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Update #184 - Trust

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know.” Proverbs 3:5

My Dad and me last Christmas

My dad, at his zenith, was about 6’5” tall. He could see over most of the multitude and find a path pretty easy out of a crowded auditorium. My mom, 5’7” was of average height in my home town and couldn't see – plus she HATES crowds.  This lead to the affectionately known “Andrews Exit Strategy.” Whenever my family went to sporting events or crowded auditorium affairs upon exiting my mom would always stand behind my dad.  Her finger would hook through one of his belt-loops and sometimes her head would rest between his shoulder blades.  Her steps would match his as they zigzagged out of the crowded amphitheater together.

I am not a big fan of crowds or crowded places either.  The Hong Kong subway system, albeit orderly, clean and quiet was bordering on overwhelming people-wise for me; we were practically sitting on each other’s laps or standing on others’ feet! Thank God I had my friend Gwyn with me. She, dissimilar to my dad, is petite, can’t see above heads (unlike me, the giantess of Hong Kong, or so I felt) but she knew her way around and zipped from one train to the next, through one turnstile to the next, from one stairwell to the next without looking at a map or consulting signposts.  I just tried to keep up with my tiny friend. The hardest part was picking her dark locks out from all the rest of the black-haired beauties! I should have tied a bright orange scarf around her head!

I had no clue where I was, where we were going but I knew we were using a subway to get there.  I put my trust in Gwyn and followed. Same with my mom – she knew they were on the way to the car but how they were getting there (ramps, stairs, elevators, sidewalks) was an unknown to her. She put her trust in my dad, kept her head down, and watched his feet.

How much do you understand about your existence? How much do you really know about where you are going, the path you are on, or the upcoming events (known or unknown) in your life?  I don’t know much. I think I get things sorta figured out then something changes, and my view shifts.

Who do you trust to lead you through the crowd of decisions, life choices and options presented to you? Who knows their way around? Who can see up ahead? Who can see over all the clamor to the ultimate destination? Who has the orange scarf tied to their head?

I hope you said God.  I hope you are relying on him to help you make decisions, determine life choices, and ferret out options.  I hope he is the one guiding you, giving you the scope of the land and describing the ultimate destination.  Anyone else could have faulty information, not know a road has been closed or that a once viable opportunity is no longer valid or available.

Who is your orange scarfed front runner? If it isn't God, why?

Updates:
Work – Brett is off to Toronto without me.  The speaking schedule changed and he can handle 30 people while blindfolded and handcuffed… so I get to stay in 80 degree California and while he tolerates 50 degree, rainy Toronto (I think I got the better deal!).
Personal – I am still battling a head cold. I am completely wiped by the end of the day and uber ready for bed, but I am able to make all my appointments and work obligations (thank God).  It is SLOWLY improving, but I am sick of being sick! My voice is MUCH better – thanks for praying!

Requests:
Work – Craziness is coming! We wrap our 13 week training cycle on the 3rd, start the Executive Intensive the 7th, commission everyone the 13th and then Brett, Lyn and I head to South Africa the 22nd to conduct ventures back to back (one in Johannesburg, one in Cape Town).  We need more attendees for the Intensive and more consultants for both ventures… we have a full client load!
Personal – My cold to go away, for our intercession team to grow not only in numbers but in depth of spirit, and for protection of my family while I am away. Also for my side trip to the UK on my way home – I know, I know, seeing London in November isn’t prime, but it works in the schedule!  Prayer for planning, places to stay, what sites to see, etc.

PS If you would like to donate toward my travel and ministry fund I would appreciate it!  I am currently fundraising for my trips to Johannesburg and Cape Town ($4k total) and my airfare (almost $3K!!!). All the info you need is located here:  http://www.denagrace.com/support. Thank you in advance for your generosity!

Update #183 - Heart Desire

Santa Cruz, CA

“…He guided them to the harbor they had longed for.” Psalm 107:30

Do you believe God knows the deepest desires of your heart?  Do you believe he cares about what they are and wants to make them happen?

Me? Honestly, some days, no.  Some days my life circumstances are screaming so loud, the everyday life happenings are going down in ways I didn’t anticipate and my life is the absolute antithesis of what my heart desires.  I want a family of my own, I want a house I can nest in, I want a husband, I want to be married, I want to go on vacation, I want, I want, I want, I want…

There are days / weeks / months I feel like I am in storm-tossed waters.  I know the truth, I believe in the truth, but I can’t see even a smidgen of the truth through the overwhelming, swamping waves, trying to take the boat of my life to the seabed!  I can’t jump out; where would I go? I can’t change course; I can’t even tell where I am! I can’t steer or calibrate, the winds are too rough and the waves too big. I am exhausted with the work of trying to keep my life afloat - all my skills seem meaningless, useless.  I give up; I cling to the deck, the foundation, and pray everything stays together while the storm rocks my life.

Ever felt that way?

In Psalm 107 there is a similar situation – but it is about real sailors and waves.  The song tells the story of seamen fighting for their lives, their courage melting, and how they finally cling to the deck in surrender and submission to the storm; crying out for God to save them.

And he does. “He led them from their troubles” verse 28 says.  Then God, in verse 29, “… made the storm calm down, and the waves became still.” Then “he guided them to the harbor they had longed for.” God guided them into their desired haven – not one they didn’t want to go to, not one they hated, not one they had sorta-kinda wanted to visit… he led them to their DESIRED destination.

This gives me hope.  I think it would take a pretty rough sea to have mariners clinging to decks. I think it must have been a staggering storm with crushing waves and engulfing troughs to have seasoned seaman lose all courage. They encountered an awe-inspiring storm and cried out to God, and God showed up.  Then, in his loving-kindness, not only saved them but led them to their hearts desire.

Do I really believe God has the best intended for me? That the storm I am facing, will face, will ultimately turn out for my benefit?  I think our stance / belief on these questions is the heart of the issue.  If I believe the overwhelming wave of emotion I am experiencing, the pain slicing through my heart I am feeling, the engulfing sadness I am suffering will somehow, someway, work for my best, it makes it tolerable. I have more grace for the situation and for the offender. I have a tidbit of expectation and anticipation. I want to see how God is going to turn this around, how HE is going to make this better.

I believe God will calm the storm and he will, eventually, lead me toward the desires of my heart.  The question is, will I cooperate or fight the process? Will I listen and obey even if it doesn’t make sense or will I fight my own way, on my own strength, on my own strategy?

What storm or storms are you encountering in your life? Can you see a way out or are you overwhelmed? Have you cried out to God or are you fighting with all your talents, skills and past successes? What is the desire of your heart?

Updates:
Work – The Big Weekend, our semi-annual retreat, was last weekend and the stories of God’s amazing love and care are still being realized and reported. Thank you to all the alumni who travelled long distances to serve, pray and hang out with the trainees (much love to you Clint, Khanh, Elaine, Annie, Norman and Shelley!)
Personal – I am battling a head / chest cold that is holding on, and on, and on.  My energy level is ok, but I sound like a frog and by the end of the day my voice is depleted.  A return of health would be great!
Cool thing – prior to the retreat weekend we pray over the participants and then assign rooms/roommates.  Linh and I worked on this early last week.  On Friday, while she was driving to the retreat center, she felt she needed to switch two of the women into different rooms. She followed her “gut instinct” and made the swap.  She found out later that one of the parings of roommates was “divine” and God did A-Mazing thing while they shared a room for the weekend.

Requests:
Work – Brett and I are heading to Toronto next week. He is speaking at a conference over the weekend.  We return and start our Executive Intensive the 7th, have commissioning on the 13th, then Lyn, Brett and I leave for South Africa on the 22nd… we are in desperate need for consultants for both the Johannesburg and Cape Town ventures.
Personal – My cold to go away, for our travel to Canada, for our intercession team to grow not only in numbers but in depth of spirit, and for protection of my family while I am away.

Update #182 - Heart Hole

“Christ's love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with everything God has for you.” Ephesians 3:19

Pacific Ocean, Northern California

I am falling – unafraid - down, down, down into a deep dark, seemingly endless chasm.  The air invites me to relax in its snug temperature and a pleasant scent continuously washes me. I sense there are walls, cragy boundaries, not too far from my extended extremities.  I continue to plummet, my decent constant for 25-30 minutes; then the roughhewn rocks begin to radiate.

