Are You In Community?

It's been a busy but energizing week at Westwood. Last Saturday we were blessed to participate in the Beth Moore Simulcast, Tuesday and Wednesday were the kick-off of our women's community groups, and Friday was the first meeting for the MOPS group. 

You guys, if you've been present for any of these meetings and events, you know what I mean by energizing!!! (Does it sound like I'm excited? Well, I'll tell you, I allowed three exclamation points to stay, and I had to delete several.) There is no denying that Jesus is meeting with us as we are gathering together as His church. 

Here are some of the words that have been repeated over and over during our gatherings this week- 

• Audacious
• Fearless
• Strong
• Thriving
• Flourishing 

Those are not boring words, no, no! They do not allow for doubt, diversion, or delay. They are about believing, becoming, and beginning. They are strong and mighty! Aaaaagh, it's just so exciting and contagious. But you know what keeps things alive and contagious...kind of like the cold kids spread to and from each other by sharing toys and sippy cups, yeah?...it takes community. It takes gathering, meeting, and sharing. And do you know what makes anything contagious spread no more? Quarantine, staying home, being alone. Alone, this excitement will die. If we keep it to our very own selves...if we hide it in our very private prayer life...if we just don't like talking to other people...If we can't bear having to deal with people who could potentially disappoint us...again...you can be sure that this thing we got going will soon die. You just can't keep it alive yourself, you gotta infect someone else. Jesus is at work in the church and let's be very honest with each other that alone we will crash and burn. Gathering together as the church is a way we can experience God's grace-

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24. 

Come drink, if you will, from my sippy cup, and I will accept the snotty toy you're handing me and let's work to keep this thing alive! Let's spur one another on. 

If any of that makes your heart beat a little faster...I'm hoping it was not the talk of getting a nasty toddler cold (if that's what is exciting to you, let's talk...we have room for volunteers in our children's ministry). But seriously, if you've been missing any of this kind of energy in your life, click yourself right on over to our community groups page and get signed up! 

http://www.westwoodbaptist.com/women-s-life-groups

It's NOT too late to get plugged in with a community to encourage you in your relationship with Jesus. 

Are You In a Relationship?

Dear Sisters,

As a woman of a certain age, I grew up in a time when technology was in its infancy… when a teenage girl’s dream was a pink princess phone in her bedroom with her own telephone line.  I would talk to my friends for hours on the phone and when we weren’t on the phone, we were hanging out together, in person, face-to-face.  We didn’t watch much TV (black and white of course) since we only got four channels and that was when the reception with our bunny ears was good!  We invested ourselves and our time in relationships with others.

Don’t get me wrong - I like my cell phone, computer and cable TV as much as the next gal.  But I have come to realize that as my tech time has increased, I have become relationally lazy, not only with family and friends, but with God as well.  I have been thinking a lot about relationships lately and what it means to me as a wife, mother, daughter and friend. I believe God has placed this on my heart and has done so for a reason.  It is to remind me that as a Christian, I am called to believe in Him and be part of a community that belongs to Him.  I am to be in meaningful relationship with Him and those around me.

The thing is, meaningful relationships can be messy and inconvenient, especially with other humans.  It is so much easier to text than pick up the phone and talk.  Or send an email instead of going out for coffee.  And I wonder how many times I have missed an opportunity to be a blessing to someone else because I just didn’t have time.  The truth is, I make time for what I want to make time for and not what God wants me to make time for.  I have made my agenda more important than His.

So, I am challenging myself and challenging you to reach out to one person each week in a way that will provide an opportunity to strengthen a relationship in a personal way.  This could be as simple as a phone call to a friend, a walk with a neighbor or a hand written note to encourage someone going through a difficult time.  Or what about taking time to talk to someone at church who is alone?  God has created us to be relational beings in need of acceptance and belonging.  We need others as much as they need us.  I am looking forward to seeing what God has planned for us!

