Boldness

Recently I was reading the story of Moses and was struck by a couple of things. When God first told Moses to go to Pharoah, he reacted with skepticism. "Who am I?" he asked (Exodus 3:11). Even though he was unsure of his own ability, he trusted God to use him. As the plagues continued, it was clear that Moses' faith was growing. When Pharoah finally relented and said, "Go, worship the Lord as you have requested," (Ex. 12:31) I wonder if Moses felt a sense of relief. I wonder if he said to himself, "I'm glad that's over, now let's just get out of here." If it were me, I'd be ready for some rest, but that's not what was in store for him. As soon as the Israelites had gone from Egypt, Pharoah realized what he had lost, and began to pursue them to bring them back. As the Israelites approached the Red Sea, Pharoah's army began to overtake them. This is where Moses made a bold decision. A decision to take a stand for faith, even though he didn't know what the next step was. "Moses answered the people, 'Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.'"(Ex. 14:13) As I was reading this passage, it occurred to me, how did he know that the Lord would bring deliverance? When he had been approaching Pharoah in Egypt, God told him exactly what to do, and what the result would be. So, even though he needed the faith to follow through, he knew what was in store. But this was different. Moses boldly promised that the Lord would deliver, but God hadn't given him the plan yet. The next verses go on to tell how God instructs Moses to raise his staff so that the sea will part, and the Israelites can cross. To me, this seems like a defining moment in Moses' life. He knows the power of God, and the promises of God. In fact, he has had conversations with God in the past. He has seen God do what He promised, was there any reason to think that God wouldn't deliver them? I think there are times when we all have doubt about God's plan for us. We know that He is able, we just aren't sure if He's really going to follow through. If Moses had given into doubt or fear, the way the Israelites were, I'm sure they all would have been doomed. But Moses instead chose to speak faith, and God showed him the way. I wonder why God didn't tell Moses that this was going to happen ahead of time? Maybe it was because Moses was going to need that boldness many more times in his life. Today, I'm praying that I will be bold in my faith, and believe that God's promises are true.

Moving in the Right Direction

The school that my kids just started attending is a brand new elementary school that is welcoming it's first students this week. As with anything new, there is a lot of optimism and excitement surrounding this brand new school. I expected that enthusiasm to be reflected in the school's motto. But, when I saw the school's motto, boldly painted in the entrance to the building, I had to chuckle. There it was, in all it's glory, the statement to the world about the difference that THIS school proposes to make in the world, and how effective they will be at shaping young minds into future leaders. Here is the vision that they wanted all of the families to catch..."MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION". I have to give them credit, I predict that they will live up to that motto in a very short period of time. But when I saw it, I felt kind of let down. I thought, "that's the BEST that they expect to do?" They're not promising to produce "Tomorrow's leaders" or claiming that they will unlock my child's "unlimited potential." I wasn't inspired because it was so SAFE and IMMINENTLY ATTAINABLE. I had to chuckle because, being a thirty something-sometimes cynical person, I can relate to wanting to manage the expectations. I think it's funny when I see a company has a vision that doesn't even make sense. Like a flip-flop company with a motto like, "Changing the world, one thong at a time." They're not even SHOES people. :) But somehow I expect more from the school that my kids attend. I want them to understand that they are part of a bigger picture, and that they have limitless possibilities available to them. I think it's also a lesson to those of us who are ministry leaders. The people that come to our churches are looking for more than just "moving in the right direction." They want to know that we believe what we are talking about. People want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. So challenge your vision. Is it safe, or will it take divine intervention. Think BIG!!!

Five Dysfunctions

I just finished reading the book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, by Patrick Lencioni. Actually, I didn't read it, but I listened to the audio version. I have started doing that recently and have discovered that I like listening to books. It makes the commute much more productive. Anyway, I didn't like the book at all. Not that it's a bad book by any means. In fact, it contains a lot of great ideas. It's a management/leadership book in the form of a fable. What I didn't like about it, is that it made me re-assess what it means to be on a team, and how those interactions should look. I didn't like the fact that I had to look at the kind of team member that I have been in the past, and realize that I may (I emphasize MAY) have not always been the best team member. It also made me think that some team interactions that I have typically characterized as dysfunctional, might actually be healthy after all. If you're like me, and would just prefer the ignorant bliss that comes with knowing you're right all the time, and don't want to find out that it's not always true, then I don't recommend reading this book. :)

Church Ministries Convention

Last week, my friend Tim emailed me to let me know that he was teaching a workshop for church leaders on blogging and podcasting, and that he would be using my blog as an example. Of course, I figured he would probably show them a really cool blog written by a great pastor like Mark Batterson, and then tell them, "Now, don't let that intimidate you, look at this blog." Then he would show them my blog, and everyone would say to themselves, "Wow, I guess anybody CAN do this." :) Actually, I hope that was the case and that more people start to share their stories through blogging. I know that God is doing incredible things all over the place, and it's encouraging to hear those stories. So, get off the fence and start writing!

