Steve's Blog

Today we pause and commemorate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. For those of us who grew up when Dr. King was alive, we remember well his non-violent stance toward injustice. He heard a clarion call inviting him to fulfill a compelling mission. Today the world is a much different place due to the tireless commitment and eventual martyrdom of Dr. King. He sacrificed his life for the freedom of the oppressed and his legacy lives on, not only among black people but others who suffer from injustices in our nation and world.
How do you handle the attacks of the enemy on your soul, your relationships, your very life itself? Are the injustices inflicted upon you, your family or your ministry as blatant as racism? Most of us can’t relate to such intolerance, but we can all relate to the challenges that come when we sense the attack of the opposition to all that befits a child of God.  Regardless of what you are facing today, the message is clear…violence begets violence. Therefore, always choose justice, mercy, humility, and peace.
“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God,” Micah 6:8.

January 1, 2011 was an unusually mild day in New England. At midday, several of our extended family members went for a leisurely walk in my favorite wildlife refuge near our home. It was a spectacular site, filled with incredible beauty despite the overcast mid-winter sky and the barrenness of the meadow. After our walk, we sat on benches and enjoyed the peaceful serenity of our surroundings. It was delightful.

My brother in-law asked me about my new year resolutions. At that point I hadn’t crafted my list. Within moments of the question, however, I had part of my answer. One resolution is for certain: add more holy leisure to my life. What I was feeling at that particular moment was a snapshot of the longing of my soul…unhurried times set apart to enjoy God’s creation, prayerfully attend to the voice of my Maker, and biblically ponder the path of life I’m invited to discover and fulfill each new day.

It was at that time of holy leisure that I came in touch with my deepest desire. Everything in my life – marriage, family, ministry, friendships – bursts forth from that place of holy listening. Without that wide open space for my soul, I will be crowded out by the noise, activity, relationships, and demands of my world. Today is the first Monday of January and I’m already feeling the upswing in activity, expectation, and the stress that accompanies a full family, personal and ministry life.

I want to remember throughout 2011 what I know to be true…God’s delight over us as we delight in His presence. Holy leisure – in both solitude and in community – will take me to that spacious place where my soul comes alive in pondering and receiving the many gifts for life that come from the generous hand of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Is your soul craving more holy leisure? If so, be sure to follow through with holy resolve this coming year!

“Action without reflection is meaningless action.” I wish I knew the source of this quote, shared with me years ago as “from the mystics of old” – because the truths encapsulated within these profound words are worth both our pondering and our application. Flip this statement upside down and the underside is also true: “Reflection without action is meaningless reflection.”

Reflection at its finest should manifest itself in action. Otherwise, it’s navel gazing and insular and left to linger unattended. Attending to the soul by way of contemplation is what leads thoughtful believers into intentional service to others. The Great Commandment—loving God with heart, soul, mind and strength—plus the Second Great Commandment—loving our neighbor as ourselves—is what leads us outward into the Great Commission—as we go, making disciples of all nations.

The Christian community at its healthiest incorporates a balanced approach to our spirituality. Love for God, love for others in the family of God, and love for our unreached neighbors. When we ponder the reality of each aspect of our faith, we are led into further reflection and ultimately into more meaningful action.

Where will your head and your heart lead your hands in service to another? Offer someone a cup of cold water in Jesus’ name today, it’s good for your soul.

This entry also appears on the Conversations Journal Blog.

When is it the season to receive? Correct answer: Advent, Christmas – and every other day of the year!

In the gospel of John, the mystery of the incarnation is spelled out with clarity. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:1-14).

The coming of Christ into the world was so that a people living in darkness could receive the gift of light and life and love found only in Jesus. To all who receive him, these gifts are generously given by God Himself so that we in turn can become his beloved children. Receiving the gift of Jesus is where it all begins.

One of my favorite Christmas carols was written by Phillips Brooks (1835-1893), “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” The third verse speaks of the need for receptivity within the soul, “How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given! So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heaven. No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.”

In this season of gift giving, I’d like to remind you to remain open to humbly receive the most wondrous gift of all – Jesus, and all the light, life and love he delights to share with you as his child.

