This weekend the message at LifeChurch.tv was all about losing your faith. Very powerful, extremely timely, and resulted in 7 salvations at the Owasso campus and 88 recommitments! Praise God. That's remarkable enough...but there's more to this blog.
Sunday afternoon I witnessed my Dad being ordained as a deacon at New Heart Fellowship. This was a very special time, and I will blog about it later so it gets the attention it deserves. But after the ordination ceremony, we went for ice cream and my Dad shared about the church services that morning. He said that instead of preaching the message that was prepared, the pastor felt strongly that he needed to challenge everyone about their faith and knew that there were a number of people attending who needed to begin a relationshp with Christ that very day. Of course, every altar call has urgency included - and rightfully so! But this day was different, and Pastor Charlie wasn't going to let it go. The result - an hour of worship, praying, crying and numerous people committing and recommitting their lives! Praise God! And again - remarkable - but there's more to this blog.
What struck me is how eerily similar the message at LifeChurch.tv and at New Heart Fellowship were. Two churches who believe in the same God and in the resurrection power of Jesus Christ who unknowingly preach the same message on the same day. What are the odds? Well, if I were a betting woman, I would be betting that God moved the same way in tens, hundreds or even thousands of his churches this week.
What does it mean? To me, it reinforces that time is short. Every minute that passes is one minute closer to Christ's return! We have an amazing opportunity to reach people that have never been reached...which also comes with a heavy responsibility.
Where is your faith? Are you living life as if YOU'RE in charge? Have you ever given it over to God? Or if you do believe in Christ, have you filed Him away in the box that reads "For Emergencies Only?" As you read this, you're one minute closer to knowing where you will spend eternity. If you're not sure, then read John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but will have everlasting life." Believe it...call His name now...commit that you're willing to open your heart to Him and seek His direction. Then...email me. I want to hear your story, and we have some resources that will help as you start your journey.
I'm so blessed to be a part of what God is doing! Trust me, He blows me away every single day with his magnificence!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Attraction
This weekend at my church, we start the series Five Easy Steps to Wreck Your Life - with the first topic being adultery. I can confidently say that adultery is one area that I will not give into...the reason I am confident is that I've had many opportunities.
When I was married, I was the target of several different men throughout the years. I was even once told by a married man that because I traveled as part of my job, I would eventually give into adultery because "everyone who travels does it." I was absolutely appalled! But that was his reality, and unfortunately, is a reality shared by many.
What causes a person to break the sacred commitment they made to their spouse, or to tempt someone else to break that commitment? I will go out on a limb and say that most people don't enter into a marriage expecting to cheat, but something happens and they give into temptation.
I've met with several people who are victims of adultery, and I have experienced it first hand myself. One thing I can say is that the enemy who is the father of lies sticks with things that work, and adultery is a well refined recipe. While I may never understand why a person steps across that line, what I do know is that through the redemptive blood of Jesus Christ, there can be healing.
There are many resources available for those affected by adulterous relationships, including a story written by a lady I admire greatly whose husband fathered a child with another woman, but yet today their marriage is one of the strongest I have ever seen. Her name is Cindy, and you can follow her story here.
Because I have experience with this sin in my own life and family, I try to be acutely aware of anything I do that may be a temptation. Our church does not allow married staff members to ride in a car or be alone with members of the opposite sex if either one of them is married. I take this a step farther and will not meet, even casually, with a married man without his wife or others present. This is not only for my protection, but also to protect the other person...I never want to be a stumbling block for someone else.
You cannot control others, but you can control your actions and inactions. Check your heart, check your actions and check your relationships. What are you doing to protect yourself from crossing that line?
When I was married, I was the target of several different men throughout the years. I was even once told by a married man that because I traveled as part of my job, I would eventually give into adultery because "everyone who travels does it." I was absolutely appalled! But that was his reality, and unfortunately, is a reality shared by many.
What causes a person to break the sacred commitment they made to their spouse, or to tempt someone else to break that commitment? I will go out on a limb and say that most people don't enter into a marriage expecting to cheat, but something happens and they give into temptation.
I've met with several people who are victims of adultery, and I have experienced it first hand myself. One thing I can say is that the enemy who is the father of lies sticks with things that work, and adultery is a well refined recipe. While I may never understand why a person steps across that line, what I do know is that through the redemptive blood of Jesus Christ, there can be healing.
There are many resources available for those affected by adulterous relationships, including a story written by a lady I admire greatly whose husband fathered a child with another woman, but yet today their marriage is one of the strongest I have ever seen. Her name is Cindy, and you can follow her story here.
