Beyond Duct Tape Holding the Heart Together in a Life of Ministry by Shari Thomas & Tami Resch |  |
From a church planting spouse:
I do stand by my husband as a church planting pastor, but am struggling with my own identity, which is the chapter
I just finished in your book.
I know God is using this to give me clarity. Everything I read was speaking directly to me.
I am praying that God will continue to speak to my heart as I struggle through these questions.
Thank you, again, for your ministry. It is a reminder to me that God cares about my heart in the midst of all the details of planting a church.
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Happy Anniversary
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Celebrating with Jason and Tiffany Moore the first anniversary of New Creation church plant in
Wentzvillle, MO
New Creation Church
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New Launch
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Join us in praying for Joe and Josie Haack with the November 6th launch of
Grace Central Grandview
in Columbus, OH
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Parakaleo
Training Retreats | 
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Join Us
Galveston, TX
Feb. 25 - Mar.1
2012
Contact
[email protected]
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Greetings! Building an Arsenal of Truth and Beauty
What is an arsenal of truth and beauty? It is a personal collection of words, songs, scripture, film clips, poetry, pieces of art, objects, bits of nature, photographs, quotes - anything that points us to Christ, mends our heart, moves our soul, and propels us to love and faith. Your arsenal will be different from anyone else's because it will be unique to your story, your own recurring threads of faith, and the ways in which you are moved and comforted.
By literally and figuratively stocking your arsenal, you create a place to turn and specific weapons to use when you are weary in the battle, when you have lost your footing, when you are suffering, and when you want to step purposefully into God's presence and the reminders of his goodness toward you. Your arsenal will often take you into a larger story and offer a panoramic view. It can help you battle your strategies of self-salvation and it reminds us how to destroy sin's grip.
Scripture teaches that our world is not divided between the secular and the sacred, the holy and the mundane. James tells us that every good and perfect gift comes from our Heavenly Father. When we believe this to be true, we view our world and the pieces, objects, and images in it differently. A movie showcasing redemption can be a gift of hope. A poem recalling the weight of suffering can be a gift of comfort. A downpour of cleansing rain can be a gift of refreshment. A well-composed piece of music can be a gift of beauty in the world's chaos. Redemption and hope, suffering and comfort, cleansing and refreshment, chaos and beauty - all can point us to Christ.
It's important to remember that what is comforting or faith-building to one person isn't necessarily so to another. What might invite one person to deeper faith could repel another. Our stories, our personal experiences, and our particular inclinations impact the flavor of our arsenals. A verse of scripture might be refreshing to one person, yet feel heavy-handed to another. A certain movie might propel one person to faith and action, yet make another feel paralyzed. One person might be most reminded of Christ's love by hearing about it, yet another would need to speak aloud Christ's words of love in order to feel their truth. One person might need to view art, another might need to create it. We can never assume that what invites our heart to faith in Christ will necessarily invite another.
How to Build Your Personal Arsenal
It is important to remember that your dominant voice of influence is your own internal dialogue. This is why it is essential to build your personal arsenal of truth and beauty, so that apart from husband, coach, or friend you are equipped to take the hope of the gospel to your own heart by remembering and returning to the words and objects and avenues God's Spirit has used to call you and comfort you.
Listen to the way you speak to yourself, with others and in prayer. Is your arsenal one of truth and beauty or death and duty? Do you use scripture for repentance, hope, and life, or to motivate yourself by accusation, condemnation, and fear? Are you a tactile, visual, or auditory learner? Let your arsenal reflect you. What motivates you? What crushes your heart? If you hear scripture as condemning, are there other ways to hear God's voice as sweet and comforting? Watch what draws your heart to Jesus. Arm yourself in the battle for your heart!
Tami Resch
This article is excerpted from the Parakaleo Leader Handbook
and BEYOND DUCT TAPE: Holding the Heart Together in a Life of Ministry
Copyright � 2011 Parakaleo |
 | What Would It Look Like to Wear Yellow?
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Jamal, a former Slumdog of Mumbai being interrogated for cheating on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," recounts in memories the origins of his knowledge of the trivia show answers. His flashbacks reveal his tale of love for his childhood friend, Latika, as well as both of their tales of woe. Throughout the movie, Slumdog Millionaire, we primarily see Latika wearing yellow, a common symbol of hope. We see her mostly through the eyes of Jamal who loves her, cares for her, and longs to rescue her to himself.
After telling Jamal that she could not possibly escape her life of pain, Latika surprisingly makes the effort to run from her captors and the life she knows to meet him at the train station. Upon seeing the face of Jamal, her rescuer, on the platform above, she beams a joyous smile, only to be suddenly recaptured by those who would harm her. Her face is slashed and she is whisked away instead of experiencing the arms of her hero/love.
So, why the movie synopsis? It has become part of my personal arsenal. Not Jamal, Latika, the train station, or the slashing...but the looking. The looking and waiting for rescue from above. The wearing of yellow in hope of a rescue outside of myself. I am a doer, a fixer, a helper. For decades, I have looked to myself for rescue, rarely asking God for help. If you know what you should do, shouldn't you just do it? Rarely would I ask God to help others. If I can do, fix, or help others, shouldn't I just do it? As I watched the movie, I was struck that I have rarely worn yellow, rarely looked to my God to rescue from above. This knowledge compelled me to remember the strength of my Deliverer. "When I came, why was there no one? When I called, why was there no one to answer? Was my arm too short to ransom you? Do I lack the strength to rescue you?" (Isaiah 50:2) So, I bought a piece of yellow fabric that reminded me of Latika's looking. The scarf-like cloth I have draped across my desk and sometimes wrap around my body. It invites me to look, to ask, to consider: In this situation, what would it look like to wear yellow? by Tami Resch |
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