Looking ahead

Forgetting what's behind and straining toward what's ahead: here's something exciting for the new year! 

Ah, but what is it?

Second Chances. And Third Ones.

"No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not yet achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead..." Phil 3:1 

"I'm not calling for a second chance. I'm screaming at the top of my voice: 'Give me reason, but don't give me choice. Because I'll just make the same mistake,'"

James Blunt, Same Mistake

For some of us, new beginnings are not as magical as they are others. We may hope that a new year, a new job, a new marriage or a new city will mean that life is somehow going to be different. We may dream that someone pressed a cosmic reset button, and all of the failures and disappointments in the past will dissolve making us brand-new and baby-fresh. But tomorrow comes, and I'm still me. I have the same memories, tendencies and weaknesses that I had before I "started again."

I want to blame Jesus for this, for talking about being "born again" with Nicodemus in John 3. I know blaming your savior for the manner of your salvation is a bit like looking a gift horse in the mouth, but there you are.

See, newborn babies don't have bad memories. They don't have past bitterness or disappointments that whisper lies. They don't have a mountain of failures grasping at their heels as they learn to walk. Unlike newborns, we must choose to be reborn. Not only that, we must choose to believe it every day.

"...consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus." Romans 6:11

Christ made you alive. He gave you a new heart and new mind, do you believe it?

"...let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think." Romans 12:2

God will continue to transform you each day. Do you believe Him?

Do you believe Him when you realize you made the same resolutions on January 1st 2012 that you did on January 1st 2011? Do you believe Him when you realize you're in the same place that you were last year? Do you believe him when you realize that you made all of the same mistakes...again?

Do you believe Him?

No, my dear brothers and sisters, I haven't achieved perfection yet, but I know perfection exists. I believe God's promises; I believe I am a new creation and God is renewing my mind. So I focus on this one thing only: God has made a call to me through Jesus. He says to me, "Be perfect. Be like Me." So, with all of my might, forgetting the past and looking toward the future, I strain toward that high and impossible prize.

One Word: Out of the same mouth

In the midst of my search this past month, I stumbled across post on a blog that I half-heartedly follow. It is one of those inspirational blogs full of poetry, confusing symbolism and google-poached photos...

Um...

But I've recently become aware of an underlying current of hostility and bitterness in the tone. I'm not sure if the tone has changed or I've just become more sensitive to it recently, but it's a bizarre juxtaposition to be sure. Why would you preach love and grace one day and judgement and cynicism the next?

Two things came violently to the front of my mind as I read this post.

First, James 3:8-10: 

"No man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so."

Immediately after this, I realized that this is me.

Then come the questions: Who are you serving? What are you called to do? Who are you called to love? What is the purpose and product of your words? To whom do they belong?

Surrender.

Surrender your spring to fresh water or yield to salty. 

Surrender

What's yours?

One Word 2012

The last hours of 2011 are whispering by, are you still thinking about your One Word? I suspect I have found mine though it needs a bit more time to cook. 

I'll give you a few options:

• Humility
• Commit
• Surrender

These are all, in some way, built off of One Word 2011, Trust, a work that is in no way complete. I've wondered if it is necessary for each Word to build off of the ones before it, if it is a reflection of my AR tendencies or simply a natural product of a progressive life. What do you think? Do your words build on one another?

Each of these words also represent a fairly significant work in me at the present, but I'm not sure if that is something that will carry through for the whole year. Hmm.

What are some of your options?

One Word 2011: Trust

Happy New Year!

New Year's 2010, instead of making resolutions, I started choosing a single word for the year. I first read about this practice on Compassion International's blog, through an article written by Dan Britton. You can read his article on my last One Word post here. If you'd still like to adopt this practice yourself, it's not too late!

Last year, my One Word was "unshakable." I chose this word with Hebrews 12:27-29 specifically in mind:

Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire."

The promise of "receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken," is a bittersweet one for, as we see in verses 26 & 27, it comes on the heels of a promise that God will "shake not only the earth, but also heaven," and that this promise "indicates the removal of the things that are made." The promise of an unshakable kingdom comes at the cost of the destruction of everything else.

When I was praying over this word, God asked me over and over again,

"Will you let me shake your world so I can give you an unshakable kingdom?"

