Thursday, December 30, 2010

Funny Face

I firmly believe that you can learned life lessons from anyone and anything if you look for it. I mean, even the famous New York Yankee (woot woot!) Yogi Berra was full of wise words: "If the world was perfect, it wouldn't be."  


For those of you classic movie fans (ahem.... Rebecca!) you know this next quote to be from none other than Audrey Hepburn. She is without a doubt my favorite actress of all time. And no, I have no deep spiritual explanation for this admiration. I just love her work! 


“I was asked to act when I couldn't act. I was asked to sing 'Funny Face' when I couldn't sing, and dance with Fred Astaire when I couldn't dance - and do all kinds of things I wasn't prepared for. Then I tried like mad to cope with it.” 


So, what can we learn from this luminary who "had it all together"?  Even our classic heros and Hollywood stars who seem to be living the life they'd always dreamed of have to deal with the cards dealt to them. Audrey Hepburn didn't feel prepared for her role in "Funny Face"; but did she give up? Thank goodness no! As a result, we can now watch her stunning performance with Fred Astaire in this exemplar film.   


In my own life, things have not been panning out like I planned. Nothing horrific or awful, just my own personal "Funny Face" kind of year. Am I going to let the fear of the unknown paralyze me or will I "try like mad to cope with it"? 

What are your "Funny Face" situations? Will you rise up to the challenge and let God use you? 
   

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

The Call to Missions

Webster defines missionary as "one who undertakes a mission, especially a religious mission".  When most people hear the term missionary that think of someone who has this major calling from God to go overseas. Not too long ago I heard a lady tell an overseas missionary, "I am so sorry you have to live over there." Somehow people have developed a wrong view of true missions. I would like to submit that every Christian is called to missions.


In Matthew 28, Jesus gives all Christians what is known as "the Great Commission."
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”


That is the mission given to all believers. So, technically, every one of us  is a missionary. The teacher is a missionary to her students and her fellow teachers; the athlete is a missionary to his team, coaches, and fans; the doctor is a missionary to his patients and staff. And that's just on the career side of life; we are missionaries to  our neighbors, we missionaries to the people we see at the grocery store. 


So, I am a missionary to the people in this new south Georgia town (the culture shock makes that one not hard to believe!); I am a missionary to my neighbors; I am a missionary  to the students and teachers when I sub. You never know what action or word those around you notice that makes them say "She is different!"


  Now, before you can applied this call to missions you need to ask yourself, "Am I different?" This should be a relief to Christians. "I always knew I didn't fit in; what a relief!"  But if that is not the case, some evaluating needs to be done. Why do you fit in with the world? Can they even tell you are different?!


You have been called to missions. Now go live it! 

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Standing in the Gap

The most immutable person I know is my husband; what an amazing man! I will not lie to you: God is still working on my ability to show patience and mercy, and I have a LOT of learning to do. Yet He has given me a husband who excels at both. And, man, is it humbling! Isn't it funny how God uses the actions and kindness of others to convict? I can think of more than one occasion just today where I made life difficult and he had every right to just quit being so nice; but he never does. You see, when life gets tough, I interpret that as the "time to move on" signal from God; how naive, and yes, weak!! Fortunately, my husband is much stronger and wiser than I; otherwise, God would have "called" us to several different life situations by now, and we'd be well on our way to living on a secluded island somewhere.

I am the chief offender of chalking up hardship to being "out of God's will." Jobs, people, cities; I mean, I'm even reading to a book to try and figure out what to eat and not eat in order to avoid cancer. Whatever makes life easy...yes, I am weak. But God calls us to tough situations: daily actually. Luke 9:23- "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily, and follow Me." So loneliness, depression, difficulty all should be encouraging. Jesus even warned us in Matthew 9:37- "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few." Clearly this is not gonna be an easy walk on this earth!

God is searching for people to stand in the gap (Ezekiel 22:30). This is not a small task or a "group" effort. It is a call to loneliness and discouragement. But it is a call to serve the ultimate calling. I mean think about it: if it were an easy job He would have to look very long for people to fill it.

What "gap" has God called you to fill? Could it be that the difficult situation in which you've found yourself is right in the middle of God's plan? In the midst of the hardship, you are "standing in the gap." Wow! How exciting is that?! Be faithful to cover that gap He has entrusted you with. We may not know the difference we are making until we get to heaven, but oh boy, will it be worth it!! Who will have the chance to hear the gospel because you were there to stand in the gap; who will be discipled only because you were there, willing to handle the tough times? Joshua 1:9- "Be strong and courageous!"