It’s a pre-dawn, twilight type glow; and in it, rough appears smooth, dry looks wet, dark now iridescent.  I stretch mid-air, smiling to myself. I don’t know where I am but it’s pretty, smells great, and I feel fantastic!  I have no sense of anxiety, fear or worry at all – yet I still plummet at a rapid rate.

The light gets brighter, more brilliant - to the point where my closed eyelids glow red. The perfume is more powerful, the temperature intensifies, and instead of feeling uneasy or frightened I become more relaxed, more peace-filled; calm.  “Is the perfume a drug?” I wonder.

Glub! My bare body is enveloped into a golden, glowing, moving, gelatinous mass.  Electrified honey is the best way to describe it – but not stingy or sticky.  A pleasant buzz combined with thickness keeps me a float.  The substance is pure pleasure, absolute elation; I feel love. I feel encased, covered, surrounded by adoration, tenderness, and affection.  Tears stream down my face as I revel in the overwhelming, unending, unconditional, unrelenting LOVE.

My body, suspended in the goop, relaxes.  I don’t care about anything - absolutely nothing.  My mind is at peace and I am fully surrendered to the gelatinous mass. My pores are sucking up the golden material because I start to glow – from the inside out.  I feel SO AWESOME.

I feel drunk, yet I am sober.  I feel out of my body, yet I am in it.  I feel super-aware of all that is happing to and through me, yet I am so relaxed I could sleep.  “What is this place?” flits across my consciousness as I smile and stretch in the goo.

The golden goop vibrates and my mind somehow translates the tremor.  “You are in the God-shaped hole in your heart.”

“Ah…cool.” I reply as I float, suspended, in absolute ecstasy.

Another thought skims my consciousness “Then why did I fall so far? Doesn’t God fill the entire hole when I invite Jesus into my heart?”

Another tremor somehow translated “You haven’t let me fill it full with myself. You have reserved space for others.”

“Really?” At this point I am so relaxed, so happy, so completely at peace I can’t imagine anyone, anything, anybody could top what I was experiencing. “Whatcha mean?” (stretch, yawn).

“This hole is meant for me. When you reserve space for others your love tank can never be full.”

I didn’t really get what he was saying and really didn’t really care; but didn’t want him to go away either so I responded as intelligently as I could: “Huh?”

“Are you able to easily unconditionally love others?”

“Nope. Not without your help I can’t”

“Do you find it difficult?”

“Yeah.” I sighed.

“Are you able to love others unrelentingly, un-biasedly, unendingly?”

“Nope.”(The line of questioning may have been difficult, but I felt so accepted, so understood, and sensed so much trust I believed I could be completely vulnerable, open and honest. It wasn’t the prettiest side of me I was admitting to.)

“When your heart’s God hole is overflowing it is easy to unconditionally love others – because you feel that way yourself.”

“Oh...”  I was starting to understand what he was saying.  The drunk fog was still with me but my thoughts were a bit more cohesive.  Then, suddenly, the weight of heart hole occupant occupancy slammed into my consciousness. Sitting up in the golden goo I cried out “Who’s in my hole?! I don’t want anyone there but you!”

A picture slideshow skimmed across my consciousness; he showed me person, after person, after person, I had let take residency; unwanted co-inhabitants with him in my heart.  I repented. I asked forgiveness – all while floating in the blissful state of the goo.  With each eviction the goop level rose, elevated, and increased.  Eventually it was spilling out over the top of the chasm and I climbed out and stood beside the bubbling, moving, shifting love mass that was God.

Are you able to give your love away unconditionally, unrelentingly, unendingly? Who is in your God shaped heart hole? Who does God co-habit with?  Your parents? A significant other? A mentor, teacher or boss? Your co-workers, siblings or relative? Friends?  Who are you seeking attention, love, affirmation from or performing for?  Who feeds your love tank? God or others?

Updates:
Work – Awesome things are happening with the intercession team and the trainees; we prayed for a guy with a hurt foot last week and it was healed! Same with a girl with an injured shoulder! Whoo Hoo!
Personal – Thank you to those who prayed for my sleep.  I haven’t slept this well in a long, long time! Keep going! I am finally feeling rested inside and look like it on the outside.
Cool thing - One of our alumni was in for a patellar fracture and tendon repair August 27th. He was in pre-op and the IV for the anesthesia had already been inserted when the orthopedic surgeon came in and saw him one last time.  The surgeon tested the knee and our alumni, who the week prior failed the test, was able to complete it – THREE TIMES!!! The surgery was cancelled and the surgeon commented the knee must be healing on its own! Go God!!!

Requests:
Work – With so many trainees, we need help!  Hospitality, room set up, dessert bringers, meal makers, trash taker-outers, coaches, intercessors… if you have time on a Monday, Wednesday or training Saturday, LET US KNOW!  Please pray for the team dedicated to making the trainings run each and every week – they are amazing, but it is a lot of work!
Personal – Sometimes I feel like Moses in the back 40 – tending sheep, day to day stuff that no one sees but is important, and the monotony of daily life can be overwhelming (Oil change anyone? How about a mail run, bank deposit, or a trip to the grocery store? How about some data entry? Anyone? Anyone?) Don’t get it done and the sheep bleat. Get it done and the sheep aren’t any the wiser. I know I am not the only one who feels this way – we all do time to time. Contentment in face of the day to day “stuff” is my heart’s desire!

Update #181 - Heat

“Good people do good things because of the good in their hearts. Bad people do bad things because of the evil in their hearts. Your words show what is in your heart.” Luke 6:45

Carmel, CA

In July I went river rafting in the California Sierra Nevada’s just east of the San Joaquin Valley. This was my first time to the area – and it was H-O-T. Not just, “Oh, I am uncomfortable in this heat” hot, it was 106 at one point!  Thank God for no humidity.

I am a reluctant camper at best, but due to the lure of river rafting the Kern, my own tent and a queen sized air mattress I conceded.  I chose to ignore the ants, the scary duct taped bathroom, and tune-out Cheech and Chong partying next door until o’dark thirty in the morning (they were really loud – ear plugs only dulled the din) and made the best of it.

On Sunday evening I returned to Orange County and after washing three days of river, dirt and grime off of my body (i.e. most of the “tan” I had accumulated) I spent time reorganizing my stuff; filthy in one pile, semi-gross in another, and despicable in a third.

Everything was delightfully warm – like just taken out of an extra hot dryer.  This was okay for the clothes but my facial cleanser had gone from viscous to fine liquid (with bubbles), my mascara became gummy in texture (no, I didn’t actually use it), my hand sanitizer bottle had morphed in shape and the liquid had clouded over, and my soap had taken on the contour of its container.  Somethings melted, somethings condensed, some became entirely separate from their container and some became part of it; it was like a weird chemistry lab experiment had taken place in my toiletry bag!

As I stood there evaluating my unplanned research project (probably a little longer than I should have because I was so tired my thoughts were going in circles, back and forth, and then around again) a thought popped into my head “Heat does weird things to stuff.  What does it do to me?”

I stood there and thought about it - put me in full sun, no shade, no water, I get cranky. Place me in the unrelenting glare, on black tarmac without relief and I turn into someone other than myself – grace goes bye-bye and ornery shows up.  My appetite disappears, nausea takes up residence and a colossal headache clouds my rational thought processes. I am usually pleasant, but prolonged sun exposure bring about strange, bizarre, irritable, cantankerous, odd behavior (give me shade and they go away… quite simple actually).

Still staring at the experiment taking place in my toiletry bag my thoughts turned to the spiritual implications of heat on our lives… the trials, ordeals, hardship, pain, suffering, misery, burdens, and distress we encounter.  How do I react to those?  Do I stay pleasant? Does grace abound or does ornery occur?  How long until I need the equivalent of shade and relief?  What sorts of things are changing and morphing on the inside?  Do I melt or condense? Am I contouring to the shape of my environment or do I separate from it? Do I ooze all over others or am I self-contained?

Swirling, confusing, overlapping thoughts tumbled through my brain, wet hair in my face, towel wrapped around my body.  I shivered from the breeze and shook my head to clear the maelstrom of random one-liners.

How does “heat” change you? Is it for the better or for the worse? Do hot environments change you for the good or are you abysmal to be around? What is your attitude during a prolonged heat exposure? How long does grace abound before ornery occurs?

