The Stretched Blog Visits Lynn Mosher – Out of Control

Today, I’m guest posting as part of The Network for Lynn Mosher at her blog, Lynn Mosher – Devotionals That Encourage.  In my post (Out of Control:  Faith Lessons From Flight), I share some thoughts about letting go and enjoying the ride.  Here’s an excerpt to get you started.

 

This week, I’m traveling for business to the Chicago area. Last Monday, I took a flight from the Philadelphia International Airport to Chicago O’Hare Airport. I have always enjoyed flying, but I have to admit it’s become a little more challenging to fly as I’ve gotten older. I don’t like the turbulence, and I don’t enjoy the butterflies in my stomach I used to like.

While the plane was coming in for its landing, I was sitting in the back seat of the plane looking out the window. My natural tendency was to grab onto the arms of the seat and to force my feet into the pretend brake. But something made me change my mind and loosen up the tension flowing through my body.
(Click here to read the rest of this post.)

If you’re visiting from Lynn’s blog, I’m glad you stopped by.  I hope you’ll check things out and become a regular part of The Stretched Community.  You can sign up to receive daily blog updates by adding your e-mail on the main page (I promise not to send you spam).  To help you get a taste of my other writing, here are a few of my favorite posts:

• Leap of Faith
• Less Like Scars
• Ten Things Every Small Group Leader Should Know
• The Power of the Next Question
• How To Respond To The Election Results

What are you holding onto too tightly? How could loosening your grip and giving up control make your flight/life more enjoyable?

Visiting Grandma

Last night, I had the honor and blessing of visiting Grandma in Illinois.

My grandmother turned 93 years old in April.  I wrote about our last visit in a previous post.  She’s definitely a special woman.

Her health has continued to slip, and her memory is failing which is frustrating for someone who skipped to grades of school and is often referred to as the family genius.

When I arrived at her home (which is now a nursing home), the entire residence was in the middle of a tornado warning.  All the residents were lined up in the hallway in their wheelchairs with the doors closed to their rooms.  It appeared that they were getting ready for some type of wheelchair NASCAR race.  As I rounded the corner into the hallway, I was initially concerned that I might have trouble finding Grandma.  But I quickly found her lined up with the other residents eating a “Blackhawk” cookie.  (The Stanley Cup Finals started last night, and they were giving the residents “Blackhawk” cookies to help them celebrate the home team – the Chicago Blackhawks.)

She kind of smiled at me as we started to talk.  I asked her how she was doing, and I explained that I was in town for a business trip to my company’s home office.  After talking for a few minutes, she looked up at me and asked:  “What’s your name?”  The more recent year’s have clearly been unkind to Grandma’s memory.  Once I told her that I was her grandson, Jon, she seemed to spring to life as she pulled some information from the murky corridors of her brain.

Eventually, the tornado warning let up, and we went into her room where we could sit and talk.  We talked about Swedish Christmas food and about our family which is now spread from Guam to Pennsylvania and from Texas to Wisconsin.  We talked about Grandpa who passed away over six years ago and about the church where my grandparents used to be so active.  Some of the details came out clear and some were a bit cloudy.  Despite some of the confusion, it was amazing to me to see Grandma’s faith which has remained steadfast through the ups and downs of life and through the current physical and mental failings that seem to accelerate in more recent years.

Grandma has a hope for heaven.  She has a clear confidence in God.  She prays for her family – especially that they would follow Jesus.  Above her bed, she has a photo family tree that allows her to show off her two kids, seven grandchildren, and fifteen great-grandchildren (if I did the math correctly).  This photo collage also serves as her reminder to pray for each one of us.

Our visit contained laughs, smiles, some silent moments, and even a couple of tears.  As I left to return to my hotel, I told Grandma that I loved her, and I explained that I would see her next month when our family makes a swing through the Midwest on our vacation.  I’m not sure if she’ll remember our visit.  And I guess it doesn’t really matter.  For a couple of hours last night, I hope I brightened her day.  I know she brightened mine.

