We had a guest speaker today (oh wait! My bulletin says "Special" speaker!) ha! some pac north wester named Jeffrey Portmann, (my pastor is from Seattle so we're used to foreigners.) The title of his message was, JUST JUMP. Funny because after speaking the last umpteen weeks in a row I was pretty excited to JUST SIT this morning! I'm what you might call a "tough crowd!"
*Side note: A few weeks ago I had a FB convo with some of my pastor friends that went something like this: PF: Have you read the book Radical? Me: I read part of it. PF: Oh yeah? Why didn't you finish it? Me: Umm.... it was a little too, well, RADICAL for me! He "lol'd" my comment, but others raised eyebrows. Evidently this wasn't an expected response from "ME," at least not the college ME so I had to think about who is ME?
The college ME had a missionary mentor slash vietnam vet who often "rallied" the troops by saying, "Are you willing to die for Jesus!?" To which I would lead the charge of saying, "YES!!!!!!!!!!!!" (The rest of the story is he then chastised us for complaining about our constant meals of beans and rice by saying, "You wouldn't die for Jesus, you won't even eat this bean for Jesus!") I'm realizing now that the older that I get the less RADICAL I'm willing to be. I used to hate speaking to adults, youth and young adults will willing follow to the hardest places of the earth without questioning, and in Braveheart fashion too. "Adults" have to check their calendars, put it in the budget, get vaccines, and need a plug in for their C-pap machine! They're practical and safe and there's nothing Braveheart about a C-pap machine! As I begin to fall into this "not so Braveheart" category, I justify it by saying, well Lord, I AM 36 years old. (Yeah, yeah, I've been admitting that more lately although the official answer is 29!!!!) But is it OKAY? To become practical and less RADICAL in my "old age!"??? I mean the things I need, desire, and EXPECT God to do for me are still RADICAL! Hmm? Sounds like an unbalanced relationship!
The "Special" speaker said, Just Jump!
Not foolishly or aimlessly (I guess practicality and vaccines are okay) He said, moments of solitude with God bring clarity. Better put more of those on my calendar bc some things are honestly unclear at the moment.
Take courage, because Jesus has extra. (Less liquid courage more Jesus courage!) check.
Peter's faith wasn't putting the 1st leg over it was putting the 2nd leg over! Touche'! I've become a keep one foot in boat and test the water kind of gal! Just Jump! (The college ME went head first!)
Even though Peter DID just jump, when He got to Jesus, "Jesus didn't chest bump him and say good job man!" He said, "Oh ye of little faith! Why did you doubt?!" Oh goodness, I don't want to be one who starts out in strong faith, who JUST JUMPS and then gets distracted or overwhelmed by the storm! Note to self: FIX YOUR EYES ON JESUS!
Random fact from the NW guy: "The quickest way to put out a fire is to separate the coals!" Huddle up with life giving friends! (I took this literally & had 2 lunches today with some of my best life giving friends, the first with Amy Luke and the 2nd with Lorena Holleman!) so CHECK! (For those of you concerned about my waistline, cough, MOM, I only ATE lunch ONCE!)
Last thing on my note card today: To go somewhere you've never been before you have to go past the place you normally stop! (Anybody know where my Radical book is? I guess I need to finish it because I stopped there!)
#thingsIlearnedatchurch
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