I decided, a bit cavalierly, I admit, that the answer was yes. So He did. Immediately, although so subtly that I missed the connection, He began to shake the foundation upon which I had built my life. My assumptions about myself, my understanding of God and His Word, the plans I had made for my life, my understanding of justification and grace, and the layers upon layers of soil that I had piled upon the wounds of my past, God shook them all down to the bare earth and then He began to dig through the very dirt. All the while, He kept asking me,

"Will you let me shake your world so I can give you an unshakable kingdom?" 

I admit I have not weathered the process with dignity and grace. I have stumbled and wandered, pathetically snatching at the things falling around me, and cried out angrily at God. I even pridefully denied the quaking world around me, trying desperately to prove that I had not built my world upon temporary "shakable" things.

You see, I've staked my entire Christian identity on the assumption that I built my "house" upon the Rock of Jesus. As God's tremors shook up my world, things began to fall over, things that I had thought were eternal but which, I soon discovered, were those things that were "made" as it says in verse 27. What does that say about my witness? What does that say about me?

It is heartbreaking to watch the things you have built turn into rubble, it is even more heartbreaking when those things are your very self. But,

"Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it." Psalm 127:1

The ultimate result is that I arrive here, on the first day of the 2011th year of our Lord, as a bare concrete slab surrounded by the wreckage that was my "self" on the first day of the 2010th. It is difficult to toss the rubbish away, I keep trying to salvage some of it to reconstruct my house, but it isn't the same. And honestly, I don't want it to be. 2010 Was not a very uplifting year for me, it was intensely humbling, but I wouldn't change it.

So, my One Word for 2011 is very much related to 2010:

Trust 

As I prayed over this word, I heard God, again, asking me,

"Will you trust me? Will you trust me to rebuild your world as I would have it to be? Will you trust me to rebuild you?"

But I've learned from One Word 2010 and there will be no cavalier claims of faith and fearlessness this time. I can tell you honestly that the answer is, "no." No, I don't trust Him, I'm scared to death of what He'll build for me. I'm afraid that He's taken all my plans and dreams away and won't give them back. I'm afraid that He'll take me down a rocky, treacherous road and stand by as I stumble and fall. No, I don't trust Him, in truth, I'm terrified of Him. Oh, but I'd like to...

So, here's to trust. Here's to fearlessness. Here's hoping.

Cheers.

--Sarah Elizabeth

The End of a Decade

I realized with horror as I read Jon Acuff's post on his Person of the Decade, that, holy buckets, a decade is ending! As the immortal Louise on Gilmore Girls pointed out, just as there will only be one 175th edition of the Franklin, there will also only be one 176th edition as well. The point of course being that 2011 will be the end of a decade as well. For that matter next week will be the end of a decade, so really this is all just a matter of perspective. These "landmarks" only really exist in our heads.

So why write a whole post on something that is only a big deal in my mind? Well, because... its a big deal in my mind! The concept of a decade ending made me reflect a bit on the decade past. Whenever you reflect on your life, there is an unavoidable sense that you have not lived up to your hopes or expectations. So for the sake of my self-esteem and for the fun of it, I thought I'd chronicle a hodge podge of the events of the past decade. These are not the most significant things that have happened in my life, just several that I thought were interesting. To give you a bit of reference, in the year 2000 I was fifteen years old.

So, here you go...

1. I watched the Y2K insanity.
2. I watched the Twin Towers fall.
3. I went on a mission trip to Haiti (I fell in love with Haiti).
4. I graduated from high school.
5. I graduated in the top 10% of my class.
6. I started a blog!
7. I discovered a passion for my life.
8. I voted for George Bush.
9. I became a Compassion Mommy
10. I fell in love.
11. Someone broke my heart.
12. I broke someone's heart.
13. I voted for Barak Obama...but I didn't mail my ballot.
14. I got a college degree.
15. I lived in SoCal for 4 months.
16. I lost a very dear friend.
17. I did a triathlon.
18. I played a piece by Rachmaninoff.
19. I fell in love with espresso.
20. I went back to college.
21. I got a job with a dental plan. And a retirement plan.
22. I lost three grandparents, an uncle, and an aunt.
23. I gained two sisters, one brother, 4 nieces, and 2 nephews
24. I bought a house.
25. I got a dog.
26. I realized I should never own a house or a dog.
27. I wrote 5 songs.
28. I was in 8 weddings.
29. I made a thousand mistakes.
30. I was forgiven a million times.