Updates:
Work – Training plugs on… remote on Monday night, in-person on Wednesday, and a Saturday once a month.
Personal – It is hot here! Thank God for fans, but it is really warm at night – so I am not sleeping the greatest.  I know the “wave” will pass, but supernatural sleep would be appreciated!

Requests:
Work – With so many trainees, we need help!  Hospitality, room set up, dessert bringers, meal makers, trash taker-outers, coaches, intercessors… if you have time on a Monday, Wednesday or training Saturday, LET US KNOW!  Please pray for the team dedicated to making the trainings run each and every week – they are amazing, but it is a lot of work!
Personal – For the rest of the Johnson’s vacation, for my weekend in Marin visiting friends and for the upcoming craziness autumn brings; travel is back on the schedule again!

Update #180 - Pleasure

“Do not fear… for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32

Near Big Sur, CA

Mar-less skies equated well with the skin barring populous; winter sheltered bodies abandoning themselves to the heat, the caress, the kiss of the sun - the air fragrant with Coppertone, zinc oxide and cocoa butter.

Every size, shape, age, and culture dotted the beach; some under umbrellas, some with babies in tents, some playing touch football, volleyball, or chasing dogs down the sandy mile.  Others lay on candy striped towels reading, napping, or shielding their eyes from the sun with a carelessly flung forearm across their face.

The waves, unceasing, rhythmically pounded the shore and conveyed surfers gracefully on their backs. The sun danced like diamonds skipping along the surface of the water; retina searing in brilliance, red dots dancing in playful choreography as a result.

Sandy toes, feet wet from the surf; the tops slightly red from exfoliation and sun.  Happy and relaxed, smiles and laughter abound. Squealing children flirt with the chilly water – in and out, in and out, trying to outrun the tide.  Dogs bark as cherished balls fling far and wide into the ocean.

The scene may have had action in it, but serenity is what I felt - deep rooted tranquility and calmness; an overabundant peacefulness and quietness of soul.  I walked the beach for hours that day – hours and hours and hours.  I passed family’s celebrating birthdays, groups getting together for barbeques, others lighting bonfires and clinking bottles of beer in camaraderie… friends, families, co-workers, groups working together for a singular purpose: enjoyment.

It made me smile.  I was having fun watching others enjoy themselves; finding amusement and pleasure in others experiencing joy.

I think God enjoys seeing his kids having fun. He likes to see his children laughing, smiling, experiencing joy.  He likes to see them working together to bring enjoyment and happiness to those around them.  I think it makes him smile.

It made me pause and think about what else brings God joy.  What makes him laugh, grin and smirk in enjoyment?  What causes him to laugh out loud and slap his knee in delight?

I came to the conclusion that we do. We cause God immense, incalculable pleasure.  We cause him to smile and laugh and grin.  We are his favorites in the universe.  We are his preferred, his beloved, his favored, we are much-loved. Very, very much-loved.

Do you know you bring God joy?  Your presence brings God pleasure? Do you realize you are a beloved, favored and very much-loved child? Do you understand that no matter what you have done, are doing or will do - God’s opinion of you won’t change?

To be honest – I know this truth. I teach this truth. I try (notice the verb here) to live this truth – but don’t always embody it to the fullest. What blocks me from realizing the fullness God’s love for me?  Different things on different days.

What about you? What blocks, obstructs, deters, hinders, or frustrates your connection to God’s immeasurable love for you?  Do you believe he loves (even likes) you for who you are now, today, this moment? What keeps you from gaining this confidence?

Updates:
Work – 33 trainees! Whoo Hoo!  22 in person, 10 on remote!  This is one of our biggest classes yet – incredible!  We had KickOff training the 28th and our fist weekday session on August 1st, the first remote training launches on the 6th.
Personal – God is so cool. Two weeks ago I wanted a new dress for a dinner I was going to and felt God told me to go to Ross.  Without the money to purchase anything I may find I shopped anyway, thinking God must have a plan or he wouldn’t have sent me to the store. I found a pretty blue dress. Then I stood in line, talking to God the entire time “Um, how are we going to pay for this? I don’t want to go into debt over a dress!” PING went my phone – someone PayPal’d me money – and yep, it was what I needed for the dress! Hee Hee Hee!  Thanks God for the new birthday dress!

Requests:
Work – With so many trainees, we need help!  Hospitality, room set up, kid corralling, scorecard clients, dessert makers, trash taker-outers, coaches, intercessors… if you have time on a Monday, Wednesday or training Saturday, LET US KNOW!
Personal – The Johnsons are leaving for vacation on Sunday and the staff and I are driving the bus. Prayer coverage for them while they rest, coverage for us while they are away would be appreciated!

Update #179 - I am a Saint

“[There is] therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:1

Near Big Sur, CA

Let’s get something straight.  If you have allowed Jesus in your heart, if you have committed your life to him and his ways, you are a SAINT not a sinner. Yes, you WERE a sinner. Yes, you were once filthy with the grime, dirt, decay and rot of iniquity but Jesus took care of all that – all your past sins, your present offenses and your future failings. ALL OF IT!

Now, that said, God has given us choice and freedom, and in this environment not always do we make the best decisions or pick the most stellar option. We can be stupid, selfish, self-centered and arrogant; and we pay the consequences of those decisions. BUT, we aren’t classified a sinner because of the choice.

We are SAINTS. 2 Corinthians 5:17 basically says the old is gone, the new is here. Gone, departed, deceased, no more, exited, quit, taken off… finito!  No longer around. Our old way of thinking, acting and being doesn’t exist anymore when Christ is invited into our lives.  He killed it and made us righteous, redeemed, and renewed.

Unfortunately in some (er, um, most of us) our flesh is MUCH stronger than our spirit and it plays “bully” to get its own way. Its desires, wants, needs and unction’s are tantamount and must be met.  Until our spiritual side is as strong, or stronger, than our flesh a war rages – and we may feel like a sinner (because we fail on the spiritual front multiple times a day).  Thank God, feelings don’t define reality.

If you made a stupid choice, a wrong decision, said something hurtful God’s Holy Spirit will convict you. If you choose not to repent and make yourself right before God a door to Satan is opened, and – here comes the icky reality part – a choice to partner with Satan is made.  The situation, stance taken, words said were more important than repentance; your feelings of being right were more important than God’s righteousness; dark was chosen over light and Satan seizes the opportunity. Give him a millimeter; he will take a mile… or more. He is the master of taking full advantage of everything, every opportunity, every opening given to him.

Satan is out to harm, kill, destroy, and steal from God’s children.  He can’t touch us, he can’t get at us, he can’t torment us unless one of two things happen: 1. God says “Go Ahead” like he did with Job (rare) or 2. We open a door (more likely scenario).

God gets blamed for a lot of stuff we did to ourselves. God gets a bad rap for the crap happening in our life when we were the actual cause. When guilt and condemnation rise up in our lives we turn to God and shake our fist.  The truth is, God doesn’t give guilt; he gives grace. God doesn’t give condemnation (Romans 8:1); he gives mercy.  God isn’t bi-polar or schizophrenic. He can’t be both bad and good.

God is good. God is good ALL the time.  He does not bring shame (Isa 61:7), he does not generate guilt, he does not cause condemnation.  If you are feeling these things they aren’t from God.  It is Satan out to create a wedge between God and his children; to create a gap of misunderstanding and tension. To cause us to walk away, not engage with God and turn our back on him.  Is/Has Satan’s strategy worked in your life?  It has in mine on more than one occasion.

We are SAINTS not sinners. We are granted Grace not Guilt. We are given Mercy not Condemnation. We are righteous ones, redeemed ones, rescued ones – and adopted ones. We are wanted and loved.

If your belief system is anything other than the above you have been snowed, and you believe a lie. God is good. God is so, so, so good and he has the best intended for us. We just get in our own way, unwillingly partner with the enemy and sabotage ourselves.

Are you feeling guilty? Where do you have a door open to Satan?  Do you feel condemnation or shame over an action, situation or verbal onslaught delivered? Where have you partnered with the enemy and let him into your life?  Are you ready to face a loving God and ask for his help in cleaning up the mess you have made? What keeps you from approaching his throne?

