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Greetings! It's time to think about Simplifying Your Life...
"When is the last time you took some guilt-free, stress-free time
just for yourself? If you haven't exhaled in awhile, please join me for some spring soul-cleaning! Be refreshed, encouraged, and revived as we learn the many ways we can leave our baggage behind. See you there!"
Pastor Laurel Bunker
Dean of Campus Ministries
Campus Pastor, Bethel University
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Simplify Your Life:
Breakfast With God
"Your Words are sweet to my soul and they heal me, You heal me. Your touch brings life-giving flow and it moves me, it moves me."
- Christy Nockels
When I was a little girl, my parents had a huge dining room table. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas, my extended family would pour through the doors, laughing and expectant, sitting around that table....waiting for the big event.....food....nourishment. Not just to the stomach...but to the soul.
My mother went from sale to sale looking for the perfect table, and found a beautiful old farm table at an estate sale and snatched it up. When she brought it home, my father set to work repairing and staining it.
Day after day of my childhood, I sat at that table. I ate, I read, I divulged my feelings and deepest thoughts, while I wrote about them and experienced life. So after my father passed away two years ago, my mother asked me if I'd like the table for my own dining room. "Yes!" I replied ecstatically.
I have created a new daily habit. Every morning I awake, grab my cup of coffee, my study Bible and devotional, and sit in the big captain's chair on the end of that wonderful old table. I face the other captain's chair, far at the other end, and prepare myself for Breakfast With God.
With my running list of prayer requests in front of me, my English muffin with melted butter to the side, I breath a deep sigh and release my thoughts, emotions, and needs before a Mighty God. I eat, I read, I worship and then I look down at the end of the table and say to God, "Now it's your turn. You tell me what you want me to know. You teach me what I need to learn for today. You order my steps, dear Father." And as I read the Words that are in my Bible, I soak them into the depths of my soul, the crevices of the closets of my mind, and I wait on Him.
This morning, Proverbs 4:20-23 (the Message) jumped off the page, as I asked God to speak to me. "Dear friend, listen well to my Words; tune your ears to My voice. Keep My message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart! Those who discover these words, live, really live, body and soul, they're bursting with health. Keep vigilant watch over your heart: that's where life starts."
 I thought about the world around me. I thought about how every morning we are thrust onto the pathway of our lives. We juggle the jobs, the children, the church, and our faith. What will drop today? What will fall to the ground as we cannot carry it all? What is it that is keeping all of us so busy that we don't have time for God? He tells us "listen well to My words"...because those people who listen "live...really live."
I want to really live. I don't want to walk through this life being too busy to enjoy each day. And I certainly don't want to be too busy for the God who loves me and sent His Son for me.
This morning, I question my priorities and all of us who are running the minute our feet hit the floor. How can we really do our best....be our best...for those around us, when we are flat-lined?
It's time to think about Simplifying Your Life. It's time to think about the things that you're juggling, that are keeping you too busy for God. It's time to start sitting at God's table and enjoying the nourishment of His Word, His Worship, His Will and His Wisdom.
This is your life...you only get one. Simplify your life and make time for God.
You don't need hours upon hours....you just need some designated time to realize that filling up on God means filling up on life. It's His nourishment for you. Breakfast on the go...Breakfast of Champions....Breakfast at Tiffany's......who cares.....you can make it Breakfast With God.
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Meeting God In Prayer
 Has it come to this I asked myself? I feel like a 77 year old woman and then reality hit and I AM a 77 year old woman. Only up until now I haven't felt like a 77 year old woman.. To try and analyze whatever that means is not in the dictionary as far as I can find. God has been incredibly kind to me, while blessing me with stamina and energy beyond my expectations in these "mature" years". It's a cop-out to use the word mature instead of "old", isn't it?
Recently during what I call a lapse in my lifestyle, I experienced how it felt not being able to function even in mundane daily routines. Reality did set in and denying that I really was weak and run down was no longer a factor.