A blessed and joy-filled Christmas to all!

By the time we sing Silent Night via candlelight on Christmas Eve, chances are we’ll be doing so after having run as fast as we can to get there! If your life is anything like ours, the list of things yet to do before Christmas (on top of an already full-to-overflowing life) feels overwhelming: create decorations, bake cookies, finish shopping, mail packages, send cards, attend events, prepare meals…just to name a few!

While we’re in the final countdown to Christmas, it might be good to add one more item to the list that’s good for your soul: seek peace. Yes, the peace that’s found in quiet places of rest and refreshment. It’s the only peace for your weary soul, discovered in the true hallmark of Christmas: Jesus himself.

Can you find one solid hour for yourself in the coming week to ponder the meaning of Advent and Christmas? A few ideas to consider: use the hour to be alone and reflect in your journal on the gifts of the season and the joy of knowing Jesus; put headphones on and listen to Handel’s Messiah or other classical music of the Advent and Christmas season and let your heart soar with praise; sit by a fire in a darkened room, pray quietly and enjoy the warmth that radiates; put your feet up in your most comfortable chair and savor the sights and smells of your decorated home thanking Jesus for being a part of his family; take a walk in the woods or by the ocean (or another body of water) and consider the vastness of God’s creation that Jesus entered on that first Christmas morning; stop in the middle of a crowded street and look prayerfully around you at the myriad of souls crying out for a Savior.

There are many options to consider as you await the singing of Silent Night by candlelight on Christmas Eve. Will you rush your way to the manger once more? Choose now to enter the joy of Christmas with the true peace of Jesus reigning in your heart and soul.

What information will you keep out of the annual family Christmas letter?

As I was working over the weekend on writing this year’s family Christmas letter I had a silly thought…

What if this year’s letter were more about the disappointments of the past year rather than the highlights? I don’t think I’ve ever read a Christmas letter like that!

Most of our annual letters include updates like the incredible GPA’s of our children and their ivy league college placement, new job opportunities that show we’re climbing the corporate ladder, athletic prowess that has lead us into Olympic-like shape, exotic vacation locations, new (second) homes, etc. Yes, most of our letters are about strutting our braggage rather than embracing our baggage.

Not that this would be our list (!!), but I thought of a few items that most likely never get included in annual Christmas letters but are pound for pound far more profound than the highlights we dig up from our memory banks to boast to one another. For example, what about our incredible sadness over unresolved conflict with extended family members, or lost jobs due to a down economy and the depression that accompanied the layoff, or the infidelity of a brother or son and the impact that is having on a devastated wife and young children, or the news that indeed the tumor is inoperable and months instead of years are left to live, or learning that the addiction has overtaken a loved one to the point of daily misery. These are just a few options; the pain in our world is far larger, deeper and more significant.

I’m trying to weave into our annual family letter a bit of the realism of our past year, but I must admit, I’m hard pressed to do so. What if the truth about our disappointments are misunderstood and then gets maligned when we get talked about around “that friend or family member’s” holiday table? Is it worth the risk to speak about pain, heartache and disappointment or will I stick instead with the safe, pretty, and brag-worthy stuff?

I’m not done with my final draft. Not sure where it will end up. But challenged all the more about the importance of truth-telling and the freedom that comes when the raw material of our lives is shared authentically and within the safety of loving relationships. My baggage may not be shared with all; but it certainly is known by the few who matter most. And it’s the ones who know me best and love me most that know how to read between the lines even if our annual Christmas letter is only filled with highlights, blessings and joys.

What about you – who knows the truth about your life and the year you’re about to wrap up in just a few weeks?