Updates:
Work – We are recruiting!  Do you have any family, friends, co-workers, Bible study members, church friends – anyone who would benefit from knowing how to do business God’s way?  Wanna know what he cares about? How he would do business if he owned it? Come to our training!
News – Thank you, thank you, thank you to a very generous alumnus who purchased me a new laptop. The IT guy is on his way to set it up! Hee Hee! No more Mexican jumping bean cursor problems!
Personal – Off for a weekend of river rafting (haven’t done that since living in Spokane – Heidi, do you remember?) and then back for our Kick-Off Training on the 28th! On a sad note, I discovered a lot of my pictures were lost when my OS crashed in April. Good thing I have a sharp visual memory!

Requests:
Work – Events, recruiting, prep for the training cycle, and keeping all the wheels on the bus as it continues to roll forward!
Personal – Prayer around next steps, what trips (if any) God wants me to participate in this fall (Toronto, Johannesburg, Cape Town are the options at this point).

PS Happy Birthday to all my July birthday buddies - if I listed you all it would need a separate blog post!

PPS Thank you JM for providing the impetuous for this post – I haven’t been this passionate about dispensing truth in a long time.

Update #178 - The Unseen

“In the end, you will always kneel.” – Loki (true, but not to you nutcase)

The Avengers is a popular film playing right now in America.  The plot, basically, is a mastermind brings together a team of super humans (Captain America, Thor, The Hulk, Iron Man, Black Widow, Hawkeye) to form a group entitled “The Avengers”.  This episode’s story is around their saving Earth from Loki (Thor’s adopted brother) and his army.

The movie has the expected fight scenes, fire, destruction, etc… but that isn’t what caught my attention or remained with me once the credits commenced.  It was the unseen made seen.

Loki is a on a power trip; hungry for adulation and fame. He thinks he is owed, entitled, due his share and he is going to take it – like it or not.  There is one scene in where he presents himself to a crowd, carriage upright, bearing regal, stance powerful.  The mass sees a man, but the film reveals to the viewer the “fourth dimension” – the unseen made seen.

Movie goers see Loki wearing a crown. In addition, the film reveals a robe-like mantle donning his shoulders sweeping to his feet with scepter in hand. The image screams “royalty”.  This narcissistic maniac is of noble heritage. The world around him can’t see it; the world around him is oblivious to his lineage. But inside, Loki knew who he was, knew what was his – kingship, power.

Yes, he is in the wrong universe exulting himself. Yes, the crowd wasn’t kneeling due to respect and loyalty. They were on their knees purely out of fear; fear of dying. (Way to make a good impression Loki; terrorize your subjects, create anxiety and dread within them within the first five minutes.  Yeah, I can see they would subjugate themselves for the long-term – NOT).

The “fourth dimension” manifestation of crown, robe and scepter make their appearance several times in the film.  To his fellow thespians he is a man, but moviegoers see him as he is – a monarch without a kingdom.

Loki is a fictional nutcase and isn’t to be emulated or copied on “how to establish a kingdom”.  But he had one thing right – he knew who he was.

He was a son of a king.  He was a prince inheriting a kingdom. He was of royal, noble, aristocratic birth.  He was a blue-blood, upper-class, titled, nobleman.  He may have been misplaced, he may have been out of sync, but he knew who he was.

Do you know who you are?

If you are a Christian, you are a kid of the King of the Universe.  He doesn’t have grandchildren; he doesn’t have nephews or nieces.  He doesn’t have brothers or sisters; he only has first generation children.

This makes you royal. This makes you noble. This makes you aristocratic.  You are upper-class.

Do you act like it?

Now, I don’t mean you are out their ordering everyone around, pointing fingers, yelling commands. Or when you enter a room people are afraid to look in your face due to fear; power and intimidation are used to get what you want, when you want, how you want. That isn’t royalty.  What I mean is your heart operates from a kingly / queenly perspective.

Pardon vs. Punishment.  Grace vs. Fear.  Generous vs. Greedy. Legacy vs. Momentary. Kingdom outlook vs. Earthy viewpoint.

If you were in a movie and the fourth dimension was revealed what attributes would be added to your attire?  Would you be wearing a crown, robe and holding a scepter? Or would you be in rags, ripped, torn and dirty?  What would your apparel, garb, wardrobe reveal about your true identity?

Updates:

Work – We are recruiting!  Do you have any family, friends, co-workers, Bible study members, church friends – anyone who would benefit from knowing how to do business God’s way?  Wanna know what he cares about? How he would do business if he owned it? Come to our training!

Events – The 4th of July Party was a fantastic success! Tons of people, meat and veggies on the grill, chocolate fountain in the back, fireworks exploding all over the valley – so fun!

Personal – My dad’s 50th Year Celebration was fantastic.  We had dinner at Daniels Broiler in Seattle (I recommend highly – just be ready to exercise for a week afterward!) and several of his up line management joined us. 

Requests:

Work – Events, recruiting, prep for the training cycle, and keeping all the wheels on the bus as it continues to roll forward!

Personal – Prayer around next steps, what trips (if any) God wants me to participate in this fall (Nigeria, Johannesburg, Cape Town are the options at this point).

Update #177 - Cultural Sensitivity

“…to you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God…” Luke 8:10

Winter Sunset, Orange County, CA

Before we take a team on the road we introduce them to cultural sensitivity training – to avoid social blunders like eating with your left hand in India, touching a child’s head in Indonesia, using your pointer finger for “1”(when in most countries it signifies “2”), hugging an Asian in greeting vs. shaking hands, toilet tissue goes in the bin not in the commode, etc. We also cover dress code / appearance and things to keep with you at all times i.e. hotel information, tissue, hand sanitizer, power bars and enough change for a taxi ride.

On a recent trip abroad I was at a conference. It was very “Americanized” – clean bathrooms, lots of bottled water available, air conditioned halls and comfortable seats.  Then we went to the stadium event.

Three hours in a moderately air conditioned bus driving through 100 degree heat and 100 percent humidity leads to lots of water drinking – and very full bladders. Several hours of water consumption made for an uncomfortable arrival.  Our dear chaperones (all men) valiantly tried to find us bathrooms.

The stadium restroom (loose term) near our seats had a line 45 deep – um, not an option for those of us dancing quietly in pain off to the side. Eventually a “port-a-potty” was located. It was not the American green plastic single-seater found at fair grounds, concert events and construction sites – it was a “portable potty.”

Yes, a three “stall” commode on wheels was the size of a portable school classroom, raised up like an off-road vehicle with wood side paneling – it was a site to behold! I had never seen anything like it; I should have taken a picture.  A Muslim man and his family were charging for the use of their “facility” – a priceless moment of international travel.

We joined the queue dancing silently one behind the other.  I turned to the adorable septuagenarian lady behind me and whispered “Do you have tissue?”

Her eyes widened, jaw slackened and she stared at me “They, they, they, um (glup), they don’t have tissue?”

“Most likely not. Here ya go.” I handed her a piece of my stash.

A few minutes later the 70+ year old tugged on my arm “Miss, do you have any more?”

I turned and met the eyes of 10 horrified ladies.  “Yep, do…” and walked down the line dispensing tissue, telling them where to put it (not down the plumbing, we didn’t want a clog), how to “flush”, and to find me afterward for hand sanitizer.  The other girls on my team (so proud of them) joined in on the advice giving “roll up your pant legs, remember to rinse your feet, don’t touch anything, use the door to balance.” It was a riot!  How many times in your life do you get to school a bunch of older ladies on how to use a potty!

These women, all in their late 50’s to 70’s travelled around the world to participate in the largest prayer gathering to date. Most (upon further discussion I discovered) hadn’t travelled much outside the United States and this was their first foray into the international sphere. Go Ladies.

They survived the “porta-potty” experience and after rinsing their feet and hands with sanitizer, rolling down their pant legs, and exhaling after holding their breath; actually laughed about the experience.  We all did.

I have entered countries unprepared. I went to Bali not realizing it was primarily Hindu in nature and regretted not knowing.  I went into Egypt unaware of the preference for ladies to don three-quarter to full length sleeves (it was BLASTED hot; most of my stuff was sleeveless!).  I have walked unescorted down a street in Cairo ignorant of the stigma in which the action marks me. I have learned to pay attention to the culture, the preferences, the “unwritten”.

I think the same thing happens in God’s Kingdom.  Most of us are clueless as to how he likes things done. Most of us haven’t taken the time to research, learn or educate ourselves on God’s culture. What is God’s culture? What does he want to manifest in our lives, in the atmosphere around us? What does he want to be known for? Honor? Freedom? Abundant Life? Respect?

