Keep The Faith

The other night after speaking, I met a family whose story broke my heart and inpired me at the same time. They told me their 15 year old daughter had been kidnapped 116 days before and that the police were now no longer actively involved in searching for her.

The mother smiled, yes smiled, as she told me that although she still often cries, she hasn’t missed a day of work since their ordeal began. The father then told me they set a place for their daughter at the dinner table every night and visualize the celebration that will occur when she returns, walking through the front door of their home.

They were laughing and joking around as they went on to tell me how so much of what I had spoken about was just for them, encouraged them to hold on and fired up their faith to stay strong.

I can say the same thing about them.

Their faith and upbeat attitude in the midst of living a horrific nightmare are more than enough to invigorate you and I to, no matter what, keep the faith.

If they can do it, we can do it.

Action

I’m still thinking about the world’s shortest verse that I learned in Sunday School, “Jesus wept.” It not only shows that Jesus empathizes with the human condition, the story goes on to tell how compassion then caused Him to do something extraordinary at Lazarus’ grave.

In verse 38 & 39 of John 11 it says, “Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. ‘Take away the stone,’ He said.”

To feel for someone who is suffering or in need can be a powerful form of motivation. I read that Bono said one specific little boy in Africa changed his life. The sight of that little boy has sparked him to use his influence to speak up for those who have no voice and start campaigns against poverty and AIDS.

I guess standing in someone else’s shoes can alter our perceptions and cause us to do things differently. Helping someone else always helps us to
(BE)TTER.

Compassion causes action.

Friends

As a kid in Sunday School they used to have contests of boys against girls to see who could memorize and recite the most verses of scripture each week. The winning team would win prizes, usually some form of super-sugary candy.

Every single time, one of us would say, “Jesus wept,” because as the shortest verse in the Bible from John 11:35, it was the easiest to remember.

Reading that verse now, I see it a lot differently than just an easy ticket to candy. Jesus was expressing grief with the family of a man named Lazarus who had just died. And having been close friends with Lazarus and his 2 sisters, Jesus was genuinely sad for those surviving and sorry about losing a friend.

The Savior of the World cared enough to show emotion and empathy alongside a grieving family. I find that character trait in our Savior to be very endearing. We all feel better knowing we have someone who will be happy with us or hurt with us when we need it.

We will all (BE)TTER at handling life as it comes knowing He’s not just a “Big God,” He’s also a true friend, not only way back then but right here and now.

Back-Up

You know, even when things are going well, I sometimes still get nervous, hoping I don’t screw things up. Does that ever happen to you? If so, here’s some inside information about who’s got our back, keeping us from going over the edge.

Psalm 118:13,14 says, “I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.”

Through the various ups and downs of our attempts to (BE)TTER, you and I will have repeated opportunities to learn that the Lord is our most trustworthy friend to lean on.

Even better than a best friend who may be too busy, God will never leave us high and dry. When it feels like life is pushing us around, He always shows up to help. Actually, He never even leaves us in the first place.

His symphony of unending strength provides ever-present music to our ears and back-up for our souls.

Mind Game

Remember that old saying parents and teachers used to tell us when we were growing up, “You can do anything if you set your mind to it?”

Well, USA TODAY recently had an article on Tiger Woods, about how he is getting better and better and just may be the best athlete who has ever lived. Quoting several people who know Tiger, they discussed reasons why he is so dominating, agreeing that his strongest asset as his ‘mind game.’

When he was 14, Tiger began training with a psychologist who coached him in methods for relaxation, visualization and focus. Motivational tapes, studying how the mind works and mental drills became a high priority early in his life.

The Living Bible, in Isaiah 26:3, gives us our own mental drill for relaxation and focus: “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you.”

A sharp, yet relaxed mentality does not happen by accident. A determination to never freak out but always filter our thoughts through God’s words will uncover our talents, sharpen our minds and improve our abilities.

Training our minds to see life through a heavenly point of view helps us to
(BE)TTER & better every day on earth.

