My grandfather passed away over the weekend. As I process my family's loss, I can't help but think of how much we actually gained over the years from this ever-flowing fountain of love, wisdom and service embodied in Luther C. Curtis, Sr.
He truly was a "grand" daddy--with his muscular physique, chiseled not by a personal trainer but by old-fashioned tough outdoor work; a broad, radiant ebony face accented with round cheeks and a warm smile that underscored a twinkle in his eyes; a strong mind full of wisdom gained through mistakes as well as successes, and a peace that came from keeping his mind "stayed on Jesus"; a compassionate heart, always thinking of ways to serve others; and big, strong hands that were reminiscent of bear paws, (especially to the mosquitos and flies that he would eliminate with one sweeping swat of his mighty hand!) but were used to lovingly embrace and encourage us with a hearty pat on the back.
This grand man has gone on to glory. It is the way of life. Like many of us, he had some rough moments in the beginning, but after more than 80 years of living, he had clearly won his crown of righteousness. I know that he is wearing it well!
One day we, too, will be finished with this life and we will either transition into beautiful scenes of glory, or into scenes that are horribly gory. The choice is ours.
Hopefully we will take advantage of the blessing of life God has given us--lives that were purchased with Jesus Christ's own blood--and view each moment as the precious, yet fragile gift that it truly is.
What will be said about us when we pass on? Will the pastor have to "look to the hills, from whence cometh his help...?" to try to scrounge up something to say about us? Or, are we expressing our gratitude to God for this life with attitudes and actions that will make it easy for people to give God the glory for a life well-lived instead of a life that was just...well...lived-- without ever being made fully alive through God's power and purpose?
If we are still alive on this side of glory, it means there is more that God requires of us, regardless of our age or stage of life. Today, as you read this message, take it as a message from the Lord calling you to seek His face so that while you yet live, you can rise above the stresses of life and press on, knowing that this life is only temporary and God is still in control. Let today's message prompt you be so steadfast and unmoveable in your faith, that even on your deathbed, you will be able to simply close your eyes and smile as my grandfather did, and ease on into glory! That's my definition of a life well-lived!
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
A weekly posting of encouraging and challenging thoughts about life from Rev. Karen W. Curry, a pastor's wife and mother of two who is also --in her "spare time"-- a dynamic preacher, teacher, motivational speaker, facilitator, writer, reviewer, poet, MC, liturgical dance/drama consultant and storyteller. Contact Rev. Karen at BNcouraged247@msn.com to speak at your next service or retreat.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
"Obey Your Thirst"--I Like the Spirit in You
"Obey Your Thirst!" is the tagline for a series of ads touting the lemon-lime refreshment of Sprite. The sub theme is, "I Like the Sprite in You!"
If we follow along with the line of reasoning touted by these ads, we will soon become believers--that Sprite's sweet, sparkling effervescence will permanently and pleasingly placate our parched palates.
At any given point, we can find ourselves thirsting for something, but contrary to the clever commercials, sometimes it's far beyond what anything made from lemon, lime, carbonated water or sugar could ever quench. In John 4:7 we read the story about a woman who went out to draw water from a well and experienced a life-changing encounter with Jesus, the living water.
Jesus said to her, "If you knew the gift of God...you would have asked of Him, and He would have given you living water." He then went on to explain in John 4:13-14,"Whoever drinks of this (well) water shall thirst again: But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."
Now, if you get a little Sprite in you, you may experience some bubbling in your throat and a tickling in your nose. But when you get the Spirit in you, as in Holy Spirit, that's when you experience the "springing up into everlasting life" that bubbles deep down in the essence of you where liquids can't even begin to touch!
Thirst is a powerful and demanding drive that can be delayed but never totally denied. At some point, we indeed must obey our thirst. The challenge is finding a way to quench our thirst without compromising critical functions. Too much sugary soda, for instance, will result in cavities, sugar imbalances, weight gain, and other problems.
We crave and thirst for love, attention and affirmation but seek physical outlets for what are actually internal/spiritual thirsts. We find out -- sometimes the hard way-- that there's not enough sex, drugs, and rock and roll (or shopping) to ever satisfy that deep down thirst within each of us to discover and walk in our purpose in life.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:6, "Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled." What a notion! A thirst that can actually be filled! When we desire to know God's Word and His awesome plans for us as deeply as we desire food and water, we will experience a sense of satisfaction unmatched by anything physical.
Too many of us have overindulged the physical and malnourished the spirit, forgetting that we are mind, body and spirit--tripart beings created in the image of a triune God.
So, if you were willing to trust the Sprite commercials, why not give the Spirit a try? The next time you hit a dry patch in your life, go ahead, obey your thirst. And guess what? God's already written a great tagline for what He's offering, "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!" (Ps. 34:8)
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
If we follow along with the line of reasoning touted by these ads, we will soon become believers--that Sprite's sweet, sparkling effervescence will permanently and pleasingly placate our parched palates.
