To Serve well

Serving with Excellence for a Life of Excellence

Faith

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Why you can stand still & hold your peace

Our Easter service last weekend was incredible. Sometimes I think, how in the world can someone tell the story in a different way, and somehow God showed up with a relevant narrative that hit home. I think it might for many of you as well.

The simple message above… stand still and hold your peace. God is indeed fighting for us all. He can take the best and worst parts of our life (and even those decisions we make that might not serve us well) and turn them into something productive.

Why do we, in our humanity, insist on letting our peace fall suspect to the latest concern or challenge? Our minds wander down trails of “what ifs” or “how did I get here,” or “what should I do next.” Sometimes we lose sleep and sometimes we can’t stop talking about whatever “IT” is, which only puts a spot light on something that may even be out of our control entirely.

The bible gives us this great news right at its onset in Exodus 14. “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

The reminder continues throughout the old and new testaments in Romans 8:31, Josh, 1:9 & 23:10, , Ps 44:5, Deut 3:22, Is 40:31. Clearly we needed a constant reminder that in every generation there will be challenges, and we can find rest in knowing God’s in control.

I loved this. I hope you do too. Stand still my friends and hold on to your peace. God’s got this.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: There is power in His name

Rewind! Throwing it back to a forever-relevant post from a previous Easter. Cheering you on, friends!

What a wonderful name! WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY!

For Christians everywhere, today is the day that we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. For today, I thought I’d keep it simple and remind you of all Jesus can be in our lives (list below). I for one am thankful he is my counselor, teacher, and that his power shows up in every aspect of my life, providing peace, love, joy and forgiveness.

Have a wonderful week, and no matter what you celebrate today… you are loved indeed.

A short list of some of the names of Jesus:

Almighty   Rev 1:8

Alpha and Omega  Rev 1:8; 22:13

Author and Finisher   Heb 12:2

Beloved   Matt 12:18; Eph 1:6

Christ   Luke 9:20

Comforter   John 14:16

Counselor  Isa 9:6

Creator Isa 43:15; John 1:3; Col 1:16

Deliverer  Rom 11:26

Faithful and True  Rev 19:11

God of hope   Rom 15:13

Light of the World  John 8:12; 9:5

Lord of the Harvest  Matt 9:37-38

Lord of Peace  2 Thess 3:16

Mediator   1 Tim 2:5; Heb 8:6, 1 John 2:1

Rock  1 Cor 10:4

Physician  Matt 9:12

Shephard  Heb 13:20; 1 Pet 2:25; 5:4

Teacher  Mark  6:34; Luke 4:15; John 3:2

Victor John 16:33; Rev 3:21; 17:14

Wonderful  Rev 19:13


Let’s be of service to those around us!

It’s Easter week. Full of hope and excitement – if you let it.

So, what can put us into that frame of mind?

Whether you are reading this with a heart full of joy – feeling that momentum in your soul – or during a rough season of life, I have found that there is profound power in focusing on others first.

Let me explain…

I consider this idea of “serving well,” and getting outside of my own head, to be one of the most important thing I can do. I love Oprah’s reminder in the quote above that service is an opportunity – a gift, really.

We have the choice to serve others every single day, whether or not you’re “feeling” the positive energy within yourself at the time. It is still a choice. Giving love and being a source of help where needed is arguably one of life’s greatest gifts. We were born with a heart to serve.

I hope this Holy Week fills your heart (and Easter baskets!) with hope and joy by extending a hand to someone that God has placed in your path.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Why acts of kindness belong at the top of our to-do list

“Outdo one another in honor.” Romans 12:10

This verse… is my life verse. This verse has the power to change the world alone. It gives us clear instruction to be devoted to one another in love and honor. It showcases that our humanity is here to help each other rise above and face both challenges and celebrations by turning our attention off of ourselves and on to the people God surrounded us with…even if we may not support their approach or their actions.

My dear friend Mindy Corporon is the most courageous and honoring person I know. Mindy’s story is known by many in our community, and now around the world. Her son and father – along with another lady in Kansas City – were brutally killed 5 years ago by a man whose life was infiltrated with hate. Her choice was to focus on the above – to love and to develop understanding, ultimately allowing her to get to honor. That’s a heavy story and the boldest example of what it means to love even though we flat out don’t want to. The significance of that cannot be described.

