June 30: Whew!

Hey! It's day 30. How about that? We made it to the last day of the 30 day challenge. Hopefully, you thought about something new, or maybe you looked at something old in a new way.

Of course, faith is a journey, not a destination, so while this is the end of the challenge, it isn't the end of our faith journey. There are all kinds of opportunities to grow in your faith on Sunday mornings, in study groups at youth group or just chatting with friends.

You can go here and sign up for a daily email devotion. Brief, but gets you thinking. And this isn't the only service like that.

Be bold in your faith, whatever "bold" means for you.

June 29: God's Chisel

June 28: Guest Blogger

Mike and Jana would again like to thank Pastor Jef for taking
their ramblings and drawing them all together in some sort of cohesive post.

When conversation turns to mission, outreach, witness there is a growing understanding among Christians that the fields of harvest are right outside our door. We don’t have to go overseas (although there is great benefit in doing so) to share God’s love with persons who sit in darkness. We live right in the middle of one of the darkest places in the world. We just don’t acknowledge it because our material affluence distracts us from an intentional examination of our own spiritual luminosity or lack thereof (as individual believers and as the current edition of the body of Christ).

Being honest to the point of being brutal, some of us likely don’t have to step through the door of our church or our home to interact with someone who is missing the love of God in their lives. In fact, we can draw a lesson from Pogo the Possum as he observes on a walk through a section of garbage-filled swamp with Porky Pine, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” You and I can observe that “we have met someone who is not fully connected in God’s love…and s/he is us.” Indeed, are we not all sinners [who] fall short of the glory of God?

Understanding that we are sinners does not and should not prevent us from intentionally walking the path that draws us closer and closer to God and growing more Christ-like day by day. That is part of the beauty of being written into the salvation story – God hears our cries for forgiveness and grace flows; God looks at us and chooses to see us as whole and holy; God understands our fears and gives us comfort and courage and companions to help us move on and move up.

This process of spiritual maturation works best when we know God through a lens of history and theological interpretation (the Bible is a great resource for this) and we know God through personal interaction and contemplation (regular prayer/dialogue, meditation, conversations with others who are on the same path in life). After all, you can’t go door-to-door selling vacuum cleaners if you know nothing about them, can you? Likewise, you can’t be a vital faith witness for Jesus if you don’t know any more about Jesus than the friends you are talking to about how he provides direction for your life.

I leave you with a short slideshow titled, The Interview with God.

This meditation holds the hopes and prayers I have for each of you and for all humanity. Let God bless you today.

June 27: What a mess.

Where are the messes that you can help with?

June 26: Potential

"It's amazing what ordinary people can do if
they set out without preconceived notions."

-Charles F. Kettering

Ordinary people are extraordinary.

I've always thought extraordinary was a strange word. "Extra-ordinary." Shouldn't it mean plainer than plain rather than exceptional? Or maybe that's just me.

I don't know about all of you, but most days, I feel rather ordinary. Ordinary isn't a bad thing. I go through my day to day life, plugging away at work, at parenting, at the laundry, at all the average, everyday activities that are a part of my life. What happens to me, though, is I forget the extraordinary part. I forget about the gifts I have and I forget to use them in a way that glorifies God.

Jesus sought out the ordinary and prepared them to be extraordinary in ministry. He spent time directly in ministry of course, but he also spent huge amounts of time seeking out and training new people in ministry.

Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men.
Matthew 4:19

A challenge for today: What opportunities do you have to be extraordinary for God in your day to day life? How can you invest in the lives of others to encourage them to embrace their extraordinary-ness and ordinary-ness?

June 25: But I'm Just One Person

It's overwhelming.

Everywhere in the world there are problems. War, starvation, political unrest, torture, terrorism, gun violence, domestic abuse, the list goes on and on. It seems so insurmountable that it is easy to do nothing. After all, how could someone like you or me really make a difference in the face of all that?

Can you imagine how Jesus felt? As soon as he was known as the healer, he was surrounded with sickness, suffering and death on a daily basis. And, healing physical ailments was certainly not his main mission. In spite of these issues, he always showed compassion on those in need.

Think about the last time that you shut things out to manage the pain around you. If we take Jesus' example seriously, we know that we can't avoid the suffering in this world. We have to engage those who are hurting. The key is to be walking with Jesus so that you will know when he wants to use your voice and hands for helping and healing.

Here are two quotes to ponder:

"And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not loose his reward." Matthew 10:42

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

-- Margaret Mead

June 24: A Tax Collector Walks Into A Bar

The Bible mentions tax collectors many times especially in relation to Jesus in the New Testament. We might think, "big deal, Jesus ate with some short guy from the IRS who climbed a tree," or "so what, the first book of the New Testament is attributed to a guy who was familiar with the 1040 form." Well, it was a big deal. Tax collectors were generally hated in Jesus' day, and probably for good reason. In fact, here's a few jokes that people in Jesus' day may have told....

Israelite 1: I've got good news and bad news. A boat with 150 tax collectors on it sank in the Red Sea yesterday.
Israelite 2: Awesome, so what's the bad news?
Israelite 1: One of them survived.

