Negative Split

(Dedicated to the heroes of the faith: those who, when knocked down, continue to find a way back up. Those whose knees have grown weak, bodies frail, and hair has turned to silver.  Thank you for the hope your lives exude as you maintain a steady gait and a dogged determination to never give up)

Breaking through the 50-year-old tape marker not too long ago got me thinking about races and life and how real life is a marathon we are all running with hopes of one day breaking the final tape marked Finish Line.  

Although no longer able to participate in my beloved sport of running and racing, I often relate to real life in runners terms—such as the term, negative split.

A negative split or the action of negative splitting is a racing strategy that involves completing the second half of a race faster than the first half. It is defined by the intentional setting of a slower initial pace, followed by either a gradual or sudden increase of speed towards the end of a race. (Wikipedia definition)

In my opinion, Hebrews 12:1 provides us with a beautiful picture of early disciple marathon runners (possibly negative splitting!): “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” 

We are not told the behind the scenes narrative of each individual in this “cloud of witnesses,” but we learn something very telling of the character of these men and women: “the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet NONE of them received what had been promised.” (Hebrews 11:38 & 39)

Life was not easy for our fellow brother’s and sister’s in Christ: “Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison.  They were stoned, they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated.” (vs. 36 & 37)

Although I do not personally know anyone who has faced the above mentioned unfathomable circumstances; with each passing year of my own life I am recognizing a deeper appreciation for those whom I do know who have endured great loss and suffered much pain.  Marathoners, if you will, whom are still staying the course.  Not living their lives for themselves, they are holding nothing back that might disqualify them from reaching the Finish Line.  They may not be running the second half of their race faster than the first half; but they are running it stronger.

Our heroes of the faith, both past and present, run with confidence and do not shrink back. 

A negative split requires perseverance, and faith to believe that with God’s strength, the latter part of our lives can be lived with more tenacity, fervor and determination than given on the front end. Such a race requires us to trust God that we will have enough left in the tank for a strong sprint to the finish.

Paul speaks with the wisdom of a seasoned athlete on how to run a strong race, “ But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward why is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:13 & 14)

Finally, every runner must learn the true secret to making it to the Finish Line—not training alone. It’s imperative that we train with a person who has ran more races, worn out more pairs of shoes, and stayed on the narrow path for the duration.  

Find yourself a living hero of the faith and let him or her help you on your own journey so you can break the tape as you cross from this life into eternity.  Oh, and don’t forget to thank your living hero of the faith for his or her life of perseverance, fortitude, and tenacity. 

Finish strong, fellow athletes.

Stay the Course…

Sheila

The Long Road Back to Truth

(This blog touches on spiritual abuse. Thousands of believers are exiting the church—some unwilling and unable to re-enter—because of spiritual abuse. The problem is real. If you are currently struggling or know of someone who is—this is for you.)

I found something over the weekend while de-cluttering boxes from our crawl space—an old journal.

There was only one time in my entire life that I kept a journal, a time that turned out to be one of the toughest seasons me or my husband have ever journeyed together.  And there it was, written out in an ultra thick journal for me to review for the first time, if I was brave enough to do so.

Apprehensively at first, I opened the cover, flipping through the pages as I tried to determine if there was any point to reading my own words or if the journal should be thrown away with the rest of the things that no longer felt needed in this season of life.  

Since it’s the beginning of a new year, it felt right that I should take a moment of pause and look back at the road traveled.  New eyes to read old news with the hopes of gleaning new wisdom moving forward.

For the most part, the journal was kept to track my spiritual progress; a journey which took many twists and turns.  Most of the names mentioned along the trail are names which are no longer familiar to me.  Friendships that I had thought were golden and eternal came to an end, sometimes abruptly.  I re-read accounts of secrets being revealed, hearts being broken, betrayal, and the slow subtle way things shift from doing the right thing for the right reason and turn into doing the right thing for the wrong reason.  Yeah, something like that.

As a woman who has spent most of her life in the church, I would like to issue a warning to other ambitious church-goers such as me: do not, under any circumstance, for any reason, look to a person for validation or for answers that must only come from God (or from your spouse).  Do the hard work of dropping to your own knees for answers instead of looking to a man (or woman) of the cloth or to a person within the church whom you deem as “spiritual”  when you need answers to the questions of your life.  

