Don’t miss a thing

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It’s #FiveMinuteFriday and the word prompt is miss. You can read other takes on this word in which we are to write for five minutes with little editing, just for the love of writing. Be blessed!

This weekend, I am away on another Revival By Design trip for a seminar somewhere in the great state of Tennessee. A reprieve from endless hotels, we are blessed to be with friends and staying with their friends. Confused much? The point isn’t the WHO but the HOW. This hostess with the mostest doesn’t miss a thing.

This home truly looks like something from Southern Living magazine, with a touch of a coastal theme. Gorgeous is the word for the entire property. You will just have to envision it; I didn’t ask permission to share!

Some just have a knack for hosting…they are born that way. They know how to serve and make everything just right for the guest. The coffee bar is set up for you to use when YOU get up and want coffee. Some in our party, like me, need/want coffee before 6:00 a.m. Others in our party chose to have breakfast at 10:30. That’s brunch, people!

But this doesn’t frustrate a true hostess or servant. They can accommodate everyone because they live to please and want each guest in their home to feel at home. From the carefully placed guest towels with all the extras in case you have forgotten something, to the carafe of filtered water and matching glasses, not Styrofoam (which I am perfectly fine with!), and the list goes on, a perfect hostess makes her guest comfortable and wanting nothing.

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” Philippians 2:6-8 NIV

The scripture says Jesus made Himself nothing by taking on the very nature of a servant. His greatest service was our salvation! He gave of Himself, completely, so that we would have eternal life, conquering death, hell and the grave.

But the verse right before this is what I don’t want us to miss:

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus…”

Don't miss a thing

What was that mindset? He made Himself nothing and became a servant to those around Him.

In our everyday relationships, we can afford no less! We cannot become caught up in office gossip, assembly line slice and dice or any other kind of ridicule where we tear down those we were called to serve. Just as my hostess didn’t miss anything in the details of our stay, the food, the supplies, the amenities, she also didn’t miss true hospitality. Her southern smile would warm any weary heart. When you walked into her home you wanted to stay, you wanted to leave your worries and cares outside the door and REST.

This is also our Savior. He offers US rest from the world, forgives us and then fills us with His spirit so we are like Him. Then it is our duty as servants to go out into the world, our everyday world, and BE like Him. If we spend time with Him then He begins to “rub off on us” and we do reflect His personality. We become as servants; touching, blessing, lifting burdens from the shoulders of others, offering to pray, actually praying and anything else we can do to let them know that Jesus came to save.

My sweet hostess didn’t miss a thing this weekend; she planned everything around her guests. Jesus has done the same for us, He wants to give us all we need for a victorious life here but intended for us to share this Truth and realize it isn’t all about us but it is all about those who do not know Him.

Let’s make sure they don’t miss a thing!

For the kingdom

We live, we move, we exist

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Excited to have my son, Kris, join us today. This was written for his church newsletter and I thought it was worth sharing. You can read a previous post of his about his grandmother here! Be blessed as we realize why we live, move and exist.

“In Him we live, we move, we exist.” Acts 17:28

Paul is speaking here to the Athenians in front of the altar to the Unknown God. He recognized that the Athenians were extremely religious individuals but they lacked the proper understanding in regard to the One they worshiped. As a result, Paul begins to explain that the same God who created the universe is the same God who was crucified on the cross and now that very same God lives in us.

Fundamentally, we are designed to live in Christ, move in Christ, and purely exist in Christ. Christ is who we are. Because of this, every action and every reaction should be grounded in our identity in Him. How we deal with chaos, life struggles, and frustrations should be interwoven in the Spirit. This is why we, as Christians, should be spending time in daily prayer. Without the Spirit living and breathing in our spiritual bodies, we will be unable to appropriately respond to life’s challenges.

we live we move we exist

Alternatively, our interactions with one another should also exist in Christ. A few weeks ago, our Life Group talked about how the entire law is fulfilled in the simple command of “loving your neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5:14). Six of the Ten Commandments deal with interpersonal relationships, which would never be broken if we truly loved one another. Allowing someone to cut in front of you on a busy highway, paying for a stranger’s cup of coffee, or asking someone for permission to pray with them are all examples of how we can truly operate within Christ and share the love that He has shown to us.

The original Greek for the phrase “we exist” actually translates to “we are”. This is much more appropriate and impactful: Christ is who we are at the very core of our being. As a result, everything we do, think and say should reflect this fact. Our passions, talents, hobbies should be founded in our love for the Creator; serving as an opportunity to worship Him for the blessings that He has given us.