Israelite 2: What's the difference between a tax collector and an onion?
Israelite 1: What's that?
Israelite 2: Nobody cries when you cut up a tax collector.

Israelite1: What's wrong with tax collector jokes?
Israelite 2: I dunno, what?
Israelite 2: Tax collectors don't think they're funny and no one else thinks they're jokes.

So, why the loathing for these folks? Well, to start with, nobody enjoys paying taxes, but there was a lot more to it. During Jesus' time, Rome occupied Jewish lands. The tax collectors were Jews collecting money for Rome from other Jews. The way they made a living was to add "a little extra" to what they were collecting, and many added more than a little. In other words, they were seen as dishonest traitors who cheated innocent countrymen in order to enrich a foreign nation (while lining their own pockets). To top all of this off, the tax collectors totally disregarded Old Testament teachings about money. In a society based on these teachings, this was a big deal as well.

Okay, so how does this apply to us? I'm guessing you don't know many tax collectors and that you don't despise the ones you do know. But, who is the first person that pops into your head when you think about people you don't like? Would you eat lunch with them? Do you pray for them? Do you love them? In Matthew 5:44, Jesus tells us "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

Here is a challenge: Pick a person that you really don't like and pray for them every day for at least a week. Think of something nice you could do for them and then see if you have enough courage to actually do it.

June 23: Me, A Missionary?

Picture it, you're a missionary in the heart of Africa, trying to adapt to the local customs in order to befriend the natives. Or, maybe you are on a small Pacific island trying to learn the language in order to translate the Bible. This is how many of us think of missionaries.

Let's try some of these scenarios out though...

Picture it, you're at Subway in Buffalo and an acquaintance says, "How can you believe in God?" Or, maybe you are in a car with friends and as you drive past a church, one comments, "Who would waste their Sunday mornings there?".

Some of Jesus' last words on earth told us to "Go and make disciples of all nations...". I think sometimes we get hung up on the "all nations" part and count ourselves out. In many ways though, it is more difficult to be a local missionary. An international missionary would get training and funding, but most importantly, they would have a great deal of mental preparation for their work.

Today's challenge: Start thinking of yourself as a missionary. Target is just as important a mission field as Timbaktu. So, my missionary friend, you already know the local customs and language. Now all you need is a plan to share the good news with "the natives". How will you go about it? Really, ask yourself what can I do in the next 24 hours to tell someone about Jesus?

June 22: Priorities

"If it makes you happy,
it can't be that bad.
If it makes you happy,
then why the hell are you so sad?"
-- Sheryl Crow

What are the things that make us happy? The world says our priorities should be money, power, sex, and possessions. The more we have of any of these things, the happier we are! You don't have to believe me. Just look around. We are bombarded by these ideas in advertising, music, television and movies.

These aren't God's priorities, are they? In fact, the Bible tells us time and time again that the world has its priorities messed up. Jesus had a life full of things that seemed foolish by the world's standards: As King of Kings, he acted like a servant; he preached such oddities as love your enemies and the beatitudes; and he did the ultimate backwards act, he allowed himself to be put to death even though he was sinless and blameless.


How do we find God's priorities for our lives. Thankfully, God has provided us with an instruction manual for life, a way to talk with Him and an example of someone who did both. If we follow Jesus' example, we know that we need to study the Bible and pray in order to best know God's plan for us.

True joy is found when we understand the spiritual gifts that God has given us, know how we're supposed to use them and then do just that. The happiness that the world offers is short-lived and unfulfilling, but following God's priorities leads to true joy.

June 21: Guest Blogger

Time is flying by! Thanks again to Pastor Jef for offering his words and reflections on this week's topic!

The past few blogs have been about prayer as a means of understanding how it is we are to use the spiritual gifts God has placed in us. There are many types of prayer and earlier blogs have encouraged us to open ourselves to the Holy Spirit using various means of prayer. There are times when one type of prayer seems to be more appropriate than another. Nonetheless, the skinny on prayer is that when we pray we are talking with and listening to God. Like any conversation, there can and should be elements of adoration, appreciation, gratitude, requesting insight, clarification, sharing dreams, and yes, even venting a bit – the same kinds of conversations we have with our families, our friends and others. So, if we can talk to our moms or dads, we can talk to God.

In the summer before I became nine, Susan (my oldest sister) got married. I quickly came to see in Ron everything I hoped to some day have in life. He was a local sports hero, respected by his peers and his elders, a natural people-pleaser and, now, an increasingly integral part of my life. (I pause here to acknowledge that my recollections are that of a nine-year-old and are somewhat self-centered.)

Four months after my ninth birthday, Ron was killed in a construction accident when he came into contact with a live electrical wire. My sister, his family, our family, the church, the whole town was devastated. My sister, now pregnant with their first child, was put on bed rest the day of the accident and remained there for several weeks. A sadness descended over her that day – the remnants of which remain a part of her even to this day.

I remember the latter part of that day with clarity. Nina (Ron’s mother) came to our house after school to tend to my siblings and me so Mom could give full attention to Susan. What a servant heart she possessed. Her sadness veiled, she prepared after-school snacks for us and did what she could to comfort us. Even so, the air in the house was too heavy for me, so I layered up and went out into the failing light and growing cold of the approaching January evening. Walking through the frozen waterway of Plum Creek, I prayed without ceasing until the dusk had given way to full darkness. Only then did I turn back toward home and to the new reality of all who had a Ron-sized hole in their lives.

