Tag: celebration

How to Navigate Changing Seasons

June 13, 2022 /

The sweet aroma of lilacs envelops me as I bike under the canopy of leafy trees, shading our street. I breathe deep and whisper a prayer of gratitude.

A friend of mine calls this “the lifiest time of the year.” The peonies are finally ready to bloom. The grass needs mowing.

It’s June. Your high-schooler or kindergartener or college student is graduating. Someone is getting married and someone is having a baby and others are starting new jobs or moving.

With the celebration of every new “lifey” thing, there is also a releasing, even a grieving for what is ending or dying.

We have recently moved from California back to Minnesota where life has gone on without us. I’m grieving not having an in-person church home anymore, not having family nearby, not having a clear calling in this season…But I’m also celebrating the lakes and reconnecting with old friends.

Years ago, a mentor of mine likened navigating seasons of change to being a trapeze artist. There is that scary moment when you have to let go of one bar to grab onto the new one coming towards you. The new bar may be exciting, but it also may be hard to let go of the one you’ve been holding.

How do we courageously let go of the past and reach for the future? Can we honestly name the deaths without missing the new life…celebrating both the new blessings, and those of the past?

Some big transitions we naturally mark with ceremonies, or family gatherings, but what about the smaller, quieter changes?

  • Maybe you need to look back through old photos or journals, have a good cry and buy a new one, yielding the next season to God’s will.
  • It might look like a discussion around your family dinner table, each person naming one joy of the past season that they’ll miss, and one thing they’re looking forward to.
  • Maybe it will mean taking a walk with a friend, processing the valuable lessons you’ve learned, and any invitation from God you’re sensing in the coming season. There may be things you are glad to leave behind.
  • Or it might look like praying with open hands, naming the things you’re relinquishing, while thanking God for the new experiences that await you, trusting in His creative life-giving goodness. If you’re facing challenges in this next season it may mean praying for the courage to make hard choices.

Lord, today I celebrate Your goodness and faithfulness in this past season – the gift of friendships, new adventures, a clear place to belong, and assignments from You. I confess I miss these gifts, but I also anticipate Your kindness and direction in this next season. I yield myself to You. I want to greet each day with an adventurously expectant, “What’s next, Papa?” May Your will be my delight. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

What are you leaving behind? What are you anticipating as you reach forward? Stay tuned for a free resource to help you reflect with God and set yourself up for a flourishing new season!

A One Word Challenge for June

June 7, 2018 /

You know something I think many of us aren’t good at as Christians? Celebrating.

I think we’re pretty good at beating ourselves up, and judging others, comparing with others, and rationalizing stuff, but enjoying small wins where we see God at work bringing about change in our lives? Not so much.

I feel guilty and self-conscious noting accomplishments. Pride goes before a fall and all that. (Proverbs 16:18)

But the Bible talks about celebrations, festivals, and feasts. They are meant to generate thanksgiving, mindfulness, and praise of the Lord. The difference between patting ourselves on the back and what God describes in His Word is the orientation. Here are just a few examples.

Celebrate God. Sing together—everyone! All you honest hearts, raise the roof! Psalm 32:11

“This will be a memorial day for you; you will celebrate it as a festival to God down through the generations.” Exodus 12:14

Dress your priests up in salvation clothes, let your holy people celebrate goodness. 2 Chronicles6:41

Hezekiah and the congregation celebrated: God had established a firm foundation for the lives of the people—and so quickly! 2 Chronicles 29:36

Is my celebration all about me, Me, ME, or am I acknowledging God’s gracious work in my life?

It’s June. We’re halfway through 2018. Most of us who chose One Word have been at least vaguely aware of it. I’ve posted a kick in the pants at the beginning of each month to try to help us cooperate with the work God may want to do in our lives around the word we chose. But this month, let’s celebrate! What is at least one small win you can thank God for? 

Post a “win” in the comments. If you receive this through email all you need to do is click on the title. It will take you to the post and you just scroll down to leave a comment. If you haven’t commented before, it won’t show up immediately, but don’t worry, it will eventually! 

I’ll go first. My word is “fruit” as in the “fruit of the spirit”. Specifically I’m challenged with the patience and perseverance required to finish scary, challenging, long-term tasks. Reminding myself that it is the all-powerful spirit of God in me that enables this, instead of my own grit alone, helps. It also helps to remember my “why”. One of my small wins was persevering through technical challenges and finishing my first freebie (You can click here to get it.) with automated follow up welcome emails. The reason this is important is because I want to get life-giving resources into your hands and to build relationships – to reassure you this is a safe, and nurturing place to connect with Jesus and others.

Ok, your turn! What win can you celebrate?

 

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We Need More of This

April 10, 2015 /

The other day, John and I walked into the Apple store right at opening.  This is what greeted us.