What hallmarks symbolize your culture? What characteristics are you known for? What characteristics do you want to be known for but currently are not?  What actions do you need to take to make this change? What aspects of God’s culture manifest in your life on a regular basis?

Updates:
Work – We are recruiting!  Do you have any family, friends, co-workers, Bible study members, church friends – anyone who would benefit from knowing how to do business God’s way?  Wanna know what he cares about? How he would do business if he owned it? Come to our training!
Events - We are having the WPA Indonesian Reportback on the 27th in Saratoga, the 4th of July party the following week, then two of our alumni are getting married - one in Puerto Rico and the other in the Bay Area.  Congrats Lourdes and John!
Personal – My dad is “officially” retiring Monday.  He now says he is part of the neighborhood RED Group (Retired and Extremely Dangerous) – um, ok dad.  I am looking forward to traveling up to Seattle to celebrate him!

Requests:
Travel – Domestic only! Whoo hoo! No passport needed; but baggage fees apply!  Safety as I come and go would be appreciated.
Work – Events, recruiting, prep for the training cycle, Brett and Lyn as they finish their 5 week “Asian Adventure” only to turn around and perform a wedding ceremony in South America the following weekend!
Personal – Prayer around next steps, priorities, and focus points.

Update #176 - Everything Glorious

"You make everything glorious; and I am yours.  What does that make me?” Everything Glorious by David Crowder


Hotel Grounds, Bogor, Indonesia

My girlfriend Kim was staying with me a few weeks ago and we had worship music blasting as we were getting ready one morning.  If I am really honest , it was a coping mechanism; both of us were tired, not in fantastic moods, and we needed a bit of an “upper” to get our day going… coffee and worship music for her, tea and tunes for me!

My stereo cycled through to the next CD and The David Crowder Band filled the air.  “I love this song.” I commented to Kim.

She, mouthful of toothpaste and brush smiled at me and mouthed “Why?”

“It is about who we really are.  It is about how we should view ourselves. It is about how God makes things on purpose and even if we forget, choose not to remember or are dissuaded from believing the truth, we are glorious; we are made in his image.”

She nodded; spit, rinsed and I continued “It is about being. Not feeling.”

“Huh?” muffled Kim, from behind a towel wiping her mouth.

“Ya know when a girl says she is ‘fat’ but she isn’t? She feels overweight, feels bloated, feels not so pretty, but in reality she isn’t? She is skinny as a twig and gorgeous – but she ‘feels’ fat. It is like that. Feeling vs. Being.”

“Ah” commented Kim who had now moved to makeup application.  “I feel a blog coming on” she stated.

“Very funny.” But she was right (you’re readin’ it).

The notion our feelings dictate so much of how we act, do, react and engage wouldn’t leave me.  The thought our feelings, appraisals and interpretations direct our decisions vs. our reality doing so bothered me.

God is glorious. We are made in his image. He makes everything glorious – therefore we are glorious too.  I forget that a lot.

How would my life, my actions, my decisions change if I lived my life from that reality. That I am a glorious one, favored of God, a princess. My circumstances may not reflect it (um, my bank balance isn’t exactly princess paralleled; and my accessories not exactly royalty rating) but from God’s perspective it is true. It is truth. It is real.

What if I chose to live my life as God sees me.  I choose to give more than I receive. I choose to give grace where punishment and penance are due (their consequences may be more than enough anyway).  I choose to forgive and forget instead of stewing and stowing for a later rehash and rebuttal?

What if I lived like royalty in action and deed? If I lived like I belonged in God’s household; his kingdom?  What would it look like? How would things change if I lived from my “being” vs. my “feeling”?

This is the reality via David Crowder: “You make everything glorious. Yeah, You make everything glorious. You make everything glorious. And I am Yours.”

What is your reality? Do you live from a place of who you are (being) or where you are (feeling)? What is the difference between who God says you are and who you say you are?


Updates:
Work - The Convergence seminar in Jakarta went well – over 80 were in attendance! And it was an interfaith event. Brett, Lyn, Kim and Linda are now off to Bali where they will present a youth Convergence forum, work with leaders there and visit several churches.
Events - We are having the WPA Indonesian Reportback on the 27th in Saratoga. Here is a link to the team blog if you haven’t had a chance to look at the pictures.  Please rsvp per Eventbrite if you want to come to the event on the 27th.
Personal - Jet lag is finally finis! I am converting to more of a night owl since the trip, which is unusual for me. I am staying up late (for me) and my body is still waking around 7am…somedays it is a big OUCH!  I now have compassion on all my non-morning people friends!

Requests:
Travel –I have a trip the end of June to Seattle to celebrate my dad as he retires from Boeing after over 50 years of service (yes, all at the same company – Go Dad!).
Work – Prayer around recruiting would also be appreciated – we begin our next training cycle in July. Click here for more info.
Personal – I have really enjoyed the last week or so. I have been able to reconnect with old friends, spend quality time with new ones and working at a slower pace than usual.  I am also really looking forward to seeing my family the end of the month.  Prayer around next steps, priorities, and focus points would be appreciated.

Update #175 - Canoodling

“Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father doing; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.”  John 5:19

Cool Palm Tree, Botanical Gardens, Bogor, Indonesia

Several years ago I was sitting in a weekend conference and the speaker made a comment on how God is moving in this and that country and how we are following the trend.  I wasn’t fully paying attention, distracted by the people coming and going in the back of the room, but did catch a Bible reference he sighted: John 5:19.

Jesus’ close intimate relationship with God the Father gave him privileged information as to how, where, and when God was working.  Jesus had known God in heaven before he came to earth, so he knew what God was likely to do.  Jesus knew God’s character – what pleased, displeased, and caused him to have mercy.  In a crude illustration, I saw Jesus and God connected by a divine umbilical cord, a spiritual flow from one to the other, always connected,  always sharing information; communicating non-stop.

Jesus also said he was just the show opener; we would do greater things and more miracles than he could do or did while he was on earth (John 14:12). What? How is this possible?  Jesus knew God before he came to earth, he had intimate knowledge of God, he and God were one!  I wasn’t even close to having a holy umbilical cord.  How on earth was I to do greater things than Jesus?

The conference speaker was a man I respected and knew to have a close walk with God. I knew he wouldn’t lead me astray, wouldn’t tell me untrue, unverified, unsubstantiated facts.  He believed what he was saying and verified it with story, after story, after story – from his own life and from others he knew.

Wow.  I could be like Jesus – not just in word, life and action; but in deed as well.

My curiosity was peaked.

“Ok God,” I presented myself “if this guy’s claim is true, if the stories are true, if what he says is real, I want it in my life too. Can we start with something small and simple – ya know, to ease me into this thing?” (I felt I had to qualify things a bit so I didn’t get dunked in the deep end).

Ease me in he did.  Through various people, sermons, Bible verses, etc. he showed me it isn’t about WHO you are but WHERE you are.  Presidents, servants, masters, slaves, rich, poor, male, female all can have the same thing – a real relationship with God but they have to position themselves correctly.  Being in a church, administrating on its board, serving as a deacon, Sunday school teacher or men’s group facilitator doesn’t qualify you for a real relationship;  nor does participating in an ALPHA group, Bible Study, or being a BSF Leader. God is relational – intimacy is prized above all else.

I am servant, back office, out of the lime-light oriented. Don’t get me wrong, I am not afraid of the front of the room, microphones, or public speaking – I just know there are people better than me and I am happy to defer.  I can refill milk pitchers, stock plates, replenish hospitality supplies all day and be completely happy.  But I think this attitude transitions into my relationship with God as well.  Instead of sitting with him, enjoying his presence, his company, his companionship, I am “doing”.  I have a TO DO list the length of my arm… sit and canoodle? Are ya crazy!?

As absurd as it may seem, I think that is what God is after. Jesus would spend all night talking to God after a very busy day. Jesus would steal away early in the morning to make sure he had his daily schedule mapped correctly (Are you sure I need to hit Capernaum today?). Jesus walked on water, raised the dead, healed the sick, and glowed like the sun at one point…. I haven’t done most of these things. So, canoodling it is!

What keeps you from “canoodling” with God? What are you too busy “doing” to experience God?  Do you want more of God in your life? Why or why not? What keeps you from a good canoodle?


