Up For a Challenge

Through the month of November, I'm taking on a challenge to write 50,000 words in those thirty days. Officially, it's NaNoWriMo. I've logged my word count for the past week and on my normal writing days, I hit around 1200 words, so the push to 1700 isn't outrageous. However, I only have normal writing days about 4 days out of 7. That's where the challenge comes in.

Earlier this month, I took on the challenge of my first 5K, and lived. Last year, I threw down and contracted to produce three books and look where THAT got me.

Challenges – the kind we choose to participate in – are about stretching and growing. Spiritually, we should be looking for challenges as well. I can remember a challenge to memorize Philippians (I got a chapter and a half) and one to read Romans as many times as possible in a quarter (I think I got 12). Around New Year's lots of people take on the challenge to read the Bible through. Some do. Many don't. I think it's because they lack they passion for the challenge.

How do you find that passion to persevere? What do you like now? The writing and running challenges were extensions of what I like to do, what I'm already doing. Where are your gifts and interests? Are you a prayer warrior? Maybe a prayer walk challenge or a commitment to pray for specific people or situations is your kind of challenge. Are you the card-sending or the phone-call-making type? Perhaps reaching out to others that way is for you. Are you the hospitable type? Think about challenging yourself to invite new folks over or take goodies to them.

Some spiritual challenges are more internal, more personal. Sometimes God impresses on us things to change, areas we need to focus on. For me, I want greater intimacy with God. I feel like my relationship with Him is very formal and I want to develop a close, worshipful boldness with Him, if that makes sense. So I'm reading and studying in those areas, and listening for that nudge when I come across things I need confess or change.

What challenges have you taken on? How did you do? Any new challenges?

I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: challenge, NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month

Merry Christmas!

By Paula

Merry Christmas!

I'm taking a break from blogging for a few days. I'll see you on December 28th with a new study tip. Until then- have a blessed Christmas that's filled with family, love, wonder and hope.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Christmas

Vacation

By Paula

Arches NP A rare Wednesday post, I know. We left bright and early this morning, headed for Denver for my niece's wedding then on to Canyonlands, Arches, Mesa Verde and Dinosaur National Monument (not necessarily in that order).

It's been years since we've had a family vacation, but thanks to the wonders of technology, everything should click along here just like I'd never left.

Catch you in ten days or so!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

STT: Seeing in Greek

By Paula

English is a tremendous language with rich shades of meaning in its words. However, there are a few occasions in Scripture where we miss out because we’re reading in English. One of those passages is John 20 where the discovery of the empty tomb is described. The word “see” or one of its form is repeated several times. However, there is much more going on in the Greek.

If you have your handy-dandy Strong’s or some other Greek reference, and read verse 1 you find out that Mary Magdalene “saw” the stone removed. The word is blep? and it means to look at (literally or figuratively), behold, look (on, to), perceive, regard, see, take heed. Strong calls it a voluntary observation.

In verse 5, John does the same thing. He looked in and “saw” the linen clothes lying there. Same Greek word.

In verse 6, Peter arrives and he checks things out. His word is the?re? It means to be a spectator, look at, behold, to view attentively, take a view of, survey, to view mentally, consider. Peter examines things, inspects them and begins to process the information he’s taking in.

Then in verse 9, John has another turn. John followed Peter’s example, examined things, especially everything neatly folded and in order and he “saw” and believed. His word is eido. He perceived with his eyes and understood the implications of what he saw. (Granted, John helps us out a little by supplying the words “and believed” so we know he ‘got’ it.) John had a light bulb moment. He’s not quite there yet, though, because he and Peter go home.

Mary is still hanging around, however, and in verse 12, she sees an angel at the tomb. This is the?re?. In verse 14, she sees Jesus Himself. Same the?re? kind of seeing. The risen Christ speaks to her and she recognizes Him. Jesus sends her to tell His disciples.

In verse 18, she runs to tell them she saw the Lord. She gets a whole new Greek word- horao which means to become acquainted with by experience, to experience. Strong goes on to say this word implies that it’s something remarkable. It has an idea of wide-eyed wonder. So the boys “saw” it, maybe even comprehended it, but Mary “got” it.