What is special about your grandma?

On The Go…You’re Invited

This week is a reminder that I will have several busy weeks over the next couple of months.  With that in mind, I’d like to invite you to share your stretch story here.  That’s right – I’m looking for guest post submissions to help keep things going while I’m out for a couple of weeks this summer.  In early July, I’ll be heading out-of-town to visit family in the Midwest.  And in early August, I’ll be in Guatemala.  I’d love your help, and I’d love to share your guest post here.  Leave me a comment to let me know your interest.

Thanks!

What’s one of the best guest posts you’ve read recently?  Share your link in the comments.

Book Review: When Work & Family Collide (@AndyStanley)

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to sit in the Philadelphia International Airport for several hours waiting to catch a plane to Chicago.  My plane was delayed for more than 3 hours, and the flight itself was close to 2 hours.  This gave me plenty of time to catch up on podcast episodes and reading.

I read Andy Stanley’s book, When Work and Family Collide: Keeping Your Job from Cheating Your Family.  It’s ironic that I would read this book while I was heading away from my family on a business trip.  The book is all about keeping your priorities straight especially when it comes to family.

Whether you struggle with this issue just a little bit or a lot, this is a great book for men and women alike.  It provides examples and analogies of lives in balance and out of balance, and it provides solid Biblical teaching that helps someone bring proper order to their lives.

I especially like the author’s quote:

You do your job.  You love your family.  It’s when we reverse the order that the tension escalates and the tug of war begins.

In other words, we get it all messed up when we love our job and do the family thing.  It’s easy to do.  We get stuck in unhealthy patterns of seeking approval and pursuing success through our careers, and we permit our family life to suffer.  I’m guilty of it at times, and I would guess that many of you struggle with this tension as well from time to time.

When Work and Family Collide: Keeping Your Job from Cheating Your Family is a quick and easy read, and I would recommend it to moms, dads, husbands, and wives everywhere.

How’s your family life?  How’s your work life?  What is one thing you can do this week to make sure your family knows that they are the priority?

I received this book as a gift from Chris Patton.  He writes a great blog about Christians in the workplace – Christian Faith At Work.  Go check it out, and tell him I said hello!

More Than Words (#Riot140)

I was looking through my journal and notes from about a year ago, and it seems like God was hitting me over the head with a message.  Following Christ and sharing His love is so much more than words – knowing words, memorizing words, and studying words.

While I think it’s important to read, study, and understand the Bible, I think it’s so much more important to put these teachings into action – into following Christ with our hands and feet.  This message has been hammered home in a few different but obvious mediums.

First, I was catching up on my blog reading one August Saturday morning last year when I came across this video in a blog post by Ryan Tate at Discipulus.  In the video, Francis Chan shares some simple but obvious thoughts about discipleship – what it is and what it is not.

Next, I was finishing up Love Does by Bob Goff on the same week (I shared about this book on my blog here).  Towards the end of the book, Bob offers his thoughts on Bible study:

What’s up with equating “Bible study” with knowing God anyway?  Wouldn’t it be a horrible thing if we studies the ones we loved instead of bonding in deeper ways by doing things with them?  I’d never want to get married to a girl no matter how much I studied her.  I’d rather take her sailing or fishing or eat cotton candy with her on a Ferris wheel.  I don’t think knowing what her name means in Greek is going to help me love her more.  In fact, they have a name for guys who just study things about a person they like but don’t do anything about it – they’re called bachelors.

So I started getting together with the same guys each week and instead of calling it a Bible study, we call it a “Bible doing.”  We’ve been at it for fifteen years now, and I’ve found there’s a big difference between the two.  At our Bible doing, we read what God has to say and then focus all of our attention on what we are going to do about it.  Just agreeing isn’t enough.  I can’t think of a single time where Jesus asked His friends to just agree with Him.