If you are a married woman or man, be vigilant and intentional to seek out your spouse when there are things on your heart that must be shared.  I can tell you from personal experience, as my journal is my witness, that any path that leads you to be emotionally dependent on anyone other than your spouse can quickly turn into a slippery slope on a road that leads you further away from Truth.

And the road back to Truth can be a long road indeed.

The Word of God reminds us that “We all stumble in many ways.” (Jas 3:2) Yet as we continue in the book of James we are given a promise, “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” (Jas 4:8) Even as we are called to make disciples, our purpose is to point others to Christ; never to ourselves. 

In the Word of God we are told to not forsake gathering together, to confess our sins one to another, pray for one another and to spur one another on toward good deeds. We are granted permission to approach the throne of grace.  We are told to love one another deeply, to mourn with those who mourn and to rejoice with those who rejoice, to take care of orphans and widows and to keep ourselves from being polluted by the world.  We are instructed to keep our lives free from the love of money, to be content with what we have, to endure hardship and not to make light of the Lord’s discipline. We are instructed to wrong no one, corrupt no one and exploit no one. We are told all of these things and so much more—but we are never told to open ourselves up to anyone other than our Lord or our spouse when it comes to the deep matters of the heart.  

Many years have passed on my own personal journey down the long road back to Truth. I am finding that each new day presents new opportunities to “get it right.” The focus has shifted more from one of me trying to figure out the details of my life to, instead, me wanting to know more about God. More about His love. His unfathomable, incomprehensible, unmerited, unconditional love.

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19)

Stay the Course…

Sheila

If One Part Suffers

Several days ago the remains of a boy from our daughter’s high school who had been missing for three weeks, were found.  My daughter is in a different grade than the boy and did not know him on a personal level. However, the impact of such grievous news has affected our daughter, permeated the entire school—and the entire community.

The deep impact and mutual outpouring from the community has slowed each one of us down in our busy worlds to pause and consider the great need we have one for another.  

Many of us have been praying for a positive outcome.  Prayer has become a first resort as both the family and the community have sought God for sustenance and endurance during the long, cold, dark days of  “unknowing” in the midst of unfathomable circumstances.

We read in I Corinthians 12:26, “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it…”

Both within the church and within our communities; life is meant to be shared one with another. We each have a role in the scenes surrounding our lives which requires us to give of ourselves to contribute what we can to those who are suffering.

It’s difficult to know what to “do” in times such as these.  Maybe we allow ourselves to feel the loss as we attempt to understand the impact and effect one life taken from us leaves; a marker in our hearts to remind us that no life can ever be replaced. In moving forward with new eyes, perhaps the loss will produce a positive change both individually and in how we relate to others in our community.

As for me, I am doing something that, by all appearances, is so small that one might question the usefulness of the gesture: bringing food items to the school for the Hungry Kid Project.  Although unrelated to the current crises, I feel compelled to bring food.  Maybe it’s my childhood memory of a time when life seemed more simple growing up on a dairy farm, and the feeling of safety and love I associate with food.  I don’t know.  Either way, this is a need the school addresses each week, and I am a part of the school.

If you are struggling right now, limping through life, wondering if anyone cares—please reach out to your community and to a local church.  If you are suffering, we are all suffering.

Romans 12:13 instructs us, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”

Today, our community mourns alongside a family who has lost their beloved son. We stand with heavy hearts for what we do not understand. However, we also stand with hope for grace, understanding and faith for what lies ahead.

Stay the Course…

Sheila

Come And See

A recent trip to the west coast of Africa impacted my life. 

The point was made by those who do not call Liberia their homeland, that of all the beautiful places in Africa one might choose to visit—Liberia would not be anyone’s top pick.

After two very messy civil wars and the decimation of a generation, the infrastructure of Liberia faces a very long road (a dirty, bumpy, unpaved road at that!) to becoming a desirous country.  

