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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Community

Last week I wrote about an intense experience I was diving into for the weekend (click here if you missed it).

The TEC (Teens Encounter Christ) weekend was just as special as I had imagined. We ended up having ten teens go through the weekend as candidates, and the rest of us did all we could to make sure they had a wonderful time of spiritual growth.

I have to admit that I had my own struggles during the weekend.

Thursday night went fine as we finished getting everything ready.

On Friday morning I did the devotions for our team of nine, pointing out how important it is to catch our thoughts (2 Corinthians 10:5) and make sure we’re replacing any negatives with things that are excellent and true (Philippians 4:8).

And then…I proceeded to go through the entire day entertaining all sorts of pessimistic thoughts!

“They don’t really need me on this team.” “I’m too quiet.” “I wish I could be more like _______.” “What are they thinking about me?” “They don’t really know me, and they probably don’t like me.” “I came into this late. I shouldn’t have signed up.”

I fought back tears as the day ended, and my thoughts jumped to even more negative conclusions. “This is just too hard!” “I’m too quiet and awkward. I shouldn’t ever do things like this.” “Life is easier if I just do it alone.”

Those thoughts, my friend, are lies from the devil himself.

Thankfully, I did a bit of reflection before I went to bed that night, and in the morning I asked God to help me turn those thoughts around. (I know I could have done that on Friday, but better late than never!)

Saturday and Sunday were much more positive. Instead of looking at “me, me, me” and ruminating on how I was doing and what everyone was thinking about me, I started to think about others.

I concentrated on the amazing things God was doing in the lives of every person involved at TEC that weekend. The care people showed for others. The sacrifice each person made to be there. The love that was evident everywhere you looked.

I still felt awkward at times, but I tried to laugh off my awkwardness.

I am a pretty quiet person, but I felt more peaceful about it (as opposed to the constant churning I felt inside on Friday).

I like doing things by myself, but I finished the weekend completely convinced of the importance of community. We grow spiritually when we work together, pray together, serve together, laugh together, and cry together.

I think I’ll sign up to help again in November.

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24–25 NIV)

Do you prefer doing things on your own, or do you value community? How can focusing on God help you to grow as you spend time with other believers?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Intense Experiences

I’m writing this on Thursday, right before I leave to work at a TEC (Teens Encounter Christ) weekend. To be honest, I’m a little nervous.

This is my first time working at one of these events, and I know from attending the closing several times and doing some of the prep work for this weekend that it’s going to be an intense spiritual experience.

About forty workers will toil behind the scenes to provide a meaningful retreat for eleven high school students. I can’t reveal all of the fun surprises that will happen throughout the weekend, but I will say that it can get pretty intense.

Intense for the students (the candidates), but also intense for the workers. I’m anticipating that God will have so much to say to me as I dive into this opportunity.

Spending time with God regularly in our daily lives is important, but we need intense experiences sometimes. It can boost us to new spiritual heights when we spend extended periods of time with other believers and learn from what God is doing in their lives (and ours!).

I can’t wait to see what God does in these students’ lives this weekend!

“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:3 NIV)

How long has it been since you had an intense experience with the LORD and other believers? How can focusing on God help you to be open to seeking out that type of adventure?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on God’s Goodness

I helped with Vacation Bible School at our church this week.

A friend and I did the Bible stories in my garage. It was a crazy week of telling the same story four times in a row each night and being amazed that every time we did it, it was different. It was hectic and a little crazy, but it was fun.

And, as it usually happens when I’m teaching something, I probably learned more than the kids. I needed it.

Every night, we focused on the goodness of God.

When life is unfair…God is good!

When life is scary…God is good!

When life changes…God is good!

When life is sad/When life is good…God is good!

Boy, I needed that. Too often, I get caught up in the disappointments and challenges of life and I try to endure by relying on my own strength. I don’t get very far before I run out of steam and collapse in despair.

This week was a reminder that no matter what is going on (good or bad), I can count on God’s goodness.