A part of this journey has resulted in the Faith Always Wins Foundation and this week’s Seven Days – Make a ripple, change the world. This week is set aside each year to bring our community together to focus on how we get to love and honor by raising our awareness of our differences and embrace all who are walking this journey with us.

The Seven Days events culminate tomorrow night with the Seven Days Faith and Love Walk. The focus that day is ONWARD. The power of locking arms with each other is profound. The back of the t-shirt for the event is perfect: #HeyWhatsYourRippleOfKindness. I hope you will consider grabbing a friend and join us at the WW1 Museum and Memorial at 6 p.m. It’s a short walk and the community engagement will strengthen your hope and infuse your life with love.

Acts of kindness are the ultimate example of living this out. They bring hope to the room, elevate the energy around us and even save lives.

So hey, what’s your act of kindness going to be? I think we need to start each day with this at the top of our to do list. With Easter week upon us, there is not a better time to spread love in every space we enter. Have the best week!

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Who do you need to praise or pray for this week?

Last weekend several alumni of the University of Central Missouri’s Alpha Sigma Alpha chapter got to together back in “the ‘Burg” to celebrate our 100th anniversary. It struck me when I was there that I have been impacted by these ladies for just shy of 30 years… nearly a 1/3 of those being celebrated. Honestly, it’s a bit humbling to look back on your path so far, and see how God has placed just the right people, and just the right experiences in your life. (Notice, I didn’t say perfect, but just right! As in just what I needed at the time.)

I’ve blogged before about a smaller group of these ladies, “my tribe” that I reconnected with three years ago after a couple of decades plus of raising kids, etc. Now, here they are, back in my every day life as if nothing ever changed (except less “big hair,” blue mascara and those 15 young adults we are all raising). Here’s the thing: We are now here for a different purpose I feel in each other’s lives. Although we closed the place down two nights in a row (we divided and conquered) – so we still have a bit of fun – we lift each other up in more powerful ways. We reach out to each other for advice, for prayers, for good energy and lots of love.

We didn’t realize we needed each other at 18 years old. We had no idea where life would take any of us, yet – but God knew exactly what we needed, and He is proving it 30 years later.

As you go into your week, it seems like a great time and season to really praise and be grateful for those people and experiences. Perhaps even taking the time to reach out to a few and just thank them for their presence in your life. Ask them how you can lift them up, pray, or whatever it is that you might do to send out good energy to the universe. I know for sure I always cherish prayers and believe firmly that God hears every single one. (“There is power in persistent prayer.” Micah 7:7)

Have an amazing week. The universe is conspiring for your great success!

Go deep: We need to build our root system

Throwback from 2017- some thoughts as you wrap up your week strong!

If you’ve ever stood under a redwood tree, you know that their height is something magnificent. And yet, the extent of their root system is shockingly not deep at 6-12 feet. So, how do we account for the crazy growth, with many reaching 300 feet tall? (The tallest pine measures in at 268 by comparison.)

“Redwoods create the strength to withstand powerful winds and floods by extending their roots more than 50 feet from the trunk and living in groves where their roots can intertwine.”

Perfect! Another cool illustration for how important going deep in your relationships is to your ability to grow and optimize your gifts. Of course, I love this – and so should you!

“Community” is what allows us to live a joy-filled life. (“Community” is also defined as families, friendship groups, circles, tribes, colleagues… you get my drift.)

To serve well, it is almost required that we are encouraged, held accountable and ultimately pushed toward our best self. For most of human history, this has been a normal part of life, starting out with the earliest Native American tribes and, for my generation, playing kickball in the street until well after the sun went down. Today, many find themselves immersed in technology and other distractions. That seems almost too obvious to state but when the shoe fits… Heck, I don’t even like to get out of my car to go in the bank. God forbid I can’t take care of business on my phone or through a machine.

I like the idea of going deep. I need to work more at this. I’d love to achieve the greatness of a redwood grove… to lock arms together with some amazing people and establish root systems that allow us all to grow and flourish.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Even in the rain…

On my drive into the neighborhood I often stop and take a photo of the lake. It occurred to me that I do this when it’s beautiful outside and the late-day sun is reflecting off of the water. It often provides some sort of deep relief as I take in the beauty. (I’m a rock solid Pisces who loves the water – from stomping in puddles to my fav, Table Rock Lake… it’s heaven on earth to me.)

As I drove in tonight, the rain drops on my driver side window captured me. Against the dark backdrop of the early spring rain falling – coupled with way-too-cold temperatures (if you ask me) – I immediately thought how beautiful life can be during all seasons. Here’s what I know…

EVEN if rain falls, we innately know that the rain brings forth the glory of spring and hope for warm days ahead.