May God grant us all a new grasp on the wonder and miracle that is Easter.

If you have your handy-dandy Strong’s or some other Greek reference, and read verse 1 you find out that Mary Magdalene “saw” the stone removed. The word is blep? and it means to look at (literally or figuratively), behold, look (on, to), perceive, regard, see, take heed. Strong calls it a voluntary observation.

In verse 5, John does the same thing. He looked in and “saw” the linen clothes lying there. Same Greek word.

In verse 6, Peter arrives and he checks things out. His word is the?re?. It means to be a spectator, look at, behold, to view attentively, take a view of, survey, to view mentally, consider. Peter examines things, inspects them and begins to process the information he’s taking in.

Then in verse 9, John has another turn. John followed Peter’s example, examined things, especially everything neatly folded and in order and he “saw” and believed. His word is eido. He perceived with his eyes and understood the implications of what he saw. John had a light bulb moment. He’s not quite there yet, though, because he and Peter go home.

Mary is still hanging around, however, and in verse 12, she sees an angel at the tomb. This is the?re?. In verse 14, she sees Jesus Himself. Same the?re? kind of seeing. The risen Christ speaks to her and she recognizes Him. Jesus sends her to tell His disciples.

In verse 18, she runs to tell them she saw the Lord. She gets a whole new Greek word- horao which means to become acquainted with by experience, to experience. Strong goes on to say this word implies that it’s something remarkable. It has an idea of wide-eyed wonder. So the boys “saw” it, maybe even comprehended it, but Mary “got” it.

May God grant us all a new grasp on the wonder and miracle that is Easter.

Filed Under: Study Tip Tuesday, Uncategorized Tagged With: Bible study, Easter, Gospel of John, John, Mary Magdalene, Peter

Letting it go

By Paula

Not long after crossing the Red Sea, Moses met up with his father-in-law, Jethro. Jethro observed how Moses ran things and offered some advice.

“The next day, Moses took his seat to hear the people’s disputes against each other. They waited before him from morning till evening. When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What are you really accomplishing here? Why are you trying to do all this alone while everyone stands around you from morning till evening?”[...] “This is not good!” Moses’ father-in-law exclaimed.

“You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself.”

He went on to suggest that Moses appoint trustworthy men to judge the lesser disputes, leaving only to major ones for Moses to deal with personally.

Letting go is one of the toughest things for us to do, especially if it’s a ministry, or something else noble and worthwhile. We get personally invested. It becomes part of us. It becomes the way others identify us. We never notice when it sucks the life out of us.

We are finite human beings with a limited amount of time, energy and attention. We also have an extreme desire to make the most out of that. However, I think we have a tendency to read “do all for the GLORY OF GOD” as “DO ALL for the glory of God.” God never told us we had to do it all. He did say to work for His kingdom and not our own.

How do you tell when or what to quit? I discussed that briefly here.

Reasons to let go-

Personal and spiritual health – Who was in better shape spiritually? Mary or Martha? Mary was accused of being lazy, but she knew what she was doing and Jesus confirmed that.

Others’ growth – As long as Moses took acre of everything himself, there was no opportunity for anyone else to grow as a leader.

Focus – Just because you CAN doesn’t mean you HAVE TO. Stick to the things only YOU can do. (And no, that’s not everything… See #2)

Not long after crossing the Red Sea, Moses met up with his father-in-law, Jethro. Jethro observed how Moses ran things and offered some advice.

He went on to suggest that Moses appoint trustworthy men to judge the lesser disputes, leaving only to major ones for Moses to deal with personally.

How do you tell when or what to quit? I discussed that briefly here.

Reasons to let go-

Personal and spiritual health – Who was in better shape spiritually? Mary or Martha? Mary was accused of being lazy, but she knew what she was doing and Jesus confirmed that.
Others’ growth – As long as Moses took acre of everything himself, there was no opportunity for anyone else to grow as a leader.
Focus – Just because you CAN doesn’t mean you HAVE TO. Stick to the things only YOU can do. (And no, that’s not everything… See #2)

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: busyness, Exodus, Moses