what I learned today

I've been searching for a study that combines prayer and scripture, so why am I surprised when the Lord gives me exactly what I prayed for?

I received a totally unsolicited study in the mail yesterday and it appears that it is EXACTLY what I've been looking for!  A 10 week prayer journaling study - short - concise and personally challenging.  Working in ministry I've become aware how casually I tell people I'll pray for them, and I have to confess unless I write their name down right there and then I often forget.  This provides me a place to write down specific names, and to write my prayers out before the Lord - accountability.

At this point I'm not going to share what the title is because I'm just in day 1, and I don't know the content yet.  I've been highly disappointed in some of the pastoral associations that have emerged lately between some of the people I thought were theologically safe to study.   So, that causes me not to jump the gun and recommend much.  Instead I'm going to pray harder then ever for God to protect Crossroads theologically - to anoint our church with great discernment which sometimes means we are forced to point out problems we see with others' teachings.

Back to what I learned today, sitting in my favorite place this morning with sunshine pouring through trees that are still raining from last nights shower, I studied creation.  Genesis 1:1-27

Oh my word!   Talk about the pages of scripture coming alive before my eyes!!   I heard bird calls I've never noticed before, I saw annoying bugs fly past me and watched dew laden flowers reach toward the sun.   I saw a woodpecker that God decided needed a bright red head!  Amazing detail!

A cardinal came calling

Talk about a Creative God!  But creativity alone only creates chaos - orderliness is equally important, God had a plan.

The teaching talked about how God considers a blend of creativity and order to be the most effective way of working.  He needs both type of personalities to operate as He intended.  He said His creation was good, but it goes on to talk about if we had seen those first few days of creation - we may not have thought it good, seed-bearing plants with no sunshine?  God knew what was coming next, so He knew it was good!

The same applies to our lives.

Do we have problems trusting in His plans?  He sees into eternity and we only see this moment.
He knows how we fit into His plan - do we really trust Him?

What a convicting challenge to lay our my life COMPLETELY unconcerned with what is next.  That is my goal today - a day of obedience capturing every word and every thought of useless worry.

I was reminded again this morning to fully lean into God - what I learned today is that I'm simply a piece of the overall plan He designed - created specifically to help in this small span of time for His glory.

easter pieces

It's always about this time before Easter or Christmas that I feel the most vulnerable, the most unsure.

Many times I've had ideas, themes and possible elements for special services tucked away in folders, or deep in my mind for sometimes several years.  When you've thought about something for a long time, you begin to question and doubt whether it's really the right direction to go.  You wonder if you even still believe in it enough to pitch the idea and rally people around it.

And then as I pray and begin to work, often times I'm amazed to find the idea found long ago - now makes sense or has gained support or understanding.

It's an amazing process that can only be explained by the fact that God uses our planning, our creativity in His timing to present His never changing message.

Does He need us to move His message forward, no.   But, I am eternally thankful that He decided to use us in a small way, a way that lets us put to use whatever talents He's given us to serve Him.

Our team will all begin to gather around this Easter concept next week, please pray that it will be obvious to all of us if this can and should be developed into our Easter at Crossroads.

I cherish your prayers, thank you!

today's prayer

I enjoyed the privilege of being home all day yesterday!  Well, except for a quick trip to Walmart to get a couple of things for the 'big' storm!  And I did attend the Ken Ham live stream.  And now the 'big' storm is here providing another day at home much to my delight! 

Living next to a ski resort, the cars are steady and driving at almost a regular speed, so it's hard to judge why everything is closed down...but, I'm not asking any questions I LOVE being snowed in so much!

I began the morning by talking with our daughter and son-in-law in Cambodia.   Well, mostly my daughter, all I could see most of the time was my son-in-law's feet in a hammock- it's time for bed over there.

Now, if the Lord will open my mind to organized creativity I would LOVE to get Easter finished so the teams can begin to work on details while I'm in Cambodia.  I feel SO overwhelmed at times with the responsibility of planning quality services that the most difficult part is simply to begin.  The snow provides that opportunity today and I'm already in a mindset of worship looking at this magnificent snow fall across our property.

