Friends,
Those of you who know me are aware of my little ‘Starbucks” ministry. In essence, I like to visit a Starbucks with a drive-thru, place my order and pay for the order behind me. It’s just a small way that I try to be a blessing to others. Although most people will never understand why I do it, I like spreading God’s love through a cup of coffee. I don’t do it expecting anything in return. It does brighten my day, though. This sense of happiness could question whether or not any kind act is truly altruistic. That can easily turn into a heated argument that would never end, so I’ll leave it alone…
Today, I had one last gift to buy for my mother’s birthday. I wanted to give her a gift card to one of her favorite stores. As I was standing in line with my one, little gift card, the couple in front of me was nice enough to ask if I wanted to go ahead of them. The woman stated that she didn’t mind as her transaction would probably take a while. I thanked her for her generosity, but told her that I really didn’t mind the wait. After all, she was there first, right?
The checker completed her order and I paid for my gift card. As I left the store, I headed to the nearest Starbucks. Not only was I craving a Chai latte, but I was ready to bless someone with their beverage of choice!
Minutes later, I arrived at the drive-thru. The place was packed. Awesome! I was so excited. I got in line behind several other cars. As I sat in my truck, idling in the cold, I anxiously awaited my “victim.”
Nobody came.
I eventually placed my order and made my way to the window. Then, nothing… Not a single car pulled in behind me! I paid for my coffee and left. I didn’t let it show on my face, but I was kind of bummed! Why wouldn’t God want me to bless one of His children? Then, I started to think, “If I would have been here just one minute earlier, I would have had my opportunity.”
Bingo! I DID have the opportunity, but I blew it. I didn’t allow that couple to bless me. Had I accepted their blessing to let me check out before them, I WOULD have made it to Starbucks earlier. You see, blessings are a cycle. I was so eager to do something nice for someone that I didn’t realize that it was okay for someone to do something nice for me. I had stopped someone else’s blessing. Maybe that couple was just trying to brighten my day and put a smile on my face. I stopped it! Maybe I bummed them out!
I constantly proclaim that I am ready for favor, abundance and blessing. Am I? I’ve written, preached, etc. to others about having an attitude of expectance. I realized today that I need to accept the small blessings if I’m going to accept the big ones.
So, what am I saying? Am I telling you to take advantage of every situation and exploit every event for your own personal gain? Of course, not. But I am saying that it’s okay to accept a blessing every once in a while.
We are a proud society. Whether you’re a man or a woman, a lot of us have a hard time letting people do things for us. I’ve talked at length about this with a friend of mine. She kind of brought it to my attention a few days ago. Today, I lived it. Let people help you. Let them bless you. Those who are blessed are a greater blessing to others.
In Christ,
James
Friday, January 18, 2008
The awesome healing power of God.
Friends,
This post has been on my heart for a while. When you realize that the length of this publishing is all but a few paragraphs, you’ll wonder why I’ve been holding on to it for months. I ask the same question.
In the early part of 2006, I was diagnosed with a chronic illness. After experiencing some scary and concerning symptoms (I’ll spare you the gory details), I submitted myself to the care of a gastroenterologist. After reviewing my symptoms and performing a few tests, I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. Essentially, there was an ulcer in my lower intestine. There is no cure for this disease, except in extreme cases when the lower intestine is surgically removed and replaced with an appliance (interior or exterior).
There is not any method of prevention for this disease. Though the reasons are unclear (probably genetic), I found myself, probably for the first time in my life, genuinely scared.
I was immediately put on a medication regiment comprised of Pentasa and Canasa. I was required to take (8) 500 mg. tablets of Pentasa and a single, 1000 mg. dosing of Canasa per day. For you math whizzes out there, that’s 5000 mg. of medication per day! I didn’t know I was a horse…
After I spent the first couple of weeks freaking out, learning how to take medicine every day, scaring myself with every piece of literature on the disease I could find and filling out my FMLA paperwork, I started to give the situation to God. Although this was a gradual process, I slowly felt less and less anxious about my condition. I did, however, admit myself to the ER for abdominal pains several times the first year. Then, my symptoms slowly subsided and I didn’t even think of my disease - even as I swallowed those horse pills twice a day.
I remained on the medication regiment and kept all of the appointments with my GI until November of last year. Then, I suddenly decided to quit taking my medicine. I don’t normally do this, but I hadn’t had a visit to the ER in quite a while and my symptoms were extremely faint.
I was once told that we can be delivered by something, through something or from something. I realize that the awesome power of the Lord prevails in my life. In a worst-case scenario, I could die (delivered by) from this disease. However, it seems that God has another plan for me.
I’m reminded by the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. God delivered these three men from King Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace. I was only coping with a disease, not thrown in a fire. In Daniel 3, we see how one’s faith can deliver us from anything.
I don’t know what you face in your life. I don’t know what your relationships are like. I don’t know how much money is (or is not) in your bank account. I don’t know what the latest report from your doctor says. But, I do know this. God delivers. He delivers us to wisdom through our trials. He delivers us from our trials through His grace.
In Christ,
James
This post has been on my heart for a while. When you realize that the length of this publishing is all but a few paragraphs, you’ll wonder why I’ve been holding on to it for months. I ask the same question.
In the early part of 2006, I was diagnosed with a chronic illness. After experiencing some scary and concerning symptoms (I’ll spare you the gory details), I submitted myself to the care of a gastroenterologist. After reviewing my symptoms and performing a few tests, I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. Essentially, there was an ulcer in my lower intestine. There is no cure for this disease, except in extreme cases when the lower intestine is surgically removed and replaced with an appliance (interior or exterior).