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Philippians 2:3-4

In Christ, 

Susan

Rounding Up the Bitter Root

            I’m starting a study on the book of Hebrews for the summer and the first lesson was reading the entire book of Hebrews straight through for an overview. As I was reading for general themes, there were several verses and ideas that I KNOW are going to be convicting as I dig a little bit deeper. One particular verse that I just can’t shake out of my brain was Hebrews 12:15. “See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” I was really struck by the words, bitter root.

            Bitterness is like a root, isn’t it? It doesn’t always show up on the surface as harmful right away. It can hide right below the surface for a long time, begin to grow, then take hold, and finally choke out the good. I am not a gardener (I can keep a succulent alive, but that hardly counts) but I do know what it looks like when weeds take over what was once well tended and it ain’t perty.

            Without naming any news stories specifically, I have felt a bitter root growing in my heart about many current issues in our world. There are a lot of commentaries, a lot of ways to feel, and many ways to react. I see reactions and replies that I would put in the “bitter” category, if not “hateful”. I often don’t react publically, but I do have a reaction in my heart and in my home. And upon closer evaluation, some of my reactions have been with bitterness and NOT with grace.

            Sometimes (let’s be honest here…often…maybe even always???) my flesh and my being have fallen short of even knowing how to react, what to say, and especially what to do. So, now what? Well, this verse from Hebrews points out that my heart’s reply can be with bitterness or with grace. Luke 6:45 reminded me, “What you say flows from what is in your heart.” I am desperate for my words to be healing, for my life to speak what Jesus wants. I long for His grace to heal the spirits’ of those who are hurting; AND I long for His grace to heal my heart of bitterness so that I do not make the wounds worse. I’m looking for Jesus to spray some round-up on my heart. I want to react in such a way that grace and healing will flow and that my bitterness will not cause trouble…more specifically, dissention, bickering, falling-out, and pushing away.  And 2 Corinthians 12:9 reminds me that His healing is just what I need.

Jesus, Your grace is sufficient for me, Your power is made perfect in my weakness. I need your healing and for Your love to take-over my thoughts. I pray You would help me to not fall short of offering Your grace, and that my actions and reactions would not cause trouble for those who need you. Help me not get in the way of the work You want to do through me.

In Him,

Grace

Gracious Uncertainty

Dear Sisters,

One of the things I love about the devotional method that I use for my 20 minutes a day is that often the message is directly applicable to issues I am dealing with at that very moment.  One of my biggest struggles is the desire to control as many aspects of my life as possible – and my family’s as well!  I want to be certain about every outcome in any given situation.  And that is truly exhausting and stressful and takes a lot of the excitement out of life.  And it is not of God. 

So when I opened my Bible this morning, guess what I found…a copy of an Oswald Chambers message that I want to share with you in part called “Gracious Uncertainty”.  It was a refreshing read for me and I hope it will be for you as well.

“Certainty is the mark of the commonsense life – gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life.  To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, not knowing what tomorrow may bring.  This is generally expressed with a sigh of sadness, but it should be an expression of breathless expectation.  We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God.  As soon as we abandon ourselves to God and do the task He has placed closest to us, He begins to fill our lives with surprises.  When we become simply a promoter or a defender of a particular belief, something within us dies.  That is not believing God – it is only believing our belief about Him.
 In Matthew 18:3 Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’”
 The spiritual life is the life of a child.  We are not uncertain of God, just uncertain of what He is going to do next.  If our certainty is only in our beliefs, we develop a sense of self-righteousness, become overly critical and are limited by the view that our beliefs are complete and settled.  But when we have the right relationship with God, life is full of spontaneous, joyful uncertainty and expectancy.  Leave everything to Him and it will be gloriously and graciously uncertain how he will come in – but you can be certain that He will come.  Remain faithful to Him.”

