On my birthday in July, my sweet husband brought me coffee in bed. That had been one of my requests, to have coffee in bed and sit together for the morning. Not long after taking my first couple of sips, my husband left for work and one of our twins started crying. I grabbed my coffee and began the process of changing my son and getting him fed. Then, I repeated the process for my daughter. As I fed them, I thought, “This is what my birthday is going to look like from here on out.”
I like a predictable life. I like normal routines and schedules. It sets my mind at ease to know what is happening day in and day out. But what happens when God starts pressing in on your heart to step out in faith and do something new? Something unpredictable? Something you never would have imagined yourself doing in a million years? I can tell you from experience that it rocks your world, but it is such a blessing.
Women and Church. That particular string of words may conjure strong opinions. If not in yourself, definitely in others. If your opinion is determined in part by what is seen in media, culture, dax, it has likely been shaped by loud, perhaps even extreme, voices which may not always represent the majority.
I can remember being a little girl and knowing exactly what I wanted to do when I grew up. Chasing these Oklahoma storms every Spring season invigorated me to learn more about weather and how I could keep everyone safe. Meteorology was something that I felt I was supposed to do, and I still enjoy the smell of summer rain and thunder in the distance.
This past Valentine’s Day marked 45 years of living with Type 1 diabetes. I was diagnosed in a tiny town with only two doctors, and they thought I probably wouldn’t make it to age 30. I’m now 57. Three things have kept me alive this long: an amazing team of doctors, really cool advances in the technology of disease treatment and the daily prayers of my mom and husband.
Why should we look outside of the church to reach people?
We have the Cube. We have individualized outreach ministries. We have mission trips.
Why should we look outside of the church to reach people in our daily lives?
From an overflow of the knowledge and understanding of our faith, we know who others need to know—Jesus. We must look outside the church to reach people because the truth is the church as an establishment cannot reach every person by simply existing as a building. The actual church (believers) must meet people where they are in order to spread the Gospel.
Even if staying up until midnight isn’t your cup of tea, it seems that recently especially, ushering in a new year has been therapeutic for many. No, our lives don’t magically change when the calendars do, but there is something cathartic about a fresh start. Some people have wonderful things to look forward to in 2022 like growing their family, starting a new job, finishing school, etc., while others just wish to end 2021 because it was hard. Either way, if you’re looking to have a fresh start in 2022, Here are some ideas on how to usher in a new year.