So I thought I'd write my prayer this morning so you could repeat it with me asking the Lord to fill our days with Him - whatever our responsibilities may be today!

Lord, PLEASE completely control my mind as I open it to your work.  May every moment of this precious day be filled with a surrendering of my own will to bring glory to you through everything I touch today.

Let your endless creativity so move me that the results of everything I work on clearly magnifies You and could not be created by man.

Thank you for the beautiful snow which brings rest, and a day away from rushing, and worry, and minimal accomplishment.  

I love you Lord.

Amen

does creativity just happen?

I wish!

Today I have spent some time pursuing creativity!  I have been networking with other 'Directors of Programming' across the country picking their brains for suggestions or events I can attend - or creative processes or meetings they attend that I could shadow or SOMETHING to take me out of my little Crossroads box...

A couple of my best contacts have recently moved on to other areas of ministry so I feel like I'm kind of 'out there'...certainly not abandoned by our teams or staff, but just kind of needing something to point me at some new things I have not yet discovered on my own.  New ways to help 'create the need' and 'reveal the Savior' to those who are seeking.  Jesus was relevant when he walked the earth, He used stories and current things that surrounded the culture to teach those who followed Him or crossed His path.  That is why I can never stop pursuing creativity.

It takes no fancy tricks or gimmicks, that is not what I mean when I discuss creativity.  Instead I long to investigate every beautiful piece of His creation, everything that people consider moving and all the vast ways to communicate with our congregation.   We are all wired differently, music speaks to some, art to others, the written word to some and simplicity to others.  So my job is to investigate as many shapes and forms of these endless possibilities as I can every week - and I feel a need recently to learn from others.  So today I sent emails and made contacts with other leaders in my position.  I am praying there will be some divine appointments made as I lay myself open for suggestions and most of all to learn.

what I learned today

It is probably just my age, but all of a sudden I find myself terribly interested in learning more.





Today I took a small step by signing up for a 12 week course on creativity.  It sounds really interesting and practical.  It concentrates on a balanced focus between three areas of creative work,  passions/skills/experience.  The focus of week one was the development of practices = regular practice built into our lives increase the capacity to do great work and not get burned out.


I love practical teaching that transfers into my spiritual life as well.  I am looking forward to the evaluation of my work that this course encourages.  I want to learn, I want to work in an excellent way while remaining healthy with my family and my spiritual walk with Christ.  Very exciting.

Next, I decided I am very interested in taking a writing course of some kind (after Easter).  Do any of you educators out there have a suggestion?  I would prefer doing this on-line as opposed to attending a class.  It could be through a college or a reputable site of some kind.

After spending time investing in my 'work life' I went to the Word and read the most blessed things...

I John 1:14-18..."From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another." vs 16

I should be so full of joy based on these verses that my love for the Lord is overflowing.  All things can be found in Him!

John Piper says, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him".

He offers himself and all that means to us, and yet time an time again we settle for what the world has to offer.  My prayer today is to intentionally pursue Him - to remain in Him, to be completely satisfied in Him!  How amazing His grace is to me!

creativity describes our day

Cambodians are extremely creative, their very lives depend on it.They must be creative in order to survive.

We have yet to meet anyone who has an easy life. We have yet to meet anyone who complains about his life or anything for that matter.

This is their kitchen - a creative way to feed 25 at every meal. This is their water supply and this is their make-shift gutter system - creative.

Our goal in 2011 is to raise $50,000 to build a permanent orphanage for our little ones. Right now they are in a temporary home, a leased home. We have the land paid for, now comes the building.

Creativity is required.

So on this day we spent the entire day creating with the kids. We again taught sewing, you can see the pretty blue print dress that was sewed, we provided thousands of beads and pipe cleaners which awoke great creativity in orphans and adults alike.We thought Eileen looked like the Statue of Liberty - I have no idea what I looked like as I become more and more covered with the gifts of pipe cleaner crowns and multiple bead bracelets and necklaces. I wondered if this creativity could be used to help them financially.

