Unity Through Christ

Those of us who are united we are united through Christ.

Today I started my adventure of searching for unity in my town through denominations. Myself and my friend Cameron began our journey of church visiting/shopping. The first church we visited was First Baptist Church of Pella, Iowa. The adventure from the parking lot to the pew got us laughing, made us feel awkward, and a little lost. The church was very welcoming. We attended the 11 o’clock contemporary service which started with 25 people and ended with 40 people. The pastor was very friendly and knew the members of the church and called them by name, The only visible difference was the baptismal fount that we see in our church was replaced with a dunk tank.

The message was based on Luke 18 and Jesus and the Little Children. The disciples were hindering what Jesus wanted to do. The disciples wanted Jesus to use his time for more important things like spending time with them. How often in our own lives do we stray from what Jesus wants us to do because we are too busy or selfish to do what he wants us to do.

Another point from the message was this whole idea of Come. Jesus said let the little children come to me. This relates to the Greek word hapto. Hapto means touched but in the gospels it means to set on fire. During the encounter sof Jesus healing he is setting people on fire. In Jesus touch he is gripes the power of the Holy Spirit to our hearts, minds, souls, and situations. We can not hapto ourselves. We can not rely on our own power or strength. All we can do is come to Jesus and allow him to start a fire in our lives.

One of the things that really struck me in light of Church unity is how kids receive the kingdom like a child. I heard a story this past fall of a four year old little boy who at the local McDonald’s was talking with a murderer who was wanted in Florida for killing two people. This little boy did not see him as a murderer but just a man because they did not know any better. Kids can play with other kids of different races, gender, social classes, and denominations because they did not know any better. The people of First Baptist did not know any better. They did not know who we were or where we were from they treated us as fellow followers of Christ. In fact on the top of the bulletin it said, “ In a Spirit of love and fellowship let us be appreciative of the uniqueness of each one present. Welcome fellow children of God! Welcome!” That is what it felt like a welcome from fellow followers. There may be minor differences of when and how we baptize but in the end we are searching for one goal to Abide in Him and produce good fruit.

Everyday Super Heroes!

Maybe many of you like me have read Hebrews and got through chapter 11 and 12 and never really glanced at 13. Well, today I took a good hard look at chapter 13 and it good really good. This year’s theme at Pella Christian Grade School is Heroes of the Faith and we chose verse 7 of this chapter. The more I read it the more I love it.

Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

I am a follower of Christ and have been for a very long time. But there are so many who have modeled to me throughout my 27 years what I needed to know about the word of God, Jesus, and living as a Christian. Throughout the years I have been invested in my youth leaders, teachers, professors, friends, coaches, and sometimes even strangers. These people have left an impact on me. This week as I stepped foot on the volleyball court to coach I remembered the great leaders that shaped me not only as a player but a women of God. When I step in my classroom to teach next I am reminded of the teachers who took the time to shape me and make me the teacher I am today. As I look forward to another year at church doing youth group I think of the many youth leaders, Calvinettes (yest that was our name) counselors, and pastors who took Hebrews 13:7 seriously to imitate their faith. I step into some really big shoes. Now I am one of those people maybe like many of you.

So the true heroes are not spider man, batman, superman, or whoever. The true heroes are those people who take the time to invest in you and care. I work with a bunch of heroes at Pella Christian Grade School. I do youth group with a bunch of heroes who give so much time, money, and energy into our kids (and dress up ridiculously like YAKS). I attend Seminary with a bunch of heroes who what to change the lives of people one day at a time. I am a daughter to two great heroes who taught me what it means to be a servant of Christ. I am a sister to a hero who has a bigger heart than anyone I have ever met. I have friends who are heroes who give away time and energy to love on me when I need and give me patience when I am crabby. We all have heroes. They are heroes because they love others. As Hebrews 13 says we see out of that love kindness to strangers, empathy for those who are in prison or mistreated, respect for marriage vows, and contentment for what you have.

I have the names of my entire student on torches in my classroom. They are torch lighters. Someone somewhere along the way took my torch and lit it and many have added to that torch through years. Now it is my student’s turn. It is their turn to take Jesus to Pella, Marion County, Iowa, United States, and maybe even the world.

Dock Sitting

As I sit and look at the calendar today as it changes to August 1 it changes my life. August means summer is coming to an end, coming to a close. If you were a teacher you would understand what I mean. Summer for a teacher is a much-needed time to refine our tools, rest, relax, and maybe be an adult for 2.5 months. I turned my planner page today to August 1 and there on the pages were things to do. The dates were filled with camps, practices, meetings, open houses, and the first day of school. A summer that has been about mission trips, Twins games, classes, and a lack of routine is gone. So in preparation for the approach of the chaos once again I took a break of rest and relaxation at my parent’s lake house. I was at Seminary for a week and stopped at the lake on the way home. While I was there I could sit in the chair and stare at the lake. I could go to sleep looking out the window to the stars in the sky and hearing the crickets outside. I had dinner at night while I watched the calmness of the water lap up on the rocks. I ate Cold Stone ice cream while watching the sunset. I prayed while I kayaked. I read the Bible while trees sang to me with their leaves. I sat at the end of the dock and played with my feet in the water as I sat in awe of the creativity of God and his love for me. Needless to say it was 6 days that I needed to prepare me for the next 10 months of ministry in the classroom. While I was there I picked up a book and God gave me these words.

When Satan pummels me with trials and frustrations of daily living. I can retreat to the end of the dock, pull up a chair, and simply sit a while. Gradually the pessimism, the uneasiness, and the anxiety all slip away, replaced with a peace and tranquility only God can provide. Different people find the peace in different surroundings, but for me it is readily approaches on my dock. Maybe “dock-sitting” should be a required pastime for everyone now and then. God wants us to stop take notice and utter a wow of amazement when our outdoor forays lead us to an encounter with Him. After all we do not want the stones to be the only things crying his praise.

As I enter into the school year very soon I may not have access to a dock to do dock sitting. But I know I need to search for that peace that I need to take away the pessimism, the uneasiness, anxiety, and chaos of the day and weeks. I need to recreate my dock sitting experience in Pella maybe in own house, the local prayer tower, Lake Red Rock, a bath, a run, a bike ride, a work out, or somewhere. Al I know is I need it. I need those dock moments because they are the times that God speaks to me, listens to me, forms me. In those dock moments I cannot help but come away changed and crying out in praise for his love for me. May we all seek to find and make space for the dock-sittings in our life.