To Serve well

Serving with Excellence for a Life of Excellence

Simple Thoughts Sunday

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Doing “business” with God’s word

Priscilla Shirer is credited with the quote here in the photo. She is one of the top Bible teachers of our time… Around my age — younger I think — and full of sass and wisdom.

Her devotional, “Awaken,” was given to me at the end of last year and it is really good. I spent more time with it in  January and February this year, and need to dive back in. This idea above was in the introduction, followed quickly by a call to action to “not just scan the Bible, but to do business with it.”

I don’t know about you, but that speaks to me. You see, I have learned over the past few years that the one place I really “hear from God” is when I’m reading His word. That is when I listen for that still-small voice that points me in the right direction — and yes, at times, redirects. If you haven’t found out this truth yet, please give it a try. It is worth your time to really explore the meanings of the scriptures and how they impact your life directly today. Sometimes it is less easy to see how it is lived out in my life, but at times it is so clear I could argue it was written yesterday, intended for me personally.

If the whole idea of hearing from God via His word is new to you, or seems hard to embrace, feel free to reach out. I’d be glad to show you how I started, just 7 or 8 years ago. It has revolutionized my life and it’s pretty darn cool.

Have an amazing week.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: It is truly all joy

(Is this not the greatest photo? Credits go to Ann Voskamp who is wonderful to follow, and she took it I believe from “@Bored Panda,” which I am now following, and they credit: “@howfarhome.” That’s an Instagram account focused on travel! Worth following!)

So, it is truly all joy. I know that is hard sometimes.

I never even knew about this famous verse in the Bible until about 10 years after my divorce, infertility and some other fun and not-so-fun experiences. I sure wish I would I have known about it because it would have helped shape my perspective.

It is one of those that you have to live through to “feel it… to know it’s sheer truth.” Life throws curve balls, course corrections and all sorts of hurdles that cause us deep desperation, pain, or simple tears. In the end, these are the times we clarify and cleanse our souls. We find God through this times often, and we lean into friendships and a new level of family intimacy. It’s the layer where magic unfolds.

This picture is taken in the Netherlands, which is known world-wide for their annual tulip festivals with over 15,000 types of tulips and literally fields upon fields of elegance. (This happens in April every year.) I would sure love to see this beauty with my own eyes. The notion of riding bikes through the tulips sounds like a fantasy. You see, the magic = the beauty found in the fields. The fields only arise after rain and plenty of upkeep. This, my friends, is where the beauty of our lives happens: In all kinds of seasons.

As you go into your week and month, remember no matter how bad, good, emotionally or physically you may be challenged… COUNT IT ALL JOY. It is bound to produce something beautiful.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Nourishing our souls

So, what is nourishing you?

We need healthy food and lots of water so that our bodies have the best chance to give us optimum performance. We need sleep to achieve full restoration each day. From my point of view, we need a strong spiritual life to truly nourish our soul so that we can fully utilize the gifts God has given to each of us (and to serve well).

Today seems like a great day to think about what is nourishing our souls. Are we spending as much time in the word of God as we are on social media? Watching mindless Netflix or reality TV shows, listening to music that doesn’t inspire? Are we filling our minds and hearts with the truth, or are we distracted constantly?

This week, can we up the game on our focus toward nourishment through spending our extra time in activities that draw us and our families and loved ones closer to God? I’m totally up for this challenge and would love to hear if you are too!

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Living in abundance

Most of you know that on Sunday’s I usually write about my faith. This thought was powerful for me and I hope it will be for you. What do I mean by abundance? Here’s what I am thinking:

Abundance in positive thinking (vs fear)

Abundance in joy

Abundance in strength

Abundance in prayer

Abundance in deepening friendships

Abundance in health

Abundance in wisdom

Abundance in generosity for others

That’s a short list. What areas of your life do you need or desire “abundance” in?

God’s word tells us that he desires for us to have great victory in this life. (The Psalms are a great place to find these messages first… Psalm 37:4 is a good start.) 

If we can lean in on Him, instead of our own understanding, we can experience the freedom of His love and provision over our lives. I pray that this week you will pray for ABUNDANCE in the areas that might help your life to overflow with just what you need. When we are filled, we can exponentially give back to others.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Onward we can… onward we are better

Happy Sunday everyone! I am sure you may have seen someone close their email signature or their letters/cards with a simple, “Onward.” A statement that may reflect their faith or their hope in the future.