Looking back, I cannot recall any particular parts of God’s conversation with me that evening. I would assume that I did more talking than I should have, more complaining than I ought to have, and gave God less glory than was deserved. What I do remember is the sense of calm and assurance that filled me. Was I done crying for Ron, for my sister, for myself? No, of course not. I am human, after all. What I was done doing was thinking that God didn’t care, that God was responsible for death of one so young, so loving, so ready to make a difference in his corner of the world, that God wasn’t in the business of answering prayers.

This story is my first memory (the first of many) of how talking things through with God have provided me with a stable foundation from which I could both move forward in life and be a source of comfort and support to those around me. I want to be clear that this is not my doing, but rather the working of the Holy Spirit in me and through me. The small part that I play in my faith life is to be open and receptive to letting God be God by being intentional and active in conversation with the one who creates, redeems and sustains.

June 20: "No" Is An Answer

Time Zone complications. All systems go. -Jana

Dad can I _________? I hear this numerous times a day. Can I have a snack, watch a movie, play outside....the list is endless. I try very hard to be a good father, which means sometimes I have to say "no" to these requests. No, you can't have a snack we're eating supper in five minutes. No, you've already watched a movie today, find something else to do. No, you can't play outside, there's a 35 below windchill.

I don't always say no, and I think I have a good reason for doing so when I do, but to be a good father, saying no is necessary sometimes. Mainly because I have the ability to see more of the big picture than a 6 or 8 year old.

Why is it then that when God says no to a prayer, we say he didn't answer it? People even take this to its "logical" end -- if God doesn't answer prayers, there must not be a God. Of course, the logic here is that of a young child -- if you keep telling me no, I'm going to throw an I'm-not-going-to-be-your-friend-anymore tantrum.

In fact, even Jesus got "no" as an answer. Right before he was arrested, tried and put to death, Jesus prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." Luke 22:42

This is not to suggest that God's will and our requests are always at odds, or that we shouldn't bother to ask since God will do what he wants anyway. As a father, there are many times that I do say yes to my children. Yes, you can have a snack. Sure, you can watch a movie. Of course you can play outside, it's a beautiful day.

Don't be afraid to ask God for anything, but don't feel abandoned and neglected if he says "no" or "wait awhile". If we can understand why an imperfect earthly father would say these things out of love, doesn't it make sense that our heavenly father, who is perfect and the creator of love, would say them too.

Technical difficulties

I apologize for the delay in today's post. It'll be up as soon as I can figure out why it isn't posted. Talk amongst yourselves.

June 19: Meditative Prayer

People pray for a variety of reasons. Sometimes a prayer is purely a prayer of praise. We say hallelujah and give God glory. Other times, a prayer is filled with thanks. We say thank you to our God and humbly accept his benevolence. It is necessary too, as sinners, to use prayer as a way to confess our sins. We can also ask for things or favor.

All types of prayer.

A final type of prayer is meditative. For me, this is the hardest type of prayer to participate in. In meditative prayer, you sit and rest in the glory of God's presence. You are not speaking.

I've tried. Sometimes I make it 5 whole minutes before I realize I am mentally making a grocery list or analyzing the color of wall paint in the living room. I try to be better each time, and I figure each minute spent praying is a good minute. As I've done a little research, I'm finding out that this is very normal.

Today's challenge: give meditative prayer a try today, but first go here or here to get some better instructions than I can give you on how to do it.

June 18: Opportunity

People get confused by the idea of prayer. Some wait for a blatant answer, a divine yea or nay message to be the answer to whatever was prayerfully asked.

Do you think God works that way?

Check out this clip from the movie Evan Almighty and consider the idea of opportunity. (Pardon the foreign subtitles, it was the only version of the clip we could find.)




When you ask God for direction with your spiritual gifts, does He hand you a stack of envelopes and say "Stuff these?" Will he drive you to choir practice? Or do you suddenly become more aware of the need for office help or choir members?

Today, challenge yourself to stop looking for concrete, black and white answers and instead, open yourself to the possibility of opportunity. Where are there opportunities to serve that God is nudging you towards?

June 17: A Prayer Trigger

I gave up soda for Lent. Not caffeine, like I should have, but soda. I baby stepped my way into this. But more than just giving up something for Lent, I wanted to add a faith challenge. So every time I felt the need for a can of soda, I took a 30 second pause and gave thanks for something or asked for something.

Just a 30 second prayer.

That first week, A LOT of prayers headed out of my home, as I struggled to get over the situational addiction I have to my canned beverages. But as I adjusted to giving up my soda, I still found other triggers in my life that would cause me to pause and pray. I could see the a pop machine as I drove through town or walked into my office. This became my new visual aide to remind me to pause in prayer.

This idea of the 30 Second Kneel Down (30SKD) is not a new concept. It started as a way to bring prayer back into schools. I altered the premise to fit it into my life. The prayer is still 30 seconds, but the trigger isn't my locker or a specific time of day.