In Christ, 
Susan 

Alive

Hey Sisters,

As a night owl, I just generally don't feel my best in the morning. I feel like a groggy zombie, and, yes, that's worse than just a normal zombie. However, the sunshine we've been getting has been helping me to feel a little bit more awake and alive! Have you heard of the worship band All Sons and Daughters? I'm especially loving their song "Alive," and have been using it as my alarm in the morning. A good reminder of the gift of a new day, the blessing of waking up to sunshine, and not waking up as the newest member of the undead...even though I may look like it (no picture for your protection).

You can listen to "Alive" on you-tube. Here is the link for you!  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-vmvVnRPlY

Fellow night owls, what helps you wake up in the morning? Songs, thoughts, or Bible verses? Comment on Facebook or in the "comments" section below this post.

In Him,

Grace

When the Master Gardner Prunes

Pruning is a vital step in gardening. We cut back dead branches as well as branches that are crossing or invading other branches.  Pruning can also create a desired shape. How we prune will determine the health of the plant and/or the blossoms. For example, if we prune a hydrangea to the ground, it will not kill the bush but we will have no flowers the following spring.  Flowers bloom from the previous year’s growth, therefore, removing the entire bush’s beauty for the next season.

So, why all this pruning talk on this particular blog? It stems from an old book that is sadly no longer in print. The premise of this great read was to live decisively for Jesus and to live focused on Jesus. The author suggested periodically taking time out of life to sit before God, evaluating life’s activities and responsibilities. She viewed her life like a tree but I have adapted her idea to the following.

·        The trunk of the tree represents my relationship with Christ.

·        The roots are what feed that relationship: prayer, Bible reading, Bible study and worship.

·        The limbs represent my family, job, ministry, and personal development.

·        The branches are the activities and opportunities of life.

Our lives, just like trees, get out of balance.  Over time one limb becomes too dense and another too sparse. Or there may be branches that are taking nutrients from the main limbs, translated as activities taking nutrients from my relationship with Christ. Or the root system is not healthy enough to support the tree. This is the time to take out my pruning shears.

The first thing I evaluate is the root system. Am I spending quality time with Jesus every day?  If this area of my life is not healthy, then I know that the trunk of my tree is skinny and the limbs are not being supported spiritually. Then I evaluate my main limbs (responsibilities of life). These change over life’s seasons. During one season, I may have an occupation but, during a later season, I might be retired. Or during one season, I have no children.  In the next season, my home is full of children. Therefore, the limbs have to be evaluated as well. Some are removed and some might be added.

Next, I evaluate the branches looking for dead branches.  These lifeless activities do nothing to feed the responsibilities of life or my relationships with family, friends and Jesus. These branches are cut out first.

After that, I search for branches that are crossing over one another, choking the life out of one or both of the branches.  An example might be heavy ministry requirements choking out family life.  One of those branches needs to be pruned back. It does not remove the major limbs of ministry and family life but it does cut off a branch or two that is taking nutrients that other limbs need.

Finally, I try not to prune away too much in order to reap a harvest for future seasons as in the hydrangea. Taking careful time to choose which branches to prune and which ones to keep requires godly wisdom.

When I put my shears away, I access the roots of the tree once again. I want to insure that time and energy have been set aside to spend time in God’s word, in prayer and in worship. Typically, I am pleased to find that through pruning at the top of the tree, I discover plenty of time for the bottom of the tree. Then my trunk becomes healthy again, feeding the limbs and branches of life.

As I write about this process, I am looking at my life with shears in hand. What needs to be removed?  Do I need to water and fertilize the roots? Just like gardening, I need to schedule regular time to spend before the Lord praying and listening for he is the Master Gardener of our life! What about you? How does your tree look today? Is your root system healthy?

Bev

Though You Slay Me, by Shane & Shane

This week, let's focus on some more worship.  We all feel as though we've been slain in our lives.  But can we truly worship God in those trying moments?  Take a few minutes during your 20 minutes today to worship with Shane & Shane as they lead us and focus our thoughts on God Almighty!

Click here:  Though You Slay Me, by Shane & Shane