Spiritual Disciplines

What’s Around the Corner?

September 19, 2015 By Lisa Lewis

Don’t we often want to know what’s around the corner in life? I think that’s why we make plans. We have something to look forward!

I’ve been planning blog posts instead of writing them. I’ve done lots of composing in my head but not so much here on the blog. Why? Well in part, I’ve allowed myself to focus too much on circumstances instead of the One who holds it altogether.

In Proverbs we read: the heart of man plans his way but the Lord establishes his steps.

I’m excited to share how the Lord has been establishing my steps. I’m going to share a blog series here for the 31 days of October.

I’ll be joining over 1000 other writers who’ll be sharing their passions on their blogs. So many categories, so much fun, so much learning and so much encouragement!

There will be live links to the Write 31 Days curator page where all the bloggers will share their individual link buttons. I really hope you will consider visiting some bloggers you haven’t come across before. There are amazing writers with some really interesting series topics that I think many of you will enjoy.

It all begins in only 11 days!!!

Learning to Celebrate the Daily

August 18, 2015 By Lisa Lewis

I am easily distracted these days. Interestingly, the distractions come from within; the thoughts of what needs to be accomplished mix with the memories of what was and is no longer. These distractions have hindered me from actions that I love, like writing. But I’m happy to say I’ve been coming back to center and learning to celebrate the everyday moments of life thanks to a new book.

I recently read the fantastic new book Simply Tuesday by Emily P Freeman. It’s available today! The tagline for this book really called to me: Small-Moment Living in a Fast Moving World. I had been living the SLO life for 30 years until two years ago. Now living in the fast-paced, change-oriented, bigger, faster, better society of the Silicon Valley is like “drinking from a fire hose” as our pastor puts it. Simply Tuesday is a call to notice, to appreciate the ordinary moments of the day and that is opposite living from this world’s expectations. What a beautiful thing because our souls are not meant for speed. A soul is meant for depth, for slow, for connection.

Emily shares her story of learning to embrace ‘small’. She puts into words what my own soul has yearned for; being okay with “right where I am” instead of pushing for more, for notice, for good, better, best. In the chapter “Effort & Outcomes” Emily’s words stopped my striving, never-good- enough heart & mind right in their Energizer Bunny tracks. “I don’t see Jesus calling me to excellence. I do see Him calling me to Himself. And sometimes, on the kingdom of earth, moving close to Jesus looks like failure and embarrassment.”

I have pushed and resisted, fought and argued and demanded that my life be “good, better, best, never let it rest until your good is better and your better best.” Being transplanted from the comfort and familiarity of my former life was painful to say the least. I have not been able to gain the traction I’ve thought I’ve needed to be “successful” in this new arena. The revolutionary thought that simply being aware and available to the movement of Christ in my day truly stopped my whirling internal dialogue. It was as if someone picked up the arm of the record player and turned the swirling machine off.

Simply Tuesday is seeping down into my soul. This book, Emily’s voice, is counter-cultural in this area where I live. But Emily lives and writes in Greensboro, NC and her words come from a place of knowing how extended beyond peace we often live. Simply Tuesday is inviting me to sit on a bench and notice where Jesus is moving in my day. It’s inviting me to learn to celebrate the daily; the everyday moments that make up my everyday, ordinary life. Learning to celebrate that this life is a gift from God moment by moment.

Learning to be present to His abiding Presence. Learning to be thankful for little things like a bird on a bird feeder or the smell of freshly brewed coffee is reminding me of the true beauty that makes up every day. Learning that time is non-renewable and therefore sacred.

This bench is at the park near our latest place of residence. (notice I didn’t call it home? I’m not there yet.) I often see people seated here looking out at the children, the athletes, the trees. This morning I thought of the gift Simply Tuesday is to me and prayed that it would be so for many, many more. I really want to encourage you to get your own copy and gather with others who are seeking connection like I am. They’re all around us; Tuesday people as Emily calls us.

