Stretching

I am not the most flexible man in the world (flexible as in limber although I am not super flexible in convictions/stubbornness either) and I am certainly not an expert on the subject, however, one thing I do know is that the more time I spend stretching the more flexible I become. If I were to never exercise or stretch, i would become much more stiff and inflexible and I wouldn't be able to do the same things that I could when I am consistently stretching and improving my flexibility. In fact, I would probably hurt myself if I tried to do something to suddenly without gradually working up to it.

Have you noticed that our spiritual lives work the same way. I have found the God works us up to many of the more challenging things that he wants us to do. This has played out over and over again in my life. One such time was the time leading up to and including being laid off from a job. When I look back at that time now, I see how God was gradually preparing me for that difficult time. The path God took me to my current job as a pastor was one of gradual stretching which ultimately led to me being able to get to the point of becoming a pastor at a church plant.

I bring all of this up because I now find myself in yet another time of stretching. Over the last several months, I have been arguing and fighting God on my openness to adoption. My wife has wanted to adopt since before I even met her and once we started having kids, I never really considered it or wanted it. But God has been telling me, for at least the last few months, that he wants me to pursue adoption. THIS IDEA FREAKS ME OUT. I have no idea how it's going to work in many different respects. What I do know is that I have seen God come through time and time again and every single time it has involved me being stretched and even if somewhat reluctantly, I am going to be obedient to Him and do what He asks.

God is gracious with me and never asks me to do something unless he has already prepared me or is preparing me for whatever it is. Muscles grow better when they are properly stretched. So do Christ followers. Are you allowing Him to stretch you?

15 Years

What sparks moments of reflection and/or recognition of blessings for you? For me, it usually takes some sort of a break in my daily routine; something like a significant holiday or event. Last week I had just such a thing happen, my 15th wedding anniversary. Now a wedding anniversary should spark a few things in a husband's head every year, things like; telling your wife "Happy Anniversary", getting some sort of gift, you know, recognising the fact that she has put up with you for 1 more year.

But, whenever there is a 5 or a 0 at the end of the number of years, the significance of the anniversary increases. That was the case for me this year, not only in the gifts/recognition but also in the reflection. Like all couples, we have had some rough times and we have had good times. In fact, I would say that right now, our marriage is as strong or even stronger as it has ever been. The thing I realized most during my time of reflection and celebration, however, is just how amazing my wife is, how much I love her and how important she is to me.

Thank you Kristina for saying "I do" 15 years ago, for putting up with my faults and for loving me so well. I love you!

The Entire Bible in 90 Days

Just like the end of every year brings top-10 lists and reviews of the year coming to a close, a new year brings resolutions and/or goals for the year to come. I don't really get too much into resolutions, but, like everyone else, I have made many of them, some of which lasted for a week or two, some of which lasted longer. What I am more a fan of and have had to do in some form or another for most of my work life is goals. I am not really sure what the technical difference is between resolutions and goals, but I think that goals are more concrete and therefore more likely to be accomplished.

This year, one of the things that I am trying to do is to read the entire Bible in 90 days. Fortunately, I am not doing this on my own, we are doing together as a church body which will likely help me stick with it. While I have read the entire Bible in a year a couple of different times, it wasn't that long ago where reading my bible 90 days in an entire year was a stretch for me. It wasn't that I didn't love Jesus and didn't believe that His word was important, I believed it was, I just didn't let it direct my life like I should have.

One of the dangers of reading through the Bible at this pace is that it can become just a task to check off of a list so I have to be diligent about taking in God's Word and letting Him speak to me through it. So far, I am on schedule and 13.6% of the way through the Bible. I have had new things stick out to me and familiar stories have become fresh again.

God's Word is amazing and I am falling more and more in love with it every day. Even if you don't try to read the entire Bible in 90 days, I encourage you to get into God's Word every day. Spend time with Him, apply what you learn, and go back for more. While many books can be enjoyable and helpful, this is the only one that is living and active and the only one written by the God who created us. What an amazing gift!