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Eternity is Worth the Wait: Lessons From a Social Media Fast #4
My daughter fasted from social media (not all internet) for a week and wrote some pretty powerful journals. I am so grateful she has allowed me to share some of what she wrote. You can read the previous posts here: #1, #2, and #3. The topic this day hits home with me as I also get frustrated when my internet connection doesn’t immediately download or an application doesn’t quickly open at my click! Perhaps you, too, need to take a break from social media, or perhaps the internet in general, for a period of time to focus on what truly matters! As you can see from this journal entry, eternity…
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Created to Connect: Lessons From a Social Media Fast #3
Today I am just going to share from my daughters journal with almost no comments. This speaks for itself! (You can read part 1 here and part 2 here.) I want to just close with a beautiful prayer Jesus prayed for his followers that reflects the kind of relationships He desires for us to experience (my addition in brackets for clarity). I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their [the disciples] word. May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent…
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Living For the “Like”: Lessons From a Social Media Fast #2
I wonder how many of us post on social media and just wait to see how many “likes” we get. Kind of opens a pandora’s box doesn’t it? Of course, we post things we think are interesting or funny, but do we do it just to get those likes? Should that be the motive for posting updates? This is the second (read the first here) in this Social Media Fast series of lessons from my daughter Alycia’s week long social media shut down. She has allowed me to share some of the things she learned. I pray these will cause you to stop and think about why you use social…
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Things of Heaven: Lessons From a Social Media Fast #1
No, not my fast, but my daughter’s. Although I don’t turn my phone sounds on till after my time with the Lord each morning, I’ve not ever done a week’s fast from social media or the internet in general. Well, except back in the pre-cell phone day and I was away from the house. Actually most of my years on earth were pre-internet! I asked my daughter if I could share some of her journals from a social media fast she went through recently. Perhaps you can identify with some of her feelings, as I did. Maybe you will choose to take a similar fast as well. She began her…
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His Love Rushes In: Fall Beach Lesson 2021
Can you handle just (maybe) one more beach lesson from our trip in September? If not, just shut this post down! So, the last couple of days we were at the beach, it was misty some days, and socked in at times with clouds. But we decided even without perfect beach weather, we really enjoyed just being by the water, hearing the waves, and reading. So we got on the beach for at least for part of those days. I interrupted my reading at times just to watch the waves continue to hit the shore time after time after time. I’ve shared previously about the constant wave action reminding me…
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The Vastness of God: Fall Beach Lesson 2021
As I sat on the beach or balcony this beach trip, my eyes continually look at the horizon. As far as I could see was water. And more water! This is one of the repeated reminders I get when we are here: the vastness of the water is like the vastness of God. At this stage of life, the older I get, the more I realize I don’t know…about life, ministry, relationships and so many things, but certainly about the Lord. I know now more than I ever have, yet I understand how very much I still don’t know. That is what keeps me coming back again and again to…
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4 Blog Posts for Leaders
Today I want to share these posts I’ve read and found helpful in regards to developing and growing our ministry teams. 1 One of my favorite bloggers is Carey Nieuwhof so I want to share one of his recent posts, 10 Leadership Quotes That Will Get Everyone On Your Team Thinking. This might serve as a discussion catalyst for the members of your team. 2 This second post is specifically to help women’s leaders. Read 4 Keys to Developing Women’s Leaders in Your Church from LifeWay Research to help you raise up women to serve Christ. 3 Another helpful blog to follow is from LifeWay Women. Read this Leading Well/Developing…
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Is Spiritual Growth Individual or Corporate?
Last summer we enjoyed Olympic sports, my favorite being gymnastics. As I watched the trials earlier, I began to think about both team and independent competition in the Olympics. Both were opportunities to excel and represent their countries. Olympic competitors want to do well for themselves individually, and for their teams, all under the flag of their represented countries. I see a correlation of this line of thought to our spiritual growth as you can see by the title of this post. And, the answer is yes and yes! We must grow spiritual individually, time alone with the Lord is one way we will hear from Him as we study…
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3 Blogs Posts for Living in 2021
1 Social media today is all over the map: truth, fake news, encouraging, degrading, spiritual, business related, hopeful and concerning. How ever you use social media, Social Media: 7 Tips for Christians from SBC Voices is a great read as you consider your next update. 2 Whether Jesus comes back tomorrow or 50 years for now, we must be ready. Read 4 Ways to Live During End Times by LifeWay Research. This also relates well to the previous post! 3 This last post I will share today is written by a friend and colleague of mine, Christina Zimmerman. Read What Are Spiritual Disciplines to be reminded of how we continue…
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Broken: Fall Beach Lesson 2021
A day or so after arriving at our favorite beach spot, I got up really early to hunt shells. (Read Beach Lesson #2 from our July beach trip to see why I was encouraged to get up earlier than I like to, just to find shells!) As I walked a distance I was passing up lots of large broken shells, looking for that one that was whole. Then I came across this one…palm sized, and brightly colored, yet broken. So I picked it up and added it to the other whole and unusual shells I had collected. I also began thinking about how many other broken shells I had left…
