Posts Tagged ‘faith’
Posted on June 9, 2008 - by kelly
Legacy
Sunday we had Gene Appel as a guest speaker at our church. He spoke on the topic of leaving a legacy. The message was one of the most moving I have participated in awhile, one of those that won’t let you sleep.
What is my legacy? What am I doing that will make a significant impact on the world around me long after I’m gone?
Having moved several times in my life I have the advantage of seeing things in a temporary light. I have learned the hard way that we don’t have infinate time to do the things we want to do or say the things we want to say. Wether it is a job relocation or a death, time is a temporary measurement and I am challenged to make sure I am using mine efficiently.
So I left here Sunday thinking about how I am using my time. Starting the preschool last year was valuable time spent, now as I set out to oversee the direction of our weekend ministry I want to make sure I am leaving a legacy of growing families in our church while not sacrificing my own.
Gene asked us to end the service by writing our Legacy statements. My statement was this: “I hope to leave a legacy of loving God with all of my heart by honoring my family and maintaining a healthy balance of home and work.” I want my husband and children to know each day how much I love them.
Posted on May 8, 2008 - by kelly
Because I can’t, he can
Today was one of those gloomy weather, my son is home from school sick, my husband is out of town, feeling a little down kind of days. I find that on days like this my mind begins wondering and that voice of self doubt creeps in. I started looking around thinking about all the ways I have slacked off on house cleaning, how I had a to-do list a mile long at work that wasn’t getting done, phone calls to friends that were way over due, surely I’m not the person God wants me to be.
So I decided to sit down and pray. I thanked God for my unclean house, thanked him for my children who made it that way. I thanked God that my husband has a job that he loves, I thanked him for my job and the friends that I had made over the last year. I thanked him for having enough faith in me that he trusted me with the task of leading our children’s area.
The more I prayed the more I realized that it really is true, through my weaknesses, he is strong. I opened up my bible to James chapter 4:7-10
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you hypocrites. Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor.
I am thankful that God finds me useful, honored that he is able to work through me, and painfully aware that I am nothing without him.
Posted on April 29, 2008 - by kelly
Sit and Be Still
I have never met a stranger, a gift I inherited from my father. Grocery stores, restaurants, out of town museums; he can, and will talk to anyone. As a child this brought me great amounts of grief. It took an extra hour to go anywhere because of the conversations that would inevitably come.
I inherited this “gift of gab” from my dad; I love to talk, I love to meet new people, I love the sound of my own voice. I am what you would classify as an extrovert.
Last year I went to work in a cubicle environment, a large room divided by small partitions. I thrive in the buzzing environment of conversations and activity, but not everyone around me shares my enthusiasm. I started noticing my colleagues wearing headphones and even shushing me on occasion. Have you ever been shushed as an adult? It’s not a nice feeling.
Last Sunday our Pastor, Brian Jones, was talking about the different personality traits of introverts and extroverts. He gave a humorous demonstration of how different an introvert and extrovert would go through the motions of looking for lost car keys.
The contrast between the two was humorous. I laughed at the comedy of what I must sound like from an outsider, but it got me to thinking. How can I ever hear what God wants for me to hear if I’m the one always talking? The bible tells us to sit and be still. How often do I take the time to listen, not verbalize the first thought that comes to my mind, not speak the many words of the voices in my head, but just listen. I have to admit, not often.
This is my goal for the week: to sit and be still. I will earnestly stop and listen for God. Who knows what he may be trying to tell me.
