The Baby Mobile Illustration

I never put much thought into baby mobiles before.  However, I was consulting with my friend at the Brain Injury Association (Where I am a client in good standing) and she used a baby mobile to talk about how brain injuries impact everyone in the family.  Her point was that if you touch one of the pieces hanging down, all will move and sway.  In that vein, my head injury has caused sway and movement in my family as we have all had to learn coping skills and balance in this new reality.

So what does that have to do with the Body of Christ?

I was reading 1 Corinthians the other day and came across this verse in chapter twelve:

"And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it." (1 Corinthians 12:26)

I was reminded of the baby mobile illustration when I read this.

Sin, that thing we try to hide from others, once revealed, (and let's be honest, it's always revealed), can cause others to suffer as well.  What we do in secret can negatively impact not only us, but everyone around us.  Even a "simple" lie complicates all of our relationships. 

Sickness, pain, fear, you name it... can cause all around us to be shaken and rocked to our core.

The same holds true for positive things as well.

One person in a family becoming a Christian will cause people around them to contemplate their own relationships (or lack thereof) with Christ.  Joy is contagious and as your spirits are lifted, you will also lift the spirits of those around you.

The choices we make can shake our foundations, sometimes to the very core.  They can also change our lives and the lives of those around us.

I like Joshua's challenge to the people of Israel:

"And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)

We all make choices; why not make a choice to live a life pleasing to God?

Then when those around us are moved, it will be for the glory of God!

One Foot in Front of the Other - Just A Thought #58

Perseverance.  

I see that word and it brings up a lot of different thoughts.

Hard work.
2 steps forward, one step back.
Falling down...a lot! 
Blood, sweat and tears.
Failure...more than once.
Christianity!

The Bible talks about perseverance and endurance often but there is a story I was reading in 2 Kings 5:1-19 that really resonated with me. Maybe it was because I am in a place where the idea of perseverance has become a reality.  We live in a world filled with pain and hardship.  In this world, we get glimmers of grace and hope that can only be found in Jesus Christ.

Recently I have had to persevere through some pretty significant issues.  Like the man in the picture...it feels like a slog up a long path, one foot in front of the other.  

It is how I have been living lately.  

I won't lie, I wish our problems had instant solutions.  In this fast-paced, answers now society, we don't like waiting for anything.  Waiting for answers, healing, guidance, etc does not fit that plan.  Yet that is what God calls us to do.  To wait, to persevere.

So getting back to 2 Kings.  Naaman was a mighty warrior of some renown.  He was also a leper.  Eventually he heard about a prophet who may be able to heal him.  He traveled with many gifts and finally came face to face with Elisha.  He wanted instant answers but was told that he had to dip seven times in the Jordan River.  He got angry, not liking what he heard, and left.  

Cooler heads prevailed and encouraged him to listen to Elisha.  He went to the Jordan,  dipped in seven times and came out healed!  

I can so relate.

When I come to God, I don't want delayed answers.  Like Naaman, I have sometimes gotten angry with the answers I did receive. I especially don't like it when the answer is to persevere.

Yet God's ways are higher than ours.  He has a plan.

I can obey or kick against it.

I want to obey.

Which means I have to persevere at times.  Times like now.  I don't know how long it will be before we see the other side of this challenging time, but it doesn't matter.  God is in control.

In the meantime, I will keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep my eyes on Him!

Christians and Mental Health - How Should The Church Respond?

What should the church be?

The church should be a place where it’s OK to struggle with depression.

The church should be a place that’s home to the recovering and the relapsing addict.

The church should be a place where leaders can have faults and not be afraid to share them.

The church should be a place where we’re not afraid of pain.

The church should be a place where condemnation is replaced by redemption.

The church should be a place where love becomes an action verb.

The church should be a place where people with mental health issues feel loved and cared for.

In fact, the church should build up their knowledge on mental health issues. The church should understand the symptoms and make themselves aware of the resources available in their community.  

A few years back I took a 10 week course that dealt with various kinds of mental health issues and it was an eye-opening experience.  My whole view was shifted in so many ways.

What should the church be?

It should be a place where love prevails.  

I have seen that love in church after church around the world.  I have seen the love of God displayed over and over to those in need.  

Sadly, I have also seen the opposite.  

I find myself reflecting on how Jesus would respond to someone in pain.  Of course we have numerous pictures of how Jesus ACTUALLY did respond.

Jesus healed the sick.

Jesus called people to the Father.

Jesus spoke to the need and provided living water.

Jesus forgave.

Jesus loved.

Not only did Jesus love but He also told us to love one another. (John 13:34)  That is how the church should respond to people with mental health issues.

By loving one another.

Christians and Mental Health - What Are We Afraid Of?

Cancer is a hideous disease and when Christians meet someone suffering from this illness, they will pray, serve and love them through the process.  They do not blame the victim.  Ailments of the body are prayed over and help is extended to the one suffering.

Not so with mental health issues.  I remember growing up in the church and the response to someone with mental illness often times tended to be that those people were somehow 'possessed' or allowing Satan to run rampant in their life. 

People with mental health issues are sometimes afraid to mention their suffering around other believers because of the condemnation they feel they may receive.  Depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, etc. have often been minimized and are little discussed in the body of Christ.  In fact, I have met some who seem to act like they wish it would go away. 