Finally, I was in church that Sunday morning when our guest pastor, Paul Williams, asked the question in his sermon – “What if we loved our neighbor as ourselves?”  In Paul’s sermon, he used the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) to point out that anyone and everyone is our neighbor.  Then he used the story of the Rich Young Man (Matthew 19:16-30) to remind us that we’re to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, and part of this is learning to love ourselves.  Finally, Paul turned to Matthew 22:15-40.  In this passage, the Pharisees and Sadducees are having a conversation with Jesus.  (These men were known to have the Bible (The Old Testament) memorized knowing every single law that was supposed to be followed.  At the end of this passage, Jesus answers questions thrown out with a famous passage, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  It’s that simple.  It doesn’t matter how much we know about the Bible if we’re not loving God and loving others with all we’ve got.

Bam!  Bam!  Bam!

Three times nailed over the head in a matter of 24 hours.  Do you think God was trying to tell me something?

The truth is I grew up in a pastor’s family.  I was known as the Bible geek in my freshman English class for knowing all the answers to the Bible questions.  I’ve even prided myself on the knowledge I’ve gained and retained along the way.  Knowledge is okay (and is important for maintaining a sound doctrine and for reminding us of Biblical truths and standards), but action is even more important.  James states it well:

Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  James 2:17

I get so tired of all the political back and forth that ebbs and flows and is especially loud during the key election years.  One side is trying to find the candidate who is the most Christian.  The other side is trying to find a government who will fix everything and create programs for our neighbors.  Wouldn’t it be a different world if Christians actually stepped up and loved their neighbors with action and not just words.  I think this is a challenge for all of us – including me.  And that’s how I’m being stretched right now!  I want my faith to be more than words.

How about you?  How are you loving your neighbor?  Is your faith and love for others based on words or based on action?

Ice Breaker – Note To Self 20 Years Ago

Each week on The Stretched Blog, I ask an ice breaker question.  The questions are designed to help us get to know each other here in The Stretched Community.  I’ll provide my answer to the question here in the post, and then you can leave your response in the comments.  While you’re in the comments section, see how others answered the ice breaker question.

I’m going to try something a little different for this week’s ice breaker question.  I’ll be leaving my response on video.  This is a great opportunity for me to practice speaking / vlogging.  And it also provides an opportunity for The Stretched Community to see a different side of me.  Let me know what you think.  So here goes….

Question:  If you could tell yourself anything 20 years ago, what would you say?

My Answer:  You’ll have to watch the video below.

Answer this week’s ice breaker question by leaving a comment.  I look forward to reading your response!  (As always, feel free to share links.)  And keep STRETCHING!

Words With Friends #Riot140

I have a confession.  I’m addicted to Words with Friends.  It’s a game I can play on my phone, on my laptop, or on my iPad.  It’s like Scrabble, and I can play with people all over the country.  I currently have games going with friends in Arizona, Florida, and Pennsylvania.  Feel free to look me up and challenge me to a game.

This past Sunday at youth group, our youth pastor (Adam) preached about words.  He challenged the teenagers (and adult leaders) with a reminder that our words matter.  What we say has the power to lift someone to the highest heights or drop them to the lowest valley.  Our words are a heart issue.

I’ve thought a lot about Adam’s message over the past few days.  There are many times when we seem to speak way before we think.  Do we realize that our words have power to change someone’s life?  Or are we just moving our lips in hopes that we will get noticed?

The Bible talks about how we should (or shouldn’t) use our mouths:

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.  Psalm 19:14

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  Romans 10:9

Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.  Psalm 141:3

“You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:  ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’”  Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand.  What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”  Matthew 15:7-11

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.  Proverbs 18:21

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.  James 3:3-10

I’m sure there are other verses I could reference.  Hopefully, these help you see what I’m talking about.

I want my words to matter.  I want to praise God with my lips and with my actions.  I want to lift others up and to point them towards Christ.

Jon Acuff talks about critic’s math.  “One insult plus a thousand compliments equals one insult.” 

When we insult someone – when we use our words to tear someone down, we are wiping out whatever other compliments we may have shared.  We need to be careful with how we speak to others and about others.

And so, I stretch on.