Honestly I have not done a whole lot this past decade, but I've recieved more than even I know. The greatest achievement of the past 10 years is not an event to be chronicled but the state of my heart. And that achievement is not my own. So with that here are two more:

I learned more about myself than I could ever recount.
I learned more about the grace of God than I could ever recount.

How about you?

One Word 2011

Last year I posted this article by Dan Britton that explains a simple practice of choosing a single word for the year, I find it a nice alternative to the New Year's Resolution which, as we all know, has a three week shelf-life. Last year my word was "unshakeable" it has been an interesting experience! I am excited to reflect a bit on that word and share my musin's with you. Until then, enjoy the article and do some reflecting of your own.

I would highly encourage you to follow the simple directions at the end and see if the Lord has a word for you for 2011. If you do, I'd love to hear it!

One Word

Pick a word for the year...but be careful!

-Dan Britton

Seven years ago, I started the simple discipline of picking a one-word theme for the upcoming year. That is right—one word. Not a phrase, not a statement, just a single word. And to this point, it has been nothing short of life-changing.


If you are like me, you have done your fair share of goal-setting at the start of each New Year. As time goes by, you begin to feel guilty as you fall short in your ambitious plans. At one point, I was so frustrated with the whole process that I even tried boycotting the whole idea and avoided setting any goals at all. That didn't work either. It just made me feel guilty about being the slacker who didn't set any goals. In both cases, I always wound up feeling defeated.

Obviously, everyone wants to find the secret to succeeding in their resolutions. There are a tremendous number of new books and articles written each year about "better" and "easier" ways. I have even heard some great sermons regarding how to set goals for a prosperous New Year.

Despite all of the hype, I still love the fact that the New Year can be a great way to wipe the slate clean and start all over again. The phrase, "a new lease on life" certainly can apply. We are free to lose that 10 pounds, commit to daily devotions, pray more faithfully, spend more time with family, pay off the credit cards or even share Christ with our neighbors. The list can go on and on. But the reality is that those long lists of New Year's resolutions rarely became a reality.

For me, this one-word exercise, in its simplicity, has become a focal point throughout the year. It helps bring clarity into a very complex world. The discipline of picking a one-word theme has stretched me in all areas—spiritually, physically and emotionally. God has transformed me in many ways through this exercise, and I promise that through it God can bring truth and revelation into your life, as well.

In the movie City Slickers, there is a scene that reveals the value and magnitude of “one thing.” Billy Crystal plays Mitch, a vacationing businessman who, along with two friends, takes on the adventure of a cattle drive. In the middle of the drive, a rough-necked cowhand named Curly tells Mitch that the secret to life is just one thing. Curly emphasis the point by holding one finger up and says, “You need to stick to that one thing.” Mitch asks, “What is that one thing?” Curly responds back, “That is what you gotta figure out!”

Curly is not a Bible scholar, but he does recognize the power of the one thing. Even though the Bible does not have the phrase “one-word theme,” it is incredible how many verses include the phrase “one thing.” In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul writes, “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Paul uses the phrase “one thing” to bring focus and clarity to his calling. Altogether, the phrase “one thing” appears five times in the Bible—once in Philippians and four times in the Gospels. In Luke 10:42 Jesus says to Martha, “only one thing is needed.” Both Luke 18:22 and Mark 10:21 include His words to the rich man and expresses a lack of “one thing.” John 9:25 also includes the phrase as the blind man tells the Pharisees, “One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” In the same way that Scripture uses these words, God desires for us to strip it all away and ask Him, “What is Your will for my one-word theme this year?”

I wish I could take credit for developing this simple discipline. However, I have to give credit where credit is due. Five years ago, my good friend Steve Fitzhugh and I were traveling to Ocean City, Maryland, to speak at a youth retreat. On this cold, December car drive, Steve asked me what my theme for the upcoming year would be. After taking several minutes to think about all that I wanted to accomplish, I responded with a long description of my hopes and ambitions for the New Year. He listened patiently as I shared an inspiring mini-sermon of all the changes that would take place in my personal, family and ministry life.