Taking a shower was tell tale, as I fell on the bed in a heap exhausted. Continual low grade fevers and additional lymphoma infusions were exhibiting their ugly control over my life. Usual wasn't usual, my appetite vanished, albeit not such a bad way to loose some pounds. Most of my time was spent lying in my recliner watching Cardinals and Blue Jays at the bird feeder. It had come to this! I was weak, by the strongest definition of the word. Registration at the clinic became simpler each time I checked in. The registrars knew me so well because of my many visits, that their "oh, it's you-again-smile" seemed to confirm us as personal friends. "Same as last week" I would say to them but of course the computer needed to know my name, birth date and insurance information just in case. In case it wasn't really me, I expect.
Not liking the weakness I was feeling wasn't a reasoning that carried any clout. What did carry some clout was finding myself lying in a hospital bed. "You'll feel a little poke," the nurse said as she inserted the needle into my arm to infuse whatever it was that was that hung on the I.V. tree. The tree was decorated with hanging baskets; I mean bags that dripped into my veins.
I was dependent upon the care of doctors and nurses, antibiotics and body scans. I was being quizzed continually as to what my name and birth date was to the point of challenging my sanity, and I expect to the nurses as well. Pills in little white paper cups came right on schedule as well as the pulsating blood pressure cuff that I was convinced was designed to shut off your circulation.
I began to reflect, goodness knows I had plenty of time to do that. Could I relate physical weakness to spiritual weakness and make any sense out of comparing the two?
Comparatively, I began by associating this time in the hospital as if I were grazing on a plateau, being content and comfortable just going along with the flow and mundane routine. After five days of the same old beeps, and interruptions and even having room service delivered it was getting old.
There've been times in my life when lapses in my spiritual lifestyle has waned and another kind of weakness sets in. It too is one that cannot be denied. Grazing, grabbing a couple of verses here and there, throwing up a prayer now and then becomes too routine. Contentment in the flow of my laziness soon catches up and admitting my weakness is essential to spiritual recovery. Taking time, studying God's Word with diligence, savoring nuggets of truth with confidence that it is the perfect prescription is where healing begins and continues.
 Committing time to pray is equally essential to restoration. Opening my prayer umbrella, that I keep close at hand at all times, could be likened to the I.V. tree. It is a perfect infusion that flows through my veins allowing me to communicate with Jesus who intercedes at God's right hand for me. When the umbrella is open there isn't any lapse. Sometimes I bring it into the closet to pour out my heart in confession and in praise. I love those times. Sometimes I open it when I'm driving in the car to bring my family and friends to God's throne for favor and for requests I've promised to pray about. My Prayer umbrella covers me with God's protection. Pellets of discontent and discouragement may try to pound through, but they will never penetrate the Strong Cover. It never wears out and I couldn't live without its protection.
I AM a 77 year old woman blessed of God beyond measure. He is my contentment, my comfort and the reason I laugh and live and love with joy that has no end.
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Meeting God Through Worship
 There are a group of hippies living in Woodland Park, Colorado. They've been gathering for years, and writing worship songs from the Psalms. They've written many songs that have been big hits in CCM through other artists, such as "You Are So Good to Me" (recorded by Third Day), "Those Who Trust" (recorded by Waterdeep), and "Praise Awaits You"(recorded by Matt Redman).
A little over ten years ago, they penned a really powerful tune entitled "I Will Not Forget You," and Paul Baloche, author of "Open the Eyes of My Heart" recorded it. The lyrics are so spot on and convicting, I want to share them with you now. I want you to read them. I want you to process them. I'm not sharing them in the "song order", but rather all of the verses, and then the chorus.
"Many men will drink the rain and turn and thank the clouds
Many men will hear You speak, but they will never turn around
Many men will pour their gold, and serve a thing that shines
Many men will read Your words, but they will never change their minds
But I will not forget You, You are my God, my King
With a thankful heart I bring my offering
And my sacrifice is not what You can give
But what I alone can give to You
A grateful heart I give, a thankful prayer I pray
A wild dance I dance before You
A loud song I sing, a huge bell I ring
A life of praise I live before You"
I know that I am tempted to fall into the "many men" category. It's so easy. In times like this, my promise to God is these simple lyrics: I will not forget you.
