Living in Tandem

Finish Well

October 31, 2015 By Lisa Lewis

This month of the #write31days challenge has been quite a ride! Posting daily has not been a discipline for me in my six year blogging life and I have to say, I’ve actually enjoyed it in many ways. There were hard days and easy days, but that’s just life, right?

I am spending the weekend in the mountains of Idyllwild, CA with the sweet people of Westminster Christian Assembly. The theme of the weekend is based on Psalm 97:1 Let all the earth rejoice! I will have the privilege of speaking three times: Rejoicing in Rest, Rejoicing in Re-creation and Rejoicing in Renewal.

I love being able to put into action what I’ve been learning: to rely on listening the Holy Spirit to guide my planning and preparation; demonstrating what Living in Tandem can look like. These are God’s people and He knows what they will benefit from hearing, what encouragement they need.

We all need to make time to be silent with Him.

We all need time to re-create in His Presence.

We all need to invest and prioritize time with others to be living life with them.

Learning to live in tandem is a process. No one gets on the bike and takes off without developing some awareness of what’s involved. Submitting my will to God has not come without struggle or missteps. But He looks at me and you with eyes filled with love when we’ve slipped…

‘“My grace is sufficient for you for My power is made perfect in weakness..” Therefore I will boast all the more in my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.’

I need reminding that the work is already done. All I need to do is join in with what God is already doing. Henri Nouwen said it this way:

Spiritual Formation is simply following the movements of the Spirit.

Truly friends, Living in Tandem is simply that; learning to follow rather than trying to control.

My prayer for us is simple.

Help us to know You more Lord. Help us to be willing to let go of our need to control. Help us to follow the movements of the Spirit where He leads.

Help us.

Why Should Living in Tandem Matter to You?

October 30, 2015 By Lisa Lewis

It’s Day 30 of the #write31days challenge. I’ve tried to express the benefits I’ve experienced from learning to live in tandem in relationship with God, my husband and others. I imagine there’s at least one of you who has looked at the theme and thought Why does this matter to me? I don’t ride a tandem bicycle. I don’t even have a husband.

Why should Living in Tandem matter to you?

I now realize the most powerful action we can take after responding to God’s invitation to become part of His family, is learning to take the back seat in relation to God. The Biblical term is submission.

God the Father had an amazing plan to redeem the whole world. That plan would only work if the Son would actively participate. Being fully God, Jesus the Son took on the humble form of a human baby. He who had been worshiped by angels became a helpless infant born into the poorest circumstances; a feed trough for animals. Part of this amazing plan, Jesus the Son showed us the Father. Through His life and choices He also showed us how to submit His will to God’s will. In the ultimate act of submission, Jesus expressed His opinion, His desire several times. But God the Son said not My will but Yours be done as the Son submitted His will to the Father’s will.

Submission isn’t easy. Jesus showed us that. It requires a sacrifice. We give up our right to our own way to choose to follow Jesus on the Way. Submission brings about a depth in relationship with God the Father that demonstrates respect, love, trust and obedience to His plan for your life.

And in God’s amazing economy He blesses your sacrifices with His Presence, His peace, His love, His power to accomplish the hard things you face.

Like forgiving those who have wounded you.

The way up is the way down. A paradox of submission.

Living in Tandem matters for each one of us. It is simply a metaphor for what God’s Word teaches us.

Living in Tandem teaches us that the hurried life, the too full calendar, the distracting ourselves to death, do not fill the need, the emptiness that is in the center of our lives. Only God can fill our need. And He doesn’t force Himself in; we need to make the choice to take the back seat and learn from Him.

Living in Tandem means learning to listen to the One who is in the front seat; the One who knows where you’re headed, knows how to navigate the bumps and hills, knows when to push harder and when to rest. Living in Tandem means you follow and share and do your very important part. But you don’t do more than is yours to do either.

I want so much to express how different I am than 18 years ago! I want to share this freedom from the lies of do more, be less. That’s how the enemy twists submission.

Grace tells us we are enough. Satan tells us we’ll never be good enough.

In the words of Bob Dylan…You gotta serve somebody…

I pray you’ll choose to get on the Tandem with God.

Relationships are Better in Tandem

October 29, 2015 By Lisa Lewis

We are meant for relationship. We’re born into a family and people are an integral part of life for each of us. Yet our lives get so full of doing that we hardly have time for simply being with people.

No agenda. Just being together.

I’ve had relationships not work well. Lots of reasons that has been true but when something in a relationship doesn’t work smoothly it hurts.

I don’t know about you but my natural inclination is one of two responses: withdraw from the hurt or defend my position. Neither of which moves toward the person to work things out. So the hurt doesn’t get dealt with and then the relationship is broken in some way. Blegh.

I’m learning a different way. The way toward others instead of away from. The Way.

Paul tells us to do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others.

