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But don’t despair either. With God’s help you will get through this.” — Max Lucado
How do you navigate life in the pit? It’s deep, dark, dirty and cold. Physically, you’re hungry, thirsty and exhausted. Emotionally, you’re anguished, afraid and full of regrets. You have no idea when, or even if, you’ll get out. The pit is a difficult place to find yourself, as it is often visited during some seasons of life.
So you find yourself in a pit. What’s next? Where’s help going to come from? Pastor and New York Times best-selling author Max Lucado addresses this very topic in his 2013 book You’ll Get Through This: Hope and Help for Your Turbulent Times. Lucado stated in an interview, that based on his ministry experience, one in every five people he sees on a regular basis is going through some kind of struggle.
Based on the book of Genesis, Lucado explores Joseph’s life in a captivating story-telling format with compassion, insight and humor. Insightful questions for reflection are included for personal and small group study.
Betrayed and tossed in a pit by his brothers, Joseph was sold into slavery, punished for doing the right thing, and endured a long imprisonment. Regardless of the circumstance, Joseph acknowledged God’s presence and trusted that He had a plan.
Not only did I enjoy the book, it encouraged me, and the truths continue to help me keep perspective. Here are a few lessons I learned from the life of Joseph based on my favorite chapters:
God is at work whether we see it or not. We tend to focus on the day to day circumstances but He sees the big picture.
We must wait and allow Him to complete His plan. God works on His timetable, not ours.
God uses our difficult circumstances to help us become the person He intends us to be.
God is a God of redemption. What Satan intends for evil, God redeems for good. God takes our pain and is able to shape it and put it to use for His plans and purpose.
We must trust Him. While we do our part to act and respond in a godly way, we must trust Him to do what we can’t.
Regardless of the pit you find yourself in, there is hope. Whatever “this” is – a health issue, financial crisis, broken relationship or wayward child, be reminded that you will get through it. God is next to us in the pit helping, supporting and teaching life lessons.
Hospitality is not my gift. Inadequate is the best way to describe my feelings. When my husband and I accepted the call to pastor the church we are currently serving, we felt a strong need to invite church members into our home. We wanted to get to know them, and we wanted them to get to know us.
At the time, the easiest way to do this was to invite each Sunday School department into our home. The groups were large, and it was crowded at times, but our church members thoroughly enjoyed coming over. So far, more than 300 people have come through our home over a three-year period of time, with more to come!
At the thought of putting together a centerpiece I break out in a sweat. I’m not a great cook. But inviting people over was important enough that I push past the obstacles – the expense, the lack of time, the pressure to present a perfectly-clean and well-decorated home with a beautiful meal and creative presentation. I learned to focus on what I have, not what I don’t have. I learned to keep it simple, allowing others to help, and relax.
Here are four tips to ease the stress of inviting people over:
Pick a theme. A couple of my favorite themes are January Chili Supper, February Italian Dinner, Potatoes and Pie Night (baked potato bar), May Cinco de Mayo Mexican Night, Backyard Barbeque, Staff Christmas Party, Pizza Party, and Youth Grinch Christmas Party. Our 80-year-olds joined us on a fall Friday afternoon for cider and pumpkin spice Chex mix. The house was full of wheel chairs and walkers, and only one person fell!
Accept help. Once you have a theme and people ask how they can help, or what they can bring, have an answer for them. I usually provide the meat or main dish and then have a detailed sign-up sheet and ask everyone to bring the rest.
Send out simple invitations. This can be a mentioned during the Sunday School class, an email, social media or actual invitations.
Just breathe and enjoy your guests! Your house will always have corners that need to be cleaner. Like me, you may have a list of things that need to be updated. People are excited to be invited over. The cleanliness of the home, the food and everything else is secondary to building the relationships with people.
Inviting people to spend time with us in our home shows church members that we are just normal people. It gives us an opportunity to have conversations with those we wouldn’t get to speak with on Sundays. It deepens relationships. It shows that we care and that we love our church members. I was amazed at the number of people who said they had never been to their pastor’s home or that it had been 20 years since they were invited.
