A Shift from Normal

I’ve been wrestling probably for a good portion of my life without really even knowing it. What do I love? Seems pretty easy right? Even where I spend my time and energy, does not really reflect what I love? Some of you will read this and others will not, but I would love to interact with you in this short writing if you would.

Romans 2:4 says, “it’s His kindness that leads us to repentance”. Lately, the Lord has given me a phrase to be that I have found myself asking often (and over and over), “What am I a slave to?”

My church recently went through a series on the Holy Spirit and a key point that was made during one of the sermons was “ What God forms, He fills . ” I’ve been spending a lot of my quiet time meditating and reflecting on my relationship with each part of the Trinity and on the aforementioned point.

“I hope we get to go swimming today.” “I hope the Avalanche win the Stanley cup.” I have said phrases like this all my life. I began to wonder about where does this hope come from? Hope is not an accident. Hope is an indicator, it is a bi-product of something going on within. When we refer to hope based on a circumstance or a specific context it reveals our affection, our hearts attention. It is normal and good to look forward and to anticipate things in our life that we enjoy. However most of those things are temporary. Hope that is robust, sturdy and eternal is something a bit different. Developing a hope that you can build a framework to live by is a process that takes time and begins with suffering.

“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” Philippians 3: 7-8

I have been reminded this last week the power of people in your life.

It is such a joy to be called to shepherd the FCA Coaches’ Ministry in Northern Colorado! We are fortunate to have so many amazing coaches in this region and many of them are making an impact for JESUS . One of my favorite things is getting to share a weekly devotion with them. I affectionately call this MMM (Monday Morning Minute) and is intended to be an encouragement as they begin their week. I am including my most recent devotion and I hope it will encourage you as well! Good Morning! Would you describe yourself as a COACH or as a referee? It is not unusual in the sport world to try to be both at the same time. If you look at synonyms for these 2, it is difficult to be both simultaneously: COACH – GUIDE, MENTOR, TEACHER, DISCIPLER REFEREE – OFFICIAL, UMPIRE, JUDGE Although both of these roles are critical in the world of athletics – they serve very different purposes. A COACH is responsible for leading, directing, mentoring, and thus DISCIPLING! An official (thankless job) serves the purpose of protecting the integrity of the rules, making JUDGEMENT calls, thus protecting the participants. In the “game of life” we also have COACHES and JUDGES, but the difference is man/woman are only called to fulfill one of them – DISCIPLER (COACH)! Clearly in Matthew JESUS identifies our role in this world: “ Therefore go and MAKING DISCIPLES of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and TEACHING them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 “And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 The bible also tells us what our role is NOT: “Do not JUDGE, and you will not be JUDGED. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:37-38 As CHRIST followers we need to be mindful that our role as COACH is to care for others by leading with LOVE NOT JUDGEMENT ! We are called to DISCIPLE (COACH ) and allow ALMIGHTY GOD to do the rest!!! To paraphrase the words of JESUS when teaching his disciples in Matthew 22:36-40 – the 2 greatest commandments are: LOVE GOD! LOVE OTHERS! The good news: COACHING and DISCIPLING is “ LIFE GIVING”, whereas judgment is “life draining” - and we can choose the first! There is no better day than today to get started! DISCIPLESHIP (COACHING) is an act of LOVE and MAKES A DIFFERENCE! Blessings! Coach Bradley

Hear O’ Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One. Blessed is the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 

One of the nursery songs I would listen to as a young girl was “There’s a Hole in my Bucket” and in case you’re unfamiliar with this song or are dredging it up from the recesses of your mind, here are some of the lyrics: There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza, There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, There's a hole. Then fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry, Then fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, fix it. With what should I fix it, dear Liza, dear Liza, With what should I fix it, dear Liza, with what? With a straw, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry, With a straw, dear Henry, dear Henry, with a straw. But the straw is too long, dear Liza, dear Liza, The straw is too long, dear Liza, too long. Then cut it dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry, Then cut it dear Henry, dear Henry, cut it! With what shall I cut it, dear Liza, dear Liza, With what shall I cut it, dear Liza, with what? With an ax, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry, With an ax, dear Henry, an ax. But the ax is too dull, dear Liza, dear Liza, The ax is too dull, dear Liza, too dull. The song continues on with Henry then needing a whetstone to sharpen the ax, but his stone is dry so needs water to wet the stone but can’t get the water because he has a hole in his bucket. I always thought this was a very silly song and always wondered why Henry didn’t go and get a new bucket, or use a bowl, or at least use duct tape! Now, after completing my first 9 months in vocational ministry, I’ve realized there’s a hole in my bucket and I’m wondering, Do you have a hole in your bucket? Recently, pastor Rich Villodas, from Queens, New York visited my church and led a leadership training. There were many great pieces of wisdom gleaned from the hour, but what I’ve been chewing on for the last week is this: “Our doing for Jesus must be sustained by being with Jesus and the greatest gift we give to others is our ongoing transformation in Christ.” This statement was followed up by the encouragement to be “mindful of using God-activity to run from yourself or intimacy with God.” Alas, therein lies the hole in my bucket. Somehow in the last nine months, I’ve been using all the good God-activity, my doing for Jesus to become a to-do item rather than an opportunity to allow Christ to transform me. Somehow, in all the Bible Study preparations, the service activities, the prayer and worship times, I’ve missed out on the opportunity to grow in deeper intimacy with God. The bucket that I use to water others has a hole in it, but I’ve been moving so quickly to pour it out on others that I’ve failed to notice that I’m ineffectively serving others. Over the course of the last week, I’ve slowed down and realized that my bucket is draining out the bottom and it needs repairing. Unlike the nursery song which ends in deadlock, our buckets can in fact be mended. First, I think it’s important to regularly stop and evaluate our spiritual health. For weeks I’ve been pretending and ignoring that my spiritual life is the way that it is. It looks good on the outside, but internally not so much. Rather like taking a bite of a sour grape. Maybe you don’t have a hole in your bucket, but are there weak spots? Are there areas in your life that you’re missing out on intimacy with Christ because you’re too busy doing things for Him or in His name? Second, let us confess the truth of what we find in our bucket. Proverbs 28:13 says, “Whoever conceals their sin does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” I am so grateful for a God who is merciful and full of grace. That God desires to be in relationship with each of us. This last week, I found that confessing the state of my spiritual health to God, even though he already knows, brought such relief and freedom. I did not encounter a God full of hate, but full of love, mercy and grace. I encountered an invitation to put my bucket down and let the finished work of the cross wash me once again.  In this nursery song, Henry keeps asking Liza what to do and Liza offers solutions to Henry on how to fix his bucket which all requires more doing by Henry. How often do you look to other people, other activities, or just keep on going in hope that our bucket will get fixed? Our invitation from God is that when we find a hole in our bucket, we put the bucket down and sit at the foot of the cross and let Christ’s finished work wash us and transform us.