In Him we live, we move, we exist.

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Over the past few weeks this simple sentence has challenged me in my own walk with Christ. I would challenge you to do the same, allow this concept to change your mindset and begin focusing more on love and sharing the gospel of Christ.

Kris Elkins is a 29 year-old Christ follower. Ever attempting to make headlines, he is constantly looking for ways to bring laughter into lives, as well as those “hand to face” moments, in which the audience sits stunned in disbelief. He is an RN and a Senior Clinical Applications Analyst at Eskenazi Hospital, Indianapolis. When he is not studying for his Masters degree, he can be found running, cycling, or chasing his adorable English Bulldog, Eisley. He states that he can’t take all of the credit for being absolutely awesome, crediting his parents and brothers for some of these amazing qualities. He blogs at mereKristianity…when he feels like it.

 

Sharing with Testimony Tuesday, Messy Marriage, Wholehearted Wednesday

When social issues keep us from being UNITED

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Friends, my blogging has been hit and miss at best. Please forgive me. I needed a break, needed to slow down after the Daniel Fast in January. Then I had the most horrific issues with my blog and host server. A two week nightmare. Then, along came Norah Jayne. She is a huge distraction but one that I will take any day. On top of that, we are preparing to move south to be near that little bundle of joy. So, I admit I am distracted, which is what our post is about. I am thrilled to be writing and sharing today for #FiveMinuteFriday and I pray it is a blessing to you. Thank you for your patience, I will be back on track soon!

When social issues keep us from being UNITED.

I can’t think of a time in my 54 years that I have longed for a reprieve from the constant barrage of disagreement over social issues. Obviously, the flood of technology has made it so convenient to air one’s opinion that everyone and their little brother can join the bandwagon.

To make matters even more overwhelming, we are in the middle of a presidential election, the most divided one I can remember. It keeps us stirred up all day long, every day, if we allow it to.

Friends, this is just what the enemy had envisioned, what he works for!

He is jumping for joy over our fascination with bathrooms right now. Of course I think it is an important issue and we shouldn’t just give in. Let your voices be heard but please remember Who we represent! Threatening to beat up someone who walks into the restroom isn’t the answer. (This is an easy fix as most businesses already have FAMILY restrooms; a single bathroom that anyone can use. Problem solved. #mytwocents)

But the world isn’t looking for a solution…they are looking for division.

And dividing Christians among themselves, keeping us stirred up on social issues and distracting us from our real purpose is all in the plans of the enemy.

When things like this, agreeably important, sidetrack us from our actual mission, the reason we were put here on this earth, we are no longer united for the sake of the Gospel. Because of all of the social media tools and television, radio, etc., we are bombarded all day long with negativity and division, all the while forgetting we are living in the Last Days and the Lord will surely come soon.

when social issues keep us from being united

So, what should we do to UNITE? 

Pray! Okay, so that sounds too simple and maybe to some too hard but it is our first weapon of choice! The Bible says to,  “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” Ephesians 6:10-11 ESV.

How can we be strong? Only by putting on the armor of God, which the chapter in Ephesians tells us is applying His Word to our hearts and minds. Read it!

Focus. The Lord told us in His Word that these things would come upon us before His return. Why are we surprised?! It’s going to happen and it’s going to get worse but we weren’t put here to walk the streets for social change. We’ve read the back of the Book, it’s not going to happen! Don’t get me wrong, as I said, we need to stand up for our rights especially to protect our children. But the bottom line is most of these things will continue and get worse as the persecution of Christians becomes more blatant and obvious.

Let us set our minds and efforts on telling others about the good things of God! Share your testimony of what He has done for you. Let them know about the wonderful services your church is having and how others are coming to Christ. Invite them to a home group Bible Study or to a church service…they just might come! Offer to pray for a specific need they might have and then actually take time to pray for them.

The millions of hungry souls out there do not really care what we think about separated bathrooms.

They want to know if there is any hope left in the world. YES! There is! Tell them Jesus died for them. Give them HOPE in a world full of hopelessness! 

They are watching you. The world is watching us. Many want to see The Church divided but that’s not what we were made to do.

Show the love of Christ, not the division of the Body.

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We are UNITED.

“One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Ephesians 4:5, 6. ESV.

For the kingdom