Be the Change

Lately, I've been thinking there's a lot of things I'd like to change. 1) I've actively started exercising and using a food journal to lose weight and get in shape. 2) I've been trying to curb my spending. 3) And I've been be trying to be more thankful. All of those things aren't easy! Can you think of what you'd like to change in your life? Maybe procrastinating less on your homework? Focusing more on being involved at church than with that cute boy?




#1 and #2 are things that I now realize need to stem from the inside out. I've tried for a long time to "make myself be good." Now I'm praying for a heart change. I'm praying that God will fill me up so much of Him that I naturally strive to do the right things in His strength and with His wisdom.#3 started because I've been reading Something More by Catherine Marshall. It's an older book, but a good one. In it Catherine talks about "thanking God in all things." She goes on to encourage readers to thank Him even for the challenging/painful stuff. I've started doing that more, and it's amazing what a different outlook I've had. Usually, I'm a joyful person because I try to ignore the hard stuff and instead just focus on the good. But lately I've been thanking God for everything easy and hard, and somehow He's been showing me the good IN it.

I know these are simple lessons. They are things God has tried to show me in the past. In fact, one of the lessons He's taught (and retaught me) is that I don't always need to look for change from external means ... sometimes I'm called to BE the change.

This lesson first fit home after our family moved to Montana and were looking for a church home. There was one that God was connecting us to AT EVERY TURN, but personally I didn't like it much. In fact, even when John and I felt God calling us there, I REALLY didn't want to go to that church. Even though the people were nice, the music wasn't that great and there was no children's program for the kids. Yet, instead of complaining about it, John and I felt God telling us to do something about it!

Once we became members, WE started doing children's church and new families started pouring in. Over the years the church grew and changed. It has become the type of place I longed for. We've been going there for thirteen years now, and it's home. Yet at the time, I didn't realize that I was part of the change!

Today, you might be thinking about changes in your life. Don't stop. Don't become complacent! Remember that God wants to fill you and help you. He wants you to offer Him thanksgiving in the easy stuff and the hard stuff, too. And mostly, if there is change that needs to take place remember that often YOU are called to be the change. What you want most is out there in the future ... have faith in that! Have faith in Him!

Locked out

Last Sunday my son Nathan and I returned from the evening service to discover that the front door lock was broken. No, it wasn’t the result of a break-in; the lock had simply passed its expiration date. When I inserted the key, it kept spinning around and around in the lock. The irritating thing is that we’d seen signs of trouble for several days. Of course all the windows were securely locked and I didn’t have the key to the side door. Even the dog door had the safety cover on!

As I scurried around, trying to find a way to break in, wishing that I had a friend with a criminal background, Nathan followed and begged, “Mom, can’t we just go back to the church?”

“Maybe we should call Grandma and Grandpa,” I muttered. No, they lived across town. It would take a half hour for them to reach us. “Or Susan and Carl. I bet they’re home.”

“Why don’t we go to the church?” Nathan persisted. “It’s faster. Please! Hurry before everyone leaves.”

“You know what? You’re right.” I grabbed Nathan by the hand and headed down the street to our second home.

We got there in time to a friend. She tried everything from the old credit card trick to lifting out a window. Neither attempt worked so she called another friend who didn’t have much luck either. In the end we had to call a locksmith, which one of them was kind enough to cover the cost of.

It took two hours but we got back in.

“Nathan,” I said later as we settled down for bed. “You were right. We needed to go to the church. You know exactly where to go when we’re in trouble.”

Over this past year Nathan has seen our church family reach out to us in many ways as we dealt with one crisis (mostly medical) after another. He knows that they have helped us fix things around the house, enjoy special food during the holidays, and even pay bills. Their generosity made it possible for him to continue attending Christian School. One friend (who I kept a secret from him) even covered his swimming lessons this summer. I worried that all this would make him feel weird—like the poor kid. Instead it taught him that we have a second family that loves us. It taught him where to run for help.

I thanked God that my seven-year-old knew where to go before I did—that he wouldn’t let up. Our church home should be our refuge. Now I pray that he will always appreciate the love of other Christians, and that they will continually point him to Christ.

How has your church family been a refuge for you? Is it a place where you can run when you need help?