Who Am I? Part 2

"There is power in our story. Your story and my story are part of a greater story. the Bible tells the story of a people waiting to be delivered. Christ followers have the same journey as the Isrealites did, depicted in Genesis and Exodus. We follow the same pattern of forgiveness, redemption, erecting idols, then pulling them down and repenting before a Holy God." Excerpt from The Elijah Project www.touchedtwiceunited.org Yesterday I experienced a miracle in someone else that rippled over me. My friend had a few meetings scheduled with county agencies that promised to help her secure assistance to get back on her feet. I agreed to accompany her to the meetings. I am a non-violent, passive to a fault kind of person. My friend "puts up her dukes" at the first sign of conflict. The question: "Who am I?" was pallpable as we entered the social workers office to fill out the paperwork for assistance. I, for sure was the woman (previously) that belonged on the other side of the desk. In the past I was the woman with the answers, this time I was the one with all the questions. The day before yesterday, I was the woman comfortable, and then I found myself surrounded by people who had lost everything after choosing drugs or alcohol. I was uncomfortable. Who am I? I am lucky! Some would say, I am fortunate! Others would call me blessed. I can imagine myself as a Proverbs 31 woman because I had a mother and women in my life who chose education, faith, monogamy as an example. Yesterday, I was surrounded by women who had not experienced such a vision. Women who had felt so desperate they could only imagine numbing their pain with another hit or a drink, I was humbled. And then... after the miraculous county meetings, where my friend experienced grace and hope, I was told: "You were my liquid courage. Thank you for going with me today." My story intersected with her story and in the end... Jesus' story of forgiveness and redemption was clear. Who am I? I am a highly educated, gifted woman, given everything I could hope for or imagine with a loving husband and beautiful children. And the best gift of all, I was granted vision to see my story within God's Greatest Story ever told. Who am I? I am REDEEMED!

Who am I?

Have you ever asked yourself: "Who am I?" I have! I ask when I find myself in a mess like: Gossiping. Where I've talked about three different people and found myself in a pickle with the truth. There may be some truth in what I said but I was more interested in looking good myself rather than preserve the appearance of someone else. Today I am asking the question: "Who am I?" Where am I holding my stress, anxiety and frustration? What activities produce feelings like happiness, love and care. I am wondering what is on my heart. Well, to answer the questions honestly. I feel tempted to take things into my own hands. I am tempted to maintain my "rightness." I am tempted to focus on others faults rather than work on my own. For the rest of today... I desire to live in the moment I am in. I lit the candles in my kitchen. Cleared the clutter off my counter. Cleared my cardiac clutter by lifting my heart to God. I'm going to take a walk and talk with God. Saying out loud what he already knows: I am selfish, self-seeking and prideful. I know I am these things.... but God... Dear God.... I don't want to be this way.

My Provider

Last week my husband and I were faced with a question. One that we are faced with often: "Will you help me?" This time it was a church member/friend who had gotten over her head and was being evicted. She was expected out of her apartment two days before school started, with no reserve money to start over. We prayed! And in one of those "Holy Spirit" moments when you know what to do even when it is opposite common sense we knew we were suppose to take them in. I was overwhelmed the night before we extended the offer. I was overwhelmed by the size of my house, my two adequate bathrooms and a clean, private, safe room that was a clear alternative to homelessness, camping or a car. The younger of the two daughters is in the same grade as my daughter. I was overwhelmed by the choices and opportunities I have had by the gift of a two-parent family, my father's steady income and educated parents that stressed education. I was overwhelmed by the apartment complexes and homes I have had the opportunity to live in. Jesus asked: "If you have two cloaks (two coats) give away the one." This time I had two bathrooms and HE asked me to share one for thirty days. What has surprised me... is by daring greatly.... God softened my heart and overwhelmed me with appreciation for my life! I John says: In this world there will be suffering. But I will bring you peace within your circumstances. He, The Father of all good gifts has brought me peace and helped me appreciate my life. Instead of wanting more or different, I feel content and overwhelmed by His good gifts.

The Sky is Falling.....

