Sunday, February 25, 2007

NEEDING OTHERS

There have been plenty of times in my life that I literally can't go without others in my life coming alongside me. I mean I would have really not been able to keep going in life. I would make really bad choices instead. I know that none of my motives are ever totally pure, nobody's are. But I don't think that that is all idolatry of others for me to need them so much. On the other hand, I think it would be wrong to say that I couldn't survive with God alone. Of course I could. But there's definitely something to having relationship with others and being a part of the Body of Christ. Do you think we can say that relationship with others is vital to life or is that going too far?

WHEN WE HURT

There are tons of thoughts in my head lately and I'm just getting the chance to sit down and blog them. Hence the 3 blogs in 1 night! :)

I check out at least some of Oprah every so often because she affects our culture and the world so much. Most women I know who aren't Christians follow Oprah religiously and believe everything she says. So I think its good to know what is influencing the women I am trying to minister to and to love. Here's something that Oprah says that I really don't like. She says that you have to just buck up and have a positive attitude. You can control your life that way. Well that's not true. Sometimes we absolutely can't buck up no matter what we try. That's just the truth. And that's why Jesus had to die for us. We are weak and needy. We are supposed to be weak and needy. That's how God made us. So don't feel guilty when the world tells you that you have trouble only because you aren't able to buck up and have the right attitude. It's in direct contradiction to the Creator of the Universe.

CHRISTIANS STANDING OUT

When we are authentically who we are. children of God, then it shows to others. I go to a parole officer monthly with a woman that I disciple, and the hardened PO is frequently asking me why I do what I do. She thinks I am a terrific friend to this woman. And it shocks her that someone would enter another's yuckiness. And the other week when we were talking then she downright asked me why and I got to share a little about following Christ.

I have a friend with a special needs child that has a brain that did not develop normally. She came to the school that I work at the other week for us to officially evaluate her child, and all that day after she was there and for some time after, the rest of the school staff kept saying that there was something unusually great about that family and they didn't know what, but they could just tell it. I know it was Christ that shined in their faces, and they didn't realize it.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

THE BOOK OF JOB, CHAPTERS 1 AND 2

So we started Job last week in the small group of women that I am leading, and I said quite some time ago that I wanted to share on this blog what I have learned in two key classes at seminary: Job and Sickness & Suffering. Last week we started out the book of Job by discussing the fact that Job was struck with a great deal of pain and suffering, physically, emotionally, and relationally. And so he grieved. We talked about the importance of grieving and of grieving with others and for others to allow you to be in pain and not demand that you put on a fake face and go jump up and down in worship. (I do not want to negate the fact that there is a time for discipline where we need to make ourselves worship even when we don't feel like it, and I don't want to negate the fact that there is a place for facing that our own sin can be why we are down or sad, but right now I want to focus on the fact that often we keep our hurt to ourselves because we feel that others will think we are sinful, when in fact we are merely suffering because this world can be so painful.)

I am in a Bible study with several pastor's wives, elder's wives, deacon's wives. People who are very godly, know the Word, and walk with Christ. And yet the other week when we spent extensive time praying together, we each one had at least somewhat, if not largely, bought into the lie that we seem to be the only ones that struggle, and that no one else does, so we must be bad Christians. This is a lie, though, and we cannot let it determine the amount of vulnerability we allow, for we must suffer together or else we are missing out on some of the comfort God is giving us. That entails telling others that we are suffering - in the right context and in the right time and to the right people, of course. But my point here today is the fact that we are not the only ones who struggle with whatever it is, no matter how "whacko" you are feeling that you are, and so don't let the thought that you think you are an oddball keep you from fellowship with others, because you are not an oddball. This fallen world is a hard place to live.

Sunday, February 04, 2007

RELATIONSHIPS

Our pastor, Andrew, preached on relationships and how we often look to them to give us what only Christ can give us. But that also we vitally need relationships to know God better. Its interesting to me how for years I felt guilty for wanting relationships. I felt like I was being selfish by wanting friendships, and that I should only need God. This was for at least 8 years after I became a Christian. Then I began to hear others talk about how we were created in God's image and that is partly to mirror the constant relationships that the Trinity has with one another. Furthermore, it is not good for man to be alone, the Body of Christ is created to not work properly unless all are working together, etc... and all this Biblical truth I never heard for the first 8 years of my Christian walk! We are to both find our satisfaction in Christ alone and then we also desperately need others. Its a both and kind of thing, not an either or. So many things are. Let's certainly help each other not idolize one another, but allow for needing each other also.

Friday, February 02, 2007

ENCOURAGING OTHERS

I work in a nursing home a little bit, and those people need a lot of encouragement. If someone is physically disabled and can no longer take care of themselves, that is very sad to that person, to say the least. If they are mentally disabled, then most of the time they still have the mental capacity to realize that they are not able to take care of themselves, that they don't have control of themselves - and that too is very scary and sad. One of the best ways to encourage these people is to remember where their worth comes from and to remind them of that, and treat them accordingly. Where does our worth come from? From our Creator and Savior Jesus Christ. Whether we have accepted Christ or not, we are all made in his image and given the common grace that he gives us. And if we are his, then we have all the more worth, because Christ died for us!

You can also learn to read people and see what it is that resonates with them and what really encourages them. For example, this morning I told a woman I was so proud of her. Others might not like it because they'd think I was talking to them like a child if I told them I was proud of them. But I've learned to read her and how she feels beaten up by her family's negative words, and how positive words show her great love, and I knew that that was an encouraging thing to say to her. Think about learning to read others and to discover what is a meaningful way to show love to them, and then when you love them that way, you can be giving even more to them!