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Five days into my 40-day commitment to give up TV and to make growing in my relationship with God my #1 priority all day every day and my head is spinning! The spiritual lessons are coming so fast that I need to sort it all out before I can share them with any clarity. Will post more on this later.
One thing I can say with certainty is that I never realized how much valuable time I was wasting each week mindlessly sitting in front of a TV. The first couple of days were tough because turning on the TV is such a deeply ingrained habit but, in less than a week, I realize I rarely think about it anymore. I hope you will consider joining me in this challenge. The rewards are amazing!
The first night without TV I used a link provided by my son and daughter-in-law to access an online sermon posted on their church's website. Wow! Just the message I needed to hear. (They know me so well!) This sermon provided some practical advice that I truly needed to apply to my life.
I can honestly say that right now I am experiencing a lightness of soul and freedom from striving that I have not enjoyed for months. I am focusing solely on staying connected to Jesus (The Vine) and becoming a conduit of nourishment for others rather than trying to produce the nourishment myself. How liberating!
For some illogical reason, I keep sliding back into my old habits of focusing on productivity instead of connectivity. In case you struggle with the same issues, here is a link to the sermon http://bit.ly/12mdej . This message is part of the Amnesia Series: Who Am I?
Description: Often, in everyday life, Christians forget that our identity is in Christ. We take it on as our own responsibility, putting it on ourselves, and the burden is too much for us to bear. Listen online to re-discover your true identity.
The sermon I referenced above is Week 3: Abider Not A Producer. I pray that the truth of this message impacts your life as much as it has mine. For me, it was like stumbling into an oasis after a long hot trek through the desert. Enjoy!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Portrait of a Broken Mind
Michael has posted the music referenced in my post: Marked For Life 09/14/09 on his website at http://bit.ly/MichaelsMusic . The piece is titled "Portrait of a Broken Mind" and is listed under the Acoustic Music section on the right. Take a listen and let him know what you think. I know it would mean a lot to him. Many blessings to you and your family!
Monday, September 14, 2009
I Think I Finally Got "It"!
Yesterday, I attended a worship service at North Rock Hill Church with my son and daughter-in-law. Every time I visit, I am reminded how much I love this wonderful fellowship of believers in Rock Hill, SC!
The message delivered by pastor Chris Ruppe resonated in my heart and convicted me about my priorities. Although I felt confident I was walking on the right path because my efforts were focused on my ministry for the Lord, something didn’t feel right. I found myself sacrificing valuable time with my family, my friends, my business, and worse yet - my time alone with God in a determined attempt to satisfy the expectations of those in the publishing industry.
Despite my best intentions, I had once again fallen into the “striving, competing, build a platform for yourself” trap that insidiously finds its way even into the world of Christian publishing. As time progressed, I was becoming increasingly uncomfortable because my activities were feeling less like a way to share Jesus, and more like a familiar ride on the old gerbil wheel.
I have been praying for direction for weeks and finally God has opened my eyes to the obvious. Beginning today, I am taking it back to the basics. I do my job – reveling in my relationship with Him while writing and speaking His praises to others. And He does His job – opening doors and creating opportunities for people to hear!
To ensure I stay on the right track, I am participating in a daily devotion on this topic. Plus I have accepted a 40-day challenge to give up a time-consuming activity I enjoy and use the time to focus on the Kingdom of God rather than pursuing my own agenda and asking Him to bless it! The activity I’m giving up? TV!
I confess this may be difficult at first because I enjoy relaxing with programs like The Cleaner on A & E (note the redemptive value!) but I am confident the rewards of drawing nearer to my Savior will be well worth it!
My devotional study for today helped me to realize that I’ve been behaving as though everything depends on me, rather than acknowledging that everything depends upon God.
Today’s lesson from John 6:1-14 reminded me of a quote I heard (on TV!) a few days ago: “That voice in your head (spurring you to relentless effort) isn’t your conscience – it’s your ego.”
So, what’s driving you? Do you really believe that God is in control of every aspect of your life? Are you focused solely on pleasing Him or are you running as fast as you can while pursuing your own agenda and getting nowhere?
If you want to join me on this journey, I will post the triumphs and challenges that occur along the way right here. Use the comment option below to let me know how you are doing and we will walk through this learning experience together!
The message delivered by pastor Chris Ruppe resonated in my heart and convicted me about my priorities. Although I felt confident I was walking on the right path because my efforts were focused on my ministry for the Lord, something didn’t feel right. I found myself sacrificing valuable time with my family, my friends, my business, and worse yet - my time alone with God in a determined attempt to satisfy the expectations of those in the publishing industry.
Despite my best intentions, I had once again fallen into the “striving, competing, build a platform for yourself” trap that insidiously finds its way even into the world of Christian publishing. As time progressed, I was becoming increasingly uncomfortable because my activities were feeling less like a way to share Jesus, and more like a familiar ride on the old gerbil wheel.
