sabbath post: the wind-blown Spirit

So here I am, bedtime on a Wednesday night, just sitting down to my blog. I actually have a pile of ideas I'd like to expand on, but I'm trying to renew my commitment to getting appropriate rest. I just didn't have time for a thorough blog post this week, so I'm starting a new tradition of Sabbath posts so I can keep my commitment of Wednesday posts and also make sure I get enough sleep.

One of my favorite scriptures is John 3:8.

The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.

I like things to be linear, structured, and organized. This verse is not comforting to me. How can I figure out life when it just blows all over the place? And Jesus is telling me that's how it goes with people born of the Spirit?

I first started to actually enjoy this scripture when I started seriously considering God's calling on my life. It's not straightforward, there is no system or ten-step process to follow. We get the Spirit to follow, and the Spirit blows like the wind!

How does this verse inform your calling? Also, how are you getting some Sabbath rest lately?

Newsletter!

Well, I missed a post last week. If you haven't caught on, I'm doing my best to drop a new post every Wednesday evening. My excuse? I was working on my first newsletter! Inside, you'll find a brief version of my call story, a little about my work and what I'm learning, and a pretty spiffy banner, if I may be so bold. Yes, the color scheme is a little spastic, and green doesn't always look great on computers - I'll work on that for next time.

I hope you enjoy it and find a new connection with God through my story. If you'd like to get on my mailing list, just grab my email address from my "about" page and drop me a line.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Abba time

These days, I often don’t remember the entire gist of a message, but I do often take a memorable morsel with me. Neal gave a beautiful anecdote today in staff worship. He talked about how much he cherishes the time he gets to spend with his kids in the morning. He wakes up early and makes a hot breakfast for them, and they eat together in their breakfast nook, looking out over their backyard. This peaceful time is the beginning of the day, where afterwards the kids race off to school and recreation, and Dad off to work and business.

How much does God cherish the time we spend with him? God must be thrilled to sit down with God’s children, listen to our dreams and hopes, our thoughts and feelings, and our fears and doubts. What a wonderful time to be connected and centered before being sent into the world for the day!

Sometimes when I pray, I almost consider it some kind of obligation, especially before I head out to work in the morning. It has become part of my routine. Routines are great when you want to make sure you do something important, but routines can also become mechanical and lifeless – just going through the motions.

Routines go in seasons for me. I need the structure, but I also need variety within that structure to maintain vitality. Messages and realizations like today’s renew my mind, resurrecting life from lifeless places. Why do I do this prayer thing every morning? Oh, yeah!

What ways do you keep your sacred time with God vital? I’d love to hear them!