good news weekly 4.30.22
new month with great things ahead … we would love to see you at our new church. if we can help you in any way, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
I turned 36 yesterday. And for me as I turn the pages on the calendar I inevitably reflect on where I have been and how the last year has played out. 35 was probably the biggest faith leap year that I ever walked. It felt like many days I was walking on a tight-rope that was caribeenered to my unwavering trust in a good God.
Let me rewind the tapes for you. Three years ago, I woke up on my birthday and wanted to go back to bed. I was in the middle of packing up my beautiful home that I loved and had no idea where we were headed. We had been thrust into a season of everything that we knew being (for lack of better words) not that way. The spring rain that day reflected my heart: cloudy, misty and wondering when or if clarity would come.
I set my feelings aside and accepted the well wishes and love from my kids, Luke and family. Nothing was how I imagined it but I knew that laying in bed wouldn’t change the facts. As we rounded the corner toward my 34th birthday during the shutdown, I was able to acknowledge the good that God was doing in my life even though my life still looked a lot different than I had thought it would. And on my 35th birthday last year I was filled with a lot of hope that the seeds that I had been planting each year (as minute as they were) could possibly become buds that were seen by my thirty-sixth year.
I said to a dear friend this January; it feels like spring has come in my heart. My life still looks nothing like I thought it would. I’m a working mom of four, a church planter who said she would never do that and I’m leading a kids ministry when in reality I used to love dropping my kids off at one. But, I felt led to share this with you because as we get older our lives often look different than we thought.
In John 15:4-5, Jesus says, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” Abiding doesn’t come with a caveat; abiding is supposed to be constant regardless of circumstance. Furthermore, we can’t plant purposeful seeds when we aren’t connected to God. John 15 reminds us that especially when our circumstances are tough that our connection to Him is what helps us through and eventually leads us to thrive.
If you are in a season where your life has been turned upside down, hold fast to the vine. Don’t let it go, let it be food for your soul and living water for your heart. Planting seeds each day in faith with your relationship with God, your marriage, your kids, your workplace, your friendships, and in your neighborhood will eventually bear fruit. The truth is, we aren’t in control of the yield, our responsibility is to abide and then plant and water where we have opportunity and God will give growth in His way and time. Be hope-filled my friends, God will bring buds if you continue in faith, I’m living proof.
Cup of Leadership
i remember the first time i flew during the COVID-era. there was a lightbulb moment when i realized we could take masks off to eat. it felt clear there was more than just concern for safety happening, there was safety theatre. producing a feeling of safety through grandiose actions was just as important as actual safety.
those who know me well, often hear me make fun of ‘marriage theatre.’ i have found that the more someone is publicly discussing their partner’s ‘HOTNESS’ or ‘AMAZING HEART’ the more likely they are being unfaithful or brutal to them in private. the aggressive selling of a reality almost inevitably portends its absence.
the same holds true for the modern discipleship concept of ‘accountability.’ we often settle for theatre over reality.
in churches, somber looking folks pledge to keep the pastor from doing anything untoward, yet if something bad happens they claim the system was inadequate.
in mens groups, ever escalating systems for avoiding pornography are created, the solution to this issue being, ‘you need to be accountable man.’
on the internet, self-appointed judges + juries flog public figures for perceived mis-steps arguing that this will ‘warn others’ to avoid the same mistakes. yet these same judges inevitably need to be held to account, so other internet folks rise up to ‘investigate,’ and the cycle goes round + round.
let’s be candid. all forced accountability is optional. a way can always be found around an internet monitor or a money handling system. rather than forced systems of ‘accountability theatre’ designed to placate onlookers, the only chance we have to meaningfully help each other is by opting in to relationships + being honest with people we trust.
skip over the theatre, work to opt-in to the real thing. its really powerful + can change your life.
Saturday Morning Book Review
Leadership in Turbulent Times
by: Doris Kerns Goodwin
it’s hardly a stretch to call this author a pre-eminent historian. the genius of this book is how she takes snippets of the lives of 4 important historical leaders (lincoln, both roosevelts, LBJ) and mines their early lives for how adversity + ambition set the course they would follow. inevitably, the deepest challenges produced the strongest future successes.
chock full of understatedly brilliant ideas, this book outclasses a common biography because of how the quality writing + research are organized for learning benefit. highly highly recommended book for any leader looking to grow.
Things to Click On
1. i was blessed to see elevation worship live this week … this song is fantastic live, i love how it connects or historical biblical faith to a right now …
2. i thought pastor craig’s podcast on ‘leading out of a crisis’ was uniquely useful for anyone trying to make things happen in 2022 …
have a great weekend…
luke+kristen