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It’s not a great picture, but all the staff (all 30 or whatever of them) lined up and CHEERED us in, clapping and woohooing!

Now cynics may be mumbling “Bah humbug! Marketing…” but not me.  It didn’t matter that the employees who were cheering  didn’t know us.  To me they were saying we’re in this together and we’ve made it through another day and night and we’re still here. We all deserve a cheer.

We need more parades, more “atta boy’s” and “atta girl’s”.

As I write these posts I try to think of you who are reading on the other side of the screen… Continue reading

You are Stronger than You Think

January 30, 2015 /

The other day, two things happened.  I saw this video and I realized I’m stronger than I think.

No, I’m never going to be a pull-up dancer. I know this might surprise you.  I’m not strong in that way.

But as I was driving along a person came to mind who brought me great pain in the past, and I felt…indifference!  Then I thought of an experience that had had great destructive power in my life, and I felt…fine!  Actually, I felt great!  I could think about the experience and appreciate what I learned without reliving the pain. I was strong in a new way!  Stronger than I thought.  I bet you are too.

STRONGER is my One Word this year, so it was weird when it struck me that there are areas where I’ve already grown stronger over the years.

Stronger can sneak up on you when you’re not looking.  We can say “Aha, Stronger!  I recognize you!”

Yes, it requires discipline and truth-telling and exercising flabby muscles over time. It’s a daily 3 mile run rather than a dash into the grocery store.  We do our work and God does His work and somehow we get better. Stronger.

We let weak win when we give power to people or experiences in our lives that don’t deserve it.

We get stronger when we say “Nope!” over and over again. “The only One who deserves power in my life to define me or carry me or approve me or interpret life for me is Jesus.”

We’re I’m so paranoid about seeming braggy that I sometimes neglect to celebrate the small victories of change. But the other day I felt it was time to celebrate and thank God for stronger.

So, what’s one area of your life where you can celebrate growth?  What is one way you’ve grown stronger?

 

Dear Birthday Girl

March 19, 2014 /

Dear Birthday Girl,

Happy 2nd anniversary of your 29th birthday!  I am celebrating you with confetti and streamers, drums and kazoos and baton twirling! (Can you see it?)

You, however, may be waking up this morning wishing you had a husband and kids bringing you a tray of burnt toast, sloshing orange juice on you as they tumble into bed with you.  It’s a nice picture and it may be your picture someday, but today God has given you a different photograph.

When I look at the snapshots of you – not Instagram with fancy filters, but the candid shots when you think others aren’t looking – I see someone who is beautiful and brave, but not afraid to admit when she’s unsure.  I see a leader impacting scores of young women with the courage to speak uncomfortable truth, but the grace to hang in with them when they mess up.  I see someone who isn’t timid to ask questions and one who sets the bar high for herself.  Someone asking Jesus when to wait and when to jump.

I know people say unhelpful things like “Jesus was single.” or “God is larger in your picture because He’s all you have.”  And you want to punch them in the face. (you have my permission).  You are amazing and strong.

In you I see a unique picture, but also one with something in common with everyone everywhere. Continue reading

Three Ways to Choose Woohoo’s

January 10, 2014 /

I shared last week that my One Word for 2014 is LIFE (as in “Choose Life!”).  

I think LIFE is a really great One Word. (Woohoo for me!) I think it’s at the root of following Jesus.  I’m not saying my One Word is better than yours!  Noooooo!  That would be soooo foolish.  Like watching a Bachelorette marathon and eating a bag of Oreos foolish.

I love all the One Word’s you’ve shared here that you are prayerfully living into this year.  (If you want in on the fun look here or here and add your Word in the comments!).  But I also think that a case can be made that whatever word you’ve chosen, it’s about choosing life – the capital “L” life that God made us for.

Ok, I know some of you are reading this in California, or Bali, or Singapore.  The palm trees are swaying and you call a day of sweet warm sun and tropical flowers “Tuesday”.  Your Word may seem easy and your burden light.  You may have a hard time relating to a picture like the one below, but it exists.  Trust me.  I know it too well. Continue reading

Persevering through Partway to Somewhere

June 24, 2013 /

This is not a post about running.  Not exactly.

But it starts there, so bear with me.

The hardest point in my runs (read: slow slog) these days is between mile 2.5 and 3.  After the newness of the run has worn off and before I’m in any kind of comfortable (read: muscle numbing) rhythm.  Way before the end is in sight.  And let’s not even talk about the possibility of the “runner’s high”.  That’s a cruel myth perpetuated by sadistic marathoners to make the rest of us feel like failures.

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This is the point that is the most uncomfortable.  When I most want to stop.  When the voices taunting “This is STUPID!” are the loudest.

Instead of “I-think-I-can-I-think-I-can” on repeat in my brain it’s “I’m-gonna-die-I’m-gonna-die”.

Continue reading

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