To Know or Be Known

 Its been crickets on my blog over the past few months, and I am sorry for that.  All that has been 2020 just seemed overwhelming, and there have been so many voices, that it seemed to quiet my own.  

I've still been here with encouragements and opinions, but not really feeling like that should be shared in blog form.  But lately I've been having conversations (some with myself) that seemed to be begging to be shared once again from my blog posts.  

We will see how they come out, but I want to return to writing because I love it.  

This morning I was listening to a book (via Audible) that we are doing as a church staff and going over each chapter during our weekly staff meetings.  The book is called, "The Emotionally Healthy Leader," by Peter Scazzero.  Its been wonderful and very contemplative.  

I got done with the chapter we were going over today and continued listening to the next chapter and was struck by a distinction in discussing a Bible verse.  The author was talking about Christian leaders in the church who do great things without having a relationship with God.    I should mention at this point that I have also been reading another book by Michael S. Heiser entitled, "What Does God Want?"  I've loved the simplicity this book adds to the story of God and why he created us, why we face so much heartache in the world and what God wants.  Spoiler alert, but the reason God created humans was because he wanted a human family to join his celestial family.  God is about relationships.  Hes about family and connection, so when I was listening to Peter share the passage below my ears perked up: 

Matthew 7:22-23

Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your nae perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers!"  

Before Peter started into his commentary, I knew at the mention of knew it didn't mean literally, "I don't know who you are."  God knows all of us, we are his creation.  He knew us when we were in our mother's wombs, he knows the hairs on our heads (Jeremiah 1:5, Psalm 139, Luke 12:7, Matthew 10:30, Psalm 56:8).  Its not about knowing who we are, its not about recognition, but instead its about being known.  Why is that so important?  For one reason its the purpose of all of this, we are invited by God into a relationship.  A way was made for us to connect with the God of the universe and really God of the universes, through the death of Jesus (God in human form) on the cross and his resurrection from the dead.  We could not do it on our own so when we set out to do works of God that don't involve him, its like we reject his gift.  We pretend we are enough without him to overcome all the wrong in the world.  His grace is enough and sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Life wasn't always easy for me and human connection hasn't always been easy either, but I learned early to run to God.  I didn't always get the answers I wanted and even got mad and ran away from him for awhile, but I did always get acceptance.  I did get embraced for who I was more than I have from any person in my life.  I know there is a God, but that is nothing compared to knowing Him. I forget that sometimes as I get busy at life or in the business of sharing Him with the world, but without it, I run out of steam and really become the worst version of myself. I want to know God intimately and for Him to know me.  

What about you?  Do you just know there is a God or do you know God and are you known by God?  I'm sure there may be an atheist or two who stumble on my post, and I'd love to hear why you believe what you believe.  I've read some compelling evidence for God's existence and I'd happily share some resources for anyone interested.  I hope all of you are doing well, or as well as is possible in the midst of our crazy reality.   

Facing The Suck

Tonight, I watched the documentary on Fred Rogers, "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" I watched it with a mixed group of teens and residents of a local Senior Living facility.  Yes, that mixed group is an odd couple, but its is one that has bonded over the past few years as we've hung out quite a bit.  Its fun to see opposites generations have fun together, but that is a different topic for a different post.

I finished the movie inspired as I truly feel it is my movie mothership! I was most inspired by Mr. Roger's life work as a response to the areas of hurt in his own childhood.  This is a goal I've attempted to live out as well.  Each of us face challenges in life and it was remarkable to see how those challenges shaped this man's work.

While watching the documentary the title to this blog post, "Facing The Suck," just came at me with an epiphany moment.

Its the suckiest parts of life that often birth the sweetest treasures in life.  Mr. Rogers didn't set out to become famous, he merely understood a need through his own experience and that experienced birth empathy that compelled him to meet a need in children pervasive over the generations.