What could you use as a trigger to remind you to pray? Receiving a text? Walking into the kitchen? Making a right turn in your car? It could be anything that happens to you several times a day. Post a comment for 150 blogger bonus points.

June 16: Deliberate Prayer

God loves variety. Think about that. We are all different, all unique and all shaped for a purpose. Part of our purpose is to utilize our talents and gifts. Did you listen to what God had to say yesterday? (Don't worry if you didn't hear anything in just one day. God has a different time table than we do, not to mention that many of us aren't such good listeners.)

There is variety in prayer as well. Formal prayer, casual prayer, conversational prayer, accidental prayer...

No, that's not a typo. Accidental prayer. You know, where you make an off-hand remark about needing a change or a sign or a something and God hears it and decides to act on it.

It happens. I'm willing to bet we've all been there. Some days accidental prayer is my only conversation point with God.

What we need in our lives is more deliberate prayer. How can you accomplish deliberate prayer and incorporate it into your daily life so that it becomes part of your routine? A prayer is a conversation between you and God. This conversation is most beneficial to all if it occurs on a regular basis.

We aren't all disciplined enough to get up earlier to pray for 15 minutes. I know. I've tried. The snooze button is always right there, under my fingers and so tempting.

Over the next couple of days, we'll look at some ways to carve out space in our lives and make room for deliberate, daily prayer. Are you up for the challenge?

While we're at it, stop what you are doing right now and say a prayer.

June 15: Prayer

Last week we looked at assessing spiritual gifts. Assessing, assessing, assessing. But after the assessing comes the implementing. And there is a secret weapon to spiritual gifts: prayer.

Okay, maybe it isn't so secret. Yesterday, Pastor Jef encouraged us to pray the prayer of St. Augustine. We pray the Lord's Prayer every Sunday at church. I've been known to offer a little prayer of thanks when there is a near miss on the highway or when Drew is on his bike doing some crazy stunt.

What lacks in my prayer life is deliberate action. Before writing this post, I had never sat down and deliberately prayed to God about my spiritual gifts. Have you? It seems obvious that with testing high on the administration side of things that I should be doing office work or managing a blog or those types of tasks. Hmm, go figure.

But what about using the garbage can as a step stool? Is there some alternative, crazy use for my gifts that I'm not finding? I shouldn't just assume that I'm doing all I can with my gifts for God. There are other things that he wants me to do, and I would even be willing to do if I knew what they were. That's where prayer comes in.

The other day, Drew was crying because he was upset with Lizzy. It turns out that Lizzy was trying to play a game with him, but she was playing it in the complete opposite way he wanted her to. She wasn't been mean, but the rules of the imaginary game had evolved and she was unaware of the change. I wonder if our lives aren't a little bit like that. We'll never know if we are playing the game the wrong way despite our good intentions unless we frequently ask the one in charge how we should grow and change to play better.

Prayer does not need to be eloquent or poetic. What we need in our prayer life is sincerity and openness. Just talk to God like he is a good friend, Jesus did. He called him Abba, which I'm told translates more like "Daddy" than "Father". This didn't really hit home for me until we had a guest speaker during youth group who began all of his prayers with "Papa God". If we are truly brothers and sisters in Christ, then God is our Papa or Daddy. Talk to him like that. (And, if your earthly father wasn't such a great person, think of someone else who makes you comfortable and talk to God like you would talk to them.)

Challenge for today: Find a quiet place, either physically or just in you mind and ask how God wants you to use your gifts today.

Matthew 21:22

And all things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.

June 14: Guest Blogger

Thanks again to Pastor Jef for writing today's post. Be sure to leave him a shout out in the comments.

“You let the energy go wherever it wants. I have such a rich spiritual life. Most people take drugs to experience that.” ~Shirley MacLaine

While I am not personally a fan of Ms. MacLaine, I do think her beginning thought provides a starting point for a most-excellent meditation on human passion and how it relates to the application of our spiritual gifts and natural talents. There is a certain wisdom in that we must “follow our bliss.” At the same time, if we don’t provide some direction, some pathway(s) for our energy, we may never adequately attend to those things that are necessary in life to accomplish.
Take electricity, for example. An electrical current will follow the path of least resistance, so letting it go wherever it wants could (and likely would) result in a lot of wasted energy, plus create conditions for a lot of personal injuries and property damage. Electricity needs controls and directions if it is to do the work it was created to do.
Passion is much the same as electricity in the sense that it is at its best when directed to perform specific tasks or energize certain gifts/talents a person has. Without passion, our God-given gifts and natural talents typically are under-developed and under-utilized and we become under-achievers in life. With passion driving us, our impulses and our endeavors become vitalized with transformative abilities.
One of the keys to living a productive and joy-filled life is to identify and then dwell in the juncture of your faith, your gifts/talents, and your passion(s). This sweet spot is where we find ourselves fully embracing the tenets of the Great Commandment (Matthew 22.34-40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28.19-20).


