A Love Story

I'm a sucker for love stories. 

Well, that may have been a bit of an extreme statement. 

I'm not much of an Anne of Green Gables, or Lifetime movie channel kind of guy, but I do count 

The Sound of Music as my favorite movie ever*. 

I wonder what it is in us that loves a good love story? 

Do we put ourselves in the shoes of the main characters

 living vicariously through them if even for a couple hours? 

Do we finding a measure of common ground in their desire to discover their soul-mate? 

Or is it the idea that "everyone lives happily ever after"?

Isn't there something in each of us that secretly (or not so secretly) 

hopes that we'll be swept off our feet?

Be honest. 

Don't we want a little bit of fireworks accompanied by a rapid heart beat 

every time we see that someone special?

I want to propose something to you that could sound ridiculous. 

I think our love for love stories is intrinsically woven into our DNA. 

We were designed for love.

For love relationships that are unconditional and true. 

No strings attached.

No games. 

Agape.

Think about it: Isn't life better when you're in like and love?

To have someone to share your hopes and dreams, fears and failures with?

The greatest love story ever begins with a loving God and a broken people. 

But here's where the story gets good. 

When we couldn't get to God he came to us.

And not because we loved Him, but because He loved us.

The message of the cross is that your goodness doesn't get you in, 

but your badness doesn't keep you out. 

It's the grace of God extended to you through Jesus Christ.

The Bible puts it this way...

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him would not perish but have ever lasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Romans 5:8, John 3:16-17

Experiencing the greatest love story 

begins with us acknowledging our need for a Savior 

and accepting His love. 

 (*In my defense we watched The Sound of Music every year as a family while i was kid and it is set during World War II in one of the most beautiful places on the planet.)

Through The Storm

Storms are part of life. 

They don't call ahead to let you know they they'll be there
in two weeks to wreak havoc.
They don't text to warn you of impending difficulties.
They don't knock.
They kick the door in at the most inopportune times.

Even paradise is not immune from storms.
Isn't it true that sometimes we think...
If only i lived there. Had this. Knew them.
If only I was someone different than who I am now,
things would be good, and life would be storm free.

But that's just not true.
We can't outrun the storms.
In fact, people who try to avoid or ignore every storm never get to develop
the character that navigating storms produces.

Maybe we should think of it this way... 
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get our of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. James 1:2-4 Msg.


What if:
1. We viewed storms from a different angle?
2. We viewed obstacles as opportunities?
3. We saw storms as part of our development.

We would then see the potential in the process.
We may see the beauty of being blown and beaten
by our circumstances recognizing their
ability to either destroy or develop us.

A Simple Prayer: 
Lord, help me to fight my natural tendency to look around
for someone to blame when the storms come.
Help me to understand the potential in the process, however painful.
Enable me to sense your presence not matter how strong the storm.
I look to you now.

Facing Our Fears

The face of fear varies from person to person. 

For one it's spiders, for others it's being alone.

Take a moment. 

What do you fear?

How long have you allowed that fear to keep you from acting?

For many, the incapacitating potential of what could happen    

is enough to freeze us in our tracks.

Sometimes fear protects us.

Other times it prevents us.

The challenge is to distinguish between those two.

2 questions to consider:

1. Does my fear protect me from pain?

Or...

2. Does it prevent me from really living?

Even though most of the things we fear never happen,

their paralyzing power is undeniable.

That little voice in our head is persistent, isn't it?

So what do we do?

Take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5

How do we silence it?

We can't stop the voices from speaking, but we can determine who we listen to.

While it's good to look to others, don't wait for them.

They may never jump.

"Courage is not the absence of fear;

It's moving forward even while your knees are shaking."

Abraham Lincoln

Let's jump on three: 1, 2, 3.

Sticks & Stones

As children we're taught a simple lie,

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." 

I'm not sure who said this first.

And, I don't know how it became part of our cultures lexicon.

But, it's just not true.

If I break a bone it will grow back stronger.
However, the words that are spoken over me have the power to either
build up or tear down.

Can you remember someone saying something that breathed life into you?
Maybe something like:
"I believe in you."
"You can do it."
"I'm so proud of you."

Why is it that the verbal deposits which wound us are so much harder to forget?
 I call this "Spoken-Static-Cling."

Static cling is when your shirt or skirt sticks to you in an unappealing way.
Static cling turns a nice outfit into an uncomfortable, at times embarrassing experience.

So how do we combat it?

We need to get some static guard for our spirit.

3 ways to guard yourself against people who throw sticks & stones:  

1. Determine who has a voice in your life.

A mentor of mine recently said, 

"Don't let small people have big power in your life." Jodi Detrick

It's one thing to give people a second chance. 

It's something else to keep people in your life who regularly hit you with words that wound.

Action step: Decide who you will Befriend & Unfriend.

2. Surround yourself with people who speak life. 

If you hang out with people who speak death of others, 

they will eventually speak death of you. 

The opposite is also true.

People who speak life in private speak life in public.

You will become like people you spend time with.

 Action Step: Pursue people who believe in you enough to be candid and clear with you.

3. Speak life of others. 

What you do for others, someday, someone will do for you.

  

Action Step: Listen to what you are saying about others and adjust where needed.

The tongue has the power of life and death, 

and those who love it will eat its fruit.  Proverbs 13:20