Because I have experience with this sin in my own life and family, I try to be acutely aware of anything I do that may be a temptation. Our church does not allow married staff members to ride in a car or be alone with members of the opposite sex if either one of them is married. I take this a step farther and will not meet, even casually, with a married man without his wife or others present. This is not only for my protection, but also to protect the other person...I never want to be a stumbling block for someone else.
You cannot control others, but you can control your actions and inactions. Check your heart, check your actions and check your relationships. What are you doing to protect yourself from crossing that line?
Thursday, August 6, 2009
New Beginnings
Do you like new beginnings? Every single day starts a New Beginning - a new sunrise, new time with our friends and family, and a new opportunity to reach people for Christ. It may seem like the "same old, same old," but God gives us a chance every day to serve Him better than we did the day before.
"7 God keeps renewing the promise and setting the date as today...9 The promise of “arrival” and “rest” is still there for God’s people.10 God himself is at rest. And at the end of the journey we’ll surely rest with God.11 So let’s keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience.12 God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey." Hebrews 4:7,9-12 The Message
What are you going to do for Him today? Don't waste it - yesterday is gone forever, make today a New Beginning!
P.S. August 5th was a New Beginning for Ruby, my sister's 6th child. Congrats Sis and Welcome Ms Ruby!
"7 God keeps renewing the promise and setting the date as today...9 The promise of “arrival” and “rest” is still there for God’s people.10 God himself is at rest. And at the end of the journey we’ll surely rest with God.11 So let’s keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience.12 God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey." Hebrews 4:7,9-12 The Message
What are you going to do for Him today? Don't waste it - yesterday is gone forever, make today a New Beginning!
P.S. August 5th was a New Beginning for Ruby, my sister's 6th child. Congrats Sis and Welcome Ms Ruby!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
What Have You Done for Me Lately?
Sounds selfish - if it were ME asking the question - but it's actually a question God is asking OF me. "What have YOU (Robyn) done for me (God) lately?" Umm...well...there's that time...
Shouldn't be hard to answer, right? After all, I'm "in the ministry." But there are days...even weeks...that, I'm embarrassed to say, I don't have a good answer. Sure, I jump through all the administrative hoops each week to make sure we're able to have church on Sunday. I lead a team of people to be hospitality, greeters and parkers at our campus (but really, THEY do all the work - and are AMAZING at it). I talk to people in the community about our church, it's culture and our mission of leading people to become fully-devoted followers of Christ. And all that I do for the Kingdom purpose...but His question is deeper than that.
Robyn - WHAT have YOU DONE personally for ME lately? The answer - not enough.
I haven't spent enough time reading His Word. I haven't spent enough time in prayer. I haven't spent enough time actually sharing what He means to me personally (not just "professionally"). I haven't been a good enough example of His love to my family, friends and team. I haven't done enough.
Next question: Robyn - what are you going to do about it?
Simple answer - Step Up, be accountable and quit making excuses! I can never do enough to repay Him for the life of Jesus Christ that was given for me...but I can (and must) step up and do more!
How about you - are you doing enough? What can you do to Step Up?
Shouldn't be hard to answer, right? After all, I'm "in the ministry." But there are days...even weeks...that, I'm embarrassed to say, I don't have a good answer. Sure, I jump through all the administrative hoops each week to make sure we're able to have church on Sunday. I lead a team of people to be hospitality, greeters and parkers at our campus (but really, THEY do all the work - and are AMAZING at it). I talk to people in the community about our church, it's culture and our mission of leading people to become fully-devoted followers of Christ. And all that I do for the Kingdom purpose...but His question is deeper than that.
Robyn - WHAT have YOU DONE personally for ME lately? The answer - not enough.
I haven't spent enough time reading His Word. I haven't spent enough time in prayer. I haven't spent enough time actually sharing what He means to me personally (not just "professionally"). I haven't been a good enough example of His love to my family, friends and team. I haven't done enough.
Next question: Robyn - what are you going to do about it?
Simple answer - Step Up, be accountable and quit making excuses! I can never do enough to repay Him for the life of Jesus Christ that was given for me...but I can (and must) step up and do more!
How about you - are you doing enough? What can you do to Step Up?
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Thoughts for the Day
"One day you will be called to answer to what you do with the gifts you've been given." Nancy Beach. What are your gifts, and what are you doing with them?
It's not a risk if we're using the gifts God gave us.
We are sometimes the people that stand in our own way.
If you are a leader, it should be because of your character, not your title.
Just some random thoughts that come from a day of opportunities.
It's not a risk if we're using the gifts God gave us.
We are sometimes the people that stand in our own way.
If you are a leader, it should be because of your character, not your title.
Just some random thoughts that come from a day of opportunities.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Portability
What does the word "portable" mean to you? Remember the boom box? It was large and ran on "D" cell batteries, but you could take your radio anywhere (if you could muscle it up on your shoulder)! Then, in 1982 the Sony Discman was introduced and the bulky boom box was quickly replaced. Here we are in the 21st century and we have portable music players that hold thousands upon thousands of songs and fit in the palm of our hands. Who knew how quickly our entire world would become portable?