After my speech, Steve responded, “That’s great Dan, but take all that and boil it down into a one-word theme for the year.” After contemplating even longer than the first time, I responded with the theme “Live it Out.” This was better than the first time, but Steve challenged me again, saying, “Dan, that is still not one word.” As he pushed me, I grew aggravated with my own inability to sum it up into a single word. It was too hard to take all of my lofty goals, my massive game plan for the year and those dramatic life-changes and wrap them up so tightly. Finally I decided to flip the table by asking Steve what his one-word theme would be for the coming year. Without hesitation, he responded, “Harvest.” He explained how he wanted to see God work in such a dynamic way in and through him that there would be a great harvest produced from his personal life, his marriage, his family and his speaking ministry. As a former NFL player, Steve uses that platform to speak to and teach more than 100,000 youth every year. But he desired to see God do even greater things with his life! He wanted to see a “Harvest.” Wow! I was amazed that one word had so much power.

So, Steve asked me again what my word would be. I said that I needed to really pray through it and that I would get back to him. Several weeks later, after much prayer and thought, I called Steve and told him my word for the year would be “Intimacy.” I desired to have greater intimacy with God. And that was the start of an incredible year in which the Lord taught me and showed me how I needed to have deeper level of intimacy in every area of my life. I can’t even begin to explain the full extent of how the Lord weaved intimacy into my life that year. The thread of intimacy was revealed to me in my devotional life, through sermons, in Scripture, during prayer times and in conversations. Every time I turned around, intimacy was there! God used that one word to impact me for an entire 365 days. Every day, He was weaving it into my life. It was a powerful year of dynamic growth.

When the year began, I only had a desire to increase my intimacy with the Lord. But He had different plans. Slowly He began to show me that He wanted me to have greater intimacy with my wife, my family and me friends. In every role I had (father, husband, friend, leader, athlete), God wanted to transform me and take me to a deeper level. But the most significant way intimacy was revealed to me was through people and life situations. That was very difficult, as intimacy is typically something I’d rather learn from God, not God’s people! When He started using friends and enemies to teach me about intimacy, I was reluctant to embrace it. But that apprehension didn’t matter. God still got my attention and showed me all the gaps and areas in which I needed to change, both through lessons from others and through lessons revealed specifically through His Word and His Spirit.

Since that year, I have learned more about myself and, more importantly, more about Jesus as a result of picking a one-word theme for the year. Developing this theme has now become a staple in my life, a non-negotiable. After experimenting with it the first year and not sharing the concept with anyone (I wanted to make sure that I practiced it and experienced it before I shared it with others), I now have passed it on to thousands of people. I am continually amazed how someone will call, e-mail or write me at the end of a year to let me know how this simple process had transformed his or her life in the past 12 months. Each year, I challenge my Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) staff to go through the exercise. In fact, just today, a former staff member e-mailed me to let me know about his new word: “disciplines.” He said he was excited and was already reading a great Christian classic on spiritual disciplines to get him prepared for the New Year.

Let me stop here for a moment. There is a reason why I say, “Pick one word for the year…but be careful.” The “careful” part is serious. You know the phrase, “Be careful what you pray for”? Like when you pray for patience and all you get is trails, problems and situations in which you need to practice patience? Well, the same goes for this. I guarantee you that as soon as you pick the word, the battle will begin. Do not approach this exercise half-heartedly. You will get hammered, I promise. Satan will come after you full-force. I’m not trying to sensationalize it, but you have to be aware of this before you dive in. This exercise is not for people who want to pick a nice, comfortable word that will have no significant impact on their lives. It truly is a discipline for those who want to press in and see God do great things in and through them. It is for those who want to live life to its fullest. No retreat. No regrets. It will also be a process of teaching, correcting and molding, as God will certainly bring you to a point of brokenness in relation to your word. But when you are soft in the Creator’s hands, He can form you into His vessel!

In beginning the process, half of the fun is choosing the word for the year. But I have learned that it is not necessarily me who chooses the word, but rather God who reveals it to me. God can, indeed, drop an anointed, specific word into your soul. I’ll admit that in my first year when I chose to pursue intimacy, it was 99% me picking the word and 1% God speaking. Even so, God still used it! But as I become more experienced as the process, I have learned to really listen and watch for God’s leading in selecting the word. Now, I truly can say that it is not about me, but about God. I don’t pick, He shows me. And once He shows me the word, I just have to be obedient and respond with, “Yes, Lord.”