This Way is Jesus’s way of being in relationship. Choosing to think of others as more significant than myself is an intentional choice. It’s not natural. But I will say that when I have made that choice the relationship works more smoothly. Following Jesus isn’t just reading your Bible and going to church. Following Jesus means living with different choices, priorities, purpose. Following Jesus closely is living in tandem with Him.

Jesus really is everything.

Learning to Laugh

October 28, 2015 By Lisa Lewis

I don’t know about you but sometimes I get the wrong impression about what life is “supposed to look like” as a Christ follower. Some Christians five being a Christian a bad name. All serious business and definitely no room for laughter.

That’s not the Jesus I have come to love in Scripture.

Please don’t get me wrong here; there is plenty to be serious about in the world. People are homeless. Hungry. Escaping horrible situations in their homelands. There are devastating Earthquakes. Floods. Diseases. Children are being abused. Trafficked. If I continue writing the list which is longer still, I will have to get up from the computer and find the Kleenex.

Jesus knew how to take things seriously, too. He was serious about eternal life, about showing us the Father, about healing, about spiritual growth, about taking the Good News to the ends of the earth and making disciples. And much more.

He also knew how to have fun and rest and cook and live life. If you think I’m making this up, I’m not. Read John’s gospel account.

I think in the fulness of God, Jesus shows us how to live a balanced life. The center point in the balance is having God at the center of our lives. Recognizing I am not the center point of my life has been part of my learning journey. Seeing God at the center, on the throne, on the front seat of the tandem, has brought me such freedom.

I’m learning to laugh again.

What’s in a Metaphor?

October 27, 2015 By Lisa Lewis

Eighteen years ago when my mentor recommended that I try riding a tandem with my husband I had no idea the breadth of what adventure was ahead.

I began the journey petrified to be on a bike without my own brakes and steering (or way to see!). I struggled with the lack of control!

I still deal with the residual affects of years of asserting myself into every situation as the one who “knew it all”. That is not pretty. Also, it lacks a Christ-like characteristic…

Humility

I will be the first to tell you the bike started as the focus but God used this bike and the process of learning to let go of control as one of the biggest tools in the process of my sanctification. And I’m still in process by the way.

So what’s in this metaphor of a tandem bike? Of Living in Tandem with others? With God?

Well I’ve learned to see things from quite a few different perspectives.

But God…

Has shown me one ride at a time, one day at a time, no, one MOMENT at a time that I am not the One in control. That role belongs to Him only.

But God…

Has given me many opportunities to learn to follow Him by listening and letting go.

Letting go is hard.

But God…

Has given me Himself instead of the physical and emotional things I have hung onto out of fear.

But God…

Has given me a relationship with my husband that has grown into a friendship of epic proportions.

And I know I wouldn’t be the woman He has grown me into today if I’d said

“I could NEVER do that!” The metaphor of a tandem bike has changed my perspectives.

What are you saying No to God about today? What shift does your perspective need to take?

Moving Forward is by Being Still

October 26, 2015 By Lisa Lewis

It’s Day 26 of #write31days and as I have reflected daily on really what I’ve learned from the #LivinginTandem metaphor is a paradox;

We move forward by being still.

Yesterday when I spent some time listening to God through the reading of His Word, I heard a refrain I’ve heard and ignored before:

Be Still. Be Still.

In all my focus on to do lists and thinking I have to keep doing, keep accomplishing, the result is always stress & anxiety. The refrain is

Not Enough. Not Enough. Like this glass that is half empty.

Or is it half full?

But God whispers again

Be Still and know

So I sit to listen again to the heart of Paul’s letters…

Grace

Peace

Christ is all and in all

Christ in you the hope of glory

And I see. I hear.

Lay aside the old way. Be renewed. Put on the new self. (Col. 3:12-17)

Daily be transformed by the renewing of my mind. (Romans 12:2)

By the mercies of God. (Romans 12:1)

Moving forward is by Being Still.

Being still seems counter intuitive to being productive. But God consistently gives me wisdom, strength, encouragement to share, and most of all, the peace of His Presence when I have set aside my demanding to do list to sit quietly with His Word open and my heart ready to listen.

Laying aside old ways, being renewed day by day and putting on the new self as Paul defines in Col. 3:12-17 is a process, not a one time event. We are complex beings with many facets. We are created in the image of God you know. So this journey, this living in tandem with God is full of ups and downs, hills and valleys. But the best news? You’re never alone.

Sabbath Listening

October 25, 2015 By Lisa Lewis

“In the relentless busyness of modern life, we have lost the rhythm between work and rest.” Wayne Muller

One of the greatest benefits of this empty nest season of life is open calendar space. I have learned to love whitespace on the calendar. Ironically the Hubster has asked for this open calendar space since we were married 24 years ago. I am unfortunately a very stiff-necked rebellious woman who wants her own way most of the time. This may or may not be the reason I memorized this verse 15 years ago.

“Who is wise? Let them realize these things.

Who is discerning? Let them understand.