Listen in to Emily chat briefly about her book here. Then go to Amazon and pick up your own copy (and maybe a few for your Tuesday people?). I’d love to know what you’re learning to celebrate!

#1 Investment Strategy for Parents

September 11, 2014 By Lisa Lewis

Our economy is based on investments. Short term vs long term; high vs low yield. Where is the best place to put your money? The answers vary; they depend on who you’re talking to, who you’re listening to. With so many voices it’s hard to know what is truly best. That can be scary when you’re a young family saving for college, or an individual trying to make wise investments for the future. So many variables; so many ideas.

Financial investment strategies are valuable but don’t have the long term pay off parents truly need. You are wise to plan and save; there is no doubt about that. But what legacy will you leave your family beyond the material? What is the #1 investment strategy for parents?

I heard a great message on Tuesday from Sue Donaldson. She spoke to a group of moms about A Mother’s Legacy. Sue spoke with humor and wit but also interjected thoughts to ponder.

It caused me to reflect on my own sons and wondered what I have left for them. Interestingly, within an hour of driving away from the event, each of my sons called me to touch base and ask me for something. Prayer.

It dawned on me that God was showing me what my legacy will be for them…that I was a praying momma.

What a humbling thing, to be shown how one is seen.

I wasn’t always a woman of prayer. I was a woman of worry, fear and mistrust. I lived by ‘if it’s to be it’s up to me’ for so many years.

But God…

gave me sweet opportunities to learn from His Word as I sat rocking these baby boys. He taught me to lift up my worries to Him. To ask Him for favor, for their salvation, physical safety, development of their minds. He gave me words to pray back to Him like those at the end of

Psalm 91:14-16. I have prayed with each of their names inserted where the pronouns are:

“Because (he) has loved Me, therefore I will deliver (him); I will set (him) securely on high, because (he) has known My name.

(He) will call upon Me, and I will answer (him); I will be with (him) in trouble; I will rescue (him), and honor (him).

With a long life I will satisfy (him) and let (him) behold My salvation.”

He gave me a sense of purpose to spend the quiet times like those lifting up my dreams of who these babies would one day be, of the men they would grow into many years in the future. I developed the practice of using my laundry time to pray for the 10 year old feet who wore the once white socks; to pray for the arms that would go stronger over time, that they would become the men God desires them to be.

Now they are men. One is married to a beautiful, Christ-following woman. She was prayed for long before he met her. They serve God in His kingdom building purposes as church planters in Utah. The other son is in college, a sophomore Gator at UF, 3000 miles away.

I miss them. A lot. But God…

is with them, in them and guiding them in the lives He has planned for them.

Just as this simple momma asked Him again and again.

My prayers are not my prayers alone. The One Who answers is also the One Who leads us to come be with Him in the quiet place where our soul can breathe out the burdens and worries and breathe in His peace in return.

God has taught me to rest in Him. He has got these babies/boys/men.

Trusting God. Talking with Him about everything. What a gift that He gave me years ago; the gift of prayer.

A gift of investment. Of time, of heart, of hope. You deposit your meager prayers like I did.

Ask Him. He longs to hear your words, pleas, worries and fears. He will transform those investments (and you!) over time.

It is your #1 investment strategy that will pay huge dividends both now and eternity future!

Soul Thoughts to Ponder (again!)

May 21, 2014 By Lisa Lewis

“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 load is light.” Jesus

What is very appealing in these words of Jesus is the idea of rest, rest for my soul. Twice He mentions this idea. It is easy to picture my physical self coming to Jesus, laying down a physical burden like a backpack and then being at rest. But I don’t think that is all He means because Jesus says “rest for your soul”.

How do I come with my soul burdens and receive rest? How do you?

What are the burdens of my soul? And yours?

“Search me O God and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.