Our worship is more than what we make it. It is shown in how we give, how we pray, how we respond in joy. It is shown in how we sing, how we share the gospel, and how we live. I hope the lyrics of this song speak to you, and encourage you to seek a life of praise to live before Almighty God.
And check out those hippies. Their albums are called "Enter the Worship Circle." They're made up of stringed instruments and hand drums. Pretty neat.
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Remember, it's never too late to make changes. Start today. Start living your best life!
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"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself." Leo Tolstoy |
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Meeting God In The Word
In my family, we read a lot of books. In fact, we have an entire library of books from board books to classic novels and from travel books to cookbooks. With our edacious appetites for reading, I cannot remember where I read this little story, but it is one that has stuck with me for years and years. The story tells of a mother of many children in the early 1900s who sometimes would be so in need of time with God that she would sit in a corner and to create time with God. In her tiny house she created her own "time-out" by taking her apron and pulling it up over her head. Her baffled children would ask what she was doing, and she told them to simply let her be as she was spending time with God. Amazingly, they did just as she asked.
Not long after reading that story, I had the wonderful opportunity to listen to a priest from Africa. He was traveling to various churches in the United States to thank them for their sponsorship of him and his church. During his discussion, he talked about how we are often guilty of allowing our Bibles to be dust collectors. In his beautiful accent, he spoke of God's word as a living relationship that each of us should enter. He challenged the audience to allow the Bible to become a daily part of their lives, not as a coffee table dust collector, but as essential nutrition to a healthy spiritual diet.
As a teacher with a love of learning, the story of the mother and the words of the priest really resonated with me. At that time, I desperately craved more time with God, but how was I going to accomplish this desire with teaching full-time and three little ones under the age of four. I earnestly prayed for God to give me a simple, yet practical, answer.
And answer He did! I am a morning person; so, God laid on my heart the idea of getting up 15 minutes earlier. With night-time feedings and crazy schedules, it was, at first, difficult. But I started by waking 5 minutes earlier and reading a devotions book. Then, it stretched to 10 minutes and I could accomplish the Bible reading and the devotions. Eventually over time, it has become a ritual that starts my day, warm and snuggly in my bed, interacting with God's word. I really needed that time to allow the verses and passages to speak to me each day, and what better time than in the morning as a kick start to my day. When I arise, I am renewed and refreshed (physically and spiritually).
Yes, I did need to establish a little direction and discipline to my own life, but the results were beyond my wildest imaginations. It wasn't a grandiose plan of action, but it was one of simplifying my life's desires by starting out the day curled up with a really great Book!
Download 2011 Daily Bible Reading Schedule
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Life Light Up Christy Nockels 
My heart was crushed when the husband and wife team, Nathan and Christy Nockels, otherwise known as, Watermark, disbanded. So what an amazing joy it was, when Christy Nockels came out with this solo work, "Life Light Up." The cd is filled with her amazing arrangements, her lovely lilting voice, and fabulous lyrics.
My favorite, "No Not One" was co-authored with Brandon Heath. Christy says about the song, "My favorite part of this song is the bridge...one of the lines says, 'You gave us all a reason to shine....Jesus the One and Only is our beautiful purpose and reason in this world to shine.'"
There are a couple of familiar worship choruses, such as "Hosanna" and "Marvelous Light," but I was overcome with emotion from one song in particular, "Song of the Beautiful." This song reminds us that no matter how broken we are, the song that we sing...the story that we share... will always be... Jesus loves us.
www.cbd.com offers this for $7.99. Pick yours up today. You will love it!
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A Personal Invite "Simplify Your Life" Conference
April 9, 2011
Bethel University
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Pastor Ralph Gustafson
Vice President for Constituent Relations
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At Bethel we want to do all we can to encourage, challenge, inspire, and equip people for lifelong spiritual growth, vitality, and effective service. I believe that hosting Best Life is a meaningful and highly effective way to accomplish that mission. My hope and prayer is that this gathering for women will truly be transformational and inspirational. I pray that women from throughout our region will come together for an encounter with the Living God that will enable them to experience, model, and proclaim that life, the best life, is found in being surrendered to Jesus Christ. |
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