My prayer is that all will come to live in the joy of combining their gifts/talents and their passion(s) in a way that gives full expression to their love of and faith in God. Most, if not all, of you have publicly proclaimed Jesus as Savior and Lord. I invite you to take another step of faith and invite the Holy Spirit to dwell in you and enrich your spiritual journey.
If you are ready to give yourself more fully in faith and faithfulness, pray with me this prayer attributed to St. Augustine:

Breathe into me, Holy Spirit,
that my thoughts may all be holy.

Move in me, Holy Spirit,
that my work, too, may be holy.

Attract my heart, Holy Spirit,
that I may love only what is holy.

Strengthen me, Holy Spirit,
that I may defend all that is holy.

Protect me, Holy Spirit,
that I may always be holy.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

June 13: The Birthday Party

My kids just had their birthday party a few weeks ago. They had a great time celebrating their special day with extended family and we even went to the zoo. But, the highlight of their day (I know this may come as a shock) was getting gifts. They got all kinds of gifts: classics like Rubik's cubes and a skateboard; trendy ones (now Lizzy has enough Hannah Montana clothing to wear everyday for a week); and some "what in the world was Grandma thinking" gifts (let's not talk about these). As parents, we dutifully take pictures at the party and then make sure the gifts get lots of use after the party.

God has given you a number of different kinds of gifts as well. He has also given you a church family that is excited about your gifts and you being able to use them. This is easy for those of us who have "classic" gifts. If you enjoy singing, children, caring for others, office help, or outdoor care, it is easy for you to get involved with an established ministry. (Praise team, nursery volunteer, BeFrienders, stuffing envelopes, and mowing the lawn to name a few.)

Sometimes our gifts fall into the "trendy" category. They are gifts that can be used to fill specific and timely ministry needs. Do you have gifts that allow you to quickly respond to a natural disaster? How about ones that can help with a short term, occasional ministry like VBS?

Then there's the last category. The "what was God thinking" when he gave me that as a gift. Sometimes these seem too boring or weird to be possibly used for God. A few years ago, one of the favorite gifts our kids got was garbage cans. Yep, garbage cans. They love them. In fact, Lizzy still has hers in her room. It's practical, functional and something that makes her happy. It doesn't seem so weird when you look at it that way. What are your "weird" gifts?

We could spend an entire month looking at this idea of spiritual gifts and how to develop them. All we've done is scratch the surface. Have you found something you are passionate about, a way you can serve God, either withing our church community or out in the world? We would love to hear about it and to help you in any way we can.

P.S. Drew's garbage can had a shorter life because he kept using it as a step stool to reach things on the top of his dresser. What unusual ways is God calling you to use your gifts?

June 12: Clean Hair or Dirty Hands?

“I have to wash my hair”

Jana and I have a friend who uses that excuse all the time. In fact, it’s become a running joke. And really, kudos to her for not making something up that actually sounds factual. She uses “I have to wash my hair” as her way of using humor to cover up what she is actually saying. “No, I don’t want to, so I won’t.”

Excuses are ways to get out of doing things. In spite of what we tell ourselves, we don't just use excuses to soften the blow of saying "no" to others, we use them to rationalize not doing things we know we should.

God clearly tells us that there’s no excuse for not using our spiritual gifts. In the parable of talents (Matthew 25:14-30), Jesus tells of a master who entrusts his servants with various gifts. The master leaves on a trip and returns with praise for the servants who have done something with their gifts and harsh criticism for the one who has done nothing. In fact, the master takes the gift away and throws the man out.

Here is a more modern version of the parable done in Legos (another example of someone recognizing that their unique passion can be used for God's purposes)



So, make a list of your excuses. Anything that gets in the way of you using your gifts. (I'm too embarassed to, I don't have enough time, There are other people who would do a better job, No one else is either....) You get the idea. Make a big, long list.

No, really. Make a list right now. (You're not going to make some sorry excuse and skip this part, are you?)






It's kind of ironic that you still haven't made a list. Since you clearly have many excuses, take a moment to reflect on them. If you recognize them for what they are, they have far less power over you.







Did you make your list or another excuse?






Now, you can you can get rid of them for once an for all. If you made a list on paper, you could burn them or flush them. If your list was done on the computer or in your head, try one of these:


Flush my excuses

Burn my excuses

June 11: Housewives and Cooking

Back in my senior year in high school, I had to take a career aptitude test, and actually, I was pretty excited about it. I knew I was going to college, but I had no idea what I wanted to study. I thought this would really help me find some direction with my life.

The day the results came back, I tore open the envelope and read my results: housewife - 98% match.

And the next closest match was 70% and that was to a nursing profession. Let me just tell you all right now, I'm not great with blood or trauma.

Back to my near perfect match. I could hardly believe it. I had paid the deposit on college and I was going, yet this test to determine my strengths wanted me to stay home. I remember thinking that it was a horrible thing to tell a college bound, liberal girl that she should stay home and raise babies forever.

Fast-forward to 2002: I was a full time stay at home mom. I loved it, I was better at it than any other job I had tried and I was completely fulfilled by it.

Sometimes, the tests tell us what we aren't ready to hear.

Through the wonder that is Facebook, I have recently reconnected with a friend from high school, Brian. I saw on his profile that he was passionate about developing the concept of ministry through food.