When I do something well…God is good!

When I make mistakes…God is good!

When life feels precious…God is good!

When life feels overwhelming…God is good!

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (1 Chronicles 16:34 NIV)

Is it hard to remember that God is good? How can focusing on God help you to remember his goodness in every situation in life?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Never Graduating

It’s high school graduation weekend here in South Dakota. We have four open houses to attend on Saturday afternoon. Hopefully, I can pace myself with the goodies as we congratulate the graduates.

Graduation is a special time in a person’s life, whether it’s from kindergarten, middle school, high school, or college. It marks the accomplishment of a learning goal, but the learning doesn’t stop there. If a person is wise, they’ll keep learning for the rest of their life.

So let’s focus on never graduating. Though we may set certain educational goals or make personal plans, let’s keep learning and growing as we move forward.

The Holy Spirit will keep teaching us the things we need to know about God, ourselves, and our relationships as we stay close to him. There will always be more for us to learn, but we don’t have to feel stressed about everything we don’t understand right now. (He’ll never give us a failing grade, although we may have to repeat some lessons if we don’t figure it out the first time.)

We just need to concentrate on the things we do know and understand, trusting that the Spirit will keep showing us what’s next and leading us into more and more truth.

As long as we’re here on this planet, we’ll never graduate from that.

“As for you, the anointing you received from [the Holy Spirit] remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.” (1 John 2:27 NIV)

How many graduations do you have to attend this year? As you watch your loved ones celebrate that milestone, think about how you’ll never actually graduate when it comes to learning about faith. How can focusing on God help you to keep learning and growing?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Fighting Ourselves

I had a fight with a robin last week.

Looking out my kitchen window, I could see something in the dish full of jelly for the orioles. I went and picked a couple of twigs out of the dish, chuckled at the silly robin, and went back inside.

A little while later, I was shocked to see the beginnings of a nest!

I ran out and plucked the brush and twigs out of the feeder. Dumb bird.

I got busy with things inside and the next time I looked out it was worse.

Now I was getting mad! This bird was not going to win. I went out there every once in a while and tossed out the beginnings of several nests.

When I told Gary and the boys about it at lunchtime, Blake laughed and said, “It’s kind of like you’re fighting yourself!”

In the afternoon, Gary pointed out that I was being pretty cruel to the poor robin. She was just trying to build a nest so she could lay her eggs. He was right, and I felt terrible. I did what he suggested and put a bag over the feeder to force her to build her nest somewhere else.

It worked. I left the bag on for a day or so, and when I took it off she didn’t try to build there again. She must have found another spot.

As I fought with the bird that day, I realized that Blake was right. I was fighting myself. The silly robin wanted to build her nest in the wrong place, and this silly Robyn sometimes wants to stay in places that are wrong for me.

I put time and energy into things that don’t really matter way too often, and, even worse, I let negative ideas fill my mind and crowd out more helpful, productive thoughts. Instead of brooding over the bad thoughts, I need to catch hold of every single one and get it out of my head.

I could barely keep ahead of that ambitious robin, and it can be even harder to stay ahead of all of the thoughts that try to take up residence in my brain. If only there were a way to cover everything and keep those thoughts out.

That may not be possible, but there is something I can do. When I get confused and frustrated by my tendency to keep going back to the same old thoughts and sins, I can focus on something else instead. Looking to the Lord for his wisdom and strength just may help me stop fighting myself and find the perfect place to rest.

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” (Romans 7:15 NIV)

“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” (1 Chronicles 16:11 NIV)

Do you ever get frustrated by your tendency to do the things you don’t want to do? How can focusing on God help you to turn from those things and rest in him instead?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Special New Books

I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die.

How’s that for a catchy book title? It sure caught my eye. I jumped at the chance to get on Sarah J. Robinson’s launch team for this beautifully written book.

