Tag: invitation (Page 1 of 2)

3 Things God May Use to Get You Out of Your Boat

If you live anywhere Up North like I do, you will probably know the feeling of the first summer excursion on “the lake” – always Memorial Day weekend. It may be 30 degrees or 70 degrees, but it’s usually blustery and you wear the Minnesota “uniform” of sweatshirt and shorts.

It’s the weekend when all the boat piers get put in and you’re so anxious for it to truly be summer that you screw up your courage and jump into the icy cold water at least once to say you did.

Remember the “Memorial Day Weekend jump-in-the-lake” story in the Gospels? It’s a dark and windy night on the Sea of Galilee in Matthew 14 when the disciples are in their boat alone and are being “buffeted by the waves”.

Jesus scares them by coming out to them walking on the water (you know, the way you do if you’re God, right?). He reassures the disciples that it really is Him and not the Ghost of Christmas Past, but Peter says “Prove it! If it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.”

Jesus says “Ok, come on out!”

Peter clambers over the side of the boat and starts walking, but then he looks around him at what the wind is whipping up and starts to sink.

Like a harness on a ropes course, Scripture says, “Jesus didn’t hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand.”  

What was it that motivated Peter to get out of the boat? Jesus’ invitation? Fear of the alternative without Jesus? A sense of adventure?

This story got me thinking about the different things that prompt any of us to get out of our boats of same ol’ same ol’.

3 things that God may use to get out of your boat:

1. Invitation (this may be the least likely one, so read on!)

I had a lunch meeting nine years ago.  The purpose was for me to help a World Vision guy do some brainstorming and networking.  At least that’s what I thought.

I’m pretty creative.  I’m good at ideas.  I’m also good at making work for other people.  It’s a gift.  So I was feeling good about meeting with Bradley (the guy) and giving him some ideas.  That is until he finished telling his story, turned to me and said, “I want you to run a half-marathon with Team World Vision to raise money for clean water in Zambia.”

What the what?!  Not much surprises me.  Even less than that leaves me speechless. This did.

I don’t run.  Unless I’m running from a bear.

As I reflected on the possibility, Fear whispered in my ear:

  • What if you really can’t do it?  What if you don’t finish?
  • What if you let people down?
  • What if you don’t raise any money?

Honestly, one of the loudest whispers was:  This will be a painful, grueling boatload of work and you don’t want to do it.

But there was this invitation that said, “Get out of the boat. This is more important than your discomfort.”

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Years ago in Zambia I danced with women as a well was dug and fresh water gushed out.  They sang “Come and see what God has done.”  The old woman next to me spoke in wonder “He saw us. He answered our prayers.”  I thought, “Wouldn’t be incredible to part of an answer to someone’s prayers?”I think, in this case, God’s answer to the fear of getting out of my boat was “What if I run with you and do something bigger in and through you for others than you think is possible?”

Sometimes an invitation from others is also an invitation from God to get out of your boat.

2. Loss

Six years ago, a dear friend of ours died suddenly, leaving his wife as a relatively young widow. Her grief was intensified as well-meaning people made thoughtless comments or unhelpful gestures.

As an introvert, she would have liked to stay curled up in her bed all day every day, but instead, she got out of her boat (that looked like a bed). She created a class to help people learn to sensitively walk alongside their friends experiencing trauma or loss. This was hard and scary, but it gave her purpose in the midst of her grief, and it equipped others in a much needed way.

Sometimes stepping out of your boat means turning mourning into mission.

3. Need

About 10 years ago our daughter Maggie was doing a summer internship at a girls’ school in northern Uganda. Her job was to create a sex ed curriculum, but in the process of discerning where to start, she discovered that most of the girls were missing 3-4 days of school a month when they had their period, because they lacked resources to buy sanitary napkins (tampons are culturally inappropriate). There was a need that had huge consequences for the education of girls.

Maggie could have just stuck to her assignment, but getting out of her boat meant finding ways to innovate. The school included training the girls in sewing, so Maggie googled how to make reusable sanitary napkins and taught the girls how to make their own.

For her husband, Austin, getting out of his boat looked like carrying cartons of disposable sanitary napkins I had collected here in the states through customs on his first international trip. He delivered them to Maggie in Uganda, so they could also keep a closet of these for emergency needs.