I had never really considered that the two were related. When I asked him to elaborate, Brian said,"I am simply trying to take the methods of Jesus (to feed the hungry) and take those things to those that are the most in need (hungry). We take this life lesson, and try to apply it literally."

But it wasn't something Brian discovered about himself right away. He had worked in the culinary world for several years before connecting his passion of food with his strength in hospitality ministry.

In his own words: "It wasn't until I started seeing people being uplifted by a warm plate and the hospitality that exists around a table that I started to put the two together."

Here is a case of the groundwork being there, but the pieces haven't quite fit together. Brian recalls being interested in both food and ministry back in junior high, but it took several journeys and a lot of time before the two came together in Brian's life.

Sometimes, life experiences lead us to our gifts.

There is no right or wrong way to find your gifts. What matters most, is discovering what they are and then using them for God's glory.

Have you found yours?

June 10: What about the testing?

Did you try the spiritual gift inventory? As research, Jana tried 5 different online tests and they all recognized the same gifts in her. She's high on the administration gift (who gets all forms and money?) and low on music.

Not all the inventories ask about every possible gift. Some come up with gifts you may not have considered. Each of us is unique in the gifts that God has given us. Let's see what Paul says about this...

Romans 12:4-8 (The Message)

^4-6In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't.

If Mike had written this part of Romans, he would have used band as an analogy. A band sounds its best when it has the right mix of instruments in it and it is carefully following the conductor. Too many percussion and not enough French horns and it doesn't sound as good as it could. And, even when properly balanced, if one person decides they don't need to follow the conductor's instructions exactly, it can throw off the entire performance.

Sometimes our gifts aren't obvious as others'. Sometimes they seem less beneficial (or even harmful) to the good of the group. God has a plan for you even though you may not be able to figure out what He could possibly do with your gifts.

Let me illustrate with another band story (sorry, but it's how I think). When I was teaching middle school band in Wisconsin, there was a girl (we'll call her Jennifer) who wanted to learn to play the clarinet. Jennifer's problem was that she was starting two years after her classmates. She was very enthusiastic and promised to work very hard to get caught up.

I invested a great deal of time in trying to help her advance, but she had a few slight problems.....she didn't practice, she was not at all naturally musically gifted, she didn't practice, and I'm not so sure she was the sharpest note in the chord. It didn't take very long for me to realize that she would never be caught up because she was progressing more slowly than her classmates. In spite of this, she kept coming in before and after school wanting extra lessons! I found myself dreading seeing her. I never felt like I could turn her away, but I felt that my time could be spent more effectively with someone else.

I learned a valuable lesson that February during our pizza sale. Students at this school participated in our annual fundraiser to help provide funds for the band program. Unlike many fundraisers (especially at the high school level) the students didn't receive any individual benefit from them (cheap incentive prizes aside). Most kids sold around 50 bucks worth of stuff, a few were in the 1-200 range. That year, Jennifer sold over $1400 worth of frozen pizzas!

I would like to say that she stopped coming in for so many lessons or that the work paid off and she became an amazing clarinetist, but it wouldn't be true. However, I will never forget what she taught me: you never know what particular gifts someone has or when they will emerge.

In fact, I think this story illustrates 4 things about spiritual gifts:

1. It may take us a while for us to figure out what our gifts are.
2. Our gifts may be in an area completely different than where we hoped they would be.
3. Our gifts may seem less spectacular than we hoped they would be.
4. We shouldn't judge others, they are probably working on 1-3 as well.
   

June 9: What's Yours?

Funny, right? Absolutely. But dig a little deeper and find the point. Spiritual gifts aren't always obvious. Sure, if you sing beautifully, then one of your gifts is that: the ability to praise through song.

But what about those of us who can't sing or are too shy to be a reader or a greeter? We all have a gift or gifts. You can do all sorts of tests to help identify your spiritual gifts. You can look here. Or here. Or what about here? There are online inventories and books designed to help you discover your gift and then, once discovered, to help you determine what to do with your gifts.

But where is the best place to find your gifts?

Did you say "inside"? Because that would correct.

Today's points, brought to you by the the United Methodist Spiritual Gift Inventory. Click here to try the test.

June 8: Spiritual Gifts

Courtesy of Wordle.

1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (The Message)

^4-11God's various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful:

wise counsel

clear understanding

simple trust

healing the sick

miraculous acts

proclamation

distinguishing between spirits

tongues

interpretation of tongues.

All these gifts have a common origin, but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when.

What does all this meal? A spiritual gift is a special ability that God gives each Christian to be used to help strengthen the body of Christ and to fulfill God's purpose.

Do you have spiritual gifts? You betcha. We all do. The trick is first figuring out what it is and then figuring out how to use it. We are all one body, with many parts, all to work together and glorify God.

Today's challenge: Think about your special talents, gifts and abilities. Make a list. If you are feeling especially creative, head over to Wordle and make your own cloud. Send Jana the link, and she'll post it on the Facebook page. Big points, people. BIG points.

June 7: Guest Blogger

Thanks to Pastor Jef for writing today's entry.
Fifty Blogger Bonus Points for him!

“Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you; they're supposed to help you discover who you are.” ~Bernice Johnson Reagon

Jana’s original question causes one to take pause and ponder one’s responses to the challenges of faith – and of life. As believers, we gain encouragement from biblical stories that help us understand how God blesses those who respond to difficult circumstances in faith. For instance:

Abraham takes his son Isaac to a high place to sacrifice him (because God told him to do so). Talk about a challenge to one’s faith – being told to sacrifice the son whose very birth was an answer to prayer. Abraham shows his willingness to submit to God’s will and God calls off the sacrifice. Indeed, God is good.

Joseph is despised by his brothers to the point that they sell him into slavery and concoct a story for their father that he was attached and killed by a wild beast. Later, when Joseph had risen to a position of power in the ruler Pharaoh’s court, he is thrown into prison on a trumped up charge, later released and became director of agriculture in Egypt. Through all this, Joseph remained faithful to God and the time came when he was able to rescue from a famine the very brothers that years ago sold him as a slave. Indeed, God is merciful.

The Bible is full of stories of men and women being faithful to God even as they confront life’s challenges. Our lives are really no different. There are times with disappointment threatens to overwhelm us, rejection comes at us with a hammer-blow, and sacrifice is required of us beyond our desire to submit. We realize being created in God’s image doesn’t give us a free pass in life.

When we are challenged it is our faith that gives us the desire and ability to make the right choice and do the right thing. Because we have given God highest priority in our lives, we know that whatever the outcome, the Spirit of God is present with us and we can count on God’s unconditional love and merciful grace. We do not walk through life alone.

I am thankful that God does not ask me or expect me to live my life of faith in isolation. God has called me into a community (right here at BUMC) that supports me and as I support others and is a place where I can live out and share my faith with my sisters and brothers in Christ. BUMC provides mental and spiritual refreshment for me and renews me when my energies are diminished. My congregational connection is an important support and resource system God has given me (and every one of you) to live out my faith and to meet the challenges of life.

"Be strong. Take courage. Don't be intimidated. Don't give [that which challenges you] a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He's right there with you. He won't let you down; he won't leave you." ~Deuteronomy 31.6

June 6: Grace

How do you explain grace? Have you ever had to? Grace is one of those ideas that baffles people because it is so complicated in its simplicity. The answer truly is "nothing".

Romans 3: 22-24 (The Message)
^21-24But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we've compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.

June 5: Sacrifice

Sacrifice is one of those concepts that seems a little mystifying. It brings to mind altars and livestock or a six week deprivation during lent. But what is a sacrifice, really and truly?

The denotation is "destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else" (Thanks to www.merriam-webster.com). But what about in baseball? "A bunted ball that puts the batter out but allows a runner to advance." A gambit in chess allows your opponent to capture a piece in such a way that turns the advantage toward you.

When he looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, "I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest." Luke 21:3

Jesus wants us to give our all, whatever that may be. We are to give freely of our time, our resources and of our self. If you are grumpy about volunteering or helping, you are only hurting yourself. If you rush through service to God to get to a personal desire, then not only have you not sacrificed anything, but you've placed worldly things above the glory of God.

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it."

-Mark 8:34-35

Where have you sacrificed for your faith? How is God challenging you to make more sacrifice?
(Post a response for 5 points. Put Mark 8:34-35 in your own words and post for 20 points.)

June 4: Priorities

The only thing that everyone has a limited amount of is time. How do you choose to spend yours? What things take priority in your life? Work, school, sports, band, family, friends....the list can go on and on and sometimes it is difficult to find the balance. We are all pulled in a variety of directions that make it impossible to make time for everything.

Then, of course, we have to consider the issue of who establishes our priorities. The media tells us one thing, parents and teachers say another, and friends, who quite possibly have the biggest pull, weigh in as well.

What, then, becomes of your faith priorities?

"You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."
-John 12:8

In the scripture from John, Jesus is reminding his disciples of where their priorities should be. make no mistake, Jesus wanted them - and us - to take care of the poor. But, sometimes we get so busy doing the work of God that we forget to listen to his teachings or to take time to pray.

Take five minutes, right now, wherever you are, to pause and listen. Is God calling you so that others can hear about Jesus? How can this fit in your life. Where can you shift your priorities so that Jesus is at the top of the list?
(Post a response for 5 points. WAIT! DON'T POST YET! Did you spend a few minutes listening to God? Don't miss the whole idea just for 5 points!)

June 3: Your Beginning

Faith can have many beginnings. It can also have stops, starts, stalls, sideways, idling and just about any other motion imaginable. Think about your own faith story. Were you baptized? Confirmed? Did your faith grow constantly in between or were there bumps in the path?

For me (Jana), church was something that I did on Sundays during the school year because that's the way it was. My family didn't go to church in the summer and I was probably 12 before I knew that there were people who did attend services in the summer. I thought of it more like school/summer vacation.

I had many stops and starts to my faith life. I wanted to be faithful and to believe, but sometimes it wasn't convenient. Does that sound familiar?

For me (Mike), church was always a priority in my family's life -- from my first memories all the way up through high school. When I was in college, it was easy for faith to not be at the top of my list. Through college and for a while after, I would have told you that I was a Christian and I didn't need church or anything else to be one. In those years, my faith was stagnant at best. Since then, I have been finding ways to get closer to God, but it is still very easy for other things to take up more of my time, energy and thoughts.