School Time

Tomorrow starts the new school year here in Texas for our three girls. It's been a long summer of transition and change, and I think they are actually ready for the new year, and some structure, to begin. Of course, they are all having a little difficulty actually going to sleep, but I'm sure that has something to do with the crazy schedule they've been keeping this summer. Now, it time to get back to having bedtimes, homework, and hopefully meeting new friends. They have been so resilient through all of the changes that have happened in our lives recently. I know this is going to be a great year!

Do One Thing Well

Last night was daddy daughter night in our house. For the last few years, we've had a tradition that we would go to the local Long John Silvers/A&W restaurant whenever mom wasn't with us. My girls share my love of malt vinegar on fish/chicken and real draft root beer in a frosty mug. Anne on the other hand, prefers more "sophisticated" fare. :) It seems that God was with us in our move to Frisco, because there's a new LJS/A&W close by. After dinner, the girls wanted to do something else. I was trying to think of what we could do (that wouldn't cost a lot) when I remembered "The Snow Cone Lady." Back when we visited Frisco a few years ago, we were taken to "The Snow Cone Lady's" stand, but the girls couldn't even remember. As we pulled in to the lot where the stand is located, there was a line with at least a dozen people waiting for a snow cone. When we finally reached the front of the line, Sydney chose the banana, Morgan went for the green apple, Samantha picked Watermelon, and I settled on the strawberry shortcake snow cone. As we sat on makeshift benches in the parking lot eating our snow cones, I was struck by how many people kept coming. The line never got smaller than a dozen people. I am told this happens every night. As I was eating my snow cone, which only cost ONE DOLLAR, I realized why people kept lining up to get theirs. It was a generous portion, with more flavor choices than I'd ever seen before, and it TASTED GREAT! "The Snow Cone Lady" has continued to be successful because she has concentrated on serving the best snow cones at the best price. There are no frills, no fancy marketing, just good snow cones. I'm also told that after working in Frisco for "a season" which is about 6 months, she leaves with more than a six-figure income. Not bad. I might have to drop by later for some more "market research." ;)

Only God knows

Yesterday, my sister called me to tell me that her friend, a 32 year old mother of 4, had passed away after a long fight with cancer. It's difficult to find any words that would even begin to express how sad it is to know that those 4 children have lost their mother. I am praying that God will comfort them, and guide them through this season in their lives, and that their father will have the strength that he needs as well. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that I have experienced this. I have presided over and attended several funerals in the last few years of lives that were cut short by disease or tragedy. For those who are left behind, there are all kinds of questions that come up. Why did it happen? Was there anything I could have done? We prayed for healing, didn't God hear us? In most cases, we just don't have simple answers that can make it better. But for those of us who know God, it's important to understand that He still hears and answers prayer. He still has the power to heal (Isa. 53:5), but He also knows more than we can fathom about how these circumstances will affect others in the end. I have heard numerous accounts of family members coming to know the Lord through these events. We know that God is working for our good (Romans 8:28), even if we can't see how right now.

Today I was reading in the book of Genesis the story of Joseph. At the end of the story, in chapter 45, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers and forgives them. I have always marveled at Joseph's attitude when dealing with the circumstances that faced him. Here he was, with incredible power, and the opportunity to take revenge on the brothers who had sold him into slavery so many years earlier, but Joseph chose to forgive. In verse 5 he says, "And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you." Joseph could see how God had worked all of these circumstances together for the very day when he would be able to help save his own family from becoming destitute. It makes me wonder about the loved ones who have left this life and gone before us. When we see them again in heaven will they say to us, "Don't be distressed, it was for this reason that God sent me ahead of you." In the meantime, keep praying, keep believing, and keep hoping.