Learning Along The Way

How Do You RSVP to This Invitation?

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(photo credit: Glenn Carstens Peters via unsplash)

When I discovered this photo a tonic chord resounded in my soul. I saw it and sighed. There is such peace, such calm, a connection with the land, provision & possibility, I knew I needed to make use of it.

I spent the summer meditating and digging into three verses from the gospel of Matthew. This passage is often quoted and for good reason. It holds a beautiful invitation into this With God life:

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Simply the first 3 words of Matthew 11:28-30. And yet there is no simplicity in the RSVP to this invitation.

In an RSVP we either say Yes or we say No.

Yes I will Come to You Jesus. I will come in the morning and hang out with You in silence with my coffee. Yes I will come to You when I drive on the freeway or when I take the kids to school or on my run or as I do dishes, laundry, answer email, wipe noses, change diapers, clean the house, whatever.

OR

No I can’t come to You Jesus. I’m too busy. I’ve got to take care of all the things before I can consider sitting down to read my Bible.

This invitation isn’t the Salvation invitation. This is the How You Live Your Day Invitation.

Theology calls it Sanctification.

How do You RSVP to this invitation?

If you’re anything like me, the answer changes moment by moment. Sometimes Yes Sometimes No I’m off doing my own thing.

I pray that I am more like Jesus today than I was yesterday and that I will become more like Him tomorrow than I am today. But I am easily distracted. In fact, I am convinced that I can distract myself! I don’t need anyone else to do that for me.

I desire to be saying a sincere Yes to this beautiful, simple and yet incredibly challenging invitation.

How do You RSVP to this invitation?

Speaking of invitations, I am taking the #Write31Days challenge again. This year I am writing daily over at Lisa Lewis Coaching. I’d love to have you visit and of course, share your thoughts.

 

It’s November! What’s Next?

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Since November is often identified with things we’re thankful for, I’ve decided to spend some of my blog focus this month on books I’m thankful for.

I have a long list of fiction and non-fiction books that have been a delight to me over many years and recent titles as well; some overtly spiritual and those whose authors are spiritual people but have written in an under wraps manner.  I hope you’ll find this series one that encourages you to read (or re-read) at least one of these recommendations.

Today I want to express my love and appreciation for the book My Utmost for His Highest.

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I first heard of this book in 1996. I had recently joined a Bible study at our new church. The woman who spoke at the Bible study simply quoted from the devotional, but the quote really resonated with me. At the time our sons were ages 7 and 1. I was a busy woman to say the least.

“My determined purpose is to be my utmost for His highest—my best for His glory.”

It hit me like a sock in the stomach. How was I determined? What was my purpose? Mostly to get through the day, not focusing on being the best person I could be; more like not killing my sons or yelling at my husband. That quote both convicted me and sent me to our local Christian bookstore, the Parable. I found a hardbound “modern” version that was on sale and scooped it up.

I have used the daily devotional as a journal of sorts. I didn’t think much about it at first but as I have read and re-read I write the year next to my underlining and I am reminded of what I was going and growing through at the time.

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Oswald Chambers spoke these words, he didn’t actually  write these entries.  His wife was a stenographer before they married and kept herself focused during Oswald’s lectures at the Bible Training College of London by taking down her husband’s words as he spoke them.  It wasn’t until after Oswald’s untimely death at the early age of 43 that she was encouraged to compile his lectures into the format we know now.

I have read this devotional for 18 years. It is the greatest tool in God’s hands in my spiritual growth; second only to the Bible itself.  Oswald is not an encourager. There is no fluff. He often calls me out in a very direct manner pointing out an area of my life that hasn’t been brought to God in the process of being made like Christ. Oswald used vocabulary that was common to his day which was late 1800s to 1917 when he died from complications of an emergency appendectomy. No antibiotics in those days.

From today’s entry:

“Will I surrender to Jesus Christ, placing no conditions whatsoever as to how the brokenness will come?”

No fluff. Just straightforward questions and pointing us to our need for staying close and reliant upon the Holy Spirit to live ‘worthy of the calling with which we have been called.’

If you are looking for a daily devotional that will challenge you to grow in your faith and trust of God you need look no further.

My Utmost for His Highest–my best for God’s glory. I am truly thankful for the teachings of Oswald Chambers. God has used them in my life for His glory.

Learning to Ask for Help

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Is it easy for you? To ask for help I mean.

It’s not easy for me.

I was brought up with the mindset that you take care of yourself.  It’s great to help others but not great to need help.

Sayings like

“God helps those who help themselves.”

(Not in the Bible. Therefore, not Biblical.)

Or the American West adage: “Pull yourself up by your bootstraps”  were often repeated by adults in my hearing.

ME Calendar SayingSometimes it’s good for me to remember not all sayings are valuable all the time. (although this ME illustration might always be helpful!)

An early memory of what to expect when I was needy: sometime between the ages of 4 and 7 I fell down and skinned both my knees really badly.  My mom was busy dealing with my younger brother (who was 4 years younger than me) and she told me that the Bactine and Band aids were in the bathroom.  I remember thinking two things: I was supposed to take care of stuff myself and my mom liked my brother better. (irrational thinking but an imprint nonetheless)

So each time I have needed the help of others in my life (which have been many) I have to battle the internal dialog telling me the wrong things about the fact that I need help.

Anybody else?  Raise your hand! (Or let me know in the comments.)

Truth is we all need help. And asking others to help invites real connection. If I’m honest with what I am dealing with, my honesty gives you permission to be honest with others, too. That’s a good thing.

So here goes: I need your help.  I actually really want your help.  I’m not just saying this.

I have been working on three different writing projects for awhile now and have come to the place where I want to step forward to complete one.  What a novel concept! Finish what you start? Who would have thought that has value? (heavy sarcasm here)

Here are the 3 projects: a memoir using sea glass as the metaphor; a devotional using gardening as the metaphor; a Bible study of Romans 12.

I want to know what you would like to read. I need to hear from you.

I plan to integrate my blog posts as part of my focus on one writing project.  Your help in getting me to focus will be greatly appreciated.

Here’s how you can help specifically:

1. Take this private survey to help me know what you like to read.  No one but me will see the answers and the results come to me anonymously.

2. Write a comment at the end of this post. Tell me which idea you like best: sea glass; gardening or Bible study.  Again, if you tell me please don’t publish your comment I won’t.

3. Connect with me through email lisa@learningalongtheway.com

4. Leave a comment on the facebook page.

I am thankful for each one of you who read this blog. No matter where you live. Thank you.

I am learning to ask for help. Won’t you take a few minutes?

 

 

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