Point out anything in me that offends You and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” David from Psalm 139 NLT

There is a wonderful book, recently published, that delves into what soul rest really is. Bonnie Gray of Faith Barista is the author. I am only through the introduction and the first two chapters and already I am underlining and writing quotes and personal reflections in my journal. There will be much more written in weeks to come. In the meantime, buy her book. You won’t regret it.

We need rest. We long for rest. He offers us rest. Join Him.

Also, for fun I am linking up today with my friend Sue over at Welcome Heart. She is a great encourager from the Word as well…O taste & see Tuesdays (a day late but worth the wait!?)

Learning to Risk

January 23, 2014 By Lisa Lewis

Life is hard isn’t it?
I could stop there.
But then I would be leaving out the best part: this is only training.
Yep. You are in training for the future. While you are living your day to day life you are learning to risk.
Learning to lead.
Learning to follow.
Learning to let go.
Learning to be like the One who knit you together in your mother’s womb. And that means you are going to be changing. A lot.
Do you imagine that you’re saved and taken to heaven just as you are?
Nope.
We’re really not some good deal that God got when He chose us. He is at work changing us to be more like His Son everyday.
Sometimes change is easy but most of the time change like this is hard.
You are in a character reformation program that sometimes feels like a sander on a rough piece of wood; noisy, smelly and hot as the wood is reshaped.
Sounds pleasant doesn’t it?
One of the things I’ve learned in my own journey of reformation is that it’s a whole lot easier to go along with the process than it is to fight change.
Now I’m not talking about change just for the sake of change.
I’m talking about the kind of change that actually costs something. Like letting go of a friendship that doesn’t help you spiritually. Like letting your adult children lead their lives separate from your family; following The Lord as He leads them. Like moving away from all that is familiar to follow your husband’s career. Like finding homes for your pets because they can’t live in your new area. Like taking the risk of stepping out into the unknown future and Trusting the One who loves you desperately to follow Him wherever He leads.

Learning to Risk is practiced in little steps. Not in giant leaps all the time. He knows how much you are willing to risk. Funny thing though, He was willing to risk His very life for us.

How are you learning to risk for Him?

Learning to Wait

January 15, 2014 By Lisa Lewis

I’m not sure if anyone has ever asked this question in a poll of popular opinion: “What are your thoughts about having to wait?”, but I’d like to imagine that universally people don’t like it.

We are born learning to wait. Crying for food or clean diapers, as an infant we have to wait. Birthdays, summer vacation, Christmas: frustrate a child who must learn to wait. Babies take 9 months to develop prior to birth. Farmers plant crops and wait for them to spout and grow.

Of course if you live in a heavily populated area you might have this view daily:

Learning to wait is a skill that is imposed in the order of the universe. Some things are easier to wait for or through; others seem to demand far more skill at the game of waiting.

Young moms can’t wait until a child sleeps through the night; is potty trained; starts Kindergarten so the moms can have time to themselves again. I heard these words when I was in those early physically demanding years of parenting: “treasure these times. They go by so fast.” I smiled and said thank you while thinking “easy for you to say; you’re not the one getting up at 2:00 AM or changing diapers…”

But now I’m the one saying the same thing to young moms. And since my memory is still mostly intact, I remember what I thought so I imagine they smile at me through similar, barely tolerant, thoughts.

How can we learn to wait well in the season we’re living?

By slowing down. Learning to see. To hear. To appreciate what is.

I mentioned I am reading a great book by Jeff Goins, “The In-Between: Embracing the Tension Between Now and the Next Big Thing.” I find I am highlighting a lot of quotable statements and phrases of Jeff’s. Good authors are noteworthy. They make you think, reflect and hopefully germinate seeds of growth and change. One of the many great things is this:

“we were made to wait, to long for things unseen. This is the place from which dreams and desires come. It’s a place of trust–and we find it not in the resolution, but in the incompletion.”

I ponder and ponder his statement: we were made to wait. I think if we were made to wait it would be easier to do, like breathing. But waiting is a discipline; a learned skill. Anything we learn we must go through the cycle of learning: practice, make mistakes, adjust, try again, repeat.