Updates:
Travel
 - I am home from Indonesia! Thank you for praying. I have NEVER slept so much on a flight! I think I slept nine of the 15 hours in the air! Whoo Hoo! The transfers were smooth, my luggage arrived (untampered – Praise Jesus), and I have had minimal jet lag!
 - The World Prayer Assembly was amazing and I learned a lot.  It was so fun traveling with a team of intercessors! Check out the team blog: http://repurposing.biz/jakarta-may-2012-wpa/. There were over 9,000 people in attendance and I believe God met each one of us in a separate, but meaningful way.
 - I get to stay domestic during the next few months. I am done on the international scene unless God put something in my path

Work
 - The Repurposing Business Intensive 6-11 May was a HUGE success and we are talking about doing another in the October time frame… God healed one man of his allergies!
 - Indonesian hotel logistics finally came together after we arrived (thank you God!) and last minute shuffling brought a meeting room for our team debrief on Saturday.  We scheduled six hours – which expanded to eight when people found out we were praying and came to receive prayer! It was AWESOME!  One woman hasn’t had a migraine since – which were chronic and caused by her inoperable brain tumor. I think the tumor just might be gone! Hee hee!

HOT (Home Office Team)
Brett and Lyn, with Linda, join Kim in Indonesia on Thursday (Kim is currently in Chennai). They are doing a two day Train-the-Trainer session followed by a one day Convergence Seminar in Jakarta.


Requests:
Travel –I have a trip the end of June to Seattle to celebrate my dad as he retires from Boeing after over 50 years of service (yes, all at the same company – Go Dad!).

Work – Please pray for the one day Convergence Seminar in Jakarta. The room booked can hold up to 200 people – which we are standing in faith for! Prayer around recruiting would also be appreciated – we begin our next training cycle in July. http://inst.net/services/repurposedself.html?tab=t6

Personal – Life is so full, God is awesome, and I feel blessed and favored.  It was such an honor to travel with and lead a team of intercessors to the WPA… and now, back to work!  Jet lag hasn’t been bad but I have it in reverse (can’t fall asleep at night, hard time getting up in the morning) – prayer for its quick passing and my full re-integration to State-side life would be appreciated!

Update #174 - Healing Place

“Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities.”  Romans 8:26  

Wabi Natroon - Egypt

In my 40 odd years of singleness I have dated a few men.  Most have been fun, enjoyable experiences and a few – mostly sophomoric in nature – were disasters.  I learned a lot about men - how they think, act, react, decide, as well as how they respond to pain, discouragement and disappointment.

Each relationship brought me new knowledge, insight and wisdom.  It also brought shyness and reticence.  I am much less apt to jump into a relationship now than when I was 20 – why? I have learned a few things and I want to “know” much more now than I needed then. In essence, I am not young and dumb anymore, the veil of innocence and naiveté has been ripped off.  This is a positive attribute in some ways – I avoid the men who aren’t a good fit for me and the life I am called to live; but it is a negative in others – I am restrained in giving my heart, even a little piece, before trust is built, gained, and is solid.

This causes issues.

There is a very smart man who lives in South Africa named Doug Johnson (he is my bosses’ older, and he says, cuter, brother).  He oft quotes this truism: “Healed people heal people; hurt people hurt people.”

So true.

I had been hurt by trusting, giving, opening myself up – so naturally I don’t want to go there; I didn’t want to expose myself to that kind of pain and suffering again.  But I don’t want to hurt others either.  I found myself in a conundrum – don’t want to hurt, don’t want to get hurt.

I asked God about it.  He was pretty direct “Get into relationship with people, men, women, children; open your heart to them and let yours be healed.”  Um, God, this is what I was trying to AVOID!

It took a while but I realized healing doesn’t come if you “Lone Ranger” it through the process.  If you were wounded in a 1:1 relationship, more than likely that is where you will find healing.  If injured in community, most likely, you will need to immerse yourself there to find wholeness.  Offended corporately?  Guess where you have to go to gain restoration… yep, a communal setting.

I placed myself into God’s hands, trusted him to find the healing places for me to engage and cautiously began my journey of intimate, community, corporate relationship wound debridement.  They haven’t been the quickest to heal but now if you bump them, poke them, or inadvertently bruise them I am not traumatized like I once was.

I am still shy in situations and take extra time to suss out situations vs. readily engaging.  But I am more trustful than I once was.  I am still reticent in the full giving of my heart but trust Jesus to guard it verses me vetting everyone I come across.

I know I have hurt others, and I am truly repentant and sorry for the pain I have caused. I have made things as right as I am able and realize God has to do the rest.  I have learned the art of surrender (Yes, Jodie, the other “s” word) and the importance of forgiveness and humility.

God can heal all wounds.  God can make all situations righteous and beneficial.  God can protect, conceal, and mend everything from relationships and emotions to situations and business opportunities; if you let him…only if you give him permission to enter the wound and trust his prescription for healing.

Where are you hurt? Where are you shy? Where are you reticent to join in and take part in the foray?  Were you hurt 1:1, in a community, or in a corporate setting? Where do you need to ask God to place you (safely) so you gain healing?

Where is your healing place?

Updates:
Travel – The Egypt conference was amazing (God showed up;  as did a ga-zillion mosquitoes).  I have not had so much fun praying for people in a long time.  The mozies took full advantage – I looked like I was wearing poka-dot socks!
Work - I am safely home and now we are smack in the middle of executing our Repurposing Business Executive Intensive (our 3 month training smooshed into 5 days).  Kim and I leave on Sunday morning (uber early – 1am) for Indonesia to join in the World Prayer Assembly.  The WPA trip is coming together. The team is mostly finalized, hotels 80% booked, flights confirmed and the last team call happened today.  The conference begins on the 14th!

Requests:
Travel – Please pray for personal protection and for me and the team while in Indonesia; luggage to arrive, people to be safe, families to be shielded while we are on the road.  Also for good sleep leading up to the event, we would like to arrive rested.
Work – continued prayer around logistical, spiritual and emotional prep for the upcoming Indonesia trip.  Grace, unity and energy is needed on all fronts!
Personal – What is on God’s heart? What are his priorities? Who does he want me to talk to, connect with, pray for? Please pray I will have the ears to hear, heart to feel, and obedience / wisdom to walk out his responses.

PS - Paula Sandford, a pioneer in the area of Christian Counseling and the Inner Healing movement, passed way 4 May 2012. Please pray for her husband John and her family 

Update #173 - Apostle

“Indeed He gave some to be apostles; and some prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers; with a view to the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ…” Ephesians 4:11-12

Cairo, Egypt - Reconciliation post Revolution?

Fear ripped through the crowd.  He had arrived; he flagrantly marched in front of them astride a steed covered in Roman trappings – his mount dripping with red and gold from every surface, breastplate, saddle, bridle, blanket, reigns.  Afore him men marched flint-faced carrying banners telling his position, behind brute force followed - encased in shields, swords and helmets.

The dreaded day had come – the Roman apostle had arrived. Their lives would never be the same again.

The horror felt upon initial invasion was nothing compared to this. Battle was a known entity – fight for your family, your home, your freedom.  This was unknown, only foretold by feebly verified rumor and story.  Romans conquered quickly; the air, even now, was still marked with the tinny smell of shed blood.  As eyes roamed the street valiant last stands marked walls, streets, doorposts. Death, dying, defeat was everywhere you sent a furtive glance.

Depressed and conquered in spirit the small village awaited their fate – questions rippled through, whispered, yet not quite audible “Where would he start? What would he do? How would he begin? How does one go about destroying us and building them?” A new government, new religion, new tax laws and rates, new curfew and travel stipulations awaited. All handed down by this man, this man astride the steed.

From now forward, this man dictated life, his decrees, his declarations, his laws – yes, they could fight it, but death would most certainly ensue.  They were captured, slaves with property, allowed to live, breath and function as long as they abided by Roman rule, way and law.  Their known culture submersed and drowned - no longer known; individualism and opposition stilled, they were now Roman by adoption… and force.

Roman apostles were governmental transition men sent in the wake of battle to convert conquered cultures to the Roman way of life and rule.  They are similar to modern day change consultants - aiding a President when seizing company control. Unlike today, with polite but pointed memos, process and procedures the Romans used force, any force necessary, to insure conformity.