Hospitality is Biblical servanthood. It’s about loving people and making them feel special. Our mindset should be one of service, not impressing people. Our focus should be on the people, not our home, the food or the presentation. The cost cannot compare with the benefit. You too, can conquer your fears. Come on over!
After well over a year of prayer and preparation it was finally here –the weekend of Oklahoma City’s Good News Festival at the Chesapeake Arena. I’ve been in the arena many times before, but this time it was different. Almost like electricity, there was excitement and expectancy in the air. We were told that there were prayer teams from all over the world praying for this event, and it was evident that God’s Spirit was there already working in the hearts of those who would attend.
Hundreds of volunteers arrived hours in advance to take their place for this two-day event. Some were ushers, some organized literature, some praying and some prepared to counsel. My husband and I took our places. I lined up in a separate area in a line clearly marked for Women’s Counselors. My husband was assigned to greet counselors, placing them in groups and assigning groups to sections of the arena.
Last spring, along with many other Christians across the city, we enrolled in the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s Life and Witness course. This free three-night training has been taught all over the world. It helps Christians reignite their faith and equips them to share their faith in daily life and as counselors during the Festival. After completing the course, securing a pastoral reference and completing the application, I received my badge by mail to serve as a counselor.
After going through the line, my group proceeded to our assigned section of the arena. It was a pleasure to meet other like-minded people from various evangelical denominations who were all there for the same purpose – to lead people to Christ. We prayed over each seat in our section asking God that each and every person would know for certain that they have eternal life. Of all the thousands of people entering the arena, I wondered who God would place me with to counsel.
Each service took on its own distinct personality. Saturday’s event, designed for youth, literally shook the foundation of the arena. Popular bands, deafening noise, powerful testimonies and a clear explanation of the Gospel by Franklin Graham filled the program. Youth responded enthusiastically to the message of God’s love for them, His specific plan for their life, His forgiveness and offer of eternal life.
I slipped out of my seat and made my way to the very front of the brightly-lit arena floor where I was paired with Lori. Lori is 34 years old, and I could tell from her appearance that life had been hard. She was visibly broken over her sin and eager to get her life right with God. I reviewed the Gospel with her – that we have all sinned, that Jesus died on the cross to forgive our sin, that He rose from the dead and is ready to forgive if we’ll just receive Him. With tears in her eyes, she prayed to accept Christ in her life saying, “I need to and I want to”. This sweet lady went away with the peace that she was right with God.
Sunday’s event, geared to families, was complete with bands, testimonies, a massive state-wide Oklahoma choir and a clear Gospel message from Franklin. At the invitation, I was paired with a sweet 13-year-old girl who had just moved from out-of-state to a rural town in Oklahoma. She and her family had been attending First Baptist Church. I could tell the seeds of the Gospel had been planted and watered there. The message from Franklin brought in the harvest. I reviewed the Gospel with her, and she invited Christ into her heart.
There are many things in life that bring joy and satisfaction, but nothing compares to the joy and peace of knowing that your sins are forgiven and that you will go to Heaven when you die. And nothing compares to leading others to have that same assurance. In all of life, this is the most important thing. If you are not absolutely certain that you have eternal life and are interested in learning more, I urge you to go to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s website http://peacewithgod.net/.
Are you a member of a country club church? The truth is painful but we need to hear it. My Sunday School class is studying I Am A Church Member: Discovering the Attitude that Makes a Difference by Lifeway President and CEO, Thom S. Rainer. Matter of fact, not only is my class studying it but also every department in my church. Published by B&H in 2013, it’s a small book, but it packs a big punch.
Based on 1 Cor. 12-14, Rainer attempts to remedy the epidemic of inactive and barely-committed church members and explains the biblical expectations of those who join a body of believers. Ronnie Floyd, Senior Pastor of Cross Church writes, “This book needs to be read by every pastor and church member globally. Find a way to get it to every Christ-follower.”