This past week was the annual Give Seven Days events in Kansas City as I shared in my Thursday blog. It’s a week where the community comes together to learn and unify. In its fourth year, it is gaining momentum in our community. Like others across our world, perhaps we feel the need greater than at any other time in our generation. The need, the desire… to come together and ensure we are able to live in a world of peace, a world that welcomes all, and where all receive the love and support they need to enjoy a healthy life. It has been powerful, certainly giving a strong meaning to the word ONWARD, and sparking thoughts on just how we can be a part of this positive future. Where can we step in and ensure we are educating ourselves and doing our part for our families and loved ones?

On Monday, the week will conclude with the Faith & Love Walk which will be at the National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Mo. Events start at 5:30 with the walk at 6:30. There will be food trucks as well for those who want to grab dinner with friends or family. It is a simple and short walk which has the purpose of showing our unity with one another in our community. I hope you will strongly consider bringing out your crew, or joining ours at the event.

If you aren’t able to join, I hope that you will think about how you can best help your family learn about others in our communities and how we can together create greater understanding and inspire love for all who walk our path.

My prayer is that your week will be the best this year!

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Rise and shine

I have decided that snow, wind or hail, I’m going to pretend it’s a SUNNY DAY!

Seriously folks, we desperately need spring. You know, that “rise and shine” feeling that only the sun can bring out in you. The spring in your step, the desire to skip like a worry-free 10 year old! The verse above calls us to “rise” out from the cold, the dust, the dreary days and the things in our lives that hold us back or down… It imparts the wonderful feeling of coming out and the season of new.

Last week we celebrated Easter. In the actual scholarly commentary on this verse it leads us to the fact that this was a chapter discussing the “glorious state of the New Israel, a reign that began on the first Pentecost after the Resurrection of Christ.” (Coffman’s Commentary) Truthfully, I had no idea of that when I picked the verse — I just wanted to talk about “rising” (above the ashes — or just out of my winter jacket and boots).

Please join me this week in RISING. Rising in honor, in attitude and with a downright simple JOY that makes people want to embrace the day no matter what mother nature serves up! I’m praying for each and every one of you right now.

What kind of king did they expect? Celebrating Holy Week

It’s Palm Sunday and although many know the story, I think it is always good to go deeper and really try to wrap your mind around the meaning and how it impacts us today.

This is my “Simple Thoughts Sunday” version, but I do have to admit this is anything but “simple” for me. As a Christian who is full of faith, I believe fully — but on the other side, I totally understand why some would question the whole story. I mean, how can a community literally lay down their total respect, and welcome a “King” one day, and just a few days later persecute and ultimately murder him? How could that happen?

After a bit of research, I have come to understand that quite possibly the crowds who welcomed Jesus into town on that first Palm Sunday, waving their palm branches to demonstrate their honor, were not the same community members who rallied for his death. Those that stood in the former camp were those that likely expected “their King” to come and set up new political systems and otherwise fight to protect them from the Roman control. They quite possibly were also put off by the teachings that we should repent of our sins and instead change our hearts and shine our light for a brighter world through our actions of mercy and love.

This “King” was the complete opposite of the king they expected. They wanted bold and bravado. Jesus represented an approach that was difficult to embrace.

As you begin Holy Week, I think it’s useful to contemplate what kind of “King” (or person leading your life) would you truly want. I personally love the “King” that I believe came to literally save us from ourselves. Someone who is full of grace and forgiveness, yet who in their strength, gives me the confidence and faith that I fully know that “He’s got this,” no matter what situation I’m in.

Have a wonderful week my friends. It is such a blessing to be alive at this moment in time, and to as a community share our different faiths and showcase love at all times.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Relationship goals

Easter is early this year — two weeks from today, actually. If you participate in the season of Lent by sacrificing something, you are probably counting the days. The best I ever heard was giving up the snooze button. Clever, huh?

The idea of course is to remove our focus from something we enjoy, and focus more on God and how we can live a life closer to how God intended for us. Lent leads us to the celebration of Easter for the christian community. It is truly a time of joy as we celebrate the life, death and the resurrection of Jesus.