At any given point, we can find ourselves thirsting for something, but contrary to the clever commercials, sometimes it's far beyond what anything made from lemon, lime, carbonated water or sugar could ever quench. In John 4:7 we read the story about a woman who went out to draw water from a well and experienced a life-changing encounter with Jesus, the living water.
Jesus said to her, "If you knew the gift of God...you would have asked of Him, and He would have given you living water." He then went on to explain in John 4:13-14,"Whoever drinks of this (well) water shall thirst again: But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."
Now, if you get a little Sprite in you, you may experience some bubbling in your throat and a tickling in your nose. But when you get the Spirit in you, as in Holy Spirit, that's when you experience the "springing up into everlasting life" that bubbles deep down in the essence of you where liquids can't even begin to touch!
Thirst is a powerful and demanding drive that can be delayed but never totally denied. At some point, we indeed must obey our thirst. The challenge is finding a way to quench our thirst without compromising critical functions. Too much sugary soda, for instance, will result in cavities, sugar imbalances, weight gain, and other problems.
We crave and thirst for love, attention and affirmation but seek physical outlets for what are actually internal/spiritual thirsts. We find out -- sometimes the hard way-- that there's not enough sex, drugs, and rock and roll (or shopping) to ever satisfy that deep down thirst within each of us to discover and walk in our purpose in life.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:6, "Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled." What a notion! A thirst that can actually be filled! When we desire to know God's Word and His awesome plans for us as deeply as we desire food and water, we will experience a sense of satisfaction unmatched by anything physical.
Too many of us have overindulged the physical and malnourished the spirit, forgetting that we are mind, body and spirit--tripart beings created in the image of a triune God.
So, if you were willing to trust the Sprite commercials, why not give the Spirit a try? The next time you hit a dry patch in your life, go ahead, obey your thirst. And guess what? God's already written a great tagline for what He's offering, "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!" (Ps. 34:8)
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Arch Rivals
Arch rivalries have always existed, from Cain and Abel, to the Hatfields and the McCoys, to Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote, to the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys.
No matter who the arch rivals are, the core of the rivalry stems from a disagreement in approach or belief, or simply from an opposite stance in which one rival is clearly and firmly on one side of the line and the other rival is clearly and firmly on the other side.
Every day, we have two arch rivals positioning themselves to be THE one that guides our responses to life's challenges. Those two age-old rivals, diehard foes who couldn't be more opposite, are none other than Prayer and Worry.
An old saying goes, "If you're going to pray, don't worry. And, if you're going to worry, don't pray." We have to choose one. And, once we choose one, we negate the other.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 we are told to "pray without ceasing." If we really do that, there is no room or time for worry. 1 Peter 5:7 talks about "casting our cares on Him, for He cares for us." That means we cast our cares on the Lord, like a fisherman casts a line out into the water, except that, once we cast the line we let go of the pole.
Worry is like letting go of the line, but insisting on holding on to the pole--tightly. As long as we keep holding on, we are going to be preoccupied with how long it takes to see anything move, how well someone else appears to be doing, and what we expect to see on the other end of the line.
Prayer involves trust and faith--trust that God hears and is able to respond, and faith that God will always do what's best for us, even if it doesn't look or feel so good at the time.
I, like many of us, still struggle with completely letting go of something once I give it to God. I keep wanting to check in with God and ask, "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" But, I know that when I think that way, I'm letting worry dominate. That's when I remind myself that whatever it is I have prayed about is no longer my issue--it's God's issue. If it was cast onto Him, that means I don't have it anymore!
When Worry tries to rear its ugly head, just call on its arch rival, Prayer. Remember, Prayer and Worry are rivals, not equals. Worry can only frustrate, not dominate. Prayer is the guaranteed winner every time, especially when you partner it with Patience. When Prayer and Patience team up, Worry doesn't stand a prayer! So, keep praying!
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
No matter who the arch rivals are, the core of the rivalry stems from a disagreement in approach or belief, or simply from an opposite stance in which one rival is clearly and firmly on one side of the line and the other rival is clearly and firmly on the other side.
Every day, we have two arch rivals positioning themselves to be THE one that guides our responses to life's challenges. Those two age-old rivals, diehard foes who couldn't be more opposite, are none other than Prayer and Worry.
An old saying goes, "If you're going to pray, don't worry. And, if you're going to worry, don't pray." We have to choose one. And, once we choose one, we negate the other.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 we are told to "pray without ceasing." If we really do that, there is no room or time for worry. 1 Peter 5:7 talks about "casting our cares on Him, for He cares for us." That means we cast our cares on the Lord, like a fisherman casts a line out into the water, except that, once we cast the line we let go of the pole.
Worry is like letting go of the line, but insisting on holding on to the pole--tightly. As long as we keep holding on, we are going to be preoccupied with how long it takes to see anything move, how well someone else appears to be doing, and what we expect to see on the other end of the line.