Sometimes stepping out of your boat means tackling insufficiency with innovation.

Can you relate to any of these? Has there been a time when you’ve been prompted to “get out of your boat”? What happened? Share in comments!


What Hospitality Looks Like

Last week, we drove down a shady street of starter homes built in the 50’s and pulled up to our friends’, a few minutes after 6:00 on a perfect Minnesota summer evening.

Dad and sons 5, and 7 years old, were playing catch with their new gator/Covid masks on as they waited for us to arrive.

In their front yard a giant oak tree stretched a green leafy canopy over 4 “big people” chairs and 2 kid-sized chairs socially distanced in a circle. These, with our friends and a table of drinks welcomed us.

We smiled wide, exclaiming greetings, so happy to see each other, but resisting the urge to hug.

We talked about books and church and politics and family and transitions with the easy grace of people who have known each other for some seasons. The boys darted around, alighting once in awhile to join in the conversation like puppies, curious for a time and then gone once more to follow a bright new distraction.

Last night we drove out to a friend’s house on a lake for dinner. She greeted us with hair still damp from the shower – her very presence saying “Come as you are!” We sat on her deck that felt like a treehouse above the lake, and caught up over wine til raindrops chased us inside.

We rummaged in her drawers and set the table as she extinguished a fire on the grill and brought in charred flatbread with tomato, mozzarella and pesto that we gobbled up with laughter, and questions about life and self-understanding, conflict and reconciliation.

These two recent experiences were reminders to me of what true hospitality looks like.

  1. It risks inviting. We do a lot in our home so it is less common for us to be the invited ones. How delightful it feels to be asked over!
  2. It says, “You are so welcome here! Make yourself at home. This is us and you belong.” Real makes people relax.
  3. It focuses on what’s important – being present to people, not stressed with performance. People remember how you made them feel, not how fancy you were.
  4. It asks good questions, tells good stories, and fills us up with reminders of the goodness of God and His people.

We are not made for isolation. Yes, gathering looks different in this cautious season of Covid, but we still get to reflect the welcoming heart of God.

What has your experience of hospitality been recently?

Soul Food that Seeks to Make Space for Everyone

Romans 15:7 ESV from She Reads Truth

With presidential election debates starting, and tweets flying, I’m even more aware of how polarized we have become.

Add to that the isolation that can come with technology and social media and we can drift into loneliness and despair if we don’t fix our eyes on Jesus who made room for all of us.

Here are some resources that help us make space and understand others who are different from us…

If you are a Mama with kids still at home,

if you’re prone to comparison,

if you want to be an advocate for the unique way God created your kids,

if you want your kids or grandkids to understand and value others who are different from them, this is a book for you.

“If we make space in our lives for certain kinds of people, but not others, we will never know the fullness of God, or understand the depth of God’s love for humanity.”

I read Heather Avis’ first book (a memoir), called The Lucky Few about her journey with infertility and adoption of two kids with Down’s Syndrome and one from Haiti. Even if I hadn’t liked that book (I did), and even if I hadn’t heard her talk on this podcast, I think I still would have bought this book just for the title – Scoot Over and Make Some Room!

Another book I loved was this one.

What to Say Next is a fictional story by Julie Buxbaum is about a teenage boy with Aspergers and the friendship that develops between him and a girl who has lost her father in a car accident. This is not written from a Christian worldview, but is a beautiful story about community and understanding.

Also, check out “Tea with Strangers.” Fascinating article on what one man is doing to combat loneliness! https://nyti.ms/2Lo9QvL

And…One of the organizations I love that is working for peace and understanding among Palestinians and Israelis, is The Parents Circle. It was started by Israeli and Palestinian parents who have lost children in the conflict. They are unified by their losses. They work to promote understanding, reconciliation and peace. One of the fascinating ways they do that is through “Embroidering for Peace.”

Palestinian women to teach Israeli women Palestinian embroidery.  Through art and culture, we found a bridge to engage some who would normally shy away from  dialogue activities. 

the parents circle

Also, you might want to go back and look at the “Neighboring Challenge” series of posts I did a couple of years ago.

A couple of Instagram feeds I like that go with this theme…

This is so convicting! Let’s change this statistic! You can hold me accountable!