I just wrapped up Dharius Daniel’s book, RePresent Jesus, which focused on reintroducing core parts of his character to the reader. My favorite, you may guessed, is the “servant” that he was, fully focusing his life and ministry on helping others.

No matter what your beliefs — religious or not — the idea of serving others is a life value that most people I know truly embrace. The modeling of washing the feet of his friends (and enemy) on the night before his death, is a perfect display of selflessness and one that we can learn from.

As you go into this week, I pray that you renew your commitment to look for how you can best serve those in your circle of influence — and yes, even those who aren’t so lovable. We have an opportunity to dig deeper into how we and our families can be a better reflection of that wonder example of servant-hood.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: How’s your soul?

(Photo Creds: My own)

(Rewind: This post comes from last March’s blog after a conference. One of the speakers recommended this exercise, which I’m still convinced has served me well and bears repeating!)

So, HOW IS YOUR SOUL? I mean how are you doing? (And not the “I’m fine. It’s all good.” answer we give in the corridors of life.)

Are you truly happy? Joyful?

Are you empty or sad? Have you or a loved one had a loss of some kind?

Are you afraid of the next season of life? Confident and ready to take it on?

Are you content, and wish you had more desire to “change the world?”

Well, I’m not sure yet because I haven’t done the exercise, but my gut reaction is that it is a combination of the above.  I love this idea of doing a literal check-in  or check up, for my medical friends, with your soul. To write it out and and ask why or why not, and develop some steps to move closer to where you want to be. I think it would be a fun “task” to do with someone that knows you really well.

This blog seems to always lean toward this concept of improving in how we serve. Serving ourselves and others well is critical to our ultimate happiness and ability to live out God’s purpose. He is quite clear that we are here on this planet, in this very zip code, to serve others and shine a light to make the world a better place than we found it. We do this with each daily decision and action. The cumulative result is a life fully lived.

I encourage you to walk through this “check in/up” and in the process, give God praise for both the joy and the pain and to seek his word as a guide to help you close the gaps in the areas that need some attention. The truth found in Galatians 5 has always been one of my favorites:

“But the fruit of the Spirit (what God desires for us), is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control…” (22-23 NIV)

Anything else is not his desire for us and not our destiny. We therefore need to understand those are not his will and ask him to show us the truth and walk toward that! As always, I’m cheering you on!

Simple Thoughts Sunday: The power of prayer

Most of us realize the power of prayer. Sometimes prayer can be stressful because our requests don’t get answered fast enough (or maybe that’s just me). Sometimes prayer can be frustrating, because we think we have to pray for a certain amount of time, or in a certain posture.

Regardless, today I want to impress that prayer makes a difference in this world! In Matthew Kelly’s Rhythm of Life book, he refers to prayer in the following ways:

  • Prayer cuts through and clarifies. (I think of this as a guidance counselor or coach.)
  • Prayer reminds us of what is truly important. (Bringing to mind those people that we need in our lives.)
  • Prayer is the great mediator that introduces us to God. (Makes is clear that a higher power indeed is controlling the universe… and thankfully it’s not us!)
  • Prayer is the faithful friend who points out who we are  capable of being. (Inspiring us to dream bigger, and filling us with positive thinking.)
  • Prayer reveals the deepest desires of our hearts and points out the path that was ordained for us. (This is close to the first bullet point.)
  • And my favorite, “Prayer gifts us with purpose and direction, and peace in that direction.” Peace is the part I love and have found to be the most true.

I’m honestly not the best “prayer person.”

I have great intentions, and pray a lot of short, little “popcorn” prayers throughout the day – especially when people come to mind. I am not sure prayer has to be a long session, but I feel like I can be better at it. I have personally seen – even recently through my prayer group – that prayer indeed works. (Side Note: Three friends and I just started this Jan. 1, and let me tell you, it is a game changer. If you want to know more, message me and I’ll tell you how we are doing it!)

There is also a great book by Priscilla Shirer, called Fervent and a movie as well, called War Room that dive into prayer in ways that will for sure help anyone who has an interest. I highly recommend both!

I hope you all have an amazing end to February this week. I’m praying for each of you as I write this! Sending Love.