So today little hands worked to create beautiful water color paintings that will travel back to the Mansfield where we will have them duplicated and re-printed to create cards and possible other items that people can purchase. They were so excited about the project.

What in your life requires creativity? Can you be creative for the Lord - to further the Gospel? God never called us to easy, follow Him into whatever His will is for you, please don't settle for easy.




(Last night we lost our internet connection so this post is late. If we have internet later today I will post again) May God richly bless your next day - fill it with intention...

updated

(I am nearly done updating my blog. Change is good! I hope you like it.)

I was thinking about all the ways my job has changed over the past 14 years and one of my most favorite opportunities with my position here at Crossroads is that I get to dream about our future. I pray for the Lord's direction and begin the search exploring what might be a blessing to our congregation.

I search for new opportunities to bring in guests, or add things at Crossroads that help our congregation to become familiar with authors, musicians and teachers that help facilitate their maturity in Christ! This has been such a blessing and learning experience for me. Second only to the creation of our services and face time with our artists/musicians-vocalists/actors, this segment of my job is my favorite.

We have several new things 'in the works' that should really be a exciting for our congregation should the Lord work out the details. Please keep praying for our staff as we all work together to lead our congregation toward the Lord!

does creativity = bad theology

I have been disappointed recently by what seems to be a real lack of sound theology especially from leaders connected to creativity.

Why is it so prevalent for believers to not know where they stand theologically, or at least to not take a stand theologically? I think our society has brainwashed us into thinking we have to accept whatever people want to believe. I LOVE creatives, artists, musicians, actors anything creative. But many times in the name of 'art' they seem to be way too tolerant. This is disappointing.

I would actually respect people more that took a hard stand in wrong theology, at least then you would know where they stand and you could even try with the Lord's help to reveal the truth to them. But it's that in-between somewhere state that doesn't deserve following. And it drives me crazy!

I need people that can teach me in the areas in which my responsibilities lie. I feel extremely alone at times as I try to lead, not alone physically (I have amazing friends and staff around me), but there are so few leading the way strongly in the creative areas of ministry! Is there anyone out there who is SURE of where they stand, SURE of what they won't compromise on, and SURE of what we need to do, to know, to produce?

I guess the best we can all do is to make SURE our own theology is so rock solid that none of the in-between junk ever sucks us into the mediocre abyss of anything goes...

hallway conversations

I love hallway conversations!

They typically short, sweet, precise and over!

Today's hallway conversation with Pastor Tim proved to be the beginnings of Easter service planning.

Totally impromptu - I let him listen to a song that I was excited about, I described how I was thinking of presenting it creatively. He asked me to rewind it, and realized the beginning lyrics perfectly supported what he had been feeling God has laid on his heart as a possible theme for next Easter.

Before the 10 minute conversation ended - more ideas came out that we both got pretty excited about.

All I can tell you is - artist, water, box...kind of like rock, paper scissors! We shall see - I love spontaneous creativity.

Oh yeah, Christmas - maybe tomorrow's conversations will create Christmas - I can only hope!

change things up

I am constantly trying to come up with new creative ideas. Not always easy.

When it comes to writing, I write a lot of things out longhand and I especially like to write with a pencil, not a mechanical pencil a real pencil. I have no idea why, I just always have. So I split my writing between computer and long hand for no specific purpose - just enjoy it.

Today I was reading an article by Mark Shead about how to write more creatively and the suggestion was to spend some of your time writing longhand instead of on the computer. They said because it stimulates different parts of the brain, partially because of the motor skills involved, it can help you write more creatively. The researchers said we actually think significantly different when we write by hand.

The same thing applies in work or other areas of creativity - if you find yourself stuck - take a break, change locations or discuss what you are working on with someone completely out of your area of expertise. Simple solutions to help move us forward in our work or hobbies!