How have words changed your life?  What has someone said to you that made a positive difference in your life?  What do you need to say to someone today that will change the course of their day and maybe even their life?

Is The Church In America Backwards?

I grew up in church. My dad has been a pastor for nearly as long as I can remember. My parents were both very involved in church.  They encouraged me to be involved in church.  I’ve been in church since I was in diapers.  I greatly appreciate my church experience and the friends I’ve made through a life time of “church-centered” relationships.  I don’t think I would change those experiences and relationships for the world.  I love the church!

But I sometimes wonder….

Is the church in America focused on the right thing?

Are we focused on the experience?  Or are we focused on the mission?

We live in a day and a land of religious consumerism.  So called Christ followers wander from church to church trying to find the “right fit” – the place that makes them feel good.  People want to find a church where they fit in.  They want the biggest, coolest church or they want the smallest, most intimate church.  For so many, it’s all about the experience.  “Is my church giving me everything I want?”

I think we so often get it wrong.  As Francis Chan shares in the video clip below, we’re called to be on a mission to make disciples.  We’re called to go out and find the lost and lonely – those far from Christ.  And we’re called to help them become disciples – fully devoted followers of Christ.

Is that really what the church in America is trying to do?  Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure there are many churches who are actively trying to live out the Great Commission.  But I have to wonder if we are more often doing more harm than good when we try to Christianize America by shoving our beliefs down others throats instead of showing them the love of Christ in a practical, approachable, and life changing way.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  Matthew 28:18-20

I wonder what our country would look like if we really got it – if we really lived like we were on an urgent mission to introduce people to Christ and to help them grow in their faith.  I wonder if Evangelical Christianity would stop getting such a bad reputation.  And I wonder if we would begin to experience the kind of community that we were really intended be.

Just some thoughts.  (This isn’t directed at my church or any church specifically.  It’s just some thoughts that are running through my head – stretching me.)

What do you think?  What is the church in America doing right?  What is something you can do today or this week that follows through on this mission?

For other great articles on the church in America, check out these links:

• How to Fix American Christianity by Rob Shepherd
• Book Review: The Connecting Church 2.0 by Randy Frazee

Moving Forward (Terrie Thorpe)

Today’s guest post comes from Terrie Thorpe.  Terrie is part of The Network, a blogging community of Christ followers.  Terrie’s post shares her thoughts on moving forward.  Check out her post below and then hop on over to her blog.  Her bio and contact links appear at the end of the post.

Moving Forward

What keeps us moving forward? I have pondered this idea for sometime and this is what I come to conclude. For the Christian it is faith. But for those who do not hold to belief in Jesus, it is a form of self-motivation, ever reaching into the darkness of the future.

So what is this faith that we Christians cling to? Let me tell you what it is not:

1) It is not wishful thinking – crossing our fingers in hopes things will go right.

2) It is not an unfounded hope – believing in something impossible.

3) It is not blind – mindlessly following ancient teachings.

Faith is an uncompromising knowledge—at the heart level – of the truth of God. In the book of Hebrews, the writer expressed; “Faith is the confident assurance of what we hope for will happen. It is the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) There is only one way to know this faith and its by a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus through His Holy Spirit.  “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

The reality of faith is action. We must move forward beyond perceived boundaries to reach our goals of maturity. When we believe Jesus and receive what He said is truth, we are born again. Being born again comes with many benefits including God’s own Spirit living in us. The Holy Spirit is who leads and guides us. We grow in faith through believing and acting on what the Word of God says.

In recent years the Lord has led me in many directions. I had hoped for several years to write about my relationship with Jesus. In time my faith grew enough to write and publish two books about my experiences. I shared many of my personal trials and victories through God’s grace and truth.

When I came to Jesus, I brought a lot of baggage. Several decades of issues and misconceptions about the Lord, the Holy Bible and my position as a believer. I discovered it was those issues which held me in bondage for the longest time and prevented me from living the full life Jesus purchased for me at the cross. It is the payment at the cross which set us free.