Many people try to approach the one-word theme as just another goal, but this is not a question of whether or not you will “win” at your one-word theme for the year. Your goal should be to live out the adventure God has for you and to learn from the lessons along the way. It is simply a matter of yoking with the Savior. You can’t look at it as a task item on your to do list. You must see it, rather, as a journey—a great journey of victories and defeats, all of which are brought to and laid at the feet of the Christ.

Another word of caution. Once you have used a word, you can’t repeat it the following year. I had a friend say to me that since he felt like he had failed during the year in learning everything there was to learn from his word, he was going to recycle the same word for the New Year. This shouldn’t be an option. In any year, there are 365 days for the Lord to work. Believe me, if it didn’t happen during that time, there is a good chance that either you missed how He was working or He is showing you that there needs to be greater maturity in your life before taking that word any deeper. I know that those are hard words, but they may be true!

It has been my experience that God quickly reveals His plans for the year regarding a one-word theme. That word (be it a discipline, fruit of the Spirit, character trait, attribute of God or even a person) will brand you for life! Be careful with your word. It will brand you for life! And once you’re finished, be sure to share your experience with others—your spouse, children, friends, staff and church members. You’ll be blessed as you watch them adopt and grow in their own one-word themes for the year.

Steps to developing a one-word theme:

1. Prepare your heart through prayer and fasting.

Spend much time in prayer and ask God to reveal the one word to you. Remember, it is not you who chooses the word, but God who reveals to you what He wants to teach you in the coming year. Spend extended time not only in prayer, but also fasting. Through fasting, God will increase and heighten your reliance upon Him for the word. He will speak specifically and clearly into your heart. At a minimum, I recommend getting away for one full day and spending time before the Lord. That invested time will pay big dividends. God will speak when you consecrate yourself and intentionally put yourself into a posture to hear from Him.

2. Search the Scriptures.

While reading your Bible, ask the Lord to highlight or bring to your attention a verse or story. This provides great insight and will help you ground your word in the Word. Commit that verse or passage to memory.

3. Evaluate all of your roles.

Each of us plays many different roles in our lives (i.e. parent, spouse, leader, athlete, friend, volunteer, steward, etc.) As you pray and think through those roles, pay attention to what God shows you. This step will help you understand the lives you impact and those that impact you. What is it that God wants to take hold of in your life and use for His glory? What area of your life do you need to surrender? What character trait does God want to develop within you? Which fruit of the Spirit does He want you to live out? These are several primer questions that can get you going in the right direction.

4. Do not seek counsel from others.

While seeking advice from godly counsel regarding issues or problems is essential, I would highly recommend not asking for word ideas from friends, spouses or accountability partners. Everyone will give you an opinion, but you aren’t seeking their opinions. You’re not even seeking your own opinion. You’re seeking God’s opinion.

5. Ask God for the word.

This is where the rubber meets the road. Boldly ask God for the word. Just as Samuel said, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening,” you need to humble yourself and ask God to drop the word into your heart, mind and soul. Be open and willing. The word can be a fruit of the Spirit (kindness, faithfulness), attribute of God (holiness, mercy), discipline (prayer, memorization), person (spouse, child), biblical principle (harvest, stewardship), spiritual focus (devotion, intimacy), character trait (commitment, perseverance), values (integrity, teamwork) or characteristic of Christ (serving, humility). This is not meant to be list from which to choose, but rather a starting point to get you thinking and to help you as you begin to listen for the Lord’s prompting.

6. Share your word with a trusted person.

Once you have your word, it is important to share it with your husband or wife, best friend, accountability partner or pastor. Do not announce your word to everyone you know. One year, I didn’t share my word with anyone except for my wife and three accountability partners. Prayerfully consider with whom you need to share your word. Ask them to pray for you and to hold you accountable so that God can do His work in you.

7. Live out your word.

As you begin to live out your word on a daily basis, be sensitive to the Lord’s leading. Be open to learning more as He reveals Scripture, quotes and books for you to use. Keep a journal and write down the insights and lessons throughout the year. Evaluate your commitment on a regular basis, and make sure that you pray about what God wants you to learn.

----

So there you have it! What's your word for 2011 (and please don't choose "thinner"!)?