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Scripture: It is alive and well

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bibleAs one who disciples others, do you believe in the power of the bible? Does it simply contain words that are nice to hear, that provide guidance to life’s issues, or is there something more to it? Enjoy this blog installment from my daughter.

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Have you ever had those verses that pop up everywhere you go? You just say, “Okay, God. I hear You, You’ve made your point loud and clear!” Well, there have been two verses that seem show up wherever I go. The first has become my foundation since the beginning of 2014. It’s Ephesians 3:14-21:

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever. Amen!

As I continue on this journey of leading my group of girls, my heart’s cry is that they will desire to love God with their whole lives, and to be hungry for His Word. I pray that they will not want to keep their faith to themselves, but will be a light for Christ to everyone they come in contact with. I want them to grasp that God’s love is for real, and that any friend, future boyfriend (yes, this is a normal conversation we have!), and even family, can’t replace how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is.

I have to be careful though that I don’t get too caught up in wanting to “change” them, that I miss what God is wanting of me – which is , quite simply, me. He wants all of me. His heart’s cry is that I will desire to love Him with my whole life, and to be hungry for His Word.  He prays that I will not keep my faith to myself, but will be a light to everyone I come in contact with. He wants me to grasp that God’s love is for real, and that any friend, future boyfriend, and even family, can’t replace how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is.

In my bible, the subtitle for this scripture is “Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Growth”, but it has now become “Madison’s Prayer for Spiritual Growth”. If there is no growth spiritually for me, then how are the girls expected to grow? I can only give to them as much I let the Scripture give to me. Fortunately, I have seen growth in myself this past year. I remember a year ago I would have to make up something and make it sound spiritual even though my heart wasn’t totally into what I was telling people. Through consistent time spent with Christ, I feel my words flow more naturally like they aren’t my own forced sentences anymore. This verse is a constant reminder to not let the growing stop there, but to totally immerse myself in scripture, prayer, and even discipleship – whether being discipled or doing the discipling.

The second scripture is Matthew 28:18-20, and it has not only been mentioned in recent sermons I’ve heard, but in the study I’m going through with my mentor, as well as in the book I’m currently taking my girls through, and in books I’m reading. I’m not kidding when I say everywhere! It says:

Jesus came and told His disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

All throughout scripture, God doesn’t give us options on how to live, He commands us on how to live. I don’t take these commands lightly – although I do struggle with some. When He commands to make disciples of all people, I plan on taking part in that, and I plan on teaching my girls these commands – whether they learn from my strengths or failures at obeying.

Not only does Jesus command us to go out and make disciples of all nations, He also encourages us. His reminder at the end that He is with us always is all I need to know to keep pushing forward. I don’t need to know all the answers to my girls’ questions, I don’t need to know what study we should do next, and I definitely don’t need to worry about past, present, and future moments of failure. God is a God who redeems, and He can make good come out of any failures. My parents and I were talking about this exact topic the other night – how God redeemed the Israelites even though they consistently lacked faith in Him. If God could redeem the millions of Israelites many thousands of years ago, He can definitely redeem me in 2014.

This year, 2014, is going to be a good year – with a firm foundation under my feet, the one and only Rock.

Madison

Fragile: Learning the art of the dance

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handle-with-care-logoI was having a great conversation with my wife, a fellow disciple-maker, the other day. We were discussing the initial stages of the process when we are only a few months into the journey of intentionally connecting with those we are helping on the journey. As we were bouncing around ideas about the fun as well as the complications of these first few months, she said to me, “It is so fragile.”

As I heard that word, I could only nod my head in agreement. It is a great word to use to describe it. And as we talked more, we realized that the fragility was seen in those we are coming alongside as well as in ourselves. Perhaps you have experienced this.

There is a bit of a dance that takes place at the start of a discipling journey. As much as someone has agreed to allow us to lead them, and as much as we have tried to be fully honest in what our expectations are, they simply “don’t know what they don’t know.” They really don’t know what they are getting themselves into – this includes the time commitment as well as the life change that will take place which can be uncomfortable at time.

After the conversation, I reflected on some of the guys that I have journeyed with over the years.

I have connected with a number of guys that started out strong and appeared fully committed, and yet, within a few months, it was over. They lost interest. There were other life priorities that kept coming up. Questions I asked appeared to poke around in places in their lives that they just didn’t seem to want to talk about. And the journey ended before it really began.

Others I have met with appeared to be confused at the start, and I questioned right away whether or not they would make it. They had questions about life and shared things about what they believed that left me wondering whether they would stick around that long. Their current experiences and beliefs made me wonder about their faith and whether or not it would be a long journey of doubts and questions for the sake of questions without a desire to truly mature in faith. It is during these times that I simply take the stance of listener and allow them to speak what they need to. Inside I am wondering when I need to push them in a new direction and when I simply need to hold back and let the Holy Spirit do what only the Holy Spirit can do. If I interject too soon I might ruin a journey of faith. If I hold back too long without challenging where I believe I need to, I am failing to lead as I believe I am called to.

It is during these moments when you realize how fragile the situation is.

I have come to appreciate the parable of the Sower and Seed in deeper ways over the past few years. It describes so well these situations. You can read it in Luke 8. The seed is being spread and begins to germinate, but at times the sun withers it up, or the worries of this world choke the plant, or at times the devil comes and takes the seed away even before it has a chance to take root. The seed appears to be so fragile.

I wish I had the simple solution to these fragile times. I wish there was a science to understanding what it is all about and the 3 steps to take to make sure that someone stays on track. But I’ve learned that it is not that simple. It is something you simply need to learn over time through trial and error. And believe me, I have had my share of errors in this area. Some guys have been gracious with me as I have learned, others not so.

When you experience this, I simply encourage you to stay with it. Keep praying for discernment. Maintain a heart that is truly wanting the best for each person you are discipling. And if it doesn’t go as planned, don’t beat yourself up. Learn what you can learn, be open to the Holy Spirit speaking to and molding you personally. And get back in the game.