Brandon the Bully Buster

When Brandon started at his new school last fall, he was a little nervous and apprehensive. His big concern was that there would be bullies there who would make his life miserable.

Funny, but God rarely allows us to run away from our fears. Usually, he has us confront them. And often, we find that the very thing intimidating us isn’t that scary after all.

Within the first few weeks of school, a little girl began following Brandon around school picking on him—calling him names, tripping him. Brandon couldn’t believe that this “big scary bully” that he’d had feared, turned out to be a little girl!

Brandon began praying for her. At first, this was a difficult task. Nobody naturally wants to pray for someone who is making their life difficult. For several months, we prayed.

A couple of weeks ago, Brandon said to her in frustration, “I don’t know why you’re being so mean to everyone. I’m just trying to be your friend.”

The next day she came to him and said, “All right, I’ll try to be your friend too.” They’ve been friends ever since.

If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:20-21)

No Perfect People Allowed

This Sunday, we’ll begin a new series, No Perfect People Allowed. If that disqualifies you from coming, I am terribly sorry. We’re really excited to have Lynette Lewis with us to open our series.

Lynette travels and speaks extensively all around the world and is one of John Maxwell’s Maximum Impact Speakers. With over 20 years of marketplace experience, Lynette has served in the corporate arena in various capacities, more recently as a senior marketing leader with Deloitte and Touche in New York City. Lynette is also the founder of Stop Child Trafficking Now.

Lynette will be talking about the Deception of Perfection. If you’ve never heard her speak before, she’s a powerful communicator who’s able to connect with her audience in an intimate, personal way.

Hope to see you there! Unless, of course, you’re perfect. Then you’re not allowed. J

U-turns Allowed

When you’ve strayed so far, how do you even begin to find your way back? Sunday, Gregg interviewed our youth ministry director, James Webb, about his difficult journey through abuse, anger and drugs to a finding a relationship with Christ.

James mentioned that at one point in his life he thought it was too late for him to turn his life around. He felt that he’d gone too far and didn’t even know where to begin to find his way back.

During that season, someone told James something that stuck with him. Something that he couldn’t shake.

To find out what happened and what gave him hope to change, you can listen to his entire story here.  

It’s never too late to get a fresh start. God offers us hope and allows u-turns. In doing so, God graciously wipes our slate clean and gives us a new start on the inside, in our hearts. 

Outta Control

Thanks to my husband, Gregg, for co-writing this post with me.

Since Gregg spoke last week on Losing Control, we’ve received several emails, questions and comments. God is in control and although He gives us a limited authority for a limited time, ultimately, He controls the outcome.

While Gregg’s message was about acknowledging that God, and not I or you, is in control, the most frequently asked question we received this week sounded like this: “How do you move forward after spending years in an unhealthy, controlling relationship or environment?”

Good question.

From our experience, here’s a couple of thoughts that have helped us move out of these types of situations and forward into what God had for us.

1. Honor God in all that you do and refuse to hold on to offense and bitterness. This is always much easier to say than to do. With sadness, I know some who have rejected God altogether because of the way another person (Christian) treated them. Sin is real, our world is broken because of it; hurt and pain are a common part of our human experience. Refuse to blame God when others hurt you. Hold to God, forgive and let go of offense.

2. Get into a healthy environment. Before I got glasses, I thought I could see clearly. It wasn’t until I put on the glasses that I began to realize how distorted my vision really had become. Controlling environments are usually isolated environments. Move forward by getting into a healthy environment where you can begin to see clearly and live with the freedom Christ offers.

3. Take responsibility. It’s important to take responsibility for your life. Desiring to please people and avoid tension can lead to surrendering decisions as to how we live our life to others. We’re responsible to God, not someone else, for how we live our lives, the way we use our gifts and talents and the choices we make. Choose wisely. Choose to please God.

4. Dream. God has big plans for your life. Love God, love people and make disciples. It’s all right to dream big and go for it!

5. Oh yeah, remember that He really is in control.

Losing Control

Do you ever feel as if your life is spinning out of control? During difficulty and times of testing, we can feel as if we’re losing control and our circumstances are too much for us to bear on our own.

Through these seasons, God works in our life and teaches us to trust him. God is in control of our life and we can put our trust in the One who controls all things.

Oh, but it can be so hard, can’t it? Especially when (if you’re like me) you thrive on being the one in control. In reality though, it is freeing to be able to entrust the details of our life to God. His presence in our life makes the difference even when we feel that we’re too small and the odds are overwhelmingly stacked against us.

This is something I’ve been considering this week: If you were absolutely confident that God was in control, what would your life look like? How would you respond to challenge and difficulty?

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5,6)

Your Much-i-ness

Last night, Gregg and I took the family to see Alice in Wonderland. My favorite line of the movie was when the Mad Hatter looked disappointedly at Alice and noted, “You’ve lost your much-i-ness. You used to be much-i-er.”

It’s easy to forget that God created us for great things. For much-i-ness. Our hopes and dreams can easily become sidelined as we settled into the routine, responsibility and comfort of daily life.

God desires for us to experience the extraordinary in the midst of the ordinary; the uncommon in the common; the meaning in the mundane.

Don’t lose your much-i-ness.