Mental health and Christianity were in the spotlight recently when Pastor Rick Warren lost a son to suicide.  His son had struggled with mental illness his entire life and after a long bout with depression, ended his life.

We in the church are called to love our neighbors (Mark 12:31).  In fact loving the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbors as ourselves are considered the two greatest commandments.  So why do we sometimes fail to love our neighbors with mental illness?

What are we afraid of? 

Can God heal a mental health issue?  Absolutely.  He is a miracle working God.  However just as God does not heal every person with cancer nor does He heal every person with depression. 

Sometimes we are called to persevere.

I believe the church should be an inviting place.  A place where all those with problems, be they spiritual, physical, social, financial or mental are welcomed, loved and cherished. 

400 million battle mental illness worldwide.

God loves every one of them. 

Shouldn't we?

All In - A Book Review

All In is a new book by Mark Batterson.  I have not read Marks previous books, though I did glance over Wild Goose Chase.  I was drawn to this book, like most books I read, by the premise.  Being All In for Jesus Christ sounds like the kind of book I wanted to read. 

When I first dug into the book, it seemed at times somewhat cliche.  Some of his statements would make great bumper stickers.  In fact, I think some of them might be.  I had to set that aside though and dive into the meat of the book. 

I dog-eared quite a few pages after that.  One of those pages talked about the church being a verb and that we are called to charge!  That resonated with me.  Another page that got marked up was talking about how the prophet Elisha set fire to his plowing equipment and disposed of his oxen, going all in with God and following Elijah!  That call to part with the past and make a clean break, moving forward with Jesus Christ, had me taking stock of my own commitment to God.

One story he shares had my eyes watering.  I thought maybe it was just me but when I read the 2 pages to my wife, she started wiping her eyes as well.

By the end of the book, I found myself challenged to plunge deeper into my relationship with God, to not be afraid to step out despite how it looks, and to embrace the adventure of faith in Christ.  Not bad.

All in is due to be published in Sept. by Zondervan and should be added to your reading list.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

Get Out

"On the Plains of Hesitation bleach the bones of countless millions who, at the Dawn of Victory,

 sat down to wait, and waiting - died."  William A. Lawrence

I love this painting by the late James E. Seward.  He is one of my favorite artists.  This depiction of Peter stepping out of the boat is quite encouraging.  Usually I see this Bible scene (Matt. 14:22-33) depicted with Peter already sinking and Jesus reaching His hand out to lift Peter back up.

However, before that happened, Peter WAS walking on water.

He got out of the boat, in faith, and began walking towards Jesus.  It was only when fear and doubt crept in that he began to sink.

Those other 11 guys, they stayed in the boat.  Maybe some were scared, doubtful or even amused at Peter's boldness.  One thing they all had in common...not one of them joined Peter in stepping out of the boat! 

If I had been in that boat watching Peter do what I saw Jesus doing--walking on water--, I would have forever asked myself, "What if?"

What if I had gotten out of the boat?  What would have happened?  Would I have sunk, or walked in faith despite what I saw around me.  Those thoughts might have even turned into regrets.

Who wants to live a life of regrets?

Peter may have been impulsive.  He might have spoken without thinking.  He definitely was not afraid to step out in faith and out of the boat when most people would say his idea of walking to Jesus was impossible.

Not only did he walk to Jesus but after Jesus did lift him back up out of the water, he walked WITH Jesus back to the boat.

I for one want to live a life with no regrets.  I want to walk in faith to and with Jesus.  How about you?

I finally "GET" Paul

The Apostle Paul.

Greatest Missionary Ever!

A Learned Scholar.

Wrote the Majority of the New Testament.

Totally Unrelatable.

I just never got Paul. 

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy his writings and am currently walking through 1 Corinthians as part of my devotions.  However, of all the people we read about in the Bible, I found Paul to be the one I related to the least.  He always seemed to be on another level. 

From the time of his conversion as recorded in Acts and through each of the books the Lord led him to write, I found Paul to be someone I could not relate to.

That is, until recently. 

I was reading through 1 Cor. 2.  In particular, I was reading verses1-5 which says, "And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.  (2)  For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  (3)  And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,  (4)  and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,  (5)  so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."

I know Paul had a thorn in the flesh. (2 Cor. 12:7)  I also know he was not afraid to speak up, even confronting the Apostle Peter when he needed it.  He butted heads with some and spoke out against sectarianism and legalism.

Sometimes you read the Word of God and things just click.  While reading 1 Cor. 2:1-5, I always focused on verse 2.  In fact I have quoted that verse often and made it my own determination as well.  This time I was struck by verse three where Paul mentions how he came to the Corinthians...in weakness, fear and trembling.

There is an image of Paul I had not seen before.  Weak, fearful and trembling.  Now those were things I could relate to.  He also said that his message was not in words of wisdom.  All this was so that the people's faith would be in the power of God, NOT in the wisdom of men.

This passage encouraged me.  Ever since my head injury, I have felt weak, fearful and trembling when sharing God's Word.  To know that God used Paul DESPITE those feelings and grew the Corinthians' faith through His (God's) own power gives me renewed hope.

God can use anyone.  He can use weak and fearful Paul.  He can use me and He can use you!

Be encouraged.