Is it possible to be free of the challenge that waiting brings? Do we have to simply muddle through? Is there a source of help to get better at waiting? Yes I think it’s possible. Have I arrived there yet? No way!

Like so many things in life, waiting well is skill learned through process of trial/practice/error. The critical piece is what we do with the error. Grace or guilt? Gain wisdom or grow bitter?

Wait isn’t on the list of spiritual disciplines directly but it’s implied. Learning to wait is part of our spiritual development. Patience is in the list of fruit of the Spirit of God. Psalm 46:10 says “Be still and know that I am God.”

Learning to wait is God’s idea. What we do in response to His idea can be our personal measure of our own spiritual maturity; not to judge others but to see where we are still growing.

I am learning to wait well. I don’t wait well yet. Process. How about you?

A Great Habit is Hard to Start

January 5, 2014 By Lisa Lewis

It’s that time of year! Lots of posts about resolutions and reforms. New habits to develop in place of habits that haven’t helped all that much last year. I have started and stopped my share of resolutions believe me! But I am here to tell you it is possible to make lasting changes! It all happens one choice at a time. One moment at a time.

You’ve heard this before so I’m not going to reiterate the process of change but I do want to share the most incredible great habit I have finally formed and have seen the long term benefits from: daily Bible reading for 365 consecutive days.

I am having the most amazing experience this year. But I need to back up a tad to give you some perspective. In 2011 I challenged myself to do something I had never accomplished. I had started and stopped countless times, but that time I was going to finish. I had called myself a Christian for 30 years and had never read the Bible all the way through front to back Genesis to Revelation. I know I know what kind of person hops around and cherry picks the books to read out of the whole Book? Apparently I’m not alone. Lots of people start a daily Bible reading plan and stop part way through. Three years ago I said, I’m doing this and with the help of a great app You Version I was able to read the Bible all the way through. I got jazzed about completing something as daunting as that was since I had started and stopped too many times to count. My enthusiasm carried me into the next year and I did it again! Two years in a row!

Well last year I hemmed and hawed during the first week of January; was I going to simply read the Bible through again? Wouldn’t that be boring to just do the same thing? Then I saw that You Version had a Bible reading plan called Reading God’s Story: the Chronological Bible. I decided I was going read that plan to change it up.

Well since I took the whole week to decide if and then what I was going to do, I am still finishing the chronological Bible. But, this year our former church is reading through the Bible in a year together, so I chose a different plan and started on Jan 1. So here is where the amazing experience comes in.

Right now I am reading the last book of the Bible in my last year’s plan while reading the first book of the Bible in this year’s plan. The beginning and the end. The Alpha and the Omega. Our pastor Tim encourages us to read the Bible looking for Jesus whether we’re in Genesis or Leviticus or Psalms or the minor prophets. Look for Jesus and His influence. He’s there throughout the book.

As I am reading the promise to Abraham I read of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. It’s an amazing trajectory from beginning to end but I have to say, the last book is as exciting now as reading C.S.Lewis’ The Last Battle in Chronicles of Narnia. I guess what I am trying to say is the Book is full of adventure, intrigue, Mystery, suspense and Love. You should read it!

Change it Up

January 3, 2014 By Lisa Lewis

This is lovely sketch was made by artist Rebekah Leigh Marshall. I am found her work online. I’m fond of tandem bicycling…

I’m four months into my 57th trip around the sun. That is a sobering statement. Oddly it is also an invigorating challenge.

What new things can I learn to do? What old things can I make better? What about my character needs refining? What about my character needs sharing? Where are my gifts, talents and skills needed?

Those are some of questions I have pondered prior to the beginning of the New Year, 2014. And like most people I have lists: lists for groceries, projects, tasks, reading, writing to people; you name it. I probably have written a list. But this year isn’t about lists.

