Archives for April 2015

Is there something in your life that you’ve left hanging?  A charge that was given to you that you’ve failed to execute? A project you need to complete? 

I do.

In August, 2013, God spoke to my heart calling me to write a series called Riverside. For fourteen weeks, I walked verse-by-verse through the book of Philippians. On November 30th, I hit “publish” on my final post of the series.

But I knew that the project was not complete.  I knew I was supposed to take that work and turn it into something for print. But life got in the way.

Life often gets in the way, right? 

This past week, God reminded me that I still have Riverside to complete. So on Saturday, I opened a new document in Scrivener, and stepped onto the road to completion.

 

Riverside is my project.  What’s yours?  Do you have a project you need to complete?   

I would love your prayers for me as I work on Riverside. And, if you let me know about the project you need to bring to completion, I’ll pray for you too.

Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it.  2 Corinthians 8:11

 

 

This whole thing of  having a quiet time can be confusing. You may be like the people who messaged me on Facebook this week.  You’ve got questions, but have been too embarrassed to ask.

Here are the most common Quiet Time Questions for Inquiring Minds. 

1. Does my quiet time have to be in the morning?  

Absolutely not. I would encourage you to be intentional about when you’re going to have it, but it doesn’t have to be in the morning. Just look at the regular rhythm of your week and see when it works best for you.

2. You recommend having a “Quiet Time Spot.”  What does this look like for you? 

Here’s my spot!

You don’t have to have a spot. But, my kids know this is mine.  One of my daughters recently called if my “Jesus Chair.”  I love that!

3. You say that my quiet time needs to be with my Bible. Other people say that it can be a Christian book. Who’s right?

I have wonderful, godly friends who agree with other people. And that’s fine. I just disagree. For my quiet time, I don’t want to read what other people say about the Bible. I want to read the Bible.

3. You recommend reading all the way through the Bible. What about all those lists, and genealogies, really, really boring parts?

That’s one of the reasons I like this plan.

Bible-Reading-Plan

Because you’re in both the Old and New Testament every day, you’re not going to have long stretches of time in a boring part. And you might just find that one of those boring parts has a gold nugget or two.  Like this one:

Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired, he and his daughters. Nehemiah 3:12

In this list of people rebuilding the wall, we have this beautiful moment of a father and his daughters laboring together for a noble cause.  It made me think about my husband and our daughters and the way he’s taught them to use power tools, and repair dry wall, and lay hardwood.   I love this!

I also think there’s something to be said for just old-fashioned gutting it out and persevering through the parts that simply are not as interesting to you.

4. Cindy, I’d like to have a regular quiet time, but I just can’t find the time.   

I know! It is HARD!  Our lives are so busy. And we have so many demands on our time. And if you’re a mom with littles, I totally understand. With 7 kids within 8 years of each other, I get it. During these years, my quiet times weren’t so … quiet. And that’s okay. I will say that afternoon nap time was GOLDEN during those years.  Can you find 15 minutes?  Start there.

5. What kind of Bible do use? And you say you have a favorite pen? What about your journal?

So, my favorite Bible is the ESV Study Bible. This is the one I’ve just completed. I think I’m going to switch to the Personal Size ESV Study Bible. It’s 2.6 pounds rather than 4.1.  The text is 7.7 point rather than 9 point.  So that’s a consideration.

I prefer a hardcover over leather-bound.  The pages are just a bit thicker and can stand up to my writing.  I end up covering my Bible with duct tape after  few months. But, I’m okay with that.

My favorite pen is the Uniball Jetstream Retractable Roller with a fine tip. My kids know that these are my favorite pens and they also know that if they just want to give me a little gift, this is one that I love!

For journals, I like the Moleskine Classic Hardcover. I’ve tried off-brands, but always come back to Moleskine.  It feels good, wears well, and the pages are a good thickness.

6.  What do you do with your Bible once you’ve finished reading it all the way through? 

I do like to read it through and then start over with a new Bible.  And I LOVE what I have planned for the Bibles I’ve “completed.” But, I can’t share publicly because it’s a surprise. If you want to know, leave a comment or message me, and I’ll be glad to fill you in. I’m super-excited about it. And it’s something that you can do too!