I can only imagine the disciple’s horror when Jesus first told them they were to be “apostles” to the world (I am sure a few of them had lived through an apostlistic “change management program”).  They were to be the change agents, the societal transformers, the carriers of his way, his truth, his thinking to the world.  They were to convert culture, inoculate and spread a new way of living, new way of believing, new way of thinking, to the Earth. They were to use force, albeit a different one, to affect culture, society, and the countries around them.  Jesus’ method did not involve swords, shields, helmets, intimidation, fear of death, dismemberment, or of anything else.  Jesus uses relationship and love to transform society.

Some theologian’s say there were only 12 apostles, they were commissioned by Jesus and the mandate died with them.  I disagree.  I am called to use love and relationship to change the culture around me.  I believe I am tasked with spreading Jesus’ way of living, believing, thinking and ideas to the world.  I know I am his disciple. I know I am his prophet to spread his good news. I know I am his teacher and pastor tasked with nurturing those beside me along the way, and I know I am his evangelist, spreading his story wherever I can.

Apostle literally means “one who is sent out” (www.dictionary.com).  One of Jesus’ last requests of us was that we “go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things, whatever (he) commanded (us)”(Matthew 28:19-20).  Essentially our mandate is: “Go and change the world!”

How are you “apostling” the world around you? Are you Roman in manner and action (control, intimidation, fear inducing)? How are you affecting change in your culture, your society, your department, your team, your cubicle? How are you making things different through action and deed? How do you treat the grocery clerk, the pharmacy aide, the baggage handler, the gate clerk, how do you drive in traffic?  Are you spreading love, life and joy or are you cloaked with spears, shields, fear and intimidation?  What is your weapon of choice?

Updates:
Travel – Currently in Cairo, Egypt – Maadi neighborhood.  Jet lag isn’t too bad and the weather is nice.
Work – We are finished with training!  Next round starts in July so we are actively recruiting for that, as well as the executive intensive starting 6 May. Check it out: http://inst.net/events/rep-exec-intensive.html (there is still time to register!). Prep for Indonesia is still in progress (thanks mainly to Kim Wilson – THANK YOU Kim!), and we are scheduling/planning our next round of business ventures.

Requests:
Travel – Please pray for personal protection and for me and the team while in Cairo.  Brett is speaking at a business conference Thursday through Saturday on Transforming Society. Please pray God’s presence is palpable, the Egyptians are blessed, faith is lifted and hope is administered.
Work – continued prayer around logistical, spiritual and emotional prep for the upcoming Indonesia trip.  Also, prayer for my tight schedule would be appreciated – grace abounding for the return from Egypt, helping prep for the Executive Intensive, helping to execute the intensive, and then leave for Indonesia the following day!
Personal – What is on God’s heart? What are his priorities? Who does he want me to talk to, connect with, pray for? Please pray I will have the ears to hear, heart to feel, and obedience / wisdom to walk out his responses.

Update #172 - Pearl Worth

“And Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? None is good except One, God.’” Luke 18:19  

South Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA

There is a story told of a little girl gifted a costume jewelry necklace for her fifth birthday. The strand of white beads became her prized possession – she wore it everywhere, the supermarket, grandmas, kindergarten, Sunday school, bed… it was always with her; she never took it off.  After several months, and numerous bouts of swimming pool and bath exposure, the beads transitioned from a glorious iridescent to a sickly green in color; and began to stain her skin.

One night before bed, after her prayers had been said, her daddy asked for the necklace.  Shocked, she protectively covered it with both hands. Wide eyed she exclaimed “Oh, Daddy, no!”  He smiled, patted her thigh and helped her settle down into her bed.  Kissing her forehead he left the room.

The next three nights were the same, he asked for the necklace, she deferred.  The fifth night was different.

He could hear her sobs from the hallway.  Entering the room he found her sitting in her bed, covers pooled around her waist, tears cascading down her cheeks.  “What’s wrong munchkin?” The bed dipped as it received his weight. She held out her hand.  Shaking, she unfurled her fingers and revealed the lime-tinged beads.

“Here Daddy.” she snuffled.

He smiled “Thanks Bug”.

Regarding him with wide eyes, she watched as he carefully placed the treasured necklace in his outside suit coat pocket.  She sat quietly, tears sporadically sliding down her cheeks, breathing ragged, shoulder slumped in surrender.  She was so fixed on watching where the necklace was being housed she missed her father digging into his inside breast pocket to produce an oblong blue velvet box.

“Here Bug.” He said as he gently laid the box in her lap.

“Daddy?” She gulped between tears.

“Open it Sweetheart.”

“Oh Daddy!” Beaming a smile worth forty million watts she threw herself upon his chest in a huge hug, the blue velvet box now lost in the covers between them. “It is prettier than my last one. Can I wear it now?” She pulled back to watch his face.

“Of course Bug, let me help you.” She had the box in her hands and was extracting the necklace from the velvety folds.

The clasp, tiny in his hands, caused a fumbling but he managed to secure it around her petite neck.  “You look gorgeous!” He exclaimed.

Her hands explored the iridescent ribbon encircling her neck.  Her Daddy had given her REAL pearls!  They felt cold and heavy against her skin.

A furrow creased her brow. “Daddy, did you have this all the time?”

“Yes Bug, it was in my pocket.”

“Oh.” She sighed, fingering the folds of the bedspread. Suddenly her countenance changed, she shifted her head to look him full in the face and grinned, “You are a good good Daddy.”

**********
Is your Daddy-God good?  Is Daddy-God ALWAYS good in your eyes? Or, like me, you occasionally question his actions, motives and intentions? When a prized, cherished, precious possession is requested do you give unflinchingly, unreservedly, unquestionly – or do you hesitate and count the cost?

I want to believe Daddy-God is good, ALL the time.  In my life, he is proving himself true, just, and sincere.  I want to be like the little girl in the story who knows, without a doubt, her Daddy is good; he will restore, he will return, he will reconcile all things stolen, lost and removed.  I don’t have to understand Gods plan or ways - I just have to follow with child-like faith into what he has for me. Some call this naiveté; I call it freedom.

What keeps you from following in freedom; in complete release from worry, anxiety, and pain? What prized possession are you holding onto? What cherished item is ultimately blocking the greater gift being bestowed?

Updates:
Travel – prepping for Egypt (1 week) via LA – I leave on the 22nd returning the 30th.  I then leave for the World Prayer Assembly in Jakarta May 13th.
Work – The Bay Area trainees were commissioned last night and the remote trainees commission on the 23rd.  We had six of the in-person trainees receive their certificates last night! Whoo Hoo!
Personal – I have my “new” car!  She is so pretty!  I am having such fun driving her… she reminds me of God’s goodness and love for me every time I catch a glimpse of her.

Requests:
Travel – Please pray for personal protection and for my family as I prep for two transformational trips into predominately Muslim countries.  I have a heart for these people and respect their level of devotion; I just want them to come to know God’s love the way I do.
Work – Logistic prep for the upcoming trips. I am acting as the operations manager in Egypt and co-leading the Indonesian team.  Needless to say my plate is FULL, FULL, FULL.  Also, please pray I will be able to stay on top of the company financials before, during and after my travels.
Personal – What is on God’s heart? What are his priorities? Who does he want me to talk to, connect with, pray for? How do I prioritize the piles on my desk to reflect his answers? Please pray I will have the ears to hear, heart to feel, and obedience / wisdom to walk out his responses.

Update #171 - Sin Transfer

“So therefore, we also having so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, having put off every impediment and the easily entangling sin, let us be running with patient endurance the contest having been set before us…” Hebrews 12:1

Beethoven, Beulah Lodge, South Africa

Cape Town, South Africa; more specifically, Beulah Lodge, Pinelands. It is a lovely spot - the staff is friendly, accommodations luxurious, the setting, peaceful. I found myself with a few hours off and journeyed my way to the courtyard just down from my room. Poolside, the sun warmed my face while worship music flooded my ears.

The sun painted more and more freckles across my face and arms. Fully relaxed, fuzzy minded, and half-awake I noticed a small kitty in the corner. He too was enjoying the radiant heat from the sun baked bricks.

I clicked my tongue a few times and lazily he partially parted one eye to assess what interloper invaded his nap schedule. He didn’t move – so I did.

Music pumping through my ears I stepped over to his siesta surface and stooped down – “hello there kitty” I whispered as I offered my hand. A tentative whiff was enthusiastically followed by a feline initiated whisker rub against my proffered palm. He felt like silk.