Loading

In our high-speed world, an overload of streaming factors can lead us to that familar feeling, “Help! I’m overwhelmed!”

There may be too much work to do and too many people expecting something from you. There might be too little time, money or energy. Or there could be a combination of too much, too little and too late that leaves us feeling buried alive and about to crash.

It helps to know that our ultimate example to follow was dead and buried but came back to life! Romans 8:11 tells us that if He can do it, we can too: “And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.”

If every day you and I log in by asking God’s Spirit to help us follow His flow, we’ll be uploaded with His energy and able to handle anything better than ever!

Happy Friday

Happy Good Friday!

Have you ever had, not just “one of those days,” but one of those WEEKS? Jesus did.

His week started out so good with the people celebrating His triumphant arrival in Jerusalem on Sunday. Then it was pretty much all downhill from there.

He was betrayed by one of the 12 people closest to Him. Arrested by officials and deserted by the other 11 disciples. Falsely accused and put on trial. Then at the trial, Peter, the one who said he’d never leave Jesus, loudly swore he never even knew Him. 3 times.

He was stripped of His clothes and soldiers gambled right in front of Him to see who could keep them. He was ridiculed, spit on, and beaten severely. Then sentenced to death like a criminal and forced to carry His own cross up the hill in front of a hostile crowd, the very same crowds that were cheering Him a few days earlier.

On that hill He was then nailed, hands and feet, to that cross. With the past, present and future sin, sickness and death of all humanity on His shoulders, He was then lifted up to die.

He endured the most hellacious week ever for me and for you. All so we can live a Better Life.

What are we doing about it?

So, how’s YOUR week?

Picture This

So many times, sitting in an airport, I’ve heard over the loudspeaker, “Please maintain visual contact with your luggage at all times.”

Visual contact. That’s good advice. And I don’t mean just keeping your eyes on your baggage. What visual do you get when you think of a Better Life?

1 Corinthians 2:9,10 says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him – but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit.”

Because God has planted His plans for Better Life inside of us, when I read a verse like that, it challenges me to imagine myself actually experiencing BEING better: In my thoughts; my speech; relationships; career; money; where I live; what I do for fun; just everything.

Imagining what it will look like makes it more real. Maintaining contact with those visual images prepares me for life “beyond my wildest dreams.” And since God said He’d do better than I can imagine, I say, “Go ahead, surprise me!”

You try it: Close your eyes and picture what your Better Life looks like.

Half Truth

Have you ever noticed certain people can make one tidbit of truth their calling card and make a big fuss about it while ignoring the rest of the story? It happens every day in the media. Religious organizations do it a lot. We do it too.

Jesus was having a disagreement with one of those overly religous outfits in John 8:31,32 when He said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Jesus’ point to the nit-picking Pharisees was that they were trying to impose nearly impossible restrictions from the Old Testament on people based on only half the story. The rest of the story was unfolding in front of their very eyes, they just needed to pay attention.

I see this as an encouragement to continue the quest to (BE)TTER. If we only occasionally look to God and His book, it can seem like just a bunch of rules. But the more truth we know, the more freedom we will feel.

We need the whole truth, nothing but the truth, so help us God.

Under the Influence

I keep thinking about how, after living until 3 days shy of his 91st birthday, my Grandpa is gone. Its not sadness though, instead its been a growing appreciation for his wealth of influence.

He set such a great example for me. In his traveling, writing and speaking he impacted so many people in a positive way for God – people I’ll probably never know. But even more important to me was that he chose to be a better husband and father by living for God. It was that determination that influenced his son, my Dad, to follow his example.

Jesus told us to be that example in Matthew 5:16: “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Grandpa’s good deeds have inspired my Dad’s positive influence on countless people for many years, me being one of them.

As I thank my Heavenly Father for what my Grandpa started, it fires me up to (BE)TTER to carry on the leagacy.

Here’s a LIFEBULB to think about…

Ask yourself:
Who’s influencing me? Good or bad?
Who am I influencing? Good or bad?
How can I improve my influence?