Over the years the Lord patiently assured me of His love and presence in my life. He led me to people who could clearly explain my issues and how to get rid of the strongholds in my life. The scriptures came alive and I began to discern how to apply truth to my misconceptions. Like the layers of an onion, the Lord went deeper and deeper to heal my hurts, pains, fears that prevented me from freely loving Him. I can not say that all my issues are healed, some raise their ugly heads, but now I have a better view of God’s love for me and understand I have a part to play – I must actively get rid of things the Lord shows me are lies or harmful.

John 10:10 says “The thief comes to kill, steal and destroy – but I have come so that you may have life to the full.”

I am still amazed to what extent the Lord will go to show me that He hears my prayers, knows my thoughts and desires. How He moves in others to bring love and hope to me in the smallest of ways, like free cup of coffee, when I didn’t have money; A smile or an encouraging word from a stranger. These are some of the ways I daily encounter God as His child and His friend.

How am I moving forward these days? Knowing that the Lord goes before me and protects my flank. Even when I can’t see the outcome, I know the Lord is with me and directing my footsteps. Using the skills (courage, faith, love and forgiveness) I have learned to defeat the evil that comes against me and letting the peace of God rule in my heart because I trust in Him.

How are you moving forward today?

Bio

This is a guest post by Terrie Thorpe: author, blogger and writer of Christian Living articles. Her books  “Am I Really Saved? Answering Questions of Christians” and “Footsteps of Jesus – Becoming a Disciple” are geared toward new Christians and those who have lost their way. Enjoys hiking, gardening, reading and sharing Jesus with the world!

Follow her blog: Light for the Journey

May 2013 Top Posts and Commenters

Here are the highlights from May 2013.  Thanks to everyone who read along and commented.  Your readership and participation in the daily discussions are what make The Stretched Community.  Thank you!  Overall, traffic was up slightly from March (5.14%).  That is four straight months of growth.  I have continued to limit my posts to Monday through Friday.  Taking the weekends off has given my more time with my family along with more time to process ideas for the coming week.  The top 10 posts included two track and field themed posts and a post written by guest blogger Dan Erickson.  If you missed any of these posts, I hope you’ll go and check them out now by clicking below.  The post with the most engagement was Three Easy Stretches to Writing a Book (Dan Erickson) posted on May 29, 2013.

Top 10 Posts:

1. Book Review: Dear Dad by Sundi Jo Graham (@sundijo)  May 6, 2013 (96)
2. The Cone Of Shame  May 2, 2013 (86)
3. Rally Night TONIGHT!  May 20, 2013 (67)
4. Three Easy Stretches to Writing a Book (Dan Erickson)  May 29, 2013 (62)
5. Track & Field: 4 Lessons From The Starting Blocks  May 7, 2013 (62)
6. Guatemala – Clothing  January 29, 2013 (61)
7. Track & Field: 4 Lessons From The Hurdles  May 9, 2013 (58)
8. Connecting With Teenagers – Worth It!  May 30, 2013 (51)
9. The Impossible  May 21, 2013 (49)
10. Give Me A Break  May 24, 2013 (49)

Top Commenters:

• David Paul Stolpe (34)
• Steve Y (22)
• Dan Erickson (20)
• Larry Carter (15)
• Carol Peterson (8)
• Dan Black (8)
• David (5)
• TCAvey (5)
• Leah Adams (4)

As promised at the beginning of the month, I have randomly chosen someone from the top 10 commenters to receive a copy of The Connecting Church 2.0: Beyond Small Groups to Authentic Community by Randy Frazee.  Your chances of winning increased the more you commented and the higher you were on the list.  This winner of this book is…(drum roll)…Dan Black.  Congrats to Dan!

For the month of June, I’ll be giving away a copy of Renegade by Vince Antonucci.  Again, the more you comment the higher your chances of winning.

Thanks to each and everyone for reading and for commenting.  I’m looking forward to June with The Stretched Community!

How was your month?  If you’re a blogger share a link to your top post in the comments?  What was your favorite Stretched post this month?  How were you STRETCHED in May?