"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
Statistically speaking, Harry S. Truman should never have been president. Not only that, he should never have been elected to a second term. But he was. And his presence in the White House changed the nation - if not the world.
I heard a very popular musician talking about his pre-fame days. He had traveled to Los Angeles to seek out a record contract for his band. In the midst of making calls from a payphone, he found a slip of paper in the phone booth. On the sheet was written the names and phone numbers of 25 record companies.
The chances of winning the big payoff in the lottery are 1 to xx millions. Yet people win lotteries. (No, I am not promoting playing the numbers or gambling in any way.)
Here's the good news - at least if you believe in God. There is no such thing as "luck", no serendipity. God is in control. Can we make choices that change things? Yes. Does luck just happen to fall into our lives? No.
I find that wonderfully soothing, to know that God is in control. I can tell you that I tried many times to move back to Indiana - for selfish reasons - only to have the door slammed in my face time and again. When the decision was made to follow God and move to Minnesota, he opened doors wide that I never would have dreamed of. (He even blessed me with a job working for a great company who I didn't send a resume to, through a person who I had known many years previous and many miles away!)
Looking back at the moments of my life - successes, failures, embarrassments, mistakes, troubles, sorrows, joys - I can see them all interconnected, working together to make we who (and bring me where) I am today. I look back and see the hand of God working in my life, smoothing the rough patches, making course corrections...
And, if you'll look back at your life, I'll bet you can see His work, too.
If things are looking bleak or you can't understand why you can't get from point A to point B, relax. Pray. Look around. Listen for God. Trust in His direction. We aren't in control anyway. He is!
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
The "NIV" and "New International Version" trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society. Use of either trademark requires the permission of International Bible Society.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Flawed Yet Chosen... A Shameless Plug
I really love teaching. And I am really stoked right now because I get to re-teach my favorite class - the very first adult ed class I ever developed - this winter at church. It's called "Flawed Yet Chosen: Looking at the Life and Times of the Apostle Peter."
I feel so blessed to teach this class because I think most people connect with Peter. He was just so... flawed.
Imperfect.
Human.
The poor guy has gotten a bum rap over the centuries. OK, so he nearly drowned walking on water. And there was that whole embarrassing episode at the transfiguration. Not to mention the earectomy he performed in the garden.
And, oh yeah, he seems to have committed the cardinal sin of denying Christ. Not once. Not twice. But three times.
In one night.
In rapid fire succession.
With swearing.
Pastors have probably been fired for less.
And yet... Jesus kept His word. "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it" (Matthew 16:18, NIV). It doesn't matter where you are in life, what you've done or how others view you. If the apostle Peter doesn't give you hope, I don't know what will!
Over the next weeks and months, I will update this blog as the class plan develops, to share with all of you the wonderful promises of God and lessons we can glean from the life of Peter. This is an opportunity not only to teach before a class, but via a blog setting as well. I'm really excited about this - and hope you are, too!
Keep checking back here for regular updates.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
The "NIV" and "New International Version" trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society. Use of either trademark requires the permission of International Bible Society.
I feel so blessed to teach this class because I think most people connect with Peter. He was just so... flawed.
Imperfect.
Human.
The poor guy has gotten a bum rap over the centuries. OK, so he nearly drowned walking on water. And there was that whole embarrassing episode at the transfiguration. Not to mention the earectomy he performed in the garden.
And, oh yeah, he seems to have committed the cardinal sin of denying Christ. Not once. Not twice. But three times.
In one night.
In rapid fire succession.
With swearing.
Pastors have probably been fired for less.
And yet... Jesus kept His word. "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it" (Matthew 16:18, NIV). It doesn't matter where you are in life, what you've done or how others view you. If the apostle Peter doesn't give you hope, I don't know what will!
Over the next weeks and months, I will update this blog as the class plan develops, to share with all of you the wonderful promises of God and lessons we can glean from the life of Peter. This is an opportunity not only to teach before a class, but via a blog setting as well. I'm really excited about this - and hope you are, too!
Keep checking back here for regular updates.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
The "NIV" and "New International Version" trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society. Use of either trademark requires the permission of International Bible Society.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
REVISED, REVAMPED AND REWORKED
Welcome to the newly revised E-ncouragement blog, The View From Down Here...
Why the change? Well... I changed the appearance because I want a fresh start here. It's been far too long since last I blogged, so I felt a change was in order. A new coat of paint (so to speak) on the background seems a good place to start.
The name change - "contemplative" didn't fit so well. After many seconds of deep "contemplation" (assuming contemplation can truly be achieved in such a short time), I came up with what I think is more fitting name: The View From Down Here... After all, what can we know about God (or anyone / anything else for that matter) that wasn't revealed to us by Him? The best we can do is look upward - in prayer, in time spent with the Lord and His Word - and look at what He shows us, hear what He tells us.
Please visit often. Leave comments. And enjoy!
More to come soon...
Why the change? Well... I changed the appearance because I want a fresh start here. It's been far too long since last I blogged, so I felt a change was in order. A new coat of paint (so to speak) on the background seems a good place to start.
The name change - "contemplative" didn't fit so well. After many seconds of deep "contemplation" (assuming contemplation can truly be achieved in such a short time), I came up with what I think is more fitting name: The View From Down Here... After all, what can we know about God (or anyone / anything else for that matter) that wasn't revealed to us by Him? The best we can do is look upward - in prayer, in time spent with the Lord and His Word - and look at what He shows us, hear what He tells us.
Please visit often. Leave comments. And enjoy!
More to come soon...
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