Lastly, some comfort food! How about inviting someone over for dessert this week? 🙂

Gail’s Peach “Pie” (it’s kind of like a creamy cheesecake with peaches on top – so yummy!)

“Crust”:

  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1 ts. baking powder
  • 1/2 ts. salt
  • 3 oz. NON-INSTANT vanilla pudding
  • 3 TB soft butter
  • 1/2 cup milk

Beat for 2 minutes. Pour into buttered 10″ glass pie plate. Place a large can of sliced, drained peaches on batter (but RESERVE 3 TB of juice).

Filling:

  • 8 oz. cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 TB reserved peach juice

Spoon over peaches leaving 1 inch around edges.

Topping:

  • 1 TB sugar
  • 1/2 ts. cinnamon

Mix and sprinkle over filling. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

What have you been reading, or learning about making space for everyone? I’d love to hear from you!

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When Everyone is Looking For You

Yesterday I was shopping, cleaning, cooking – preparing for family who would arrive from out-of-town for a week-long visit. I multi-tasked, prepping everything along with all the regular “stuff” of life like meetings and writing assignments.

Creating time and space to connect with friends or family takes discipline and intentionality, but as we sat with dessert on the patio last night, I thought, how sweet the rewards.

It’s easy to go on “auto-pilot” with relationships, especially with Jesus who is so…polite. He never pushes His way in. Never demands time with us. He waits for us to come to Him.

Last week I introduced some devotional cards a friend and I have created around this theme, “Come”.

This morning, here’s the card I sat with.

If you are a mom of toddlers, or a boss, or a planning an event, I know you can relate to these words!

This verse comes after a very full 24 hours of ministry. Jesus gets up early and goes off alone to pray.

In Mark1 there are three places Jesus uses the word “Come” – each of them very different in context, but each of them speak to me of a reason why it was so important for Him, in the midst of crazy busy, to be alone with His Father. Here are three reasons for us to come to Him too:

  1. Imitate and Model

In Mark 1:17 Jesus calls the disciples, “Come follow me.”

Jesus invited (and invites) people to follow Him, but even He needed to be replenished in order to continue to lead.

People are watching us. They are following us. In 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul writes, “So imitate me, watch my ways, follow my example, just as I, too, always seek to imitate the Anointed One.”

2. Power up

In Mark 1:25 Jesus defies evil, casting out a demon, saying with confidence, “Be quiet! Come out of him.”

When we spend time with Jesus we are reminded that this same authority that gave Him power, lives in us through His Holy Spirit. We may be weak, but “greater is He who is in [us] than he who is in the world.”

3. Remember

In Mark 1:38 When the disciples find Jesus He says they will all head to some nearby villages for Him to preach because “That is why I have come.”

Time alone with the Lord grounds us and reminds us of our purpose. As I read God’s Word He tells me again who I am and whose I am.

Which of these do you need most this morning?

Do you know a graduate or a friend who might like a month’s worth of cards inviting them to  come away with Jesus?

 

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Invited, Part 1

One of my favorite times is in the hours before guests arrive at our front door and shed their hats and boots.

Some are nervously wary, like deer in the woods, others eagerly expectant, diving into hugs and conversation like happy golden retrievers.

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Before they arrive, I love the prep, the anticipation – the chopping of veggies and lighting of candles, the prayer that each person would feel our delight in them, the strategy considering flow and food.

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Hospitality is a gift I relish. I love connecting people around a table with thoughtful questions and laughter and meaningful conversation.

But whether the idea of opening your home makes you want to do a jig, or curl up in a fetal ball and hide, it’s still a spiritual practice.

We practice inviting because Jesus invites us.

As we include and gather and host, we mirror the image of God in us, welcoming all around His table.

Recently at a prayer gathering, we did this exercise. Continue reading

Love Invites

I’m kind of bummed at the decline of real paper-feel-in-your-hands-discover-in-your-mailbox invitations. They just seem special – like someone thought, “Oh I can’t wait to see this person!” as they hand-wrote your name on the envelope.

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I love getting invitations. I love being included. I love the feeling that someone wants me around.

You do too. Don’t deny it, even if you’re shy or an introvert.

But it’s one thing to receive an invitation; it’s another thing to reach out with one.

