The Lost Ring

    I enjoy stories, whether true or fictional. Here is a real story that happened to me: one day I was at soccer coaching. My goalkeeper needed to step out for a minute for a break during a short sided game. I stepped in and tried to take my purity ring off before I got a fat finger from a shot. 

   As I was pulling the ring off, one of the girls took a shot. I dove for it and was pulled into the game. Once my keeper was good to come back in, I stepped out. Then I went to touch my ring finger and realized my ring was not there. One of my players noticed I seemed preoccupied and asked me what was wrong. I told her I lost my ring. She said, "oh no! We will help you look for it." 

   After practice was over, I started looking for the ring. I looked in my bag first, to be sure I did not leave it in there. Then I went to the goal. Looking at the place where I had to dive to make a save, I found the ring! 

   The girl who was helping me look was so happy we found it, and so was I. This is a very simple event that occurred in my life, but it had a profound connection to the Bible.

   In Luke 15, Jesus tells of three parables. One of the lost sheep, where a shepherd leaves his 99 sheep to find 1 that was lost. The next of a woman who lost 1 of her 10 silver coins. When she finds it, she rejoices. The last about a son who asked for his inheritance early, left home, squandered his inheritance, went back home, and the father accepted him back into his household.

   If I were to ask you what these stories have in common, you would probably be able to guess easily: things that were lost then found. They seem like simple stories but if you have ever lost something you cared for, you know how good it feels to find it. 

   In the same way, God rejoices when one of his children was lost and becomes found. When I lost my ring, the player asked me if I was sentimental. I told her a bit, but the truth was I had that ring since high school (for 10 years). It was not worth much, but it was worth a lot to me. 

   That made me think about God. He is sentimental. He loves all of us and we are worth so much more than a ring. God does not want any of us to perish. He wants to give each of us a chance to join his family. That's how much he loves us. He loves us so much that he sent his son to die for us. It is amazing to think about.

   Think of a time you lost something, then found it. How did you feel? Are you lost right now, and God is calling you to him? If you have been found by God, how can you help those who are lost be found?

 

How You Relax

    One day I was doing a devotional for the LBC Women's Soccer Team about stress. I talked about how we all relax in different ways. Some people read. Others watch TV. While others, who are much more devoted than I, may go for a run. It doesn't matter how you do it, but everyone needs to relax at some point or run the risk of burning out.

   During the devotional I asked the girls how they combat stress, or what they do to relax. There were many of the typical answers then one girl said "Jesus." The coach thought she said "cheese." This misunderstanding made everyone laugh. 

   The truth is that Jesus is a good answer for this question. He even encouraged his followers to relax. Mark 6:31 says: "And he said to them, 'Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.' For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat." Jesus recognized that needed to rest. Yet, if you look at this passage in context, this is where Jesus feeds the 5,000. He wanted to rest but he did not let his wants get in the way of an opportunity the Lord gave him.

   Finding a balance of completing the mission God has given you and resting is vital. There will be times we really want to rest but an opportunity comes up. We must be willing to sacrifice as Jesus did. We also must be smart about resting when we have time.

   So, are you resting when you need to/have time to? Are you looking for opportunities to spread the Good News?

Zombies Among Us

    One time I was on a bus ride with my team, and we were playing a game of would you rather. One question came up about the zombie apocalypse. Now, of course, being Christians, we don't believe in zombies for real. But the girls were trying to decide who they would want to go through the apocalypse with.

   This scenario got me thinking about zombies. Did you know there are zombies among us? Not the gross ones you are thinking of. I'm talking about the fact that according to the Bible we live in a sinful world. We are dead in our sin. Thus, we are the walking dead. Unless that fact changes at some point in our lives, we will die and go to hell.

   But there's good news, we can live again. Romans 6:4 says, "We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." If we accept that we are sinners, confess our sins, and believe that Jesus died for them then Jesus is our savior. We are alive in him. No longer the walking dead, but alive! It is amazing to think about.

   So, are you dead or alive? If you are dead, I encourage you to learn how you can truly live in Christ (read the book of Luke). If you are alive in Christ, how are you spreading the gospel so others can live in Christ?