EVEN if our days are hard, and at times overwhelming, God has provided a team of people around us that not only love and support us, but want to cheer us on and relish in that as their purpose.

EVEN if we don’t understand where God has us or our loved ones, we can know for sure that when the clouds clear out (and if we quiet our souls enough to really listen and observe…) that we are exactly where we were or are supposed to be.

I need to be more present in the rain and in the days of wondering. We all rise together, so I hope today we can commit to remembering that EVEN when we find ourselves in gentle rain, shoulders down, ducking the weather, or in a downright powerhouse rain storm, that we look up and find the beauty. It is definitely there… That’s God’s promise to us all.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: The personal power in refreshing others

Re-fresh-ment: “The giving of fresh, mental or physical strength or energy.” Synonyms: Invigoration, revitalizing, restoring, strengthening, regenerating

Isn’t that great? I particularly love the part about giving. We actually have the power to GIVE someone strength and energy. Amazing. What if everyone you ran into knew that and acted upon it positively? What if our inner circle, family, friends, etc., received this reminder today? Would it be a game changer for the environment around us? I sure think so! (Heck, even the enthusiasm around March Madness elevates the energy in the conversation.)

One thing I’ve known for a long time is that if I’m having a bad day, the surest way to reverse course is to focus on someone else and help to fill a need if possible.

ELooking back, this makes sense. Before I actually read the Bible through, I used to read the Psalms and proverbs year after year. These short messages provide the best guidance I know of on how to live life well. I loved that in my daily reading this week, that I came across the powerful Proverb above. What a simple, yet profound thought that comes directly from God’s word.

As we go into this week, I plan to keep this top of mind. What are some ways we can “refresh” others this week? Let’s fill the world around us with all kinds of crazy good. Be refreshed my friends.

“Life isn’t supposed to be hard… really?”

Have you ever heard this? I have heard the words spoken from many, and far too often it’s meant with the best intentions.

Most of you know I have a strong faith, but unfortunately some of those messages come most strongly from those who share that faith. “If God’s in it, it won’t be hard… If the job is too hard, the relationship too challenging, the deal on the house or car or whatever doesn’t work out just as you want… “It’s not meant to be.” After all, life isn’t supposed to be hard if we follow the plan set out for us, right? Hmmmm….

Maybe this non-truth resonates more the older I get, and the fact that my boys and their friends are getting older. Instead of this message, I want to shout from the mountaintops: “It’s going to be really hard! Anything worth it generally has a tall order of pain involved. Sometimes, there will be tears. But it WILL be worth it!”

Some things that came to mind:

  • College: Yep, pretty hard lessons – lots of fun, but lot’s of work. It was always the “tough professor,” however, that stood above the others.
  • First 10-20 years post-grad (adulting 101 and 201): Yep. Again, marriage was hard, learning how to deal with bosses in a new career, learning how to pay the bills, deal with a broken washer and unexpected expenses. Yep… check mark all of those…really hard.
  • 40+- aging parents (and so on): Again, hard. But how special is that time? And what a great opportunity.

I think we need to be careful what we share with one another and specifically how we encourage. Sure, I’m a positive person and I believe in all kinds of good. In fact, many may say I wear the rose-colored glasses – I’m deeply and innately positive. Perhaps that’s why I felt it should be me that points this out.

Let’s set each other up for success. Let’s not encourage one another to run away from the obstacle courses of life – even the ones that might bruise us. Let’s grab each other’s hands and help push, pull or whatever it takes to get through it, not only alive but on fire for life. It’s worth it – every single time.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Great is our God

I have heard this song so many times, and never thought of it in the way that was shared at Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia a year ago. Here’s what they shared:

Great is our God….

In where he has positioned us in this world.
(May we grow where he has planted us.)
In our relationships
In our careers
In our finances
In our dreams…

I absolutely LOVED THIS perspective.

Essentially, “great is our God” in all of the areas of our life. If we choose to focus on the good and even great, it can be found anywhere. We were all born at this specific time in the world for a reason, each with a destined purpose to love those around us and to achieve the purpose set for us by using the gifts we have been given.

To me, that is the fun part. Understanding both my gifts and the gifts of those God has put in my “circle of life” so to speak and working together to do something magical.

As you go into your week, go out and do something MAGICAL. Great is our God indeed.