I have been praying for direction for weeks and finally God has opened my eyes to the obvious. Beginning today, I am taking it back to the basics. I do my job – reveling in my relationship with Him while writing and speaking His praises to others. And He does His job – opening doors and creating opportunities for people to hear!
To ensure I stay on the right track, I am participating in a daily devotion on this topic. Plus I have accepted a 40-day challenge to give up a time-consuming activity I enjoy and use the time to focus on the Kingdom of God rather than pursuing my own agenda and asking Him to bless it! The activity I’m giving up? TV!
I confess this may be difficult at first because I enjoy relaxing with programs like The Cleaner on A & E (note the redemptive value!) but I am confident the rewards of drawing nearer to my Savior will be well worth it!
My devotional study for today helped me to realize that I’ve been behaving as though everything depends on me, rather than acknowledging that everything depends upon God.
Today’s lesson from John 6:1-14 reminded me of a quote I heard (on TV!) a few days ago: “That voice in your head (spurring you to relentless effort) isn’t your conscience – it’s your ego.”
So, what’s driving you? Do you really believe that God is in control of every aspect of your life? Are you focused solely on pleasing Him or are you running as fast as you can while pursuing your own agenda and getting nowhere?
If you want to join me on this journey, I will post the triumphs and challenges that occur along the way right here. Use the comment option below to let me know how you are doing and we will walk through this learning experience together!
Marked for Life
September 13, 2009 contained one of the those “Marker Moments” in life that changed something inside me so completely I will forever remember the day as life before and life after…
My sons were always extremely close. And when Stephen was alive, he played an integral role in Michael’s interest in music composition – both as a source of inspiration and as an advisor.
Yesterday afternoon, I had the privilege of sitting in a recital hall at Winthrop University as an ensemble of professional musicians (piano, flute, clarinet, violin and cello led by a conductor) performed and recorded an original composition by Michael Dropps titled, “Portrait of a Broken Mind”.
This was the first time Michael’s music has been performed publicly and it was magnificent! The arrangement was particularly meaningful because it was a tribute he wrote for Stephen. Michael truly poured his heart into revealing Stephen’s soul through this piece and he nailed it. I could almost see Stephen sitting with us, his chin in his hand, nodding to the rhythm and wearing a huge grin.
As a mom, nothing could move me more than to see Michael completely engaged in the music he loves, to watch him advise the performers as they practiced the piece, to hear their positive comments about his work, to observe how much his wife Jessica loves him and supports his dreams, and to know that Stephen continues to live on through Michael’s obedience to the call God has placed on his life.
I wish I could have frozen the moment and lived in it forever – it was that good! And when I consider the spectacular series of events that God orchestrated to make this event a reality, I am once again stunned by His power, His grace, and His love for us.
For more information, check out Michael’s website at www.michaeldropps.com. I expect him to have photos and audio posted shortly!
Once again, I have witnessed evidence that when we are where we are supposed to be, using our passions as God intended, all of heaven sings!
Do you know the wonder of living in the purpose that God intended for your life? That place where all of your gifts, passions, and experiences combine to bring glory to your Creator? I would love to hear about your experiences! Take a minute and leave a comment below.
If you’ve never known this power, let me hear from you as well. I’d love to point you toward the source that can fill your life with direction and meaning. You can’t even imagine how good your life can be!
My sons were always extremely close. And when Stephen was alive, he played an integral role in Michael’s interest in music composition – both as a source of inspiration and as an advisor.
Yesterday afternoon, I had the privilege of sitting in a recital hall at Winthrop University as an ensemble of professional musicians (piano, flute, clarinet, violin and cello led by a conductor) performed and recorded an original composition by Michael Dropps titled, “Portrait of a Broken Mind”.
This was the first time Michael’s music has been performed publicly and it was magnificent! The arrangement was particularly meaningful because it was a tribute he wrote for Stephen. Michael truly poured his heart into revealing Stephen’s soul through this piece and he nailed it. I could almost see Stephen sitting with us, his chin in his hand, nodding to the rhythm and wearing a huge grin.
As a mom, nothing could move me more than to see Michael completely engaged in the music he loves, to watch him advise the performers as they practiced the piece, to hear their positive comments about his work, to observe how much his wife Jessica loves him and supports his dreams, and to know that Stephen continues to live on through Michael’s obedience to the call God has placed on his life.
I wish I could have frozen the moment and lived in it forever – it was that good! And when I consider the spectacular series of events that God orchestrated to make this event a reality, I am once again stunned by His power, His grace, and His love for us.
For more information, check out Michael’s website at www.michaeldropps.com. I expect him to have photos and audio posted shortly!
Once again, I have witnessed evidence that when we are where we are supposed to be, using our passions as God intended, all of heaven sings!
Do you know the wonder of living in the purpose that God intended for your life? That place where all of your gifts, passions, and experiences combine to bring glory to your Creator? I would love to hear about your experiences! Take a minute and leave a comment below.
If you’ve never known this power, let me hear from you as well. I’d love to point you toward the source that can fill your life with direction and meaning. You can’t even imagine how good your life can be!
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