The ways of the Lord are right;

the righteous walk in them,

but the rebellious stumble in them.” Hosea 14:9

See this lifeless tree in the middle of the photo? This is a symbol to me of drying up by following my own way of doing things.

It hasn’t been easy for me to let go of my own ways. Sometimes it’s still hard. But when I slow myself down and listen to those words again, my rebellious heart is reminded that the ways of the Lord are right. His ways are higher than my ways.

In quietness and trust is your strength…

Sabbath listening is a discipline. The practice of listening makes me stop doing things like laundry and web surfing to sit with God’s Word open, with my heart open, and listen to what the Spirit impresses on my heart & mind as I read and ponder.

It has become my favorite day of the week.

Saturday’s Soul Food

October 24, 2015 By Lisa Lewis

Our community group had homework this week. I wasn’t there that evening (I was attending an event in San Luis Obispo), but the Hubster went and he took the homework commitment seriously (he’s a first born by the way).

In Gary Thomas’ book Sacred Pathways, he identifies nine different ways individuals typically find connection with God. Each way is explained more thoroughly in his book but here is a brief list with identifying characteristics. Connecting with God is a form of worship.

Naturalists. Loving God Outdoors

Sensates. Loving God with the Senses (music, art, cooking, etc)

Ritualists. Loving God through ritual and symbol

Ascetics. Loving God in solitude and simplicity

Activists. Loving God through confrontation

Caregivers. Loving God by loving others

Enthusiasts. Loving God with mystery and celebration

Contemplatives. Loving God through adoration

Intellectuals. Loving God with the mind

Thomas provides the thought and explanation that we will have a preferred way of connecting with God; loving God, that we typically gravitate toward. Each one is an aspect of worship. Developing your awareness to your preferred way of connection is good because then you can readily seek that out when you are potentially feeling disconnected from God.

The challenge for us in our community group was to be intentional to either connect with God this week in our preferred way or to make effort to connect with God in a different way than we might typically.

The good news for me? The Hubster wanted to try to connect with God differently which also happened to be in the way I typically experience His Presence; outdoors.

So our Saturday afternoon included a picnic and a hike in an area he had seen on a bike ride and thought I’d appreciate.

He was spot on.

It was quiet. We saw no other humans. We walked in silence, listening to the birds and the oak leaves crunch under our feet.

We stopped on the trail to examine this particular tree…

It looked dead. But there were these pods at the ends of some of the branches. I said I think it is some kind of nut tree. So of course, I pulled one off and peeled it apart.

Chestnut.

It’s fall alright. Even though the temperature is still low 80s here, the chestnut trees know what they’re supposed to do at this time of year.

Being outdoors and witnessing seasons; being reminded that change is a part of God’s plan for us here on earth was food for my soul.

The jury’s still out whether the Hubster found connecting with God outdoors satisfying.

How do you like to feed your soul?

Friday Funday!

October 24, 2015 By Lisa Lewis

I’ll be spending time this morning with friends for coffee and chatting. My hope is to be an ambassador for the Kingdom and for the glory of the King.

He is slowly changing my perspective on time I spend with people. It’s not all about me or all about fun.

But in the midst of being with friends, fun is a good thing to have. Jesus had lots of fun. That’s why He was accused of being a drunkard and a party animal. He did turn water into wine for His first miracle you know.

So here are some fun images for your Friday. I hope they at least make you smile!

A sweet loved on Lion who might secretly be an artist when no one is looking.

A budding musician next to the Hubster and the Baboo. 21 years later the musician has his own baboo and the pictured babe is away at college. Time flies. Oh and the Hubster no longer has the long hair…

This is a must for your kitchen if you like spicy food. Go buy it now. Add it to everything savory. You’ll thank me for this recommendation.

Rest for Your Soul

October 22, 2015 By Lisa Lewis

I shared this photo yesterday with the women of Alameda MOPS. I was privileged to bring them a few words of encouragement for a very busy season; early motherhood.

Preparing to share about Embracing Rest meant I needed to slow down in my own life and make space for spiritual rest and renewal.

Learning to know when to work hard and when to let up and rest is a big part of living in tandem with God.

When Jesus commissioned his 12 disciples to go out and teach, He also went out to teach. Jesus invited all who heard to come to Him;

“Come to Me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

The yoke is meant for close connection and for training. It is also how a stronger helps the weaker to accomplish the task. When oxen were yoked together they were paired by strength; a weaker one was put in the yoke alongside a stronger, more experienced ox.

I like how Eugene Peterson says it in The Message: “Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me–watch how I do it. learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Jesus knows how physically and spiritually tired we can be. And He offers us a different Way.

If we keep company with Him, we’ll learn to live freely and lightly.

And we will find rest for our souls.

Finish Well

Why Should Living in Tandem Matter to You?

Relationships are Better in Tandem

Learning to Laugh

What’s in a Metaphor?

Moving Forward is by Being Still

Sabbath Listening

Saturday’s Soul Food

Friday Funday!

Rest for Your Soul

Categories

Search

Follow Me…

Categories

Search