The Sky is Falling.... And What Jesus Has to Say About it! My kids love Disney’s adaptation of Chicken Little, a beloved children’s story. The movie follows the familar plot of Chicken Little. Chicken Little falsely rings the warning bell for the town after He is hit in the head with a mysterious piece of matter from the sky. As the story evolves Chicken Little and his friends attempt to save their town from aliens. Ok, it isn’t the traditional 19th century folklore but it resembles the story of Chicken Little being hit in the head with an acorn and his journey to tell the king. Some of the original stories end with Chicken Little and a group of feathery friends sharing the news with the king. Other versions end with a fox luring the group into his lair and eating them. Sometimes I feel like those who heard the news from Chicken Little as they question the validity of her claims. Everywhere we turn from politicians to news reporters someone is screaming: “The sky is falling.” There is little question as to whether or not the fears are true. The worldwide economic sky does appear to be falling. There are many predications as to how it will fall or when it will fall and who it will fall on; But the economic and political word on the street is that it is falling. I recently had lunch with a girlfriend who honestly shared that two years ago she questioned whether we were really in a recession. She would hear chatter about it but it just wasn’t truly effecting her. Today, she says: “I feel the recession.” This is not an economic or political expose - in fact I am neither an economist nor a politician. I am a committed Christ follower who has spent the past 15 years with other committed Christ followers preparing to share the Gospel by meeting human needs when “the sky falls.” History has shown that each economic downturn in the U.S. had been met with Spiritual revival until the year 1929 when the stock market crashed. That year, President Franklin E. Roosevelt enacted the New Deal. And the New Deal for all intents and purposes circumvented the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and put government in God’s place. It has taken 80 years to finally see the fall out of trusting an idol for manna rather than trusting God for provision. If history repeats itself the United States is in waiting for the Greatest Awakening of the past 100 years. Since 1996 Touched Twice United has been training churches, Christ-followers to touch their communities twice. The first touch is to meet the physical needs of community members with things like free medical exams, eye glasses, dental screenings, haircuts, groceries, legal services and more. The second touch is to share the reason for the first touch - Jesus’ love. Instead of looking at the “sky” as falling could this be the evangelism opportunity of a lifetime? After Christ’s resurrection He left instructions for his disciples to go into all the world preaching and teaching of His ways. The church was left as a physical expression of Love to a hurt and dying world. We, the church, are to bring Heaven to Earth. In that way the falling sky will look less like an alien attack and more like Jesus. "And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 20:3-4

Twinkle Lights for the Soul

Brene Brown paints a beautiful picture of stringing twinkle lights in the swamp land of your soul. In this way the path is lit so we can find your way back to our wound. In college my social work professor Sybil Coleman likened soul work to weeding a garden. We begin at one end of the strawberry patch and by the time we get to the other side the weeds are resurfacing where we started.

Over the past few weeks I have been "weeding my garden" and "hanging up twinkle lights" in my soul. The process has been scary, frustrating, bewildering, tiring and sad. And.. it has been freeing, exhilarating, clarifying and exciting. Every few days I have taken a hold of my string of lights, armed with a journal and my Bible, and followed the thread back down into the dark.

On Saturday I finally had the guts to speak the humiliating memory I had journal led about during the week. My friend looked at me and said: "You are afraid of being EXPOSED!" With her words hanging in the air - God said: "I am light, and there is no darkness in Him at all." I John 1:5b

In an instant the Holy Spirit became the "twinkle lights in my soul." God says He will never leave us nor forsake us, so by welcoming the Holy Spirit into the swamp land of my soul, I am not longer alone. I have the power of light casting out all darkness, fear and shame.

The Lone Wolf

This winter our family went tubing (As highlighted in "The Truth"). We were the first few people on the mountain when the tubing hill opened. The snow guards gave us lots of extra attention and allowed us to combine tubes. For the first few trips down the mountain we went in different combinations. Mom and the girls, Dad and the girls, Mom or Dad with each girl.... For the first hour we asked our son to join us as a group. He refused our invitation saying: "I'm a lone wolf."

This became our expression. The four of us were a wolf pack and pleaded to invite the lone wolf to join us. At the bottom of the hill when the snow guard would tether us to the tow rope we would ask and he replied: "No, I'm a lone wolf."

As the tubing experience continued we created quite a path on the snow. Our family of four became very competitive trying to position our tubes in such a way that we would fly down the hill and beat our last distance. It had become apparent that adding a fifth wolf to our pack would in deed help us achieve our goal. I can't remember what turned the tide but the lone wolf finally agreed to join the pack and that slide was indeed, the fastest, funnest and longest ride of the day. At the end our daughter looked at our son and said: "Isn't it great to be part of a pack."

I think this is a great analogy for life. It only takes a few emotionally wounding experiences to encourage us to break out of the pack and become of loner. Statistics show that loneliness leads to dissatisfaction at home and work, depression and even suicide. The lesson is... get connected. Take a risk! Join a wolf pack!

Ringing The Bell

Wisconsin has been gifted with an early spring. Yesterday my daughter had her first bike ride as a 5 year old in 2012. I walked while she rode and I observed a most interesting phenomena. When she would approach an on-coming biker or walker she would ring her bell incessantly. She would ring her bell right up onto the other person. The pedestrian would then need to veer out of her way. I ran to catch her and suggested that she needed to stay in her lane. Her response: "But Mom I rang my bell." This gave me an opportunity to bring a gentle lesson in proper bike riding etiquette.

This experience got me thinking. People sometimes run over others with their words. In Taledega Nights, Ricky Bobby prefaced his difficult conversations with "In all due respect." At one point there is a show down when the other character says: "You can't just start your sentence that way and say anything you want." In order to achieve intimacy with others, people need to feel safe. When we feel defensive we close up. Whether your goal is friendship, courting or sexual intimacy - safety and openness is the key.

Next time you ring your bell, don't run the other person over. Pay attention to body language, listen to your companion, and keep an open posture. Believe me, you will see success!

Tip: Watch where your hands are when you are talking to a friend, family member or spouse. When I am conscious of my hands, I then tip my palms up. This automatically puts me in a open posture. The results may amaze you!