Do you have more questions about quiet times?  Either ask in the comments or message me on Facebook.  If you have a question, you know that a hundred others have the same one!  

… this would be it.

Today, I’m going to share with you the one thing I have done for the past 15 years that has impacted my faith like nothing else.

If you join me doing this one thing, here’s what you can expect:

• You’ll never be at a loss for what to read for your quiet time.

• You’ll learn to hear God’s voice in all of Scripture, not just in your favorite verses.

• You’ll learn to wrestle with hard passages and ask God to help you understand.

• You’ll be able to trace themes and threads thoughout the Bible and see the connections.

• You’ll dig for treasure and find it in passages that most people overlook.

God’s Word will become so very precious to you. What’s the one thing I’m talking about? Reading your Bible systematically, consistently, and chronologically.

Interested in joining me? If so, here’s what you do:

1. Download this  Bible-Reading-Plan.  You’ll notice that there are NO DATES. This is in on purpose.

2. Cut the columns to fit your Bible and using clear packing tape, tape them onto the blank pages at the back of your Bible.

3. Start with Genesis 1 and read, engage, and write each day. You may only read half of a chapter, but that’s fine. You just pick up where you left off the next day. When you finish Genesis 1-3 and Matthew 1, put a check mark beside that line. The next day, start with Genesis 4. The goal is to read through the Bible systematically and consistently, not to read the Bible in a year.

I am telling you that there is NOTHING that you can do that will help you grow in your faith like reading your Bible systematically, consistently, and chronologically.  Nothing. If I could convince you to do one thing, this would be it.    

 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

Does your quiet time feel more like an item on your check list than an encounter with God?

Or maybe it feels like a study session to you.

Or drudgery.

Or dry.

Maybe you know that having a daily quiet time is something you should be doing, but you just don’t know how.

I totally understand. But I can honestly tell you that there is nothing that has infused my life with more meaning that having a daily quiet time.

Do you want a quiet time that is more than an item on your task list? Here’s how:

Settle yourself into your spot. Having a consistent place and a consistent time for your quiet time is so helpful.  In this place, keep your Bible, your journal, and your favorite pen. Get rid of distractions.

Pray simply asking God to open your heart to hear his voice.

Read a section of Scripture.  But don’t read it like it’s a text book or a task on your list. Read it as if it’s the word of God.  Because that’s what it is. Don’t know what you should be reading?  More on this tomorrow.

Engage with what’s on the page. Pray as you’re reading. Underline words or phrases that jump off the page to you. Wrestle with the ideas. Be honest with what’s hard to understand. Continuously ask the Holy Spirit to give you insight.

Write in your journal what you discover, what is relevant for you today.  This is how you learn to hear God’s voice and apply it to your life.

Pray again thanking God for meeting with you and for speaking to you. Ask him to help you remember his words throughout your day and help you to walk with him.

Having a daily quiet time will transform your life like nothing else. As you engage with God in his Word, the Holy Spirit will work from the inside out. Your quiet time truly can become more than an item on your task list.  

We all with unveiled faces beholding the glory of the Lord are being transformed into his image from one measure of glory to another. 

2 Corinthians 3:18

For years I was a cultural Christian. I went to church occasionally. I considered myself a good person. I even won a Bible in Sunday school when I was in 4th grade.

For me, that Bible was a reward for learning the books of the Bible. It was nothing more than a trophy on a shelf.

When I was in college, I began to suspect that there was more to being a Christian than going to church occasionally and being a good person.  I began to think that my trophy might actually be a treasure. 

I wanted to start reading my Bible, having a “quiet time” but I didn’t know where to start.  I had questions.  But, I was too embarrassed to ask.  I thought I should know all of this. Maybe you can relate.

So here are 5 “Quiet Time” questions you may be too embarrassed to ask.

Who?

You!  Nobody else can do this for you. It’s as simple as that.

What?

The Bible. There are a million great resources out there. Read them. But not for your quiet time.

When?

When you’re awake. I like to pray, read my Bible, and journal in the morning, but maybe you’re a night owl. That’s fine.  Just read it when you’re awake.