Our new church mission statement is, “To boldly extend the invitation Jesus makes to us, to everyone.” 

These Jesus invitations rarely fit in embossed envelopes though.

They are personal, face-to-face invitations  extended to neighbors, family, and friends, which can be scary because, well, what if they reject me? (That’s what it feels like, right? Rejecting ME, not Jesus, not the church, not just my invitation) What if they slam a door, literal or figurative, in my face?

Love invites, because Jesus invites:

  • “Come, follow me,” Mt. 4:19 (and a bazillionty other times)
  • “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Mt. 11:28
  • “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” John 1:39
  • “…go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.” Mt. 22:9

“Eighty-two percent of the unchurched are at least somewhat likely to attend church if invited.” –Dr. Thom Rainer, The Unchurched Next Door.

But Jesus invites us into relationship, not religion. Continue reading

What Halloween and My Husband Taught me About God

Halloween is one of my husband’s favorite days of the year.  I know, odd for a pastor, right?

The PC answer should be Easter, right?  And yes, it IS the most important, but John’s love of Halloween has taught me something about God.

He likes Halloween because it brings him so much joy to welcome kids with enthusiasm, handing out candy and oohing and ahhing over every single costume like they were the one and only.

He looks forward all year to parking his chair by the front door and waiting for kids to come.  Even though he’s terrible at figuring out what the costumes are, he greets each kid as if they were THE most amazing, creative, delightful goblin of the night.

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Last night he took it to a new level.  He carried his rocking chair outside and our firepit along with a jack-o-lantern and a big basket of candy.  As I was watching him it struck me how much his posture towards the kids is like God’s towards us, only we usually miss it. Kind of like the dad waiting and watching for the prodigal son to come home.

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How many times do we approach God as if the lights were out and the door locked tight?  Like we have to convince Him to care…to show up…to answer us?  Instead, the Bible says He stands at the door.

God’s the father, out watching for His kid to show up.

He’s the party-giver inviting us to a banquet.

He delights in us, sings over us.

 

The door isn’t locked.  The lights aren’t off. He is an incredibly personal God who delights in His kids who show up.

The Fool’s Bench at Easter

It’s early Easter morning as I write this at Starbucks.  Husband John has already come and gone to church to proclaim, “He is risen!” at the second of six services (The first was last night.  Weird, but I guess it was already Easter somewhere in the world)

 

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As I sit here, some come in dressed in their Easter best – pastel and fancy.  All patent leathery.  Others wander in their scruffy Sunday morning grunge – either clueless or apathetic or defiant.  I wonder which as I watch them.

Last night John got an email from some friends who have had no use for church.  It started, “You probably hate those ‘dicks’ who just show up at Christmas and Easter, but ___________(his wife) has had a rough month.  Her dad died and she may show up at your church tomorrow.” Continue reading

What I’ve Learned About God at Halloween

This is a re-post from two years ago.  I hope it’s an encouraging reminder this Halloween.


I think that Halloween is my husband’s favorite day of the year.  Odd, I know for a pastor.  The pc answer should be Easter,right?  But honestly, I think he likes Halloween best because there’s not much that brings him as much joy as handing out candy and oohing and ahhing over every single kid’s costume.  He looks forward all year to parking his chair by the front door and waiting for kids to come.  Even though he’s terrible at figuring out what the costumes are, he greets each kid as if they were THE most amazing, creative, delightful goblin of the night.

Continue reading

5 Things I’m Learning Around my Scarred Table

Tuesday we had a large group of people over for a BBQ in our backyard.  It was truly the perfect Minnesota summer evening.  Dry, 78 degrees, miraculously mosquito-free.  (for a minute I looked around thinking Jesus must be coming back).

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It was a delightful evening of good conversation and laughter, but it’s not like everything was perfect.  John burned most of the brats and 7 (yes 7!) people cancelled within an hour and a half of our start time.

It’s not like everything is always coordinated.  I’ve been known to use a hodgepodge of leftover holiday paper napkins.  Other times we’ve planned for outside but at the last minute rain has blown in or it’s been so hot and muggy we’ve had to frantically un-set and re-set for Plan B, everyone preferring to crowd in our small, but dryer, cooler house.  And I don’t always  usually handle this well.  Often I’m just a stressed out hot mess about change and flexibility.

Continue reading

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