Blog
125,000 Leaders
Last week I attended the Chick-fil-A leadercast. It was a good day! I heard some smart, inspiring people and was served Chick-fil-A for lunch. Pretty near perfect.
There were around 125,000 people watching and listening.
But here’s why I may not get asked to speak at many leadership conferences … my thought as I left was, if 125,000 people had spent the day fasting, praying, reading their Bibles, seeking God, and discerning HIS wisdom for leading, there’s no telling what God would have done.
Summer Priorities
My son graduated from college over the weekend and my daughter moved home from school. So both my older kids are hanging around the house now, which I love (!), and my high schooler will be out of school in two weeks.
I say that to explain why I didn’t write a blog. I intended to. I told them I needed to. But they’re so fun! And if they want to be with me, I’m available.
A God Moment at the DMV
The DMV Challenge
Recently, I took my son to the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) to get his driver’s permit. All my experiences there have involved waiting a loooooong time, so I went with my arsenal - a book, a phone and an iPad.
Sure enough, we got there to find at least a two hour wait so we settled in for the afternoon. Eventually I glanced around curiously at the others in the room, and saw a man leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, reading a Bible. It was a small one that he could easily hold in one hand, and it looked well worn.
I smiled to myself at how nice it was to see a guy reading a Bible, and then went back to my own reading.
How Casually Can YOU Worship?
The Dilemma
I love mercy and grace just like you do. I, too, am grateful to live in that freedom rather than under the law. I prefer the new covenant to the old, for sure!
But I find myself not able to go as far with freedom as some people do. I don’t know if that makes me less or more mature than they are, but I just can’t do it.
I can’t eat and drink during the worship service. I can’t go to church barefoot. I won’t sit with my legs up on the pew criss crossed. I can’t wander in and out of the worship service whenever it’s convenient for me. I don’t let my boys wear hats in church. (Obviously, situations vary. This is my experience in my part of the world. When traveling, I adjust to where I am.)
Why can’t I do those things when so many other people can?
True Love
The pastor of a large church in America recently said that when people say they are Christians, he gives them the benefit of the doubt that they are. Regardless of their religious affiliation or how they live, if they claim Christianity, he believes them. They don’t have to prove anything to him.
He also said that 90% of Americans are Christians.
While this all sounds very generous and kind, it is flawed and dangerous.
Availability
I had an interesting experience last week that got me thinking. I had a morning appointment about an hour from home, then three hours of dead time before a second appointment. Although I had things to read and my iPad so I could write, I was feeling particularly social. I decided to call a friend who lived near the place I was going, to see if she wanted to grab coffee or lunch. Turns out she had an appointment during my free time so we agreed to meet in a few weeks when things slow down.
After my first appointment, God brought another friend to mind who lived not too far away, so I called her. She was already at the mall and then headed to a hair appointment. Rats.