There is not any method of prevention for this disease. Though the reasons are unclear (probably genetic), I found myself, probably for the first time in my life, genuinely scared.
I was immediately put on a medication regiment comprised of Pentasa and Canasa. I was required to take (8) 500 mg. tablets of Pentasa and a single, 1000 mg. dosing of Canasa per day. For you math whizzes out there, that’s 5000 mg. of medication per day! I didn’t know I was a horse…
After I spent the first couple of weeks freaking out, learning how to take medicine every day, scaring myself with every piece of literature on the disease I could find and filling out my FMLA paperwork, I started to give the situation to God. Although this was a gradual process, I slowly felt less and less anxious about my condition. I did, however, admit myself to the ER for abdominal pains several times the first year. Then, my symptoms slowly subsided and I didn’t even think of my disease - even as I swallowed those horse pills twice a day.
I remained on the medication regiment and kept all of the appointments with my GI until November of last year. Then, I suddenly decided to quit taking my medicine. I don’t normally do this, but I hadn’t had a visit to the ER in quite a while and my symptoms were extremely faint.
I was once told that we can be delivered by something, through something or from something. I realize that the awesome power of the Lord prevails in my life. In a worst-case scenario, I could die (delivered by) from this disease. However, it seems that God has another plan for me.
I’m reminded by the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. God delivered these three men from King Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace. I was only coping with a disease, not thrown in a fire. In Daniel 3, we see how one’s faith can deliver us from anything.
I don’t know what you face in your life. I don’t know what your relationships are like. I don’t know how much money is (or is not) in your bank account. I don’t know what the latest report from your doctor says. But, I do know this. God delivers. He delivers us to wisdom through our trials. He delivers us from our trials through His grace.
In Christ,
James
Thursday, January 3, 2008
2008 is going to be great!
Friends,
Anyone who posts on a regular basis will probably be posting their New Year’s Resolutions this week. I would like to offer an alternative this year.
Most people start the New Year with a list of behavioral-based desires. These are usually simple activities in their life that they would like to quit, start or modify:
“I want to quit smoking.” “I need to start exercising.” “I want to eat healthier.”
Whether we stick with them or not, these resolutions don’t address some of our biggest problems. Many of us get discouraged because we feel that it is too late for other issues in our lives. For example, we are all sinners. Every single one of us has done something we shouldn’t have. We can never take back anything we say. We lose our virginity all but once. These are bigger issues that we don’t tend to talk about. However, some of these things eat away at the very core of us. They consume us and make us miserable. We can change simple behaviors at any time, but how do we live with the events that have already taken place? I’ll tell you how most of us deal with it. Guilt.
So, why am I writing this? Is it to convict you? To make you feel bad? No. I came across some Scripture the other day that helped me ring in the BEST New Year yet. Sure, I rang it in without a special someone or a New Year’s kiss, but it’s also when I realized what was in store for me this year.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (NIV)
Wow! Go, Paul! Where can we even start to break this down?
First of all, verses 17-19 prove to us that God is a God of restoration and reconciliation. What a perfect lesson for the New Year. It doesn’t matter who we are or what we’ve done, God’s not keeping score. He loves us just the same. He can restore our souls and make us whole again.
God reconciled with us through His son, Jesus Christ. See, you get a little Christmas and Easter passage, too! The fundamental aspects of Christianity rolled up into one piece of Scripture.
Now, look what God has in store for us. We are His ambassadors! We are righteous! Doesn’t that make you feel special? It should. Each and every one of us have the opportunity to do His work, because we are Him!
The New Year. No matter what you resolve to do, make sure that you expect this year. 2008 is going to be great because God restores us, blesses us and has only good things in store for his ambassadors – his righteous children.
“Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:13 (NIV)
Happy New Year!
James
Anyone who posts on a regular basis will probably be posting their New Year’s Resolutions this week. I would like to offer an alternative this year.
Most people start the New Year with a list of behavioral-based desires. These are usually simple activities in their life that they would like to quit, start or modify:
“I want to quit smoking.” “I need to start exercising.” “I want to eat healthier.”
Whether we stick with them or not, these resolutions don’t address some of our biggest problems. Many of us get discouraged because we feel that it is too late for other issues in our lives. For example, we are all sinners. Every single one of us has done something we shouldn’t have. We can never take back anything we say. We lose our virginity all but once. These are bigger issues that we don’t tend to talk about. However, some of these things eat away at the very core of us. They consume us and make us miserable. We can change simple behaviors at any time, but how do we live with the events that have already taken place? I’ll tell you how most of us deal with it. Guilt.
So, why am I writing this? Is it to convict you? To make you feel bad? No. I came across some Scripture the other day that helped me ring in the BEST New Year yet. Sure, I rang it in without a special someone or a New Year’s kiss, but it’s also when I realized what was in store for me this year.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (NIV)
Wow! Go, Paul! Where can we even start to break this down?
First of all, verses 17-19 prove to us that God is a God of restoration and reconciliation. What a perfect lesson for the New Year. It doesn’t matter who we are or what we’ve done, God’s not keeping score. He loves us just the same. He can restore our souls and make us whole again.
God reconciled with us through His son, Jesus Christ. See, you get a little Christmas and Easter passage, too! The fundamental aspects of Christianity rolled up into one piece of Scripture.
Now, look what God has in store for us. We are His ambassadors! We are righteous! Doesn’t that make you feel special? It should. Each and every one of us have the opportunity to do His work, because we are Him!
The New Year. No matter what you resolve to do, make sure that you expect this year. 2008 is going to be great because God restores us, blesses us and has only good things in store for his ambassadors – his righteous children.
“Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:13 (NIV)
Happy New Year!
James
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