If you have ever struggled with depression and anxiety (especially if it often leads to suicidal thoughts), then I highly recommend that you read this book. If you know someone who deals with a mental illness, you can also benefit from Sarah’s honest and helpful words (especially appendix A).

Sarah doesn’t just share her story. She takes the reader on a journey to explore the pain that depression brings and come to a place of acceptance. Sure, she shares lots of great insights and ideas that will help someone with a mental illness get to better places emotionally, but the parts I liked best were the paragraphs that reminded me that I’m not alone. Other people feel the way I do at times. All of us can live wonderful lives in spite of a mental illness like depression.

I’ve written other Focus Friday posts about depression (and I’ll keep writing about it, of course). I want to share my story and help others. Maybe if enough people start reading books like this and go on to share their stories, we won’t feel so alone when we’re pushing through the bad days.

I’m learning more and more that it does no good to fight my depression. I enjoy the good days and I show myself grace on the bad days, knowing they’ll pass and things will get better again.

I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die releases on May 11. I preordered a copy (even though I already got to read a digital copy). I can’t wait to read through it again and use it as one of the tools that keeps me healthy.

Order a copy, too. You’ll be glad you did!

“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.” (Isaiah 30:15 NIV)

Do books help you accept your depression or other mental illness? How can focusing on God help you to live well in spite of that illness?

Here’s a link to a beautiful short video where you can see Sarah Robinson talking about the book:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=528058238359999

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Life

On Wednesday, I started the morning by reading my Bible. I try to do that every day, but sometimes life gets in the way. That day, I hadn’t sat down to read since Saturday morning. After writing the date in my notebook, I jotted down this thought: “Too long between devos again—and it shows!”

It was true. The beginning of the week just seemed harder for some reason. I got weepy and worried about situations that normally wouldn’t have fazed me.

I usually read a few chapters, but that day I could only read one. A verse at the end of Deuteronomy 30 jumped out at me. I wrote it down and underlined the action verbs:

“Choose to love the LORD your God and to obey him and commit yourself to him, for he is your life.” (Deuteronomy 30:20 NLT, 1996 version)

I circled the word “life” a couple of times and dropped my pen.

That’s what I had been missing all week! Life had felt hard and meaningless because I had neglected to spend time with the one who really is my life. How could I have forgotten?

I kept my notebook open on my desk and went back to read that verse several times the rest of the week. It’s helped me to remember that I have a choice.

I can stumble along on my own, tripping over my faults and failures, or I can choose to love, obey, and commit to the LORD—my life!

It truly does make a difference. Every single day.

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life.” (Deuteronomy 30:19–20 NLT)

Have you been choosing life or death lately? How can focusing on God help you to choose life? What will it look like as you love God, obey him, and commit yourself to him?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Taking Baby Steps

I set a goal on Monday. “I’m going to finish my book proposal by Friday.”

It wasn’t an impossible goal, but I didn’t accomplish it.

As usual, my brain wants to make that mean all sorts of negative things. (I’m a failure. I’ll never get it done. I always do things like this, so why even try?)

I’ve been fighting those thoughts (and losing) for the last couple of days.

Why can’t I focus on what I did get done instead? I spent almost two hours working on it on Tuesday evening (after procrastinating all of Monday and most of Tuesday). I wrote and tweaked parts of it on Wednesday for over an hour.

There were moments when I fell into despair because I didn’t like what I had already written. There were also flashes of hope when I wrote a new paragraph and saw how it might help a reader someday.

As I blog today, I’m choosing to celebrate the baby steps I took this week. I didn’t finish my proposal, but I’m three hours closer to completion. A few more baby steps next week and it might be ready to pass along to an agent.

There are other projects on my heart. It can be overwhelming to think about all of the steps involved in getting them done. Breaking them down into baby steps could help my brain see them as more possible.

We have to remember that there are going to be times in our lives when we race ahead, full of energy and ambition. Then there are those times when things are harder. We don’t have the confidence or energy to run, but even baby steps can keep us moving toward the finish line.