When I see this in my own life, I see examples of the suck becoming the sweet like in my lack of finances as a child that lead to an amazing ability to problem solve and create something wonderful out of whatever is before me.  I learned to use what I had through those years of lean.  Those moments I was mocked, bullied and at times even tortured, grew an empathy for others and an ability to spot those alienated.

The thing is if we ignore or run from those moments or seasons of suck we miss out on the sweet flip side that can find us later in life.  Its in facing the suck that blessing is found.  Living from your place of suck helps you to embrace reality while not settling for the mess.

Look at the non-profit M.A.D.D. for example.  You know you started it? Moms who lost their babies to drunk drivers.  They could have let that pain destroy them (and I'm sure it did in the beginning), but instead of remaining paralyzed by the pain, it motivated them to stand in the gap for others and do something about the problem of drunk driving.  It doesn't mean the pain goes away.  Grieving a life or pain from childhood isn't wrong, in fact its necessary.  I'm not sure pain from loss ever goes away, but we can choose to let it make us better or bitter.

Local friends lost a child to a blood disease and every year at her birthday, they celebrate by asking folks to donate blood.  That is an excellent example of facing the suck.

Its hard to think the crap storm we are in could be a gold mine but it definitely can be! Fertilizer does grow rich, nutritious produce, after all!  Life crap grows character, passion and purpose.

Our world changes so quickly and yet human emotions pretty much stay the same.  Life is hard and each of us have a choice to make.  We can let life take us down or grow from the our place of suck.

Again, let me state that this is not saying avoid painful emotion and skip grieving because that is a part of the process. We must own our emotions and walk that out, but there comes a time when we can become stuck in a bad place or choose to change the world through our own experiences.

Mr. Rogers is an amazing example and if you haven't see the documentary about him, I highly recommend it.  I also recommend you ask yourself what your own past junk has birthed in you.  Are you following your passions and maximizing your positive impact in the world?  The thing is the darker the world becomes, the further your light can reach.  Now is the time to make a difference! Happy Wednesday!!!

The Problem With Church

If you want to get fit, which is the BEST OPTION?

1. Watch Cooking Shows and create a Pinterest pin board with examples of healthy eating, and binge watch workout videos on YouTube.

Or

2.  Fill your diet with healthy food and eliminate processed foods and sugars, as well as begin a workout routine combining cardio and strength training. 

The obvious answer is number two!  To get fit you have to engage in activities that develop a fit body.  Watching shows or reading articles on fitness will do nothing for any muscle other than your brain.  Yes, a healthy brain is important but really not the point in this discussion. 

Most people understand the importance of being active and eating healthy in achieving their fitness goals, and yet that knowledge doesn't translate well when it comes to our spiritual life. 

Many Christians utilize church more like a movie theater than a gym.  Yet, church is meant to be a gym NOT a movie theater. 

Do a google search on the decline of church attendance over the past decade and you will see, while the statistics seem to vary a bit, all agree that church attendance is declining.  There is a lot of thought on the reason for this, but I think it is because of a lack of proper focus.

1.  Church is not a building.  Sure, this can come down to a semantical argument and yes, we do "go to church" referring to a service in a building, but the Bible is clear - the church is Christians collectively.  We are often referred to as the body of Christ because God intended for us to be different yet work together just like our physical bodies.  We often get distracted by the building and forget we are the church. 

2.  We have become spectators.  Christianity is NOT a spectator sport.  It isn't a to-do list that one checks off.  Going to a weekly service is not our Christian duty.  There are no brownie points for extra weekly Bible studies or service projects.  You don't get an award for putting more money in the offering plate than your neighbor and there are no wings to gain if you volunteer in the children's department.  Of course, we do need to engage in a local church with some of the above activities but the point is where the problem can be found. 

Our Christian duty is knowing Christ and making him known. (Please note: I am not referring to the guy shouting from a public square that you are going to hell).  If you want to be a Christian and grow spiritually, that is found in reading your Bible, studying what you have read, spending time with others who are like-minded and spending time in prayer.  Spiritual growth comes in putting the needs of other's first and seeking what God might want with your time and money.  Remember the greatest commands are loving God and loving OTHERS as ourselves (Matthew 22:34-40). Christianity isn't about being perfect but instead allowing God to work in you.  That doesn't happen overnight, it usually takes a good 80 plus years. Trust me! I have been a Christian for 34 years and I still have a list of ways God needs to work in my life.  I am as human as anyone else.

