This is real church.
***As parents, we are the first disciplers our children have. We need to take that responsibility seriously. We must be comfortable with spiritual discussions. Kids are curious, and we should enjoy that curiosity. Their faith is so beautiful, and we should encourage it. I love what Jennifer Grant said in a recent blog post,
"I'm not inspired to write books that explain God to kids or preach at them. (They get enough of that sort of thing already, don't you think?) Rather, I'm inspired to wonder, with them, about the nature of God. Why must we listen to them and become like them to know God? Do they, more than jaded grownups, reflect God's image in their openness and curiosity? Their enthusiasm? Their lack of pretense? What can we learn from the way children see the world about how God sees it?" --Jennifer Grant, author of Maybe I Can Love My Neighbor Too and other books worth buying.
I think one of the best books we can share with our kids to open up discussions about discipleship is C. S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The whole series is wonderful, but I recommend you take some time to re-read the book and then share it with your children when they are in elementary school. There are so many open doors for discussion in those pages.***
We are the Church, and, sadly, sometimes we are a mess. But this is not about bashing Christians or the church. I love both! And so does God! But God has been renewing my mind about what being the Church means and what "doing church" should look like. And it comes back to the people and all our messy relationships as we live life together.
God has been challenging me about where our focus should be. I love producing choir programs/dramas and special events in general for the church family. I love fellowship and Bible study. I love Sunday worship services full of prayer, music, and teaching/preaching. But none of that is really discipleship.
I've talked about this often, and I believe I've even blogged about it in the past, but it is becoming extremely obvious that we have to do something now to change the way most of us have done church. We are losing a whole generation of believers.
When I think of what Jesus did to train His disciples, I see several things that I think we should be focusing on in our groups.
1. He shared his experiences. We should share our testimonies, and experiences...the good, the bad, and sometimes the ugly. When we are afraid to share, we put up a wall between us and others. Our experiences from the past can help encourage someone who's struggling through the same thing now (2 Corinthians 1:3-4), and having others watch us as we walk through life's ups and downs helps them to learn how to navigate life as well. Hopefully we do it right, but even when we don't, we still get back up and keep going. We continue to follow God even if we need to repent in the process.
2. He told stories. Stories are powerful. Whether we are sharing with our children or with another adult, sometimes spiritual truth is grasped more easily through analogy and metaphor. We need to let God's wonderful creativity flow through us so that others can gain true understanding.
3. He spent time with them. Jesus spent nearly all of His time with His disciples. I know it's hard to spend extended periods of time with people in our current culture, but we must try. We need to text, call, email, and meet face-to-face as much as our schedules will allow. The more consistent time we can spend with someone, the more we grow. I have shared before about the year that I discipled two young women who would come to our home every evening after work. It was the most wonderful experience I've ever had as a believer. If you can do it, don't hesitate. One word of caution: I know that disciples can become too reliant on us for their spiritual understanding. The year I had with these two women was so wonderful because they were daily devouring the Word of God. They came equipped with questions and wanting understanding of what they had read. We used no other books except the Bible.
4. He taught them directly. Many times Jesus sat with His disciples and taught them directly. He knew what they needed to learn because He knew everything. When we spend time with people we can discern what God wants us to teach. We can use teachable moments and planned teaching times to help our disciples grow.
5. He answered their questions. I love it when disciples ask questions. Often they ask really hard questions! But what a joy to wrestle with those questions and help them find the answers. It's one of my favorite parts of discipleship.
6. He challenged them. Jesus lovingly challenged His disciples when they were making wrong choices or were lacking in faith. We have to challenge our disciples too in a loving and supportive way. We want to see them succeed and grow. To ignore problems is not loving or supportive.
7. He let God's miraculous power show. Jesus calmed the storm, walked on water, fed people, raised the dead, and healed. He showed His disciples that God's power was real and that God is real. He is concerned about His children and is active in our world. Letting God's work in our lives show is hard if we don't acknowledge it ourselves. I recommend making a prayer list and keeping track of answered prayer. It helps us become more aware of what God is doing around us.
Jesus had an unbroken relationship with God, of course, because He did not sin. However, He also spent time in prayer with God each day. We need to follow His example. As leaders, teachers, and most importantly, as disciplers, we must spend time with God in prayer and in His Word. We should daily lift up our disciples in prayer. When our hearts are right with God, we can be effective in obeying His command to make disciples because we can hear His voice and follow His leading in how best to lead others. This is real church.
***As parents, we are the first disciplers our children have. We need to take that responsibility seriously. We must be comfortable with spiritual discussions. Kids are curious, and we should enjoy that curiosity. Their faith is so beautiful, and we should encourage it. I love what Jennifer Grant said in a recent blog post,
"I'm not inspired to write books that explain God to kids or preach at them. (They get enough of that sort of thing already, don't you think?) Rather, I'm inspired to wonder, with them, about the nature of God. Why must we listen to them and become like them to know God? Do they, more than jaded grownups, reflect God's image in their openness and curiosity? Their enthusiasm? Their lack of pretense? What can we learn from the way children see the world about how God sees it?" --Jennifer Grant, author of Maybe I Can Love My Neighbor Too and other books worth buying.
I think one of the best books we can share with our kids to open up discussions about discipleship is C. S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The whole series is wonderful, but I recommend you take some time to re-read the book and then share it with your children when they are in elementary school. There are so many open doors for discussion in those pages.***
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