I’ve learned some things about myself in these many annual trips: I like some things to stay the same and I like to change some things. Unfortunately the things I’d like to stay the same are completely out of my influence to remain the same. (think children growing up and moving away). The things that I’d like to change and are completely within the realm of my influence to accomplish I have often not accomplished. blegh.

As I have pondered my lists and recognized my one very-within-reason-to-change character flaw, I chose the word for my change-it-up efforts for the year: Resolve. I explained my choice more fully here.

My firm commitment is not just to complete my lists. Or change a character trait. Although those are both great things to commit to accomplishing. No my firm commitment is to live out the words of Paul to the church at Corinth. Near the end of his letter he wrote this: “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

Now a casual reading might give the impression this about being stodgy and stiff; that you’re supposed to never change and never rest. And like most times when we take a verse of Scripture out of its context we can run the risk of misinterpreting what is there for us. So a brief interlude for a valuable point of history:

Paul wrote to the church at Corinth because they had started to live their lives like everyone else around them rather than following the teachings of Jesus as they had been shared by Paul. The church had the same values as the culture. Paul spent a lot of specific writing reminding the Christ followers what it means to actually follow Christ. And near the end of his letter he encourages them to “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

Knowing the context helps me to try to make sense for my own life of following along the Way. I need to break things down into little pieces that I can somewhat wrap my head around. So here’s what I’ve learned in looking at this verse and why I’ve ended up with the one word Resolve for my focus this year.

Steadfast is not a word we use in daily conversations. Why not? Maybe our culture doesn’t support a word like this; listen to the definitions: fixed in direction; a steadfast gaze. firm in purpose, resolution, faith; a steadfast friend. unwavering. What is steadfast in our culture?

Abounding is also another word lost to our regular speech. Too bad. It’s a cool word. It originates from Latin and means overflow, or run over.

So stitching these word meanings into this verse helps me see that as a Christ follower what I do in my life with the Lord (which is everything because He lives in me, in you if you name His name) isn’t wasted. It’s not in vain. I can be fixing my gaze on Christ, getting to know Him more and more, and overflow with what He shows me in His Word. So, how I live my life, how I speak to others, how I spend my time, how I show grace to those who hurt me, how I forgive and forgive and forgive again, is not just me going through the motions. It is God at work. Changing it up in me, making me look more like Jesus every day. WOW!

I need to get on His two seater bike and be in tandem with Him. And what a ride it has been so far; He promises the adventure of a lifetime!

He has promised many good things but most of all His abiding Presence. Life here does not get any better than living daily with the awareness of His very real Presence.

I resolve to be on the bike in Tandem with Jesus.

What are you changing up this year?

Please also visit Rebekah

30 Days of Giving #20: Rhythm

November 20, 2013 By Lisa Lewis

As a little girl it took me a long time to spell this word correctly. In the logic side of my brain there are no vowels in the word rhythm. Unless you learned the “and sometimes y” rule of spelling.

It’s a great word really: rhythm; not a new word to our language at all. If you know your ancient languages, Greek precedes Latin in history and both languages have definitions that English has absorbed. The Greek language gave us the word rhythm from their word rhythmos which means measured flow or movement; Latin said rhythmus meant “movement in time”.

Think music. As I write this my percussionist hubster is packing his drumstick bag into our suitcase in the next room. We fly to Florida tomorrow where he is attending his alma mater’s marching band reunion for the first time since he graduated from UF (in the previous century).

He is all about rhythm. Tapping foot, thumping fingers, trilling tongue; rhythm is always happening. I think his mother must have the patience of Job because both Colin and his next younger brother are percussionists so drumming and banging went on in their home all the time. Thankfully for her, they are both gifted musically, so they actually made music not just noise.

The Greek word rhythmos doesn’t stop at music. Listen to these further definitions: arrangement, order, form, shape.