Where?

Get a spot that you love and make sure you have everything you need.  For me, I need my Bible, my journal, my favorite pen, and a cup of coffee.

Why?

Because God will speak to you in your quiet time. That is AMAZING.  Can we just marvel at that for a minute?  If you read your Bible consistently, God will speak to you.

Tomorrow we’ll get to the “how.” If you have specific questions, PM me on Facebook.  I’ll either message you right back, or write a post.  Because if you have a question, I’m sure there are plenty of others who do too! Your Bible shouldn’t just be a trophy. It should be a treasure.  

They are not idle words for you — they are your life.                Deuteronomy 32:47

There is ALWAYS something to do, right?

The task list is unending. And even when you get it done, you often have to start over again.  Because … laundry.

When we keep our eyes on the task list and our nose to the grind stone without a pause, burnout is inevitable.  

According to this article in Forbes, here are 10 signs of burnout:

• Exhaustion
• Lack of motivation
• Frustration, cynicism, and other negative emotions
• Difficulty concentrating
• Slipping performance
• Relational difficulties
• Not taking care of yourself
• Being preoccupied with work, even when you’re supposed to be relaxing
• General dissatisfaction
• Health problems

I think most of us know that when were are sliding toward burnout. And we know what we should do about it:  relax, unplug, sleep, etc.

But, I’ve got another idea.

Celebrate!

The Israelites worked long and hard to rebuild the wall. When it was finally finished, they didn’t start looking for the next project.  They planned a party.  Music, dancing, feasting …

At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres.  Nehemiah 12:27

They didn’t just check it off their task list and move to the next thing. They paused to …

Celebrate! 

The singers sang … and they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away. Nehemiah 12:43

I notice five things about this celebration:

1. They celebrated from their strengths

They didn’t ask the non-singers to sing. They called up those who were gifted singers to do the singing.  Celebrate in a way that uses strengths and your available resources, not in a way that wears you out.

2. They celebrated with intentionality

They planned. And in their planning they included a ceremony to mark what had been accomplished. Celebrate with intentionality and mark the occasion.

3. They celebrated with their community

They pulled in people from all over for the celebration. And it wasn’t just the men.  The women and children were there too. Bring in  those who will bless you and want to celebrate with you.

4. They celebrated with reliance

They gave God the glory and he gave them the strength to rejoice.  I love this.  God gave them the joy they needed to celebrate. If the thought of pausing to celebrate wears you out, ask God to give you the strength to rejoice.

5. They celebrated with joy

They were so joyful that their rejoicing was heard far away. Your celebration may not involve as many people and may not be as noisy, but set aside your task list and simply celebrate.

When you feel yourself sliding toward burnout, it may be because you need to get your nose off the grindstone and your eyes off the task list and celebrate!

“I don’t matter.” Have you ever felt this way?

Your thoughts are unimportant.

Your opinion is undervalued.

Your life simply doesn’t matter.

When Piper was a little girl,

I’d ask her,

“Would you like the blue cup or the red?”

“Would you like to color or paint?”

“Would you like to go for a walk or ride your tricycle?”

And this little cutie would answer,

 “I don’t matter.”

Now, you and I know that what she was really saying was, “It doesn’t matter to me. Either the blue cup or the red cup is great.”

But every time she said it, I smiled at the cuteness,

and then went eye-level with messages like this.”

 “You matter so very much.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made, knit together by the Creator of the universe.”

“You matter more than you could ever imagine.  He put together all this beautiful Piper-ish-ness so that you can shine his light into the world.”

“Oh, honey, you do matter. You matter so much that Jesus Christ left his throne and came down to this earth to show you how much you matter.”

Today Piper turns 15.

What a joy and delight she is! But like you and me, she still asks this question,

“Do I matter?“

And my answer, and God’s answer, to her on this day of celebration is,

“Honey, you matter so very much.”

Piper has a blog.

The Vintage Pearl

Isn’t that the cutest name? And one of the best gifts you could give her is to pop on over, read her words, and leave her a comment. Would you help me celebrate Piper’s birthday?’ I’d be so appreciative!

 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14