Although Liberia is one of the top 5 most impoverished countries, I must tell you more about this incredible country. I quote Peter, our Liberian host, who understands something that Google does not understand—the heart of Liberia is strong. Throughout our time with Peter, he urgently pleaded with us to come back to America and ask people to “come and see” what God is doing in Liberia.  Come and see not only with your physical eyes but with your spiritual eyes.

As we study the Word of God, several instances urge us to "come and see."  To hear about a person or place robs us of the gift of sight and physicality.  We read in John chapter one about the day Jesus found Philip and told him to follow him.  Philip, in turn, found Nathaniel and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” (Jn. 1:44-45)

Nathaniel, who had not yet seen Jesus with his own eyes, immediately responded, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” (vs. 46)

“Come and see,” said Phillip.

We know how the story ends once Nathaniel sees Jesus with his own eyes, “Then Nathaniel declared “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” (vs.49)

Throughout my stay in Liberia, I saw circumstances and situations that broke my heart.  I also saw people with more courage, joy, and genuine love for one another and God than I have ever witnessed with my own eyes.  Can anything good come from Liberia? Yes. A thousand times, YES!

Day after day, I began to understand more clearly why Peter continued to emphasize the message, “Come and see.”  We saw dozens of pastors packed into unconditioned rooms, notepads, and pen in hand, hanging on every word of teaching at conferences jam-packed with practical truths from the Bible.  Understanding God’s Word and desiring to disciple their small village churches, the meeting was not a social gathering but rather a necessity for these men and women. 

Not once did the topic of hungry stomachs surface, nor the fact that some of them had walked for miles in the scorching heat without water to make it to the conference. There was not one mention of personal sacrifice.

All of this I saw with my own eyes.  

What is it that your Father is prompting in your own life to challenge you to “come and see” that which might take you deeper in your faith? I implore you to take your trust to new levels and plunge into deeper waters.  

“Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man’s behalf!” (Psalm 66:5)

Stay the Course…

Sheila

In Your Presence

In a world where social media has, in many ways, replaced what we once considered real friendship with virtual friends, I am convinced of one thing:

When the well of personal giving, love and friendship runs dry, there is only one place and only one Person where we will find strength and truth—in the presence of our Savior.

True answers to the voids within each one of us are only found in the secret places of our own prayer closets; whether kneeling beside our beds, alone on the side of a mountain, driving in our cars or whatever we do that brings us into communication with God.  Divided hearts, weak faith, and selfish ambitions are laid bare at the feet of the One who pulls us close, even when we believe that we deserve to be pushed away.

The unchanging, unconditional love of our faithful Father meets us in our darkest hours.  In His presence we are held, loved, accepted, encouraged, and filled with His Spirit.  To broadcast such a friendship on social media would sabotage the pure beauty of the holiness of Christ.

In His presence He will “strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of Our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.” (I Thess 3:13)

Our questions about life are answered and we are filled with joy: “You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.” (Acts 2:28)

I have personally been convicted in my own life regarding what it looks like to be a follower of Christ in a world that is virtually out of control.  

Jesus calls us to be salt and light. “But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Mt. 5:13-16)

How is it possible to let our lights shine and yet point others to our Father in heaven, and not to our own selves? In His presence.

How do we maintain our saltiness? In His presence.

James tells us that “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1:27)

We are not strong enough, amazing enough, nor talented enough to maintain our saltiness nor keep ourselves from being polluted by the world . 

In the presence of the matchless beauty of the King who is enthroned forever, “The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.” (Psalm 29:11)

In His presence is where our faith is made firm.  

And in His church, surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ seeking the Kingdom of God, is where we find real friendships with real, messy people.  Fellow sojourner’s who are unwilling to pretend to be anything but who they are: sinners saved by grace.

It is through the vulnerability of the people in our worlds whom we can touch, whom we can look in the eyes when we speak, and whom we can join together with in prayer—that we are also able to stand firm.  Real friendships given to us as a by-product of our time spent alone in His presence.

And in His presence we are made complete--a promise given in the Word of God that may be considered by today’s standards virtually inconceivable.

Stay the Course…

Sheila

“One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4)

Spirit Booster

(Something just happened that I need to write about before too much time elapses and the feelings attached to this moment fade.  Writing in the moment tends to combat the ever-looming need to impress, sound perfect, or have concern for potential judgement.)