I haven't been to the gym in awhile and when I go back I won't be benching 250 lbs.  I will start where I am, which is more like 10 lb free weights.  Spiritual growth works the same way.  We have to offer God ourselves where we are now and not expect to be ready for a spiritual body building competition next week.

In my 34 years walking with God I have seen God work in me and through me and while I still have a way to go, I still desire God's guidance change me as we walk out life and I relish that because of God, I am never alone.  I love that I have a hope in something bigger than our country, political system or my career.  I love church because of the body of Christ - the people with which I get to share community.  I love praying with friends and walking out life together.  I love seeing where I can grow and adjusting my life to allow God to do so.  I love doing Christianity as one would go to a gym. Obviously, a movie theater is more fun, but a gym is essential to our physical health.  Being active in our faith helps promote a better connection with God, others and ultimately, ourselves.

When we shift our focus we will see less fights about the worship songs we sing on a Sunday morning or how we would change the weekly schedule.  We would focus more on loving the world and pointing them toward Jesus instead of being so focused on a church staff making us comfortable. 

Its time we get out of the spiritual entertainment mode and grow some spiritual muscles!!!  Believe me you will be better for it!!!! 

The Most Important Thing You Do Everyday

Do you spend time with God everyday? If so, what does that look like? If not, why not? Yes, life is busy and we have a lot on our “to-do” list, but how far in that list would you get if you gave up sleep and food because you were just too busy?


Being a Christian is more than a title, its a way of life. Its like paying for a gym membership, never going, yet expecting to be fit. Time with God is our oxygen for life. For me, I admit, I don’t always have that quiet time everyday. Some days its letting my phone read me by daily passages while I run around town, but that can’t sustain me on a daily basis! I need quiet, quality time with God.


Whether you are talking about God or people, you can’t trade quality time for quick sound bites here and there or on social media and expect the relationship to deepen or grow. Quality beats quantity every time.


This year, I am reading the Bible chronologically. There are definitely benefits to mixing up my Bible plan each year. Maybe you don’t read the Bible in a year, but its a great goal to work towards. Daily time with God is very crucial to our walk as a believers and if you aren’t used to it, starting small is beneficial. Eventually you need more. Brad Edgar hits the nail on the head when he says, “You can’t be a good egg your whole life. You either need to hatch or you will rot.” Simple daily devotionals are great, but they aren’t all we need. We need time in God’s word. Those devotionals stay pretty superficial.


We weren’t created for the superficial. We were made to grow in our relationships, with God, with others and with ourselves. It takes vulnerability to do that, and we are losing our ability to connect in this fast-paced, social media-driven society. A lot of us out there are rotting eggs. If this is you, its not too late to start over.  God says when its over (sorry fat opera lady), and as long as you are here on this earth, you have a chance at a new start with God. Knowing God means knowing his Word and allowing that word to permeate your life.


Monday, I took my daughters’ two hour nap time slot and just delved into God. I was about 3 days behind in my reading and I am at the beginning of the New Testament. Sometimes, reading chronologically can be monotonous when you reach a story told in several places and you have this major deja vu experience. Monday, I found it refreshing. Each gospel writer told a story slightly different and I felt the entirety of their shared experience gave me more understanding in what was happening and why. When Matthew’s account left me with questions about some of the reasons for why something happened, I found Luke or Mark would give more information to answer my question.


I had been struggling with some blog topics and how to even handle certain situations in my life and as I read, God just spoke to me. It was as if he said, "this is all you need to get the jobs in life done."  I now have pages of ideas and quotes and answers to questions. They aren’t all answered, but God gives us our daily bread. So my questions will get answered as I need them as long as I continue to spend quality time with God.