“We may just discover that the reason our nation is in such bad shape is because our churches are so unhealthy.” Thom Rainer
The timely book will not only lead the reader to personal introspection but also lead a church to take steps towards health and revitalization. The book has six succinct chapters packed with wisdom and application:
I Will Be a Functioning Member. The Apostle Paul explains the metaphor of the church being a body of believers made of many parts serving together in unity with love as the central attitude and action. Country club members pay dues to get others to work for them and serve them. They are entitled. With church membership, everyone has a necessary role and serves without hesitation. Will you serve unselfishly?
I Will Be a Unifying Church Member. Rainer explains that each of us has a responsibility to be a source of unity. God demands it. Gossip will not be tolerated. He explains that unity will not happen if there are unforgiving hearts. Are you a person people approach with gossip?
I Will Not Let the Church Be About My Preferences and Desires. Rainer lists 10 behavior patterns of churches that are inwardly focused and self-serving. We will never find joy in church membership when we strive to demand our own preferences. Do you contribute to the dismal statistics of decline? Will you let go of your preferences for the sake of the growth of the body of Christ?
I Will Pray for My Church Leaders. Satan is alive and well and he targets pastors and spiritual leaders in an attempt to trap them and destroy them. Rainer implores church members to pray for their pastor: his peaching, his family, his schedule, his protection and his health. Will you pray for your pastor and staff?
I Will Lead My Family to Be Healthy Church Members. Parents should teach their families to love the local church. Rainer encourages families to pray together for the church, worship and serve together. We are to love our churches deeply and unconditionally despite occasional disagreements. Will you lead your family to be healthy church members?
I Will Treasure Church Membership as a Gift. Church membership is a privilege. This means serving is a “get to” not a “got to”. Our attitude towards serving is that of joy and anticipation rather than obligation and guilt. Are you humbled and honored to serve in your church?
I Am A Church Member can be read in about two sittings. It is appropriate for a church-wide study, small group setting and individual reading. Each chapter ends with a pledge and thought-provoking study questions to guide discussion. Buy a copy for yourself and your pastor.
What will your attitude be? Will it make a difference? Will you join others and be part of making a change?
Monsters are scary. They lurk and prowl. They are sneaky and threatening. They are enemies. Their looming presence brings us fear and dread and challenges us to prove our worth. Unfortunately, these are qualities that are associated with some mother-in-laws.
This month my mother-in-law celebrated her 80th birthday. As we celebrated her, it caused me to reflect on her life. Fortunately, for the past 30 years I have been blessed with a mother-in-love, not a monster-in-law.
As a mother-in-law myself, these are some lessons I have learned from her that I have tried to incorporate into my own life:
Love your son-in-law or daughter-in-law like your own. Treat them the same as your children. They are not outsiders. Include them in everything. Treat them as equals in celebrations and gift giving. Take the initiative to spend time together with a mutual interest to build the relationship. Pray for them and let them know you do!
Instill value in your son-in-law or daughter-in-law. Even after years, some feel like they never measure up to the standards of their in-law. Realize they may feel insecure. Accept them for who they are. Compliment their accomplishments in front of others and show appreciation especially for how they contribute to the life of your child. Build them up rather than criticize and watch how they soften and warm up to you.
Be wise in knowing when to step in and when to step back. Respect boundaries from the beginning. Don’t interfere, don’t take sides. Don’t compete with your children-in-law. Be available but don’t give advice unless it is requested. Know when to visit and when to leave.
Maintain a healthy, godly relationship over the years. It takes effort, but for the sake of all, a healthy relationship must be kept at all costs. Clear up misunderstandings quickly before they fester. Try placing yourself in the other’s position. It’s not a competition. You’re not each other’s enemy. You’re family.
We can all learn a few lessons from my mother-in-love. Mothers-in-love are not scary, they are encouraging and approachable. They don’t lurk and prowl, but are ready, willing and able to help when asked. They aren’t sneaky and threatening, but trustworthy and kind. They aren’t enemies but allies. Their presence brings joy and challenges us to be our best. Which will you be?
So you find yourself in a pit. What’s next? Where’s help going to come from? Pastor and New York Times best-selling author Max Lucado addresses this very topic in his 2013 book You’ll Get Through This: Hope and Help for Your Turbulent Times. Lucado stated in an interview, that based on his ministry experience, one in every five people he sees on a regular basis is going through some kind of struggle.