I am part of a "portable" church campus. Every week we unload 2 semi trailers full of equipment at an elementary school in Owasso, Oklahoma and set up an "experience room" (auditorium), 4 children's rooms and a large lobby. We transform the elementary school into a sleek, modern, technologically-advanced church...and then pack it all up to do it again the next week.
Besides the obvious challenges of set up and tear down, we face other "opportunities" like - How do we keep the atmosphere fresh and inviting when everything is locked up in trailers during the week? Where do we hold campus-wide events? How do we successfully launch children and youth programs during the week without a facility?
I call these challenges "opportunities" because that's what they are - opportunities for us to come up with alternative solutions. Opportunities for us to reach people outside of the traditional church building. Opportunities to stretch ourselves (and our volunteers) into areas that we never thought we could go. But above all else - Opportunities to truly rely on God's direction, because our minds are so small and so brainwashed to think that a church has to be filled with pews, red carpet and a steeple that without HIM we could never have even considered a portable church!
Portable Church - who'd have thought? God...of course!
I am part of a "portable" church campus. Every week we unload 2 semi trailers full of equipment at an elementary school in Owasso, Oklahoma and set up an "experience room" (auditorium), 4 children's rooms and a large lobby. We transform the elementary school into a sleek, modern, technologically-advanced church...and then pack it all up to do it again the next week.
Besides the obvious challenges of set up and tear down, we face other "opportunities" like - How do we keep the atmosphere fresh and inviting when everything is locked up in trailers during the week? Where do we hold campus-wide events? How do we successfully launch children and youth programs during the week without a facility?
I call these challenges "opportunities" because that's what they are - opportunities for us to come up with alternative solutions. Opportunities for us to reach people outside of the traditional church building. Opportunities to stretch ourselves (and our volunteers) into areas that we never thought we could go. But above all else - Opportunities to truly rely on God's direction, because our minds are so small and so brainwashed to think that a church has to be filled with pews, red carpet and a steeple that without HIM we could never have even considered a portable church!
Portable Church - who'd have thought? God...of course!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Reconnecting
Do you have friends that you haven't connected with in awhile? Do you ever say "I wonder what happened to..."? Recently I was thinking about my best friend from high school. Just as I was thinking of her, I received a Friend Request from her on Facebook. Obviously not a coincidence (especially since I don't believe in coincidences). I was so excited! We had been the best of friends, but with us both getting married, and then my move to Oklahoma, we lost contact.
As we began reconnecting, it was pretty uncanny how our lives seemed to compliment each other. She had planned to be a youth pastor, and while I spent many years "running" from the church, I wound up entering into ministry. We were both outdoors people, she much more athletic and coordinated than I, but our interests are quite similar.
I can't help but wonder what God is showing me through our reconnection. Obviously, I am thrilled to pick up our friendship where it left off - that goes without saying! But it wouldn't be like me to just leave it at that. Everyone who knows me recognizes that I have to evaluate the situation to look for God's hand. And true to form, He is revealing things to me through my friend - two things really: perseverance and steadfastness. My friend has persevered through some difficult times. And she has remained steadfast in her commitment to herself and to her family. Details aren't appropriate or even necessary - just know she is a Proverbs 31 woman.
"She sets about her work vigorously, her arms are strong for their tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night." Prov 31:17-18
I am pleased to get to know my friend again and can't wait to see what else God is going to reveal through her. Is there someone in your life that you've been thinking about? Why not search for them on Facebook...or better yet, pick up the phone?
As we began reconnecting, it was pretty uncanny how our lives seemed to compliment each other. She had planned to be a youth pastor, and while I spent many years "running" from the church, I wound up entering into ministry. We were both outdoors people, she much more athletic and coordinated than I, but our interests are quite similar.
I can't help but wonder what God is showing me through our reconnection. Obviously, I am thrilled to pick up our friendship where it left off - that goes without saying! But it wouldn't be like me to just leave it at that. Everyone who knows me recognizes that I have to evaluate the situation to look for God's hand. And true to form, He is revealing things to me through my friend - two things really: perseverance and steadfastness. My friend has persevered through some difficult times. And she has remained steadfast in her commitment to herself and to her family. Details aren't appropriate or even necessary - just know she is a Proverbs 31 woman.
"She sets about her work vigorously, her arms are strong for their tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night." Prov 31:17-18
I am pleased to get to know my friend again and can't wait to see what else God is going to reveal through her. Is there someone in your life that you've been thinking about? Why not search for them on Facebook...or better yet, pick up the phone?
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