Think seasons. There is an arrangement, an order to the seasons; spring: full of anticipation of new growth; summer: showing off signs full fruit & flower; fall: arms full of abundance and colors change while temperatures cool; winter: blanketed with gray or white to rest from growing.

We expect seasons. We need the order of seasons. We look for and live by the rhythm of the seasons. How many times have you heard someone comment on the out of sync display of Christmas merchandise in mid-October? This jars the rhythm that we have come to expect and need.

But the Greeks didn’t stop with music or seasons in their definition of rhythmos: they also used the word to identify “soul disposition”. Now here is a definition of rhythm that can use some exploring!

What is the disposition of a soul? How does a soul demonstrate rhythm? How does one practice soul rhythms?

I, by no means, have this thought through all the way or clearly understood or even developed within me, but there are lots of people who have gone before us who’ve pondered and shared what they learned as they practiced soul rhythms. I have gone through seasons of reading books by authors who lived hundreds of years ago, gleaning what I could from their experiences.

My #1 all time favorite read of this nature is Practicing the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. In the thin book, a collection of letters compiled by a friend, Brother Lawrence told of his deepening journey of faith through the rhythms of his daily life.

What are your current rhythms of daily life? Do they bring you through awareness of your need for rest, re-creation, growth, giving out, work, renewal? Is your soul full or starved? Do you feel abundance or stretched thin over too many responsibilities?

These two are on my shortlist to read. They each have wisdom to offer to help with my soul rhythm. I want to get in sync with what God is doing and not miss a beat.

How about you?

Learning to Let Go

August 28, 2013 By Lisa Lewis

If you’ve been stopping by for any length of time you know I have the habit of facing hard things. I don’t do that because I am masochistic. I truly believe that God calls each of us to change. I also know how much easier it is to simply live life on auto pilot without really engaging in the process of change.

As a Christ follower you can call change by several names: becoming more Christ-like. Sanctification. Transformation. Dying to self. Learning to Let Go. John the Baptist said it this way: “I must decrease that He might increase.”

I started this post in May. I am finishing it in August. I have experienced the lessons of letting go quite a lot in these 3 months. Our youngest graduated from high school and then took a 3.5 week tour through Europe with a friend; we rented out our home of 15 years; we have moved 3 times so far since June; we deposited our son in his dorm 3000 miles from home; we will be leaving our church community of 18 years and moving again 2 times before the end of September. I mention all this so you know I have some ‘cred’ when I tell you what I’ve learned in the process.

You can take Jesus at His Word. When He said ” I am with you always” He means always.

He showed Himself trustworthy years ago when I didn’t know what trust was supposed to look like. He showed Himself faithful to me when I ignored Him. Jesus has lovingly restored me after my denials just as He did with Peter.

He walked with me through the heartache of letting go: of loved ones when they passed from this life; of the home where we raised our sons; of the sons as they moved on to their next season of life with us as cheerleaders from a long distance; of familiar places, sights, sounds and smells; of my daily routine, just to name a few. So thankful Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.

The most amazing thing happens when I open my clenched fingers to let something or someone go: Jesus is there to take my hand in His. While my fingers have been squeezed tight around a relationship or a thing or my way I haven’t been fully able to cling to Him. The stuff has gotten in the way of a closer walk with Jesus.

Now I want you to know that just because He has asked me to let go in so many ways does not mean that is how He will work in your life. I do know God wants our whole hearted devotion and if there is something or someone that has a higher priority in your time and attention than God does, He may ask you to let go so you can receive a greater thing: a closer, deeper relationship with Him.

He is my constant. He asked me to let go of things that I held dear in little ways as I’ve walked with Him. Serving others instead of myself; giving away items that I treasure; keeping my mouth shut when I want to say ‘I know better’; I learned to let go first of little things before He called me to these big things this year. Because I have gotten to know Jesus well and because He has been Who He says He is, it is easier to let go. Jesus wants to be your constant too. He loves you so much. Will you let go and let Him in?

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