Prayer involves trust and faith--trust that God hears and is able to respond, and faith that God will always do what's best for us, even if it doesn't look or feel so good at the time.
I, like many of us, still struggle with completely letting go of something once I give it to God. I keep wanting to check in with God and ask, "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" But, I know that when I think that way, I'm letting worry dominate. That's when I remind myself that whatever it is I have prayed about is no longer my issue--it's God's issue. If it was cast onto Him, that means I don't have it anymore!
When Worry tries to rear its ugly head, just call on its arch rival, Prayer. Remember, Prayer and Worry are rivals, not equals. Worry can only frustrate, not dominate. Prayer is the guaranteed winner every time, especially when you partner it with Patience. When Prayer and Patience team up, Worry doesn't stand a prayer! So, keep praying!
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
The Spirit is Willing, But the Flesh....
My husband and I, along with another couple from our church, recently attended a conference on Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.
We were all fresh from completing an intense bible study based on the subject-- one which none of us had even heard of before this year--and were overjoyed to meet the powerfully humble authors/practitioners/presenters of this life-changing book/ministry/conference on what is affectionately referred to as EHS, or Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.
I've mentioned the title of the conference twice now, and I am sure that many of you are anxiously awaiting my explanation of EHS. Well, I will not hold you in suspense any longer.... EHS is....beyond simple explanation! It simply must be experienced!
With that being said, what I discovered is that we can be spiritually strong, but so emotionally wounded or immature that our spiritual strength is diluted at best, and at worst, downright dangerous.
We've seen examples of this all around us every time a noted pastor or minister is found to have had an "indescretion" or made some other egregious error that shocks us because we thought they appeared to be so spiritually grounded. Well, they might have been spiritually grounded-- with a head and heart that were buried underground by the weight of childhood traumas and crippling traditions.
A critical key to achieving EHS involves close examination of our families--our family of origin and the family of God. The more we know about both, the clearer the picture of our spiritual health (or lack of it) becomes. It also becomes clear that Emotional and Spiritual health are not multiple choice options--it's not "either...or", it's "both...and" if we are to truly be born-again.
When the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak due to feeding one and ignoring the other, there is disunity within the individual. This disunity creates an internal restlessness that manifests and masquerades itself in a variety of ways, including arrogance, impatience, anger, lust, greed.... Just fill in the blank with the issue of your choice.
Achieving a spirituality that is emotionally healthy involves a lot of honesty and self-disclosure, things that may sound daunting, but are actually quite liberating, especially when experienced in a safe environment like the one provided at the conference.
As I continue to digest all that God is revealing to me through EHS I invite you to come along on the journey, not as a spectator but as a participator. Start with the book, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero. Attend the conference. And, then, begin the somewhat intimidating but exciting exercise of wrestling with yourself and God over the reality of who you have become vs. who you were meant to be. You may find what I and the conference attendees from around the world discovered, the Spirit is willing, but the flesh...is a work in progress!
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
We were all fresh from completing an intense bible study based on the subject-- one which none of us had even heard of before this year--and were overjoyed to meet the powerfully humble authors/practitioners/presenters of this life-changing book/ministry/conference on what is affectionately referred to as EHS, or Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.
I've mentioned the title of the conference twice now, and I am sure that many of you are anxiously awaiting my explanation of EHS. Well, I will not hold you in suspense any longer.... EHS is....beyond simple explanation! It simply must be experienced!
With that being said, what I discovered is that we can be spiritually strong, but so emotionally wounded or immature that our spiritual strength is diluted at best, and at worst, downright dangerous.
We've seen examples of this all around us every time a noted pastor or minister is found to have had an "indescretion" or made some other egregious error that shocks us because we thought they appeared to be so spiritually grounded. Well, they might have been spiritually grounded-- with a head and heart that were buried underground by the weight of childhood traumas and crippling traditions.
A critical key to achieving EHS involves close examination of our families--our family of origin and the family of God. The more we know about both, the clearer the picture of our spiritual health (or lack of it) becomes. It also becomes clear that Emotional and Spiritual health are not multiple choice options--it's not "either...or", it's "both...and" if we are to truly be born-again.
When the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak due to feeding one and ignoring the other, there is disunity within the individual. This disunity creates an internal restlessness that manifests and masquerades itself in a variety of ways, including arrogance, impatience, anger, lust, greed.... Just fill in the blank with the issue of your choice.
Achieving a spirituality that is emotionally healthy involves a lot of honesty and self-disclosure, things that may sound daunting, but are actually quite liberating, especially when experienced in a safe environment like the one provided at the conference.
As I continue to digest all that God is revealing to me through EHS I invite you to come along on the journey, not as a spectator but as a participator. Start with the book, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero. Attend the conference. And, then, begin the somewhat intimidating but exciting exercise of wrestling with yourself and God over the reality of who you have become vs. who you were meant to be. You may find what I and the conference attendees from around the world discovered, the Spirit is willing, but the flesh...is a work in progress!
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
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