 

Multiplying

    While in school, I did well in most subjects. I enjoyed reading and social studies as I liked stories and learning about other people's lives. My least favorite subject was probably math. I did well enough in it, but I did not enjoy having to learn all the formulas and such. Math is important as God created it and it tells us things about him and the world. But there's one area of math that is very important: multiplying

   Why multiplying? One of the most well-known verses in the Bible is the great commission. It tells us to go into the world and make disciples. We, as Christians, are called to multiply. We are to spread the good news of the gospel to others so the body of Christ can grow. Just think if you spread the news to one person, one becomes two. Then if you both share the good news, two becomes four. Then four becomes eight and so on. That's how the body grows by making disciples.

   But it does not end there. If we don't continue to get into the word and grow in God, then we are in danger of dividing. I've heard and seen many people who leave the church over arguments, offense, or just because they felt like they didn't belong. Would that happen if we were in the word and believed what God said? It may still happen because of the devil, but I think it would be less likely. It is vital that we guard ourselves against division. Yes, we may disagree on certain things. But, as Christians, we can all agree about what Jesus did for us on the cross and that he is Lord and Savior.

   So, are you doing as you are called and trying to multiply God's kingdom? Are you in danger of division at church?

Changing Seasons

    One day I was listening to a podcast and the speaker was talking about how God doesn't call us to be safe. I got to thinking about that and I thought about all the events of the Bible and the people who lived through those events. Most of the time those people were not safe in whatever situation they were in; at least they were not safe according to the way of the world.

   Then I thought about how sometimes I crave adventure. How I get tired of the mundaneness of life. And then I remember times when I was asked to do something new. When I was asked to do something uncomfortable, I got scared. I was scared because that new thing was unsafe. 

   Here's the thing: we are not called to be safe, but we are safe in what God calls us to do. It's an incredible balance where we need to not let the season of life, we are in get to us. There will be times where we are thrust into action and there will be times where we are bored. The choice we have is what we do in those seasons.

   If you are in a season of mundane, you can ask God if this is where he wants you. If he has something more for you, or if this is where you are meant to be. Sometimes God asks us to just be. To do the typical routine and that's enough because you are working for him in that season.

   If you are in a season of adventure, you can continue talking with God to ensure you are in his will. You can call on him for help. You can know that with him on your side, even if the adventure gets scary, he is with you and will not let you fall.

   So, what season are you in right now? How can you trust God no matter what season you are in?

Home: Encanto Series

    If I were to ask you where is the place where you are most comfortable in the whole world, what would you say? I am sure many of you would say: your home. Home is the place in the world where you have the most control. You decide what it looks like, what you eat, when you do things, etc. The writer of the song "Colombia, Mi Encanto" talks about how he loves his home in the last song in the movie Encanto.

   We probably love our homes too. We love how home reminds us of family, warmth, love, and so much more. Yet, for some, home doesn't bring up these feelings. For some people home brings up hurt feelings, pain, and sorrow. Others have never had a place where they call home.

   Whichever camp you land in, I have good news for you. Wherever you think of when you hear the word home on earth isn't your real home. In John 14:2 Jesus tells us "In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?" Our home is not on this earth. Our home is in heaven.

   When we feel out of place, lonely sad, scared, etc. We can have hope in God. God loved us so much that he wanted to be with us. He sent his son to die for us so we could be home with him.

   So, as we close this series, I encourage you to remember that we can see God in all things on earth (whether in depravity or in creativity). I encourage you to think about where you are headed when you die. Where is your home? How can you help others get home?

 

We Are All Loved: Encanto Series

    There are times we feel like we are not special or unique. But God made us all different. He made us all for a purpose. This is what the song "All of You" is about in Encanto. Mirabel is the only member of her family without a special gift. Yet, she still works hard to help her family.

   Mirabel may not have a gift that seems like a superpower, but she does have a gift. Actually, she has multiple gifts. She is an encourager, she's creative, she's loving, caring, strong, and so much more. Without her, the family would have cracked under pressure and lost the miracle. She reminded them that they were all special and loved even without their gifts from the miracle.

   1 Peter 4:20 says: "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." Because of God's grace and love, we are saved. He wants none to perish and he lets us be a part of his story. He gives us unique gifts and missions so that all may come to know him. 

   This means that not only are we unique and have gifts but anyone we meet is as well. God loves everyone and that's what we are called to do as well. We are to celebrate our differences and love others no matter what they do or say. That's the serving part in 1 Peter 4:20. We are not given gifts to glorify ourselves. We are given gifts to reflect God's glory.

   So, are you showing love to others? Are you using your gifts to reflect God's glory? How can you show love today?