Part of growing in faith is finding ways to challenge and refresh your faith. What opportunities help you with this? Confirmation, JUMYs, UMYs, Sunday school, mission trips, conversations with friends, fellowship...what are the actions that help you reconnect with your faith? What opportunities do you wish you had, but don't? Where do these faith building activities fall in your priorities?
(5 points if you post a response. 25 points if you post your faith story.)

June 2: Creation

John 1:1-5 (The Message)

The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God, in readiness for God from day one. Everything was created through him;nothing—not one thing!—came into being without him. What came into existence was Life, and the Life was Light to live by. The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness couldn't put it out.

I know I'm somebody 'cause God don't make no junk! -Ethel Waters

Look how proud this Dr. Frankenstein was of his creation. Do you think God is proud of his creation? Don't you think He loves it and wants to protect it? We also see Dr. Frankenstein's creation rebel and then suffer the consequences. How do you think God feels when we don't listen to Him? What are the consequences of living a life away from our Master?

Have you ever stopped to really wonder about being created in God's image? God created you. You! Top to bottom, inside out.

We are created in His image. But what does this mean? Is it physical image? Are we a reflection of his attributes? Or are we creative, as God Himself was creative "in the beginning..."

Here's something to think about today: If God was powerful enough to create the heavens and the earth, exactly how he wanted them, do you think he has created you exactly how he wants you to be?

Take it a step further: Do you realize that you are valuable and special? Do you treat yourself that way? Do you treat others as though they were valuable and special?

(5 points if you post a response.)



Answers to yesterday's famous first lines

1. Tale of Two Cities
   
2. Moby Dick
   
3. 1984
4. Twilight
5. Fahrenheit 451
   
6. The Color Purple

P.S. If you spent more time wonder where the first lines came from or looking them up than you did on reflecting on the questions, you're missing the point. Step outside your comfort zone. Post your thoughts on today's questions.

June 1: The Beginning

"Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start. When you read, you begin with ABC. When you sing you begin with do re mi..."

Maria
The Sound of Music


A great first line can really set the stage. Writers are reminded time and time again that the first line is the grabber. If it isn't good, then the reader stops reading.

Do you recognize any of these first lines?

1. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
2. Call me Ishmael.
3. It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.
4. I'd never given much thought to how I would die-- though I'd had reason enough in the last few months-- but if I had, I would not have imagined it like this.
5. It was a pleasure to burn.
6. You better not never tell nobody but God.

(Answers in tomorrow's post)

Often, a first line can give an idea of time and place: "Long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away" or "Once upon a time."

What about this first line: "In the beginning..."

In the beginning.

How very different that is than say "once" or "back then" or "far, far away". In the beginning means just that: at the start of all things. It's the commencement, the launch, the initiation.

This is the beginning of a 30 day spiritual journey. We're going to ask questions and encourage discussion. Join the discussion by posting on the Facebook wall or commenting on the blog.

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."

Just like that, he created everything. Have you ever created something something out of nothing? How does it feel to make or create something?
(5 points if you post a response. 20 points if you post something you've created (a song, a poem, a piece of art, even a photo...anything that you're proud of)

What about you? Where or what is your beginning? Take 5 or 10 minutes today and think about where you are in school, in faith or in life in general. What is your beginning?

Twitter working

Thanks to Andrea, twitter texting is up and running. Bonus participation points for her!

If you would like to receive updates about the challenge as texts to your cell phone, you will need to have a twitter account. I promise, you never actually have to "tweet", but having the account will get you the texts.

Here's how: First, you have to set up a twitter account. It's easy. Go to the twitter page and follow the Get Started-Join! prompts. Once you have the account, go to Home on the twitter page. Type in "janabumc" in the search box in the right hand column.

Don't go to "find people." This is where we were messing up.



Once you find janabumc, click on the name and then click follow.

That gets your twitter set up and following Jana. To add your cell phone for the text updates, you need to go to "devices" under the settings menu.

It all sounds very confusing, but it isn't too bad. Leave a comment if you are having trouble or if you are successful.

Join The Conversation!

we are having some technical issues with twitter...I'll post when I fix the problem.-Jana

Welcome to the 30 Day Spiritual Challenge!

This will be only as meaningful as you make it by participating, commenting and responding. Please be respectful of opinions, but don't be afraid to voice a difference of opinion or to agree with what others are saying.

There are 3 options to help you participate and interact. You may choose to do one, two or all three.

1. You can simply check in here, at the blog, everyday and read the new entry. Creating a Google Account will make it easier to comment and for people to keep track of who you are. (If you do not choose to do this, please remember to sign all posts.)
2. FaceBook users: Friend Jana and have access to the Spiritual Challenge event page.
3. Have a cell phone? Join twitter and sync your cell phone to it. By following Jana (janabumc) you'll get daily tweets via text messaging.

All these tasks can be accomplished at the Kick Off Party tonight at church, beginning at 6 pm.


(Just for fun, you can earn points for posting responses and various other things as listed in each day's entry.)