Luke 1:48, “for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.”
When the angel approached Mary, the words of greeting startled the young woman. “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. (Luke 1: 28,29). The angel knew that this instilled fear in her heart and announced to her that the Lord had found favor in her and as a result she was to bear a child who would be named Jesus.
So when Mary sings her magnificent song of praise (Luke 1: 46-55) she begins it by glorifying and praising God for his mindfulness – of her humble state of soul. Her song of delight focused on her surprising place in the Kingdom…based solely in a humble openness to the miraculous work of God being released and fulfilled in her.
In what ways have you sensed the mindfulness of God in your behalf lately? He has and is and always will be mindful of the state of your soul and the needs of your heart. God doesn’t know any other way to be God in your life than to be fully mindful of each and every inch of your life. He is mindful of your coming and going, your highs and your lows, your desires and your fears, your gifts and your shame. He knows you and loves you and is mindful of you…receive that incredible gift today.
Throughout Advent 2010 it will be vitally important that we as servants of Christ remember God’s mindfulness. There is nothing that exceeds his grasp or surpasses his initiative. Trust in the One who’s love is fully attentive to your every prayer and believe today that his work in and through you will be for the glory of God and the purposes of his Kingdom.
My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

This entry also appears on the Conversations Journal Blog.

In what ways are you preparing for Advent in the midst of Thanksgiving Week?
I can’t think of a better time of year to prepare for Advent…while our hearts are inclined toward a spirit of gratitude!
What are you thanking God for this week? Family, friends, experiences, accomplishments, in the past, present and future? This is the week to let your heart and voice explode with thankfulness and erupt with praise…don’t hold back! Take every opportunity to say “Thank you!” to your family, friends, and yes be sure to express thanks to God.
As we prepare our hearts for the season of Advent, the first Sunday of which is the Sunday after Thanksgiving, we delight in the gift of Jesus on that first Advent and we await his coming again in glory the eternal Advent. In the meantime, his Advent (coming with expectant waiting) into our hearts each day is both invitational and incarnational. He invites us to come close, draw near and follow him…and he gives us the gift of His Spirit to live incarnationally in this world.
Take time to thank God for his unspeakable, indescribable gifts and give God the glory in heart, mind and voice to all that he has so generously lavished upon you today.
Happy Thanksgiving and a Blessed Advent Season to all!

The thematic focus of our spiritual formation groups this past week has been on “Thankfulness” – in keeping with the spirit of the season!
Our opening devotions took us to Psalm 145, reading it slowly one verse at a time around the circle. I was struck by several key verses, “One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works…they will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love” (vs. 4-8).
As we shared what we’re most grateful for, it was pure joy to listen in to the stories of God’s abundant goodness. We heard about family members, friends, joys, new discoveries, rich blessings, we shed a few tears, recounted God’s loving faithfulness, and reminded each other of God’s compassionate love and mercy. It was sweet indeed.
The closing hymn that we sung together was written more than 350 years ago – written by Lutheran deacon Martin Rinkart – entitled “Now Thank We All Our God” – talk about “one generation commending God’s work to another”! We sang with overflowing gusto and joyful hearts:
Now thank we all our God With hearts and hands and voices;
Who wondrous things hath done, In whom this world rejoices.
Who, from our mother’s arms, Hath led us on our way,
With countless gifts of love, And still is ours today.
Giving thanks is good for the soul…be sure to do so often in the coming week and in fact each and every day of your journey of faith. A grateful heart feeds the soul with nutrition that brings forth a generous harvest of faith, love and joy. Happy Thanksgiving!

What a week for Leadership Transformations! We’re celebrating our 7th Ministry Anniversary with several exciting gatherings with our team and lots of friends of our ministry…a Leadership Enrichment Event with Mark Buchanan focusing on our “Spiritual Rhythms” and the seasons of our soul; a Soul Care Mini Retreat focusing on “Discovering the Rest of God” with our friends at Grace Chapel; and a Celebration Reception for our donors and friends – wow, God has been so good to us, and we give HIM all the glory, honor and praise!
Earlier this week I spent a day on “Soul Sabbath” with some of our Gordon-Conwell seminary students. A day-long retreat where we enjoy silence and solitude in community. A great way to practice listening to God, His Word, His creation, His gifts of love and life. It’s awesome how bonded a community of relative strangers can become in shared silence and solitude. I’m amazed each and every time!
“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge,” Psalm 62: 5-8.