A tiny little grey and white thing (less than eight pounds), with yellow eyes and a docile personality, rolled, stretched, arched, barred his belly and purred, and purred, and purred. He happily followed me back to my chair and flopped himself upon my feet; turning his head almost 180 degrees to look at me. “Oh, we aren’t finished?” I said through a smile, and continued the feline rubdown.

Eventually he tired of the attention and rolled himself just out of arm’s reach; right paw cleaning his face (kitty equivalent to spa-time post full-body massage).

I watched him for a while; my freckles slowly gaining greater purchase. Then I glanced at my “massage hand” – it was nearly black with dirt and grime. He may have felt like silk, but what a filthy fabric! “You need a bath!” I said to him. In response he closed his eyes, stretched out on the bricks and pointed his back to the heat source in the sky.

When the sun hid its face behind a palm and the shadows slid across the pool I wandered back to my room. In the bathroom I soaped up and scrubbed my hands, rinsing all the dirt, grime, filth, and dust off my skin. It circled the drain and flowed away. My nails were another matter – out came the nail file to jettison the dark crescents lining my nail beds. “That was one grimy kitty” I thought to myself, “but he didn’t look that dirty.”

Then it hit me. A lot of sin is like the dirt on the kitty – hidden, concealed, veiled, unknown until you brush up against it; leaving a mark on your skin, your clothes, your person and you have to take a bath (repent) to get rid of it. Hang out with the sin on a day to day basis and eventually you get so used to the grime, dirt, dust and filth you never see the need to cleanse yourself from it.

The little kitty didn’t know he was dirty – he is always like that; only I knew the difference. Now, I could choose to take my life into my own hands and bathe the kitty but the problem wouldn’t be solved. He would still be a stray, still sleep, live and eat outside – and mooch off of all the surrounding neighbors – and be filthy again within twenty-four hours.

To make a change, I would have to “adopt” him, love him, feed him, tend to him and eventually he would spend more time sunning himself in his strategically placed window bed than on the sunbaked bricks having his fur waffle in the wind.

So often we are around people who rub us the wrong way, leaving nasty marks in need of erasing; we offer suggestions, “help”, and solutions, but aren’t really in for long haul change. We want to see the graffiti artist change, but don’t oft walk the road or put in the time to make it happen. Honestly, I don’t have the patience, or bandwidth, to deal with all the marker proffering people in my world. God has given me a few to “love into a new way of life”, but the others I choose to forgive, bless, and walk away from.

Who are the markers in your life? Who are those covering you in graffiti during your visit? Do you have a marker in your hand? What situations, circumstances, people cause you to leave indelible ink on others? Why?

Updates:

Travel – home for a few days then off to LA (1 day), Seattle (4 days), Egypt (1 week) and Indonesia (1 week)! Whew!

Work – Training is rolling along and almost finished. We have a LEMON Leadership Forum this Wednesday in Saratoga and a webinar on Monday, followed by an all-day training on Saturday. TBW went smoothly and besides having tons and tons and tons of rain and soaked participants it went incredibly well!

Personal – I found a car! I fly to LA this weekend to pick it up and drive it home! Hee Hee – I’ll post a picture of it on a future update. Thank you Pete for driving it cross-country for me!

Requests:

Travel – We are all home for about a week then I leave for a wedding in Seattle and Brett and Lyn leave for Canada (LEMON engagement) later in April. This is a rare time indeed!

Personal – I am overwhelmed with the goodness of God toward me. The car is an over the top gift from him. It makes me giggle and laugh just to think of it. I have been looking for names and I am 90% sure she will be named “Poppy”; which means “fantastic extravagance” – a good descriptor I think!

Work – What is important to God’s heart? What does he want me to do? What is necessary to advance his Kingdom? What does he find important? How do I prioritize all the piles on my desk to reflect his answers?

Update #170 - Direct Route

“…guiding them in the right way, so that they might come into the town of their resting-place.” Psalm 107:7

Kirstenbosh National Botanical Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa

In 2006 I had the privilege to visit Cape Town, South Africa. We stayed in the Rondebosch neighborhood near the Newlands Cricket Stadium (700m walk away – this drove our sports enthusiasts crazy; to hear the roar of the crowd, the participants cheering - and not be there!). Cape Town itself is picturesque and stunning – but Rondebosh is surrounded by natural wonders - Table Mountain Natural Reserve, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, Rondebosch Commons. Everywhere you gaze beauty beholds – endless blue sky, verdant trees, lush vegetation, vibrant flowers, craggy mountainous outcroppings providing rich background texture.

As usual, I asked a ton of questions and did some research about the place we were staying. When was it settled? Who pioneered it? What is the government like? Are there any oppressed peoples? What is the education structure? What is the culture around women? How old do you need to be to drive (what side of the road do we drive)? Drink alcohol? What is the primary language? What is the common language? What age do people leave home to live on their own – or do they move out when they marry? I am sure I drove our hosts crazy with all my questions.

I discovered Rondebosch was settled by the Dutch in 1652 and the Commons area was used as a military camp base; troops were regularly stationed there even up until the Second World War. One of my hosts quipped Rondebosch is actually two words smooshed together – the English translation would be similar to “round the bush.”

In 2006 “round the bush” was a life descriptor. I felt as if I had been going round and round and round the same things – over and over and over revisiting the same stuff – unable to move on, unable to conquer, unable to leave the old behind. It would fade and then months later smack me in the face again. I actually laughed out loud when I learned what Rondebosch meant – God has such a sense of humor! “Yep, drop me in the place exemplifying my life – good one God.”

In the latter half of 2006 I felt my life wasn’t having much impact and I was busy wearing a groove in the dirt around the same three bushes. I felt I was wasting time, delayed and detoured off the main track. I felt like Moses in the back 40 tending uninterested, unresponsive, unrepentant sheep… abandoned and off in a muddy field vs. on the highway of life.

During our 2012 staff planning meeting I recalled this period of my life when we read Psalm 107:7 “…guiding them in the right way, so that they might come into the town of their resting-place.”

Wow. I was right where God wanted me. I wasn’t detoured. I wasn’t lost. I wasn’t delayed. I wasn’t wasting time in 2006 - God hadn’t forgotten me, hadn’t abandoned me, hadn’t forsaken me - even though my feet were crusted in mud and the bush-track was ankle deep.

Yes, I may have spent a bit more time travailing around these particular bushes than God would have liked, but I needed to deal with them and he wasn’t about to let me move forward in life without gaining healing, peace and reconciliation in these areas.

Where are you travailing? What bushes are you going round and round and round? Where are you seemingly “stuck” and unable to break out of the rutted track? Where do you feel abandoned by God? Where do you feel detoured, delayed and forsaken? The truth is you may be waylaid, postponed and suspended from moving forward but it is for a reason. He is moving you toward your “resting place,” he is moving you toward your promised land town.

If you are stuck ask him what you need to do to break free. Do you need to forgive? Repent? Let go of anger, bitterness or resentment? God loves you too much to let you get too far with unresolved, unhealed, untended wounds and gashes. He will stall you as long as needed to make sure you are in the proper state of health for your journey. A wise man once told me “hurt people, hurt people – healed people, heal people” – I don’t know about you but I would rather heal than hurt. You?

Updates:

Travel – I’m home! After 30 or so hours of travel I crashed into bed at 6pm and slept for 13 hours… jet lag isn’t a problem (yet) today! Hoping for a quick recovery!

Work – South Africa went better than we could have expected – great alumni connections, Brett spoke several places, and we marketed the Repurposing Business Intensive. Next stop, TBW this weekend and the KEYS Conference the following.

Personal – money was donated for a “new” car for me! Whoo Hoo! Blanche, my beloved Pontiac Bonneville is showing signs of age and is racking up the repair bills. Thank you to the generous alumni who is making this possible; I am humbly grateful.

Requests:

Travel – For our upcoming hectic travel schedule, that we would be able to attend to what we need to while home, prioritize while away, and road weariness won’t be a factor.

Personal – to be fully present in the moment and not distracted by what’s next on the schedule (and what needs to be done in preparation), to understand what God is doing and follow him fully, to hear God’s voice and be obedient.

Work – for the TBW retreat this weekend – for hearts to be prepared, for the speakers and testimony givers to hear God’s directive, and for the worship leaders to be anointed with God’s presence. Also, for Brett’s speaking slot at the upcoming KEYs Conference. Finally, that registration for the Repurposing Business Intensive will begin to arrive.