“I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” (Acts 20:24 NIV)

Do you get frustrated because you aren’t getting things done as quickly as you’d like? How can focusing on God help you to move forward—one baby step at a time?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Launch Parties

I am now a published author.

I’ve written my blog posts for years and I even had an article and some devotions published, but now I have a chapter in an actual book. It feels amazing! (And scary.)

This week I put a press release in our local newspaper about Life, Repurposed: Stories of Grace, Hope, and Restored Faith. I’ve given a few copies away and I’ve started selling some autographed copies to interested friends and family members.

Part of me wants to tell everyone I meet about it, and another part of me wants to hold back because it feels strange to point out my accomplishment.

I want to lean more toward the side that tells everyone, because I want my story to help as many people as it can. My chapter presents a snapshot of the depression I went through back in 2014 and encourages people to change their negative thinking.

There are also wonderful stories from 33 other writers. Of course I want to help get their words out to the people who need to hear them, so I’ll keep talking about this new book that was compiled and edited by Michelle Rayburn.

I wonder how often we do the same thing as Christians. We have faith in God and we see him working in our lives. Part of us wants to shout it from the rooftops, and part of us wants to keep quiet because we don’t want to appear too pushy.

But if we don’t talk about it and share God’s love, how will people learn about it? People need hope, love, and grace. Christians are the ones who can pass those things on to the world around them.

There’s a Facebook launch party for Life, Repurposed on Facebook this coming Monday, April 12, 2021. It goes on all day and will include author interviews (Here’s mine), giveaways, and more fun. I hope you’ll check it out.

Spread the news about this new resource and, if you’re a believer, make sure you’re spreading the news about the source of all our hope, peace, and joy—Jesus Christ.

 “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim His name; make known among the nations what He has done, and proclaim that His name is exalted.” (Isaiah 12:4 NIV)

How do you feel about sharing good news with the people in your life? How can focusing on God help you to push past the fear and tell others about your Lord?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Accepting Gifts

I received a gift today. I was very glad to get it, but I was surprised at the thoughts going through my head afterward.

Maybe I should tell you what I got first. You see, I’ve been doing some work in the church office this week. Our administrative assistant is fighting non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and this was a rough week. I was happy to help out so she could rest.

I was working on the bulletin today, when all of a sudden her husband showed up with a vase full of beautiful flowers!

Aren’t they beautiful?

I protested that those weren’t necessary, but to tell her thank you from me. A little while later I texted her to say thanks and I sent her a picture of her gift.

“Thanks for helping out!” the card said. But I couldn’t just accept and enjoy her gift. My brain started doing all sorts of goofy things.

I should send her some flowers since she’s not feeling well. I hope she didn’t waste too much money on me. How can I pay her back for this?

I’m getting a little better at catching my thoughts, so I didn’t let my brain spin on those worries for too long. I smiled as I carried my flowers home when I got done working and I’ve been enjoying them every time I catch a glimpse of them. I’ve taken a few minutes to admire them again and stick my nose deep into one of the roses to enjoy its aroma.

It was a wonderful gift.

Today is Good Friday. Some of us have trouble accepting God’s beautiful gift. Sometimes our brains start doing all sorts of goofy things.

Jesus endured so much pain on the cross. I can’t believe he’d do that for little old me. How can I repay him for his sacrifice?

We have to catch those thoughts that spin and cause us to focus on ourselves. Instead we can think about the love he had for us that sent him to that cross. He wanted to go through that excruciating experience so each of us could have eternal life. It’s amazing!

We can take time today to reflect on the pain he went through and the shame he bore, but we can’t stay there. We have to remember that Sunday morning came and the tomb was empty. He rose from that grave. Death couldn’t hold him! Later he went to heaven to prepare a place for us. We can smile every time we remember what he did for us.

It was a wonderful gift.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NIV)

How are you at accepting gifts? How can focusing on God help you to accept Jesus’ wonderful gift ?