There are many industries that have the tendency to kick you in the gut, spin you in circles and then watch as you gasp to catch your breath.  I happen to work in one of those industries.  A short while ago I received a phone call that had every ingredient to ruin this realtor’s day; and at first it did just that.  

Not that I’m “all better” as I pound the keys on my computer a bit harder than necessary; but as I was spinning in circles attempting to wrap my head around my new problem, something beautiful also happened.

I received a letter in the mail from a dear friend.  The meticulously typed envelope held within it a typed letter as well as a cashier’s check.  My husband and I had sent this friend a gift of money not too long ago when she lost her beloved husband. She recently found out that my husband and I are taking a mission’s trip to Liberia next month.  This is how her letter starts:

“I am sending you this money back as a thank you and a spirit booster for your trip to Africa. I understand when you find yourself doing something that is so different and it feels like such a push forward, yet you feel the risk.”  

She goes on to say:

“Your generous gift to me gave me relief that I was going to make it and I was not alone. I have done well and I am continuing to trust God for His provision. I am so proud of you for taking this step. I want you to have the same boost within your spirit. You sowed into my life at a very critical time. I want to return the favor because you are called to do a great thing…to plant the seeds that have come from your personal harvest.  Go to the Harvest!!!”

Upon reading this note, I was torn to pieces. The frustration of my morning became a million miles in the past while the renewed reminder of God’s goodness flooded my heart.

Life will continue to kick each one of us in the gut; that’s not me being negative but rather stating the facts.  Our goal on earth must not be in pursuit of finding the easy button or of obtaining success as defined by the world.  Our goal must instead be to become so full of the Spirit of God that we care more about boosting the spirits of our fellow sojourners than we care about our own personal gain.

There are those around us who need to know that someone cares about them; people who are desperate for a spirit booster and a clear picture of what being a part of the family of God looks like lived out.  I would know. 

Reach out to someone today whom you know could use a boost; you may never know the impact your thoughtfulness invokes.  A sliver of sunshine sown into the life of a person who feels alone and without hope can impact his or her life for eternity.

Caring for and loving one another is the purpose of the church—let’s be the church.

Stay the Course…

Sheila

Stouthearted

The current state of our country might be best described as tentative as we steer closer to elections.  With an uncertain future hovering over us like dark clouds on a rainy day, my prayer this morning brought a word to mind that I needed to look up to confirm its meaning: stouthearted.

Some people speak doom and gloom and others acknowledge a general feeling of helplessness regarding one’s ability to effect positive change regarding the state of our country, yet there remains great hope for those whom endeavor to remain stouthearted before the Lord.

Stouthearted is defined as “brave, determined, courageous, bold, spirited, valiant, fearless.” Merriam-Webster describes the stouthearted as not only brave and determined; but stubborn.

Finally, a positive twist on the word stubborn (I wish I would have known of this word in my teenage years!).

As we look to the countless examples of the early disciples, we see an uncanny depiction of what it looks like to live the life of a stouthearted follower of Christ. In the most peril of conditions, the early persecuted church showed a fearlessness that I, for one, cannot comprehend. 

Hebrews Chapter 11, the faith chapter, gives us an overview of the powerful testimony of our stouthearted brothers and sisters.  We read name after name of  men and women known collectively as the “great cloud of witnesses.” (Hebrews 12:1)  “Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goat skins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.” (Hebrews 11:36-39)

Reading the details of what the early believers endured can stir up fear in our hearts; though that is not the purpose of such stories. Instead, when we consider the persecution and suffering of Jesus and our fellow-believers we are to be encouraged, “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” (Hebrews 12:3-4)

If the state of our country has affected the state of your heart, I pray that you are encouraged today. God promises us that if we will ask Him for anything according to His will, He will give to us that which we ask.  Today, let’s ask for stoutheartedness—such a gift can only come from above. As we fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, the cares of the world will grow dim and our light for Christ will burn brighter. 

Let’s determine to remain stouthearted and not shrink back in our walk of faith regardless our circumstances and regardless our personal outcomes in this passing world.

Stay the Course…

Sheila